Category Archives: DisNerd Vacations

Trips taken relating to Disney in some way, shape or size.

Disneyland, September 2012 – A Photo Essay (Part 2)

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I’d like to start this next part by stating the following: I never understood the appeal of Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique at Disneyland. Never understood, that is, until I had a little girl that was old enough to be appealed to.

Oh boy, do I understand now!

The Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique is a special experience that caters to the inner princess of every little girl. From the care of the “Fairy Godmothers in Training” to the magic mirror reveal, it’s a great way to make a little girl feel very special for a day (or two, if the hairspray and style holds)!

Who doesn’t feel like a royal princess after this experience? Our little girl sure did!

In fact, a few families with small children (and a couple grown ups as well) asked our daughter if they could get their picture taken with her. Of course, she obliged and felt like holding court to see if she could get even more visitors! Special thanks to my good friend Austen from the Disney Park Secrets blog for being part of her entourage and acting as royal guard along with another friend!

“Sure, you can have my autograph too!”

Going forward into Fantasyland, the next stop is definitely a must for multiple rides in a trip….

In a discussion with a friend the other day, we were both talking about how well classic dark rides have held up in Fantasyland. The paint schemes, the story, the music, the feeling of immersion –  you ARE part of the story; it just draws the rider in. Nowhere is this exemplified better than in Peter Pan’s Flight. The continuous 30-45 minute waits for a 2 minute ride are proof of that!

“There it is, Wendy – second start to the right and straight on ’till morning!”

Moving on to our next destination, It’s a Small World, we stop for a picture in the stationary teacup, a photo favorite of kids and adults alike… wait…it’s missing!

Hopefully it’s just getting some touch-up and will return; perhaps it has already. Any readers who frequent the park, can you confirm this?

No time to stop and cry over spilled tea… we have to journey to the rest of the world!

It is a small one, after all!

We arrived at It’s A Small World, right about the time of the Soundsational Parade. With all eyes fixed on the parade route, the line for Small World was nonexistent. Not only were we loaded onto our own boat, the boats behind us were empty!

Which gave me thoughts for a great Small World Halloween picture…..

“Sure, they go on, but nobody ever comes out…….”

Time to move from that horror into Toontown. Such a great themed land. Sure, there could stand to be a little more in the way of rides, but the detail put into this area is just amazing. From the curved architecture, the talking mailboxes and gag boxes to the little details in every house, there are so many opportunities to just admire the thought that went into it!

One of my favorite resting spots (for a parent, that meant about two minutes to be still in shade) is the area behind Donald Duck’s Boat, The S.S. Daisy. Between the shade and constantly running water, it’s quite a nice area to cool off! Which leads to one of my favorite pics of the trip – finding a bit of Adventureland in Toontown:

I’ve titled it “The Backside of Duckwater.”

With the mention of Adventureland, I’ll leave you with one more picture today; this one a bit of an observation. I often forget how awesome Adventureland looks in its theming. Even in a little area, it really does feel like you’ve been transported to a little outpost in the Jungle. The reason it gets missed so much is due to the bottlenecks that tend to happen between strollers, people walking toward New Orleans Square, and Indiana Jones riders. This past trip, with Indy closed, Adventureland became walkable again, and we were really able to enjoy the beauty:

Look! Elbow room!

Well, dear readers, that wraps up part two of my photo essay! I have one more part coming – a few pictures from California Adventure. Until then, I hope you’ve enjoyed these pictures. Feel free to share with your friends and leave any comments you may have as well! Thanks for reading!

Disneyland, September 2012: A Photo Essay (Part 1)

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Hello, dear readers! Really, it’s been too long. Having arrived back from a trip to Walt’s original Magic Kingdom last week, I thought I’d share some pictures with you via this blog. Before we begin, I would like to note a few things:

First off, I am not a professional photographer. The pictures you see here were taken either with my cell phone or our family point-and-shoot, either by myself or my lovely wife. We do not claim them to be works of art (although some of them turned out pretty cool), just pictures we felt like taking.

