#grizzly river rapids

[laurenovercalifornia]

[disneyparksattractionstournament]

Disney Parks Animatronic Tournament: Bracket B/Tier 2 Round 1

Abraham Lincoln: Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln - Disneyland

Propganda:

"The fact that Mr. Lincoln rises from sitting to standing and then sits back down again is astounding to me. Think of the number of muscles human beings use to do the same, then figure out how to do that with an animatronic! Not to mention the balance needed! There's got to be a reason that that's something Disney has very few of their animatronics do."

"He stands up! He sits down! So few animatronics do that sort of a thing. It's so cool!"

(Video is already set to start at the point of the animatronic! If it doesn't, go to 3:34)

Q’aráq: Roaring Rapids - Shanghai Disneyland

Propaganda:

"It is the only animatronic to be used in a Disney river-rapids-type ride! Which is a shame because I always thought the Grizzly River Rapids in CA Adventure should have some Brother Bear ones. I actually found this out from a recommended YT vid I watched at 3am the other day so it was neat seeing this fella pop up here. Vote for Q’aráq!!!"

(Video is already set to start at the point of the animatronic! If it doesn't, go to 4:04)

[obeythetoaster]

Grizzly River Rapids Bear, Disney California Adventure

[prosebyday]

Glacier National Park

Grazia Curcuru

7/8/23

Grinnell Glacier, Many Glacier, Glacier National Park

I felt unstoppable today hiking the iconic Grinnell Glacier hike, my watch recorded 40k steps and Gaia recorded 13.6 miles, it was supposed to be 10.6 miles but I chose to hike down to Lake Grinnell at the bottom after hiking up to Upper Grinnell , because the lake looked so beautiful. I didn’t get any blisters but my toes were sore and as soon as we got to the lake I dipped my toes in the water. I felt amazing for hours after. A few hours later I felt the stiffness set in, I had to get ice out of the cooler for my knees because I couldn’t really move. 

7/9/23

Lake MacDonald, West Glacier, Glacier National Park 

We rested our legs and rented kayaks on Lake MacDonald in West Glacier after an early morning drive along Going to the Sun Road. It felt amazing to still explore while resting my sore muscles. I got to exercise my muscles that don’t get used on a hike. We walked the tourist trap shops, lined with Huckleberry jams, syrups, flavored coffees, all claiming to be “fought from the claws of grizzly bears.” They even sold scented tshirts, which did not seem very bear safe in an environment where we needed scent-proof bear bags for our food, lipbalm, sunscreen, a bear lock on our bear proof cooler, and bear spray on us at all times. I bought a Glacier National Park patch, like I do at every national park I’ve done a “deserving” hike at, because it makes me feel like a Girl Scout. I plan to sew them on a denim jacket. I picked the prettiest patch, with mountain goats, lakes, meadows, wildflowers – even though it had mountain goats – one of the few animals I hadn’t seen here yet. The lady at the register told me I can’t wear the patch until I see a mountain goat. I had one day left and knew I had to find one. 

It was brutally hot and sunny, so we went back to Lake MacDonald. There were children paddleboarding, insisting they’d “found a barrel” and they “think it’s full of oil.” The beach wasn’t sandy, it was formed with smooth small rocks. The water was crystal clear and warmed by the afternoon sun. The view of the mountains we kayaked towards hours earlier was directly in front of us as we swam and enjoyed the water, sharing giggles, a child laid face down on the hot rocky beach to “work on his tan.” 

7/10/23

Pitamaken Pass, Two Medicine, Glacier National Park

Pitamaken Pass was the most intensely grueling, gorgeous, and insane hike I’ve ever been on. There was so much exposure on the edge of the mountains, with a narrow trail and talus (loose rock), that tumbles under your feet down the side of the mountain. But it was a TRAIL, so it was still one of the least dangerous mountain hikes I’ve been on, because it’s maintained. There were gorgeous wildflower meadows and these funny white “bear paws” everywhere, they look like giant q-tips and only bloom every 5 years.

The trail changed so much over the 18 miles we hiked, from dense forest, muggy, humid and lush with brush; to trickling rivers with meadows, juniper, bushes, butterflies and red rocks; to walking along the rich blue of Old Man Lake. Then the slog of climbing up 1,000ft over a mile and 3,200 ft of elevation gain total (with a lot of up and down, which makes it feel like you’re never making progress). My brain was throbbing in my skull, rapid pulse, and swaying balance. I thought it must be dehydration or electrolytes, I told Adam I thought I was going to be sick, it was over an hour before I realized we had maxed out our altitude for this trip so far ~8,000ft, after only sleeping at ~5,000ft. So I carried on, tossed some Propel electrolyte mix in my Nalgene and took my shirt off to cool down, all in measures not to pass out, but also kept moving because the sun was beating down. There was no breeze or shade, but I hoped there would be both on the other side of the Pass. It didn’t come as quickly as I needed it, but as a breeze picked up once we got to the top – so did my dizzying headache. Once we got to the Pitamaken overlook on the continental divide, I sat on a slab of marble and ate some trail mix in the shade.

