DitP "Ultra-Generic" Perspective: Star Tours 2.0

Greatest. Signage. Ever.

We refuse to hide our infatuation for Star Wars and our excitement for the opening of Star Tours* any longer!  Okay, if you read our blog at all you should know by now there are two things we always refuse to hide our enthusiasm for: The Park and Star Wars.  Put the two together and we're as giddy as a couple of school-girls picking out our Prom dresses!  Have we said too much?

Fortunately for us (and our bucket list!), we were blessed (yes, we said blessed!) to have been invited out to The Park to ride the new iteration of this classic Disney attraction last Monday by some wonderful Cast Member friends of ours.  We'd never had the opportunity to do anything like that before so we were truly thankful to be given the opportunity to say that we were among the first to be able to check out one of the most highly anticipated attraction openings we've ever had.

Even though the attraction has already opened up at "The World" and everyone and their brother knows pretty much everything there is to know about the attraction at this point, we refuse to post spoilers!  What follows are our first impressions of the attraction, spoiler-free (we hope!), so that anyone looking for a "quick-view" of the attraction and our own personal thoughts on it can get them without having anything spoiled for them.  As a blog, we have refused to watch any video or listen to any audio from the attraction so as not to "spoil" it for ourselves on future rides, and we certainly don't want to spoil it for anyone else, either.  If you're looking for a "blow-by-blow" recount of everything here, this unfortunately isn't the place for it.  However, if you're interested in our personal thoughts on it, then read on intrepid space-travelers!

• Even though the machines were covered up at the time we rode it, Fastpass distribution is definitely going to be your friend on this one in the early stages of its opening.  The lines seemed to move fairly quickly, and did this weekend during soft openings, but they were regularly anywhere from 30 minutes to 1 1/2 hours, and fluctuating all in-between.  Definitely one you might want to pick up a Pass for, wait in line to ride, and then hope right back on again.

Salvation!

• C-3PO and R2-D2 aside, who reside in their regular places alongside the ever-present Star Tours speeder, what we've dubbed the "outer-queue" is absolutely amazing we think.  The "Departures and Arrivals" Screen is still where it always has been, but has been amped up substantially and is now in HD, constantly cycling through all kinds of movie and destination footage.  Definitely worth keeping your eyes on while you're waiting in line and moving through the queue.
• We won't give away much information about the "inner-queue" either (the area right before you get your glasses and move into the Loading Bay) other than to say that we think the Imagineers did an awesome job in here as well.  There's loads to look at and keep you occupied (keep your eyes peeled for RX-24, also known as "Rex" in here, as promised to us by the powers that be!) in this part of the queue and it will probably take you several trips through to begin to see everything.  We kind of just stood around staring with our tongues lolling out of our mouths.  Definitely a good excuse to continue riding again and again and again.
• We'll get back to the 3D glasses in a moment...
• The Loading Bay is awesome!  We can't even begin to put into words the amount of excitement we felt standing there waiting for the doors to open.  There's an awesome updated "pre-flight video" of course, which we won't talk about too much and spoil, other than to say keep your eyes peeled for a cameo or two.  If you're not squirming around like a kid on Christmas morning at this point, what the heck are you doing in line for this attraction?!
• On to the part you've all been waiting for!  A complete description of the attraction and the flight itself!  No.  Weren't you listening to us earlier?  This is spoiler-free, amigos!  But we can say that the wait has been well-worth it all around.  Having ridden it only once, we've only just begun to scratch the surface of all there is to see, but we will tell you that on our first voyage out we traveled to both Kashyyyk and Geonosis, and it was sick!!!  Sick as in good and ridiculously cool.  Believe us, when the attraction overhaul was first announced, being the purists that we are and huge fans of the classic, we were "cautiously excited" about the entire thing, knowing it would either immediately attain "classic" status itself, or be a disappointment to us.  We can safely say that, at least in our opinion, it's attained "classic" status already, and it's not even officially open at our Park yet.  That's how good we think it is.  Others might disagree, but that's our line and we're sticking to it.  And honestly, judging from the general response we've seen all over the web and other blogs, most others would agree with us.
• ... back to the glasses and the 3D-HD aspect of the show. Ah-maze-ing.  This is not your "Captain EO standard" 3D experience, and not by a long-shot.  The 3D and HD quality of the flight itself was just unbelievable and totally blew our minds.  So much detail in everything; it was just amazing.  Can't praise it highly enough.  And with so many different possibilities and variations possible in the ride, we have a feeling we'll be riding this for years to come and seeing it a new way, and a new light, for a long, long time.  And the glasses themselves?  They just looked cool.  Definitely not big and bulky like the other ones floating around The Parks; this is one state-of-the-art enhanced attraction here, and it shows!
• Our only caution and word to the wise, which apparently has already helped a few of our friends; this attraction is still the same turbulent (in some cases) attraction it has always been, especially when you're jumping into Lightspeed.  If this ride has given you issues in the past, it is certainly apt to do so now.  Us?  We'd be content to ride it and throw up all over the place (though our flight-mates might not appreciate that very much), but we know that many people just can't do it.  We throw this out there only as a precaution.  Even Chad felt a little nausea when we rode it.  Nothing severe, but it was definitely there and he's usually able to handle quite a bit.  It's not meant to dissuade anyone from riding based on the attraction itself, but we'd hate for our readers to do something they might not physically be fit to do.  Proceed with caution if you fall into this category.

Finally! A place to park our strollers AND our landspeeders!

Have we convinced you that we like it yet?  Have you had a chance to ride the new Star Tours attraction yet, either at Disneyland or Disney World?  Let us know what you thought, but keep it spoiler-free for our readers at least.  We'd love to hear from you and hear our reader's opinions.  Is it as great as we think it is?  We guess we'll just have to ride it at least 53 more times to find out.  May The Force and the dramamine be with us.

