Six Flags Magic Mountain

Be Sure to Check Out my Previous Post: The Disneyland Resort: Part 2-Night Time!

Growing up in Southern California, I am very lucky to have several theme parks and water parks all within about 2 hours from anywhere that you are (LA traffic depending of course). Here's a short list of what we have readily available to us:

Six Flags Magic Mountain Entry

Theme Parks:
-Disneyland
-Disney's California Adventure
-Knotts Berry Farm
-Six Flags Magic Mountain
-Universal Studios Hollywood.
-Sea World
-Lego Land California

Water Parks:
-Sea World Aquatica San Diego
-The Wave Waterpark
-Raging Waters San Dimas
-Pharaoh's
-Knott's Soak City Orange County
-Knott's Soak City Palm Springs
-Six Flags Hurricane
-Lego Land California Water park

And of course plenty of Zoo's to live up to your hearts content. However of all the years that I had lived there, I had only been to 1/2 of them.

Hurricane Harbor

While I had been to Six Flags Magic Mountain on a few occasions, I had not been into their water park. After working for Six Flags Great Americas Hurricane Harbor, I tried to see some similarities, but unlike other Hurricane Harbor clones, there was not much of anything that was the same. One of the first things that I noticed is it was a small park land wise, and they had to be very creative with their use of space. The 3 main features of the park were an activity pool with a few basketball hoops and slides, a lazy river, and a

Hurricane Harbor Wave Pool

wave pool. The standout features in the park however were the slide towers and coasters that surrounded you. It was a truly encompassing feeling.

After a day in the water park, I headed into the dry park to ride some coasters. With only 2 hours left in the operating day, I had to make my choices wisely. I made sure to catch a ride on Apocalypse (Formerly Terminator Salvation),  and is a great GCI wooden coaster. With Millennium flyer trains and plenty of twists and dips, it is a memorable coaster.... especially the full speed station fly-through.

Tatsu Track at Night

was then off to the parks signature flying coaster that dominates the treetops of the mountain, Tatsu. When considering all of my coasters it consistently sits in my top 3, if not number 1. Its height combined with its smooth track and elements make it amazing. Also it has one of the largest pretzel loops at 124 feet, and makes for an incredible ride experience.



I ended the day on Full Throttle, the parks brand new coaster. During its marketing, it was branded as the YOLO coaster. Boasting about the worlds tallest loop (160 feet) and worlds first top hat element, it promised to be an unforgettable ride experience. One of

Full Throttle Launch

best features of the ride was there were only lap restraints, which is quite rare for an inverted coaster. Once I was seating in the back car, there was a short amount of anticipation that built up before the coaster rocketed to 70mph and straight into the massive loop. The sheer size of it was incredible, and the launch speed had been calibrated perfectly that the coaster almost slows to a stop at the top and you are left hanging for what seems like forever. You then plummet back to the earth into a few turns before a dive loop, coming to a stop in a tunnel. After a few lighting and sound effects, you are sent backwards, halfway through the dive loop, and accelerated back out and over the top hat, and then slowing to a stop before reentering the station.

My Full Throttle Ride Photo

Overall, the ride was better than anticipated, but did not live up to the hype. The strong points were the smooth launches and fantastic hang time combined with the lap bar only restraints. However where the coaster fell short was in the very short layout, and the top hat that went straight into the brake run. It was fun, but would not be worth a very long wait of over 45 minutes.

View of the Coasters from the P-Lot

While I didn't get to ride all of the coasters, Six Flags Magic Mountain still proves to be a great park for any level of coaster enthusiast. The rides deliver thrills rather than fears, and always leave you wanting more. 

If you didn't get enough here, there's a few more photos in the #LyfInFocus-Six Flags Magic Mountain album.

Be Sure to check out my next post: So-Cal Water Park's!

The Disneyland Resort: Part 2-Night Time!

Be Sure to Check Out my Previous Post: The Disneyland Resort: Part 1-Day Time!

When the sun goes down, the magic only grows at the Disneyland resort. Main Street USA is glowing brightly with Broadway lights and glowing gift shop windows. The infamous Cinderella Castle is brilliantly lit with deep blues and purples, then changing to reds and oranges. It truly is one of the most magical times of day, and you truly lose yourself in the park.

