Disneyland at Night

Disneyland during the day is a magical place; at night, it is beyond spectacular. The lighting transforms it into a completely different world. I am sure guests zoom by the Main Street Emporium Windows while the sun is out; at night, the lighting makes them leap out and beg to be noticed. Here are a few of the newer windows that have been added to the roster, beginning with The Princess and the Frog.







Toy Story:











Aladdin:











Frozen…quel surprise!



Cinderella:



Although these photos show the detailed craftsmanship that went into the creation of these gems, seeing them in motion in person is a completely different experience. To round out the post, here are a few shots I snapped as I sauntered out of the Park after the fireworks:



Jolly Holiday:



Coke Corner:



and the last one shows the Carnation Cafe:



More vintage and current Disneyland photos at my main website.

Paint the Night

A little over a month ago I finally had the opportunity to see the Paint the Night Parade. I am not a huge parade person, so it really has to blow me away to get me to watch it repeatedly. So far, the only Disneyland parade that has flipped my switch is Soundsational. Paint the Night is enjoyable, but I won't be fighting the crowds to see it again. Here are some shots from that chilly November evening.



Plenty of Peter Pan:



and Tinker Bell, too.



Tigger:



The Genie from Aladdin:



A ton-o-Pixar:









A little break with King Triton and Ariel:



and then right back to Pixar:





No Disney parade would be complete without a little Princess action:





Surprise! There's a float for Frozen:



Between Star Wars and Frozen, it's hard to pick which one I am more tired of having crammed down my throat. Must appeal to masses…must appeal to masses...



And then the classic characters, such as Donald:



Minnie:



And naturally, Mickey Mouse himself!





More Paint the Night photos at my main website.

Frozen comes to Storybook Land

This will probably come as a shock to those who read this blog for its Disney content, but I have yet to see the movie "Frozen." Still, I was anxious to see how the village of Arendelle would fit into Disneyland's classic Storybook Land attraction. Just like the state it resides in, there is only so much real estate available at Disneyland, so to make room for Arendelle, something would have to be sacrificed. In this case, the Windmills (shown above) would have to go. I am sure there are many diehards like me who are sad to see this representation from the innovative 1937 animated Disney short "The Old Mill" bite the dust, but I can totally understand. How many of today's generation have even heard of "The Old Mill"?



In my first photo, note the shadow of Casey Junior. Storybook Land was closed last weekend, but I didn't let that deter me from getting my photos. I simply headed over to Casey and bumped up the shutter speed on my camera!



Arendelle fits in fairly well, but at the same time, because of the size of its castle, it is a bit overwhelming.



The mountains behind Arendelle are a nice match with those behind Gepetto's village as well as the peak of the Matterhorn that looms over all.



The details are great, too, including this little cabin:





The back side of Arendelle:



Overall, I would say that the newest addition/change to Storybook Land is a positive one.

See more Daveland vintage & current Storybook Land photos at my main website.

Mickey's Halloween Party, Pt. 2

Join me on a journey through Pinocchio's Daring Journey, which is what we rode after enjoying the revamped Alice in Wonderland attraction.



Once you pass through the Stromboli doors, this attraction gets dark as heck. I am guessing it hides the perfections when the lights aren't on as bright. Alice was much easier to see. Even in the dark, Stromboli is mighty menacing!



The Carousel of Pleasure Island:



Honest John (aka J. Worthington Foulfellow) and Gideon:



This painted jester is creepy, but it's still a favorite part of the attraction for me. With a revamp, this figure could really be a knockout.



Pinocchio shouldn't be laughing so hard; he's next!



I don't think this man is selling E-Tickets.



Ever noticed the Mona Lisa in this attraction?



Monstro rises up from the depths of the ocean:



Jiminy Cricket leads us home:



Just follow the star to Gepetto's Toy Shoppe:



Inside, the Blue Fairy works her magic to transform Pinocchio:



…yet we never get to see the flesh and blood version on this attraction:



A few detailed shots from Gepetto's Toy Shoppe:









Zooming in we can see this miniature Rocking Horse and Toy Soldier:



Stafford B. worked for Walt Disney Productions (Mapo) in Glendale and sent me this information about this particular piece:

The Rocking Horse and Toy Soldier were brought to me in four pieces: the flag, soldier, horse, and oval box. I was asked to mount and animate it on the oval box. The parts other than the small electric motor were machined and fitted in shop then returned to the art department for painting.



Exiting the attraction we saw the nearby "Frozen" Meet & Greet opportunity:



Olaf was sleeping on the job.





Next Dark Ride covered here will be "Snow White".

See more Daveland Disneyland Pinocchio's Daring Adventure photos at my main website.