The next 3 miles of the trail looked like a post-apocalyptic wasteland. Our footsteps clashed like we were breaking tiles on the shrapnel of sedimentary rock. The rocks above and around us were flaky and layered like good pastry, but horrifying to walk on as they crumble around you. Beneath us was a steep drop down to the vibrant greens of pine forests, cool alpine lakes and trickling rivers, juxtaposing the crumbling gray and brown rocks we balanced and wobbled on. As I rounded the corner, I saw a scruffy white goat in the distance on top of the pass with mountains behind it. It didn’t look anything like the long-haired, fluffy rocky mountain goat you see in all the Glacier National Park merch, but July is shedding season. I took a picture and 4 more goats appeared and started grazing… on what, I don’t know, since I can’t recall anything growing at that altitude. I finally saw my mountain goat, 5 mountain goats. 

Storm clouds rolled in and it’s dangerous to be above the treeline in a storm. I picked up the pace, but the descent proved to be steeper and looser – it’s tricky to get traction on loose sand. The next few miles were a blur, a race against a storm. Eventually, I saw juniper next to my boots and looked up - I made it to a meadow, where things can grow! And I saw trees nearby. As I entered dense brush again, it was hot and humid, I was overheating and stripping layers. The dark clouds brought us some cooling shade and a light sprinkle, but it didn’t last long before the sun, heat and humidity were back and worse than ever. I was so hungry and sore and tired but I just wanted to get out so I kept my pace. 

Once we started bumping into older adults with trekking poles and no water or backpacks, I knew we were close because we parked near a campground. I took off my boots and socks, stood in a cold river to ice my swollen toes and watched a wedding party take pictures with the mountains while I ate trailmix, dirty and sweaty.

[radical-revolution]

Luna Moon Rising by Mara Friedman

Martín Prechtel writes: "Every individual in the world, regardless of cultural background or race, has an indigenous soul struggling to survive in an increasingly hostile environment created by that individual’s mind."

Francis Weller writes: "The indigenous soul lives close to the ground, to moss, river and loon. It moves in springs and wind, is close to the breath of coyotes. It is scratched on rock walls around the planet, is seen dancing around firelight and is heard in stories told under the canopy of stars. The indigenous soul is the thread of our humanness woven inextricably with the world. Where all things meet and exchange the vitality that is life, there is soul."

Weller continues: "The recovery of the indigenous soul is imperative. We are in serious trouble as a people. Nearly every biological system is in peril: our watersheds, oceans and topsoil are experiencing rapid deterioration. We face a future that will be seriously impacted by radical changes in our climate. We are also witnessing the daily loss of the wild as we encroach ever further into wetlands and forests. We have forgotten our place in the world. And this woe is not confined to us alone; it extends to the others with whom we share this world. Many species find themselves threatened by these changes: grizzlies, blue fin tuna, spotted owls, coral reefs, Atlantic salmon, autumn buttercup, golden-cheeked wood warbler, Baker’s cypress. This list goes on and on. There are 2,269 endangered species in the United States alone. They are caught in a cascading net of sorrows, powerless to change or adapt. We must reconnect with this ancient ground of being that is our indigenous soul and recall that we are all of the earth."

Martín Prechtel likes to incant a blessing common among the Tzutujil Indians of Guatemala: “Be blessed with long life, honey in the heart, no evil, and thirteen thank you’s.”

[ppenvs3000w24]

Blog 1: First of Many

Hello! My name is Pratik, and I am a 5th-year Zoology Major and Plant Science Minor. This is the first of hopefully many blog posts that I will be writing weekly for at least the next 3 months.

My current relationship with Nature is deeply rooted in my heritage and culture. I was born in Nepal where I spent the first 12 years of my life before immigrating to Canada with my family. Nepal is a country that focuses on agriculture and tourism and houses the tallest Mountain on Earth, Mt. Everest. Most of the people I knew grew up as farmers and villagers who deeply cared about their land and natural resources. This allowed me to grow up intertwined with nature where I both respected and feared the jungles of Nepal as they are home to Bengal tigers, Indochinese rhesus macaques, leopards, wild boars, and the Big Four snakes.

Kathmandu, Nepal where I grew up.

When I first started exploring the parks and conservation areas of Canada, I found it interesting how visitors did not fear the wildlife. This baffled me at first as I assumed Grizzly bears, cougars, and wolves roamed most of Canada and frequently clashed with the local populations like in Nepal. After doing some more research, I realized that none of the 3 animals roamed the parks near my place, and I, too, had nothing to fear like the local visitors. After 10 years in Canada, my fear of nature has eroded away, and nowadays, I frequently find myself exploring off-the-path trails and making my own path when exploring Nature. However, my respect for Nature persists as Nature, when disrespected, can be very unforgiving based on the countless tales I have heard from park naturalists, guides, and locals.  