*Star Tours: The Adventure Continues is currently open at Walt Disney World and officially opens at the Disneyland Resort on June 3rd.

To Infinity and Beyond! (Or Until The Attraction's Over)

From the moment you first step into line for Buzz Lightyear Astro Blasters, the competitive tension in the air is palpable as you find yourself wondering who will be the top scorer in your group.  In fact, every time we ride this attraction we usually have to say to one another, "Alright.  It's just for fun, this is not a contest", to calm ourselves down and try to keep it friendly.  And most of the time, the "this is just for fun" statement holds true.  But yes, loyal readers, even we love to compete every once and a while.  "So how does it usually conclude," you may ask.  Well, to be honest, we don't know.  It's one of those attractions you could ride 1000 times, and every time be different.  But, that doesn't mean we don't have any great stories to tell you.

Buzz Lightyear Astro Blasters is basically a moving "shooting gallery", loosely based on plot, with lasers.  Makes complete sense, right?  Apparently, the evil Emperor Zurg (sworn enemy of the Galactic Alliance, of course) has hatched a plot to rob the galaxy of its all-important Double-A battery supply for his own nefarious purposes, and it's up to you to stop him!

Buzz Lightyear is one of our favorite attractions in The Park.  The queue is extremely well done; lots to see here including a bunch of Hidden Mickeys, pictures of Zurg and the Little Green Men, and a huge audio-animatronic Buzz Lightyear who breaks down for you exactly what is going on and what your mission is.  Once done with the queue, it's time to board for your own brand of galactic butt-kicking.  From the second we sit down in our XP-40 Star Cruiser (yes, the cars do have names) with our blasters at the ready, all galactic chaos breaks loose.  Not with each other of course, but with our blasters as we try to figure out just how off target they are this time!  We usually completely waste the first room just on this task alone, not to mention doing a whole lot of laughing and complaining.  Once we have them set we take aim and the fingers start flying, or pulling, or whatever.

As your cruiser takes you through the various rooms on the ride, your goal is probably exactly what you think it is: shoot as many targets as you can from the beginning to the end of the ride and the person with the highest score at the end wins.  And you'd be right!  Every room is littered with targets (circles, squares, triangles and diamonds) and it's your goal to plug as many of them as you can.  Even Zurg himself makes several appearances, so if it's your lifelong dream to take a shot or two at him, well now's your chance!  Targets are all over and your left and right, so you have plenty to choose from, and your Cruiser comes equipped with a joystick you can use to turn your vehicle either direction as you choose the targets you want to go after.  Either that, or you can just spin the Cruiser round and round repeatedly until you feel sick and nauseated.  Whee!  Repeated trips definitely help you know where the better targets are, though, and this is one attraction you'll definitely want to make repeated trips onto.

Another of the attraction bits we'd love to mention is the photo-op.  This is a fun little spot for a crazy pose.  So where is it?  Well, the second you leave the lightspeed tunnel (near the last room with Zurg), look up and smile!  It's an especially fun room to take advantage if you're like us and you have low scores, because at least you can get a funny picture out of it. 

When we finally enter the last room we like to check our scores.  If Mark is winning, Chad usually says, "Great job!"  If Chad is coming out on top, Mark usually starts spinning the vehicle (see the difference there?).  Oh, and just to let you know, this is a great way to mess with your opponents.  If you're opponent seems to be pulling away score-wise, give the ole XP-40 a few good spins and see what happens.  We're definitely not opposed to using whatever leverage we can to win.  It's all part of the game, right?

Once off the ride we like to see how goofy our picture came out, or how serious it is.  It's still somewhat goofy even then; by the looks on our faces you'd think we were professional soliders on a mission for the government with our trusty blasters at the ready.  Luckily the Park is awesome, and they allow you to send your "Star Command" photo to your personal email, so you can see it when you get home and laugh at yourselves (and your horrid score) for months to come.

Being the hardcore gamers that we are, and being the Park fanatics we are as well, this is one attraction that lives in hearts and our trigger-fingers.  It comes highly recommended.

Mark calls 'Shenanigans'!

A few tricks of the trade:

We won't give away all of our secrets (what fun would that be?!) but there are a few tips we can give you that might help up your scores somewhat.  They're not really secret (people just tend to not pay attention to them) so we feel pretty safe doing so.  And really, what do we know?  Did you see those wretched scores above?

• Every 10th trigger pull will garner you 100 points whether you hit a target or not, so keep pulling!
• Triangles and Diamonds are your friend!  Circles and Squares not so much.  Each target has a base score with Circles having the lowest, and Diamonds having the highest.  These are the ones you should be aiming for.
• Lit targets are really your friend!  If you manage to hit a lit target, the base score of the target is multiplied and will continue to give you the multiplied score until you miss.  So if you hit one, keep pulling!  Those really high scores you see?  Yeah, that's how they do it, along with...
• ...knowing where the secret targets are.  Yes, they do exist.  Experiment and see what you can come up with.
• Talk to other people in the queue.  We enjoy sharing with others while we're in line, and you never know what others might share with you.  We remember one particular time a husband and wife were standing behind us, and he was trash-talking her big time.  Apparently she had never beaten him.  She snuck up behind us at one point and asked us if we had ridden before and if we had any tips for her.  We told her exactly what we've just told you, and who do you think won?  Do the words, "She smoked him like a Christmas ham" mean anything to you?  She left happy, he left sad.  See what fun this is?
• Just have fun.  It's a game, and it's supposed to be fun.  Ride again and again as often as you'd like, and just have fun.

Are you a fan of Buzz?  What are some of your best scores?  We'd love to hear from you!

