60th Anniversary Trip, Pt. 13

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.

60th Anniversary Trip, Pt. 12

It's time for New Orleans Square at Night! The Magnolia Park area is one of the most beautiful quiet spots in the park; a lovely place to sit, relax, and watch the peeps going by.

A few interior shots of Cafe Orleans after the doors have closed.





Let's get a closer look at that copper coffee urn, shall we?



Quite a history!



I am a nut for signage, but even more so at night when it is all lit up!





An interior shot of the Blue Bayou Restaurant lobby:



Time to shift over to Adventureland for more nighttime magic.



Hopefully you've all experienced the joy of Shrunken Ned in the Adventureland Bazaar:







This underused area was once the vibrant Tahitian Terrace:



I spent some time in the Tiki Room courtyard getting these gems of the animated Tiki statues, starting with Koro:



Pele:



Pele mad:



and Maui:



Tomorrow, we'll spend some time in Fantasyland!



More Disneyland night (and day) photos at my main website.

60th Anniversary Trip, Pt. 11

Even though I was running late, I couldn't control my urge to take photos along the way. Small world looked so good at night!

And this little gem of a path through Fantasyland looked beautiful too!



Finally I arrived for my reserved "space" along the River. The price of dinner and show does not include a chair…and you are not allowed to stand. Sit your fanny on the ground and enjoy the entertainment!



It had been about three years since I last saw Fantasmic! and it was just as enjoyable.



I still do "get" the forced story of Mickey's Imagination, so I just push that aside and take in the visuals and awesome musical arrangements.





The Columbia sails in with the cast of "Peter Pan."



A female Peter…



and Captain Hook…



with a chin that is not designed for closeups.



Here is the Crocodile that we saw in the post from the other day, chasing Captain Hook and the Columbia into the night.



And then it's time for the Princess barges. Snow White:



Belle:





and Ariel:



Don't get too comfortable; the Evil Queen returns and gets things stirred up with her magical cauldron:





Somebody better called "Botched"...



This transformation did not go well!



Mickey comes back to fight the forces of evil



specifically Maleficent:



The dragon was working very well during this performance. It really is an incredible piece of mechanics:



Despite it's size, Mickey is able to conquer it with his magical sword:



A green heart; that can't be good.



The arrival of Steamboat Willie signals a happy ending:



The entire cast is aboard the Mark Twain:



The Mad Hatter from "Alice in Wonderland":



And then it's time for the grand pyrotechnical finale!



Laser beams:



Smoke:



And a final blast of fireworks:



Mickey is magically back on the ground!



More Fantasmic! fun at my main website.