Saturday, December 31, 2011

New Blogger

Well, I'm really excited to be talking about this. I will be a new blogger on the WDW Radio Show's blog! I will be talking about the characters in Disney animated films, talking about who were the supervising animators behind the character who voiced them and maybe some fun facts about the character as well. I am so excited and it will be a great way for you all to learn more about the films as well!

Make sure to tune in every month on the blog to see what I write, as well as get into the WDW Radio Show as it is a great show for those who love Walt Disney World and want to learn more about that park and some people who are influential to the films or Disney in general!

New Years EVE!

Well, I need to get back into the posting gig, don't I? So with that being said, lets talk about the New Year! 2012 will be the year for Disney is seems. With Leap Year being this upcoming year, apparently Disney has something special planned for all of us. What is it? We don't know, we have about 10 hours from this post until the announcement is made. Will this be another deal like they had a couple years back with getting in free on your birthday, or maybe Year of a Million Dreams. Tune in and I will cover it either today or tomorrow! Or check it out your self: One More Disney Day.

Also check out the awesome video they put together for the teaser!

Sunday, December 25, 2011

Sorry!

Sorry guys, with all the holidays and everything going on, I have been lagging on my posts and all that. I will try and get some stuff up before the new year, if not expect things to still arrive in 2012! I will not be leaving this blog behind. Look out for some stuff soon! I will try and get the new villain of the week up!

Monday, December 19, 2011

Things to Come!

Sorry, I missed the last two days of posting, and I was doing so well! Well, I went to Disneyland and CA Adventure once again yesterday, and I took LOTS of photos. I will be talking about the new Pirates of the Caribbean post-refurbishment, the Holiday Decorations, the "it's a small world" Holiday Celebration, Disney Junior show, and many other things about the parks! Also, there is the building of the Circle Carthay Theatre in the park already! Soon to open in 2012! Be ready to learn some awesome stuff about the parks, as well as some more movie trivia and info!

Friday, December 16, 2011

Holidays at the Disneyland Resort

Lets see if this happens really this time. I am going with my friends, hopefully, to Disneyland this Sunday. No pass, but I will have a good time anyways. Let's hope it sticks!

Wednesday, December 14, 2011

Submarines At Disneyland

Everyone knows of the submarines that are at the Disneyland Resort. The submarines were known at Disneyland for letting people go down under the water and allow them to see what it was like to go in a submarine. When Walt released the attraction, he was known as having the largest fleet of submarines in the world. Many people thought of this as a political statement, but it was only merely for the fact that Walt was using it as an attraction. The submarines were taken down after some time.

Imagineers said that once it was taken down they were right back at work to find how could they bring them back? They wanted to find a way to make them bigger and better than before. At first, they had hoped that Atlantis: The Lost Empire film would cause enough of a stir that they would be able to bring back the submarines and base it on that feature film. To the Imagineer's dismay, the film did not do as well as they hoped, and so they had to scrap the idea of using that movie as the basis.

It wasn't for a few years later that the movie that would allow the attraction to come back was Finding Nemo. The Academy Award winning film was just what the animators needed in order to get their attraction back on the map. Making the ride sort of a sequel to the original movie, Nemo is off with his friends and trying to discover something new.

This is the biggest E-ticket attraction at the Disneyland Resort and always has over an hour wait. So, if you ever plan to go onto this attraction, make sure to plan accordingly!

Tuesday, December 13, 2011

The Muppets Review

Alright, well I have been talking a lot about the past and now I think it is time I talk about the present. The new Muppets movie, which was released the week of Thanksgiving this year, was a great pleasant surprise. As a person who only ever saw a couple Muppets movies as a child, never the first, until quite recently, it was an experience to see them this way. It is a great movie about family, and the longing to have people to be there to catch you when you fall.

The movie, even with the additions of Jason Segal and Amy Adams' plot lines, they were a great addition to the story and helped the movie along with the addition of the new Muppet Walter as well. The music is unforgettable, as well as the movie. Such songs include "Forget You" by Cee Lo Green, and a song by Nirvana. Many other songs feature Kermit and the rest of the Muppets in their famous song "Rainbow Connection". All in all, it is a great movie, and a great one to see with the family,whether you want to laugh or just be with family, this movie is it.

