The Court of Angels: A Celebration

When New Orleans Square at Disneyland first opened in 1966, The Court of Angels area was featured in the initial batch of publicity stills, such as the one shown here. Its design included a large curved staircase that made it a fool-proof scenic backdrop for guests' cherished photos.

Shortly after it was unveiled, this August 13, 1966 visitor had her photo taken there.



A July 1967 view; it must have been hot, as the guests are sitting in the shade provided by the staircase:



Here's how it looked in a genuine FauxD© shot taken on July 17, 1968:



Fast-forwarding to present day, Queenie poses as she descends the staircase to perform a few songs for visitors:



Princess Tiana can also be found in the Court of Angels:



When the rumors (and yes folks, they are still just unconfirmed rumors) began to surface that the public might lose access to this area because of the upcoming Club 33 expansion, I had mixed feelings. Initially, I was so upset to think that this peaceful and somewhat hidden area might actually be changed or removed.



The more I thought about it though, the more I realized that it had already been changed by the merchandising arm of Disney, who constantly clutter it with various revenue-generating opportunities. Christmas gift sales and Pirate transformations for the kiddies had already begun to rob it of its tranquil nature.



Trying to be level-headed about the situation, if this area gets closed off to the public and is absorbed by Club 33, I can't say that I would lose much sleep over it.



Already my visits there have become fewer and fewer, since it has become increasingly difficult to catch a time when it wasn't desecrated by a tacky merchandising opportunity.



Supposedly it will be closing at the end of September, which prompted me to make one (last?) trek inside for a few photos. Here are the ones I shot last week:





















If you are gone for good, I will miss you Court of Angels. You were a wondrous place to hide from the multitudes of guests while allowing the brief illusion that Disneyland was all mine. I hope that one day I will see you again.

See more vintage & current Disneyland Court of Angels photos on my Court of Angels web page.

Trip Report: Tinker Bell Half Marathon 2013 Part 5

It's the (semi) grand finale of my TBHM report; for all you vintage fans, have no fear - I'll be back to your regularly scheduled program very soon! I actually spent a bit of time in Tomorrowland; would have stayed longer, but Space Mountain was down for the count. Instead, we walked right onto Star Tours.



I am so damn nosy; just had to see what was on this guy's computer screen; must be some newfangled social media.



Hopefully, the TSAs won't be hiring this snarky little droid anytime soon.



I don't know what it is about Buzz Lightyear, but I do enjoy riding it. I'm sure part of it is because it appeals to my competitive nature!



Typically, once I get on the vehicle, my camera goes away.



I need all of my focus and attention to attempt to get a better score. Here you can see my intense gaze of concentration! Note to Disney: this little free feature at the end of the attraction still packs 'em in. Keep it going, please!



It had been years since I'd been on the Astro Orbiter, but what the heck - it'd be nice to get some arial shots of the Central Plaza area.



The smallest in FRONT? Heck; I had just enough room for myself in this thing!





The castle from above:



The construction crane over at Big Thunder Mountain looms over Frontierland in these next two shots:





The wasteland that was once the PeopleMover:



This shot of the Plaza Inn made me hungry for fried chicken!



Although it's not as thrilling as it once was when it was perched high atop the platform smack-dab in the middle of Tomorrowland, the Astro Orbiter is still a fun little attraction that allows you to soar over the park.



Finally, it was time to stuff my face over at The Blue Bayou. Running 13.1 miles had made me hungry! Mardi Gras was in full swing in New Orleans Square, proclaimed by this Bayou Bash banner:



Princess Tiana was posing for photos in the Court of Angels:



Music is a big part of New Orleans in Louisiana, and so it is here at its fictional counterpart in Anaheim:



I had never noticed this gator before; a cast member walked by and saw me snapping my photos. She stopped in astonishment as she too said she had never noticed it. She called out to another cast member walking by, and asked her how long it had been here. The unimpressed cast member kept walking by and said, "Forever." Note to Disney: please withhold this party pooper's gold star for the day.



FINALLY! At The Blue Bayou:



Lunch by the glow of candlelight (even if it's faux, it's still effective for setting the mood!):



The famed Monte Cristo:



Dessert was some special fritter concoction; more fried goodness.



By this point, I was an absolute tired mess. Full and tired, it was time for me to exit.



Heading home, I was full of happy memories from yet another fantastic race weekend at Disneyland.

See more vintage & current Disneyland photos on my Disneyland web pages.

Trip Report, Pt. 2

Back to the trip report. Sorry - had to use the restroom at Adventureland (the OJ at Riverbelle works fast). And no, I didn’t go into both...just photographed the graphic outside. I’m an equal opportunity restroom photographer!



They should put one of these guys above the stalls; that would probably move the guests through at a much faster rate.



Heading back to New Orleans Square, a ride through Pirates was (of course) mandatory. It must be early; only two strollers in sight. Later in the day, it is amazing, as this area becomes a haven for the little contraptions.



A few of the usual shots:







And then it was onto the Mansion for some explosive fun.





With some time to kill before lunch, what better attraction to enjoy than the Disneyland Railroad? Ton-o-things to see along the way:









Let’s zoom in and see what’s on the wall here:





After the Grand Circle Tour, we were back in New Orleans Square, where the area looked very festive with its Mardi Gras trappings.











For lunch, Stacy and I met up with a fellow blogger, Connie from Life Is A Journey. From reading her blog, I just had a feeling that she’d be fun to hang out with...and I was right. How fun was she? So fun that I forgot to photograph my Monte Cristo. Didn’t get a single shot of the overhead lanterns. So fun that I think one of these days she’ll join Tim and I on our renegade journey to the Fantasyland Skyway Station.

The view from our waterside table was the best. The food is good at the Bayou, but it’s the atmosphere that really makes it a special experience.



Dessert was much tastier than this photo would make you think. Apple Fritters with Ice Cream and Cherry Sauce.



An after lunch shot with Connie, attempting to smile for the camera and fight our Monte Cristo induced food comas.



Not quite ready for an attraction, we exited The Bayou and heard the siren’s song of Princess Tiana and her Mardi Gras Celebration.



The show is lively, filled with catchy tunes from “The Princess and The Frog.”













Still more to come!

As a tribute to the recently departed Jane Russell, here’s a clip from one of the wackiest musical numbers ever filmed:



See more Disneyland photos at my main website.