Alright, Day 6 is here! Since I didn't get to say it on day 5, we're over halfway through the first round. It's taken a lot of effort, but I am really enjoying this, so I;m determined to see it through. Hopefully my friends aren't feeling too pestered, but if you are, well, we've got a long way to go still. So sorry, I guess. Maybe you should just be a bigger Disney fan like I am! Kidding, really, but let's move on to the important stuff, shall we?
Match 64.21
Pixar Pal-A-Round (formerly Mickey's Fun Wheel and the Sun Wheel)
vs
Walt Disney's Enchanted Tiki Room
Depending on when your last visit to California Adventure was determines what name you might know this ride as. Yes, within the space of a decade this ride has know three separate names. For me, the swinging gondolas used to terrify me. Now it makes for a fun unique take on a ferris wheel, but I still prefer the ride for it's lighting rather than it's usefulness as an attraction. The Enchanted Tiki Room is a classic Disney attraction, slightly boring and dated, but fun nonetheless. Again, I suppose it comes down to a nostalgia factor and the history behind the attraction that I appreciate more than the show itself, but I'll give it my vote.
Match 64.22
Mark Twain Riverboat
vs
Turtle Talk with Crush
Alright, I'll confess. I'm definitely biased on this one towards Turtle Talk, because I worked the Turtle Talk with Crush show at WDW during my first College Program. To me, that show is so much fun! I loved interacting with the kids, who have the most silly of questions. Most of the time they don't even want to ask anything, but peer pressure states that when you're five and all the kids around you are excitedly raising their hands, you have to as well. Besides, the theater for Crush at California Adventure has seats instead of benches at WDW, so that makes it even better (for the parents at least). Also, I can't share with anyone how this technology is accomplished, but let's say it is really cool to watch how a show goes together. It's one of the special experiences of training at this attraction, and probably something I won't easily forget. As far as the Mark Twain, it is good for a leisurely ride around the Rivers of America. Again, I want to see the changes to the scenery from the Galaxy's Edge construction intruding into this area a bit, but i do like relaxing on these trips every once in a while. Definitely the Mark Twain over the Columbia, I will say, but it still can't beat my love for Turtle Talk. Duuuude!
Match 64.23
Mater's Junkyard Jamboree
vs
Luigi's Rollickin' Roadsters
I thought it was really interesting that the two "side attractions," if you will, of Carsland ended up heat-to-head in the first round. This is for sure not a main pull for this land, but if you find the line for Radiator Springs Racers too long, there are okay to still stop at. Out of the two, I give my vote to Mater. He has more songs that Luigi does, and Mater's ride is a little more predictable. The fun way to ride this is throw you (and your companion) against the side of the vehicle that you are swinging around, as this increases the speed and force of the swing. With Luigi's ride, I like the (albeit slow) adoption of a trackless ride system, but hate that I have no idea which way I'm about to get jerked around. I don't know if they even tried to make the programming smooth, but in my experience, it was a lot of jerking in different directions, and not enough pay off for it.
I also want to share a short but sad story. One of those former Disney rides that I am obsessed with was the Flying Saucers ride at Disneyland in Tomorrowland. It lasted from 1961 to 1966, but was closed due to regular breakdowns and an unreliable ride system. The cars floated on a cusion of air, and leaning in any direction was how you steering into other riders. It's strange to think of a "bumper cars" type ride in Disneyland, but this was as close as it came to existing. Anyway, at the opening of Carsland, Luigi's Flying Tires was the resurrection of this ride, and I was so excited to get a chance to ride something I had always dreamed of. Of course, the ride was no more reliable after all these years, and it was soon closed, lasting an even shorter time of 2012 to 2015. And of course, it closed before I had a chance to ride it! I guess that could be another reason I'm a little bitter about Luigi's Rollickin' Roadsters....
Match 64.24
Mr. Toad's Wild Ride
vs
Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage
This is another really tough matchup. As I've said, Mr Toad's is probably my favorite dark ride, but I again happened to be biased regarding Finding Nemo themed things. I remember going on the original Submarine Voyage attraction at one of my early visits to Disneyland, and it was one of the rides that I loved. It was sad when going later and it was closed, but even worse it that they left things there almost as if it could reopen at any time. Thankfully they did keep it in fairly good condition, since that allowed them to reopen it several years later with the Nemo overlay. Some people don't like this ride, but I definitely enjoy it.
So there we go. Join me again tomorrow for more opinions that you didn't ask for!
