Disney California Adventure Christmas

We visited Disney California Adventure to see their Christmas decorations. Not as many as Disneyland, but some. We also ate a lot of churros.

No line for the tram from Pixar Pals parking structure; a much more pleasant experience than the Toy Story parking lot:

No line for tram from Pixar Pals parking structure

Tram selfie:

Tram selfie

DCA Christmas tree in daylight:

Christmas tree

DCA had six special holiday churros around the park, so we decided to sample all of them:

DCA had several holiday churros, so we decided to sample all of them

Starting with the carrot cake churro:

Carrot cake churro

Cannoli churro; we ordered one, but they (intentionally) gave us two — a little Disney magic:

Cannoli churro

Jenn had a craving for Mickey waffles:

For a change, Mickey waffles

Guardians of the Galaxy skit:

Guardians of the Galaxy skit

Guardians of the Galaxy skit

Loki:

Loki

Captain America:

Captain America

Strawberry basil churro:

Strawberry basil churro

Cars Land Christmas:

Cars Land Christmas

Cars Land Christmas

Cars Land Christmas

We were waiting for another churro when the neon lights came on in Cars Land:

Cozy Cone

Cozy Cone

Cars Land neon

Apple pie churro:

Apple pie churro

Cars Land Christmas

Cars Land Christmas

Cars Land Christmas

More festival food:

More food

More food

Lights

Christmas

Mice

Yet more food:

More food

Fresas con crema churro:

Frames con crema churro

Ho ho ho

Grizzly River

Jenn got a Christmas necklace:

Jenn got a Christmas necklace

Firefly lights:

Firefly lights

Fluffernutter churro:

Fluffernutter churro

Christmas tree:

Christmas tree

Disneyland Christmas

We went back to Disneyland after New Zealand, to see their Christmas decorations.

We accidentally went to the Toy Story parking lot, which we regretted, due to the very long and slowly moving line for the shuttle bus:

Line for shuttle

An hour later, arriving at the entrance:

Entrance

Christmas tree:

Christmas tree

Main Street and castle with Christmas decorations:

Main Street and castle

Castle selfie

Dinner with holiday stuff:

Dinner

It’s a Small World:

It's a Small World

It's a Small World

It's a Small World

It's a Small World

It's a Small World

It's a Small World

It's a Small World

It's a Small World

It's a Small World

It's a Small World

It's a Small World

It's a Small World

It's a Small World

It's a Small World

It's a Small World

It's a Small World

It's a Small World

We wanted to take a train ride, but they announced that it’d be stopping for fireworks, so didn’t:

Train

Dessert:

Dessert

Fake snow:

Snow

Christmas Mickey:

Christmas Mickey

Selfie

Back to the parking lot:

Disneyland sign

We popped back into Disneyland a couple of days later, after visiting DCA, just to do the train ride:

Train station

Christmas tree from train station:

Christmas tree from train station

On the train:

On the train

Selfie

It's a Small World

It's a Small World

Castle

Castle

70th anniversary

Disney California Adventure halloween

After Disneyland, we crossed over to Disney California Adventure with Halloween decorations.

Disney California Adventure trolly

We hadn’t done the Bakery Tour before, so did it this time:

Bakery Tour

Bakery Tour

Bakery Tour

Bakery Tour

Bakery Tour

We also noticed a NPS-style Ornament Valley sign we hadn’t seen before:

Ornament Valley

Grizzly Peak:

Grizzly Peak

Waterfall:

Waterfall

Watching people on the Grizzy Peak ride:

Grizzy Peak ride

Grizzy Peak ride

Halloween decorations:

Halloween decorations

We went to Magic Key Terrace for dinner:

Magic Key Terrace menu

Magic Key Terrace menu

Magic Key Terrace menu

Magic Key Terrace menu

Cars Land neon:

Cars Land

Cars Land

Cars Land

Cars Land

Disneyland halloween

We visited Disneyland with Halloween and 70th anniversary celebration decorations.

Disneyland entrance with Halloween decorations

Train station:

Train station

Character photo

Marching band:

Marching band

Daisy Duck:

Duck

Trolly:

Trolly

Goofy:

Goofy

A selfie in front of the castle:

Selfie in front of castle

We did the Pirates ride:

Pirates ride

Lunch:

Lunch

Jungle Cruise ride:

Jungle Cruise

Falcon:

Falcon

Chewy:

Chewy

Castle:

Castle

Jenn’s teacup giggles:

Jenn's teacup giggles

Fire engine:

Fire engine ride

Disneyland had an “interactive park experience” called “Key to Disneyland”, where you buy a big plastic key, go around several locations in the park, and stick the key into keyholes, to unlock lights on the key, and ultimately unlock a secret compartment on the key, with a special collectable pin inside. Jenn loves collecting things, so was keen to do it:

Key to Disneyland

Key to Disneyland

Key to Disneyland

Key to Disneyland

Key to Disneyland

Key to Disneyland

Key to Disneyland

Key to Disneyland

Key to Disneyland

Key to Disneyland

Key to Disneyland

The unlocked special pin:

Key to Disneyland

Disneyland 70th anniversary:

Disneyland 70th anniversary

Happy Holidays!

