Mouse Ear hats at Disney's World of Color are synchronized with the light show
I've never been to Disney's World of Color before. Located in Disneyland's California Adventure, it starts after the Disneyland fireworks are over, and it has always seemed just a little bit too late for my very young kids. With them sound asleep in the hotel during the Cars Land grand opening, it seemed like a good time to enjoy the show. I was in for a surprise, the mouse ear hats we were all handed as we walked in (they're on sale to park guests for $25 each) received signals from emitters throughout Paradise Bay so that they would light up along with the light show. Being surrounded by all those hats made the dancing colors and lights seem that much closer - it was almost like being inside the show.
I've written about Cars Land's Main Street (Route 66) and Mater's Junkyard Jamboree. Today I want to share pictures of and review Luigi's Flying Tires, the ride that most intrigued me when I first heard the details about the new rides that would be in Cars Land.
Luigi's Flying Tires Ride has a Carnival Like Atmosphere
This sign for Luigi's Flying Tires used to hide Cars Land before the Grand Opening
I love the retro feeling of this poster for Luigi's Flying Tires Ride
Luigi's Flying Tires is a modern reworking of a 1960's "Flying Saucers" ride in Disneyland's Tomorrowland. Guests rode in flying saucers that hovered over a cushion of air and steered themselves, bumper car style, around the track and into one another. The Flying Saucers ride was around for only a few years, and mechanical difficulties kept it from being successful.
Poster for the Original Flying Saucers ride in Disneyland
Luigi's Flying Tires, built on the Flying Saucers concept has a fun, carnival like feeling. I loved the energy of the music and the atmosphere with festive banners and giant italian-flag-colored balls bouncing around the ride surface.
Luigi's Flying Tires at Cars Land
Like the rest of Cars Land, Luigi's Flying Tires Ride is just filled with fun details to check out while you wait in line. My kids thought these tire shaped planters were hilarious, and I loved the tire shaped finals on the iron railing.
Love these details! Tire shaped planters and tire finals on the railing at Luigi's Flying Tires in Cars Land
I just loved this tire display that felt straight out of the movie
Guests climb into 9-foot-wide Fettuccini-brand tires and settle in as the 6,714 air jets in the ground are activated. Up to three people can sit together in a tire. You'll need to work together to steer your tire by leaning in the direction you would like to go. Balancing the weight in your tire is important, so I sat in the middle with Darya on one side and Eilan on the other.
Lean together in the direction you want to travel
Everest and Peyman enjoying their ride at Luigi's Flying Tires
Unfortunately, I found it hard to steer with the kids onboard, and we never really felt like we were in control. The big balls that looked so fun from the outside were hard to catch, though I got bonked on the head or back a few times, so someone must have been catching them!
Everest and Peyman lean into the action at Cars Land
My husband (as often happens) got the hang of steering more quickly, but he said the ride feeling just wasn't magical and he never got going fast enough or far enough to really enjoy it, though the kids seemed to have fun.
I expect that Disney will tweak this ride until it's right, so if you're visiting Cars Land, I'd give it a try. It may not be the ride of your life, but floating like an air-hockey puck is an interesting experience.
Finally, I thought it would be fun to share some of the concept drawings for this ride. It's interesting that the handle that would spin the tires around didn't make the final cut.
Concept drawings for Luigi's Flying Tires ride in Disney's California Adventure Park
Model for Luigi's Flying Tires Ride
I hope you enjoyed this review of Luigi's Flying Tires. Next I'll show you Cars Land's E-ticket ride, the Radiator Springs Racers!
Disney paid for my flight to Orange County, a hotel room at the Grand Californian Hotel, and gave my family advance admission to Disney's California Adventure so that we could check out all the new attractions that have been added over the past few years. They did not ask that I express that any particular point of view.
The luxurious Grand Velas Rivera Maya hotel in Quintana Roo, Mexico has nightly rates that start as low as $299 per adult based on double occupancy (kids under 12 stay free in the Zen Grand room or are 2x1 when sharing a suite with parents in the Ambassador & Grand Class suites). The rate also includes one Rio Secreto Tour or one Xplore Tour per adult, 10% discount at the resort boutique, $50 credit to the resort’s Leading Spa of the World per adult per night Click here for more details.
