Nothing Says Coffee Like Darth Vader

Disneyland is a magical place where anything can happen.  So why not take your coffee with Darth Vader.  Ok, so I wasn't able to actually dine with him but my friend, sister and I were meeting up with family later in the day and picked the Tomorrowland Terrace for chow and coffee beforehand.  While we sat, we were lucky enough to catch one of my favorite shows in the parks, the Jedi Training Academy.  On a stage near the restaurant, cast members dressed as Jedi teach little kids how to fight the dark side using lightsabers.  Darth Vader and Darth Maul come out, protected by a couple of stormtroopers, and the kids use their new skills to "fight" and defeat them.  At the end of the show, the kids all get certificates stating that they are now Jedi.  They even loan the kids little Jedi robes so they are totally immersed in the show.  I love it.  It is super cute and I love how great Darth Maul is at spinning his double saber and jumping around yet still in enough control that no kids get hurt.

As we sat and enjoyed the training going on, we had a nice lunch of sandwiches and of course my coffee.  Disneyland usually uses Starbucks coffee or Joffrey's coffee.  I'm pretty sure Tomorrowland Terrace was serving Starbucks, or maybe it was the bottom of the pot.  It wasn't the best coffee but it definitely satisfied the craving.  I don't need coffee to function, I enjoy it as a comfort food to relax me, and it did just that.

Behind the cup in the photo is some mint.  Just about all the plant life in Tomorrowland is edible.  Fruit trees, lettuces, herbs, and vegetables are among the large collection of edible flora in this land.  I don't believe any of these plants are used for consumption at Disneyland but more a part of Walt's concept of what would make the best tomorrow.  At Walt Disney World, they have a whole horticulture section used to grow some of the food they cook with and show guest some fun and sustainable things they use their food for.  At Halloween, they use plastic molds to create Mickey Mouse shaped pumpkins.  It's awesome and now that I am an adult, I can't wait to go back and check it out.

The plants at Disneyland are very much overlooked by guests.  I'm sure that when paying all that money by the time you walk in the gates, you just want to hop on as many rides as possible.  I have been there so many times that I try to stop and smell the roses when I'm there.  All the plants are themed to each land correctly and are maintained by a full overnight crew.  Color and seasonal changes are happening all the time.  Bulbs for spring, marigolds for Day of the Dead and Halloween.  It's one of the many details that Disney puts into everything to make it more magical.  If you get a chance, check out the Storybook Land boat ride in Fantasyland.  It is miniature versions of places in Disney movies but includes extensive miniature plant life that is just stunning.  Also, they just added Elsa's castle from Frozen.  It wasn't lit up at night when I went, so I felt it missed the mark, but maybe the daytime would be better to see it anyway.

After hanging out with Darth Vader, we were able to get the driver cabin on the monorail to Downtown Disney to meet with my family.  It is on a first come, first serve basis and seats only four passengers with the driver.  It's the same track but a whole new prospective being in the front seats.  Remember to ask for it the next time you get to Disneyland.

Hard to see through the people but he is fighting a young Padawan.

Some pretty scenery viewed from Autopia.

Our view right out of the front of the monorail.

The driver's seat looks more like the Captain's chair.

Heading down the street and through the front of California Adventure, on to our Downtown Disney destination.