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Our Jungle Cruise: A Three Hour Tour

December, 2010 was a very interesting month for a lot of reasons.  We've said it before but it bears saying again; it rained, a lot.  In fact, out of all the times we were in Park during the month, we left unscathed by some form of precipitation only once or twice.

One such time the rain, rain, rain came down, down, down was on the 17th.  It was a shopping day for us (love shopping at The Park for Christmas) and we were waiting for Amy to show up for our lunch reservations at Cafe Orleans; Monte-Cristo and Parmesan Garlic Pomme Frites for the win!

We didn't really have enough time to ride one of the larger attractions before she showed up, and with a half hour or so to kill before she showed up were wandering in The Adventureland Bazaar looking for something to do.  Rain?  Nothing to do?  What geniuses came up with riding The Jungle Cruise?  Why, us, of course!

Our boat, the "Yangtze Lotus" which means "You will get stuck at the backside of water"

Did we mention that December '10 was also a good month for getting stuck on attractions for us?  Consider it mentioned.  Luckily for us, though, Mark had his handy journal* with him and was able to jot a few notes down for our amusement. 

Luckily we're never without pen and paper...

Was it an awful experience?  In all honesty, it was quite enjoyable.  Rain not withstanding, our skipper was a bonnie lass who kept us enthralled with jokes, songs and general frivolity.  We were pretty impressed.  We know they're trained to do as much, but after a half hour or so of sitting there staring at water, you'd think there would only be so much to say.  Boy, did she prove us wrong!

Poor fools.  Little do they realize they will be saved and then it will be OUR turn to sit there.

 

Like so many other things during December when it was raining in The Park, we had a choice to make.  Sink or swim.  We chose to swim (almost literally), and honestly had a great time doing so.

We end this story with one final admonition.  Remember, it's not The Park's fault for the weather.  They just haven't finished the plans for their giant dome yet.

We like to remember how hard the rain was falling.  It's a good reminder never to do this again.

*Obviously, Mark had no journal with him on our cruise.  But through the magic of computers and some handy photoshopping, we've made it seem so.  Fooled you, huh?

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DitP Perspective: Candlelight Processional 2010

The stage is set for the 2010 Candlelight Processional

Written by Amy Naluai

One my favorite holiday traditions is Disneyland's annual Candlelight Processional.  Candlelight is always held on the first weekend in December, with two shows on Saturday night and two shows on Sunday night.  It begins with a procession of choir members dressed in an assortment of different colored choir robes and holding candles (albeit battery operated ones) as they make their way down the parade route from It's a Small World to Main Street and Town Square.  Upon reaching Town Square the choir members fill the stage behind a beautiful orchestra, with members of the Cast Member Choir forming a living Christmas tree.

About an hour before showtime, final stage preparations are made

A celebrity guest narrator is introduced to tell the story of Christmas as written in the book of Luke from the Bible.  Throughout the story the narrator pauses and the choir sings Christmas carols with the help of the live musicians, including the spectacular fanfare trumpeters, a hand bell choir, and a pair of professional singers brought in to sing a duet for one of the songs.  The songs performed are:  "Sing Praise To Him Our Lord", "The First Noel", "Candlelight Carol", "He Is Born", "Angels We Have Heard On High", "What Child Is This?", "We Three Kings", "Sing Noel", "Joy To The World", and "Peace, Peace" with "Silent Night".  The final song the choirs sing is "Hallelujah!" from Handel's Messiah.  To say that it's a perfect ending to a powerful, emotional, and beautiful evening is an understatement.  You can't walk away from Candlelight without being filled from head to toe with Christmas cheer.

The crowd begins forming for the Candlelight Processional around Town Square

From what I've been able to gather, the history of Candlelight dates back to Disneyland's earliest days with the first Candlelight Processional held in 1955.  It started as a Choir Festival with individual choirs performing under a gazebo near the The Jungle Cruise.  For the next few years the ceremony consisted of participating choirs who performed around the hub facing the choir director.  By 1960, Candlelight had grown to 800 singers who followed the Christmas parades.  Finally, in 1961, a narrator was added to the ceremony to bring us the show we know and love today.  Past Disneyland narrators include Cary Grant, Gregory Peck, John Wayne, James Earl Jones, Mary Hart, Edward James Olmos, Mickey Rooney, Dick Van Dyke, John Stamos, Marie Osmond, and David Ogden Stiers, just to name a few.

This year it was announced that Tom Skerritt (Alien, Picket Fences, Steel Magnolias, Top Gun) would be the guest narrator.  For me, the narrator is just an added perk.  I would go no matter what, but the fact that Steel Magnolias is one of my favorite movies made this year even more exciting.  So after consulting my schedule, it was decided that Sunday's 5:30 performance would be the best fit.  We made sure we made it into Disneyland well before the last Christmas Fantasy parade so that we could stake out a spot in Town Square.  We had a pretty descent spot and prepared to wait about 4 hours for the magic to begin.

But as they say, into every life a little rain must fall.  And such was the case on Sunday, December 5th, 2010.  Unfortunately for Candlelight goers, rain caused the cancellation of both performances on Sunday, which meant no Candlelight for us!  To say that we were disappointed is quite an understatement, and the rest of our evening could have very well become a negative experience.  But the truth is that there are times when your Day In The Park won't go quite the way that you planned; a ride could close down, a parade could be canceled, bad weather happens, and we are left to either let that ruin our day, or adopt a more positive approach and "roll with the punches" so to speak, and make the best of what happens.

Hundreds of adoring fans are gathered just prior to finding out about the cancellation

So that's what we chose to do.  We decided to go grab dinner instead, which of course everyone else decided to do at that point in time as well.  But the longer line and the rain made our delicious meal in the warm, dry Plaza Inn even more enjoyable.  After dinner we were able to check out ElecTRONica, watch the TRON: Legacy sneak peak, and ride one of our favorite attractions, Tower of Terror.  And in the spirit of positivity, we got to enjoy a warm, dry bus ride back to the Toy Story Lot at the end of the night!

