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.

Happy Birthday, Cars Land! Our Radiator Springs Top Ten

One year ago today, Cars Land opened to the public, rocketing Disneyland Resort into one of the most exciting and successful seasons in theme park history. Overnight, the once-ridiculed DCA became an outstanding full-day park and the entire resort began firing on all cylinders like never before.

In honor of the land that saved an entire park, Mouse Troop happily presents the top ten reasons we find it tough to leave DCA's amazing automotive universe.

1) THE ROCK WORK

Pictures and videos don't do justice to this enormous, amazing fantasy landscape. Although it's all part of Radiator Springs Racers, the rock work of Cars Land is also an attraction in itself--one that can be enjoyed at leisure by all guests. It's certainly the main reason we find it hard to tear ourselves away from the place.

2) RADIATOR SPRINGS RACERS

Currently our favorite ride on the planet, this masterpiece of humor, heart, thrills and joy isn't just a great ride--it completely succeeds at pulling you into the story and making you the main character in a quest to take part in Race Day at Radiator Springs. Absolutely amazing. The Single Rider queue provides a great way to avoid the often two-plus hour waits.

A Trip Through the Radiator Springs Racers Queue

A couple of weeks ago, we gave you some tips on the Cars Land Rope Drop, where the early morning crowd is escorted in by none other than Lightning McQueen and Mater. Today, we're showing the rest of that little journey, with a near-the-front view of the early morning walk through the Radiator Springs Racers queue. The friendly Cast Member in the lead prevents stampeding.

If you've ever entered a Disney park at rope drop, I'm sure you know the incredibly fun feeling that hits at this exact moment: You're about to take the first ride of your vacation!

All three queues (Standby, FastPass and Single Rider) pass underneath the race course's Rusty Ridge Bridge (build by the Auto Corps of Engineers).

Audio-Animatronic Mater

Through great craftsmanship and clever technology, Radiator Springs Racers pulls off the amazing trick of bringing full-sized automobiles to life. The entire cast is amazing, but Mater is the jolliest and most wildly expressive of the crew.

His believability holds up under close inspecton; In the first encounter, he's right up in your face, chatting happily and driving backwards as he leads you into trouble.

His commentary with Lightning at the ride's end is equally fun; Disney should seriously consider making this duo their official DCA ambassadors.

The audio-animatronics on RS Racers have played a huge role in DCA's turn-around, and they give the ride a heart and soul that the entire park was missing in its early years. It's great to see Disneyland's neighbor finally benefit from some classic E-Ticket magic.

Tips For The Cars Land Rope Drop & Mini-Parade

If you're a Disney Park fan, you're probably familiar with the morning ritual known as the "Rope Drop", where early-bird guests are admitted to the park's entry area, but held at a temporary barrier (the "rope") until the official opening moment.

Today, we're at Disney California Adventure for one of the most well-organized and clever rope-drop variations I've ever encountered: The Cars Land Mini-Parade and Gasoline Hose March! There are a couple of tricks to it you might find helpful on your next visit...

First off, be sure to arrive early -- crazy early. The goal is to be near the front of one of the many entry lines before the park opens. After the morning greeting from the cast and a click through the turnstyle...

Move as quickly as possible (without running) down Buena Vista Street. There is a massive crowd flowing in behind you at this moment...

Continue around the right side of the Carthay Circle Restaurant. Don't look back!

You'll arrive at the "rope" (just below our view, here) and halt momentarily. The Cars Land entrance waits up ahead. You just might see Lightning McQueen and Mater driving about, getting into place for the Hose March (not Disney's official name for the event).

Unlike at Disneyland, where the rope-drop crowd splits off in different directions between three or four big attractions, almost every single person behind you is heading for Radiator Springs Racers. No worries: Prepare for a really clever bit of crowd control by the DCA cast.

One Rock, Two Checkpoints

Willy's Butte, one of the most recognizable rock formations in the Cars Universe, marks two important story moments both in the film and on Radiator Springs Racers.