As it stands now, my relationship with Nature is built on respect and a tiny bit of fear where I plan to center my future career around Nature and Academia, hoping to make them more accessible to the public.

Holding a Garter Snake for my Field Course Paper in Algonquin Park

The two people that offered me a sense of place in Nature were Steve Irwin and Jeremy Wade. Steve Irwin was my introduction to wildlife outside of Nepal, and he taught me that wild animals, specifically snakes, are not evil by nature. They are, instead, misunderstood due to their appearance, causing humans to cull them from their local range. In Ontario, the Timber Rattlesnake was extirpated by hunters due to the snake being venomous even though conflicts were rarer than perceived. Steve Irwin showed me that wildlife does not like to be bothered, and their actions against humans are often justified (hunger, young protection, habitat loss).

Jeremy Wade was a professional angler who hosted the TV show known as River Monsters. He traveled the world, searching for freshwater-inhabiting creatures mentioned in local folklore. I remember vividly that his show was one of the first to showcase Nepal outside of the Himalayas. He showed me that the local population is more than often the most educated regarding wildlife inhabiting their lands. Jeremy would always listen to the stories of the local population and explore any leads they provided no matter how fictional they sounded. He taught me that working with the local population is the best way of studying Nature in a new environment and their opinions should not be ignored.

Remic Rapids Park, Oattawa

[thetwstwildcard]

Still on my disneyland rot-

Favorite Disney Parks Ride

Catherine: TRON Lightcycle Run

Lovette: Smugglers Run

Kiara: Big Thunder Mountain Railroad

Veil: Pirates of the Caribbean

Galatea: Space Mountain

Nasira: Jungle Cruise

Emery: It's a Small World

Lyss: Mad Tea Party

Ephraim: Incredicoaster

Lavi: Grizzly River Run

Lorelei: Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage

Idris: Dumbo the Flying Elephant

Loxias: Indiana Jones Adventure

Odette: King Artur Carrousel

Des: Astro Blasters

Amias: Matterhorn Bobsleds

Nereus: Astro Orbitor

Isidoros: Kilimanjaro Safari

Kyrie: Kali River Rapids

Briar: Beauty and the Beast

Erasmus: Dinosaur

Averett: Star Tours

Cordelia: Rock 'n' Roller Coaster

Naia: Jumpin' Jellyfish

Ezra: Mark Twain Riverboat

Yuuto: Rise of the Resistance

Pyxis: Storybook Land Canal Boats

Nova: Radiator Springs Racer

Lacie: Haunted Mansion

Leveret: Web Slingers

Aspen: Silly Symphony Swings

Kagero: Soarin' Around the World

Yua: Snow White's Enchanted Wish

Makaio: Splash Mountain

Doll: Tower of Terror

[whumpster-fire]

Me, seconds after opening a bag of Swedish Fish: ah, yes, I am a grizzly bear, brutally tearing the heads off of spawning salmon and devouring them one by one after plucking them from the raging rapids of the Kenai River. Their fatty flesh will nourish me through the long winter hibernation. But wait. A rival, intruding on my prime fishing spots. I must fight to defend my territory. FUCKYOUNOYOUCANTHAVEONEIBOUGHTTHEMTHEYREMINEBUYYOUROWNSNACKSYOUFUCKINGPIECEOFSHIT

[roller-coaster-tycoon-classic-95]

Roller Coaster Tycoon Classic: Six Flags Magic Mountain

Well here I am after a 2 year hiatus, I decided to buy the expansion pack and to play with the extra perks. I needed something that was a little familiar to me and something that was more cleaning up a park rather than starting a park from scratch. So I chose SFMM first because I can beat it in 10 seconds (deleting 2 coasters and paying off the loan) and not have to worry about beating a park.

I started by raising the entrance price, making sure there were enough restrooms and food stalls everywhere, as well as making sure there were no dead ends or path traps in the park. I then started going section by section and beautifying the park, deleting paths, making lines neater, even moving rides across the map. I never deleted any rides though, as I wanted to keep all of the same rides in the original park. I did however rebuild rides with different stations, different entrances, even redesigning parts of Flashback and Ninja, and lowering the entire structure of Goliath by 30 feet so its station isn’t as ridiculously high as when you start. Gold Rusher had a major overhaul, redesigning the section before the lift, as well as the long finale so it was more thrilling. I found an odd glitch while rebuilding ninja, when rebuilding it as a new ride, one of its trains would spawn at the bottom of the first drop, valleying it as soon as it spawned. I somehow fixed this by reprofiling the first turn so it would spawn higher up the first drop, completing the circuit. Really strange glitch that I’ve never seen before.

