Archive for the 'Disneyland' Category

Splash Mountain: You Know the Ride, but do you Know the Movie

Published by KP, on August 27, 2010 in Disneyland and Magic Kingdom. 0 Comments Tags: , .

Zip-a-dee-do-dah, zip-a-dee-day, my oh my what a wonderful day…. Everyone knows and sings along to this much loved Disney song. It is a staple present in both Disneyland and Disneyworld’s Splash Mountain; a ride built around the premise of the movie, Song of the South. Almost every ride in a Disney park is based around the premise of a Disney movie. The difference with this ride, however, is that unlike Peter Pan’s Flight or Dumbo the Flying Elephant, very few people who ride it have ever seen, or even heard of the movie.

Walt Disney World's Splash Mountain

Song of the South was released in 1964. It tells the story of Johnny, a young boy saddened by the divorce of his parents. He finds help and comfort from the kind Uncle Remus who shares with him stories of adventure based around Brer Rabbit, Brer Fox and Breb Bear. These stories teach Johnny and his friends valuable life lessons and help him deal with situations that arise. It is a movie with mixed live action and animation filled with wondeful messages for people of all ages.

The movie was last released in 1986. Many Disney fans have since called for the re-release of the movie but it has been met with resistance and reluctance, due to an suggested racial tone. I won’t go in to the details on this, it’s complicated, and if you are so inclined more information can be found online.

Poster from Song of the South

The downside of Disney not re-releasing the movie is many riders are unfamiliar with the story behind the ride. It is based around one of Uncle Remus’s many stories. It tells the story of Brer Rabbit’s quest to find his Laughing Place. BUt along the way he runs in to the menacing Brer Bear and Brer Fox who trap him. As you go up the final drop you can see Brer Fox on the side about to devour the poor rabbit. But Brer Rabbit outsmarts them both and tricks them in to dropping him in to the Briar Patch where he is safe. The ride then ends with a safe and happy Brer Rabbit and the loveable song Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Dah.

Inside Disneyland's Splash Mountain

I personally would love to see the movie be re-released, if only to finally see and understand all the little details you encounter on Splash Mountain. But until the day Disney releases Song of the South I encourrage you to check out all the clips on Youtube and familarize yourself with the story behind the ride. It’s a great tale filled with moral values, great tales and classic Disney songs.

Happy 55th Birthday Disneyland!

Published by KP, on July 27, 2010 in Disneyland, Disneyland Resort and Media Monday. 0 Comments Tags: .

I’ll admit I was all set up to post a video I had taken a few years ago in WDW but I just had to post this video I found. Disneyland celebrated it’s 55th anniversary last week with a re-dedication ceremony, a round of Happy Birthday and a flash mob in Town Square. I definetly shed a tear or two while watching this.

55 Characters for 55 years! Happy Birthday Disneyland!

Video courtesy of dlfreak

Thoughts on Disneyland’s Princess Fantasy Faire

Published by KP, on July 23, 2010 in Disneyland and Disneyland Resort. 0 Comments Tags: .

A friend recently came to me asking for advice for her upcoming Disneyland trip. She was planning a very quick visit of only a day and half. Of course this lead me into my very long winded explanation of all the amazing Disney things to see and do. It was when she asked me if there was any place she should skip, that I paused. As a Disney enthusiast I immediately wanted to answer, of course not, all of Disney is worthwhile. But unfortunately I did have an answer, the Princess Fantasy Faire.

Upon my first visit to Disneyland in 2005 I visited this area of the park, formerly housing Snow White an Enchanting Musical. It was a wonderful show in an outdoor theater. The show eventually closed and the area under went the transformation to the Fantasy Faire. I became quite excited about visiting the transformed space three years later on my next visit.

Entrance to Snow White an Enchanted Musical 2005

My first glances of the new Princess area, however, were underwhelming. Remnants of the old Snow White musical were still present on stage, mixed in with the new lacklustre Princess show set. The front theater seats were all gone, replaced with nothing but plain concrete standing room. Off to the left was a simple stage used for storytime. And inside a plain ‘box’ one would find the Princess meet and greet….that is after waiting in a three hour long line.

