The Disney Studio in Burbank, Pt. 2

Shots #1 & #2 show what’s left of the backlot...sorta’ like one side of Main Street. I’m sure there is somebody out there who can identify a few movies or TV shows that used these exteriors. “Dragnet” perhaps?



I had seen this signpost in Disney books and vintage footage of the Studio. I was really stoked when Disney Shopping released a replica of it a few years ago. I was even more stoked when it was heavily discount. Add even more stokage when I got to see it in person! Thanks to the fire hydrant below, this is known as Pluto’s Corner.







More Burbank photos tomorrow. Meanwhile, I took a detour to the park yesterday and managed to shoot about 300 pictures. Yup; it was a slow day for me. Must have been the 104 degree temperatures. Time to check out the Sleeping Beauty Diorama again, as the changing dress effect has finally been added. Now you can see Aurora’s dress change colors at the end of the exhibit:



Over at DCA, progress continues with the makeover. Mickey’s vintage face has been attached to the ferris wheel:





The retheming of the Boardwalk Games is now completed; I really love the look of the graphics and the exterior; it really makes the rest of the Pier look cheap and cheesey. I also like how they focused on some lesser known Disney animation in this area.











More to come tomorrow! See more Disneyland photos at my website.

Current Park Update

At my most recent trip to the park, both sides seemed to be covered with construction walls. Although a little disheartening to see the park in that state, it does feel good to know that it is being taken care of refurbished. Over at DCA, it was pretty amazing to see the large body of water near Paradise Pier drained. I hadn’t realized how much real estate that was! The buzz for the World of Color water show is good, so I am looking forward to the final product on that one.



I also checked out the Blue Sky Cellar Preview Center for the first time. This is great that Disney has dedicated so much space to show guests what is coming down the pike; a very smart idea to generate interest and reminiscent of the showcase that used to be located in Town Square. There is quite a bit riding on the new DCA remodel; the City of Anaheim will be watching this closely, as they have not forgotten the bait-and-switch of the original concept. Here are a few shots of what you can see at Blue Sky:



Naturally, Walt is right at the entrance to lend a little authenticity and historic perspective to the project; I’m just waiting for the day when an audio-animatronic version of him is created just for this purpose.



Strangest to me was the fact that the most coverage seemed to focus on the Paradise Pier area. I have always felt that this was the weakest area of California Adventure. Simply re-theming it to Disney and changing the decor does not seem to be enough. I am hoping that there is some element of "wow" that will occur once this section is completed. In watching the video that breathlessly tells how the Orange Stinger will be transformed into a theme that focuses on the 1935 Mickey Mouse short, “The Band Concert,” I couldn’t help but feel that potentially I was being "marketed" into believing that this "new" attraction was more than it actually was. Again...I will do my best to reserve the judgments until it is open. Here are some photos of the model for the "new" Paradise Pier area and the "new" Boardwalk Games, which will now be themed to Disney/Pixar films:









Here’s the new entrance; gone are the letters that guests love to have their photo taken next to; what will happen to the beautiful tile murals is (apparently) still unknown:



Call me crazy (and you probably already have), but one of the things I’m most excited about is the Red Car Trolley that will greet guests at the entrance!





For a little perspective, here is an overall map of what the new DCA will look like:



I’m not a patient person, so having to wait for all these changes is difficult; still, having the preview center makes it much easier! Meanwhile, back at Disneyland...the area that was formerly the House of the Future then Alpine Gardens then Ariel’s Grotto was recently converted into Pixie Hollow. The first few times I attempted to photograph this area I gave up, as the line was at least an hour long. On this visit, I got there early and only had to wait about 30 minutes. So what’s this area about? With the recent video release of "Tinker Bell" (and a very good chance of more sequels), Disney took the opportunity to push Tink & her fairy friends with this meet and greet area.

On the plus side, this area is much more elaborately themed than its predecessor, picture here:



And the current photos:



The idea is that as you wind around the queue, you are supposed to get the feeling that you are shrinking to the size of Tink. There is lots to see in the queue, including various statues, tiny homes, and cool plantings.





My favorite part was the way that the Matterhorn was framed in at one point in the queue:



At the end of the line, you get to meet Tink & her fairy friends (the day I went was a slow one, so only Silvermist was there) and have your photo taken with them. I opted to take my own photo, thank you.





Is it worth the wait? For a child...yes. It’s akin to having your kid wait in line at a department store to see Santa. From what I observed, the cast members really took their time with the little girls to talk to them, and the guests seemed to be entranced. So...if you’re a parent with a small child, I would recommend this meet-and-greet. On the down side, although the area is beautifully landscaped, I did miss the King Triton fountain, which still has the water feature but no King.





Naturally, there’s a shopping area at the end of this "attraction." Well, that does it for today’s update. See more Disney California Adventure photos at my website.