I sure miss the historic Carnation Plaza Gardens, but I have to admit that Fantasy Faire was done beautifully. At night, it looks even more magical. The interior of the Royal Theatre:
The animatronic was working beautifully.
Wanted posters for Flynn Rider from "Tangled."
And then I moved over to the Castle to enjoy the gorgeous lighting. The ostentatious 60th Anniversary decor looks better at night.
The back of the castle was still fairly unadorned during my visit.
It had been years since I'd taken a leisurely trip through the Castle Diorama and it was high time to do so.
It is very difficult to get decent photos in here, but worth the effort. The amount of time and care that went into restoring and improving it is so very appreciated here at Daveland.
Each scene has tiny little details of animation, lighting, etc. that are easy to miss if you don't carefully pay attention.
Pay attention, you hear?
The evil Maleficent is a highlight of the Diorama.
The painting of the shadows in here is just incredible.
A happy ending is inevitable and this time it begins with True Love's Kiss.
The animated "Make it pink! Make it blue!" storybook ending.
More Disneyland Sleeping Beauty Castle photos at my main website.
8 comments:
I love the Royal Theatre shot. Fantasy Faire is a great addition for the kids who want to meet the princesses, but unfortunately the Carnation Plaza Gardens was a casualty because of it. The times change and it is what it is. At least the area is lively with activity.
I kind of thought that the Castle's 60th Anniversary décor was designed more for nighttime viewing. Your photos certainly prove it.
I love the Sleeping Beauty Castle Walk Through and make sure to visit it every time I take a trip to Disneyland. It seems everyone focuses on the big 'E' ticket attractions, but I feel the less celebrated attractions are just as wonderful and fun. As for the difficulty of getting decent photos of the walk through and dioramas, I'd say you did a pretty stellar job of photographing them. Thanks, Dave.
Ken - I wouldn't call FF lively; as you can see from my photos the place was like a ghost town...on a Friday night.
Dave, I'm so used to seeing your Disneyland photos without people (guests) in them that I didn't make that connection. So is FF dead all day long or just after dark?
In all fairness, I do not pay too much attention to Fantasy Faire. I have no interest in the snack cart, the show, or the Princess Meet and Greet. I can only comment on nighttime when I shot, and there was nothing going on.
I still am not quite sure what Disneyland management was intending with the original space prior to Fantasy Faire. They insist the Carnation Gardens area was not being used to its potential -while it was Disneyland management that pulled the food service from the area causing it to loose its revenue. But the area was always popular with guests -with or without hamburgers and milkshakes. If a band or performing group was not appearing the area was nice to sit and relax and view the castle or the activity on Main St. USA. (and look at the attraction posters!!)
I know in the mid 1990's when Disneyland knew the Carnation sponsorship of the area would be ending, WDI came up with a slight re-themeing of the area called EDISON ELECTRIC GARDENS - an area that would still serve food and drinks and continue to feature live entertainment. The area was suppose to be a "grand and brilliant display of the new electric light" The pavilion would have an extreme array of tivoli and gimbal lights surrounded by a revised World's Exposition park setting. I'm sure the cheapskate attitudes of the Eisner-Pressler regime put and end to that idea!
But Disneyland and WED had plans to remove the dancing area of carnation Gardens over to Apline Gardens as early as 1972 --the reasons for this are unclear now that so much time has passed - but a whole new restaurant and dance pavilion was to jut out in a cantilevered fashion from the Bell Pavilion towards Main Street. What was cool was that while the TOMORROWLAND TERRACE had a rising and lowering stage, The New APLINE GARDENS complex would have a stage that would appear after a circular inner water fall poured from the ceiling. After the performers were in place, the waterfall would "curtain" open revealing to the guests the stage with its performers. The whole complex was designed to fit with the look of Tomorrowland 1967 or at least complement it it. In one of my first blog posts at TOMORROWLOUNGE I show the model of this complex.
-Mike
Another problem I have with Fantasy Faire is how it was built. It is done the way TOONTOWN was constructed-almost completed plaster sculpted -even the wood details are made from the same material as brick stone and plaster were made from. It has a cheap fake look up close -like yer looking at a painted sandcastle or a building make from cake.
FANTASY FAIRE doesn't have the quality finishes that say Fantasyland (New Fantasyland 1983) where the architecture feels straight out classic Disney animation, but at the same time feels like it could be a REAL structure. Original and additions in the 80's to WORLD SHOWCASE at EPCOT CENTER have this same quality -While the structure is movie set like and artificial, all the exterior details feel real and very authentic...........wood finishes look different than stone finishes and plaster, brick etc. Even if the material to represent wood is something else, it is NOT made from the same material used to make brick etc....
It's like those tacky cake TV shows where there's no cake at all --just tacky masses of fonduit and over colored with food dye.
Fantasy Faire is tacky fonduit -looks fine from a distance but up close ; YUK!!
(sigh) I'll be the lone heretic I suppose. The previous Carnation/Edison was underused and didn't receive a lot of traffic, a casualty of the times. It's one and only purpose to me was to use the "hidden restroom" back there. No matter how rich the history this remained an underused area. I welcomed the new change and noticed it was always jam packed for the first 6 months when it opened. Of course this was when the princess meet-n-greets were at ridiculous capacities and truly needed a central place to funnel everyone into. With this whole Frozen thing going on this area became second-best, followed by the Tinkerbell area and I'm not even sure if Merida has that archery setup by Small World anymore. The point being, I've seen it packed before and even if it's empty, it's nice. I like it. I go there now, more than I did before which was never. I'll look for the two hidden Mickeys there, or sometimes feed the ducks ( I bring duck food with me - I probably shouldn't but it's not hurting anything ) and find it overall a nice, quiet place to sit, assuming the theater isn't performing to a crowd that I see often going outside the seats and to standing room only.
At night? It's a nice quiet place to sit and do whatever, change the film/batteries, add/remove layers to clothing, etc. Personally I enjoy watching Figaro and Cleo. If it's an eyesore to some then just give it 10 years. It will be something new and even more awful that will make you wish this were back instead.
Not everything is for adults, this is for kids that want to meet the princesses and see whatever show the royal court is putting on. They do it well. ...not to old Disney standard to be sure, but well enough.
Also keep in mind that today's Disney management isn't going for quality but the emulation of the quality of the previous generation. I used to be mad at them, now I just see TDA with pity. It's like they don't know any better. they actually think they're doing fine when they're achieving mediocre. From them this Fantasy Faire is a damned miracle.
Mike - thanks so much for all the extra and previously unknown (at least to me!) info. I would have loved the Edison Gardens idea as it would have kept Main Street as Main Street. Bryan - You make some great points, too. I think everyone agrees that it's ok to have some nice quiet parts left within the Park.
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