Second, while there may a few things we noticed this trip that may not have been there before, this is not intended to be a photo update or trip report. Just pictures I felt like sharing. You won’t see twenty five pictures of construction walls and dirt.

Lastly, I have no intention to make Confessions of a DisNerd a running commentary or “watchdog” type site. There’s plenty of those already, and you can follow lots of people on Twitter for that. I just want to have fun, and enjoy the magic of Disney – and I hope you do too.

So without further adieu, here’s the first of our pictures from our latest trip (you should be able to click on them to see bigger versions) – hope you enjoy!

 

How many of us actually wait for a Main Street vehicle to show up as opposed to jumping on because it happens to be there? My little girl loves the vehicles and was very willing to wait for the double-decker Omnibus to arrive!

 

Always love seeing this most welcome sight – the horse drawn carriages, the train station announcements, the music playing…. Main Street doesn’t need the words to say. “Welcome Home.”

 

One thing you will notice is that City Hall (as well as the fire station) was under construction. One thing I love when they do these refurbishments on Main Street is the facade covers they put in place. The details are great, and still give a feel of Main Street, U.S.A. For example….

 

If you look closely in the window of the fire station, you can’t help but notice: the light is still on for Walt!

 

One of my favorite places to visit is the gallery at the front of Main Street – I love seeing the concept art, renderings and models. Right now, the focus is on the various castles of Disney theme parks. What a beautiful exhibit to behold!

 

Le Château de la Belle au Bois Dormant from Disneyland Paris is a sight to behold, even in scale!

 

I love seeing Main Street this time of year. Before the fall decorations are put up, when it’s in all of it’s non-holiday glory. It’s second only to…

 

Christmas!?!? In September???

 

It was only on a couple buildings, so we figured there had to be something promotional going on.

 

Yep – this explains it!

 

We saw filming going on that night, or at least prep for filming. Whatever the reason, it was a prefect tease of the season coming in just a couple months!

 

Might as well enjoy the short lived holiday spirit! I must say, nothing makes you ready for Christmas on a 90+ degree day like seeing these decorations. I’m ready!

 

But, as it turns out, those few shops on Main Street weren’t the only ones ready to get in the holiday spirit!

 

Over in Pixie Hollow, things have been getting their own winter touch in preparation for the latest Tinker Bell movie, “The Secret of the Wings.”

 

Little touches, like the statues in Pixie Hollow make the wait so pleasant! Can’t help but love the details (and the music) in this area!

 

Fortunately, we happened to be among the first group of people to meet the newest pixie friend, Periwinkle!

 

Pixie Hollow is always a fun time, especially for the little ones. The fairies are always so entertaining! It helps when you’re as into the movies as we are, but on that end, they really are surprisingly good movies!

 

Well, as we’ve reached the end of Main Street and enter the realm of Fantasy, we’ve also reached the end of this entry. Look for part two to come within the next day or two – I appreciate your patience in waiting for this post and hope you’ve enjoyed!

 

Credit goes to the lovely Mrs. DisNerd for taking this awesome sunset shot – seemed like a great way to end this entry!

 

Seeing Cars Land

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Although it’s been open for a few months, we like to avoid summer months at Disneyland – the crowds are a bit much for our tastes. Therefore, this trip has been our first glimpse into the newly completed Cars Land; needless to say, it did not disappoint. By now you’ve seen countless pictures of the land, but in all honesty, pictures do not do it justice. It has to be seen to be believed! While pictures show the grand layout, there are so many little details that can be easily overlooked. For example, the tops of the posts of the chain barriers in Mater’s Junkyard Jamboree:

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They’re radiator caps!

It’s little touches like this that make Disney stand out from the crowd. Add touches like this to the land, the layout and the music, and you have a grand addition to the parks.

Not to mention, you never know who you’ll see on the streets or Radiator Springs!