After redesigning the entire park, I started adding to it. I wanted some brand new rides that aren’t at the real park, but I wanted some nods to the current park. There is a green B&M stand up coaster called Saguaro where the Riddler should be, but a different color pallet and a different layout. Next to it is a blue B&M invert where Batman should be, but a different blue with a different layout and theme. There’s a launched shuttle coaster called Full Throttle. Some brand new rides I’ve built are a wooden twister a la gravity group between X and the entrance called Sierra Flyer, a mini launched giga coaster called Grizzly which twist over the rapids ride, an industrial themed wild mouse next to Psyclone, a pirate themed area where the water park should be, including an inverted impulse coaster and a dive coaster, which intermingles with a river raft ride. Next to the pirates area is a castle themed area where the looney toons area should be, I’ve moved some rides around (Ferris wheel now on the mountain) and added new rides including an inverted wild mouse. The final pair of coasters I’ve made are a massive duo of a 200 foot giga coaster called Inferno and its wooden counterpart, Ember. These are built in the very back corner of the park in an odd diagonal patch of land, with Inferno crossing the station of Colossus.

Rides that I did not touch were Colossus, I thought about making it one continuous coaster but I thought that might make the intensity too high. Revolution is the same though I rebuilt it so I could redesign the station. X is untouched but its station scenery design changed. Psyclone is untouched as well, Deja Vu was moved 2 spaces towards the canal so I could fit a plaza in between them.

This park was extremely hard to manage, with only entrance ticket prices making you money, I couldn’t hire a lot of staff, so the paths were regularly a mess, vandalism happened frequently, and people would always get stuck, forcing me to create paths and create new routes all the time. I had to redesign sections for the handymen and mechanics, and I eventually had to hire a couple security guards. The key is keeping the handymen’s sections small, as this park easily could fit 6,000 people in it, so areas can get very messy very quickly. You have to use marketing at almost every moment if you want to get anything done, but it also brings more people in, and people never leave if you keep cash machines around. It’s a rough scenario.

All in all this park was therapeutic for me to build, and I’m very happy with the end result. I loved combing over every inch of this park and making it perfect in my mind. I finished SFMM with 5,800 guests, 65 staff, 60 rides, and 25 coasters (including duplicate/racing coasters).

[hotels-near-disney-world]

Disneyland Resort Anaheim: A Magical Experience

Welcome to Disneyland Resort Anaheim, the ultimate destination for all your magical experiences. Located in Anaheim, California, this enchanting theme park has been entertaining visitors since its opening on July 17, 1955.

With a variety of attractions, shows, and restaurants, Disneyland Resort Anaheim offers endless fun for the whole family.

Disneyland Park

Main Street, U.S.A.

As you enter Disneyland Park, you'll step into Main Street, U.S.A., the perfect representation of early 20th-century America. Here, you can shop for souvenirs, grab a snack or meal, and enjoy the charming atmosphere.

Adventureland

Delve into the world of adventure! Explore the jungles of the world on the iconic Jungle Cruise, discover the secrets of the Temple of the Forbidden Eye at Indiana Jones Adventure, or embark on a daring journey with the Pirates of the Caribbean.

Frontierland

Experience the Wild West in Frontierland, where you can board the Big Thunder Mountain Railroad for a thrilling train ride, or take a leisurely voyage on the Mark Twain Riverboat.

Fantasyland

Enter a realm where dreams come true in Fantasyland. Visit the iconic Sleeping Beauty Castle, take a spin on the Mad Tea Party teacups, or fly high above the park on the Dumbo the Flying Elephant ride.

Tomorrowland

Travel to the future in Tomorrowland, where you can pilot your own spacecraft on Space Mountain, explore the galaxy with Star Tours - The Adventures Continue, or learn to wield the Force at Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge.

Disney California Adventure Park

Buena Vista Street

Step back in time to 1920s Los Angeles as you stroll down Buena Vista Street, the entrance to Disney California Adventure Park. Marvel at the architecture, shop for unique souvenirs, and savor a delicious meal at one of the many dining establishments.

Pixar Pier

Celebrate the magic of Pixar's beloved characters at Pixar Pier. Enjoy high-speed thrills on the Incredicoaster, take a spin on Toy Story Midway Mania, or join the emotion-packed journey of Inside Out Emotional Whirlwind.

Grizzly Peak

Embrace the great outdoors at Grizzly Peak, where you can brave the rapids of Grizzly River Run or take a scenic stroll through the Redwood Creek Challenge Trail.

Hollywood Land

Step into the world of Hollywood glamour at Hollywood Land, where you can experience the thrilling Guardians of the Galaxy - Mission: BREAKOUT! attraction or enjoy live performances at the Hyperion Theater.

Cars Land

Rev up your engines and explore the world of Radiator Springs at Cars Land. Race through the desert on Radiator Springs Racers, take a spin on Mater's Junkyard Jamboree, or enjoy a tasty meal at Flo's V8 Café.

