Tours Departing Daily

For your consideration.

Please check out toursdepartingdaily.com. This website provides stunning HDR images from Disneyland. Those who might follow my albums on Facebook and Flikr might understand why I like this site. He not only gets spectacular shots of the big attractions, but also finds the quiet and overlooked details which Disney places in the parks so well.

Happy Birthday Disneyland

Happy 55th Birthday to Disneyland.



I like to think this is what Walt saw as he toured the park in the morning, empty, quiet, and ready to create magic.

“To all who come to this happy place; welcome. Disneyland is your land. Here age relives fond memories of the past...and here youth may savor the challenge and promise of the future. Disneyland is dedicated to the ideals, the dreams and the hard facts that have created America...with the hope that it will be a source of joy and inspiration to all the world.”

"Disneyland will never be completed. It will continue to grow as long as there is imagination left in the world."

- Walt Disney

A Pirate's Life For Me

I don't know why, but I think Pirates of the Caribbean remains my favorite Disneyland ride. There's something about the ride itself that I can't quite describe.

I remember in college walking to class one day. The gutters along the road were filled with water, and I couldn't help but think about riding Pirates the following week. Yeah, I've got it bad.

It's just too bad my daughter refuses to ride it.

A Day at Disneyland

We went to Disneyland for the day yesterday. We made it only onto five rides/attractions, but with only six hours to be there, we did what we could and just enjoyed being there.

After accidentally leaving our stroller in Phoenix, we made an emergency stop at the Target at Harbor and Chapman. We considered renting a stroller at the park, but figured it would be less expensive to buy a cheap umbrella stroller that's much less bulky than our regular one.
Despite the crowds, there was no wait for a tram from the Mickey and Friends structure, nor at security or the main gate.



We hopped onto the Ward Kimball at Main Street and rode to Tomorrowland, where we got fastpasses for Buzz Lightyear and caught Captain EO. I really liked the floor moving in time to the music, although I was disappointed they didn't have any purple 3D glasses.

After EO, we went back to the Tomorrowland station and rode to New Orleans Square and had lunch at the Hungry Bear Restaurant. My Bacon Cheeseburger was frigid by the time it was served (I really need to suck it up and get lunch at the Blue Bayou one of these days).



We had a 20 minute wait for the Haunted Mansion. Leota's head, which wasn't floating during our last ride in February, still remained stationary.

Thought we'd try Pirates, but it had a long wait, so we took the kids to the Tiki Room. I don't watch the show anymore, I've started watching people as they watch the show - with humorous results!

We redeemed our Buzz Lightyear fastpasses, and I got my highest score yet - level 5 (thanks to the attraction coming to a full stop twice - although outside of the range of diamond targets.



After Buzz, we caught a Billy Hill show. I was surprised to learn the show's been shorted to add an additional set. While I really like Billy Hill, I was expecting a full show and was disappointed to not see Puddle Prance or the Devil Went Down to Georgia.

We took Big Thunder Trail to Fantasyland to check out the line for the teacups and Small World, which were both beyond our desire for waiting in line. We wandered into Toontown, where my wife came across a family friend from Utah she hadn't seen in over ten years.

In Toontown, we walked through Mickey's house, but opted not to wait for a picture, it was getting to be time to head back to the airport.

While my description may sound rushed, we really just took our time today enjoying the small details that really make the park fun. As a kid, I would go to the park once every two or three years. Since having an annual pass off and on over the past six years, I've gone from having to get on every ride come hell or high water, to today's experience, which was very mellow, despite the crowds. I paused to listen to the band performing at the French Market. I took the time to photograph a waterfall I hadn't noticed before on Big Thunder Mountain.



I sat back and relaxed on the train, not worried about where we were going to get off. For the first time, I really started to people watch, and to see someone enjoying an attraction for the first time. While I didn't get to do everything I wanted to do, I still enjoyed myself, and so did my family.



