Day 18 - Can Disney change my mind about their theme parks

Can I do three days at Disneyland without hurting someone. Good question. I guess we will find out soon enough.

An early start at 4.30am onto the Deuce to take me to the bus terminal.  This journey has seen so many transport modes - plane, train, bus, cable car, private camper, Uber, tram and boat - but what better way to learn the lay of the land than travelling on its roads and highways.  

5 hours to Santa Ana went relatively uneventfully, with a meal stop in Barlow and quick rest stops in San Bernardino. From Santa Ana it was public transport to Anaheim, and a short walk to my hotel for the next two nights. Way too early to check in, so I dropped my luggage and walked to Disneyland.

 

First stop, security, where they check your bag and suddenly you are in Downtown Disney - a whole precinct of shops and restaurants before you even get into the parks. Had a browse through the stores for gift ideas for the family and finally made my way to the Disneyland entrance, where they took my photo and suddenly I’m in.

 

Had decided to make my way to Galaxy’s Edge straight away and I’ve got to say that Disney has done the Star Wars universe absolute justice. Every little detail is thought of from the backdrops, the way they camouflage drink fountains, piping, electrical requirements - it really is next level.  As I rounded the corner and caught sight of the Millenium Falcon for the first time, I will admit to taking a big gulp and blinking back a few tears. Suddenly that teenager who watched the original movies over and over again on the weekends was in the midst of a desert outpost at the edge of the galaxy.

 

Smuggler’s Run saw me assigned as an engineer and sitting in the cockpit of the Falcon. The jump to lightspeed was nothing short of spectacular and the visuals and sound effects were like really being there.

 

Next stop Rise of the Resistance and thanks to a kind couple in line in front of me, I was able to tag along with them as a party of 3 and evade the interrogation of the Empire’s agents and get transported safely home.

 

Walked back to my hotel to check in and have a rest, then back to the park for some dinner and a ride on Star Tours, pretty much time wasting until 9.30 for the fireworks and the short walk home.

 

Disney has come up in my estimation since Magic Kingdom and Paris. Let’s see what tomorrow brings.