Dining and Entertainment

Disneyland Resort Anaheim offers a plethora of dining options, ranging from quick-service restaurants to fine dining experiences. Enjoy character dining at Plaza Inn or savor international cuisine at the Blue Bayou Restaurant. Don't forget to catch the nightly fireworks, parades, and live performances throughout the resort.

With so much to see and do at Disneyland Resort Anaheim, your magical adventure awaits. Whether you're a first-time visitor or a seasoned Disney fan, there's always something new and exciting to explore.

Ticket Options and Pricing

Single-Day Tickets

Disneyland Resort Anaheim offers single-day tickets for both Disneyland Park and Disney California Adventure Park. Choose between a 1-Park per Day ticket, which grants you access to one park, or a Park Hopper ticket, allowing you to visit both parks on the same day. Prices vary based on the date of your visit, with Value, Regular, and Peak pricing tiers.

Multi-Day Tickets

For extended visits, consider purchasing multi-day tickets. These tickets offer significant savings compared to single-day prices and are available in 2-Day to 5-Day options. You can choose between 1-Park per Day or Park Hopper tickets for your multi-day visit.

Annual Passes

Frequent visitors may benefit from investing in an annual pass. Disneyland Resort Anaheim offers various annual pass options with different levels of benefits and access. The Disney Flex Passport provides select days of admission throughout the year, while higher-tier passes such as the Disney Deluxe Passport and Disney Signature Passport grant more days of access along with additional perks like discounts on dining and merchandise.

Special Event Tickets

Throughout the year, Disneyland Resort Anaheim hosts special events that require separate admission tickets. These events include themed parties like Mickey's Halloween Party or Disney California Adventure Food & Wine Festival experiences.

Please note that ticket prices are subject to change without notice. For the most up-to-date information on pricing and availability, visit Disneyland Resort Anaheim's official website or authorized ticket sellers.

Accommodation Options

On-Site Hotels

Disneyland Resort Anaheim offers three on-site hotels, each with its unique theme and amenities:

Disney's Grand Californian Hotel & Spa: This luxurious hotel is designed in the Arts and Crafts style and features a private entrance to Disney California Adventure Park. Enjoy premium accommodations, fine dining options, and rejuvenating spa treatments.

Disneyland Hotel: Immerse yourself in Disney magic at the iconic Disneyland Hotel. This classic hotel offers themed rooms, character dining experiences, and easy access to both Disneyland Park and Disney California Adventure Park.

Disney's Paradise Pier Hotel: Experience a laid-back beach vibe at this seaside-themed hotel that overlooks Paradise Bay in Disney California Adventure Park. Enjoy spacious rooms, rooftop pool with waterslide, and charming dining options.

Staying at an on-site hotel grants you access to Extra Magic Hour, allowing you to enter select areas of the parks one hour before general admission on designated days.

Nearby Lodging

Aside from the on-site hotels, there are numerous nearby lodging options within walking distance or a short shuttle ride from Disneyland Resort Anaheim:

Good Neighbor Hotels: These hotels are officially endorsed by Disney for their quality accommodations and proximity to the resort. Many Good Neighbor Hotels offer package deals that include park tickets and shuttle services.

Budget-Friendly Options: For those seeking budget-friendly accommodations, several motels and economy hotels are available close to the resort area. Be sure to check online reviews for recommendations based on your preferences.

Vacation Rentals: If you prefer more space or plan an extended stay, consider renting a vacation home or condo near Disneyland Resort Anaheim. Many vacation rentals offer full kitchens, laundry facilities, and other amenities for your convenience.

No matter your budget or accommodation preferences, it's essential to book early as availability can be limited during peak seasons.

[laurenovercalifornia]

[thehappilyeverafter]

Disney World and Universal Studios Ride Reviews

I went on a trip to Orlando, Florida to visit Disney World and Universal Studios with Janie this past week. We flew from SFO to Orlando on Thursday morning Sept 7, 2023 and returned to SFO on Sept 15 Friday night (11 pm).

See the calendar below for more details:

This document captures my thoughts on each ride (since I probably won't be returning to Orlando anytime soon!) as well as general lessons/takeaways for future visits to theme parks.

EPCOT

Remy's Ratatouille Adventure: Trackless 3D ride. Great theming of the queue and ride, and surrounding area (France in EPCOT). Disney magic is palpable.

8/10

Frozen Ever After: Terrible, low effort flume ride with weird, projected faces on Elsa/Anna animatronics.

3/10

La Gran Fiesta: Entry to the ride is cool (inside Pyramid) but the theme itself (Donald Duck + 2 Mexican musician birds) is not very relatable.

5/10

Spaceship Earth: Fun, slow, informative ride about the progression of mankind. Includes comical pictures at the end of the riders.

6.5/10

Mission: Space: Quality ride that simulates training to be an astronaut. Rotation to simulate G Force can make people dizzy (not me). 

