What's New to Do: New Matterhorn Bobsleds at Disneyland

By: Andrew Bermudez

     Sorry about the absence of new posts in here recently. I've been very busy lately and have just found time for this. Anyway, you should all be happy, since this is a new What's New to Do entry. So, let's get started!

     Back on June 15th of this year, Disney unveiled a refreshed version of the classic Matterhorn Bobsleds attraction (Buena Vista Street and Cars Land opened at nearby Disney California Adventure on the same day). It provided Disneyland with something new, even though California Adventure got all the attention.

     O.K. Let's be honest. This attraction is hard to classify as "new," since not that many changes were actually made. The track layout is exactly the same, the line is no different, and the scenery inside the mountain was pretty much left unaltered. So, what's new in this ride? For those of you who have ridden on this attraction in the past, but are not familiar with the new version, here is a run-down of the recent changes.

• The entire mountain has been repainted from top to bottom, which is the first time since the attraction opened in 1959. It looks very fresh and makes the spots of snow really pop out.
• OSHA-mandated safety adjustments were made, including new railing on the bridge facing Tomorrowland, railing next to cast member paths along the track, and other safety adjustments made in the loading area.
• All of the bobsleds have been replaced. Previously, the bobsleds were two joined, with two tandem seats per bobsled, resulting in eight people per vehicle. Now, the bobsleds are two joined, with three individual seats per bobsled, resulting in six people per vehicle. While individual bobsled capacity has decreased, the clarity on who sits where counteracts that, resulting in a balanced hourly capacity.
• The height limit has increased from 38 in. to 42 in., probably OSHA-mandated.
• The abominable snowman (affectionately nicknamed "Harold" by the cast members) has received some updating. He's much smoother in his motions and, while not on the same level as the animatronics for Pirates of the Caribbean or Radiator Springs Racers, looks very nice.
• Lighting effects inside the mountain have been updated. They are especially used effectively during your second encounter with the abominable snowman!

     That's pretty much it for changes. While not a lot was done to the attraction, it is still nice to see such a classic attraction being maintained. My only complaint? OUCH!
     Wait, where did that come from? That actually came from the new bobsleds. While the ride itself is smoother overall, the seating arrangement isn't the...er...most comfortable. While the seat aren't dinky (like what most people are claiming), they don't have any padding. So when your bobsled makes a fast turn, there is nothing stopping your hips from slamming into the side of your seat. Oh, well. At least it's more comfortable (and enjoyable) than the Technic Coaster at LEGOLAND California.
     So, should you check out this new version of a classic ride? Certainly. Even though the seats don't provide for the most pleasant ride, the inside looks great and, quite frankly, it's a fun attraction. If you haven't been on it before, it doesn't hurt to give this ride a try...at least not a lot.

San Diego Vacation Part 2: Ghosts of Old Town

By: Teri Bermudez

     Old Town San Diego encompasses not only the original plaza area, but also the numerous streets surrounding the plaza. On one of these streets is the famous Whaley House. The Whaley House was built in 1857 by Thomas Whaley, great-grandson of Alexander Whaley, a gunsmith who participated in the Boston Tea Party. Since the opening of the house, as a museum, in 1960 weird things have been going on. Many visitors and workers have reported seeing ghosts. These reports have given the house the prestige as being the most haunted house in America. Knowing these legends, we decided, after wandering around Old Town's plaza, to head down the street and see if we could catch one of these residents in action.
     The tour of the Whaley House begins in the gift shop next door. Every imaginable ghost related book and device can be purchased there. Once we purchased our pricey tickets we headed into the house. The downstairs contains, not only living quarters, but a court house and general store. We felt no other worldly presence.

That's me with Andrew in the court house.

     Upstairs are bedrooms and a theater. Again, none of us felt a presence. I felt jipped. It wasn't until I got home and was looking at my photos that I noticed something. Check it out.

Thomas and Anna's Master Bedroom

If you look closely at the seat (right on the wicker) you can see someone sitting there. It is really creepy. But, as I said, it wasn't until much later that this appeared to me, so I was a little bummed and hungry when we exited the house. Hunger won over.

