I started the day in California Adventure, and spent my early hours joining the Soarin' line, which was awesome, because it was only about a fifteen minute wait, if that long. I also went into the Redcreek Challenge Trail, and meandered around, finding an awesome area that was totally quiet; even the music wasn't super loud! The birds were possibly the only thing interrupting the silence, but it was super awesome, and there were so few people there, I could wander around the area freely. I missed the cave last time I went, but found it this time, and decided to check my updated spirit animal, and ended up with the same one I got last time, which was a bear (according to the sign, bears are loving and strong).
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| Love this view at the challenge trail. |
I meandered over to Hollywood land, and decided to do a few activities in the Animation Academy building. I wanted to go back to the Sorcerer's Workshop, and found quiet with me and only a few people, and when I went back to the Beast's Library, I was delighted to find it in much the opposite state as it was last time I was there (crowded). I had the room to myself! It was a good five or ten minutes before anyone else joined me. So I got to watch the transitions without visual or auditory distraction.
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| The Beast's Library |
It was closed last time I visited, so I made sure to have a visit with Elsa and Anna before leaving, even though I wasn't feeling talkative, but they were so accommodating. I was asked if I was an ice queen also, because I had the same hair color and wore the same shade of purple as Elsa. They wanted to get a sun hat like mine for Olaf, too. After pictures, I wished them a good day, and went on my way.
I'm going to intentionally get a little sidetracked here, so I can make a little more commentary on the subject of visiting with the characters. I had plenty of experiences on this trip with being in someone else's shadow when the characters are out interacting, and I often just enjoy watching the roaming characters interact with others, because they often have a crowd around them, and not being a crowd person, well, I have to be happy with watching from a distance. I know a lot of people like to follow them around while they circulate through their area, but honestly, I don't like doing that. I know they must be used to it, but I feel like I'm acting creepy if I follow them everywhere, especially since my observing and watching can at times look intense. I'm more of a small group, one-on-one person, so those places where there is an official meeting area (and there is an orderly manner of waiting for a turn) have always been awesome for me. My reserved tendencies make me super quiet and sometimes a terrible conversationalist around the unfamiliar, but for the most part, the characters have been good about it, and I'm grateful they are still open to meeting people like me. To all character CMs, whether we've officially met or not: I appreciate you.
The afternoon was spent at Disneyland basically winding down and relaxing on Main Street, because my time was running short. I did one last train ride, and then sat out at the entrance area for my last few minutes, and it was just my luck that both Jafar and the Queen of Hearts appeared. I would have liked to watch them a little longer, but I had to go.
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| Watching the engineers take the train through It's a Small World. |
Getting to the airport and getting through security was so smooth, I didn't know what to think. I sat and relaxed for a while until I got on the plane, and to end it all, the plane flew into the sunset over the ocean, before heading home. It was a beautiful ending to a beautiful day.
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| The sunset over Southern California. |