So, even though there are times when your Day In The Park doesn't quite go the way you had hoped and planned, there is always a sliver lining to be found if you're willing to look for it!  It's really up to you and the attitude that you choose to have.  Isn't that how it is with life in general?  Honestly, when you're at Disneyland with friends and family that you love and enjoy spending time with, that is as good a reason as any to find joy, choose happiness, and make it a great day one way or another.  And in the end, isn't that what the Candlelight is all about; joy and happiness?

May you and yours have the joy and happiness of this season within your hearts in abundance!

Already looking forward to trying again in 2011

DitP Perspective: Muppet*Vision 3D

Attraction Notes:
Opened: Originally opened in Walt Disney World in 1991, opened in Disney California Adventure in 2001
Attraction Type: 3D movie
Length of attraction: ~15:00
Age: All Ages

Note: For this being a show review, we will do our best to keep from spoiling moments of the show.  We have no intention of spoiling it for anyone who hasn't seen it, but to encourage you to.

When you think of favorite childhood characters, most people would think of a Disney one right away.  Well, unlike most people, we often thought of Kermit the Frog,  Fozzie the Bear, or Gonzo the Whatever.  To us, they often seemed more real than our own two feet.  Having the chance to watch them on their outrageous adventures across America, London, Manhattan, and yes, even the infamous Area 51, was pure joy.  Now, thanks to Disney, we get to watch them in a whole new dimension, literally!  So let's get "movin' right along" and talk about Muppet*Vision 3D.

One of the greatest things about Muppet*Vision 3D is that the "show" isn't only the movie; there are tons of things to see and look at here!

Located in the heart of the Hollywood Backlot, the Muppet*Vision 3D Theater stands tall and proud.  Well, at least until the Muppets arrive (sorry, we've been spending way too much time with Waldord and Statler lately).  As you enter the building and make your way to the pre-show lobby, make sure that you pick up your 3D glasses; otherwise, have fun squinting your eyes for the next twenty minutes or so.  For those who have received their special glasses, you wont be needing them quite yet.  Make sure you spend some time before you enter the lobby checking out the hallway leading in.  There is a ton of detail in here and lots of things to see.  Definitely worth checking out!

Before you enter Muppet Theater you will be given entertaining instructions about the rules of the theater.  This is a must see!  If you can, make sure you get to the show early to check out the room and see the pre-show.  As you can see, the pre-movie lobby is full of gags, props, and other things to look at.  In addition, the many TVs surrounding the room broadcast a special Muppet Show (that often travels from TV to TV) which is meant to keep you occupied while you wait, but which is actually pretty funny.  Some of our favorite gags out of the entire Muppet*Vision 3D experience (the 3D movie included) actually happen during this pre-show, including a very funny appearance by Rizzo the Rat disguised as a very famous mouse.  

Families watching the "pre-show" in the lobby

Referencing our favorite of ALL of the Muppet movies

They even spelled the band name right - cool!

After receiving your instructions, you will "walka walka" into Muppet Theater, but remember not to stop in the middle of the aisle because that is unpatriotic (cue Sam the Eagle).  We love the Muppet theater.  It is very well detailed and like everything else in the building, there is loads to see.  Make sure before the movie starts that you take some time to look around and take it all in.  It won't stay looking that way for long once the Muppets get a hold of it.

So, is it time to "start the music, light the lights, and meet the Muppets tonight"?  Not just yet.  Time for some final last-minute instructions from the Muppets' lab assistant, and now that everyone knows the rules it's time to put on the show.  Soon you'll hear the melodious sounds of a penguin orchestra.  Why penguins, you might ask?  Beats us, "must have taken the job for the halibut".  And as the curtains rise, we get our first glimpse of the 3D Muppet world.

Muppet Theater just before the beginning of the show

Now we promised we wouldn't spoil the show for anyone, so we won't give away much in terms of show details.  Let's just say the Muppets are well represented, they're up to their usual hi-jinks, and nothing goes according to plan.  And there are plenty of other things to see in addition to the movie:  Waldorf and Statler are constantly heckling the Muppets from their perch in the balcony, the aforementioned penguin orchestra is constantly in motion and doing something, and a giant Sweetums walking around just to name a few.  As a special pointer, make sure and turn your head and look behind you during the Swedish Chef portions of the show.  They actually have a Chef animatronic back there who interacts with what's going on on-screen.  We didn't notice him for the longest time, but it's pretty funny stuff. 

That said, we do need your opinion on something.  In the "grand three hour finale", a "Tribute To All Nations But Mostly America", we've noticed that some of the toy soldiers in the background seem to have forgotten to put on their pants before the show.  Are they naked, or simply wearing brown pants?  What say you?  Whatever the case may be it never fails to keep us in stitches for the remainder of the movie.

We absolutely love Muppet*Vision 3D.  More often than not, if we're strolling through the Hollywood Backlot, we inevitably find ourselves in the Muppet building.  It's just a fun experience overall, and that's exactly how it goes about presenting itself and maybe that's why enjoy it so much.  And it's good for all ages!  Other than a few loud noises (cue explosions, cannon-fire and musket-shots), which never seem to bother any children when we're in there too much, there's nothing here that the little ones shouldn't enjoy.

Highly recommended!

Quite possibly the greatest band on the planet...

DitP Music: A Musical History Of Disneyland

We wrote an article a month or so ago about the music we listened to as we are on our way out to The Park, and about how we think that our trips into The Park are very much defined by the music we hear while we are there.  We got a lot of good comments about our selection and playlist, but we've been looking for an opportunity to expand on that post for a while now, and the opportunity presented itself a couple of weeks ago when a certain item arrived in our mailbox.  But the process that got us to this point actually started way back in the beginning around the same time we wrote our original article.