Also, there are guest appearances by Selena Gomez, Whoopi Goldberg, Neil Patrick Harris, and many more!

Monday, December 12, 2011

My Top 5 Songs of Disney

As we know, Disney is just as much known for its music as well as the animation they put out with these movies. We have grown up with them, loved them, and it also has made you think more and more about the story. Walt Disney said that he did not just put songs in there just for the sake of a song, but did it to move the story along. That the song either added to the scene, or moved the plot point forward, or advanced the character development. So, with all these songs, I think we need to have some sort of homage to them, and I will be listing my top 5 favorite Disney songs.

5. Circle of Life - Written by the legendary Elton John, this song is what opens up the movie and is somewhat of a great classic where they use the culture of Africa to its fullest and allows us to have a new thought process and really think about it all that the Circle of Life is real and is used greatly in the animal kingdom, going back to the logic of Native American's and their respect for nature. A great song, no doubt about it.


4. Poor Unfortunate Souls - May not be a operatic or broadway voice, but Pat Carrol did a great job in displaying how evil Ursula could be in this song, and we get so much plot development from this song. We see Ariel's desire to become human, Ursula's backstory, and the actual transformation to Ariel to human. There is some of the greatest animation in this song that is displayed and it could not have been pulled off unless this song was the way it was done, perfectly.

3. Once Upon A Dream - One of the most iconic songs of the movie and of all time. This song is constantly used in the parks when going through Sleeping Beauty's Walkthrough, and is just a great sung by the operatic singer, Mary Costa. She brought not only her musical voice alive, but the childlike voice of Aurora as well. This song is great and is the overlaying theme of Sleeping Beauty.







2. Welcome - This song is a warm and friendly song that, in the movie, is when Kenai is welcomed into the brotherhood of bears, which is something that he is not expecting to be as pleasant as it could be. It is a great song written by the Blind Men and Phil Collins. It is a great written song and has a deep meaning and is full of rich sound. It adds so much to the movie and has made an impact not only in the movie, but in the parades as well. The 50th Anniversary Parade for Disneyland featured this song as their song when not using songs from each of the movies from each float.







1. When You Wish Upon A Star - In my opinion the best song of all of Disney movies. Only because of the message that is behind it, that anything you wish for can come true, you just have to believe. Walt used this as his slogan after the production and release of Pinocchio and is used throughout the future Disney features afterward. This is actually a theme used in the 49th animated featured Princess and the Frog. This message continues to amaze us and make us love Disney more and more with this phrase and song...


Villain of the Week

The villain this week is none other than the Queen Narissa from the movie Enchanted. Her character is made up of all the biggest and baddest of the Disney villains. Her costume design is reflective of the Evil Queen from Snow White, and the flow of Maleficent's grand costume. Narissa also, is one that repeats the grand transformation from human...to dragon. Narissa, also has a magic ball made from a cauldron like Ursula from the Little Mermaid. There can be many other little comparisons between this evil Queen (voiced by Susan Suranden) and the Disney villains.

What other qualities do you see in her that you could find in the other villains?

Comment below to tell me your thoughts on this villain!

Sunday, December 11, 2011

50th Anniversary Soundtrack

This is a great album that any Disney enthusiast of the parks should get. Released when Disneyland reached it's 50th anniversary, currently at its 56th year, it is a great album that gives the soundtrack of the attractions that are both at Disneyland, or in Florida.

These songs each make you feel like you are immersed in the ride, and are a perfect part to each person's collection of Disney.

My favorite songs on the album are:

  • Grim, Grinning Ghosts
  • Yo Ho, A Pirate's Life for Me.
  • Splash Mountain
  • Buzz Lightyear's Astro Blasters
  • Walt's Speech
Each thing is unique and you should definitely get the album if you can. It is great!

Saturday, December 10, 2011

Country Bears

Originally designed and was in the Disneyland Resort, Walt wanted to create an attraction that had a bear focused band. Walt Disney died before he was able to see the attraction's completion, but it was still carried forth, by the Imagineer Marc Davis.

