The Terrible Catsafterme

I would not have thought that it was possible to enjoy spending an entire day at Disney’s California Adventure park…but I was wrong. Typically when I visit California, my friends and I spend just a brief time at this park, hitting a few highlights and then quickly move on over to Disneyland around lunch time. And so it has been with my last three visits. However, whereas those three visits have been during the off-season when my pal David can get us free admission to both parks, but his one was smack in the middle of the Summer – Thursday, July 16, 2009, to be exact.

So we headed out, me with Bob’s camera in hand. This was so that I could save my dwindling battery power for later in the week. Fortunately, I only dropped Bob’s camera on the ground a few times. It turns out that this was one of the most enjoyable days I have ever spent at the Disney parks. Part of it was because we took such a leisurely pace through it, seeing just about all there was to see, and hitting some of the highlights twice. And the other part was that my old junior high friend Stacey Lannak joined David, Jimmy, and me for the day’s outing.

It’s a little odd because Stacey, who attended Ankeney Junior High and the first year at Beavercreek High School, was never a close friend in school. Today she goes by the exotic moniker of Stacey Soleil, Director of Social Media Strategy at Karma Media Labs. We did not re-connect until early 2008 on Facebook – and through her tolerance and apparent enjoyment of my odd brand of humor, we somehow developed a friendship that eventually culminated in us meeting up during this trip.

Stacey and I had attempted to meet for dinner at Disney last October but plans fell through; this time we opted to actually spend the whole day at Disney. We all got along swimmingly.

Stacey as I knew her twenty years ago

Jimmy and I got up frightfully early that morning and met up with David at the Disneyland Hotel for breakfast at Steakhouse 55 at around 7:30am. Stacey didn’t join us here as I didn’t want her to feel pressured to get here too early so told her that she was welcome to come, but didn’t have to. She declined to come thinking I didn’t want her there. Either way, I enjoyed the sunrise burrito. It was just as well. I’m sure she got quite enough of us by the time the day was done.

Breakfast at Steakhouse 55

After breakfast we met up with Stacey at the entrance to the park, which was opening at 9am . It had been over twenty years since I had last laid eyes upon her and I could immediately tell that it was going to be fun day with her along. We entered the park and got started with gathering fast passes and boarding the rides, starting with Soarin’ Over California in the Golden State section of the park.

We then moved on to the Hollywood Pictures Backlot section of the park, where we boarded The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror (which Jimmy opted to sit out). After getting off this ride, we were passing the Hyperion Theatre where the 45-minute stage version of Disney’s Aladdin: A Musical Spectacular was getting ready to begin at 11am, so we went ahead and caught this enjoyable show.

The famous, ominous Tower of Terror pose

David, Stacey, and me up front as the elevator drops

Outside the Aladdin show

Stacey and me as we wait for the show to start. Jimmy looks on and David scans the crowd for chubbies.

It was warming up quickly as it neared noon, so we decided to go ahead and get the getting-wet out of the way by riding the Grizzly River Run, a typical river raft ride that gets you soaked and soggy. I certainly didn’t get the worst of it, but nevertheless got a little moist.

Our li’l group – still dry in line for the Grizzly River Run

With the Brother Bear exhibit

Stacey recalls her Beavercreek roots (not a reference to her hair)

The morning had just been busy enough that the hunger was beginning to catch up to us, so we stopped for a light lunch at the Pacific Wharf, enjoying the sounds of a female mariachi band on the way in. I had a nice shrimp salad bowl.

Guess which one of these people do not belong in the all-female mariachi band

David and Jimmy suck down the eats at the Pacific Wharf

Everyone felt nice and violent after lunch so we lined up for the Tuck and Roll’s Drive’Em Buggies in the area of the park known as “A Bug’s Land”. These were obviously glorified bumper cars, which never seem to move quite fast enough so that I could give Stacey whiplash.

Could you in good conscience rear end this pretty girl? And what’s with the lady staring at her?

You can see that David is ready to simply destroy

Jimmy ended up threatening that guy to a karate match

Out for blood

Elsewhere in Flik’s Fun Fair area was the Princess Dot Puddle Park. The three guys among us just explored and enjoyed the Disney sights and sounds. Stacey, who was drying off from the rapids ride decided to hang around and run around amidst the fountains. This gal was bound and determined to stay wet all day.