Around the time we began publishing articles on Days In The Park, and around the time we began actually communicating with others on Twitter, we began to follow and be followed by Chris Reid (Twitter @CosmicReid).  At the time, my view of Disney music was still pretty narrowly tied into what I had on CD myself, what I knew from the movies and cartoons, and what I actually heard while we at The Parks; not much else.  I knew how important it is, and it was easy to say how important it is, but it was still a pretty narrow view regardless.  That is, until I started paying attention to what Chris was tweeting.  I found out that he was the proprietor of a little site himself called 'Cosmic Reid's Starlight Cafe'.  I decided to give it a look see and found out that on Mondays he was the host of a radio show on 'Magical Mouse Radio'.  Once again, my narrow view shamed me.  I had no clue that there were radio stations on the internet whose sole purpose was to bring Disney music to the masses.  And not just music from the movies, either, but honest to goodness music from The Parks; both The Land and The World.

I waited for a Monday when I knew I'd be in my bedroom (where the PC is) wrestling with laundry or some other such inane project and tuned in to see just what the show was about.  The only way I could describe it was wonderment.  Chris had me at Haunted Mansion Holiday.  I couldn't believe I was sitting in my bedroom listening to the actual ride soundtrack (you're probaby dying of laughter at me and my ignorance at this point).  I inhaled the show (and the repeat later; I wanted to hear Haunted Mansion again) and listened to 'Magical Mouse' off and on the rest of the week until the 'Starlight Cafe' came on again the next week, where Chris again floored me with the ride soundtrack/medley for my other favorite ride, Splash Mountain.  My mission was clear.  As much as I enjoyed listening to the 'Starlight' every week (and I still do whenever I can) I needed to have this music for myself.  Little did I know how easy it would be.

It still took a few weeks until I remembered I was supposed to be on the hunt.  But a couple of weeks ago I was sitting on the computer listening to a podcast (probably Tales From The Mouse House) which featured some music from California Adventure when I remembered.  I immediately pulled up my browser, went to Amazon, typed in "music from disneyland" and there it was, the first item returned:  'A Musical History of Disneyland'.  I'm not quite sure exactly what happened next, but two days later a package arrived at my door and the set was inside.  I can only assume I clicked the Buy button on the website.  I don't even remember thinking about it, but I'm sure if I had the result would have been the same. 

For anyone living in the darkness as I was, 'A Musical History of Disneyland' is a six CD set, originally released in 2005 for the 50th Anniversary celebration at Disneyland Park, that is just what it claims to be, a musical history of The Park.  Over the course of the 6-CDs the music carries you through every land in The Park, starting on Main Street and Walt's dedication of The Park all the way through Tomorrowland and Space Mountain, and is wrapped up in a neat little package on Disc 6 which contains "special" music from around The Park including Fantasmic!, the Main Street Electrical Parade (no longer there), and of course, the one that started this whole thing for me, Haunted Mansion Holiday. 

It is absolutely fantastic in its cumulative inclusion of almost everything you could want from The Park.  Want to hear Great Moments With Mr. Lincoln?  There.  The entire Enchanted Tiki Room show?  There.  The original Pirates of the Caribbean?  There.  The flippin' People Mover'?  There.  This could go on all day.  I won't give you a complete rundown of everything here, you can find a link for that here, but I can say this without hesitation:  if it's Disneyland, and you can think of it, it's probably here in some shape or form (my wife's favorite is The Country Bear Jamboree; the smile she had listening to it was priceless).  It's a whopping 8 hours of Disneyland goodness, both past and present, in digital form that you simply can't go wrong with. 

And as if that's not enough, it also includes an absolutely beautiful book that traces the musical history of The Park right alongside the CDs with tons of gorgeous pictures and writing.  It's absolutely amazing!

About the only possible "con" we could think of is that it's only Disneyland Park, and not Disney California Adventure.  Easily fixed, however, as a subsequent visit to "Off The Page" in The Hollywood Backlot yielded this little beauty:  the "Official Album of the Disneyland Resort".  Whatever gaps may have existed prior, consider them filled.  We can now listen to 'California Screamin' and 'Soarin' Over California' just as easily as anything else.  And at roughly 10 hours of music (between all 8 CDs), we figure we can easily make 20 or so trips out to The Park and rarely hear the same song twice.  Vunderbar!

I owe a huge thanks to 'Cosmic Reid's Starlight Cafe'.  It might seem a simple thing to others, but Chris' show and its music truly lit a fire in me to make these tunes a part of my own musical collection and to a large extent, my everyday life.  I couldn't be more grateful.  Sitting on my sofa and listening to the "Remember... Dreams Come True" fireworks show with my children and remembering the first time we ever saw it together is something that simply has no price-tag attached to it, and it all began with his radio show.

If you'd like to listen to the 'Cafe' yourself, you can find out all about the show (and 'Magical Mouse Radio') at the 'Cosmic Reid's Starlight Cafe' website, or follow Chris on Twitter @CosmicReid.  And you can catch his show live every Monday at 10am (PST) - 1pm (EST).

DitP Perspective: Disney Princess Fantasy Faire

Note:  Here at the DitP headquarters, most of our team is made up of guys.  As such, we had to ask ourselves, for the sake of any moms with little girls who might be in attendance, "Who wants to tackle The Princess Faire?"  Well, when we discovered that Mark had not only been there once, but a whopping four times, the decision was easy.  How's that for democracy?

I would just like to point out, before I begin, that I've never gone to The Princess Faire alone.  I've always gone with my niece.

Anyone who goes to The Park with a little girl knows that they will, at some point, want to see a Princess.  As a result, much of your day can often be spent looking for one of those Princesses, who always seem to be residing in another area of The Park.  Either that, or they're closing up their lines just as you walk up.  