It was continued and by 1971, it was released in Florida and soon afterward was sent to the Disneyland Resort. Disneyland had created a land called Bear Country (later to be called Critter Country upon the attraction's removal).

In 2001, the ride was removed from Disneyland, but the restraunt that was attached to the show still remains and is still active. It is often used as a pit stop for people coming off of Splash Mountain or a restroom after the Haunted Mansion. In it's replacement, Winnie the Pooh was put in place, but there are still remnants of the attraction if you look in the rooms of the Pooh attraction.

The attractions till exists in Florida, but it was a large success and after the success of Pirates of the Caribbean in the big screen, they did the same and made a Country Bears film. Though not successful, it is still a treasured film that any Country Bear fan should check out.

--Information found on Wikipedia

Friday, December 9, 2011

Mickey's Soundsational Parade

I decided to watch this parade online as I don't think it is in the parks anymore, though I sincerely hope so for Sunday, but it is an amazing parade that I watched and it seemed to be something to be treasured. It hosts some of the most classic Disney movies with characters not normally seen in the parks, which is what fascinated me the most while watching it.

Such people are Panchito, Turk, Genie, Rapunzel, it just was all nice to see. Though Rapunzel has her own meet 'n greet part in Fantasyland, she has not been seen in a parade yet, so it was a nice surprise. I loved that they included Genie, as he is a character we don't get to see unless you go to California Adventure and watch the show. It is something to be discovered and watched.

The music is phenomenal, as always, but with mixing all the songs together into one, which seemed to flow seamlessly between each float and letting songs from the movies come together as well without seeming too different. It is just a great parade, and I hope it is still at the parks, but if not, look it up on YouTube!

Amazing!

Really amazing, that is all I have to say, check it out!

Holidays at the Disneyland Resort

This is another great commerical that has actually got me really excited for my trip Sunday. It is an annual thing for me, and I always go during the winter season. This tradition has happened for me since I was about 8 years old when my uncle would always give us Disneyland tickets for our birthdays, but would only take us during that time of year. Since then, it has been a couple years since that time has happened, but the tradition has still happened that I go somehow when it is the holiday season, either with friends, family, or my little brother (yes I know it is family, but it's different).

This song also gets you to have the little child inside you want to go doesn't it?

What fond memories do you have of Disney at the holiday times? Leave a comment below!

My favorite Disneyland commercial

This commercial was released a couple years back and it was what triggered me to want to go to the Disneyland Resort for the Halloween season. Since then I have only ever been once, but I plan to go again. Why wouldn't you?

I am yet to still discover Ghost Space Mountain, though I have been through the Nightmare Before Christmas Haunted Mansion, many many times, and is still a great edition to the park.

The pumpkins at the front gate in shapes of the Disney characters, they are all so great. I have wanted to go, anyone care to share how great it is during one my favorite holidays? Let me know by commenting below!

Eleanor Audrey - The Perfect Villain

How bone chilling is it each time we hear Maleficent from Sleeping Beauty or Lady Tremaine from Cinderella speak? This was done by the talented voice actress Eleanor Audrey. She was chosen by Walt first to be the Evil Stepmother in Cinderella and was a large success.

Her ability to speak in chilling tones and her facial expressions which were used in Maleficent and has allowed us to find them some of the best villains of the Disney movies. We owe it to Eleanor Audrey in her fascinating voice that allowed us to love these villains as much as we do.

Thursday, December 8, 2011

Top 5 Pixar Movies

Pixar, one of Disney's now crowned jewels in the movies that they have created, starting with Toy Story, there have been many great films to have come out of that animation company, and today, I think I will have to talk about which movies, in my opinion, are the top five of Pixar Animation Studios.

5. Up - It tells a great story, and is one of the darkest movies of Pixar and frankly Disney as well. The idea of losing a child, the loss of someone you love, how that can effect the elderly, and the determination of people to do what they need to do, and is also a message that you cannot linger to the past forever, for it may destroy you.

4. Monster's Inc. - A great movie with great voice actors such as Billy Crystal and a lot of other talented voice actors. The story of monsters is great, and it is also shows how far corporate people can go to save people. It is a great modern story that if taken out of context of the monsters could actually be turned into a live action film of some kind with the same plotline, of course taking out Boo, but who could forget such an innocent character?

