The race itself was a blast; there aren't many photos to share, as it started at 5am. Even though I was back in Corral C, starting a good ten minutes after the first two waves (it was pretty much women only in A & B), it was fairly dark through a great deal of the race for me. The course for the Tinker Bell Marathon gives you a much prettier view of Anaheim, whereas the Disneyland race is quite a bit more "industrial" (that's the best euphemism I could think of), but as mentioned before, the Disneyland Half Marathon in September seems to have a lot more excitement and entertainment to it. I hadn't really trained as much as I should have, and the holidays killed any kind of a healthy diet, so I was (somewhat) pleased to come in under two hours, despite the fact that I had run quite a bit faster in Savannah back in November. It's always good to cross that finish line!
There was no rest for the weary, though. One of the many advantages of staying at the Grand Californian is having a direct entrance into Disney California Adventure. It also allows you to enter the park one hour before the rest of the visitors, and there was on way I was going to let that opportunity slip by. A quick shower and my aching feet were heading to the turnstiles that take you right into the Grizzly Peak Recreation Area.
Although you miss the thrill of entering Buena Vista Street, it's a purty nice convenience! Snapping a few shots of Condor Flats, I had obviously turned the opposite way of most of the crowd who were running over to Radiator Springs Racers.
Before I knew it, I was soaking up the atmosphere of my beloved BV Street. Carthay Circle looked beautiful in the early morning sunlight. Close:
Closer:
Closest:
The golden glow of the early morning really adds to the vintage feel of this well-designed area:
The conductors for the trolley were formulating their game plan for the day:
All aboard!
The interiors of the shops are just as fab. Howzabout these light fixtures in Big Top Toys?
Elias & Co. is a wonderful re-creation of a vintage department store; if they could only spruce up the merchandise selection a bit to make it match the level of decor.
Kingswell Camera in the Elysian Arcade also has some beautiful vintage-style light fixtures:
For the sweet tooth, a stop at Trolley Treats is a must:
Not really wanting to spend time in the lines of Cars Land, I hopped over to Disneyland, but was sure to get a photo of my favorite car ornament at Oswald's first:
In Town Square, I was greeted by Pinocchio and Alice's rabbit:
Besides the Market House photos that I previously posted, I also snapped a few of the other Main Street Shops, like the Crystal Arts shop:
Another gorgeous light fixture:
It was too early for silhouettes:
And now, the moment JG has been waiting for: my trip through the Pirates of the Caribbean. I love the expression on this pirate in the entryway:
The talking skull at this particular spot was a brilliant touch, making for a great segue into the actual start of your pirate adventure:
Wouldn't it be cool if this guy's gun sporadically fired off (blanks of course?), scaring the crap out of guests floating by?
If only I could get off the boat temporarily to get a closer look at this Marc Davis masterpiece!
So much treasure, and so many security cameras; I wouldn't stand a chance!
When the cramped grotto opens up into the huge expanse of the Wicked Wench scene, it really is breathtaking:
And then rounding the corner, I always get excited as my favorite scene in this attraction begins to appear. Close:
Closer:
Closest:
"Shift yer cargo, dearie, show 'em your larboard side."
The Jack Sparrow animatronic is very well done, but I still miss the naked lass in the barrel!
Another favorite scene, which is difficult to shoot because it's so dark. "Here kitty, kitty..."
The Minstrels looked extra happy;
It must be because the thief had all of his hats back! Joke restored—thank you.
Another well done scene, but it just doesn't really fit into the whole Marc Davis stye of the attraction.
NEXT UP: Lunch at the Bayou!
See more vintage & current Disneyland photos on my
Disneyland web pages.