In the movie, it's the site of two character life-changing scenes for rookie Lightning McQueen and veteran racer Doc Hudson.

On the ride, it visually bookends the first and last acts of the adventure, first appearing to riders as a remote landmark silhouetted against the sky, then later looming over the race's climactic banked turn. Between those two moments, guests have changed from curious sightseers to honorary citizens of Radiator Springs--and from relaxed spectators to whooping, adrenaline-pumped competitors.

There are many, many reasons the ride succeeds so well, and this awesome rock plays a silent but important role as the journey's lighthouse and cornerstone.

Ride Breakdown Fun: Stuck in Doc Hudson's Garage

On a complex ride such as Radiator Springs Racers, occasional stalls and shut-downs are inevitable -- particularly during the first year of operation. In the two dozen rides we've taken on Racers, we've experienced two temporary shut-downs. This time it happened in a favorite location, Doc Hudson's garage, where the delay helped us discover something new about the ride...

At this point of the adventure, the track has split into two lanes. We've just emerged from Ramone's House of Body Art while our opponents have come out of Luigi's Casa della Tires. We got our gruff pep talk from Doc, moved forward a few feet...and then we came to a halt for the unscheduled "intermission" alongside the town's respected judge/physician/retired racing champ.

Doc Hudson is one of the most amazing audioanimatronics on the ride. Until this moment, I'd never turned to look back from this angle.

Looking forward...

...the starting line waits just a few yards away! Here, I'd like to point out a wonderful detail of this ride: During these situations, your car continues to make idling and engine-revving sounds as if it's just as impatient to get underway as you are!

Looking back to the right, I noticed for the first time that the two halves of the garage are themed to whichever shop you've emerged from. We came from Ramone's, so this side is filled with paint samples, stencils and artwork. It's got the rough, hands-on look of someone who likes to create and experiment.

Looking across to the other side, we can see it's themed to Luigi's tire shop and is neat as a pin, in keeping with Luigi's personality.

Breakfast at Flo's V8 Cafe

I just returned from a fantastic two day trip to Disneyland Resort. I already aired my only complaint yesterday (the Oz promo bumping out MuppetVision). Everything else was E tickets and smiles.

One thing really hit home during this trip for my whole group: Cars Land remains incredible and lovable even after the novelty wears off. It remains the most jaw-dropping, mind-blowing creation we've ever seen in a theme park. The land holds up to repeat visits and -- less than a year after its debute -- it feels like it's always been there. It's almost impossible now to imagine DCA without it.

It's also impossible to imagine a morning in DCA without two or three trips on Radiator Springs Racers (the Single Rider Line is your friend!) and then breakfast at Flo's.

We've looked at the Mater Waffles before, but this time I went for the good old American Breakfast.

It's basic, simple and delicious. The potatoes turned out to be the star of the plate -- spicy with a rich salsa flavor.

The food, however, is only half the reason that Flo's is our favorite place in the whole resort. The other half is the location, for breakfast is twice as much fun when...

...this is the view out the window.

Friday With the Racers

We're barreling toward the weekend with another shot of my pick for The Most Fun Ride on Earth, Radiator Springs Racers.

I love the cars, the dark ride adventure, the race course, the music, the rockwork...and the fact that all those beautiful cacti are real.

Plus, of all the great rides at Disneyland Resort, this one's the most enjoyable to watch -- and you can watch it from a table at Flo's while eating breakfast, lunch or dinner. Or all three; on a future visit, I hope to spend an entire leisurely day in Radiator Spings, riding, eating, shopping and relaxing while listening to the town's amazing song playlist.

A Quiet Spot Near Radiator Springs Racers

I love this little park beside the entry and exit to Radiator Springs Racers. It's a great spot for non-riders to wait for their families to return from the adventure, or for anyone to just unwind and listen to the happy screams of riders zipping around the base of Radiator Cap Rock.