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Disneyland Prep – Movie Nights: The Documentaries

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One of our “counting down to Disneyland” traditions has always been movie nights. We’ve done different things throughout the years. One year, we decided to theme our movies by lands. Tarzan, Swiss Family Robinson, and  Indiana Jones for Adventureland, Star Wars for Tomorrowland, a number of animated movies for Fantasyland…. you get the idea. We’ve even attempted to watch movies in chronological order, starting with Snow White and working up. Many times, the only criteria needed is whether the movie is Disney or at least in a Disney vein. Lately, (and my wife has been thankfully been going along with it) I’ve been in documentary mode.

One thing to know about me and my taste in movies: I’m an escapist. I don’t look for realism in my movies; I look to be entertained. There’s enough real in the world, and I’d rather have two hours of good storytelling than two hours of depressing realism followed by another two hours of deep thought.

With that being said, it’s amazing what good storytelling and entertainment Disney documentaries provide. They are among my favorite movies – not just documentaries. This week, we’ve watched two such docs – “Frank & Ollie” and “Waking Sleeping Beauty.” What great movies to bookend each other.

 

 

“Frank and Ollie” chronicles the journey of two lifelong friends who happened to be animators at the Disney studios – Frank Thomas and Ollie Johnston, two of Walt’s “Nine Old Men.” Aside from being great guys and storytellers, the two were geniuses in the animation field. To watch them describe their work, through drawing and facial expressions, you can’t help but feel in awe of the animation process: the nuances of the characters, the humanizing of non humans – it’s truly amazing. The examples given, from Baloo agonizing over telling Mowgli it’s time to go back to the man village in “The Jungle Book”, to Archimedes the owl laughing hysterically at the idea of man someday mastering flight in “The Sword in the Stone,” really make me want to play closer attention to these little sequences of animation.

Guess it’s true what was said in Brad Bird’s “The Incredibles:”

 

 

Of course, the other focus of the movie – the friendship of the two – is truly touching. These two neighbors had different interests, different ways of doing things, but there was a genuine connection between the two. Knowing this movie was made toward the end of their long and amazing lives makes the final (wordless) few minutes incredibly poignant – Frank playing a tune on the piano while Ollie rides his trains (both their lifelong passions outside of animation) – it’s just about perfect. As were their animations.

 

 

If you’ve followed my Facebook page, I’ve made it no secret that not only is “Waking Sleeping Beauty” my favorite Disney movie, but it’s at the top of my list of all time favorites. Not bad for a film that wasn’t even made by Disney (only distributed)!

WSB follows the story of Disney animation through the turbulent years of 1984-1994. These were the years that saw “The Black Cauldron” get beat out at the box office by “The Care Bears Movie,” that saw the animators get evicted from their own building, that saw a drastic overhaul of the Walt Disney studios. But this was also the era that brought us “The Little Mermaid,” “Beauty and the Beast,” “Aladdin,” and so much more. The story is told through the eyes of the animators – their successes and their failures. Ideas that worked and many that didn’t. Masterfully narrated by Don Hahn, and filled with interviews from those that were closest to the situation, including those involved in upper level power struggles (including Michael Eisner, Roy Disney and Jeffery Katzenberg) – this movie is master storytelling at its best.

Besides being informative and many times funny, the movie is a bit of a tear jerker as well. The filmmakers deftly chronicle the late Howard Ashman’s role in the resurgence of animation. Without him, one would question whether The Little Mermaid would have ever stayed afloat. Many of us knew of Howard as the other half of a songwriting team with Alan Menken; very few of us saw his creative process with the animators, the voice actors and the musicians. By the time the segment covering his passing arrives in the film, we really feel as though we’ve lost an amazing influence.

I’ve linked a bonus feature from the DVD on Howard here, but it’s nothing compared to the segment in the movie:

After I posted on Facebook, my friend and reader of the blog, Debi shared this with me:

“Feeling grateful again to my friend Craig, who turned me on to Don Hahn’s documentary, WAKING SLEEPING BEAUTY. I bet I can do an RTI enrichment class based on this movie. Just watched the “Part of Your World” recording piece. Fabulous. The piece about losing Howard Ashman is very powerful and kids will lean from and relate to that story in an important way.”

