Royal Caribbean Cruisers -- How Are Things Where You Are? (was "Routine" ​ 😁 ​day in lockdown... how was yours?)

[A&L_Ont]

Just home from Owen’s ball game. Well, it ended in a tie but they could have had the win.  That’s all will say.  
 

We did have a bit of fun getting there and back though.   Remember the photo I posted the other day of the old Bronco?  My local dealer let me borrow a new Bronco for the day and overnight. It goes back tomorrow when I get our new truck.  
 

I’d say Ford hit the mark with this. 
 

 

 

Reminds me that I need to start watching the new season of….

 

[A&L_Ont]

5 minutes ago, Momof3gurlz said:

So with the potential for hurricane Henri bearing down in us, we’re driving the grandsons back to PA tomorrow.  

Safe travels when you go. I can only think time with the grandkids always passes too quickly. Looks like you are throughly enjoying your time with them. 

[harryfat1]

Continue with day 4 of the Disney Trip Report - 

 

Finally made it inside the building for the Spiderman Web Slinger pre-ride show. You will recognize Peter Parker if you watched the new versions of Spiderman/Avenger movies.

 

 

This is effectively Toy Story 2.0 in trying to score as many points as possible.  But instead of guns a la Buzz Lightyear (the original) or Toy Story Mania (the 3D follow up), Spiderman has no guns.  Your hands/arms are the weapon.  The software can track your motion and that is reflected on the screen.  The action is much more frantic than Toy Story Mania. 

 

 

 

Try to do shadow boxing with 2 hands and swing in and out as fast as possible for 15 seconds trying to hit 200 fast moving things in front of you and repeat few times , that’s the ride in summary. You get a pretty good workout and tired arms at the end (HINT: Deodorant is a good thing to have as you fling your arms around frantically on a hot day…)

 

Special 3D glasses for the ride.  You hope they sanitized these puppies from Covid from previous users as you put them on near your eyes…

 

[Ocean Boy]

11 minutes ago, Momof3gurlz said:

Today was a strange weather day, very cloudy with showers although I heard from a friend it was beautiful at the beaches.   

 

I will confirm that the beaches were beautiful today. I got a really nice bike ride in this afternoon. I took these around 8PM tonight. I won't look like this on Sunday...

[taznremmy]

2 hours ago, ReneeFLL said:

I have been wanting to book a cruise for September. I’m concerned that either the pcr test won’t be back in time since more people are getting tested. CVS isn’t taking any antigen test appts until shortly before the time you need to be tested. I have started to look for other places so I will have to see what I find. 

I totally understand your concern.  I'm 'hopefully' leaving on a cruise on Monday.  Had my PCR test earlier today and was told (by Kaiser) that the results would be within 24-48 hours.  Fingers crossed.  

[harryfat1]

Next up is the water rapid ride (aka Grizzly River Run).  Originally, we were going to ride Soarin first thing in the day but the Spiderman virtual queue threw our schedule off as we had to do that one first. 

 

By time we were done with Spiderman, Soarin was over 40-minute wait.  If we went ahead with Soarin and its 40-minute wait, the line at Grizzly River would be crazy long as people want to ride it when the weather is hot (11 AM to 6 PM).  So Soarin will have to wait until our second day at CA Adventure.

 

There’s not much of a story on this ride – pretty standard rapid ride you would see at other amusement parks. We were all prepared to get drenched but only got slightly wet in the end.

 

 

 

[Sunshine3601]

5 hours ago, Ozark_Kid said:

You inspired my lunch.

Looks delicious.  I love the yellow tomatoes.  I grew them a couple times.  They a bit denser, I guess you could say, when sliced they hold up better than a ripe red tomatoes.

[harryfat1]

Then off to the other end of CA Adventure for Toy Story Mania.

 

Picture of Pixar Pier

 

 

Quick note about this park – when it first opened, the west coast people HATED it. They felt Disney gave them a second rate park. The park is named and themed California and feature stuff like faux Golden Gate overlay and Boardwalk rides that you can get at any State Fair or Six Flags Amusement parks (like the water rapid ride we were on).  There was nothing “magical” about it like Disneyland that is 200 yards away .