Well, almost. My daughter really wanted to ride Soarin', but we didn't make it over to DCA.

That dog is never going to move . . .

Had a hankering to watch "Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl" today. I don't know what sparked that idea. It may have had something to do with the fact that Adrian and I sat down the other day and watched a ride through of the attraction on iTunes, or if I heard a ride through on a podcast, or if I am just getting antsy for the next installment in the movie series.

But I got home real late and watched American Idol instead.

Podcasting

I was given an ipod in mid-October. I uploaded all of my CDs to my computer and enjoyed an eclectic mix of music for the first month and a half. In late November, I realized I now had an excuse to listen to podcasts - and learned how to upload a show a friend of mine has been making for the past few years. As I dipped my toe into the world of podcasting, I did a search in iTunes for "Disney," and for some reason I'm still not sure of, added Window to the Magic as my second podcast.

Window to the Magic has been a game changer for me. For anyone who remotely enjoys visiting the Disney theme parks, this show is for you. While there is some discussion at times of news, the show, for the most part, is dedicated to bringing the in park experience to your ipod. From ride throughs of attractions, to listening to the bands which perform, to in depth shows about the history of rides such as Pirates of the Caribbean and Star Tours - this podcast has it all. I can't recommend it enough, and I can honestly say you're gonna love it.

I've since been adding podcasts like crazy. I came across The Mortis Matinee, a podcast which gathers a family together to watch a Disney film, then each member of the family has an opportunity to share their own review. I recently responded to a request for reviews of 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, and my email was read during the show.

I'm actually starting to wonder if I could put together a podcast, but I have no idea what it should be about. I really don't want to be derivative of anyone else, but it seems like a great outlet.

Short Disneyland Trip

I know a few of my relatives and in-laws get tired of how often we go to Disneyland. Actually, we haven't been since May, due to money issues and problems with my herniated disc. At almost the last moment, we decided to go, and I'm glad we went. Not only did we get a really good discount on a car rental, but we also had a wonderful time together as a family.


McKenna got three new experiences on this trip. On Saturday, before we left home, we measured her height - she was pretty darn close to 40 inches tall with her shoes on. Once we had an opportunity to check at the park, she came in right at 40 and she got to ride Big Thunder Mountain and Star Tours with me. And even though she has seen Fantasmic a few times on You Tube, there's nothing better than seeing it in person.


In all, we had a great time. We usually spend a lot of time together, rarely do Haily or I do anything without involving the kids, but it's sure a neat feeling to find yourself flying in an elephant, or sailing over Neverland with your child beside you.

One of our "must do" activities is to watch the "Billy Hill and the Hillbillies" show at the Golden Horseshoe Saloon. These four brothers, each named Billy Hill, put on a bluegrass show that touches almost every muscial genre from Elvis, to the Beatles, to Country and Disco (They call that style Crisco) and Country meets Rap (no name for that style yet). They always put on a good show, and I've yet to be disappointed.

Special thanks go out to Karen and Charles for hosting us for the night, and extra thanks also go out to Bryan and Jamie who helped us out with an issue after we got home.

Disneyland Dream

This video was recently announced as an addition to the Library of Congress as part of the National Film Registry. It's a home video of a family who won a trip to visit Disneyland in 1956, shortly after the opening of the park. It's a great window to a world that I'm too young to have known. The video follows the family from submitting their entries to the contest, their TWA flight to California, and video of Knott's Berry Farm, Hollywood, Universal Studios, Catalina, and of course, Disneyland.

My Disneyland substitute

Check out this video: Disneyland: Its Alright

Duck and Cover

For Disneyland's Fiftieth birthday, several "hidden mickeys" have been created, and placed throughout the park. Hidden Mickey hunting has become a highlight of visiting any Disney park. But I say it's time to fight the power, let others be heard. Let the Duck be heard! Props to Adrian (see link on the right) for this image he probably has forgotten about.