View From A Treehouse

This most recent visit to Disneyland was one of those rare times that we climbed up Tarzan's Treehouse. I love the views, and I also love checking out all the details, but once the crowds begin to hit the Park, I typically avoid this place like the plague. As you can see, there were some from our group that…well, avoided this attraction like the plague, and instead, waved to us from below!



This bridge is one of the reasons I do not like to be on this attraction when there are too many peeps in the Park; it makes me queasy as it sways!



Yet…as you can see, some of the views are outstanding.



And one visit to this attraction is never enough to catch all of the details.



I took the time to experiment a bit with exposure times. The results of a very slow one:



and much faster; which do you prefer?



The long exposures can produce a very cool milky effect when mixed with a waterfall-like feature:



See more Daveland vintage & current Disneyland Tarzan's Tree House photos at my main website.

Working out at The Chateau

I have become a New Year's Resolution cliché. My most recent stay at the Chateau Marmont allowed me the time I needed to jumpstart my nonexistent workout and running routine. One of the little known extras at my favorite hotel is its physical fitness facility, tucked away in what was probably designed to be an attic. The door is numbered on the outside as if it were just another guest room. Instead, you are greeted by a punching bag and water cooler. There are also two chairs and a desk with a phone, presumably for those who don't feel the need to sweat while on vacation.



I love the vaulted ceiling in here; it makes this small space look so much bigger.



Very rarely do I take my camera with me when I work out; the Chateau is the exception.



Vintage fitness photos adorn the walls:



The arches that frame the windows are another architectural favorite of mine:



I also enjoy staying here because I can get up at the crack of dawn and do my laps in a heated pool.



Naturally as I type this I am stuffing my face with Lemon Oreos. So much for my resolution!

See more Daveland Chateau Marmont gym photos at my main website.

Yo Ho Yo Ho, Pt. 2

Welcome back to pt. 2 of my January 2015 trip through the Pirates of the Caribbean attraction at Disneyland. We begin at the battle involving the Wicked Wench!



I love the smokey smell in this seemingly HUUUUUGE area. You feel like you are drifting through the middle of the ocean, with canon fire volleying overhead.



Unlike other ride throughs, I pretty much stuck to the scenery on my side of the boat, rather than frantically attempting to shoot each side. That can really get exhausting. Typically, I sit on the left side of the boat because the Wench Auction is my very favorite scene. No, I am not into the selling of women, but I do think the Red-Headed gal is a hoot and a half. She stands out against the homely maidens lined up before her.



The Auctioneer is probably one of my very favorite animatronics; his movements are so fluid and his face is the epitome of Marc Davis' style.



No donkey was visible in this tableau of three minstrels and their howling dog. Hopefully the donkey was just getting cleaned up backstage.



The Hat Thief was doing his best to balance the stack on his head; always good to see him in this attraction. Of all the figures, he seems to be absent the most.



A semi-decent shot of the hairy-legged pirate. He always brings a smile to my face.



They may be boring compared to the other scenes, but nevertheless I decided to take some shots of the collapsing structures and burning embers that are between the jail and dueling pistol scenes.





Another character that bears the hallmarks of Marc Davis' style.



It's not easy catching this pirate's pistol when it fires!



Last and in my opinion the very least…



Sure, it looks like Johnny Depp, but this scene is still a snoozer.



A closeup of the crest hanging on the back wall:



My apologies to the scenery on the RIGHT side of the boat, since it got the shaft in this post.

See more Daveland vintage & current Disneyland Pirates of the Caribbean photos at my main website…ALL 4 PAGES!

Yo ho yo ho, Pt. 1

Come join me for my gajillionth ride upon the Pirates of the Caribbean at Disneyland! It was a beautiful sunny day, as can be seen from the crow's nest of Tarzan's Treehouse, facing the exterior of the attraction building.

Here's a completely different viewpoint of the façade, looking up from the depths of the queue:



Commemorating the attraction's 30th anniversary back in 1997, this plaque/fountain has always been a favorite of mine:



Everyone now and then I attempt to update shots from my collection; it had been about 2 years since I'd taken any of the portraits in the queue. Sir Francis Verney got his refresh on this particular visit.



A group shot before we boarded our boats:



Hard to believe I had never shot this orange curtained window in the queue before:



The blue lighting of the bayou gets me every time:



The Jolly Roger is the perfect warning before the boat dips down into the audio animatronic magic of the attraction:



More of my favorite blue lighting, this time illuminating the caverns and waterfalls of the grotto:



Turning the corner I did my best for a closeup of the Marc Davis painting:



I have always wanted to crawl out of the boat to get a look at what the Captain is reading through his magnifying glass. Fortunately, good sense (what little I have) has prevented me from doing so.



I love the way the cool lighting of the grotto frames the warm gold tones of the Captain's Treasure:



Anyone care to tally up the riches on view here?



See more Daveland vintage & current Disneyland Pirates of the Caribbean photos at my main website…ALL 4 PAGES!

Big Thunder Thrills

Discovering new details at Disneyland, no matter how insignificant, typically adds a jolt of excitement for me. I was surprised to notice the back of this sign, which shows four bullet holes and a yellowed playing card. Not sure where it fits into the scheme of things, but it gave me something to do with my camera as we entered the queue for Big Thunder Mountain Railroad. Wonder what's in the box shown below?



The Panhandle Hotel is one of the few buildings in Rainbow Ridge that I cannot find a counterpart for from the original Nature's Wonderland attraction that was located in this spot before BTMRR took over.



I've always admired this one's bone structure; I think a career in modeling could be in the cards.



A few shots of the Rainbow Caverns tribute area; still couldn't get a decent shot of the bats. Drat!







I was able to capture a few of the critters along the way, like these possums hanging from the trees:



and a howling coyote:



and two snakes:



even up close, they look impressive. You can almost hear that tail rattling!



A shot of the goat through the cab is cool…



but looks even better with the frame of a tighter crop:



The explosive moment of the grand finale:



A few final shots from our mine train's rapid descent:





I wonder which one does better on Yelp; the Panhandle or the El Dorado?



See more Daveland vintage & current Disneyland Big Thunder Mountain photos at my main website.