Our Glow with the Show Ears!

For most guests, souvenirs take form of hats adorned with "Mickey Ears" of all different styles. They make children feel as if they are princesses or wizards, help soon to be married couples celebrate the Disney way, and for others just have their name embroidered on the cap. More recently Disney has developed a new pair of ears that are both technologically advanced, and stand out in any crowd. They are called "Glow with the Show Ears", and they do exactly as they sound: they glow with the show! In short, there are multicolored LEDs in each ear, and an infrared receiver in the ears, and when you are at select shows throughout the Disneyland Resort (and now at Fantasmic! at Walt Disney World) they sync with the theatrics.

The hats were only $25 each, and we both had to have them! With the darkened midways, we stood

out from everyone else and got tons of compliments. Currently there are several different shows are areas at the Disneyland Resort that we found that they synced with:
 -World of Color
-Fantasmic!
-The Cars Land Stoplight (with the 3rd blink being slightly longer)
-Fireworks
-Mad T Party
-And Oddly enough, the Mickey and Friends Tram Downtown Disney station (They turn orange like the tram color).

Fantasmic!

If you are not in a show area, they still light up and change colors as you walk around, and when the
hats are close to each other, they pulse and change colors in time with each other, almost like they're friends saying hello. The best part of the hats, is that there is no buttons to push in order to sync it with a show or other interaction area. Once you pass into an active zone, they ears immediately start responding to what the zone transmitter tells them to. So as soon as the show starts, your ears are already going.

Fantasmic!

Back to the rest of the evening, we managed to see both of the nighttime spectaculars: Fantasmic! (Disneyland) and World of Color (California Adventure). Fantasmic opened in 1992, and has be delighting audiences of thousands nightly ever since. The show includes water effects, lasers, live actors and pyrotechnics at a cost of nearly $75,000 per showing (Thanks Wikipedia). It is a 23 minute show that excites and delights children of all ages (even us 20+ year old children at heart).


After enjoying Fantasmic!, we enjoyed a few minutes of the fireworks show before headed over to

Giant Turkey Legs!

California Adventure for "World of Color". However we were on a mission, and that mission was for turkey legs. After looping nearly all of California Adventure, we were nearly giving up hope as we passed the back end of the bay and found the pure gold that was the turkey leg man. Needless to say, this photo shows we were happy.

Back to the show......Opened in 2010, World of Color is a massive display of fountains, projection, fire and lights on Paradise Bay. While there are no live actors, and essentially it is a "push play and let it run" style show, it is nothing short of incredible. The sheer brilliance of the colors and size of the founains all perfectly in sync with the music, make for an unforgettable experience. It was a low attendance night for the show (often times you are squeezed shoulder to shoulder with people) so we had room to spread out and take photos without worrying about disturbing other viewers. And of course, we had our Glow With The Show Ears on :)

Now normally I am not one to post videos of Disney shows or rides in their entirety, but for you to truly get the impact of how awesome the show is, and mostly to see the implementaion of the Glow With the Show Ears, take a look at this video (even if its just the first 2 minutes). However, please dont skip ahead, and watch the full first minute. Seeing the ears start right with the show and hearing the crowds reaction to the effect is awesome!




Now unfortunately, on most nights there are very few guests actually utilizing the ears (this was a video from a pass-holder preview night), so the effect isn't nearly as dramatic, however over the years i can see it growing. I will certainly be bringing mine with me every time I go.

Our End of the Night Photo with Mickey and Walt

With the conclusion of World of Color, the night was coming to a close. And with a few night photos of Cars Land, the Tower of Terror and the Carthay theater, we said good bye to the mouse and headed home. All in all, it was an awesome day, and probably the most fun i've ever had at Disney (and that's saying a lot!). It reminded me that we all need to take some time every now and again to let our inner child out again with some of your closest friends.

Bucky's New Friend

It was good to see Stella, and Bucky seems to have a new friend.

Didn't get enough Disney Photos? Check out the full #LyfInColor-Disneyland Resort Album here!

Be Sure to check out my next post: Six Flags Magic Mountain!

