Hello, Old Friend

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From Walt Disney World’s News release: “During ‘Long Lost Friends Week,’ lesser-known Disney characters will step into the spotlight Jan. 21-27, 2013 for meet and greets at Town Square in Magic Kingdom park at Walt Disney World Resort. Fans will have the unique chance to get up-close and personal and enjoy photo opportunities with characters that could include Clarabelle Cow, Robin Hood or The Three Little Pigs.

 

I’ve read countless stories of people, especially young adults, who have rediscovered their love for Disney after going through that adolescent phase of “Disney is not cool.” Be it the influence of peers, the loss of innocence, or just an attribute of  growing up, it seems to occur for many. While I never went through a true “dislike” of Disney, I definitely did try to distance myself from it. It just wasn’t the “cool thing” to like, and as most boys around the junior high age, I just wanted to fit in. Do I look back at those years without professing my mouse fandom with regret? No, I don’t. I don’t think I would appreciate Disney as much without the opportunity to rediscover it.

The summer before I started high school, I walked down to my local Blockbuster with a friend to rent a movie – Back to the Future 2, if I remember correctly. While in the store, browsing movies I saw The Little Mermaid on the shelf. Remembering my sister had mentioned wanting to watch it sometime, and in a rare instance of being a good little brother, I picked it up and brought it home as well. Not for me, but for her. Nonetheless, I put it in when I was home by myself, and became entranced; more than I would admit for a long time. The animation was great, the music by Ashman and Menken was just plain fun, and the story was enough to keep me interested. Buddy Hackett’s voicing of Scuttle was perfect, and still cracks me up to this day.

 

One of my favorite posters from the movie.

 

Of course, as much as I loved it, I wasn’t about to admit it to the rest of the world, much less tell the guys that I hung out with, “Hey, you really need to check out The Little Mermaid!” It still wasn’t the “cool” thing to do. So, as much as I was re-embracing the magic, it was a slow process I wasn’t sure I wanted to share with others.

Being a part of performing arts in high school was a life changing experience for me. It taught me a lot about individuality. For anyone that’s been part of a group such as choir, band, drama, dance… I’m sure you get it. There are a slew of personalities, and in the confines of those hallways, they truly emerged. It was there I learned to be willing to share my appreciation for Disney, including, yes, The Little Mermaid. Along with one other particular experience chronicled in an earlier entry, “A Thank You Note,” high school was a critical time in rediscovering my love of Disney.

Then there was the beauty of being able to go to Disneyland as a choir member. Having not been in a few years, that was an amazingly magical trip. Although it was only a day, and a day interrupted by “having” to perform, it was a day of firsts. My first time on Space Mountain, my first time on Splash Mountain (complete with a two hour wait in line), the time I truly was able to really appreciate the details in rides like Pirates of the Caribbean, and my first…churro. Oh, crispy, yet soft tasty churro. How many we ate while waiting in that two hour Splash Mountain line, I’m not sure.

Between rediscovering movies like The Little Mermaid and going back to Disneyland that year, it really was like Disney was a long lost friend, but somehow I was truly meeting them for the first time.

 

 

In many ways, every trip back to Disneyland and many of the movies I see are like seeing those old friends for the first time yet again. And I wouldn’t have it any other way.

The Golden Entertainer

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Courtesy wallyboag.com

Disney’s Press Release: Guests visiting Disney Parks in 2013 will find an extra sprinkling of pixie dust each week with “Limited Time Magic.” At DisneylandResort, those limited-time events include a special tribute to the classic “Golden Horseshoe Revue” beginning Jan. 10. “A Salute to the Golden Horseshoe Review” will play for four weeks, with shows every Thursday through Monday from January 10 through Feb. 4.  Inspired by the world-famous Frontierland show enjoyed by Walt Disney, “A Salute to the Golden Horseshoe Revue” will be an homage to those fun-filled, family-friendly musical variety shows of the past. Hosted by Miss Lily and her Saloon Girls, the show brings together favorite song and dance numbers such as “Hello, Everybody,” “A Good Man Is Hard to Find,” “Belly up to the Bar” and “Can-Can.” Guests may reserve a seat at the show by requesting a reservation at the Golden Horseshoe entrance on the date of the selected performance. Tickets for the preferred show time will be issued based on availability.