7/10

Soarin’ Around the World: A classic, solid ride, very similar to the California Adventures counterpart. 

7/10

Living with the Land (Boat Ride with the Greenhouse): Slow but informative flume/boat ride. No real theming. Just about agriculture/earth.

5.5/10

Finding Nemo: Decent cart ride (like Haunted Mansion/Little Mermaid) that allowed us to discover the existence of EPCOT’s aquarium. Potentially boring.

6/10

Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind: An indoor rollercoaster ride reminiscent of Space Mountain. The theming was decent in line and also on the ride with the god. This was probably better than Space Mountain since the carts can rotate.

7.5/10

Test Track: Queue theming (design your own car!) was cool despite Chevrolet presence. Initial part of ride was cool, but the climax was super short (one outdoor loop with a terrible view).

5/10

Animal Kingdom

Expedition Everest: Similar to Matterhorn Bobsleds ride, albeit with a backwards twist. The queue theming (Yeti museum, Nepal climbing gear, general Nepal/Asia region in Animal Kingdom) are awesome. These two components make the ride significantly superior to Matterhorn Bobsleds.

7.5/10

Safari Tour: Shorter than expected but still get to see a lot of animals (lions, gazelles, elephants, hippos, zebras, giraffes, etc.) in the preserve. It’s still something that needs to be done at least once every trip.

6.5/10.

It’s Tough to be a Bug: Boring ride/show hybrid. Good for a rest in a cool room.

5/10

Flight of Passage: Best 3D ride. Queue (upward jungle into lab) and Pandora land are also great.

8/10

Na’vi River Journey: Flume ride through Pandora with one high quality singing Avatar animatronic. It’s an OK ride, but not much emotional connection and kind of boring. Not worth a long wait.

6/10

Dinosaur Ride: Unexpectedly exciting, great ride tucked away in DinoLand. It’s similar to the Indiana Jones ride (cart through darkness) albeit with dinosaurs instead. The queue’s theme is apt (dinosaur museum) and is referenced by the ride intro video, but is kind of boring.

7.5/10

Kali River Rapids: Similar to Grizzly River Rapids but worse/shorter. There’s just one drop.

6/10

Magic Kingdom

Jungle Cruise: Pretty similar to the Disneyland counterpart. Although there’s a cave part that’s different where the skipper is completely silent.

6/10

Tomorrowland Cars: Super slow cars, ineffective steering, bad exhaust smell. Queue theming is nonexistent and waiting takes place in the sun.

4/10

TRON: A decent indoor rollercoaster with swiveling capability. Theming is a bit generic (futuristic, cyber lights) but still fun overall. Similar to Space Mountain, although the position involves sitting (like on a motorcycle) which is cooler. 

7.5/10

Pirates of the Caribbean: A classic. Mostly similar but the Disneyland counterpart is slightly better in my opinion (no restaurant at beginning of ride, no man on rocking chair at beginning of ride, or no Jolly Roger before initial drop) no uphill at end). The queue theming is more planned and better (dedicated building with angular lines).

7/10

Seven Dwarves and the Mine: Broke down twice when we tried to ride it. Queue is OK but boring. Actually ride is gateway coaster for kids and over pretty quickly.

6/10

It’s a Small World: Can view ride/queue from the Pinocchio restaurants which is cool. Queue/boarding area is pretty modern and indoors. Other than that, pretty similar to Disneyland counterpart and somewhat boring.

6/10

The Little Mermaid: Decent cart ride. Not a huge fan of Little Mermaid, but still pretty nice. Underwater effects are cool. Pretty similar to the California Adventure counterpart.

7/10.

Haunted Mansion: Awesome ride even without the Nightmare Before Christmas theme. Great for Halloween/fall vibes. Similar to the Disneyland counterpart.

7.5/10

Hollywood Studios

Star Wars (Rise of the Resistance): Very similar to the Disneyland counterpart. Trackless ride with great setup.

7.5/10

Star Wars (Smugglers Run): Very similar to the Disneyland counterpart. Also a decent ride (although being pilot is stressful) in a great area (Galaxy’s Edge).

7/10

Star Tours: The Adventure Continues: Fun 3D ride with a short line.

7/10

Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway: Great trackless ride with cute Mickey/Minnie vacation theme. Glad to see it was introduced to Disneyland earlier this year.

8/10

Aerosmith Rollercoaster: Great indoor rollercoaster. Despite the unrelatable Aerosmith intro, the ride is basically Space Mountain with a “California” theme. I would consider it at least on par with Space Mountain.

7.5/10 

Twilight Tower of Terror: California Adventure’s counterpart was converted to Guardians of Galaxy theme, so it’s nice to ride the classic again. The theme is great for Halloween vibes. The trippy ride intro prior to the actual bouncing (elevator moves forward through space with giant eyeballs of stuff) wasn’t present in the California Adventure’s version, and actually makes it better.