Weekly deals always represent a savings over standard rates or represent a special package that is attractive to families. Advertisers may purchase a listing in DeliciousBaby's weekly deals, and I verify that the deal is available at press time and that it would be attractive to DeliciousBaby readers. Some links may be affiliates links, which means that I receive a small commission if you make a purchase at the site (don't worry, it doesn't cost you more) If you are interested in information about being listed in DeliciousBaby's weekly deals post, please send me email: debbie AT deliciousbaby DOT com.
Our family had a wonderful time exploring Cars Land and the Re-Vamped California Adventure Park, and now I'd like to share that experience with you! I have four park passes that can be used at either Disney's California Adventure or Disneyland courtesy of Tours4fun. Tours4fun sells these tickets online at a discounted rate of $77 each ($10 off the adult gate price) as well as many other discounted tickets and tours. These tickets are good for admission to one park and expire on 12/31/2012. I wish I could give them away to all of my readers, but just one lucky reader will win.
Disney's California Adventure
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One lucky reader can win. If you would like a chance to win, leave a comment telling me what you'd be most excited about doing in the new Cars Land. Please fill in the email field of the comment form (your email isn't shared with anyone, and I will not send you email unless you win).
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Cars Land is officially open, and I was lucky to visit with my husband and three kids during the Californa Adventure Grand Reopening Celebration! Everyone's big question (including my own before we went) is "what are the rides like?" I'm excited to be able to share peek at each of three rides in Disney's new Cars Land
Entrance to Mater's Junkyard Jamboree
The first ride you'll see (and hear) as you enter Cars Land is Mater's Junkyard Jamboree. At first glance, this looks like a slow ride or maybe a Cars themed update to the teacups. Twenty two tractors circle around doing a sort of square-dance to music from Mater's jukebox. Riders sit in a cart pulled behind each of the tractors. As the tractors do-si-do and switch tracks you are whipped from side to side, sliding around in your seat. Brace yourself, this is way more fun, and significantly less sleepy than it looks from the outside.
This ride is for 32" high and above, and you'll want brace yourself if you're riding with little kids so that you don't slam into them.
Tow Mater's Junkyard Jamboree Tractor
They look tentative here, but once the ride started, all three of us were laughing and screaming each time our cart whipped around.
I'm a fan of details, and like everything else in Cars Land, this ride really does transport you to another place. Darya's bright colors hardly look like they belong in this environment.
Entrance to Mater's Junkyard Jamboree Ride at Carsland
Here's a peekabo view of the ride from the waiting area - don't you just love that pillar covered in (faux) old license plates?
Peekaboo View of Mater's Junkyard Jamboree from the Waiting Area
And each tractor is a little different
Tractor at Mater's Junkyard Jamboree in California Adventure Park
And here are a few things you won't see if you visit the park today - early previews and sketches for the Mater's Junkyard Jamboree ride.
Tow Mater Preview sign that hid the entrance to Cars Land Prior to the Grand Opening
Here's a promo poster for Mater's Junkyard Jamboree
Concept sketches for Mater's Junkyard Jamboree
I hope you enjoyed this peek into Mater's Junkyard Jamboree Ride! Tomorrow I'll tell you about Luigi's Flying Tires, and I hope to have some video up soon too.
Disney paid for my flight to Orange County, a hotel room at the Grand Californian Hotel, and gave my family advance admission to Disney's California Adventure so that we could check out all the new attractions that have been added over the past few years. They did not ask that I express that any particular point of view.
Last Wednesday was one of those epic days. It was the last day of school, with Darya's Pre-K graduation, a ton for me to do during the day, and a rush from the schoolyard to the airport to catch our evening flight to Orange County for the Cars Land grand opening. I hustled all day, and I don't think I sat down for a minute unless I was in some form of transportation.
So on this day, to have the fireworks explode overhead as we drove towards Disneyland and our hotel room felt like the perfect celebration of the day, our school year, and the beginning of summer vacation.
I want to thank everyone who entered my giveaway to win a Two Night Stay at any Home2 Suites by Hilton Property. To enter, each person told me their questions about family travel. That helps me do a better job of knowing what to write about on DeliciousBaby. Thank you to everyone who contributed.
The randomly selected winner was Stephanie who wanted to learn more about keeping kids happy on long road trips. Stephanie, I'll have a whole series of road trip tips in July, I hope you will check back.
Stepanie, please send me your mailing address to receive your prize!
I just bought this one myself since we listen to lots of Audio books when we travel. Here's an offer for a one month subscription to AudioBooks.com for $10. Most individual audio books cost more than that, so it's a great deal if you're headed out on a road trip.
