The Not-so-Royal Court

Once again, 21 Royal Street (aka the Royal Court) at Disneyland is open again to guests.



Rumors swirled around the forums that it was closed to either be a private event space for Club 33 or a special Club 33 annex available to regular guests like you and me willing to pay for an Andrew Sutton meal. So far, nothing has been officially announced.



When I was at the Park, it was interesting to see guests buzz in and out of the Royal Court with their cameras. I heard a few mention the closing, look around, and then leave. Very few photos were taken, and you could almost see the disappointment on people's faces at what they saw. It might be called the Royal Court, but it doesn't look very royal.



The current color scheme is a bit garish and most of the interesting decor has been removed. It looks like this space is in transition.



It is certainly no substitute for the former Court of Angels that has now been sealed off.



How it looked before the remodel, when at least sported some plants and props:



And a genuine ©FauxD image from July 17, 1968:



If you're not happy with what you see, take it up with Fortune Red.



See more Daveland Royal Court photos at my main website.

Trip to Disneyland, May 1972: Pt. 4

Welcome to New Orleans Square! Holding hands in a display of solidarity, 4/5 of our 1970's quintet are ready to enjoy Walt's sanitized recreation of the decadent southern city.

This second shot appears to have been taken from the 2nd floor of the NOS buildings; perhaps they dined at Club 33?



Zooming in to the shop below, you can see the Pirate Arcade/Museum:



Back on solid ground, the lovely young lass poses for the camera…



and attracts the attention of a young gent. I am sure he is thinking, "Ay caramba!"



Today, Fortune Red is placed inside of the entry:



Here's the front of the card you'd receive if you put your change into the machine:



and the reverse side:



Back to 1972, we have a shot of the Rivers of America:



a closeup of the GAF Photo Trail sign:



And a few non-themed buckets parked next to the trash can:



Hope you enjoyed the trip back in time!

See more Daveland Disneyland photos at my main website.

Trip Report Pt. 5: Walking Around Disneyland

I briefly debated riding the Haunted Mansion again once I exited, but the ridiculously long line helped my decision. Instead, I moved down my check list of things to shoot and got a few shots of the Splash Mountain drop. It was still a bit hazy, so the sky wasn't at its best for photos. Still, you gotta' work with what you have!



The snap dragons were out in New Orleans Square and they added the perfect touch of fall coloring (even though I associate them with Spring!).



New Orleans Square in the morning is my favorite place in the park. Strolling through the winding avenues which make it seem larger than it is, it is easy to pretend you are elsewhere.





I was recently told that Fortune Red was originally an old hag, and that "she" was repurposed as the pirate you currently see. Supposedly the harridan's face still lies somewhere beneath there.





The Court of Angels is now officially sealed off.



Back in the heart of Frontierland, this section of the exterior of the Golden Horseshoe was once the Frontier Gun Shop.



My favorite part of the Halloween decor is this little display in Zocalo Park that celebrates Dios de los Muertos.











Can you imagine if these guys were animatronics? What a cool band that would be!



The Ray Bradbury Halloween Tree is back again:







An unintentional (or intentional) nod to Jack the Pumpkinhead from "Return to Oz"?



Still more trip report to come...I am stretching this one out!

See more vintage & current Disneyland Haunted Mansion Holiday photos on my HMH web page.

Disneyland Halloween Trip Report: Pt. 5

After my Haunted Mansion Holiday adventure, I had to give Pirates equal time. I managed to capture the usual assortment of shots, attempting to improve with each journey through this classic dark ride in New Orleans Square.



I am surprised (but not disappointed) that Pirates hasn't been dragged into the Halloween festivities with a "new" overlay.











Here's to hoping that the missing hats are part of a long refurbishment and not a permanent change. Without the stack of hats, the gag of this scene is gone.



On a happy note, Fortune Red has been returned to New Orleans Square, sporting a pipe now.









Believe it or not, signs of Christmas were already popping up at Disneyland in October:





I've always enjoyed visiting the Rancho del Zocalo park, with its festive Dios de los Muertos decor during the Halloween season.









Construction continues on the replacement of The Carnation Plaza Gardens:



There is a colorful rendering of what the area is supposed to look like when completed:



Speaking of construction, Indiana Jones is still under wraps:



At this point, I went across the way to Disney California Adventure. I needed a little Red Trolley and Buena Vista Street fix, as well as wanting to check out the "Frankenweenie" exhibit inside of the Art of Animation Building.



THIS is the type of thing I love to see. An actual museum-style exhibit, devoid of the typical gift shop push. VERY well done, and a must-see for Tim Burton admirers.





Amazing how expressive these little models are.



Being able to see the miniature sets blew me away. All of the detail! This one was actually interactive; you could push buttons to have certain areas come to life.



If you want to check this out, get moving; I believe it is only there until November 5.



Over at the Muppet Theatre, you can catch a sneak peak of "Frankenweenie" during special afternoon showings.



This movie tie-in is very well done! As for the food items it is advertising, I have no first hand knowledge.



Here's a Faux-D® image of the Carthay Circle Theatre to tide you over until the next post.



Come back tomorrow for more DCA photos.

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