The Disneyland Resort: Part 1-Day Time!

Be Sure to Check Out my Previous Post: Eating on the Road.

Welcome to Cars Land!

The Man, the Mouse, the Legends. There is hardly a sole in the world who would not see the familiar 3 ringed shape of Mickey Mouse and not be able to tell you who he is. And for as long as he has been an icon, there has been Disneyland.

Being from southern California I have grown up with the magic that is Disneyland. Some of my first memories are walking through the massive parking lot up to the main gates of the happiest place on earth with the beautiful steam train perched atop the entryway at Main Street Station. As I grew up, the magic continued to be a place to be with friends and escape daily life. It was where I had my first experience being in a marching band, parading down Main Street.

But ever since my first visit, the park has grown to what we know today as The Disneyland Resort. With 2 theme parks, downtown Disney, 3 hotels, 65,000 employees, and what was at one point the

New California Adventure Entrance

largest parking garage in North America (with 10,250 spots) It has truly grown to massive proportions.

When I found out that I would be coming back to California for a short time, I made plans with my friend Stella to make the trip. Neither of us had seen each other in quite some time, so it was both a friendship reunion, and a day to pay homage to the mouse. And on the morning of July 11th, we woke up early and made the quick 1 hour drive to Anaheim.

Now one thing about Disney that many people are deterred by is the price, and I don't blame you! Here's a basic price breakdown:
1 Day 1 Park: Adult-$92, Child $86
1 Day Park Hopper: Adult $137, Child $131

And that doesn't even include the $16 parking fee and food in the park. So when you plan your day, it

Holder of 2 Season Passes!

is something you have to save for. But the experience you get in the parks and the theming both on and off the rides is incredible and well worth the money.

I chose to get an annual pass for $279 as I knew I would return in the next year for sure. This pass had the most blackout dates with Summer,  weekends, thanksgiving and the two weeks leading up to X-mas blacked out, however I don't like to visit in those peak times anyways so it was no issue for me.

Radiator Springs (Cars Land)

While I had been to both parks previously, California Adventure had just finished its massed renovation and re-imagining project that included Buena Vista Street, Hollywood Land and most importantly... Cars Land! The massive expansion included an incredibly accurate rendition of Radiator Springs. When you walk up to see Cars Land, you can see the impressive Cadillac Range towering over the end of the strip. All down the main drag you

Chilli-Cone-Carne

pass Filmores, Sarges, Maters Junkyard, Flo's V-8 Cafe, The Cozy Cone, and Luigi's Tire Shop, with not a detail to be spared. We decided to dine at the cozy cone, and found all of the food to be appropriately themed as well. I had the "Chilli-Cone-Carne," which was served in a bread cone! It was pretty great. Other cone themed dining included Pop Cone and Ice Cream cones.
Attractions included Maters Junkyard Jamboree, Luigis Flying Tires and the massive E-Ticket ride Radiator Springs Racers. I didn't ride the first two attractions, but the racers were just incredible. The Ride vehicles are similar to those on Test Track at Walt-Disney World (Slot Car), and they even have the signature eyes on the windshield.

Radiator Springs Racers

I wont spoil the ride experience for you, but essentially it is a cruise through the hills surrounding radiator springs that culminates in a race against another car, and the winner is always different! While it is an extremely family friendly attraction, It was a ton of fun to ride and was definitely a thrill. A couple of suggestions though if you plan to ride:
-Lines are very long throughout the day, and FastPasses are gone within the 1st hour of park opening, so make this your first stop.

Racers Ride Vehicles

-They offer a single rider line (but it is still only about 1/2 the wait of the regular line), and unless your group really wants to buy the ride photo, this is the best way to go. However if you have small children, you will need to wait in the Stand-By line as they will split parties to fill seats.

Inside the Tower of Terror Lobby

-Take plenty of pictures, as you may only get to ride it once with the lines. I took a lot and still regret not taking some of different elements of the ride and line.

