Gertrude and Gary's Airplane and Electonica Trip Report!

[ILoveRides]

Welcome to an epic 2-part trip report with Gertrude, Gary The Giraffe, Spears, tons of aerial photos (including Disneyland, California Adventure - with Radiator Springs Racers testing, Knott's, and Catalina), and pictures from the final night of Electronica at DCA. All photos were taken on 4/15/12. Part 1 of 2 is below, enjoy!

 

Update: Part 2 is now posted as well. Click here to view part 2.

We begin our adventure with Pilot Spears donning her aviator sunglasses and preparing for takeoff.

It looks like an old friend, Gertrude, and a new friend, Gary The Giraffe, will be joining us on today's adventure.

Pilot Spears takes off! Well okay, not really. The real takeoff will be soon. But first, we need to learn some pilot hand signals...

Got it? Good!

Time for the real takeoff! Everybody in the plane!

Takeoff! Wheeee!!! Gertrude is totally not warming up to Gary The Giraffe.

We'll get back to Gertrude and Gary later. But for now, check out these awesome pictures from the air. Anyone who knows me knows that I love trains - but trains from the air = even better!

Angel Stadium. I should add that Pilot Spears is actually flying the plane at this point, so we are lucky we are still alive.

And now, the real reason you're probably here (as if Gertrude, Gary, and Spears aren't reason enough!) - Aerial pictures of the Disneyland Resort!

Here's Disneyland! It's so small from the sky.

And here's California Adventure!

One more shot of Disneyland, in case you didn't get enough. (And if you REALLY didn't get enough, don't worry, there will be even more pictures on the return flight. Don't miss the pictures of Radiator Springs Racers testing on the way back!)

Moving North, we take a quick look at Knott's before heading out to Catalina.

And you thought Disneyland was small! Seeing it from above, you really get a sense of how tiny Knott's is. How did they pack so much fun into such a tiny place!?!?

Lets play "Where's Knott's?" It's like "Where's Waldo" if Waldo were an amusement park.

Now we're heading out towards Catalina. The Huntington Beach Pier is at the top of this photo, and there's a blimp out over the water.

Here's a look back at Long Beach with lots of ships. I see cargo ships, The Queen Mary, and a super Klassy cruise ship.

Gertrude is used to being the star, and doesn't like sharing the spotlight with Gary The Giraffe.

As we flew towards Catalina, Gertrude started getting violent.

Catalina was beautiful from the air.

And turbulent with Gertrude fighting in the back of the plane!

Gary The Giraffe is usually nice, but Gertrude had gone too far. Gary took one punch, and Gertrude was thrown from the airplane!

Gertrude fell and fell and fell until she splashed into the water below. Hopefully she's okay!

With Gertrude gone, the plane flight was very peaceful.

We flew over Avalon and then began heading back towards home.

What's that down there? It looks like Gertrude survived, and somehow got herself a speedboat!

Gertrude rode off into the distance, promising to get revenge on Gary. I wonder if we'll see her in part 2 of this trip report for one last epic battle?!?

Back to the Disneyland Resort for one last look from the opposite direction.

Here's Disneyland close up. A monorail is just pulling out of the Tomorrowland monorail station.

An overview shot of Disneyland.

Now over to DCA, where if you look closely you can see Radiator Springs Racers testing!

I spy 2 cars!

Zoom!

And away they go.

Here's a shot from one more race, to satisfy even the nerdiest of viewers.

Bye bye Disneyland Resort! (Sorry about Gary's reflection in the window, it was hard to avoid reflections in these photos.)

We're finally coming in for a landing. What an adventure!

Yay, we landed safely! Stay tuned for part 2 of this trip report with photos from the last night of Electronica at DCA. (And possibly Gertrude returning to get revenge on Gary!) Thanks for looking everyone! And if you like Gary The Giraffe, go "Like" Gary The Giraffe on Facebook for more fun! www.GaryTheGiraffe.com

Edited April 28, 2012 by ILoveRides

[STR8FXXXINEDGE]

Loved it! What an awesome thing to be able to do, and it's crazy how small the parks actually look from the air. Looking forward to part two!

