A couple of destinations today – Hollywood and Oxnard Fire Department. We had to put our Oxnard visit back a couple of hours because it took 1.75 hours to get from Orange to Hollywood. The kids got to experience the LA Freeways at its worst.

We finally got to Hollywood and it didnt let us down – there were people everywhere and also plenty of very ordinary people dressed up to be movie stars and cartoon characters. If you want to see the real things it is better to look towards Universal Studios and Disneyland where they look real and don’t ask for cash for a photo.

Of course the most popular star on the Hollywood Boulevard is Michael Jackson and it is easy to find with the biggest crowd around it.

Spent about an hour on the Boulevard with photos towards the Hollywood sign, then headed out to Oxnard Fire Department (this will be another entry).

After visiting Oxnard we took the Coast Highway home stopping off at a Missile Park next to the Port Hueneme Naval Base. We continued down the coast and had tea at Paradise Cove Cafe on the beach at Malibu.

We only ordered appetizers and needless to say we finished them off for tea the following night as well – they were huge (check out the photos).

It was a quick pass of the Santa Monica Pier all lit up and back to the hotel with a tired couple of critters on board. Tomorrow we head to San Diego.

Caches for the day:

• GCG2JY – Perched Birds
• GC1G6NQ – 9-11 Tribute 2008

We still had one day on the Disney Park Hopper and not a lot to do there so made it a late start so the kids could have a rest in the morning. We got there at 12:00 midday and got to park up near the top of the Mickey and Friends parking structure.

Spent some time squashing some more pennies – both kids are getting quite a collection. Then went and grabbed a fast pass for Space Mountain.

Before doing Toon Town it was time to grab the rides Bradley and I had been avoiding – Snow Whites Scary Adventure and Its a Small World. That tune and the ride Its a Small World has not changed in 17 years and to add insult to injury it broke down or something just as we reached the exit and we were stuck listening to that tune for another 10 minutes. This ride is certainly a leveller with the big tough guys covered in tatts riding it with their young kids. 🙂

It was then time for Toon Town and grab some more photos with Disney Characters Minnie and Mickey Mouse (Mickey has a sucker line inside his house but you can see how long Minnies line is). Jenny and the kids grabbed the roller coaster in Toon Town while I waited. We then got on another sucker line for the Spin City ride.

Our recommendation – avoid Toon Town if you can.

Our time had come for Space Mountain – this Fast Pass is the go on the busy rides as you go almost to the front of the line.

A couple of goes on Buzz Lightyears Astro Blasters (one using a fast pass) then off the planet with Star Tours.

We were heading over to do some shopping in Frontierland when the Big Thunder Mountain Railway just opened up after a breakdown so it was straight on. We grabbed a fast pass for this one, went shopping for a Tiger Pillow for Bradley and a bag for Rachael.

While waiting for our fast pass time we took the slow train around the park when ended up being true as it broke down in Tomorrowland. Most people got off but they had it up and running in around 5 minutes so we were back to New Orleans and onto the Big Thunder Mountain Railway again.

Off of here, back into Main Street in time for the fireworks for the 3rd time now. Jenny and Rachael scrapped up a heap of the paper Mickeys that they explode out at the end of the Fireworks.

We decided on some TV Dinners from Target for tea – I grabbed a cache while they shopped and it was back to the hotel by 10:30 pm.

Cache for the day was GC1N2FC – Hot Coco

The kids are starting to get weary but there is so much to see and do.

Today we picked to go to Universal as we figured traffic would be light on the Freeways to get there from Orange and they were. It took us around 45 minutes to get there.

They may not be getting the people through but are making it up in parking. If you want to park in the parking garage next to the entrance which used to be the normal park it costs you $20 as it is preferred parking. If you want a 10 minute walk from the new park then it is $12. We paid the extra $8.

Weather was a little warm today but they have it sorted with shade and misters everywhere. We decided on the Backlot Tour first to give the kids an idea of what it was all about. All the old favourites were there with Jaws, the flash flood, San Francisco earthquake and some new ones as well with Tokyo Drift and Grinch sets and props.

There was then more penny squashing to be done and photos with characters and we were getting warm so off to the Jurassic Park ride to get wet. The queue was only 5 minutes and we got wet – the kids wanted to do it again but it will wait for later in the day.

While we were down the bottom we did Backdraft, Sound Effects tour and the new Mummy ride. Rachael worked herself up to just about not ride on it but it was not as bad as some of the others we had been on. Maybe we are getting immune to scary rides. 🙂

Back up the top and we did Shrek 4D (not bad), Terminator 3D (very good), Waterworld (interesting but have seen it before), Animal Actors (fun for the kids), Simpsons ride (lame for the length of the wait).

It was nearly time to leave so we went back down the bottom for one last go on Jurassic Park and we got wet again but it did not matter as the temp was still in the high 20’s.

We checked out the Blues Brothers revue before heading home before sunset.

Grabbed a virtual geocache just outside going through some very skinny streets just wide enought to get a car through with one side having parked cars. Wouuld be interesting in a fire truck.

Todays cache was GCA8AD – LarsThorwald’s Psycho!

The afternoon and evening was spent going on the rides we had done in the morning including Toy Story and California Screamin.