The wet girl

After getting wet, there’s nothing more fun than going into the air-conditioned confines of the theatre where the 3D spectacle It’s Tough to Be a Bug! movie is screened. This is always one of my favorites and it was fun to see Stacey’s reaction. She hadn’t seen it before, so was easily flipped out during the bug attacks.

Honorary bugs

Cave dweller

Stacey slips this dude a Mickey

My Friends Tigger and Pooh is one of the shows that David works on as an animation colorist

As we neared 3:30, we decided that it was time for round two on The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror. I just can’t get enough of this ride. Jimmy bypassed again, but was ready to have some after-ride ice cream along with the others – except for me, who was trying to be good in the eating department. While they were eating their ice cream, we ran into a very hot Pocahontas, so I posed for a picture with her. Why are hot girls always hotter when they are Disney characters?

The second go-around on the Tower. David is ready to turn his face inside out. I am more interested in Stacey’s legs apparently.

Impure thoughts about Disney gals couldn’t be avoided

And it was not even up for discussion as to whether we would be partaking in Muppet Vision 3D. By now, I virtually have every line of this movie memorized from all the times I’ve enjoyed it at Disney World – much to the delight of David. Maybe Bean could set off the fireworks…

Muppet Vision 3eeeeee-Deeeeeee!

It was about 5pm when we meandered into the Disney Animation attraction. The day was flying by, but we had kept remarkably busy, waiting in very few lines. We checked out the Character Closeup featuring the mesmerizing Toy Story Zoetrope, and also the Sorcerer’s Workshop, where we played in the “Beast’s Library” where we could find out which Disney character they are most like. I was Jiminy Cricket. At least I was no fool, no siree… Stacey and I also did a voice-over exercise where we provided the dialogue to a Beauty and the Beast film clip. I must say that we were most excellent. Some had said that she and I would make great talk show hosts and this experience solidified our talent.

But the most fun activity was the Animation Academy, where a Disney artist advised us how to draw Goofy. I did so-so. Stacey held my drawing in her purse that day and eventually stole it (ostensibly to own a genuine Catsafterme memorabila piece…or to sell it on eBay). She was kind enough to send me the scan (below) to share with the readers.

The Beast and his library

The masterpiece (which Stacey may sell you at some point if you ask nicely)

We then left the Hollywood Pictures Backlot area and headed to the rear of the park to Paradise Pier, where we would wrap up the first-time riding for the evening. As we walked over there, Stacey and I called our mutual friend Ashleigh Heath to send our greetings. Ashleigh and Stacey hadn’t spoken in more than twenty years either.

Calling Ashleigh Heath

I love the Toy Story Midway Mania attraction that I had first ridden during my previous visit in October ’08. Stacey and I were in direct competition but I was obviously more skilled in the rapid fire tugging motion that garnered my victory. For the record – me: 108,100, Stacey: 93,000.

Potato Heads at Midway Mania

And for the last ride of the night, the big roller coaster California Screamin’. The high speed coaster with one inversion goes from zero to 59 miles per hour in four seconds. As thrill rides go, it is one of Disney’s best.

Sincere California Screamin’

Stacey and I are screaming about the way her arm bends. Youch!

We then went back to the front of the park for one more ride on Soarin’ Over California and to prepare for the Electrical Parade, which began at 8pm. Although I likely saw this parade at least a couple times at Walt Disney World, I most closely associate it with my great trip to Disney World during the summer of 1984 – one of the great trips of my life. I loved watching this parade in its entirety once again and bask in the childhood memories.

The beautiful, beautiful Electrical Parade

The park was now officially closed, but we didn’t quite want the evening to be over, so we decided to grab a late 9pm dinner. We chose the Storyteller’s Cafe, where David, Jimmy, and I had eaten during our 2007 visit to the park. The menu had changed drastically to something quite a bit more expensive, but I still enjoyed the lobster cobb salad.

The late-evening, after-hours, tired-as-hell, final dinner

We said our goodbyes to Stacey and headed out. It was great to have her in our little group and she did just fine in keeping up with all of our ridiculous inside jokes. David went his own way, and Jimmy and I headed back to his house. We would be seeing David again bright and early the next morning for our excursion to San Diego.

California will continue…

This entry was posted on Sunday, September 20th, 2009 at 6:58 am and is filed under 2000's - Late, Disney, Reunions, Vacations. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.