Hello, dear readers and fellow DisNerds! Few words in this post today, as I have chosen instead to let a legendary performer’s talent speak for itself.

Wally Boag, one of the stars of the Original Golden Horseshoe Revue (Along with Betty Taylor, Donald Novis, and later, Fulton Burley along with many others), was, to say the least, one of a kind. Although I was never blessed to see the man perform at the Horseshoe, I consider myself a fan of his high energy and incredibly funny style. Known for physical comedy (pratfalls, balloon animals, spitting out “teeth” after being decked by Ms. Taylor), his comedy translated well onto record as well, evidenced by the Walt Disney Records release of Slew Foot Sue’s Golden Horseshoe Revue. No matter how many times I listen, I still crack up at his delivery of “When they operated on father, they opened mother’s male.”

To my understanding, in the current tribute running at Disneyland, there is no “Boag-esque” part of the show. This is not a disservice; instead it’s a testimony to how amazing the man was in the roles he played. As well, there is another tribute to the man that has stood the test of time:

Jose, aka Herr Schmidt, who has no hair!

As I stated earlier, instead of going on about my admiration for a performer such as Wally (you can find more information on the performers life and achievements here), I’d let his work speak for itself. Not with a video from the Revue, but instead from an early appearance on the original Mickey Mouse Club. Note how he’s not “Wally Boag from The Golden Horseshoe,” but instead, “Wally Boag, the balloon man from Disneyland.” I know I wouldn’t have minded the honor of my very own Boagaloon!

Thanks for reading, and see you next week with another new “Limited Time Magic” inspired post!

(Shameless plug: Confessions of a DisNerd is now on Pinterest – feel free to follow there as well!)

I’m All Ears!

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Year Of the DisNerd, Week 1

From the Disney Parks Blog: ” We’re also excited to announce that 2013 will be the “Year of the Ear” at Disney Parks. Every month, Disney Parks will release new ear hats to add to your collection as part of “Limited Time Magic.” January will start with the limited release of Disney Couture Ear Hats. And each month, there will be fun designs to discover.”

From the first airing of the Mickey Mouse Club in 1955, I’m sure Walt knew mouse ears would be big. After all, he’d seen coonskin caps take off  the year before with Davy Crockett, and also knew the marketing power of the mouse. However, the phenomenon of mouse ear hats in the parks… well, who could’ve guessed?

Ears quickly become a must-have for fans of all ages, especially on their first trip. It was that way for me…

Vintage Mickey, and Vintage Me.

And it was the same for my daughter.

Though you can barely see them, mine say “I Never Want To Grow Up.” I stand by that statement.

Of course, it doesn’t end with children, or Mickey ears for that matter. Kids and adults alike can be seen wearing all kinds of headgear, ranging from ears, to wigs, to oversized hats throughout the park. Why? Perhaps because everyone else is doing it? Certainly not the fashion sense, although with a line of couture inspired ears, it could be possible.

I truly believe it’s because we lose our inhibitions at places like Disneyland and Walt Disney World. We walk through the turnstiles and, for the most part, embrace fantasy. We skip down Main Street, we talk to the characters as if they’re long lost friends (of course they are!), we journey with pirates, and sing along with birds and tikis as if it were an everyday occurrence.

And we don the ears, as if they are a natural extension of us within the park. Yes, we may buy a ball cap to wear at home to remind us of our trip. But for our time within the park, it’s more natural to have wild auburn hair under a top hat, dreadlocks underneath a pirate’s three-point hat, or spherical rodent ears protruding from our skulls.

Year of the ear?

As long as there’s imagination left in the world, I see many more years of ears to come.

Happy Birthday, Walt!