Nearby, the Single-Rider and Fastpass queues wind through the landscaping before heading under the bridge to Stanley's Oasis. In the background, two racers head for the camelbacks during a test run (on this early morning visit the ride opening was delayed a few minutes).

The little rest zone is perfectly placed just between the normal crowd flow in and out of the ride, so you can usually count on finding an unoccupied bench while relaxing...or gearing up to take another spin on the Racers (remember...Single Rider Line)!

Hands Up for Radiator Springs Racers

That woman in green has the right idea; no place else at Disneyland Resort is as suited to arm-raising and joyful cheering as Radiator Springs Racers.

It's good for camera-raising, too! In fact, that's one factor the resort previously lacked: a good hands-in-the-air ride. California Screamin' would be perfect, but the shoulder harnesses limit your range. Space Mountain? Too dark. Big Thunder? Too smooshy. Splash Mountain's final drop is good, but brief. Small World? That just gets you funny looks.

No, what Radiator Springs Racers finally brought to the equation is a good, solid run of multiple dips, gentle air-time, and a chance to throw your digits skyward and yell like crazy -- and it's contagious!

 Sometimes, without saying a word, you can get the whole carload to join in before the finish line!

A Misty Morning at Radiator Springs Racers

It's early morning in Stanley's Oasis at Radiator Springs Racers. The Cadillac mountain range looks mighty mysterious with a light mist drifting across the fantasy desert-scape.

We're about ten minutes from boarding, looking back along the Single Rider line (an RS Racers fan's best friend!) That's the Fast Pass queue to the left, with the Standby multitude offscreen on the other side of the water tower. All three queues are wheelchair accessible, and all three serenade guests with a soundtrack of the quirkiest, most wonderful old-time songs (all relating to cars) we've ever heard.

I've scanned that rock wall on the right time and time again for Hidden Mickeys. No luck.

Radiator Springs Highway Poetry

Mind your speed as you go.
Sheriff's old, but he's not slow.
                            -- Rust-eze

In a tribute to the old Burma-Shave poetry signs that once dotted Route 66, Cars Land includes short poems for guests to discover if they enter or exit Carburetor County via the Pacific Wharf route. The signs replicate the originals' white-on-red color scheme and six-sign sequence.

These nostalgic ads are, of course, presented by Lightning McQueen's official sponsor, Rust-eze Medicated Bumper Ointment.

If I'm not mistaken, these verses also appear in the Cars wing of Walt Disney World's new Art of Animation Resort.

Cacti 'Round the Racers

We always recommend the Single Rider Line as the easiest, quickest way to board Radiator Springs Racers. We must admit, however, there's one good reason everyone should go through the full standby queue at least once: that's the only way you'll see all of Stanley's Oasis and the amazing cactus grove seen above.

As a plus, you get a glimpse of the ride's first act, as the cars head up the winding road toward the waterfall. The standby line for RS Racers might be long, but it certainly treats your eyes to some terrific sights.

Radiator Springs Racers' First Summer: Joy, Beauty and Crowds

This has been a fantastic summer at DCA (and it's not over yet); the combination of Radiator Springs Racers and sunny days easing to beautiful evenings over Cars Land has added up to one of the best, happiest theme park environments we've ever experienced -- right up there with Disneyland's Mark Twain Riverboat at night.

As we said in our review, this ride really pushes the right emotional buttons like no theme park adventure we've ever taken before with its amazing combination of great story, characters, thrills, sound, unpredictability and environment -- lots and lots of environment -- like a whole town, ghost town, valley and mountain range's worth.

There's also something awe-inspiring about the summer crowds it's attracted.

As much as it amazes me how many people still don't realize they can avoid this situation simply by setting their morning alarms, it  bolsters my faith in humanity to know people can still wait patiently -- and stay in good humor -- in a queue like this.

