Christmas at The Club Pt. 1

What better place at Disneyland to get into the Christmas spirit than Club 33? Out in New Orleans Square, the angel is looking over the guests; how many look up to see her?

Inside the misplaced window above Cafe Orleans you can see a Christmas wreath in side the Club where a fireplace once stood.



Once inside the Court of Angels (oh, how I have missed you), you can see all kinds of Christmas ornamentation.



Poinsettias add a nice splash of red.



Tinker Bell in the lantern looks much better at night.



Inside Le Salon Nouveau, aka The Jazz Lounge, more Christmas trees and Christmas bedazzlement await.





The Carolers were fantastic; they took requests and really plussed up the evening.





I ordered my new favorite beverage from the Hotel Marceline-themed cocktail menu.



I had never heard of a Throws & Maskers before!



How about a branded cup of Club 33 java?



I love the cool purplish lighting of the bar.



And the ghostly clarinet player.



This time I steadied my hand…



and got an improved shot of the hidden Darth Vader.



More Club 33 version 2.0 photos at my main website.

Beyond the Sea

It had been over three years since I had last been on the Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage. The only reason we went on it this visit was because thanks to our VIP Tour Guide Maria, we were able to walk onto it. Even then, I had my doubts about wasting time on this mess of an attraction. Anastasia seemed to enjoy the view from her porthole window.



There are fun details to notice in the first part of the journey...



but once the subs "submerge" the attraction becomes a cacophonous mess of noise, poor projections, and sheer boredom.











Matt looked happy at the end of the attraction. So was I.



Next up…Star Tours!



Plenty of fun in the queue, which Maria whisked us through.





Door #1!



Matt looks like he's ready for a Devo video. If you don't know who Devo is, please visit Youtube.



Janet had not taken a dramamine booster, so this was not a pleasant experience for her. This was the last time she smiled until the virtual journey was over.



Outside, Stormtroopers were attempting to take over Star Traders.







Mary Poppins and Bert seemed oblivious to the attack as they strolled by the Plaza Inn.



We encountered Jack Skellington on our way to Pirates of the Caribbean.



And here we are, entering the attraction through the back of Lafitte's Landing. Wait until you hear what happened next!



Get your Disneyland photo fix at my main website.

Darth Vader takes a selfie

Last weekend was the first Star Wars Half Marathon at the Disneyland Resort. The day before the big race, the little ones were able to have their own competition with a variety of kid races designed for just about every age. I didn't stay long enough for the Diaper Dash. Seriously.



Appropriately costumed cast members cheered the tiny tots on.





Some needed assistance from mom:



while some just enjoyed parading their costumes through the course:



My favorite was catching a proud Darth Vader taking a selfie. You just don't see that every day.



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

Star Tours: Welcome Back!

Before I get to the new and very much improved Star Tours, thought I'd post what I believe to be a comparison shot of the same area from 1960 to today (or thereabouts!). With the windows blocked, I couldn't tell if the view was the same.



As for Star Tours, I was VERY impressed. The new version blows away the old one as far as the realism of the ride simulation. I have only been able to ride it once, but can't wait to experience all 54 different trips—ha! Truth be told, with summer crowds around the corner, it will probably be quite awhile before I attempt to ride Star Tours again.



I love the look of the exterior; cool blue works well for a futuristic theme.







Once inside, you'll see some familiar (albeit cleaned up) machines and robots.









Who needs Orbitz?



The video screens giving you information about your flight are obviously high-def, and of a much higher quality than what was there previously:



Everyone was anxious to see what lay beyond this door:



C3PO is in the flesh, and R2D2 is copiloting via the video screen:





Because it's in 3D, traditional photos taken of the actual flight will be ghosted, but you can still get the idea of what you will be experiencing after June 3:



Ghosted or not, everyone recognizes Yoda:



f course, there are plenty of shopping opportunities at the revamped Star Traders:





Grand opening for Star Tours is June 3. Be sure to try it!

See more vintage and contemporary Disneyland Star Tours photos at my main website.