 

Attendance never came close to projection and they had to do lots of redesign/retheming to get it to where it is today.  The CA boardwalk  theme was changed to be Pixar. Cars land was added to have ride similar to Test Track at EPCOT. They put in the World of Color nighttime show to utilize the water around the pier. They tore down the old Bugs land to make room for the new Avengers Campus that opened in June this year.

 

So slowly but surely (and don’t call me Shirley – old movie reference.  Google it if you are too young to know), the park is inching toward a top ranked park but there’s still work to be done next 5+ years before the park is truly world class.

 

Pre Covid, they had the night time World of Color.  Super cool show with water/projection/music.  You can buy Mickey ears that is in tune with the music and lights up.

 

2015 Holiday pics with World of Color – taken on Christmas day:

 

 

 

Holiday Sing Along following Olaf’s bouncing bottom…

 

 

 

Mickey ears that lights up and synch up to the water color/music

 

 

[ReneeFLL]

1 hour ago, h20skibum said:

I would be interested in what you find. We are going to be in Ft. Lauderdale for a week before our B2B cruise, so if testing is still required before our cruise, we will need to find someplace there.  Plus, we have the NY holiday right before the first cruise, so that shortens the time frame. I hope the testing goes away by then if we have our booster. 

I’ll let you know what I find out. I’m looking at the Sept 13th Freedom cruise since Mike has 5 days off then.

[BonTexasNY]

1 hour ago, Luckynana said:

So, I have a question...one or two? of you have mentioned going on the Bella cruise, I believe in 2023.  May I ask who Bella is, or what the Bella cruise is?  I know John&LaLa have their adorable family member Bella, and I know several young girls with the name Bella;  but what or who is the Bella cruise?  I think it was BonTexasNY who first mentioned it?  

 

Inquiring minds want to know..lol!😁

So glad your question was answered by Dani and John.  Please think of joining us.  Deposits are refundable which in these uncertain times is a big plus.  March 12, 2023 Oasis of the Seas in honor of darling Bella.   

[Ocean Boy]

1 minute ago, ReneeFLL said:

I’ll let you know what I find out. I’m looking at the Sept 13th Freedom cruise since Mike has 5 days off then.

Am I taking care of the plane?

[ReneeFLL]

1 hour ago, dani negreanu said:

 

I stand corrected 😎

Forgot to mention Merlin’s dad ….

 

Mike and I also booked a while back.

 

1 hour ago, Bailey & Sophie said:

 

I think peach and vodka would be a winner!

That definitely sounds good.

 

21 minutes ago, taznremmy said:

I totally understand your concern.  I'm 'hopefully' leaving on a cruise on Monday.  Had my PCR test earlier today and was told (by Kaiser) that the results would be within 24-48 hours.  Fingers crossed.  

I’ll keep my fingers crossed also. Hopefully everything goes smooth for you. 

[ReneeFLL]

6 minutes ago, Ocean Boy said:

Am I taking care of the plane?

He’s tuckered out from yard work so he’s already asleep. I’ll sneak the keys to you. 🤫

[Lionesss]

Finished packing. Alarm set for 3am. Time to watch fireworks. Now off to 💤

 

Be safe 

[FromSea2ShiningSea]

2 hours ago, dani negreanu said:

 

That's the one 😁 aka "Bella's cruise".... John, Andrew, Graham, may be Bonnie and Marietta (DaniDanielle) are going. March 12nd, 2023. Oasis?

 

It's on John's thread -- @John&LaLa

 

 

 

2 hours ago, John&LaLa said:

 

Technically it's the Friends of Bella Cruise. 😉

 

 

1 hour ago, Momof3gurlz said:

I think there’s a roll call for this cruise also.  Oasis of the Seas, March 12, 2023. 

 

There is a rollcall for this cruise.  And a spreadsheet created by @oceanblue33.  So far, 51 sign ups.

 

[Momof3gurlz]

1 hour ago, A&L_Ont said:

Safe travels when you go. I can only think time with the grandkids always passes too quickly. Looks like you are throughly enjoying your time with them. 

