Welcome to the official Vacation: Unlimited Travel Journal! Throughout the year, new entries will be added, so check back often! Also here is a collection of pictures from our 6-week vacation from 2009! Click on any photo to make it larger.
After several long months, I am finally finishing up this vacation report! Let's finish this up!
For dinner that night after visiting the Maritime Museum, we took some public transportation down the waterfront to Kansas City Barbecue, famous for being one of the filming locations for the movie Top Gun.
The restaurant serves up casual favorites, including burgers, ribs, fries, mixed vegetables, and more, as well as the actual piano used in the film. While the food was nothing to write home about, it is still cool to see one of the filming locations for a blockbuster movie. The restaurant is a lot smaller than it appears in the movie, though.
On the way back to the car, we passed by the USS Midway, which is now a museum. We did not go inside during this trip (it's a museum that needs an entire day devoted to it; I'll get to that vacation at a future date), but we did take a few nice evening pictures of the ship, including this one. From there, we headed back to the hotel and settled down for the night.
The next day, we packed up and headed back home. But on the way there, we stopped in the historic old town district of Temecula for some exercise.
Now this is something that I was originally going to assign to its own part, but since I need to finish this up, I've grouped this into this part. Old town Temecula is actually, for me, a little surprise. I didn't know what to expect at first, but I found this side trip to be a nice one. We were not able to visit the museum (pictured above), but the antique shopping and the environment made it well worth it. The food was decent too.
Later that day, we got home, ready to begin writing this account. Who knew it would take this long to finish!
That's it. I got this account done! I'll admit that I should have fleshed out the Old Town Temecula portion better, but other than that, this account was pretty thorough. Now I'll be able to move on to other vacation accounts, including the one we'll be going on later this summer. What is it? Well, you'll have to find out when the time comes. It is the Summer of Surprises, is it not!?!
We only have three more parts to finish up this account of our San Diego vacation! Let's get started!
By the time we had left the Marine Corps Recruit Depot Command Museum, the heat had reached sweltering conditions. But we weren't worried, because our next stop was the Maritime Museum of San Diego.
An overview of the Maritime Museum, as seen from the deck of the Star of India.
The one thing about this museum that makes it different from others is that it is entirely free-floating; only anchors hold it in place. The museum acts as a collage of several sailing vessels from different time periods and countries. To get a general idea of the variety of ships and submarines on exhibit, here is a run-down of the ships on display.
Berkeley Ferryboat: Serving as the entrance to the museum, the Berkeley impresses with its Victorian-era furnishings and stained glass windows. The first steel-hulled, double-ended, propeller-driven ferryboat in San Francisco Bay, it served as a means of evacuating the city during the 1906 San Francisco Earthquake. It also ferried travelers between the Oakland transcontinental railroad terminus and San Francisco. This vessel also houses the museum's gift shop and restaurant, along with exhibits on San Diego's maritime history. It proves to be a strong start to the museum visit.
HMS Surprise: Known for its appearances in films such as Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World and Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl, the HMS Surprise is a replica of the British sailing vessel HMS Rose, built as a sail training tall ship. It contains entirely authentic and accurate details, including sleeping quarters, helm, storage, captain's quarters, and cannons (as if we hadn't seen enough of those back in '09, but I digress). It is a really authentic experience that gives you the idea of what it feels like to live on such a vessel.
B-39: This entirely authentic Soviet submarine puts you in the middle of Cold War naval combat, keeping an eye on the enemy. Well...it's not actually a simulator or anything like that, but it does give you an idea of what it was like to live on a combat submarine. Then you have to remember: people lived in this for months at a time. I don't know about you, but staying on a submarine like this that isn't as well-built as other submarines (like the USS Dolphin, which I'll get to in a little bit) for that long really gives me a sinking feeling (*GROAN*). Be warned, though. This experience is not for everyone. If you cannot fit through the test porthole (an actual porthole on the sub can be partially seen in the second picture) or have problems with small spaces, this experience is not recommended for you. Otherwise, this is a must.
Star of India: Widely considered the main attraction of the maritime museum, the Star of India is the oldest active merchant ship in the world. Built in 1863, the ship served as a cargo ship to transport cotton from India to England, hence its name. At the museum, the ship takes guests back in time to the age of the sail with exhibits on the ship's history and artifacts. It also serves as the special exhibit hall (the exhibit on display was a collection of photographs from Jack London's travels) and special event hall. Just as its name suggests, this vessel truly is a star. Make it part of your visit.
However, it is in the last function for events where I must say is the museum's only shortcoming. You see, when the museum hosts birthday parties, they are done inside the hull of the star of India. However, possibly as a way to make the prospect of parties more appealing to 10-year-old boys, an extremely tacky mini pirate ship has been set up for kids to play in (pictured in the second photo). I know boys love pirates, but was this really necessary? It just garishly contrasts with the rest of the ship. Oh, well. I guess this also explains the abundance of pirate merchandise in the gift shop, despite the lack of an actual pirate ship at the museum.