[simon8899]

Nice to see Queen Mary again - my last years LA hotel....

[cfc]

I wonder how many "ant-sized" TPR members were running around the parks that day?

[BeemerBoy]

The reflection shot is full of win.

 

Aerial shots always rule. Great report, guys!

[gisco]

The parks look a lot bigger from the ground!

[sspaz1000]

Great shots! and I wonder what type of revenge Gertrude has up her sleeves.

[The Bebes]

Oh, that Bitch had it coming!!!!

[ILoveRides]

Oh, that Bitch had it coming!!!!

 

[ILoveRides]

Part 2 - The last night of Electronica at California Adventure! All photos were taken 4/15/12. Enjoy!

Fast forward to evening - Spears and Gary are at Uva Bar in Downtown Disney getting ready to walk in to California Adventure for the last night of Electronica!

Oh no! Gertrude is back, and she found a light cycle! Watch out Gary!

Gary charged off, running towards Electronica, with Gertrude following close behind.

Spears caught one last light disc on the way in.

People all around were wearing Tron clothes to celebrate the final night.

Lots of people turned out to send off Electronica. The party stretched all the way to Flynn's Arcade.

Spears says, "Come on, lets check out the dance floor!"

There was a large crowd around the center stage.

Okay, Gertrude, I have no idea how you did that - but that's some impressive light cycle driving right there.

Once Gertrude got near the center stage and heard the music she couldn't help but dance. She abandoned her light cycle and completely forgot about chasing Gary.

There were so many people in awesome Tron themed outfits who came out for the last night.

All the dressed up park guests really helped set the mood and take the event over the top.

Once Gary realized that he was no longer being chased, he started feeling the beat and moving his feet too.

There was a great celebratory atmosphere for the final night.

Unfortunately Gertrude was too small to see much of it.

People all started teasing Gertrude for being too small to see anything.

Gary could see everything just fine.

Gertrude wasn't so lucky.

Gertrude started to get really sad.

Rhyme time! ...

 

Gertrude was mean to Gary, but Gary didn't want to be mean back.

So Gary decided he would cut Gertrude The Goose some slack.

Gary wanted Gertrude to have a good time too,

and his Gary The Giraffe heart knew just what to do!

Gary remembered something he saw earlier in the night,

and he thought for Gertrude it would work just right!

Gertrude hopped on Gary's back, and the crowd went wild!

Gertrude and Gary even got projected on the wall.

Just before the end of the night, the crowd started really cutting loose. I don't think I've ever seen crowd surfing at Electronica before.

Gertrude and Gary couldn't resist!

But sadly all good things must come to an end. The lights went dark as Electronica reached the end of the line.

Everyone funneled out of the park, ending an amazing final night of Electronica. On the way out, Gertrude apologized to Gary for being so mean. Gary accepted her apology, and they agreed that from then on they would be best friends forever. The End! Thanks for checking out this trip report everyone!

Edited April 28, 2012 by ILoveRides

[cfc]

So much for the Gertrude v. Gary "Texas Death Match" I was hoping for. Worst Wrestlemania ever.

 

But thanks for the look at the last night of Electronica.

[QueerRudie]

Those aerial shots of the parks there are -outstanding- to see, as it really does give a perspective to how much Disney has crammed into so little...

 

(And Gertrude and Gary were far better passengers than any of the kids I've been sentenced to recently while flying...)

 

R.D.

[chadster]

You sir have far too much time on your hands

[ILoveRides]

So much for the Gertrude v. Gary "Texas Death Match" I was hoping for. Worst Wrestlemania ever.

 

Sorry, I didn't have the heart to let either of them die or get seriously injured haha. And they just love music too much to fight.

[sspaz1000]

Love the update! Glad Gertrude apologized to Gary.

[Chrisrad]

Awesome pictures - I had to save the Disney shots, and Huntington Beach. Your HB shot is right where I used to live - in the harbor across from the wetlands.. I've never seen the wetlands from the air before.