I couldn’t agree more, Debi. This movie means that much to me, too.

This post has gotten rather long winded, but I do feel it has given you, dear readers, an insight to the mind of this DisNerd. And I’ll be going to Disneyland soon, thinking of these stories as I ride rides and see shows that they have influenced – can’t wait to share that with you as well!

 

Disneyland Prep – Counting Down

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If you haven’t noticed by now, my family’s a little nuts about Disneyland. Aside from the trip itself, one of our favorite times is the time when it starts getting close enough to have “countdown” activities.

 

4…3…2…1….. Blastoff!!!

 

In the past, we’ve done advent type calendars where the kiddo can put stickers on each day as we creep closer. We’ve had Disney-themed meals from an alfredo pasta resembling  the Countdown Chicken Fusili from Redd Rockett’s Pizza Port to freshly popped popcorn served in Disney souvenir bucket. We play games – the latest being a yard sale find of “The Magic Kingdom” board game. We watch Youtube videos of rides. We listen to music – the “Musical History of Disneyland” 6 CD set is practically memorized around our house!

And of course, there are movies. Videos that range from classic Disney films and shorts to old Disneyland television specials to home movies. After the little one goes to bed, my wife and I may put in something that wouldn’t hold the little girl’s interest, like a documentary or opening day coverage (I know what you’re thinking, but our daughter is four – I’m sure she’ll appreciate it someday!).

As our next vacation is rapidly approaching, I thought over the upcoming days, I’d share Disney related activities we’ve done here on the blog. Whether it be music that catches my ear and inspires me to write about it, movies that I watch that inspire thoughts, or activities that inspire a story I think you might enjoy, I’ll share it here.

I hope you enjoy and have fun reading – if signal permits, maybe I’ll even be able to share pictures from the park once I’m there!

Until then, I ask you, fellow readers: Do you do anything special to countdown the days until your Disney trip? If so, I’d love to hear what you do in the comments below!

Happy Birthday, Disneyland!

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Welcoming words indeed.

 

57 Years ago today, Disneyland opened its gates for the first time to select (and not so select – tickets were easily duplicated!) invited guests, and the world got its first glimpse of a true phenomenon. Though the day proved to be hectic to say the least – overcrowding, freshly poured asphalt sinking high heels into Main Street, jumbled broadcasting – there was truly nothing like it, and the public, if not the critics, ate up every minute of it. What could have turned into one of the biggest follies the Disney company had ever known turned into success instead. As hard as it is to imagine in today’s information age of instant everything, this was truly a first glimpse of everything. With no internet fan sites providing inch by inch sneak photos of construction progress, criticisms and skepticism, all the public had to go off was occasional updates from the Disneyland TV show and the reputation of Disney: both the company and Walt himself.

But that was enough.

What many couldn’t fathom in their own mind was captured perfectly from Walt’s imagination and put into action in wonderful ways. Guests could fly over London with Peter Pan. Go for a spin in a teacup. Visit the old west. Pretend they were on a safari in the deepest jungles of Africa. Visit the far off future of 1986 – imagine the wonders of life by then! Relive an Americana so perfect it could only exist on Main Street, USA. This wasn’t a cheap park built off of roller coasters and ferris wheels  – it was the first true theme park.

While nothing ever ran as smooth as expected, the park only gained in popularity as time went by. Ten years later, the worldwide sensation was even more sensational, and once again, those who weren’t there gathered around their televisions to celebrate.

 

Fifty-seven years later, Disneyland is still going strong. Sure, other parks have opened, mistakes have been made along with achievements, but the magic is still there. I see it in the face of my child. I see it on the heads of full grown adults wearing hats shaped like Goofy. I hear it in the laughter and screams of someone enjoying a ride, whether it be the first or one hundred and first time for them. I feel it in my heart. I walk through the gate, and part of me is home.