I know some of these people are gonna kick themselves when they find out about the Single Rider Line.

The World's Biggest Slot Car Track

Here's an early morning, sun-flare-blasted shot of Radiator Springs Racers. In a view from the ride's exit path, we see the competitors zipping around the Radiator Cap helix, their car radios crackling as Doc Hudson barks, "Hold tight around the turn!"

Like many other young slot car fans racing model cars in the 70's, I often daydreamed about how much fun a life-size slot car track would be. When Test Track opened in Epcot, I thought the only thing missing was side-by-side racing. Now that a genuine, full-sized, two-lane slot car track has opened in Cars Land, I've found the actual ride experience is even more fun than I ever imagined.

Inside the Cavernous Radiator Springs Racers Loading Station

Cars head out into sunlight as the adventure begins

All journeys start with a single step -- or, in the case of Disney attractions, with a "remain seated" warning and a launch from a colorful boarding platform. Disneyland Resort's full of terrific loading stations; my favorites include the library of Mr. Toad's Wild Ride and the incredible Lafitte's Landing at Pirates of the Caribbean.

At 7:00 A.M., all's quiet and calm as the queue awaits the day's first riders

My new top favorite is the fantastic loading zone at Radiator Springs Racers. Once you've made your way through the scenic queue, you arrive at the sprawling stone entry to Comfy Caverns Motor Court, serving as your start and end point for the adventure.

All the railings and lights have been intentionally "rusted" to appear decades old!

The place is a whirlwind of colorful sights and sounds. The smiling vehicles, each one unique, roll up to the eager guests. As Cast Members efficiently direct folks to the next available row, the cavern air echoes with the ride's sounds -- a mixture of the actual vehicle noises, enhanced "revving motor" sound effects, and Sheriff's seat belt advisories.

To your left, cars return from the adventure. The ride begins and ends on a single track, splitting into two lanes for the outdoor race.

A side track leads to a customized load area for guests in wheelchairs.

As you step into your row, the excitement builds; these vehicles look amazing! Before you know it, the gate swings open and it's time to step into the car and strap on the seat belt. You have mere seconds to consider how comfortable the seats are before the engine revs, the car moves forward and Sheriff advises you to remain seated. The real fun's about to begin!

Not even the blurriness of this pic can hide the vehicles' charm!

Why You Need to Arrive at Cars Land Early

Some folks hate to get out of bed early on vacation, and when we advise them to get to the park gate by 6:30 A.M., they'll stare at us like we've lost our mouse-ear-wearing minds. As a public service, we present this photo comparison to show the difference between early arrival at the parks and late arrival -- and by "late," we mean 8:30 in the morning.

Above, you see a lovely, welcome sight; this is Radiator Springs Racers in the early morning -- about 7:15 a.m.. We've just taken two trips on the ride (the second go-round using the single rider line, which is a walk-on at this hour). Other early-birds are in the ride's sheltered queue area, which now holds about a thirty minute wait. Needless to say, this serene situation won't last.

The photos below (four shots clumsily stitched into a two-part panorama, but we think they get the point across), show the line for Radiator Springs Racers at 8:30 A.M. The now three-hour line snakes all the way through the ride's main queue and down Cross Street...

...toward the Pacific Wharf entry point and back again.

Fortunately for these late-arrivals who don't heed good travel advice, Radiator Springs Racers is the most entertaining ride to watch on Earth, and this extended stretch of queue provides a great view. Note that we're also enjoying the view, but we're sitting at Flo's having breakfast, because we arrived early and rode the Racers with minimal wait.

The moral? Have your clothes picked out, set the alarm, determine the earliest entry time your ticket/hotel package grants and get to the gate a half-hour earlier than that. Seriously, the object is to be one of the first few hundred people through the park turnstyle. Getting your family onto Radiator Springs Racers early and then relaxing together over breakfast at Flo's, with a whole day of fun ahead -- well, there's no better way to start a day at the resort.