Fantasmic Fourth/Trip Report Pt. 2

For today's July 4th post, I figured a few photos from Fantasmic! would be a great way to visually celebrate the 236th Anniversary of America's Freedom. The photos shown here were taken last week over the course of both performances. I was shocked that the second performance was not jam-packed; I had no problem getting a space near the fence with a good vantage point. I am assuming that most were across the way at DCA. Take it away, Pinocchio!

Poor Captain Hook - he just can't seem to get a break, even though his foe, Peter Pan, is completely outnumbered.









Musically, this is my favorite segment of Fantasmic! When I hear the strains of "Someday My Prince Will Come" while the Prince literally sweeps Snow White off her feet, I feel a great sense of nostalgia.





Unfortunately, the moment is short-lived as the Evil Queen makes her appearance thereafter.



Toiling away at her cauldron, she summons all of the evil forces that she can to combat poor little Mickey Mouse.



As the smoke began to clear, I was beyond pleased to see that the dragon was in perfect working order!









Mickey was probably not quite as pleased about it as I was.



As always, Mickey conquered his evil nemesis with his magic sword.



What an exit!



An all-star celebration ensued:



Mickey appeared above to orchestrate the pyrotechnics and lasers:



And then with a flash, it was over!



Mickey's encore:



Hope you all have a fantastic 4th and celebrate the freedoms that we are able to enjoy because of our Founding Fathers!

See more vintage and current Disneyland Fantasmic! photos on my Fantasmic! web page.

Trip Report: Part 1

While the majority of guests were waiting in line for Radiator Springs, I decided to take a spin on The Little Mermaid attraction. There was no wait at all; the Omnimover vehicles kept the guests moving at a good clip. There were a handful of changes/upgrades performed recently, and this was my first opportunity to see them for myself. The only noticeable one was the changing of Ariel's hair from an up-do (see above photo) to a more realistic down-do. Ariel can no longer be called the Dole-Whip Mermaid.



Overall, Ariel's Undersea Adventure is a pleasant enough attraction. Its strong points are the music and lovable characters. Still, it seems to lack any "kick." The closest it comes to the excitement of the older Fantasyland dark rides are the areas that highlight evil Ursula and her minions.



Even the Ursula scene could use a heavier jolt of evil or menace. Traveling through the haunted forest on "Snow White" or the Wild Ride of Mr. Toad or Soaring over London with Peter Pan all provide a significantly higher thrill factor than anything that Ariel serves up.



Plenty of fireworks at the end, but for me, it still remains at the level of "pleasant."



Before you exit your clamshell vehicle, be sure to take note of the tiny drawings on this cabinet:



The author, Hans Christian Andersen:



And the Mermaid:



Nice detailing! Later in the evening, I decided to give the single rider line a try with Radiator Springs Racers and thoroughly enjoyed my adventure at dusk. The moon was peering out over the range.



The wait wasn't bad at all; probably no more than 30 minutes.



Still, if you haven't ridden RSR yet, I strongly suggest you wait the extra time in the regular line, as there is so much that you'll miss if you just zip by in the shorter Single Rider line.

The attraction itself is so beautiful at night. Disney sure knows how to light a land in the evening!





The dark ride portion of the attraction was different each time I have been on RSR. Probably not as many options as Star Tours, but still way cool!











How about a mini cheerleading squad to get the excitement pumping before you zoom off?



Zipping around at night is even more fun than it is during the day!



Congratulations! You made it back safely!



I even love the exit area; again, so many cool details to drool over:







While we're in Cars Land, might as well check out the nighttime lighting in the rest of this area. Flo's is probably my favorite; can't wait to check out the food there on my next visit, as it's getting rave reviews.





Luigi's will be covered in a future post.



And that's it for today. More trip report coming tomorrow! See more vintage and current Disney California Adventure photos on my Disney California Adventure web page.

Too Pooped To Post

After taking 1600+ photos in a 24 hour period, I am too pooped to post, so today will only serve as a teaser. Here are the Top 10 Reasons to come back this week so that you won't miss the following topics:

1. No more Dole-Whip-Do for Ariel.



2. Riding Radiator Springs Racers at Dusk.



3. Fantasmic! Yes—The Dragon Is Working!



4. Dining at The Blue Bayou



5. Buena Vista Street Without Guests



6. Making Friends On Buena Vista Street



7. Riding The Red Car Trolley



8. Animated Cars Vehicles!



9. Riding Mater's Junkyard Jamboree & Luigi's Flying Tires





10. Dining at Club 33



And if that doesn't do it, how about photographs of the former Tahitian Terrace, now being used as a rest area?



Hope to see you all tomorrow when I'm a little more rested.

See more vintage and current Disneyland photos on my Disneyland web page.

1970's Disneyland Classics

Just a small batch of late 1970's photos, beginning with a few views from Fantasyland. Thanks to Ben Myers of The Cast Member Nametag Museum for helping pinpoint the date of this batch by using the Tour Guide's nametage as a clue. Without detail-driven readers like Ben, I'd still be in the dark on this one.

Lots going on in shot #2; Chicken of the Sea Pirate Ship Restaurant, The Skyway, and Dumbo Flying Elephants. If you want to get technical, you can also count the Casey Jr. ticket booth at the far left.



How about that bouffant on the guest riding Dumbo?



I wonder if her hair moved at all? I doubt it.



On the edge of Tomorrowland, the entrance is wide open and inviting. The PeopleMover shows movement and the two silver buildings on each side look like entry gates. Today, that thoughtful design has been obliterated by the Astro Orbiter.



Bouffants and Strollers. Oh my...



This little boy is in hog heaven, with a gorgeous Tour Guide to show him the ropes. I believe puberty started for him shortly after this momentous occasion.



Well hello, Joan!



How the heck did she fit that hairdo through that short opening? Talk about magic!



See more vintage and current Disneyland photos on my Disneyland web page.