So happy birthday, Disneyland. You’ve come a long way, and always have a long way to go. There’s plenty of imagination left in all of us, and can’t wait to see what the future holds for the young and young at heart.

And as always, thanks, Walt. I’ve said it before and will say it again: Some stars just refuse to fade.

The 15 Day Disneyland Challenge – Day 15!

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Note: This post is part of a 15 Day challenge with questions referring to Disneyland or Walt Disney World. For more information, or to see all 15 questions, please refer to the introductory post, The 15 Day Disneyland Challenge. As stated in that post, I am not the creator of the challenge – just a willing participant!

Day 15 – Your Favorite Castle/Park Icon

This one’s not tough at all. Nothing comes close. Not in beauty. Not in meaning. It’s not the tallest, not the biggest, not housing a ride, but a true icon: Sleeping Beauty’s Castle.

Nothing more beautiful in the park, even at night.

I’ve repeated a few times what it means to me to hear Jiminy Cricket singing “When You Wish Upon a Star” as you walk through, but it bears repeating. As you pass through, whether walking into Fantsayland or leaving the park, for that moment, if you pause and listen, you begin to truly believe your dreams WILL come true. It’s not just the song, it’s the location. You can look into a world of Fantasy or out onto the streets of yore, but either way, for just that brief moment, all is right with the world.

The castle is quaint – any bigger, and the Matterhorn would be dwarfed – the perception would be ruined. As it is, it’s perfect. It’s the obligatory picture shot. It’s the spot to see fireworks in front of. It’s the location of Lord knows how many wedding proposals. What little girl hasn’t looked upon Sleeping Beauty’s Castle, imagining it was their royal home? I know mine has. Maybe that’s the reason she never wants to leave. She doesn’t want to leave her home. And who knows? Someday it might be. After all, When You Wish Upon a Star…..

I still get misty every time I see this.

And with that, dear readers, we conclude The 15 Day Disneyland Challenge. As I have stated on the official Confessions of a Disnerd Facebook Page, I’m not going anywhere – I’m just getting started. Next week I plan sharing exactly where I see the blog going from here, as well as a fun giveaway! I’m excited to be on this Disneyfied journey with all of you!

Until then, I ask you to share: What’s your favorite icon in any of the parks?

The 15 Day Disneyland Challenge – Day 14

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Note: This post is part of a 15 Day challenge with questions referring to Disneyland or Walt Disney World. For more information, or to see all 15 questions, please refer to the introductory post, The 15 Day Disneyland Challenge. As stated in that post, I am not the creator of the challenge – just a willing participant!

Day 14: Your Favorite Place To Eat In the Park

This one is harsh – especially for a Disney foodie. There are few places I don’t like to eat in the park. I’m a fan of Redd Rockett’s Pizza Port and their shareable Count Down Chicken Fusili. The Monte Cristos in the Blue Bayou and Cafe Orleans – artery clogging goodness, along with the overall atmosphere of both spots. Village Haus in Fantasyland? Love the decor and the yodeling music that goes along with it! Skewers at the Bengal Barbecue? Yes, please! Jolly Holiday bakery? Practically perfect in every way! Corn dogs from the Little Red Wagon? Don’t mind if I do! If you were to ask my daughter, any place that sells a kids’ power pack is at the top of her list. Until someone offers to get me into Club 33, that one won’t even be an option.

So many decisions, but if I had to narrow down to one (and for the sake of this post I must)….

 

It’s Just Plain….Beautiful.

 

It only makes sense that my favorite dining spot in The Land would be in my favorite land. There’s an elegance to the place that’s quaint – not over the top or cheesy – but a true elegance. On winter nights, sitting outside beneath a space heater, watching snow fall on the hub… it’s beautiful. And of course, there’s the food. Now I’ve never had a character breakfast, so I can’t attest to that meal, but the fried chicken is superb. Many evenings the scent wafts into Tomorrowland answering the question of “Where shall we eat?” to passers by. While the prices are slightly higher (of course it IS Disneyland), the food is very shareable; in fact, I’ll be the first to admit I couldn’t finish a dish on my own!