Weekly deals always represent a savings over standard rates or represent a special package that is attractive to families. Advertisers may purchase a listing in DeliciousBaby's weekly deals, and I verify that the deal is available at press time and that it would be attractive to DeliciousBaby readers. Some links may be affiliates links, which means that I receive a small commission if you make a purchase at the site (don't worry, it doesn't cost you more) If you are interested in information about being listed in DeliciousBaby's weekly deals post, please send me email: debbie AT deliciousbaby DOT com.
Everest is not the bravest child on the planet. As oldest, I'm sure his caution stems from the worries and concerns I had as a new mother, and the ongoing care I take with every new adventure he undertakes. Still, for the past few years, we've been working more with him on taking on age-appropriate challenges in every aspect of his life. From "brave spelling" in school, to trying new foods, to new sports and physical challenges the changes are sometimes gradual and other times come in leaps and bounds.
Sometimes walking into a new hotel feels like an adventure (Disney's Grand California)
Some of the messages must be getting through. "Mom, I just love exploring new places and going to new hotels" Everest announced as we entered Disney's Grand Californian Hotel on Thursday night. It's no surprise that he was even more excited I was to visit the brand new Cars Land attraction and rediscover the newly revamped California Adventure Theme Park the next day. Visiting Disney is a slam dunk in my mind though, so while he must have been feeling very brave, my mind was stuck in the logistics of the day. "I'm glad to hear it," I said "It might be tough being one of my kids if you weren't happy exploring new places"
We tumbled out of bed the next morning and into Disney's Grand California Adventure. The private entrance to the park from the Grand Californian Hotel drops you into the park at the Redwood Creek Challenge Trail, a fun spot for kids to run and move their bodies once the fatigue that comes from waiting in lines or powering through crowds sets in. It turns out to be a great place to start the day too, and the kids were energized by the opportunity to run and explore the "trails." After wobbling across rope bridges, swishing down slides and searching for tracks, the kids discovered the hipline and rock climbing area. To many of my readers these attractions might seem tame for a 7 year old boy, but I was just thrilled to see Everest run up, ready to take them on.
Rock Climbing in Disney's California Adventure Park
I did it!
Next stop, Ariel's grotto. Like the movie, there are beautiful scenes in this ride, and scary ones. It's the sort of thing that would have driven Everest to tears a year ago. But instead of turning away, we decided to give it a try. "There are going to be some scary parts" I said. "You'll know that they're not real, and that everything in the story is going to be ok in the end." And guess what, for the first time, he was completely fine… not just gritting his teeth, but actually enjoying the ride, the detailed sets, the music and the incredible animatronics.
This lady intimidates me too
Fueled by his successes, Everest announced that he was ready to tackle another challenge - the roller coaster. Here's where I admit what terrible parents we are. When we saw California Screaming (possibly one of Disneyland's most exhilarating roller coasters) across the Paradise Pier we thought "it looks big, but basically fine." The huge coaster was so reminiscent of the wooden coaster at Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk that was my own first that I never considered it might be too challenging for a first-time rider.
From here, California Screaming looks so innocent and old-school
Knowing how quickly doubt and fear can set in, my husband raced across the Pier with Everest, and hustled him onto the ride. Disney's California Adventure Park had been closed to the public that day for a media event. There was, unbelievably, no line, and no time to reconsider. A quick reminder to "scream out" to make the coaster fun instead of scarey was all Everest got before he found himself roaring and racing, climbing and dropping, and then suddenly looping upside down. As each new test loomed in front of him, Peyman turned to Everest, reminded him to scream out and gave him a huge smile. And after each twist, he turned to him again, afraid that he'd find him in tears. But the tears never came, and when my husband and son returned to me, Everest couldn't wait to tell me the details - and then to introduce me to California Screaming by sitting side by side with me as I screamed my way through the first roller coaster ride I've taken since he was born
Ready to roll at California Screaming in Disney's California Adventure Park
Everest's bravery on this day was the result of an ongoing conversation with his parents, teachers and friends. It didn't all happen on this one day. Still, I can think of no better validation of the rewards of making safe, but brave choices than the happy fear that comes with a ride on California Screaming.
Disney paid for my flight to Orange County, a hotel room at the Grand Californian Hotel, and gave us advance admission to Disney's California Adventure so that we could check out all the new attractions that have been added over the past few years. They did not ask that I express that any particular point of view.
About Me I'm Debbie, mother of three delicious kids and I write about traveling with little kids. That's my daughter in the backpack and my son in Paris on Halloween.
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