Royal Coronation at Princess Fantasy Faire (2008)

It did have a few positives. The Royal Coronation show was enjoyable (check it out on our Youtube page ) and the actors in story time were entertaining. But all in all the area lacked that certain Disney touch.
I think what bothered me the most, even more than the area itself, was the enclosing of the Princesses within the ’box’. I love the idea of roaming Princesses in the park. Meeting Snow White by her grotto, having Aurora walk past you in Fantasyland, getting a picture with Cinderella by the Carnation Plaza Gardens, all with waits less than 20 minutes. It was a challenge to find all the Princesses, a challenge that was super fun.

Snow White in 2005 by her Grotto

In my opinion I think Disney needs to do away with the meet and greet ‘box’ and return to roaming Princesses as that is a hallmark of Disneyland. The Princess Fantasy Faire can remain but needs to be worked on to create a truly immersive experience. With the addition of more decorations and less concrete they can make it so you are stepping into a regal Palace.

This blog post is a little different than my regular entries. Normally talking about my favourite things I have strayed to talk about an area that could use a little…improvement. I assure you this is not a trend and I hope the Disney gods and fans take mercy on me.

Cinnamon Toast

Published by Andy, on May 31, 2010 in Disneyland and Media Monday. 0 Comments Tags: .

Before there was Expedition Everest, the Yeti liked to visit another mountain. For this week’s Media Monday, we hear a very familiar spiel from the Matterhorn at Disneyland. Someone once told me it sounded like the guy was saying “Cinnamon toast.” I don’t hear it, but maybe you do.

This song has been archived to save space. If you’d like to hear it, just comment on this post and we’ll upload it again.

Please note: None of the music we post in the blog will be available for redistribution, so don’t ask!

Play

The Often Overlooked Tom Sawyer Island

Published by KP, on May 21, 2010 in Disneyland, Disneyland Resort, Magic Kingdom and Walt Disney World. 1 Comment Tags: , .

In both Disneyland and DisneyWorld there exists an island accessible only by raft. It does not contain any white knuckle rides, 3D shows or parades. But to the unsuspecting park goer Tom Sawyer Island can be a lot of fun and a time to relax and adventure with friends and family.

It begins with a quick raft ride departing from Frontierland, traveling across the Rivers of America and arriving on the island. Both parks have twisting trails, forts and hidden underground caverns but the Disneyland and Magic Kingdom islands are quite different.

WDW Raft to Tom Sawyer Island

Disneyworld’s Tom Sawyer Island is true to the classic stories of Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn. It is two islands connected by a suspension bridge. While on the island I love to travel across the barrel bridge, try out the shooting games on Fort Langhorn and walk through the mill. But I have two true favourites including Injune Joe’s caves, which are admittedly quite spooky with their near darkness and eerie noises. I also love Aunt Polly’s located on the edge of the river. In the past this place served as a place to get a drink and snack but has been closed for awhile, now instead offering the perfect quiet oasis to sit back in a rocking chair and soak in the Disney magic.

Aunt Polly's on WDW's Tom Sawyer Island

Aunt Polly's on WDW's Tom Sawyer Island

Disneyland’s Island has received a new name of late, now going by Pirate’s Lair on Tom Sawyer Island as Jack Sparrow and his crew have taken it over. You can cross the suspension bridge into Smuggler’s Cover complete different tasks to find hidden treasure in the water and maybe a skeleton or two. There are also the Bone Cages used in the Pirates of the Caribbean movies that Andy and I had fun swinging on.

Andy and I in the Bone Cages

Andy and I in the Bone Cages

Unlike the relatively quite island in WDW, Disneyland’s offers various forms of entertainment. Jack Sparrow has been known to visit the island on occasion, normally hanging out near the Pirate treasure or as we found him, scurrying around the island on an adventure. At the front of the island there are various pirate themed singing groups performing on a flat piece deck of wood that doesn’t seem to fit in with the rest of the island. That’s because this very spot transforms, with a little bit of Disney magic, into my favourite show, Fantasmic! (perhaps that is another reason I love the island so much).