Abracadabra, America, and Stars & Stripes: At the rear of the museum is a floating dock, where several smaller ships are on display. Three of these ships are the Abracadabra, America, and Stars & Stripes. They are called "America's cup boats," according to the museum map, and line either side of the floating dock. They do not play any major role at the museum (except for the Stars & Stripes, which can be rented by calling the number on the map), but they are nonetheless a nice touch.
A whole slew of cannons is parked next to the Californian.
Californian: This is California's official tall ship. Modeled after revenue cutters of the late 1840's, known for patrolling the coast of California in the gold rush days, the ship features four six-pound deck guns and exhibits to explore the role the ship played during the California Gold Rush.
Medea: Built as a gentleman's hunting yacht in 1904, the Medea impresses with its Victorian-era design, complete with lounge and other luxurious details. The details are amazing, even if guest access is pretty restricted. This is probably because, despite its age, the ship is still active.
Pilot: Hosting $3 harbor tours daily, the Pilot is the oldest wooden pilot boat in the country. Until the 1980's, the Pilot was San Diego's main pilot boat and, according to the map, occasionally still transports pilots to and from historic ships. Because it is used for the harbor tours, only tour groups may board this vessel.
USS Dolphin: Holding the operating submarine depth record, the USS Dolphin is a US naval research submarine also holds the record for deepest torpedo launch and sent and received the first underwater email. Far more spacious and better built than the B-39, the USS Dolphin is a good alternative for those who were unable to experience the B-39.
And with that, the Maritime Museum of San Diego is finished. Granted, its admission price of $15 a person seems a little steep, but the experience is worth it. It is unlike anything else I've experienced. After leaving the museum, we headed downtown for dinner at a very unique restaurant.
Next Time: San Diego Waterfront and Kansas City Barbecue.
This month is officially the last month for "Vacation: Unlimited." While we are currently underway with working on our next big promotion, The Film School Challenge, I decided to take a look back at the past year with some special awards to hand out! So without further ado, here are the Vacation: Unlimited Awards!
Best New Attraction: Radiator Springs Racers Yes, we certainly did have plenty of great attractions this year, including Transformers: the Ride - 3-D and Manta, but if I were to pick the very best attraction of 2012 (and this even counts YouTube videos I've seen of other attractions that I've yet to go on), the clear winner is Radiator Springs Racers. It's an attraction that is so great, it's not only the best attraction of 2012 but the best attraction in Disney California Adventure and among the best attractions that I've ever been on! Will the Imagineers be able to top this with their next hyped-up E-ticket attraction, The Seven Dwarfs Mine Train? It'll take a lot to beat this attraction!
Best Special Exhibition: Indiana Jones and the Adventure of Archaeology To be fair, the winner for this award was a tough choice between this exhibit and the Treasures of the Walt Disney Archives exhibit at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library. Both had amazing exhibits that were organized in a cohesive manner, making it easy to see the progression through the story being told. However, I had to pick Indiana Jones and the Adventure of Archaeology for one primary reason: the hand-held audio companion. If this exhibit stops in your hometown and you want to check it out, here is how the device works.
The actual golden idol prop from Raiders of the Lost Ark is one of many items on display. At the bottom of this picture is the audio companion device.
Every exhibit features a numbered code, which you type into the touch screen on your device. Once you press the enter button, a relevant video plays on the device, describing the item that you are looking at. Other exhibits only have audio. The device also assists in a treasure hunt throughout the exhibit.
The reason that I say that this device is what puts this exhibition above the rest is that it makes the exhibit more than just display cases; it allows you to explore the history and facts of each and every item on display. The treasure hunt also adds an extra level of understanding to the world of archaeology and allows to see the exhibit in a new light. Well done, National Geographic! You have a winner here!
Animation Contest Winner: Johnny Thunder's Big Vacation We had a few entries in our animation contest last spring, but HollywoodLego's Johnny Thunder's Big Vacation shone above the rest. With its unique and imaginative mix of animation and live action, a nice mix of jokes into a fun story line, and even a humorous ending, it provided the second-best thing to an actual trip to the National Zoo!
Scrapbook Contest Winner: Northern Illinois While it was the only entry into this "forgotten" contest, this video still provided a short and sweet virtual visit to some of the sites of northern Illinois. Some of the unique sights, like the giant paper clip, added a little extra humor.