Well, a few years ago, someone finally had the good sense to bring all the Princesses together under one roof.  And just where is this enchanted place, you may ask?  Well, if you head through magical gates of Sleeping Beauty Castle (or around either side of it; either way would work) and head towards the back of Fantasyland, there you'll find the Disney Princess Fantasy Faire right across the way from It's a Small World.

Now, what does this Faire offer, exactly?  

First, as you walk through the Faire, you'll be treated to meeting three random Princesses.  You never know who you're gonna get; much like Vinylmation.  But even though it is random, your daughters (or sons; even boys love the Princesses) will be very happy.  Some of the Princesses that might be at your picture taking disposal are:  Snow White, Cinderella, Aurora, Mulan, Belle, Pocahontas and Jasmine (per Disneyland.com).  If you're a parent who loves to take a bazillion pictures of their child, then the scenery is just right for you.  In fact, the entire Princess Faire has amazing scenery that any photographer would love to be able to utilize in any of their photos, but especially photos in which their own children are involved.   

Second, with a little luck and some magical pixie dust, you just might have the opportunity to join one of the three random Princesses in a ribbon dance (I'm starting to believe that everything over there is random) or listen to a story narrated by a Princess herself.  Story time is more of a relaxing part for both parents and children, as you listen to a random princess (see!) tell her enchanted story to you.  My niece's favorite is Snow White; she loves how perky her voice is.   

Last, but certainly not least (trust me), is the Princess Gift Shop.  Here you can decide to buy your daughter an extreme Princess make over (also available at the Bippity Boppity Boutique), or have your son transformed into a valiant knight.

So there you have it.  If you have small children who love character meets and having their picture taken, the Disney Princess Fantasy Faire might be just the place for you.  Just be sure that you have your camera and autograph book (if you have one) at the ready, because it makes the line go faster and that is always appreciated.

Enjoy!

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DitP Perspective: California Screamin'

"Are you ready screamers!?  No?  Too bad!"

Ride Notes:
Opened: Feb 8, 2001
Height: 120ft
Top Speed: ~60mph
Ride Type: Steel Coaster
Length of attraction: ~2:30
Height Requirement: 48"
Fastpass Available: Yes

With what is one of the smoothest and funnest rides around, California Screamin' is firmly planted in our hearts as one of the best, Disney or not, coasters around.  Whenever we happen to wander into Paradise Pier at Disney California Adventure, you can probably find us hurrying over to the line for Screamin'.  This is one of those attractions that always has us craving more.

California Screamin' is unique among the coasters at the Disneyland Resort, being the only one featuring an inversion.  Riders exit the dock to approach the launching point, where the Screamin' launch system (with a little help from one Neil Patrick Harris) shoots riders down the track towards the first incline, moving them from a standstill to 60mph in a mere 4 seconds.

Ready to launch?

Really hauling at this point...

While much of the attraction is your typical roller coaster fare (rises and drops, hills and inclines, curves and turns), as mentioned before, Screamin' boasts a single inversion roughly halfway through its two and half minute trek.

Screamin's lone (and thus best) upside-down moment

One of the biggest selling points of Screamin', though, and one of the reasons we like it so much is that while it may be fast, it's smooth.  Where many coasters (even steel ones) will leave you feeling like you've just gone 12 rounds with Mike Tyson when you get off (not the new Mike, but the late 80s and early 90s Mike), Screamin' never feels as though it's pushing the envelope too far.  The coaster isn't jerky at all; it's an easy ride.  We've done it so many times now we pretty much have the track memorized which makes it that much easier to lean into the turns and just let the ride do all of the work, rather than making you fight to keep your head from banging back and forth into the shoulder bars.  We've never failed to pull back into the dock at the end of the ride without a grin from ear to ear.  It's just an amazing roller coaster! 

Since its opening in 2001 (the same year as the park's opening) Screamin' has gone through numerous changes; many noticeable and others not so much.  In 2007, as part of their "Rockin' Both Parks" campaign,  Disney used a remixed version of the Red Hot Chili Peppers' "Around the World" as the soundtrack (and let's point out right now that we really want this back, please).  Next was the infamous (or infamouse) removal of Mickey's ears in 2009 where a huge Paradise Pier now resides.  Arguably our favorite change, though, and one that occurred just recently is the replacement of the original attraction announcer's voice with that of Neil Patrick Harris, which happened on November 5, 2010.

No matter the changes, we love this attraction.  Whether it's Chad's amazement with how much g-force (and speed) this big puppy has, or Mark having conversations with guests on the viewing deck, we both enjoy the thrills and fun that Screamin' has to offer.  From the moment we take off, our hands are up (sadly, for Mark, the restraint doesn't let him get them up very high) and we launch ready to rock.  We both love the way our stomachs turn at the top of the first hill (especially after eating jambalaya) and we both get worried about getting stuck going up the second one.  But perhaps the moment we can both claim as our favorite part is the "wavy" section of the coaster (the part where you go up and down repeatedly) near the end of the ride.  For this, we created a very special segment we like to call "The Running Man", which involves us pretending to be running, pumping our arms and legs up and down acting the fool.  And of course, once the exercising is done, no ride would be complete without striking our usual goofy pose for the camera, and waiting to re-enter the loading bay, clapping and hooting just like we did our very first time on the coaster.

Our enjoyment is not without disagreement, however.  One of these disagreements comes at the end of this attraction.  While making your way to the photo booth, on your left side, there is mural of a few guests (and a hidden mickey!) on the ride.  It just so happens that Mark believes that one of these happy guests happens to be none other than Spider-Man creator, Stan Lee.  Chad, on the other hand, thinks that Mark is just a bit loony to believe such a thing.  So we would like to know what you think.  Stan Lee or not?