Thanks. 
A few reflections on life with two boys for a week (from a mother of only girls):

- they Never. Stop. Talking. 
- food seems to somehow disappear 

- I’m not sure they know that a light switch also turn the light OFF

- they’re much more physical than girls, lots of jumping & running rather than just walking down the hallway. 

Did I mention they never stop talking?
And honestly, what’s the fascination with farts ????

But in all honesty it’s been a great week. 

[Bailey & Sophie]

2 hours ago, dani negreanu said:

Don’t forget Jane and @Bailey & Sophie

 

Thank you for mentioning this!

[FromSea2ShiningSea]

2 hours ago, dani negreanu said:

Don’t forget Jane and @Bailey & Sophie

6 minutes ago, Bailey & Sophie said:

 

Thank you for mentioning this!

 

Oops...So sorry about that...I missed Dani's quote.  😕

[StanleyandGus]

57 minutes ago, Momof3gurlz said:

food seems to somehow disappear

Just wait until they’re teenagers. I have 2 boys (young men now). The older one ran track, and couldn’t keep weight on, no matter what he ate!

[Bailey & Sophie]

1 hour ago, Momof3gurlz said:

 

And honestly, what’s the fascination with farts ????

 

 

And the deep belly belches that can appear 50 in a row.

[harryfat1]

All right, enough reminiscing about the past. Back to Toy Story Mania.

 

Masks required on all rides

 

 

 

OK, Lunch time.  Found a shady area by Soarin to have lunch.  Went back to locker to take out the lunch boxes. Pretty much the same lunch as yesterday since Costco sells you 16 buns in a package.  Gotta eat them all.

 

 

Another item that may only be in West Coast Costco with its large Asian population – Boba Tea Mochi. Yeah, bought them from Costco.  Not sure if your local Costco sells them or not.

 

Snow White and Dopey greeting guests under the shady tree area.

 

 

Here’s Clarabelle Cow greeting guests.

 

 

With Covid, the characters are no longer able to be next to guests for photo op but behind a barrier.  However, they are more interactive than before as now they can wave/talk to a larger group instead of just being a photo background.

 

[harryfat1]

We follow the same pattern of cool dark afternoon rides as the previous day  in order to escape the heat – first up after lunch is Mickey’s Philharmonic.  It’s essentially a 3D movie sitting in nice AC theater.  Same as the one in WDW except that version has Donald Duck’s Butt embedded in the theater.  Disneyland version is a rethemed Muppets show so they don’t have that. Nevertheless, it’s good for cooling off and/or afternoon naps if you so desired.

 

With Avengers campus being new, that means a bog old warehouse size gift shop. Disney is never shy about selling its merchandise.

 

 

 

So far only one ride and whole bunch of shows at the Avengers Campus.  Just as in Star Wars Land, it will take years for the second major E-Ticket ride by the right side where my son’s right hand is. Similar to Rise of Resistance is the major E-Ticket ride after they opened up Star Wars Land and only had the Millennium Falcon as its initial attraction. Hard to open up a new land with all the rides in place all at once.

 

 

Oh, BTW, does everyone know what I mean when I say “E-Ticket Ride”?  It’s a reference to an old Disney ticketing system where you must pay for each Disney ride – unlike the current system of All you can eat. Back in old days people have to buy a ticket book that had different category of tickets in it (Categorized from A to E, with E being the most popular/expensive rides.)  So you will see many articles out there referencing E-ticket rides – meaning those are the best rides in the park.  I still remember my first Disneyland visit they still had the coupon book using the A-E system so I must be OLD… 

[taznremmy]

12 minutes ago, harryfat1 said:

 I still remember my first Disneyland visit they still had the coupon book using the A-E system so I must be OLD… 

You aren't alone! 😱

[Sea Dog]

4 hours ago, A&L_Ont said:

I’d say Ford hit the mark with this.

I love the look of the new Bronco. What do you like? Anything you don't like? Seriously considering this.

[molly361]

5 hours ago, ReneeFLL said:

Where did you have it done, what type and how long did it take to get the results?

I had the rapid Antigen test done right at my health care providers office.  Sat in the office and waited 15 minutes and they handed me a piece of paper with the negative result.  I had a backup appt at Walgreens for the ID Now that I cancelleld