Cars Land at Night

Welcome back to Disney California Adventure! The sun's down, the neon's lit and the music's playing as we take a nine photo stroll through nighttime Cars Land.

Fillmore's Place, home of black light, folk art, bootleg fuel and fresh fruit.

Outside Mater's Junkyard, looking down Route 66.

The Perfect Cars Land Dinner

After trying nearly every menu item in Cars Land over the past few visits, I've definitely got a favorite recommendation: Flo's Citrus Turkey Breast with Mashed Potatoes and Roasted Corn. To make it extra fantastic, add Red's Apple Feeze as the drink.

Yes, I know Red's Apple Freeze is only sold at the Cozy Cones, so this does involve going to the Cones first and then crossing Route 66 to Flo's V8 Cafe. But that Apple Freeze is mighty refreshing while you're waiting to order!

Flo's V8 Cafe gets our vote for the resort's best combination of great food, quick service  and reasonable prices. The place also features plenty of seating, great views of Radiator Springs Racers, and a non-stop playlist of 60's Motown Girl Group hits. Instant happiness!

Mater Takes a Break

Mater exits the Cozy Cone and heads out to look for groundhogs...or maybe he's just rumbling backstage to take a break.

Without a doubt, the frequent comings and goings of Mater and Lightning add a huge amount of extra atmosphere and fun to Cars Land. Red the Fire Engine and DJ the boombox car are currently the only other full-size vehicles who drive along the streets (both of 'em) of Radiator Springs.

I hope future plans for Cars Land include having more of the citizens show up to greet the crowds. Seeing Sheriff, Doc, Sally, Filmore, Sarge, Ramone, Flo, Luigi, or Lizzie show up randomly would be fantastic. Of course, it would make it even more difficult for fans to tear themselves away from Radiator Springs to see the rest of DCA!

Mater Waffles at Flo's

Mickey pancakes will always be a classic, but the Mater Waffles at Flo's V8 Cafe in Cars Land are my new favorite smiling breakfast food.

They're listed as a kid's menu item, but one glance around at breakfast reveals just as many adults enjoying these crazy little specials-of-the-house, and no wonder; for $5.99 you get waffles, bacon, fruit and a beverage. It's just the right amount of food to get you energized for a day in the parks.

My other favorite breakfasts in Cars Land are Flo's Brioche French Toast (which tastes a lot like banana bread with hot caramel sauce) for $6.99 and the Bacon Scramble bread cone at the Cozy Cone Motel for $5.49. These give you more food for your dollar, but don't include a beverage.

And, of course, neither of those items make you laugh the moment they're set down in front of you. Mater waffles win!

Lightning Greets Fans at the Cozy Cone

Lightning McQueen welcomes his fans outside Sally's office at the Cozy Cone Motel in Cars Land. The combination of fun food, chatty automobiles, the town's music and terrific Cast Members make this one of the best character meet n' greet set-ups at the resort.

Fish Heads & Crumbs #5: Cozy Con

It's Monday, and the crew's in Cars Land. What could possibly go wrong?

Click to enlarge

Cozy Cone's Consistent Kookiness

The best thing about Cars Land's Cozy Cone Motel (besides the food) is just how crazily far the sight gag is taken. If the food stands themselves had been the only cone-shaped elements, the place would have been merely cute. But the theme keeps going...and going...through the entire courtyard and beyond.

It's fun to take family and friends into this life-size hidden-picture puzzle for the first time (everyone seems to want to try the Chili Cone Queso) and watch their reaction as they focus on the unfolding layers of cone detail. They tend to say things like, "I...don't...believe...this..." Usually it's accompanied by a big smile. It helps if they like the color orange.

Considering the huge popularity of the Cone Drinking Cups, I wouldn't be surprised if Disney eventually adds a (cone-shaped) souvenir stand to the grounds, offering more (cone-shaped) wares. Personally, I'd love to buy one of those planters near the windows.

The Greatest Little Train on Earth

Here he comes, pulling into the station, the original Casey Jr. Circus Train, surely the most overlooked ride at Disneyland. Casey was my childhood favorite, and it warms my heart to see the old fellow still whisking guests off on his grand scenic tour of Storybook Land.

Note the great little effect achieved simply by setting Casey's eyeballs inside of metal cones: he seems to be staring straight at you no matter where you're standing on the platform!

The Storybook Land canal winds along by the opposite side of the tracks. Surely, no guest would be such a colossal knucklehead that they'd cross the tracks, jump a hedge and fall in, right?

If those life preservers have ever actually been used, I don't want to know about it. I just don't want...to...know...

Cozy Cone Souvenir Cups

They're crazy, they're wacky, they're very, very, orange and they keep selling out in Cars Land -- They're the Cozy Cone Souvenir Drink Cups!

We finally caught them in stock on a recent visit, and here they are in all their conical glory! They're available in two sizes; these are the large versions.

There's only one crack in this stupendous sipper's pavement: you cannot get them filled with one of the amazing "specialty" Cozy Cone drinks. You must choose a "standard" drink. Yes, when you get to the window, you must decide what's most important -- a delicious Doc's Grape Tonic in a normal cup or a Coke in Cone. Well, you can see which drink won out for this round, but I am not missing out on a Grape Tonic or Apple Freeze on my next trip!

The Best Drink at the Cozy Cone Motel

Every drink at the Cozy Cone Motel is colorful and delicious, from Ramone's "Pear"-of-Dice Soda to Filmore's Pomegranate Limeade. If pressed to pick favorites, our top two contenders would be Red's Apple Freeze and Doc's Wild Grape Tonic -- two of the most refreshing hot-day remedies we've ever enjoyed!

As much as we love the icy goodness of the Apple Freeze, however, our pick for Best Drink at the Cozy Cone goes to Doc's Wild Grape Tonic. We don't know if it's the cool color or the fun little kick the wild berry foam topping gives it, but if the Grape Tonic came in gallon buckets, we'd buy two of 'em; it's the perfect summer drink!

The Cozy Cone Fountain

The Cozy Cone Motel is the most playfully crazy place in Cars Land. As guests head over there to eat Chili Cone Queso or to meet Lightning and Mater in front of Sally's office, sooner or later they laugh as they realize how insanely, wonderfully far the concept's been taken. There are, literally, cones everywhere. The more you look, the more you see.

This charming fountain features a fully functioning cone water wheel, set in a cone-shaped pool. Cone ground lights encircle the little lawn as cones on lamp posts tower overhead.

Impertinently breaking the theme are a few clumps of tail light flowers. Those things grow like weeds in Radiator Springs!