Every year Google does a “West Coast Trip”. Usually it’s a ski trip to Tahoe, but I guess they decided that wasn’t glamorous enough. This year they went all out and took the all the employees on the west coast to Disney Land. Well, not all, just the employees from Mountain View, Phoenix, and Santa Monica. I heard there was something like 5000 total employees that went. Here is my view of the trip.
Monday I got up and packed my laptop and a few other essentials into a back pack. I went to work for a few hours, then caught a shuttle to San Jose International Airport. After waiting in line for an hour, I got my boarding pass and headed for security. This is where packing everything I need for three days in one bag paid off. No bags to check, quick trip through security. Then my flight got delayed so I spent 3 hours hanging out in the airport with a what seemed like 1 million other Googlers.
I finally got on the plane and we where off for Ontario, California. I got there a little late, but Dean agreed to meet me anyway and we had a nice, but very late dinner, at Tony Roma’s. We also swung by the ESPNZone in Down Town Disney to see some of my coworkers, but they where drinking pretty steadily by the time we showed up, so we left. It was late anyway and Dean needs his beauty rest.
I was staying at the Anaheim Marriott, which was very nice. My room mate never showed up, so I got the whole room to myself. That was even nicer. I finally crashed on Monday night about 11:30pm.
I was up pretty early on Tuesday, mostly because I was so excited. I got dressed, headed down for breakfast and then grabbed the shuttle for Disney Land. I got there right when the park opened. It was pretty neat. I haven’t been to Disney Land for over 10 years, so it was really like being for the first time. This is off season for Disney Land so lines for rides weren’t too bad. I walked onto every ride I wanted to ride. After cruising Disney Land for awhile, I headed over to Disney’s California Adventure. That wasn’t as much fun. California is more of an amusement park, not a theme park, there where more roller coasters and things like that. If a ride requires me to be upside down, then forget it. Also, if the restraint system for a ride has a puke shield, that should tell you something about the ride.
Anyway, after spending about 1 hour at California Adventure, and not finding anything I liked, I headed back to Disney Land. I stood in line for the Disney Princess “meet-n-greet” and got the signatures of most of the Disney princesses for my girls. I also managed to get sigs from Buzz Lightyear, Goofy, Micky, Minnie, Pooh and Eeyore and a couple of others. The kids enjoyed that.
About 7:00pm the Disney Parade started. That was amazing! I would pay the full cost of Disney admission just to see that. You can’t believe that anyone could put on a show like that. After the Parade, Disney Land and California Adventure where closed to everyone. Everyone except Google! That’s right. Google both parks to ourselves from 8:00pm to 1:00am. The restaurants where open, and all the food was free. The rides where running, without lines, and all the Disney Characters where out to chum around with us. It was pretty fun.
But the best part was the Disney Fireworks show over the Enchanted Castle. Wow! Words cannot describe a Disney fireworks show, complete with Tinker Bell flying over the Castle. It was simply amazing!
Anyway, after eating ice cream until I was sick, and riding Pirates of the Carribean (sitting in a boat, by myself), I decided it was time to go get some sleep. I left the park at 11:30, and was asleep by 1:00am. Good thing too, because I had to get up early for breakfast so I could catch a shuttle to Ontario so I could fly home.
It sure felt good getting off the plane in San Jose. I missed my little family. And I kinda’ think they missed me. Anyway, it was a fun trip. I’m glad I went. I wasn’t going to, but Sami insisted. I think she wins the prize for the coolest wife ever.
About the corn dog. That’s what I had for lunch on Tuesday. It was awesome. I order a corn dog, the lady says “one corn dog”, and the guy behind her takes a big ol’ hot dog on a stick, dips it in batter and deep fries it, hands it to her, she hands it to me. A little mustard and I was in heaven. Yum Yum.
That sounds like an awesome corporate experience! Did you hang out with any of your Google friends or were you solo the entire time? I haven’t been to Disneyland since I was 10…as soon as I don’t have super-young children to take care of I’d like to go again. I am not sure I will be so enamored by everything, but I guess that’s what you get when you lead a virtually TV-free life! ;-) It’s nice to have a Scott entry… not that I don’t LOVE it every time Sami writes!