We also went on Mickeys Fun Wheel which is a huge Ferris Wheel with gondalas which are not fixed but on a track so they move around as the wheel turns. Rachael did not find this one fun at all.

The electrical parade which used to run in Disneyland then went to Disneyworld has made its way back to California Adventure. Again this one left the Disneyland parade for dead.

We watched the fireworks through the Golden Gate Bridge and headed back for an relatively early night. 🙂

They finally got the Grizzly River Run going so we joined the biggest line in the park as everyone wanted a ride before it broke down again (which it did after we had finished our ride) Bradley and Jenny got the wettest and Rachael and I remained relatively dry.

We then went to the Hollywood Pictures backlot and took in a few shows including an Animation Academy where you actually learn how to draw a cartoon character, a little musical piece with Mickey, Woody and Cinderella.

Next a full blown musical “Alladin” in this huge theatre where we were in the nose bleed seats which didint matter as we came face to face with Alladin and the Genie on their flying carpet.

In the Sunshine Plaza, they had the High School Musical piece where Rachael got to go up and be part of it.

They just packed up the HSM then the Pixar Parade came through. This put the Disneyland Parade to shame.

The plan was to do an early start at Disneyland prior to Californian Adventure (CA) opening up then spend the rest of the day there then back to Disneyland after CA shut down. Well we all know what happens to plans.

We were a little late getting to the car park but given we were an hour later than previously, we actually parked a lot closer that meant that there wasnt too many people around on a Saturday.

When we got off the airport shuttle they were opening up CA early so skip Disneyland and straight into CA.

First stop was “Soaring over California”, with no line. In this your are suspended within a conical large screen as if you are on a hang glider. It is a mix of Imax with a suspended airplane seat. I actually recognised most of the spots.

From here we were going to do the Grizzlly River Run but they were having pump problems so later on.

So off to Paradise Pier where we started on the Golden Zephpr, then progressed to the Mulholland Madness (similar to the Mad Mouse) for a couple of turns – again no lines.

The next one was interesting. It was called the Maliboomer where you are shot up 180 feet into the air. We all went once and Rachael did not like it at all. Bradley and I went for a 2nd go – no lines.

Toy Story Midway Mania was a fun interactive ride where you get to shoot stuff while moving through various arcade style games. It was good fun and we came back later in the day. Bradley was the overall winner on this one.

It was now time for the California Screamin Rollercoaster. This is huge and fast. We had to do this a couple of times so that I could video Bradley and Rachaels reactions.

It was time for some snacking so we visited the tortilla factory and bakery tours where you get samples.

Once I got the family motivated, we hit the road but only locally to find a supermarket. We found “Smart and Final”, a warehouse supermarket only one block away. This is the first time the kids have been in a US supermarket and they were blown away by the size of everything. So we have photos inside the supermarket.

Back to the room to have some lunch and unpack the purchases. Then onto the I-55 through to Newport Beach for a look around and a swim. The weather was warm and the beaches weren’t all together packed but the water was a little rough so that may have kept the locals away.

After an hour or so, we dragged the kids out of the Pacific and headed for a drive through Balboa and then taking the ferry over to Balboa Island which reminded us a little of Key West.

Back up the I-55 and the kids were into bed by 10:00. Another big day tomorrow at California Adventure.

It was 7:30 and our Fast Pass for Space Mountain was for 11:30 so we still had time to kill so it was time to tackle the Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage. This was the longest line by far we had been in. Everyone was tired and just wanted to sit down but we braved the 45-50 minute wait and boarded the submarine.

It was refreshing to hear an Australian accent as the ride was based on Nemo and the Great Barrier Reef. It has changed since we were on it 17 years ago and it wasn’t too bad – all enjoyed it.

It was now dark and we grabbed some more nourishment from the Pasta / Pizza joint and another $US 35 later we headed to find a spot to watch the fireworks. This was easier said than done as the Main Street was packed and that was where the dozens of Disneyland staff were directing people to watch.

We found a place just before it started and the fireworks were spectactular, including a flying Tinkerbell and Dumbo. Certainly on a bigger budget than the Benicia 4th of July.

The crowd was then directed to the River of the Americas for the “Fantasmic” show. Even though it still had 1/2 an hour to start it was filling fast. We found an empty area to sit but found out that it was to be a standing area. Even by standing we still had a good vantage point directly opposite the stage. It was a great show with special effects, fireworks and use of lighting, lasers and projection. Well worth the wait.

We still had a little time to go before Space Mountain so we did the Buzz Lightyear Astro Blasters which is an interactive ride where you use blaster guns (laser guns) to shoot things as you go through the ride and of course there is a photo at the end but surprise, you email it to yourself rather than buy it. 🙂

It was now time for our Space Mountain ride. Even at 11:30 it was still showing a wait of 45 minutes even though the park closes in 30 minutes – how does that work. The Fast Pass got us down near the front of the line and we were on. Bradley was next to me and he screamed himself hoarse. Rachael was squealing and screaming behind me so I guess we will be doing this one again when we go back.

They kicked us out at midnight, caught the shuttle back to the car and we were back at the hotel and the kids were in bed by 12:30 am.

What a big day….