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Walter Elias Disney, 1901-1966

111 years ago today a man who would alter the course of entertainment was born. Though most would not be aware for quite a few more years, the effects of his influence continue to be felt to this day, some 40 plus years after his passing.

The accomplishments of Walter Elias Disney are quite numerous and can be found on many websites, books, and documentaries. They can be witnessed through animation shorts such as “Steamboat Willie” and “Flowers & Trees”, feature films such as “Snow White and the Seven Dwarves” and “Mary Poppins”, and in theme parks worldwide. His legacy is evident in the company name alone.

To many people, the adoration of the man can tend to near the point of worshipping the man; faultless and amazing at every turn. The man who believed in the power of dreams and imagination – a true hero worship. I personally find myself fascinated with him because he was human. He had many failures, financial struggles, bad ideas, could sometimes be gruff, even impersonal to many he worked with. Yet through it all, he was also a hard worker, a master storyteller, a man with outlandish and genius ideas. Yes, a dreamer with a huge imagination. But someone who was willing to work and sacrifice to make those dreams come true. Someone who would learn from his mistakes and keep moving forward. Someone who didn’t take no for an answer. That’s the man I admire and pay tribute to today.

So happy birthday, Walt. Thank you for your contributions you made to animation, film, music, theme parks, technology, and so much more. Thanks for being the man behind the magic – and for making that magic happen with hard work, determination, stubbornness, and yes, dreams.

Millions of fans, both casual and otherwise, are grateful.

As is this DisNerd.

Want To Give A Gift To My Daughter?

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Good morning, fellow DisNerds and dear readers. Today, I come forward with a different type of blog post. Although this has nothing to do with Disney, I’m hoping you still give it a read and consideration. I promise to return to my Disney infused writing after this, and won’t keep up with this type of post. However, this is a matter very near to my heart, and I feel the need to share. It’s about a gift for my daughter.
Like most 5 year old girls we know, she loves Christmas – everything to do with the holiday. The songs, the shows, the tree, the lights, the gifts… Oh does she love the gifts. What kid doesn’t? To see her eyes light up as she receives something, makes my smile even wider. But see, there’s another side to the gifts: she loves to give as well. Whether through dropping change in the Salvation Army bucket, bringing non-perishable items for a local food bank, buying gifts for Angel Tree kids at the mall… her heart is overflowing. However, the biggest gift she would like to give is not one she is able to give on her own.

This year, our church, along with many others, participated in “Operation Christmas Child.” Perhaps you’ve heard of it: people are encouraged to fill a shoe box sized box with goodies and necessities for children of a certain age group; in turn, these are delivered to kids in impoverished areas – this may be the only present that child receives. Well, upon getting our box to fill, my wife was reading the flier inside to our daughter, along with watching videos on youtube. One thing stuck out to our little girl more than anything else.

Many of these children live in villages that don’t have running water.

Since finding that out, this has come up in many conversations. “I can’t believe they don’t have running water. I wish we could give it to them. Too bad we can’t fit running water into a shoebox.” Many times, she still brings up how the most important thing to give this year would be running water. Well, the folks at World Vision may not have running water in their gift catalog, but they do have the gift option of  giving to the clean water fund. This fund goes toward providing clean wells, storage containers, piping, purifiers and more to areas of the world that don’t have the option of sanitary water like those of us here do. It may not be running water, but clean water is even more important.

Photo Copyright World Vision

So I’m here asking, would you consider giving my daughter the gift of knowing that others cared enough to make sure children in other countries had safe and sanitary water for use in their villages? You can find the information on how to donate this precious gift by clicking here. If you want, you could donate in her name (You can contact me for the info), but this is not necessary. What’s important is that you donate, and perhaps share that fact here in the comments section.

If you choose not to donate to World  Vision, would you consider donating elsewhere? Whether a few coins in a bucket, cans of soup to a food bank, or time in a homeless shelter, we all can make a difference.