By Night Mickey Fights Evil on Tom Sawyer Island

Entertainer's By Day on DL's Tom Sawyer Island

But the one thing you have to experience on the island is the pirate caves. If you have ever been in WDW’s caves and thought those were claustrophobic you haven’t experienced Disneyland’s. In my opinion these caves are the scariest thing you could experience in a Disney Park; even the haunted mansion has nothing on these. At times you must crawl through on your hands and knees feeling your way forward with your hands in the darkness.

So next time you visit a Disney theme park remember to not overlook Tom Sawyer Island. Keep in mind though that the island does close at dusk as there is no lighting on the island (and to prepare for Fantasmic in DL). Bring your imagination, run around and see what adventures you can get caught up in!

Helping Hand

Published by Andy, on May 17, 2010 in Disneyland, Disneyland Resort and Media Monday. 0 Comments Tags: , .

At Mickey’s Toontown Morning Madness, somebody likes to hand out buttons to the Honourary Citizens of Toontown…

Click Click Snap Snap

Published by Andy, on April 30, 2010 in Disneyland, Disneyland Resort, Walt Disney World and Wayback Machine. 0 Comments Tags: .

Photographs are terrific things. They let you relive memories of times gone past, capturing a moment and preserving it forever.

It’s also a great way to relive the magic of Disney when you aren’t in the park anymore. For me they can be a great pick me up when I am in need of cheering up, remembering all the good times and adventures that I had in the parks (of course, they can also serve to bring me down because I’m not in the parks at the moment!). They are also great ways to preserve days of Disney gone by, letting us fire up our Wayback Machine and visiting things from Disney that no longer exist.

photos

A fantastic way to mix the Wayback Machine and using photos of the park as great Disney memories?

A little strategic planning, of course.

Find a photo spot in Disney, and each trip you go there (even if your visits are years apart!), take a picture of you and your loved ones in that same spot! After a few visits you’ll have a nice chronology of images that not only takes you on a great walk down memory lane, but also serves as a look at how the Disney Parks have changed over the years.

Perhaps the most obvious spots are the park landmarks: Cinderella’s Castle in the Magic Kingdom, Spaceship Earth in Epcot Centre, the Chinese Theater (or newer, Mickey’s Hat) at the Hollywood Studios, or the Tree of Life at Animal Kingdom. But you can also come up with some unique spots as well, because Disney always has some great places for pictures!

Some of my own favourite places include the Adventureland bridge, in front of Spaceship Earth, or my absolute favourite… a picture of me with Mickey. Not only do I change in the pictures as I get older, but Mickey’s sense of style changes with time as well (he’s such a stylish guy, eh?).

photos2

A tradition KP and I started when we worked at Disney World, and our subsequent visit to Disneyland, was to get a picture of the two of us in front of the Haunted Mansion, since it is one of our all time favourite attractions. In our trip to Disneyland we also started a new tradition with our friend C – can you tell what movie we borrowed the idea from?

photo3

(If you guessed High School Musical, then you must be as big as Disney Geeks as we are. Congrats!)

Now I realise in my last post I say to be flexible, so do keep that in mind when planning, because you never know what great snaps you might get by being open!!

Happy picture taking!

Indiana Jones or Fantasmic?

Published by Andy, on April 15, 2010 in Disneyland. 1 Comment Tags: , , , .

When asked what the best thing about the parks is, the obvious answer is probably “attractions!” The attractions make up a large part of what makes Disney great, because when Disney does something they give it 150% percent. This isn’t your hometown amusement park, Disney is pretty much “theme” park to a T.

Attractions, however, is a catchall term for the things that really attract people to the park – rides, shows, fireworks, concerts. In Disney’s case, one could even say the restaurants, shops, and generally everything there should be considered and attraction (but that’s a discussion for another time).

While KP and I both love Disney attractions, what part of attractions that we like tends to differ. Don’t get me wrong, we love everything there. But the two of us have our preferences… things that top our list of stuff we just gotta do when we’re there!