After the Racers, we proceeded to my now second favorite ride the park (second now to the Racers), The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror. Utilizing a different (and operationally more effective with a higher capacity) ride system, it is a slightly different experience to its sister tower at WDW. The ride line includes the same pre-show sequence in the library, and dark and dingy boiler room leading up to the service elevators. The ride experience is a drop tower, but is more mild for those of you who do not enjoy the standard drop tower. I normally cant stand them, but love the ToT. Give it a shot, I'm sure you won't be disappointed.

Paradise Pier

Touring around the rest of CAA we checked out the new Trolleys, Paradise Pier, and of course
California Screamin'. We did find Jesse from toy story and tried to see if yelling "Andy's coming!" would really make them pretend to be just toys, but unfortunately it didn't worth a shot though, and anything to make Stella embarrassed is worth it to me.

We then headed over to the Disneyland side for more of the

Pickles in Hand!

classic Disney experience. Our stops included Space Mountain, Star Tours, Matterhorn (whose new ride vehicles are great!), Pirates of the Caribbean, Indiana Jones, the Haunted Mansion and Splash Mountain. The park was fairly busy so most lines were around 45 minutes long. But no matter when you have your trusty pickle at hand!

We ended our "Day Time" in the parks with a walk through Mickey's

We Met Mickey Mouse!

house. Now I'm not sure what Stella thought we were waiting in line for this whole time with a bunch of kids, but when we reached the end, boy was she surprised that we got to meet Mickey Mouse!

Well this post has gone on for a while, so I'm going to separate it into 2. The second half will consist of nighttime fun in the parks.

Be Sure to Check Out my Next Post: The Disneyland Resort: Part 2-Night Time!

Eating on the Road

Be Sure to Check out my Previous Post: Vegas!

Often times, we are deadlocked in a cold war battle with roommate's, family members, and friends in

Eating on the Road

where to eat for dinner. Will it be Fast Food or Casual Dining? Mexican or Italian? Should we get an appetizer... or how about split that big sundae for dessert? This should sound familiar to just about everyone, and I'm sure at times we dream of the day when we get to make all the decisions on our own for what we're going to eat. Well part of this summers journey, was making these decisions every day.

Living on the road, I am forced with making the choice of where to eat twice a day, every day. There are days where I love it, and others where its a serious personal struggle. Today I'll settle some questions that have been asked of me about my summer eating habits, and how one eats on the road:


1) Doesn't it suck to eat alone all the time?

Double Dipping is Good

Yes and No. While all of my days are made up of about 80% me time, the times that I take to sit down at a restaurant and get to just relax, are wonderful. I enjoy the moments to have a drink, watch some sports and listen to the world around me, and not have to worry about watching what the staff is doing. But having to stare at an empty seat across from me, and seeing families and friends laughing together does get a bit harsh at times. This is why I often choose restaurants where I can sit at the bar
and have conversation with the bartender or other patrons. In doing this I have truly met some of the nicest and most interesting people across the country. Just last night I talked with a bartender who
was working her way through school where she was studying Vocal Performance and Political Science. She was happy to talk all about her life dreams and ambitions. Everyone truly has something to tell, and I am always happy to listen (ever had me ask you "tell me a story?). And plus... isn't it nice knowing you can double dip and not be judged?

2) Can one live off Taco Bell?

Smothered Burrito

Definitely. While I do switch up what I eat pretty often, Taco Bell is never a bad decision. Its the best food to eat in the car as it easily fits in 1 hand, doesn't make a mess, and is CHEAP. For less than $5, I can get 2 Beefy Nacho Griller's, and Bean and Cheese Burrito and a Drink and be stuffed. When I feel like "dining in", the new Smothered Shredded Chicken burrito is delicious. And who can be sad when Cinnamon Twists are around? Not to brag, but I've also mastered eating a Crunch wrap Supreme while driving ;)

3) Hotels with Free Breakfast rock right?
Wrong. 90% of the time the eggs taste like cardboard, the bagels are about as hard enough to break windows, and the sausage is more questionable then elementary school lunch. Families on a weekend vacation will eat at the hotel breakfast because its a great value and will live with the mediocre at best food selection. But when you're on the road every day, a bad breakfast can set up a bad day. Its why more often than not, Starbucks or an Egg McMuffin are worth the expense to start the day right.

