The Golden Spike

Not really the geographical center of Disneyland.

(Found as you walk through the Castle, just before stepping into Fantasyland.)

April 2011

Business As Usual

I like it when you come across characters just hanging out with no guests...and everything is business as usual.  Spotted in Fantasyland, of course.

January 2011

Why Yes...That WAS Me Performing In A Show On The Mark Twain

As I was researching the latest on Disneyland in preparation to return after the 13 year drought, I came across what sounded like a fun opportunity.  The Princess and the Frog would be opening in theaters a few weeks after our trip to Disneyland, so there was quite a presence of merchandise, music, characters, etc. in the park, New Orleans Square in particular.  I had read about a show called Tiana's Showboat Jubilee that involved a performance on the Mark Twain Riverboat. Jazzy New Orleans singers would parade through New Orleans Square, then board the steamboat and perform a show with characters from the movie while it sailed around the Rivers of America.  Regular park guests had an opportunity to be in the show.  You just had to secure one of these golden tickets earlier in the day:

 

OK, I'm not the performing type, but give me a golden choir robe, a tambourine, and put me on the Mark Twain and I'm all over it! Once all of us regular guests arrived (I think there were only 20-ish of us, including me and my 9 year old son), two of the girls from the show gave us the low-down on what we'd be doing. I was really excited. They explained what we'd be doing during each of the three numbers we were involved in. We lined up on the side of the boat that faces the island. We were each given a streamer to wad up in our hands until showtime. When it was time, we were led to the other side of the boat and we waved our streamers to "Goin' Down the Bayou, Goin' Down the Bayou, Goin' Down the Bayou..." I don't really know if that's the name of the song, but those were the words that were stuck in my mind for the next while. After that song we went back to the other side of the boat where we were each handed a very large music note. We were led back out and we "danced" the music notes to and fro over the edge of the boat. Back to the other side of the boat for our wardrobe change! Well, we didn't actually change. We just put these golden choir robes on that zipped up over our clothes. We each received a tambourine, and were led out once again for the final number. (We were on the bottom level of the boat all this time, by the way.) "You Gotta Diiiiig a Little Deeper..."  Such a fun experience!

November 2009

Backtracking a bit...one of the "regular guests" that performed with us was Michael-Leon Wooley, who is the voice of Louis the Alligator in the movie.  That's him in the picture below.  I asked his companion if Michael just happened to be at Disneyland that day as a regular guest and he said yes.  So that was fun.  Michael introduced himself to my son and shook his hand.  My son asked him if he would sign our golden ticket.  I asked him to say something "Louis-y" for us, but he just laughed it off.

November 2009

Hmmm.

I guess this means there was a 7 1/2 minute wait to ride Dumbo.

January 2011

Not My 80s Space Mountain

Back in my day, we always had to stand in line outside, walking back and forth before actually entering the space area of Space Mountain.  Not so during my first trip back after the 13 year drought.  This was crazy.  We spent more time walking to reach the end of the line than we did standing in the line itself.

November 2009

Things Aren't What They Seem

"Why are there green meatballs in the street, Mom?"

"Uhhh...those aren't meatballs."

October 2012

Haunted Mansion, Anyone?

October 2012

I Thought This One Looked Like An Old Post Card

October 2012

Best Way I Know How To Transport Myself Back To 1979

Sitting through a show in the Enchanted Tiki Room will do it every time.

April 2010

The Day We Rode 32 Rides

I took a trip with my sister and then-5-year-old son.  We went the last week of April.  Hours were extended due to expected Spring Break crowds.  But, the crowds weren't there.  It was an amazing trip.  On this particular day, we rode 32 rides.  Not a single whine or complaint from my non-stroller-riding son.  He had been on his feet from 8am until Midnight. 

One of my best Disneyland days ever.

April 2011

Shout Out To Aladdin

Such a relaxing and peaceful ride.  Not an original scene, but I really like it.

January 2011

Walls...Walls...Everywhere...

 I guess if they need to put walls up all around Town Square, down Main Street, and around the Hub... January is the best time to do it.  We thought trying to get a spot to watch fireworks that night would be a nightmare.  Not so.  We were able to walk up about 10 minutes before the show started and see everything just fine.  

 It was the first time for us to see the Remember...Dreams Come True fireworks show.  Best fireworks show ever.  Total blast from the past.  We'll save that experience for another post.

 January 2011

Hand Washing Tips

This sign placed near sinks in Disneyland restrooms always makes me chuckle.

April 2010

My Kind Of Disneyland Day

Except for the part about closing at 6:00pm.

October 2010

Holidays Collide

I was in Disneyland for Halloween Time the last week of October 2010.  It seemed out of place to see occasional hints of the Christmas season mingling with the Halloween stuff.  In the first picture, you can see the snow caps on the Castle.  They weren't there earlier in the week, and then one morning...there they were.

October 2010

Where's Waldo?

Oh, here he is.  Just riding the Jungle Cruise.

Disneyland on Halloween Party days is especially fun.  

I would love to park myself on a bench in Town Square and watch all the costume-clad guests stream in.

