Back to Buena Vista Street

If you're like me, you can't get enough of the Red Car Trolley that runs up and down Disney California Adventure's Buena Vista Street. The feeling of movement it adds has made for a huge improvement to the entrance area of DCA. The Buena Vista side of the Trolley can be seen above.

The Hollywood side can be seen in the photo below (which I never noticed until posting these photos!):



Our trip down the street begins with a stop in the Los Feliz Five and Dime.



Personally, I find the props in the shop much more interesting than the merchandise for sale.





It was too early for Clarabelle's, but the perfect time to snap some photos sans guests.





A panorama shot of the entrance to the Elias & Co. department store:



The terrazzo tile entrance is a very authentic detail. In real cities, many of these remain while the original stores they proclaim have changed.



The Trolley Treats exterior:



Even though the Fiddler Fifer and Practical Cafe is large, the warm interior makes it feel very cozy:



As do the vintage-style posters and photos:









Besides the Trolley, the characters of Buena Vista Street also add to the charm. I was fortunate to get to see Oswald the Rabbit, who recently made his debut in the park:



This particular Officer Blue is my favorite; he looks like he stepped out of the 1920's.



Two of Goofy looking dapper in his Five and Dime outfit:





Last one for today shows Dale, of Chip 'n Dale fame:



See more Daveland Buena Vista at Disney California Adventure photos at my main website.

Where To Find The Bacon at Disneyland

I was very excited to acquire a batch of February 1960 slides, as it now gives me two out of three vintage shots of the Storybook Three Little Pig homes.

The first shot taken was of the Practical Pig home, thus named because he built his home of brick. Here's a contemporary comparison shot. If you watch the original Silly Symphony Short, you'll see that the design of the home in the cartoon closely matches what was built.



Here is the vintage shot of Fiddler Pig's house; he wasn't so smart, as he built his home out of sticks and twigs. I guess all of his brains must have gone into his violin playing.



The original structure appeared to have been built out of actual sticks/twigs, whereas the contemporary version looks more like a molded material.



Unfortunately, I have yet to acquire a vintage shot of poor ol' Fifer's house; til then, my contemporary images will have to suffice.



I do have comparison shots for the Big Bad Wolf's abode, this one from June 1969:



I really love the little details like the mailboxes:



The Three Little Pigs had a much bigger presence in the park during the early years:









Today, they are at least honored by having a restaurant named after them on Buena Vista Street at DCA, The Fiddler, Fifer and Practical Cafe:



From what I can remember, I do not believe there is a single picture of the Pigs inside the restaurant. I wonder if bacon is on the menu there?

See more vintage & current Disneyland Three Little Pig Storybook photos on my Storybook web page.

Disneyland Half Marathon Report, Pt. 2

It was an earlier start than usual (5:45 vs. 6 am), but that was ok with me, as increasing temperatures during the day can mean a world of difference in how fast you run. It was a cool morning as I walked to the starting line, and fortunately, I was in corral "A," so I was in the first group out of the gate. The first 3-4 miles are the best, as you run through Disneyland, DCA, and all of the cool backstage areas that guests rarely see.



Although I didn't meet my goal of 1:45, I still shaved over 3 minutes off my previous personal best to come in at a chip time of 1:50:35. I was pretty pleased.



The medals given out are some serious bling.



After the race, the champagne was popped and then it was time to head to the park. 2/3 of the TDD Gang joined us for an absolutely awesome day. Lunch wasn't until 2pm, so the first stop was Fiddler Fifer and Practical Cafe on Buena Vista Street at DCA for some snacks and Starbucks.



I really like the concept of this restaurant; large yet cozy, there always seems to be seating even when the place is filled with guests. I also love the various posters and props that decorate the walls.



I'd love to see these gals perform!



Although the Silver Lake Sisters weren't performing that day, the Red Car News Boys were.





A face only a mother could love.



We had about two hours to go til lunch, and Doug had never been on Radiator Springs Racers, so we decided to attempt the single rider line to save time.



Unfortunately, we used every bit of that two hours waiting for an attraction that continually broke down. Still, it allowed us to make use of the time by (what else?) taking photos. Here is the beautiful and talented Michaela from Tours Departing Daily:



Her hubby Matt was too busy taking photos to pose.





The attraction and queue are so well designed that it is easy to keep busy noticing all of the cool details.







Just as we got up to the cars themselves, cast members announced they would have to empty the attraction as it was taking too long to repair.





Fast passes to any DCA attraction put smiles on everyone's faces as we walked to Carthay Circle Restaurant for lunch. I cannot say enough good things about this place; it has become a new park dining favorite. Typically, you are given the choice of riding elevator or taking the stairs.



I'm all about the journey, so naturally I took the stairs.



We ate in the Hollywood Room:



I know I'm repeating myself, but again...absolutely love the decor!





Have you noticed the Evil Queen's face in the table? Much more interesting than a Hidden Mickey!



A good time was had by all, especially after we gorged ourselves on the biscuits!



The banana split dessert with a twist was a great way to cap off this fantastic lunch.



Join me back at Radiator Springs tomorrow as I continue with my trip report!

See more vintage and current Disney California Adventure photos on my DCA photo web pages.