Chick Fil-A Chicken Biskit (My Favorite)

However, for those of you who do make your housing selection based on free breakfast, here is my general review of what you will get at different hotel chains:
-Fairfield Inn, by Marriott: Consistent good coffee and fresh juice options, but the real winner is the individually packaged Otis Spunkmeyer muffins that you can grab and go.
-Holiday Inn Express: Avoid the eggs, but the pancake machine and signature warm cinnamon rolls are worth waking up a bit earlier.
-La Quinta Inn: Everything is about the same here, nothing good and nothing bad. Usually the biscuits and pastries are stale. Go with the Activia yogurt if you must.
-Springhill Suites by Marriott: Pretty decent all around, and the coffee was great.
-Hyatt Place: Fantastic! I have stayed at 2 of these this summer and they were both great. The dining area is set up like a big family kitchen/dining room. The Mini Donuts were good along with all of the hot food options.

4) What are the best places to eat?

Royal Burger at Red Robin

This one is tough, and in the end most people won't agree with me. When looking at where I eat,  I seem to be a creature of habit and don't vary much in where I eat I am drawn in by places with a bar, good service and consistently good food. After long days on the road, or at a park, the smallest things are what I look forward to the most. If I dine out and don't have a good experience, it just makes life on the road all the more lonely. But in review, at least 4 nights a week you are most likely to find me at one of these places:

-Red Robin: With Bottomless steak fries with all of their sandwiches and some of the best burgers around, whats not to love? They have a great beer selection and, for something unique, try the Irish Shake!
-Buffalo Wild Wings: When its game time, there's no better place for fans. I regularly ate here during the NHL Playoffs and now during football season. Also the Game Changer brew by Red Hook, is truly the best beer to accompany your wings.
-Applebees: With 1/2 priced appetizers and drink specials after 9 every night, its one of the best stops. The bartenders are always friendly and the food is always consistent. Most of the time, its the Turkey, Bacon, and Avocado sandwich, but my new favorite is the 4-Cheese Macaroni with Honey Bar-B-Que Chicken crisper's.

5) Do you ever try anything new?

Deep Fried Apple Pie

Of course! While many times I eat at the same places (because I know what I am getting), I love to
try the local favorites. If I remember before leaving a park, I ask for the best local food joint and eat there. In doing this I've found some incredible restaurants across the states:
-Kannah Kreek Brewery (Grand Junction, CO): While the beer  and pizza was great, the deep fried apple pie for desert was to die for.
-Oklahoma Joe's Bar-B-Que (Kansas City, MO): Arguably the best bar-b-que in the United States. I've already wrote about it back in my Kansas City post. See it Here.
-Voo Doo Donuts(Portland, OR): With some of the most unique doughnut toppings and filling, the famous Voo Doo Donuts cannot be passed up if you are ever in Portland.

Doughnut Display at Voo Doo Donuts

So now I pose a question to you all: Do you think you could eat out everyday? Why or why not? What would your habits be? Comment below, as I'd love to hear your opinions and suggestions!

Be sure to check out my next post: 
The Disneyland Resort: Part 1-Day Time!

Vegas!

Be Sure to check out my last post: Arizona!

Well normally.... what happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas.... but I'll let you all in on it just this once.

The Fremont Street Experience

Vegas is just a short 4.5 hours from home, and a drive I've done many times before. At state line, I made the stop at Buffalo Bills casino to ride the famous Desperado roller coaster. At its opening in 1994 it tied the record for steepest and longest drop (225') and at 80mph, was just slower than Steel Phantoms 82mph. The Ride experience starts with a chain lift through the casino, and rises high

Desperado Roller Coaster Ticket

above the desert floor, where it then plummets at a 60degree angle under the earth. The rest of the ride experience is nothing special, and honestly is downright painful. The coaster cars hurt your back as it rocks down the nearly 6,000ft of track. But after the ride, and 30 minutes later, I arrived at the Monte Carlo Hotel.

While I had only paid the rate for a lower level floor, the desk clerk upgraded me to a corner room on the 31st floor! It was huge and we were only 1 short of the top floor. The view was of the new City Center complex and across the 15 freeway.

