Indiana Jones and the Mysterious Shoes

In June 2008, I was riding the Indiana Jones Adventure attraction when the ride closed down. Our vehicle was stuck underneath Indy, just before the boulder came rolling towards us. I was in hog heaven when the lights came on and I immediately started snapping pictures!

As I was recently going through and re-processing some of those shots, I noticed something curious on the soles of Indiana’s shoes. Zooming in, it would appear that there are speakers there.

It would make sense, since the animatronic figure dangles above the vehicle for a few seconds before it takes a plunge downward. This particular face sculpt has got to be one of the worst in the history of Disney animatronics.

Not so scary with the lights on.

Yup. Awful. As if poor Harrison’s face had been stretched out like “Brazil.”

In case you don’t ‘“get” the reference…

You can see the hood of the vehicle and Indy’s shoes above:

A second closeup of the mysterious circles on the soles of his shoes. They don’t quite look like a Hidden Mickey:

One more of the boulder:

A parting shot as we walked off the attraction. Bye, bye, Indy!

See more Indiana Jones Adventure attraction photos at my main website.

Indiana Jones Adventure Details

I have been going through my old photos and seeing if I can improve them with the knowledge I have acquired about digital photo processing over the last decade. It has been fun to look through them again and to be able to pull out details I had never noticed before. Or at least didn’t remember seeing! The  queue at the Indiana Jones attraction is one of the best; sadly, guests are rushing to the ride vehicles and whiz right by the rich details strewn along the way. Here’s a “letter” (firmly glued down to avoid being pilfered) from Indy to Sallah:

Unfortunately, the date is hidden by the hammer, but we can read the rest:

Sallah,

Rotten luck. Reports of Temple of the “Forbidden Eye” have hit the newspapers and newsreels. It’s shaping up to be the biggest thing since Santa Claus. Counting on you to control the feeding frenzy until I return. Have deciphered new tablets may lead to the power. Going into temple. I intend to win this race and shake Belloq.

Indy

New to me also was the discovery of an object that the skeleton is reaching for:

Looks like it might have been a leather water canteen? The queue is damn dark, so I’m not surprised I wouldn’t have noticed this before.

See more Disneyland Indiana Jones Adventure attraction photos at my main website.

Indiana Jones Adventure!

As I continue to update my site, I discover that my Indiana Jones Adventure shots have also not been updated in almost 2 years! Here is a collection of photos I have taken in the last two years, put together in (of course!) chronological order. Enjoy your thrilling adventure through one of my favorite Disneyland attractions! And according to the Disney publicity machine, the vehicle you see in the first image here was used in the actual film.



When was the last time you saw this view...without guests?







Most people are in such a hurry to get to the attraction that they miss all of these fantastic items throughout the queue. Not me...I typically take my time. Guests behind me be damned!







A view of the Rotunda ceiling:



zooming in for a better look at the mural:



Here's a detail that (again) most people don't take the time to notice:



The Eye on the Globe projector:



This pre-attraction preview film is a classic. Although if the lines are long, the voice of Sallah can get very old!



Finally, a decent shot of this tablet! One day I hope to get a clear shot of the other two!



The office of Indiana Jones:



A few detailed views of his desk:







A shot from the vehicle as the journey to the Chamber of Destiny begins:







The shimmering light effects that had been recently added at the time this shot was taken:



Looks like my vehicle chose the Chamber of Earthly Riches. Still waiting for that lottery payout!



Eyes closed...



and then the oops moment when they open because yes...you have stared into the Eyes of Mara!



He doesn't look happy.



And then the face begins to crumble, courtesy of the recently added digital effects:



Love that green light from the eye of the gigantic skull!



Finally! A good shot of The Bug Room!



Another favorite scene. I still duck from the darts every time the vehicle whizzes past them.



Indy before the boulder...



And after:



See more Disneyland Indiana Jones Adventure photos at my main website.

Adventureland Hidden Gems

Inspired by a post on the Disney Parks Blog, I thought I'd browse through my collection and see how many of these hidden gems I had photographed. Turns out I have all of them. I love when that happens.

“Raiders of the Lost Ark” Patrol Truck: In the outside queue area of Indiana Jones Adventure is one of the patrol trucks used in the filming of the first Indiana Jones movie, “Raiders of the Lost Ark.”

Eeyore Parking Lot Sign in Indiana Jones Adventure Queue



Once you enter the Temple of the Forbidden Eye and reach the Projection Room, turn behind you and look up. Next to the projector, you’ll be able to faintly see a sign from the now-defunct Eeyore parking lot. The space that is now Indiana Jones Adventure was once home to the Eeyore parking section of the Disneyland parking lot.



This is probably the toughest one to see/photograph. The room is so dark, it is difficult to see the sign, let alone photograph it. If you immediately look up, you will not see the sign; you have to get far enough away from it (towards the movie screen/tablets) to be able to have the right vantage point. Otherwise, you just see this:



Photograph of Tarzan’s parents in Tarzan’s Treehouse

It’s a little challenging to find, but once you cross the bridge onto the Disneydendron semperflorens grandis (“large ever-blooming Disney tree”), you’ll find a small hut that has been ransacked by the villainous Sabor. On the floor, you’ll find an old photograph of the young family.



This one didn't really ring a bell, but apparently I took this shot in 2008. That's me…shoot now, ask questions later. The same photo/drawing can be found on the wall:



Pulling back, here's the room for reference. Seems odd that the same portrait would be used in two different spots of this attraction.



A portrait of Tarzan's parents, pre-Tarzan:



Zooming in, this one looks pretty cheesy. The styling for the time is very off. I guess they figured people wouldn't be paying attention or looking too closely.



Canary Island Palm Tree



The palm tree right next to the entrance to the Jungle Cruise – believe it or not – dates all the way back to 1896! When Walt Disney bought the property that would become Disneyland, he promised the owner that he would not remove the tree because of its sentimental value to the family. Disney Legend Bill Evans, who guided the landscape design of many Disney Parks, moved the tree to the Jungle Cruise entrance, where it proudly stands today.

In my contemporary shot, you can barely see the Palm, as it is blocked by the other foliage in front.



However, in this vintage shot, you can clearly see the Palm and what appears to be a second one further to the left. I wonder if that one is still in the park?

Here's an image of Walt himself standing near the Palm:



Shrunken Ned in the Adventureland Bazaar:



Located in the center of the marketplace, South Sea Traders is home to one of my favorite people in all of Disneyland park, Shrunken Ned. Housed inside a bamboo kiosk, Shrunken Ned is the magically shrunken head of a 19th century British explorer, who – for a small fee – will diagnose any illness and provide a small souvenir!

I remember the first time I discovered Ned back in 2007; I thought it was such a cool hidden treasure inside the Bazaar.





Here's one of the cards that you get when you put your coins into the machine:



Sounds like my kind of diet!



Any other hidden Adventureland gems you can think of?

See more Daveland Disneyland Adventureland photos at my main website.