Jason and I had a companion airline ticket we needed to use before March, and we thought we might as well use those big savings to travel to one of the most expensive places on earth, Disneyland. You’ve got to blow a lot of money to use a free airline ticket; everyone knows that. This trip began with some anxiety and ended that way too, but the in between parts were more pleasant and included transportation to another galaxy along with opportunities to consume mass quantities of corn dogs, beignets, and bacon skewers. Here are all the deets on the good, the bad, and the pricey.
As suggested in the previous paragraph, panic preceded our vacation. The day before we left, I had an allergic reaction to a fragrance or some other airborne compound at the hairdresser. Just like that, I had cold symptoms. At first, I assumed an allergy was the culprit because of the instant onset, but as my issues continued to persist all day, I began to suspect illness. Boo! You have to remember, exhibiting cold symptoms of any kind in public was still very unpopular at this point, so I was not keen on trying to navigate those in busy parks. Plus, a COVID test would be necessary to confirm I wouldn’t be passing the most undesirable germs onto others as I screamed in terror on Pinocchio’s Daring Ride. I was displeased and stressed about the potential complications and/or halting of our trip. However, right before I went to bed, my reaction turned off as quickly as it had turned on. Phew! That was the first bout of anxiety associated with this retreat, but it was not the last.
That brings me to our time in the park. Why Disneyland in January? Mid-January is supposed to be one of the most uncrowded times of the year at Disney parks. I don’t know what is typical for Disneyland these days, but I certainly wouldn’t call what we experienced uncrowded. Not insane would be a more accurate description.
The weather also wasn’t what we were anticipating as it was much colder than the times we’ve gone in December. The reason for that chill? A cyclone bomb had just come through the area. Apparently, that is a fast-developing storm that forms because of a sudden drop in pressure. The associated rain ended right as we arrived and started again the afternoon we left, so I guess we missed that at least. Conditions were agreeable during the day with pants and a jacket or two, but evenings required three jackets at least, and we would still come back to our room freezing. The temperatures did get warmer each succeeding day. By the end, we couldn’t see our breath anymore at night. Yeah!
So, masses and temperatures weren’t as predicted. What was? Our delight over our first taste of a galaxy far, far away at Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge was certainly unsurprising. (How could you not see that coming?) I loved all the layers, interactions, and details. We built our own posh lightsabers at Savi’s Workshop, sipped on the blue and green milk, and dined at Ronto Roasters. FYI, the Ronto-less Garden Wrap is much better than the Ronto Wrap.
Our other Disney firsts were kind of the opposite of exciting. Sometimes you have to work hard to be amused, and it’s just too much effort. The next day, California Adventure bored us somewhat because most of the rides had such long lines. We weren’t willing to wait 60-90 minutes for each one. There wasn’t that much else to do, and there wasn’t much else to eat. Hence, being diverted became a burden. We found the new Avengers Campus satisfying, but not nearly as intriguing as Galaxy’s Edge. I believe this was the first and only time we’ve felt unentertained at a Disney theme park. When California Adventure closed, we skipped over to Disneyland thinking we’d just stay there for an hour. We stayed the rest of the night.
Disneyland occupied our last day in California. Most of that period passed in the usual park fashion. However, that evening we got stuck on the Indiana Jones Adventure right below the dangling Indiana due to one of the vehicles ahead malfunctioning. It was weird and cool to see the climax of the ride with the lights on. (FYI, the big rock is on a track.) It was less cool to have a panic attack because I had no control over how long I was going to be belted inside a cursed temple. It took 20-30 minutes for our off-road vehicle to become on again.
Overall, our vacation was a nice but exhausting break from the snows of January that sometimes oscillated between the extremes of dullness and panic. While it was fun to see the parks’ new areas, I don’t think I need to go back for a year or three.
On a final note, Disney excels at courteous, friendly service. Their parks are impeccably clean considering the number of people visiting. The downside? Paying nearly $5 for a bottle of water and a lot more for anything else. Want to ride the new Star Wars attraction, Rise of the Resistance? You can’t use a Lightning Lane Pass, at least you couldn’t when we visited. Instead, you will need to pay an additional $25/ticket to skip the regular line. Simply put, expect to spend more than you expect, and the parks will meet your expectations.