7.5/10

Toy Story Mania: The ride itself is very similar to the California Adventure’s counterpart. But the dedicated building for a themed queue and surrounding area (Toy Story Land) makes is better.

7.5/10

Slinky Dog Dash: Decent gateway coaster with light theme in Toy Story Land. Not worth a long wait though.

7/10.

Universal Studios

Simpsons: Decent, light 3D ride.

7/10

Minions Mayhem: Decent, light 3D ride.

7/10

Men in Black (Alien Attack): Blaster ride in moving cart with physical robot aliens. High quality queue (old school 90s/2000s office) and ride.

7/10

Minions Villain Con (Blaster): Lame because you have to stand up. Also hard to tell where your blaster is, since everyone shares the same screen. 

6/10

Race through NYC with Jimmy Fallon: Decent 3D ride despite Jimmy Fallon theme.

7/10

Fast and Furious: Super loud; not worth it. The subject matter is also not appealing to me personally.

5/10

Transformers: Decent, exciting 3D ride, but also pretty loud.

6.5/10

Harry Potter (Escape from Gringotts): A decent ride with an amazing queue through Gringotts.

7.5/10

ET Adventure: An unexpectedly awesome, old school ride. Biking over the night city (shadow across the moon) was amazing. The name at the end was the cherry on top. One of the best rides in Universal across both parks.

7.5/10

Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit: A pretty good rollercoaster! You get to choose your own song, which impacts the experience significantly. Sandstorm by Darude was a great choice.

7/10

Bourne Stuntacular: Technically a show, but awesome effects!

8/10

Hogwarts Express (to Hogsmeade): This is not really a ride — more themed for of transportation. King’s Cross theming is very realistic to the point of making the wait a bit boring. Reflection trick for going through the wall is kind of cool. During the ride, window animation + silhouettes are fun but a bit on the nose.

6/10

Islands of Adventure

Harry Potter (Hagrid's Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure): Pretty cool “mini” rollercoaster ride with theming, although a bit loud. Backwards part was unexpected. Reminiscent of Expedition Everest.

7/10

Harry Potter (Forbidden Journey): Same as the one in Universal Hollywood. A classic with a great queue, although the dementor part of the ride is pretty excessive.

7/10

VelociCoaster: Fun, Jurassic-Park themed queue and decent rollercoaster. I was slightly disappointed due to the all the hype (“one of the best rollercoasters in America”). I would put it in the same tier as Incredicoaster, Flight Deck, and Rip Ride Rockit.

7/10

Jurassic Park Boat Ride: A classic flume ride, although pretty loud and slightly boring (just one drop at end). It was nice to ride it again because the California counterpart is possible closed (need to double check).

6/10

Spiderman: An OK 3D ride. It’s pretty loud though.

6/10

King Kong: Skull Island: Similar to Fast and Furious (large, moving vehicle with 3D effects on sides). But the queue and subject matter is much more exciting. It makes me want to watch the movie. 

7/10

Hogwarts Express (to Diagon Alley): This is not really a ride — more themed for of transportation. During the ride, window animation + silhouettes are fun but a bit on the nose. Glad to see they are different from the (to Hogsmeade) ride though. Also weird because the train faces the wrong direction.

6/10

[disneyparksattractionstournament]

Oooh Q’aráq!! I didn't submit this buddy but I do have some propaganda for it. It is the only animatronic to be used in a Disney river-rapids-type ride! Which is a shame because I always thought the Grizzly River Rapids in CA Adventure should have some Brother Bear ones. I actually found this out from a recommended YT vid I watched at 3am the other day so it was neat seeing this fella pop up here. Vote for Q’aráq!!!

.

[goalhofer]