View from the hotel room at the Monte Carlo

Official Wet'N'Wild Vehicle

I was excited to visit the new Wet'n'Wild Vegas, as it was the first Water Park to open in Vegas since
the strip location closed in 2004. The new park was located off the strip in a residential area and has plenty of room to grow. The slides were all shining and the wide open feel has a lot to build upon. I apologize for not taking more photos, but I definitely want to go back.

After the day at Wet'n'Wild I spent the night down on Fremont

Slide through a Shark Tank

street seeing some of the great free attractions. almost nightly on
the weekends there are live bands playing on the street. There's also the "show in the sky", which an awesome LED light show that is on a massive cover that stretches down the entire street. This seasons shows were all based on classic rock such as The Doors, The Who and the Beatles. We also ventured inside the Golden Nugget Hotel to see a water slide that goes right through a shark tank!

When it came time to leave Vegas the next day, I took a stop at the World Famous Gold and Silver Pawn Shop, from Pawn Stars! I was hoping to see Chumly, be he wasn't there... must have been out doing some mindless task for the old man.
On the drive back, I took a stop at one of my famous roadside sights: Rock-A-Hoola Water Park at beautiful Lake Delores!

Rock-A-Hoola Waterpark!

 OK, its actually closed down, and has been empty since the summer of 2004. Its located a little over 1/2 way to Vegas in the middle of nowhere, and is honestly no surprise that it closed. The lake has since dried up and plants have over grown what is left of the park. Most of the slides have been removed and there is nothing left around it. However this desert location used to be quite the family destination when it opened in 1962. Check out this promo video for the park while it was open:

While it is nothing special, it has always served as a running joke between me and my friend Huntington that when we strike it rich, we would buy it out and reopen it. While it was closed down and there were some no trespassing signs, I still ventured in to collect some photos of what was left. There are plenty more in the #LyfInFocus-Vegas album, but here are a few of my favorites.

 Before making it back home, I took a stop to see my good friends Annie and Jeremy, whom I hadn't

Annie and Jeremy with Bucky

seen in quite a while. They actually just got married last weekend too, (they were engaged when I visited over the Summer).

Didn't get enough photos? Then head over to the #LyfInFocus-Vegas album.

Be sure to check out my next post: Eating on the Road!

Arizona

Be Sure to Check out my Previous Post: Where did #LyfInFocus come from?

Well after a few much needed days at home with my family, I'm back on the road again ready to hit

The Road to Mecca

the West Coast!

First up is the Phoenix Arizona area. To get there is a quick 6 hour drive through the beautiful desert! Can you see my hint at sarcasm?? I even passed the road to Mecca on my way.

It was a little toasty.

I had visited phoenix several times, from the air and the Sky Harbor Airport, but never to actually see the city. Well unfortunately for me, I came at the hottest part of the year, where it was no joke, 118degrees outside!! And there was a small bit of humidity to accompany it, so I was miserable. I joked with one of the pool managers that I could bake cookies in my car.... she then responded "oh yea, my guards do it at least once every summer!" It was just miserably hot. And later that night, I walked out side and it felt like it had really cooled off.... in reality it was just 104. Just crazy. I don't think my iPhone much liked it either.

However, to offset the heat, there was what I will forever argue is the best carne asada around. (If for

Fili's Carne Asada

some unfortunate reason you don't know the pure gold that is carne asada is, please Google it). Fillibertos Mexican food is a chain of Mexican restaurants in both southern California and Arizona, and is quite delicious. I enjoyed both a Carne Asada Burrito and Carne Asada fries, and was in pure heaven. At that point the heat was non-existent.

SpringHill Suites by Marriott

During my stay in Arizona I stayed in a SpringHill Suites by Marriott, one of my favorite properties. My room was separated into 2 parts, with a sitting area with a couch on one end, and the beds on the other. And for $69 a night, it was a great deal!

Here's a Hint at whats coming up later this week

On my way out of Arizona, I stopped by the Cardinals Stadium, which is pretty cool. Its a stadium with a retractable roof, as well as a retractable field!! You might wonder why they do that, and the answer is simple. So the grass can grow under the sun!

Be Sure to check out all of the photos in the #LyfInFocus-Arizona album!

Be Sure to Check out my next post: Vegas!