80s Flashback: Fantasyland, Pt. 1

I believe that the original Sleeping Beauty Diorama was gone at the point this 1980s photo was taken, having been replaced with the "Barbie Doll" version in 1977.



A contemporary comparison view:



The entrance to Tomorrowland behind the Castle then…



and now, minus the germanic art above the portal:



Back to the 80s:



A closeup of the Ford pickup truck bumper sticker which says "Quality is Contagious."



More random Fantasyland views:





Closing in you can see some Cinderella figurines:



A view of the King Arthur Carrousel shot near the entrance to the Snow White attraction:





A zoom-in view reveals Captain Hook and signage for the Castle Christmas Shop:



Exterior Castle views:





This is probably one of my favorites from the set: no people and a great view of the back of the Castle that includes the Sword in the Stone:



See more Disneyland Fantasyland photos at my main website.

Ride-Thru: Peter Pan

Peter Pan's Flight is my favorite dark ride, but because of the long lines, the one I ride the least. As luck would have it, I was able to board a magic pirate ship and enjoy this attraction on a recent visit. Here are a few shots from that journey.



A teasing glimpse from the queue of the magic that lies ahead.



The queue mural:



Sailing into the dark, the revamped nursery scene is the first thing that we see.



What a fantastic feeling when you soar over London



and then over Neverland:



Drama! A thrilling fight between Captain Hook and Peter Pan.





A happy ending occurs quickly as our heroes (and heroines) fly home on a magic pirate ship:



Mermaids - could it get any more magical?



More Peter Pan dark ride magic at my main website.

Hook in New Orleans Square

Another October 1968 shows Captain Hook in New Orleans Square at Disneyland.

Again, the fun part of this image is in the background details. Can you imagine what the two stuffed shirts are saying? Even more importantly, what is the chap in the red shirt doing on the ground with the recording device? Inquiring minds NEED to know.



Here's a comparison shot of how Hook looks in the Park today, shot at the Plaza Inn Character Breakfast:



See more Disney Characters at Disneyland by visiting my main website

Off To Neverland 6.0 Pt. 2

I know I am in the minority, but I was not as "wowed" as I thought I would be when I took a spin on the newly refurbished Peter Pan's Flight. I can't quite put my finger on it, but unlike the Alice dark ride, this one just doesn't seem to have integrated the new digital effects as well.



It's cool to see the pixie dust effect in the nursery, but it now makes the static nature of the children seem odd.



I did like how it now appears that you are following Tinker Bell's light as you soar over London.



What I didn't like was how bright all of the tiny lights below seemed. For whatever reason, it killed the magic feeling I used to get as the ship sailed over London and Big Ben. The red lights seem much brighter; what the heck at that time would show up as a bright red light in the sky?



A closer look at Big Ben:



and a closer view of the Hidden Mickey:



On all the lights below, it just seemed like a lot of noise. Too too much.



And then there was some kind of digital effect on the wall that looked like something from Star Trek; I didn't capture it this time, but whatever it was, it just did not seem to have any place on this attraction. Call me stupid…I just didn't understand the need for it. Flying over Neverland was fun though; the digital effects here are integrated in a way that is subtle and enhances the scene.



The new rippling water effects around Tiger Lily are also effective - yay!



I didn't notice much new in the Walk the Plank scene.



Still cool…still difficult to photograph!



Poor little Wendy looks mighty scared.



Have no fear; the gang is sailing home as soon as you round the next corner.



The digital effects are nice here, but the little fiber optics coming out of Tinker Bell's hand look cheap now.



Another tough scene to catch as your ship zips by. Time to invest in a new lens!



I did enjoy all the instances of the digital water.



Again, I know I am in the minority. Overall it seems like most are very happy with this refurbishment. While I still rank this as one of the best Fantasyland dark rides, I would have to say that I now put it much closer to Alice and Snow White.



More photos of the refurbished Peter Pan's Flight 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.