Before we entered Disney's California Adventure, Carlene stopped at their lost and found to see if they had a lens cap to our camera, they had a lot of lens caps, including a few of the type ours is, she took one of those. While she was taking care of that, I saw an escaping balloon, and tried to get a good photo of it.

Upon entering the park we stopped at it's gift shop, and had our biggest shopping spree of the trip I think it was at this point that what I had been telling Carlene for months about our souvenir budget really hit home with her. At this point I pretty much resigned myself to the fact that all of my souvenir budget for the trip was going into postcards, no hard cover books, no custom CD's from the 20th century music shop over on Main Street (or for that matter no non-custom CD's), and no T-shirts. Oh well I was just happy enough to be here at this time I had been hoping to be here for so many years. But perhaps next time we can be better prepared on this level (the thought that there might be a next time relatively soon helps too!).

We started out by heading into the Hollywood Pictures backlot section where we took in the 4:15 showing of Aladdin, we were seated in the highest section, but this still provided an excellent view of the show, and a beautiful show it is, a definite "don't miss" for any trip to DCA.

After the show we headed to the Tower of Terror, Carlene followed the same formula here that she did at the Florida version of this attraction she does the whole pre-show with me then (as planned) takes the "chicken exit" at the elevators entrance. I enjoyed this version of the tower, if I had to pick I probably like the Florida one better, but both are quite good. Upon exiting I picked up a few TOT postcard in the gift shop, and we headed back towards the center of the park, Carlene hit the smoking area near Muppetvision and I picked us up some smoothies from Smoozies.

We snapped a few photos in sunshine Plaza, and then as a few nice close ups of yellow roses (which are the type my mom likes)Carlene's shot is the second, clearer, better one here.

I know Carlene and I would probably enjoy the winery tour but we passed on it this visit, though we got a nice couple of snacks on the Boudin Bakery tour (sourdough bread), and the Mission foods Mission tortilla factory (a tortilla of course). As we came back out of this area there was a band playing entertaining the folks dining in this area, I'd like to stop and catch more of them on a future trip. Carlene stopped in Golden State Park which has a smoking area , and I went to check out the boarding options for California Screamin', it turns out they do have a single rider option, though I had top go back to the entrance and asked after I had started in the standby line. I had no wait whatsoever for this ride, and I really enjoyed it, I think this was the best coaster I've been on since 2001 (a year in which I attended several coaster parks including Cedar Point an Kennywood) it is a nice long smooth steel ride with awesome views of the Southern California Mountains in the distance. Carlene got a couple of good pictures of it while I was off riding it.

After that I wanted to try a coaster we both could ride, Mulholland Madness, I've gotta say that this is one attraction that can use some improvement, there are examples of well theme wild mouse/ mad mouse roller coasters out there, this isn't one of them, yes there is a theme there's just not much to it, take a page from Animal Kingdoms Primeval Whirl or Kennywoods Exterminator here guys. I know there is just a small area to work with but re-work it somehow. Oh and while you're at it us "large of frame" types would appreciate bigger cars too! After that we wandered pleasantly back out of the park, stopping for a picture or two on the way...

...but with a dinner destination already in mind, The Rancho Del Zocalo in Frontierland.