     One thing Old Town San Diego isn't short on is restaurants. We chose Cafe Coyote, a Mexican restaurant with women making authentic tortillas out front. The food was scrumptious. After filling our bellies, we decided to wander around and check out some of the many, many gift shops and curiosities. 

     Due to the lack of ghostly apparitions at the Whaley House, we chose for our final stop of the day: El Campo Santo Cemetery. Many of the tombstones were for the people we had been hearing about all day. While being quite interesting, we again didn't see anything out of the ordinary.

San Diego Vacation Part 1: Old Town San Diego

By: Teri Bermudez

     While most tourists who visit San Diego, California tend to gravitate towards Sea World, the Safari Park, or their world famous zoo, we decided to try a different type of vacation and learn a little about the history of the region. What better place to start our historical adventure than Old Town San Diego State Historical Park. Old Town was first established in 1821 following Mexico's independence from Spain. After gaining control of what was then called Alta California, Mexicans began establishing homesteads at what is today called Old Town. This community of adobes formed a rough street patten around an open plaza. The plaza and two of these original structures remain today, giving the visitor a feel for how life was in the early to mid 1800's. One of these is La Casa de Bandini. Later it was renamed the Cosmopolitan Hotel.

     The Mexican era of San Diego ended in 1848 with the signing of the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, which gave the region to the United States. That same year gold was discovered and Old Town became a stopover for miners headed to the gold fields. Adobes were remodeled and wooden structures were brought by ship from the East Coast. Most of these buildings were destroyed by fire, but have been restored to their mid to late 1800 elegance.

     We begun our tour at the Visitor's Center at the Northern end of the plaza. It is housed in the Robinson Rose House. It contains dioramas, historical information of the various buildings surrounding the plaza and a gift shop. With a park map in hand we headed behind the Visitor's Center to the most elaborate museum in the park; the McCoy House.

                                                

     The McCoy House Museum, originally built by Sheriff James McCoy in 1869, meanders throughout the house beginning with the history of the earliest settlers, the Tipai, then continues on to the sea faring pelt traders and concludes with the overland stagecoach travelers.

A Boston Market Trader

This museum gives the visitor an avid amount of early San Diegan history with very authentic and interesting displays. 

     Next up was the Colorado House (pictured above). It houses the Wells Fargo Museum. Included in this museum is an original Wells Fargo Stage Coach and artifacts. We had a great time on a computer game that determined if we had what it took to be a Pony Express Rider. None of us quite fit the bill. 

     We continued around the plaza stepping into small museums and gift shops. The reconstructed courthouse and jail took me back in time, as did the restored 1865 one room schoolhouse.

     The final structure we visited at the plaza was one of the two original adobes, the La Casa de Estudillo.

It was made famous as "Ramona's Wedding Place", from the novel Ramona by Helen Hunt. Even though it was a book of fiction the adobe brought tourists in the late 1800's from all over to San Diego. There were many rooms to look into that depicted life in the 1800's.

     Our final stop was at the reconstructed Seeley Stable. The stable was used to house the horses for the San Diego-Los Angeles stage line. From 1867 to 1877 stage coaches ran daily until the railroad put the line out of business. The museum that now resides in the stable has quite an extensive collection of stable and stage artifacts. It also houses a replica of an 1800's theater.

     The day that we spent in Old Town was not only educational, but quite entertaining. The locals were very friendly and there were quite a few gift shops. As you explore beyond the plaza, the outlying streets contain numerous more shops and a large selection of restaurants. We had an amazing and busy afternoon. 

Sarah Thunder's World Travels: London

By: Sarah Thunder

     Thanks for the review for Transformers: the Ride - 3-D, Andrew! I can't wait to check it out! Anyway, we're still here in London. Filming has kind of stalled because of two things. First, because of the Olympics, the entire city was packed, which made it hard to enforce our closed set policy (which explains why I'm not allowed to share any photos here). On top of that, assistant director Barry Hollows had to leave the set when he was offered $20 million to direct the follow-up to his smash hit film Zombie: Genesis, which is titled Zombie: Exodus (watch it here). As it is implied at the end, Barry won't back on the set anytime soon, so another assistant director, Mark Winters, was hired temporarily.