Like I say, if you share, let us know! Not how much, but perhaps how or what organization you’ve chosen. Feel free to share with friends, family, other blog readers… let’s make this a season of giving!

That would be the greatest gift – not just to my little tenderhearted giving little girl, but to the world.

I truly thank you for your time on this Giving Tuesday.

Christmas In Disneyland: A Small World Holiday

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Hello, dear readers! I had planned to post this from California, but the lovely Wi-Fi situation being what it was, this just didn’t happen. That being said, now that I’m back, I have a few pictures that I look forward to sharing with you! The first group of pictures comes from one attraction in Disneyland: It’s A Small World Holiday. The decision by the powers that be at Disney to give Small World a holiday makeover is just genius. For a couple months each year, the attraction becomes all Christmased out, as guests are led on a holiday celebration around the world. The song that never seems to leave one’s head is partnered with Jingle Bells and Deck the Halls for an even more unforgettable experience, and the results are, to say the least, catchy and fun. With that much being said, I will now stop with words, and let pictures of this attraction speak for themselves.

Quick note: All of these pictures were taken with no flash, as flash photography is not allowed on the attraction. Therefore, a few of the pics may seem a little fuzzy. However, I hope to have caught enough of the spirit and essence of the ride to pass along to you, dear readers!

(To see bigger versions of the pictures, click on the pictures in this post.)

Merry Small World, Indeed.

Entering Europe!

The Mayans may have said 2012, but Small World predicts we carry on!

Prospero Ano y Felicidad!

It’s the thing to say on this bright Hawaiian Christmas day!

Can It Be?

We’ll end with a few night time shots:

Nothing quite as beautiful as Small World Holiday at night…

That will do it for this photo essay – I’ll try to have more pictures up next week! Hope everyone has a blessed Thanksgiving!

Secret Of The Wings – A Review

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(Note from a DisNerd:  I promise in any movie I review here to keep the reviews short, sweet, and spoiler free – I encourage anyone who wants to see this or any movie to make up their minds for themselves and enjoy the magic!)

Images in this post copyright The Walt Disney Company

I’ll be the first to admit, I was taken by surprise by the Tinker Bell series of movies. Somewhere along the line, I went from, “Oh look, a blue fairy…” at Pixie Hollow in Disneyland, to insisting on picking up and immediately watching the latest movie in the Disney Fairies franchise, “Secret of the Wings.” I’m sure it has something to do with a certain blue-eyed little girl, but it also has a lot to do with quality film making.

For anyone not familiar with the series, it follows Tinker Bell’s origins and her adventures among other pixies in Pixie Hollow, an apparent appendage of Neverland. Will we ever find out how she comes to meet Peter Pan and his Lost Boys? That remains to be seen, but the stories being told in this realm have been entertaining enough to keep bringing fans back. Stories of friendship, loyalty and courage – these are values that good family stories are made of.

Needless to say, expectations for this one were pretty high, and it didn’t disappoint.

In “Secret of the Wings,” we learn that unlike other pixies, winter fairies live in a separate area of Pixie Hollow: the Winter Woods, which are off limits to everyone but winter fairies (and the rest of Pixie Hollow is off limits to winter fairies as well). The reason? Apparently, the change in climates can damage their wings; if that happens, there is no cure and the fairy can never fly again.

However, this doesn’t stop the curious Tink from setting out for the Winter Woods, where she seems drawn by some mysterious force, noticing her wings appear to sparkle when she steps foot in the forbidden land. The reason her wings sparkle, she soon discovers, is because she is in the presence of the frost fairy Periwinkle – her sister, born of the same laugh. While thrilled at the prospect of having a sister and someone with so much in common, the joy is short lived; as mentioned before, it is forbidden to cross over into each others’ respective land. This doesn’t stop Tink and Peri from trying, however. Let’s just say the results are far from successful, and soon it’s up to fairies from both lands to work together and save the day. Of course there are a few more twists and turns than that, but what fun would spoiling the movie for others be?