2023 NHL Draft Results: Picks 101-150

101st overall, Montreal: Florian Xhekaj (Hamilton Bulldogs/Hamilton, Ontario) 102nd overall, Arizona: Terrell Goldsmith (Prince Albert Raiders/Ft. St. James, British Columbia) 103rd overall, Philadelphia: Cole Knuble (Fargo Force/Grand Rapids, Michigan) 104th overall, Washington: Patrick Thomas (Hamilton Bulldogs/Oakville, Ontario) 105th overall, Vancouver: Ty Mueller (University Of Nebraska, Omaha Mavericks/Cochrane, Alberta) 106th overall, St. Louis: Jakub Štancl (Växjö Sjöers Hockeyklubb J20/Prague, Czech Republic) 107th overall, Vancouver: Vilmer Alriksson (Djurgårdens I.F. Ishockeyförening J20/Stockholm, Sweden) 108th overall, Ottawa: Hoyt Stanley (Victoria Grizzlies/North Vancouver, British Columbia) 109th overall, Buffalo: Ethan Miedema (Kingston Frontenacs/Cobourg, Ontario) 110th overall, Montreal: Bogdan Konyushkov (Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod/Penza, Russia) 111th overall, Nashville: Joey Willis (Saginaw Spirit/Elmhurst, Illinois) 112th overall, Calgary: Jaden Lipinski (Vancouver Giants/Scottsdale, Arizona) 113th overall, New York Islanders: Jesse Nurmi (KooKoo/Kouvola, Finland) 114th overall, Columbus: Luca Pinelli (Ottawa 67's/Hamilton, Ontario) 115th overall, Tampa Bay: Jayson Shaugabay (Green Bay Gamblers/Warroad, Minnesota) 116th overall, Seattle: Andrei Loshko (Chicoutimi Saguenéens/Zhlobin, Belarus) 117th overall, Detroit: Larry Keenan II (Culver Academy Eagles/Springwater Township, Ontario) 118th overall, Los Angeles: Hampton Slukynsky (USNTDP/Warroad, Minnesota) 119th overall, Vancouver: Matthew Perkins (Youngstown Phantoms/Balgonie, Saskatchewan) 120th overall, Philadelphia: Alex Čiernik (Södertälje Sportklubb/Wolfsburg, Germany) 121st overall, Nashville: Juha Jatkola (Kalevan Pallo/Kuopio, Finland) 122nd overall, New Jersey: Cam Squires (Cape Breton Eagles/Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island) 123rd overall, San José: Luca Cagnoni (Portland Winterhawks/Burnaby, British Columbia) 124th overall, Boston: Beckett Hendrickson (USNTDP/Minnetonka, Minnesota) 125th overall, Dallas: Aram Minnetian (USNTDP/Woodcliff Lake, New Jersey) 126th overall, Carolina: Stanislav Yarovoy (H.K. Vityaz Moscow Oblast/Tuymazy, Russia) 127th overall, Florida: Albert Wikman (Färjestad Bollklubb J20/Karlstad, Sweden) 128th overall, Montreal: Quentin Miller (Quebec Remparts/Montreal, Quebec) 129th overall, Anaheim: Rodwin Dionicio (Niagara IceDogs/Herisau, Switzerland) 130th overall, San José: Axel Landén (HV71 J20/Jönköping Stad, Sweden) 131st overall, Chicago: Marcel Marcel (Gatineau Olympiques/Plzeň, Czech Republic) 132nd overall, San José: Eric Pohlkamp (Cedar Rapids RoughRiders/Brainerd, Minnesota) 133rd overall, Montreal: Sam Harris (Sioux Falls Stampede/San Diego, California) 134th overall, Arizona: Melker Thelin (Tegs Sportklubb/Umeå, Sweden) 135th overall, Philadelphia: Carter Sotheran (Portland Winterhawks/Macdonald Municipality, Manitoba) 136th overall, Washington: Cam Allen (Guelph Storm/Toronto, Ontario) 137th overall, Detroit: Jack Phelan (Sioux Falls Stampede/Downers Grove Township, Illinois) 138th overall, St. Louis: Paul Fischer (USNTDP/River Forest Township, Illinois) 139th overall, Carolina: Charles-Alex Legault (West Kelowna Warriors/Laval, Quebec) 140th overall, Ottawa: Matthew Andonovski (Kitchener Rangers/Markham, Ontario) 141st overall, Buffalo: Scott Ratzlaff (Seattle Thunderbirds/Wainwright Municipality, Alberta) 142nd overall, Pittsburgh: Mikhail Ilyin (Almaz Cherepovets/Cherepovets, Russia) 143rd overall, Nashville: Sutter Muzzatti (Rensellaer Polytechnic Institute Engineers/Alaiedon Township, Michigan) 144th overall, Montreal: Yevgeni Volokhin (Mamonty Yugry/Khanty-Mansysk, Russia) 145th overall, New York Islanders: Justin Gill (Sherbrooke Phoenix/Saint-Joseph-Du-Lac, Quebec) 146th overall, Winnipeg: Jacob Julien (London Knights/London, Ontario) 147th overall, Detroit: Kevin Bicker (Jungadler Mannheim/Schwabach, Germany) 148th overall, Seattle: Kaden Hammell (Everett Silvertips/Langley, British Columbia) 149th overall, Minnesota: Aaron Pionk (Waterloo Black Hawks/Hermantown, Minnesota)

[dorisrmoore]

Disney Grizzly River Rapids Ride With Drops | Disney California Adventure 2021 | Theme-Park.org

[4K] Grizzly River Run Rapids Water Ride with 2 drops in Disney California Adventure at the Disneyland Resort. What’s your favorite Disney Rapids ride? The Kali River Rapid in Epcot? Roaring Rapids at Shanghai Disneyland? or Grizzly River Run at Dis…

from Theme-parkorg's Favorite Links from Diigo https://theme-park.org/disney-grizzly-river-rapids-ride-with-drops-disney-california-adventure-2021/

[court-of-angels]

I love Grizzly Rapids in the evening! (via)