     However, we're shooting the first big action scene for the movie today, so I can't write much right now. I've been practicing parkour along with the other actors for this scene for the last few weeks. Usually, we would have stuntmen do this, but Barry said, before he left to direct Zombie: Exodus, that the actors should do their own stunts. His reasoning is that it makes the movie more believable and that it cuts production costs, even though it sends our insurance through the roof. This may be a weird and unsafe idea, but with Barry Hollows, nothing surprises me anymore.

     Hold on. That's the PA speaking. We're having lunch right at noon, then we start filming immediately after. I really hope jumping off of and on to moving vehicles is easier than it looks. Well, I have to go eat now. Until I write again, happy travels!
     Update by Andrew: Because of the ongoing expansion of the Mustache Maniacs Film Co. website, the design for this travel journal has now changed. Details from our San Diego trip are coming soon.

Photographs from Universal Studios Hollywood

By: Andrew Bermudez

     Sorry that I'm a little late on this. We've been very busy with another weekend vacation and have now gotten the chance to put this up. Coverage of our weekend trip to San Diego will be compiled this upcoming weekend and week.

     Besides Transformers: the Ride - 3-D, Universal Studios Hollywood also have several other attractions, mostly shows. Here are some pictures from this relatively small (but not too small) theme park.

A foolish adventurer who dared to defile Imhotep's tomb lies in the line for Revenge of the Mummy

Some street performers play some up-beat ragtime tunes on Baker Street.

The NBC Universal Experience features changing exhibits that showcase props, concept sketches, animation puppets, and more from NBC Universal's movies and television shows.

Alfred Hitchcock's bungalow.

In order to enter King Kong 360 3-D, the Studio Tour tram must make a 180 turn! Get it?  *GROAN*.

The DeLorean from Back to the Future.

Artificial rain makes up for dry days in Southern California.

The Special Effects Stage, in its new location, is a really good show; maybe even better than the original version of this show.

     Though a little hard to get to, Universal Studios Hollywood is certainly worth a day trip. If you want to visit the park (and brave the notorious L.A. traffic to get there), be sure to visit their website to buy tickets, plan your visit, check operating hours, and more. However, you won't find a show schedule on the website; you'll pick that up along with your map at the front gate.

     Well, that's all for today. This weekend, I'll put up the photos and share my thoughts from San Diego, as well as spell check and update the 2009 vacation photo gallery. Until then, happy travels!

What's New to Do: Transformers: the Ride - 3-D at Universal Studios Hollywood

By: Andrew Bermudez

     Prepare to be immersed in the largest battle zone you may ever see aboard the brand-new motion base dark ride, Transformers: the Ride - 3-D! This is what the ads have been saying about Universal Studios Hollywood's latest attraction.

     Now, to be honest, I wasn't anticipating this attraction as much as the other new attractions that opened this year, like Cars Land at Disney California Adventure and the LAIR at the Los Angeles Zoo. True, I do like to see the latest technology, but...uh...let's just say that I'm not the biggest fan of the Transformers movies (I despised the second film in the series, Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen). But, as the saying goes, don't judge a book by its cover; or, in this case, theme park attraction by its concept. So, let's get started.

     Transformers: The Ride - 3-D rests in the sound stage on the Lower Lot that used to house Backdraft and Special Effects Stage (the latter of the two moved to the Upper Lot). The front of the new attraction is graced with a mural of Optimus Prime and Megatron battling in front of a massive explosion. Below the mural is the entrance to the ride.

     Even if you are not familiar with the Transformers storyline, the story of the attraction is still easy to follow. You, the guests, are the latest recruits for N.E.S.T., or Non-organic Extraterrestrial Species Treaty. Their job is to assist the Autobots, a group of heroic transformers lead by Optimus Prime, in protecting Earth from the evil Decepticons, who want to destroy Earth and the Autobots. As you progress through the line, you find out that N.E.S.T. is housing the All-Spark, which can turn any electronic or mechanical device into a Transformer. You are just about to begin your training, but before you can, the Decepticons unleash an attack on the base, intent on stealing the All-Spark. You are then ordered downstairs, where you'll be evacuated, along with the All-Spark, aboard EVAC.