Most Popular Journal Entry: What's New to Do: Manta at Sea World San Diego To be fair, I was taken aback by the numbers for the viewership of this article, especially since it got more views than the review for Cars Land and Buena Vista Street. Then again, that review was from a cast preview and thus lacked photos, and people are always drawn to photos. Anyway, the exact number of views for the Manta review is currently 65, which is almost as many views as the number of views for all of the other articles in this journal combined! I'm sure Sea World management is happy for the extra publicity.
That wraps up these awards, but we aren't done yet! While these entries, rides, exhibits, etc. ultimately won the awards, there are still many honorable mentions to announce! Here they are!
Honorable Mention: Transformers: the Ride - 3-D Universal has proven once again that it can still be a contender against Disney when it comes to heavily-themed attractions, great storytelling, and state-of-the-art technology. In the case of Transformers: the Ride - 3-D, Universal has out-done the source material (which, in this case, isn't hard to do) by placing the guests in the middle of the action and making them heroes. The attraction works so well, construction is well underway for a version in Florida, set to open this summer.
Honorable Mention: Manta Even though this attraction was mentioned earlier in the most popular journal entry prize, it's a great addition to Sea World San Diego, so it's worth mentioning again. Granted, I'm not a fan of roller coasters, but this attraction really takes the concept of a roller coaster and brings it into the realm of themed attractions. Some speculated that this ride would change Sea World's character, but I say that it reinforces the existing character.
Honorable Mention: Atlantis Submarine Voyage Granted, I've never been on this ride, as it's all the way in LEGOLAND Windsor, but it's not everyday that a more...ahem...value-minded theme park gets a Disney-quality attraction. Therefore, this had to go in the honorable mentions section. Now if they only built this attraction here in the US...
Honorable Mention: Thank You Mustache Maniacs Though not a contest entry, we had to share this hilarious thank you video from HollywoodLego for sending him his prize. It provided the perfect bookend to conclude the Vacation: Unlimited Animation Contest.
Honorable Mention: Heron Miles and the Vacation of Boredom Though it did not win, it is still best to mention this film and the great work they did! Good job!
Honorable Mention: The Holiday Though it did not win, it is still best to mention this film and the great work they did! Good job!
Well, that wraps up our Vacation: Unlimited promotion. As for all of you that participated in our activities, thank you for being so dedicated and for showing your support for Mustache Maniacs Film Co. and this promotion. We hope you will join us for The Film School Challenge later this year, and Ten Years of Going Crazy in 2014. Until then, happy travels!
P.S.: I'm still going to write in here, especially since small vacations and outings are always around the corner, and I still need to finish that San Diego vacation report! Darn procrastination!
Hello! Since my mom isn't able to finish up this series, I've taken it upon myself to "take up the reins" and finish this story up. This is certainly several months overdue!
The next morning, we woke up and, to our dismay, the weather had already reached sweltering conditions. Oh, well, we figured. At least we were planning to spend the day down at the waterfront. However, we didn't need to go that far to get to a body of water. In fact, we could see a body of water outside our hotel window.
Located right next to the hotel is this park that, in the middle, features a lake. To "warm up" for the day (as if the sun hadn't done that already), we took a hike through this small park before packing up and heading to our first stop for the day: The Marine Corps Recruit Depot Command Museum.
The museum features several exhibits about the United States Marine Corps, from the Mexican-American War, to World War II and The Vietnam War, and beyond. The museum is also located on an active military base, so checking in with security was needed. However, it was worth it, as the museum really caught my attention. Granted, it wasn't flashy like, say...the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library, but that really worked in this museum's favor. Being low-key allowed the museum to emphasize what we're all here to see: the artifacts! And artifacts they had! Rare World War II Japanese weapons, a weapons vault, a gallery of medals, artillery, and more are just some of the items this museum houses. Don't believe me? Take a look at the pictures below.
After checking out the artillery pieces in the courtyard and discovering that the gift shop doesn't sell any pins (I'm an avid pin collector), we headed out to the waterfront area of San Diego. But that will be saved for another day, when I'll detail the Maritime Museum and Kansas City Barbecue, which is, well...you'll find out next time. Until then, happy travels!
Currently, I'm on location in Great Zimbabwe, waiting for the next scene in Johnny Thunder and the Wisdom of the Ancients to be shot. However, due to our strict closed set policy, I cannot provide any photos.
However, I did find photos from an old family vacation from several years ago, when we went to Cape Canaveral, Florida. We also went to Walt Disney World, but the photos we have from there didn't turn out that well. Anyway, we got to see a lot, including the museum, the space center tour, and more. Here is a selection of some of the better photos.
Dad enjoyed this photo op in the museum.
Each day, we took a bus to Cape Canaveral from our hotel. We even got souvenir guest passes!
A display showing the inside of a space station.
The museum cafe went along with the design of the rest of the facility.
Dad had to pay $30 for this photo of me, but it was totally worth it! You should have seen the harness they used to hold me in place.