For KP that would be the shows and fireworks. Many an hour was spent sitting and scoping out a good spot to watch various shows, or showing up early to get a good seat in the theater. I do vividly recall sitting about two hours on frigid concrete to get the prime seating to see the second show of Fantasmic. I even recall as we were buying some Mickey Ice Cream bars from one of the carts just in New Orleans Square that KP and our friend C refused to watch the first show of Fantasmic because they didn’t want to spoil it, and the view where we were wasn’t that great. I on the other hand had no problem watching as the chimney sweeps danced away at the top of the riverboat – and unfortunately for the girls, the chimney sweeps didn’t make an appearance at the second show.

Mickey kicks off Fantasmic!

Mickey kicks off Fantasmic!

Now I like seeing a show or the fireworks as much as the next person, but at the end of that night I was chilled through to the bone. Sitting around all that extra time to see a show when I could be doing or seeing something else in the parks isn’t my cup of tea.

Myself on the other hand, I prefer the rides. Disney does ride theming to the max, and it doesn’t matter if it’s a classic dark ride, a kiddy ride, or an E-ticket ride – I love ‘em. I will try to ride my favourite ones as many times as possible. I probably drive KP nuts with wanting to go on the same things over and over again – can you say riding Indiana Jones and the Temple of the Forbidden Eye a bajillion times in a 5-day trip? Oh yeah, I love it! But after the third… fourth… fifth time, there are other things we could be doing and seeing.

So what do we do when we go to the parks together?

Ah the beauty of compromise.

I sit on cold concrete for several hours, and KP rides the same thing a bajillion times. Sometimes we split up and go our own ways (particularly when KP wants to stand in a three hour plus lineup for the Princesses… sorry KP, but the call of Space Mountain was strong!). Most of the time though, we take turns deciding what to do.

“Okay, we’ll go and grab Fast Passes for Indiana Jones…”

“And then go grab great spots for the Parade of Dreams, and by the time it’s over…”

“Our return time for Indy will have come up!”

Andy and C waiting for the Parade of Dreams.

Andy and C waiting for the Parade of Dreams.

And yeah, I could have ridden Indiana Jones one extra time, and maybe KP could have gotten an even better spot along the parade route…

But if we hadn’t ridden Indy so many times, would we have made a game out of figuring out what the symbols on the walls meant (without using the key)? Or if we didn’t go so early to see the fireworks so early, would we have had such a riot freezing our butts off, taking turns to dash through the park to have hot food, and taken in the beautiful lights on Sleeping Beauty’s Castle?

Script on the queue walls at Indiana Jones.

Script on the queue walls at Indiana Jones.

Probably not. We would have missed some of that magic if we hadn’t compromised.

So remember, even if you go to the parks with a set plan in mind… make sure you’re flexible and try to compromise. Because you never know what you might miss.

For Everyone Who Wants to Dance Like a Princess

Published by KP, on March 30, 2010 in Disneyland. 0 Comments Tags: .

Located in Fantasyland, is a place called Princess Fantasy Faire. Here you can listen to stories told by Princesses, meet them and yes, dance with them.

On our recent trip to Disneyland I insisted that we attend the Royal Coronation Ceremony where Andy and I would learn the finer points of how to become a Princess. Not sure if it worked, but none the less here is video of the dance we were taught! Enjoy:)

Main Street Surprise

Published by Andy, on March 23, 2010 in Disneyland and Media Monday. 0 Comments Tags: , , , .

While on our last trip to Disneyland, KP, our friend Carol, and I were wandering down Main Street, and around the hub, when we caught refrains of our favourite tunes on the air. People were started to gather and our curiosity got the best of us: we wanted to find out what was going on! Then to our surprise, through the gate under Sleepy Beauty’s Castle, came the Disneyland Band! They were joined by some Disney character’s as well, who danced along to the tunes. They played for a good ten minutes, before marching on down Main Street, to do another performance by the firehouse.

Talk about a pleasant surprise!

Here’s a clip I took, enjoy!

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