Wreck-it-Ralph

I think Wreck-it-Ralph is one of the more underrated movies in recent Disney history.  Maybe it was too geeky, too 80s?  Like most of their movies lately, I didn't have great expectations for it beforehand, but I loved it once I watched it.  

Thus, when the Wreck-it-Ralph meet and greet opened at the Starcade in 2012, I only hopped in line because it was about 5 people deep.  At the time, the movie hadn't yet opened, so when Vanellope motioned for me to do a driving pose, I had no idea why!  I was even asked to sign a release for Disney Parks Blog, in case I was featured in their promo materials.  

I really appreciated all the work they put into revamping the Starcade for the promo, which included the meet and greet backgrounds (patterned after the outlet "stations") and refurbished classic 80s arcade games.  Unfortunately, the meet and greet closed rather prematurely, and the arcade games and decor were pushed aside to make more room for merchandise.  You can still meet Ralph and Vanellope at Walt Disney World, so it's too bad Disneyland doesn't have them.  Tomorrowland doesn't have a lot of meet and greet opportunities and the theming here was spot-on.

There are still remnants of Wreck-it-Ralph at the Starcade.  You can see the "stations," although they have faded into the background.  I believe there were originally 5 Fix-it Felix games, but last I visited, I only saw 3.  These games are actually free play, and are similar to the free app that was available.  Love it!  Lastly, for the pressed penny collectors, there is the specially themed penny machine.  Get 'em while you can!

Treats: Raspberry Rose Mickey Macaron

I've been meaning to try the new Raspberry Rose Mickey Macaron at Jolly Holiday for a couple of weeks now, and today was the day!  At first glance, you might not realize the size of this baby, but the plate is about the size of their massive cinnamon rolls, and you probably know how big those are.  Plus, look at the fresh raspberries...there must be at least 8 in there!  

Upon getting my macaron, I set about trying to eat it, lol!  I wondered if I should pick it up and eat it like an Uncrustables pb&j.  Instead, I broke off the ears, one at a time, as you do with anything Mickey shaped.  Then I broke the rest in half, savoring every chewy, creamy, sweet-tart bite.  

For $4.99 (before AP discount), this is a decadent, but reasonably priced treat, perfect for a warm summer day.  

Frozen Pre-Parade

I know, totally on the late train here, but I had never seen the Frozen pre-parade...until Sunday.  We were leaving Disneyland to head over to Ghiradelli when we saw the float round the corner onto Main Street!  Surprisingly, there didn't seem to be any music or fanfare until they had made it about halfway down the street.  We would have missed it if not for a companion turning to take one last look at the castle.    

If your little darlings just LOVE Frozen but the 2 hour wait for a meet and greet just isn't in the cards, you'll want to check this out for a glimpse of Arendellian royalty.  This pre-parade is only before the FIRST run of Soundsational, so make sure to check the park schedule.  (**I recently caught the parade on 9/13 and they have added it to the second run as well!). The float makes it's way along the main parade route from It's a Small World to Town Square, some good last minute viewing spots include the Main Street train station and The Mad Hatter.  

In other Frozen news, it appears that shops in the parks are fully stocked with merchandise now.  Previously hard to find items like the dolls were readily available on Sunday afternoon, even Elsas.