Stan Lee!  Not Stan Lee?!

If you enjoy roller coasters at all, we just can't see how there is any way you would not like California Screamin'.  It has all of the elements that make for a great coaster: a high launch speed, height, fast speeds but a smooth ride, hills, an inversion,  and an opportunity to take a goofy picture at the end.  There's just nothing not to like.  And as can be seen, it does an excellent job of mimicking the classic boardwalk roller coasters we're all familiar with from years gone by.

California Screamin' comes with our highest recommendation.  If you're at Disney California Adventure, ride this attraction.

California Screamin' resides (waiting) in Paradise Pier

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DITP Perspective: The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror

"Hollywood, 1939.  Amid the glitz and the glitter of bustling in movie talent, tonight's story of The Twilight Zone is somewhat unique.  In tonight's episode, YOU are the star.  This elevator travels directly to... The Twilight Zone."

Ride Notes:
Opened: May 5, 2004
Height: 199 feet (just shy of FAA regulations which would require a red beacon on top)
Ride Type:  Drop Tower Thrill Ride
Height Requirement:  40"
Length of Ride:  Approx. 2 1/2 minutes 
Fastpass Available:  Yes

Intimidating?  We think so!

Tower of Terror lore states that The Hollywood Tower Hotel was once a bustling Hotel pandering to celebrities and dignitaries alike.  But on the evening of October 31, 1939 something went terribly awry.  One family (Mom, Dad, little girl complete with Mickey doll, Nanny and Bellhop), while boarding an elevator inside the Hotel, got more than they paid for when a lightning bolt struck the Hotel itself, blasting the poor occupants out of this world, and into that of The Twilight Zone.  Now, 70 years later, we are being invited into the Hotel to investigate the elevator ourselves (by none other than Rod Serling himself!).  The only question is:  Do you dare?

If there is one ride at The Park whose mere edifice is intimidating to surveying riders, it would have to be The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror.

Disney has done an absolutely amazing job of recreating the facade of a now-dilapidated Hotel that was once magnificent, cut down in the prime of its life.

Where some attractions (at least in some regards) fail to do much beyond providing generic scenery leading up to the loading dock, the Tower of Terror excels in its subject matter.  Excluding the line surrounding the building itself, once you walk inside the Hotel's door there are any number of things that will keep your eyes searching the room around you.

The Hotel's lobby is absolutely fantastic!  While strolling through you have absolutely no problem at all believing that this was indeed at one time a truly fantastic Hotel.  It's old, it has a musty appearance (even though it doesn't smell it), and cobwebs are piled high on everything.  Not to mention, Disney has gone to great lengths to truly make this a Twilight Zone attraction; the lobby is a veritable treasure room for Twilight fans, including many genuine props from the television series itself.

Once outside of the Lobby, the stellar experience continues as you are ushered into a room just outside the basement boiler room to view a "lost" episode of The Twilight Zone where Rod Serling gives a brief set up for what's coming ahead (culminating in a dark room with lightning flashes).

Finally inside the basement where your ride awaits, you continue to move through the line, steadily making your way to your assigned elevator.  What might seem like just more line, however, isn't.  Again, Disney has gone to great lengths to make even the line an experience.  Filled with tons of little detail (including more props from the show), there is always something to see here.  After dozens of rides under our belts, we still see new things each and every time we are in here.

And when all is said and done, and your bellhop has shown you into your elevator and given you your assigned seat, the real fun begins.  We won't give away any more than that, but suffice to say it's a ride that's sure to please, and sure to keep you coming back each and every time you're in The Park.

We will, however, leave you with a snapshot of Days In The Park with Michael on his first time on Tower of Terror.  If his expression is any indication, we're sure you'll love Tower just as much as we do.

A Note from Mark: 

This is probably the only ride in The Park that really intimidated me.  For anyone who knows me, I wasn't always the daredevil I am today.  I always liked to brag about how The Tower of Terror was nothing, but in reality it scared the daylights out of me.  But that was a while back,  and I'm not the scared teenager I used to be.  Thanks to some hard encouragement from my friends, I've faced my fears in The Twilight Zone and it now stands proudly as one of my favorite rides in The Park.

On this attraction,  every experience is a different one.  Not only the ride itself,  but the people on it.  Unlike many of the other attractions around the resort, Tower affords you the time and opportunity to meet many of your fellow riders.  And if you somehow manage (like we have on a couple of youth trips) to bring enough people to literally man an entire car yourselves, it's a great place to get a group picture on an attraction.

And like most attractions, everybody has a favorite part.  Mine for example would have to be the library.  Yes, it's a part of waiting in line,  but it can be one of the funniest rooms in the building (we've come across people who, on their first ride, expected the room to drop beneath them at any moment).  For most visitors though, it's the ride itself, whether it be the thrill of falling down a service elevator shaft or the opportunity to pose for the camera at the top while you're overlooking The Park.  Chad and I are certainly no exception there.

I've lost count of how many visits to The Twilight Zone we've made.  Sometimes I think we keep coming back just so we can hear Rod Serling say, "Hollywood, 1939" over and over again.  Whatever the case, there is just something about that cursed hotel that keeps bringing in guests in.

DITP Perspective: King Arthur Carousel

Average Wait Time:  5 minutes
Approximate Ride Length:  2 1/2 minutes


Round and Round it goes!  Where it stops?  I know!

This all started three years ago. 

I thought to myself, "Once a year is not enough time to enjoy the many bounties that Disneyland has to offer."  So, I purchased my first annual pass, mostly because of my niece, Christyana (nicknamed Tyana; see what we did there?).  She already had an annual pass, and wanted me to join in on the fun.  Little did I know that fun for a little girl meant trying to meet all of the princesses (each and every visit) and riding every single attraction in Fantasyland (each and every time).  