Sisters? There were never such devoted sisters!

As I stated before, the Tinker Bell movies are a big hit in our house, as is anything to do with the realm of Neverland. This movie seemed a little slower to start than the others, but once it got going it was really quite a treat and lots of exciting fun and quite a few laughs as well. The little girl loved it. Even though there were a few heart tugging moments, including when Tink and Peri thought they would have to say goodbye forever. Sometimes it’s hard to watch those goodbyes, even for adults! However, as the fairies worked together to save Pixie Hollow, she sat on my lap with rapt attention. Afterwards she informed us she was Periwinkle – a sure sign that the movie was a hit!

If you’ve seen the other Tink movies, this one stands well with the rest. If you haven’t, it also works well on its own, but I recommend the rest as well! Mae Whitman brings a great voice personality to Tinker Bell, a character who I previously thought was best to remain voiceless. The new characters are a treat as well, and of course, the stories are great ones of courage, strength, loyalty, faith, trust, and pixie dust.

Anyone else out there fans of the Tink movies? Have you watched this one as well? What did you think? Can’t wait to hear from you!

(Disney’s Secret Of the Wings is available now on DVD and Blu-ray.)

Announcement: The Lost Safari

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Hello, dear readers! It’s with great honor and pride I make this announcement to you:

Confessions of a DisNerd is joining forces with two other blogs, Tales of a Disneyland Cast Member and Disney Park Secrets, to form a new partnership: The Lost Safari.

Special thanks to Jenny Skousen for the awesome picture!

So, what exactly is The Lost Safari?

The Lost Safari is a primarily Facebook focused group consisting of the aforementioned blogs created with the intent of having one location to share information and blog postings with our readers. By having this group, this one location, readers can join and choose to be notified via Facebook whenever one of the blogs has a new post, story, or something else we want to share with everyone.

Why was the Lost Safari Formed?

When we first started discussing the possibility of a “support group,” so to speak, our main intent was for a group of bloggers to be able to show support for each others’ writing and postings, as well as promote each others’ blogs in one place. Stated plainly, there are many sites and blogs and websites out there – many on the subject of Disney alone. We realize the individuality of each blogger, but at the same time find ourselves united in one common denominator: Our love for Disney. Through our discussions, we’ve come to realize that the blogosphere is not a place of competition. There are so many worth reading. If we can occasionally partner with each other on content and support, perhaps we can broaden our audience and share our passions with others while maintaining our own unique identities.

In doing this we promise two things:

1:To remain upbeat. If you are looking for Disney “watchdog” groups, you won’t find them in The Lost Safari. There are plenty of websites, blogs and even Twitter accounts that specialize in that sort of thing; just not us. We are, first and foremost, fans. Therefore, our views will more than likely celebrate the things we love about Disney.

2: We won’t overwhelm you with posts. The beauty of Facebook groups is that one can elect to receive notifications whenever there is a new post as opposed to relying on a news feed to show you the latest posting, which can easily be missed. This being said, we promise not to overload your notifications with multiple posts.

So, Mr. DisNerd, we know about your blog. What about the other two?

The other two blogs come highly recommended – great reading indeed! A little info on both:

Tales Of A Disneyland Cast Member

Danielle, author of Tales of a Disneyland Cast Member, worked for The Disneyland Resort at both The Grand Californian and The World Famous Jungle Cruise. Through her recollections of experience and one on one personal interactions, you’ll find yourself laughing one minute and in tears the next. Many of her stories seem to hit home with many readers, either through the magic Disney provides or similar life experiences. I highly recommend reading stories like “A Main Street Kiss” with a box of tissue.

Disney Park Secrets

Meanwhile, over at Disney Park Secrets, Austen and Jake have taken the time to set up a blog to appeal to even the most casual of Disneyland visitors. They have combined their knowledge of park information, such as history and details of rides, to give park visitors a new appreciation for what they are seeing as they go through the park, as well as things to keep an eye out for, such as finding Jabba the Hutt in Adventureland (who knew?!?). In addition, with one of the authors living locally, you’ll see newer pictures and reports of more recent experiences, such as the space shuttle Endeavour’s final flyover of Disneyland.