While we were on the bus tour, we got to see a rocket launch into space! We were quite a ways away from it, but it was a sight to behold.
Mom poses in front of the lunar lander display.
If I remember correctly, we went on this vacation back in 2006, but I still remember it like it was yesterday. If I could, I would do it all over again.
In the meantime, though, Andrew plans on completing the San Diego vacation overview. Why he hasn't finished it yet, I don't know. He's probably been busy, so I should give him some slack. Well, I'm off to work on another scene, so happy travels!
Right before Christmas, my brother and I got the chance to visit Knott's Berry Farm. After all, being an EMT now, Daniel can get himself and one guest in for free. It was also the most opportune time, as the entire park was decorated for Christmas and we live only a short distance away. How could you refuse an offer like that? With Christmas only a few days away, we gathered our snacks and headed down to Buena Park.
Owned by Cedar Fair, Knott's Berry Farm is located in Buena Park, CA and is just 10 minutes away from the Disneyland Resort (depending on traffic, of course). This facility actually predates Disneyland by a few years, but did not become an admission-charged theme park until later. Here are just some of the photos we took that day.
The entrance to Pony Express, a roller coaster where you straddle a pony, then accelerate away for this 20-second ride.
This old west schoolhouse is now in Knott's Berry Farm, acting as a gift shop.
We take a ride on a Knott's Berry Farm classic: The Calico Mine Train!
Bandits rob the steam train.
The skyline for Knott's Berry Farm
The finale for the ice show, It's Christmas, Snoopy!
One of the floats in the Peanuts Christmas Parade
A nighttime decoration in Camp Snoopy.
There is plenty of action to be seen in the Wild West Stunt Show.
The secret weapon is revealed (Cue dramatic music)!
At the end of the day, we were...er...less than impressed. Granted, many of the attractions we've experienced are either the highest quality possible or nearly so, but very few excuses can be made about the state of this park. Only three of the attractions we experienced (Mystery Lodge; Wild West Stunt Show; It's Christmas, Snoopy!) could easily fit in with big-budget attractions at another theme park without modification, most of the attractions are jarring, big, and compete for space in an unnecessary way, and the theming of the lands could be better. You could even say that the Boardwalk area of the park makes LEGOLAND California's Fun Town look like Disney California Adventure's Buena Vista Street. O.K. That might be an exaggeration, but you get the idea. If nothing else, though, Ghost Town looks decent and has plenty of interesting museums, curio shops, and street entertainment. That is, if you're Knott (Get it? *GROAN*) facing any direction in which jarring roller coaster track dominates the skyline.
However, Knott's Berry Farm is still considered a piece of history. In fact, one of the gift shops in Ghost Town is an actual designated California historical landmark. If you have a knack for the old west, the Peanuts characters, and/or roller coasters, then consider planning a trip at the Knott's Berry Farm website. You can also check admission prices, refurbishment schedules, operating hours, and more there as well.
While we're still on the subject, be sure to check out this great article on Theme Park Insider, where a pressing question is asked: Why do regional theme parks, like Knott's Berry Farm, keep on building roller coasters, when the strong competition from elsewhere is investing in big-budget dark rides like Radiator Springs Racers and Transformers: The Ride - 3-D?
Happy new year to you all! While no one voted on the poll last year, it still gave readers a look into the wide variety of new offerings that debuted last year. While there are not a lot of new attractions opening this year, this year is still significant for Vacation: Unlimited. Why, you may ask? Because in April, Vacation: Unlimited will officially end to make way for The Film School Challenge. But what does that mean for this journal and the contest entries? To ring in the new year, here is a step-by-step run-down of how Vacation: Unlimited will be ended.
This month, the list of contest winners on the "Vacation: Unlimited" page on the Mustache Maniacs Film Co. website will be removed. The buttons to the entries currently list which position they received in the contests. The Christmas-themed photos will also be removed, along with any older photos.
To wrap it up, the final two parts of the San Diego Vacation will be posted in here, complete with pictures!
In February, the Vacation: Unlimited awards will be held, which will honor the best journal entry, re-iterate the results of the two contests, honor the best new attraction of 2012, reveal the most popular journal entry, and more.
In March, as The Film School Challenge draws near, the "Vacation: Unlimited" page will be turned into the "Past Events" page. Most of the pictures, the Vacation: Unlimited music, and the link to the Travels of Johnny Thunder blog will be removed. The contest entries, the link to this journal, the bonus video, and the main image will remain.
Even after Vacation: Unlimited ends, posting in this journal will continue! After all, there are big plans for another big vacation this summer, and we want to share it all with you!
I hope this clarifies any misunderstanding you may have had about the ending of "Vacation: Unlimited." If there is anything else you are confused about, let me know in the comments, and I'll try to get back to you. Until next time, happy travels!
