I'm Screamin' on Sunshine, Oh Yeah
Written: Mar 02 '08
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Product Rating:
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Pros: smooth, Single Rider option, just plain breathtaking fun
Cons: attracts and encourages an element that can be more into thrills than themes
The Bottom Line: California Screamin' may look like a coaster beneath Disney's standards, but the ride itself will take you back to beautiful pierside memories (even if they never happened).
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| Liffey's Full Review: California Screamin' - California Adventure |
As I said in my last review, I'm trying to write reviews in under 300 words, but things keep happening. Like, adjectives. And asides. I've been bad, I know. Maybe I need a time-out hanging upside down inside a giant Mickey Mouse-shaped head? Well, if you insist...
California Screamin', anyone will tell you, is the DCA (Disney's California Adventure) big ticket. This is grossly unfair to all of the fun attractions that compete in non-thrill categories, but there you have it. Life is unfair, except for when you're whizzing through a "scream tunnel" on the California Screamin'. At those moments, with your stomach hurting from all the glee, life is just about at its finest.
You know the facts. It's a roller coaster. It goes upside-down. It's placed at the back at the park for the same reason that casinos don't put all their goodies at the front door.
Below are my personal add-ons, hopefully the reason that you've stopped by here instead of just visiting Wikipedia or Disneyland.com:
* If you can stand to ride separately from your friends or family, the Single Rider line is often a walk-on in even the busiest of times. You're on, you're off, and you're running around sneakily getting back on again before your patient spouse even has time to finish his or her Coke.
* If you enjoy Disney parks because of the themeing and imagination, close your eyes and think of Walt as you navigate the queue, because you do not want to see more than you have to. They say it's getting made over soon, and this is one of the best plans I've heard for DCA in a long time. I could live with it looking like an ordinary carnival queue, reluctantly buying in to the notion that this is "themeing" and not "laziness," but what bothers me is how people in this generic queue seem to start acting like they're at a carnival, losing the pixie dust in favour of queue-jumping and makeout sessions that take me all the way back to big combs in the back pocket and Journey on the turntable.
* Are you a big person? My husband's a big person. I'm just a fat person. (Let me grab some underarm waddle for emphasis.) We both fit fine on the ride with no worries. (But don't ask my tall and, er, gutsy husband about the Maliboomer. Oh dear.)
* When you ride, there is a bag in front of you to store gear, but the closure isn't the set of zippers and locks I need to feel at ease. Plan to push your feet against the bag for total peace of mind, or remember that lockers are available at the front of the park. (Six dollars, last I checked.)
* If you have a "commando" bone in your body, run for the FastPass then enjoy the rest of the park. (Don't bother if you're willing to go Single Rider, as described above. It's the same queue.)
Unlike some coasters, I've never had an issue with my head banging on the harness or any other problems. It's a smooth ride all the way. I'd try to give you your click's worth with 20 more synonyms for "energizing," "thrilling," and "fountain of youth-y," but here we are at nearly 600 words. Dang! Shutting up now - like the way I'm always speechless with heady pleasure after a ride on California Screamin' - yeah!
Recommended:
Yes
Best Suited For: Singles
Best Time to Travel Here: Anytime
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Epinions.com ID:
Liffey
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Reviews written: 79
Trusted by: 71 members
About Me:
I like thinking.
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