     In past attractions, the ride vehicle acted solely as a means of moving the guests through the attraction. However, with both this attraction and Disney California Adventure's Radiator Springs Racers, the ride vehicle has now, literally, become a character in the story. In this attraction, EVAC is an Autobot who serves as the ride's vehicle.

     Here, the set-up is done; the ride now begins. Using motion base and 3-D technology, you aim to escape the city, but the Decepticons ambush you at every corner. The Autobots provide enough covering fire to allow you to escape, but soon you're on your own with nowhere to hide. Megatron even tries to lower you're spirits by snarling, "Cowards run. Heroes fight." But EVAC is now done with running. He lunges at Megatron and uses the All-Spark to destroy his body. With Megatron gone, everyone returns to N.E.S.T. as heroes.

     Despite my dislike for the movies, I really enjoyed the attraction. The quality of the line alone is top notch, and the ride itself seamlessly blends storytelling into its action to give the battle plausible context. The 3-D looks great, the sensory effects work really well, and the fact that the attraction is a motion-base dark ride rather than a simple simulator is a great touch. All-in-all, this is what I feel the movies should have been like. I highly recommend it if you plan on visiting Universal Studios Hollywood or Universal Studios Singapore (the Universal Studios Orlando version is currently under construction), even if you don't like or haven't seen the movies. It's a great addition to the park.

A Visit to the Richard Nixon Presidential Library

By: Andrew Bermudez

     Recently, my family bought a house down in Yorba Linda, which is in desperate need of repair. While the needed maintenance can be troublesome, the house has an advantage in that several tourist attractions are a short distance away, including the Richard Nixon Presidential Library!

     It was very early in the day, and since it can get hot by the afternoon in a Southern California summer day, we decided to check out the outside first.

     The main outside area consists of a reflecting pool flanked by two wings of the building. It forms an image similar to the National Mall at Washington D.C., which we saw a few years back. Near the reflecting pool is a rose garden and the burial site of Richard Nixon.

     Also outside is the original house that Nixon was born in. Almost everything about the house is original, from the original bed spreads to the original instruments Nixon used in his childhood and even the original dinner table. Even the location of the house is original; it wasn't moved one bit from its original site (according to the tour guide, the only movement the house made was vertical; it was lifted so that the foundation could be replaced).

     Another outside exhibit is Marine One, Nixon's presidential helicopter. This also had a short tour, which showed what was where, including who sat where. What I was surprised about was how small it was, especially in height (I actually banged my head when I was exiting). Regardless, it is still an important part of the museum and Nixon's life.

     From there, we went on inside, where we checked out a replica of the White House's East Room and a special exhibit about Pat Nixon, Richard's wife.

     Inside the special exhibit, there were many artifacts on display, including Pat's many dresses, the cage that carried the National Zoo's first giant panda from China to Washington D.C. (which we also saw a few years back), and the one and only "Washington Crosses the Delaware" painting! We did not get a picture of the painting, but we were taken back by its sheer size. It was an amazing piece of art that added to the exhibit.

     After that, we paid a visit the main gallery, which focuses on Nixon's political life. It starts with Nixon's election to congress and his involvement on the Committee of Un-American Activities. From there, it traces his life as vice president and his first bid for the presidency in 1960. After losing the election, the exhibit then traces his family life, then to his election as president and all that he did during his presidency, including ending the Vietnam War and opening connections to China. The exhibit ends with a look at the Watergate Scandal and his life after leaving politics.

     While it is not as good as some of the other presidential libraries, such as the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library (which I may be visiting again soon), it is still a good place to visit. However, be warned that in the main gallery, there aren't a lot of artifacts, though the ones they do have are real for the most part. However, the number of artifacts featured is still greater than the flashy Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library, which only had a handful situated in a back corner of the main rotunda. If you want to visit the Richard Nixon Presidential Library, check out their website for operating hours, admission rates, special events, and more.

     Well, that finishes today's post, and not one bad joke (Yay!). Next time, I'll be heading down to Hollywood to see something new that has "transformed" that area's tourism. Can you guess where I'm heading next?