October 2012

You Don't See This Every Day

The lagoon in it's drained state.  View from the Monorail.

April 2014

Dead Men Tell No Tales

It was always a sad day when we'd show up at Disneyland pre-internet and find out Pirates of the Caribbean was closed.  There was a little sign by the ticket booths that listed all of the attractions closed for the day.  We would practically hold our breath as we read the sign, hoping that one of our favorites wouldn't be listed.  If something had to be down...I'd hope for something like the Peoplemover.  Wow, what I wouldn't give to ride that one again!

April 2014

Fantasyland Favorites

There are 2 things I love to do in Fantasyland at night.

Ride Dumbo and King Arthur Carrousel.

April 2014

This Was A Weird Sight

The Haunted Mansion Hearse was missing.  

Just as it was during my trip 3 months prior to this one.  When I asked the Cast Member why it was gone, she replied, "It ran away."  I know they aren't supposed to give you real world answers, but I thought she could have had a better answer than that.  No doubt she was going to be asked that many times that day.  You would think they would be given a ready-to-go answer that actually made sense.

April 2011

Since I'm Still Listening To Christmas Music...

...I thought I better slide this one into the lineup.  

I used the one touch color feature (or something like that) on my camera so it would only pick up the red.  This was taken during a trip that my husband and I took a few days before Thanksgiving in 2011.  I was sick.  The crowds were unbelievable.  We didn't even make it over to DCA.  I missed riding Peter Pan for the first time ever during a trip to Disneyland.

November 2011

Flying High

I love how I can tell that my then-5-year-old is all smiles by the way his cheek looks.

(And what was I thinking...letting him wear his Mickey Ears

 with the strap behind his head while flying high on the Astro Orbiter?)

April 2011

More Than A Corridor

When I was growing up, I thought of Main Street simply as a passageway to get from the park entrance to someplace exciting...like Space Mountain.  I never paid much attention to Main Street details.  It just wasn't my thing to mosey around and look at window displays or check out the season's park merchandise.  The only real time I spent there (when I wasn't just passing through) was while watching the Main Street Electrical Parade.  Well, times have changed.  Disneyland's Main Street is one of my very favorite spots in the park.  Sitting on the curb at about 4:00pm, with a double scoop ice cream cone from the tucked away Main Street Cone Shop, people watching, listening to the Main Street soundtrack...what's not to love.

January 2011

Gone But Not Forgotten

I am very nostalgic when it comes to Disneyland.  I get sad when some things change.  Getting rid of the ticket books for rides?  That was a welcome change.  Getting rid of the old Motor Boat Cruise?  Not happy about it, but better that than the Tiki Room.  

October 2010

Casey Junior's Coming Down The Track...

During this particular ride on Casey Jr. Circus Train, I learned that Walt Disney himself planted some of these plants that make up the giant patchwork quilt. 

October 2010

I Have A Thing For Disneyland Flowers

I couldn't walk past these flowers by the Teacups without taking pictures, or touching them. 

 Yes, they are as velvety as they look.

October 2010

Best View In The House

Oh, how I miss the Skyway.

It was the perfect "taking a break" ride, or a good way to save your feet from extra walking between Fantasyland and Tomorrowland.  I can still feel the cooler air and hear the roaring sounds of Harold the Abominable Snowman as felt/heard while passing through the Matterhorn.  I also remember hearing rushing water.  Maybe from the waterfall on the side of the Matterhorn?  I have a very distinct memory of running up the stairs of the Tomorrowland Skyway Station, wearing my favorite green, yellow and white satin jacket, and thinking, "This is the best day of my life.  I wish it would never end."

I'm going to guess late 70s

You Know That's Right

April 2014

Lunch Is Served

One of my favorite lunches in Disneyland is found at Carnation Cafe on Main Street.

  Baked Potato Soup, House Salad, Fried Pickles, and Pomegranate Lemonade....to be enjoyed in the outdoor seating area, preferably with a visit from Oscar.

April 2014

I Spy Vanna

 My husband came across Vanna White and Mickey Mouse filming a commercial in front of the Castle for Wheel of Fortune.  He took a picture of Vanna and Mickey and sent it to me with this message:  "Vanna White and Kicked are filming a commercial at the Castle."  I was in line for Finding Nemo with the rest of our group.  I shared the message and we were all wondering who this "Kicked" was.  A long lost 80s band?  Probably not, since we are pretty good with 80s bands.  Anyway, upon meeting up with my husband at Star Tours after Nemo, we found that Kicked was actually Mickey.  Silly auto correct.

I left everyone to ride Star Tours while I grabbed Haunted Mansion FastPasses for later.  I decided to swing by the Castle to see if they were still filming.  Filming was over, so I just took a picture of the sign.  It was 2 years later (!) when I discovered that Vanna was actually in this picture I had taken of the sign.

 October 2012

 

This is the picture that my husband took and sent to me as he watched them film the commercial.

 

Disneyland at Dusk

One of my favorite times of day is when the lights turn on at dusk.

January 2011