As for me, I’ll keep doing what I always do, covering and chronicling my love for all aspects of Disney, perhaps with more reviews and articles that focus outside of the parks. One thing will stay consistent – hopefully my love for all things Disney, i.e. my DisNerdom shines through.

I encourage anyone who is interested in following this new partnership to check out and join The Lost Safari on Facebook, as well as follow both Tales and Secrets on their individual Facebook fan pages as well. And of course, if you haven’t yet followed Confessions of a DisNerd on Facebook, I encourage you to do that also!

Thanks for taking the time to read this rather lengthy post – we all look forward to seeing what the future holds for our new partnership!

Disneyland, Sptember 2012: A Photo Essay (Part 3)

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With the first two parts of my photo essay taking place over on the Disneyland side of the resort, it’s now time to head over to California Adventure with a few pictures of their two newest areas, Buena Vista Street and Cars Land.

Of course, first, we had to stop and eat our fill at Goofy’s Kitchen. While a little up there in price, the character interactions are always awesome. We always make sure to go back for seconds in the all-you-can-eat buffet, along with desert; thus eliminating the need for lunch, making things a touch more cost effective.
Not to mention, the PB&J pizza is out of this world!

Peace out, Pinocchio!

Time to walk off our breakfast from Goofy’s and head to Disney California Adventure! So much to see, new places to discover – where o where do we start?

Luckily, we have our tour guide to check the map!

I have to say, Buena Vista Street is a great addition to the park. I love the idea of a 1920’s “Walt was here” theme. The music is great, the “citizens” roaming the street are awesome – the atmosphere is just right.

I keep wanting to call the cop “Ward” for some odd reason…

I couldn’t help feeling truly transported on Buena Vista Street. I have a friend who happens to live near the resort; one of his favorite things to do is drinking coffee and reading the latest copy of the Buena Vista Bugle in the mornings while people watching.

With views like this, I can’t say I blame him!

From one red car to the next…

See what I did there with that transition?

Cars Land is a huge home run for the folks at Disney. the detail of…well…. everything is amazing. So great to see such a welcome addition to the park! I couldn’t help but notice everything from the tiniest details like the tops of the chain stanchions in the queue for Mater’s Junkyard Jamboree….

They’re radiator caps!!! I’m amused by these little touches.

…. to the tribute to Teepee-style lodging on  Route 66 with the Cozy Cone Motel!

FYI, if you have the opportunity (and don’t mind ultra sweet stuff), I highly recommend the deliciousness that is Red’s Apple Freeze at the Cozy Cone!

Of course, the rides are awesome as well – I’m just a huge fan of being able to take in all of the touches that bring about an authentic “Disneyfied” feeling. Both new parts of the park do this well. I couldn’t help but think as we exited, that it truly lived up to the name of Disney, as well as the fun and entertainment it stands for.

Thanks again, Walt. For your dream that turned into so much more! I know so many dreamers who appreciate that!

Folks, that wraps up my photo essay of the latest trip. I look forward to bringing you more for the kickoff of the holiday season in November. Keep your eye on the blog for more stories, thoughts and views of Disney (parks and otherwise) from the eyes of a true fan. Please know that I appreciate your reading, your comments, follows, likes and shares more than you know!

Raising A DisNerd, Part 3

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This afternoon, my wife was explaining copyrights to my daughter. The little girl was talking about wanting to write “Froggy” books, based off of the popular picture book series by Jonathan London. As my wife continued to explain why we couldn’t sell our own Froggy books, the subject of Disney came up as an example.
“For example, only Disney could sell stories of Mickey, Minnie, or other Disney characters. Nobody else.”

“But, aren’t I Disney, Mommy?”

Maybe she has a point. Time to discuss her rights with Disney marketing, I guess….

 

Yup, Disney through and through…