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!

We visited Disneyland for our pre-Christmas holiday lights this year. The blog post about that visit won’t be published until March, but here’s a seasonal sneak peek:

Disneyland

Jenn and David at Disneyland

It's a Small World

Christmas tree

Merry Christmas; New Orleans Celebration in the Oaks

Merry Christmas to all who celebrate, or Happy Holidays!

To mark the occasion, here’s a post out of sequence. We stayed in New Orleans around Thanksgiving this year, and while there attended the New Orleans City Park’s Celebration in the Oaks holiday lights. The blog posts about New Orleans aren’t scheduled to be published until February (yes, I’m rather behind; we do things faster than I can post about them!). But I figured I could bring this one forward to a more appropriate time.

This holiday celebration has driving and walking options; we did both. Here’s a map of the routes:

Map

We started with the driving portion, where one drives along roads in the park that have holiday light decorations:

Holiday lights

Holiday lights

Holiday lights

Holiday lights

Holiday lights

Holiday lights

Holiday lights

Holiday lights

Holiday lights

Holiday lights

Holiday lights

Holiday lights

Holiday lights

Holiday lights

Holiday lights

Holiday lights

Holiday lights

Holiday lights

Holiday lights

Holiday lights

Holiday lights

Holiday lights

Holiday lights

Holiday lights

Holiday lights

Holiday lights

Holiday lights

Holiday lights

A timelapse video from my 360 camera of the drive:

We then parked at the mini golf in the park, and played a round (Jenn won):

Mini golf

Mini golf

Mini golf

Mini golf

Mini golf

Then proceeded to the walking part, wandering around the New Orleans Botanical Garden and environs, with lots of holiday lights:

Holiday lights

Holiday lights

Greenhouse

Greenhouse

Greenhouse

Greenhouse

Greenhouse

Greenhouse

Greenhouse

Holiday lights

Holiday lights

Holiday lights

Holiday lights

Jenn reaching for a star:

Holiday lights

Holiday lights

Holiday lights

A cute narrated Cajun Night Before Christmas story, with synchronized lights: 

Holiday lights

Holiday lights

Holiday lights

Holiday lights

Holiday lights

Holiday lights

Holiday lights

Holiday lights

Holiday lights

Holiday lights

Holiday lights

Holiday lights

Holiday lights

Holiday lights

Holiday lights

Holiday lights

An amusing New Orleans variation of 12 Days of Christmas:

Holiday lights

Holiday lights

Holiday lights

Holiday lights

Holiday lights

Holiday lights

Model trains:

Holiday lights

Holiday lights

Holiday lights

Holiday lights

Holiday lights

Holiday lights

Amusement park rides were also included, but we didn’t participate in any (considered the train, but it was full, and the carousel, but didn’t want to wait):

Holiday lights

It is a nice historical carousel, though:

Carousel

Carousel

Carousel

Attractions

Holiday lights

A fun festive evening. Always interesting to see local variations of holiday lights.

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to all!

Holiday lights in our coach

An out-of-sequence special post. We don’t do a lot of Christmas decorations in our motorhome, since we have to carry them around all year with our limited storage space, but we do have a string of programable color-changing lights that we put around the ceiling, plus a little Christmas tree:

Holiday lights

Holiday lights

Holiday lights

Happy Independence Day!

Happy Independence Day! 🇺🇸

On a personal level, we enjoy our independence and seeing this vast and diverse country as we drive our home around the states.

Here’s the map of our journey so far, and up until the end of this year — the 2021 Yellowstone trip is in brown, 2021 coach travel in green, 2022 travel in blue, and 2023 travel in purple:

Route map 2021 to 2023

The same map as an animated GIF, adding each year:

Route map GIF

Looking forward to exploring the east side of the country over the next couple of years.

San Antonio Zoo Lights

We visited San Antonio Zoo for their holiday lights.

We arrived before dark, so there were still some animals awake:

Animals

Animals

Animals

Animals

Animals

A carousel:

Carousel

Carousel

Animals

Aussie Snacks

Animals

Animals

Animals

Animals

We had some dinner:

Dinner

Then wandered around some more:

Animals

Animals

Animals

Some holiday lights coming on as the sun set:

Holiday lights

Holiday lights

Holiday lights

Animals

Artwork

Animals

Animals

Animals

Holiday lights

Holiday lights

Animals

Animals

Holiday lights

Holiday lights

Holiday lights

Holiday lights

A band:

Band

Holiday lights

Artwork:

Art

Holiday lights

Holiday lights

Holiday lights

Holiday lights

Zoo sign

It was a fairly small zoo, not particularly impressive. Notable for opening the first cageless exhibits in the US. Though it looks like much of it hasn’t been updated recently.