Where’s your favorite place to eat? Is it because of the food, the atmosphere, or both? I love hearing from all of you!

 

 

The 15 Day Disneyland Challenge: Day 13

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Note: This post is part of a 15 Day challenge with questions referring to Disneyland or Walt Disney World. For more information, or to see all 15 questions, please refer to the introductory post, The 15 Day Disneyland Challenge. As stated in that post, I am not the creator of the challenge – just a willing participant!

Day 13: The thing you like to take a picture of at the parks that isn’t a character.

Honestly, there’s so much I was unsure what I should pick – until I started looking through my pictures and realized there’s one icon that is definitely used more than others: The Matterhorn. There are just so many angles to take pictures from, so many perspectives! Instead of using many words today, I’ve decided to let some of my pictures from past trips speak for themselves.

A view from the Submarine Lagoon – Only things missing are Skyway buckets!

 

The view from Alice in Wonderland – truly a wonder.

 

Almost the same spot as from Alice, only from the ground and with the Monorail!

 

Even with scaffolding on the mountain, I love to take pictures of it – this one from Pixie Hollow!

 

A view from an elephant…

 

I love how it peeks out over the top of Peter Pan’s Flight!

 

Perhaps my favorite picture I’ve taken of the mountain – love how it blends with the faux range of Pinocchio’s village yet still towers over all in its majesty.

 

And with that, I leave it to your answers – who else has a favorite thing to photograph in the parks?

 

 

 

The 15 Day Disneyland Challenge: Day 12

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Note: This post is part of a 15 Day challenge with questions referring to Disneyland or Walt Disney World. For more information, or to see all 15 questions, please refer to the introductory post, The 15 Day Disneyland Challenge. As stated in that post, I am not the creator of the challenge – just a willing participant!

Day 12: A Character You Have Always Wanted To Meet (But Never Have)

I really have met just about every character at the park that is used on a regular basis. Thanks to the opening of the Big Thunder Ranch Jamboree, I’ve even had a chance to meet Horace Horsecollar, so I can cross him off the list! If you ask my daughter, the answer would probably be Pocahontas – the only one of the ten “official” Disney Princesses she has yet to meet. Guess the colors of the wind aren’t included in The Princess Fantasy Faire. However, I do have a desire to meet a particular character. One of my all time favorites, along with Mickey, Donald and Goofy. A character that I know exists, but is almost never seen in the park with the exception of parades and garbage cans.

Give a Little Whistle!

Jiminy, you elusive cricket. Why don’t you ever come out to meet me? I’ve seen you on parade floats – I’ve heard you make appearances at private parties. Yet, no regular visits. The biggest reason I can think of is the idea, that next to Pinocchio, the supposedly miniscule cricket is a behemoth. There’s no “Cricket Hollow,” where, like Tinkerbell, it can be believed that guests are shrunk down to his size. And no, I don’t believe his popularity is big enough to warrant it. It would just be fun to get my picture taken with the fellow.

Yet, he’s in the park regardless. As stated by me so many times before, you hear his voice underneath Sleeping Beauty’s Castle convincing you that dreams come true – all it takes is the wish on the star. He guides your ride vehicle on Pinocchio’s Daring Journey, trying to be the conscience the little wooden head so desperately needs! (Look out! You’re going the wrong way!) He’s on one of many bronze statues that surround the Partners that started it all – a testament to dreams coming true. And of course, he’s there as the face of “Environmentality,” making sure we treat the earth with the respect it deserves – in this case, by throwing our plastic water bottles in properly marked containers (one of my daughter’s favorite things to do at the park, believe it or not!).

Always Let Enironmentality Be Your Guide!

He’s just not out for pictures and autographs. Maybe I’ll start wishing on a different star for that one.

Now it’s your turn! Anyone else out there have a favorite that they’ve yet to meet at the parks?