One of these happens to be Walt Disney's King Arthur Carousel.  This is one of her favorite attractions in the park,  mostly because she thinks the horses are real.

Not a huge fan of carousels to begin with, I had no idea just how much history there was on this carousel.  I now know that each of the horses, including the benches on the attraction, are all hand painted, and have names. My niece's favorite is one known as Champion. This horse is covered in diamonds, gold, and ribbons.  Pretty cool that they're all special like that!  For a while, my personal favorite was one known as Lucifer's Rose. You heard me right, Lucifer's Rose (El diablo!  - Chad).  This particularly menacing carousel horse has a rose on both sides of its head and the face of the devil on its side.  Of particular interest to all of you Mary Poppins fans, they also have one dedicated to the Disney legend Julie Andrews. This horse, named Jingles, is covered in bells, a few diamonds, and even sports Mary Poppins' umbrella. (Jingles also sports multiple "hidden mickeys" and is the "lead horse" on the carousel - Chad).

This ride is known as one of Walt's prized possessions.  We should feel blessed that he had the heart to share this attraction with us; I know I do (even though all the ride does is go around in a circle six times; trust me, I've counted). 

Every time my niece sees this attraction her face lights up,  and in that moment I'm happy that I'm the one riding with her.

You can read more about this attraction here, or speak to a Cast Member working on the attraction for more information about the various horse's names and the ride's history.

DITP Perspective: Pirates Of The Caribbean

Average Wait Time:  15 minutes

Approximate Ride Length:  15 minutes

So... You've come seeking adventure and salty old pirates, eh?

Pirates of the Caribbean has been, is, and will continue to be one of the iconic attractions at Disneyland Park.  Originally opened in 1967, Pirates was the last attraction in which Walt Disney himself had a hand in creating.  Originally envisioned as a "walk-through" attraction featuring wax figures (as opposed to today's Animatronics), the ride has gone through many revamps during the years (such as the introduction of Davy Jones and Capt. Jack Sparrow after the 'Pirates' movies became such a massive hit), but it nonetheless remains a massive hit among those who visit the Park.

If Chad and I had the chance to ride Pirates of the Caribbean every time we went to Disneyland, I think we would.  In fact, we do.  We have made it a ritual to ride it at least once every time we dare to enter the Park's gates.  Only once have we been thwarted when, while standing right in front of our boat, we were informed the ride had broken down and we would have to leave the building.  Excluding acts of God, by our best estimate, we have ridden Pirates on roughly 25-30 consecutive trips; the number may in fact be higher.

What makes Pirates so special is the experiences that you, the rider, have on the attraction, and often times in our case, the comedic experiences you have on the attraction.  Yes, there are pirates.  Yes, there are canon-balls flying and wenches to be had at auction.  And don't even get me started about the creepy guy wallowing in the mud with the pigs. But like so many things, the ride is what you make it.

For example, how about the time Chad and I unknowingly went to Disneyland on Bats Day (Goth)?  Talk about being severely under-dressed!  Making our usual trip down to the Park Chad noticed someone dressed in Goth attire.  Both of us wondered why someone would dress like that, when suddenly another one popped out, then another, and then another.  The next thing we knew, we were surrounded! Trying to blend in was quite a chore.  We were mostly successful until we rode Pirates.  The ride was going smoothly, we enjoyed it like usual,  but then we noticed we had caught up to the boat in front of us, and in the back of said boat were two Bats participants engaged in what could only be described as a very passionate embrace.  Being the jerk that I am, and believing that they had no idea we were there, I yelled out "We can see you!"  After a hearty guffaw amongst ourselves (and a few dirty looks from them) we continued on our merry rum-soaked adventure.  I would just like to go on record here as saying how mortified I was that this ever took place.  My apologies to you, young lovers.  -Chad

One of my personal favorite parts of the ride is the treasure room.  Not a time goes by where I don't pass the room, turn to Chad and ask him if he would like some cursed Aztec gold; to this day he has refused (because I've seen the movie and I know what would happen to me if I did, mate - Chad).  He's not below annoying me either, however.  Without fail, whenever we circle around to the part of the ride featuring the wenches auction, in a loud outburst he loves to scream, "Those aren't chicks.  They're dudes, I'm telling ya!"  And I stand by my assessment, other than the really hot redhead in the front - Chad

However, we are in agreement that Davy Jones makes the worst threats ever.  Every time we get lifted up the last waterfall he threatens that the next time "we won't be so lucky".  And yet here I am, after riding Pirates of the Caribbean who knows how many times, feeling just fine.  Sorry Davy, but it would seem that Captain Hook, not you, is still the terror of the seas.

If you have ridden this attraction, give yourself a pat on the back.  For those who haven't, slap yourself in the back and get yourself to Disneyland and ride it.  Pirates is one of those rides you'll remember for a lifetime.  Drink up, me hearties, YO-HO!

For myself, Pirates is one of those rides that for whatever reason, maybe the magic in the air (who knows?), never gets old or tiring.  Although it's fun to say I've ridden it on so many consecutive visits to the Park, the truth is, I WANT to ride it every time I go.  And I think that's a testament to Walt's vision, and his understanding of what people enjoy.  It's not without its flaws.  My nostrils are often assaulted in line for the ride (apparently sewage lines were non-existent at the time).  And depending on line-length, more often than not I'm forced to listen to people banging back and forth on that door (anyone who's ridden Pirates knows exactly what I'm talking about) like a bunch of 5-year olds fighting over a playground swing.  But once I swing around the dock and see the Blue Bayou (my favorite restaurant on the planet), and if I'm lucky a quick peek into the backdoor of Club 33 (a place I will likely never set foot), it's easy to let the flaws slip away and appreciate the fun that's about to happen.  It hasn't failed me yet.
-Chad

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