3. Toy Story 3 - Came out June 18, 2010, is one of the best movies in the series, and shows how people, again, grow up and need to let go of the past, for it doesn't always stay forever and change happens, whether you are ready for it or not. It is a great story and is one that, for people who grew up with these movies, went off to college the same time as Andy (at least that was me in my case). It is a wonderful story and told with breathtaking animation and great characters.

2. Finding Nemo - One of the best movies that Pixar had ever done. With the having to animate the ocean is one that someone has not done, and was created as a challenge to even look at in Pinocchio with the scene of Monstro. This movie was nominated for multiple Academy Awards, and won a couple as well. It is one of the best told stories of how far a parent will go to save their child. With memorable characters and great storytelling, it is in fact a close first for my opinion.

1. Toy Story - Like Snow White with Walt Disney, Pixar created the first complete computer animated feature with Toy Story, released in 1995, was awarded for its complexity and its ability to tell a story with a computer screen. Though Pixar had done shorts in the past, they had never attempted something like this. To give the story of toys and what they do when we are not around. It is a wonderful story and is something to be treasured always. No matter when you watch it, it is still a great story and is amazing to watch.

What are you favorite Pixar films? Comment below!

1. Toy Story

Cinderella - The Savior of the Disney Company

We all know of the famous story of Cinderella, but not many know of how much the company was riding on the story of Cinderella.

The company was losing money, it had lost a large amount of money after the success of Snow White. Despite positive reviews for Pinocchio, Fantasia, and Bambi, each didn't do well at the box office.

So, when the company decided to do Cinderella, they had hoped that this was the film that would save the company from going under. They had already done shorts for television and companies, but it wouldn't save the company forever. Each person who put their effort into the movie was rewarded upon its success.

One part of the success of the movie was the music. Upon knowing that they could sell their music, they opened the Disney Music Company, which sold records and the sheet music of not only Cinderella, but other movies as well. But, it was Cinderella's music that put the company on the map once again. Their record sold almost a million copies and was also number one on the American charts for almost a year.

So as we see, Cinderella was an integral part to the Company's further success and allowed them to be what they are today.

P.S. A little fun fact for you all, Walt's favorite part of animation in this movie was the transformation scene.

Wednesday, December 7, 2011

Storybookland - An Overlooked Attraction

One of the overlooked attractions for most Disney goers in this one right here...Storybookland. Most people find this a ride just to take their children on, or to just rest for a moment. This can still be done, but the thing that you miss when you don't go on this attraction is the scenery of all the movies that we all know and love.

Scenes include Agrabah, the archways seen in "A Whole New World" Cave of Wonders, Mr. Toad's Village, the park that Peter Pan flies over, Cinderella's Castle, Prince Eric's Castle, and more. It is just an amazing sight to see. A fact that not many know that the trees that are in this attraction are indeed real. I cannot remember the name of the tree, but they are only meant to grow a couple inches tall and they stop at that height. Walt wanted a way for people to still be connected to the movies even without the dark rides that are popular.

So make sure to stop by this attraction when you go to Disneyland, you may be missing out on some great Disney treasures, and make sure to ask the Cast Members things about the attraction!

"What triggered your fascination for Disney?" - Jeff Kurtti

Upon listening to the WDW Radio Show podcast, Lou Mongello interviewed a man who started out low on the Disney totem pole and has written many books for the Disney Company as well as directed a couple documentaries and met many Disney Legends. But the thing that stood out to me here, was when Jeff Kurtti talked about what was the trigger that makes a person a Disney fan. What was that moment that made you love Disney and want to know all there was about it. He talks about Mary Poppins being his, and I decided that I wanted to write about mine.

Mine was the countless times I went to Disneyland as a child. I have a bad case of motion sickness, where even going on long car rides can trigger it, or even a small one, depending on how the person drives, so roller coasters were never something I could go on as a kid without getting sick and not wanting to relinquish the meal I had eaten that day.

So Disneyland was the safe haven for me, and every time I went to Disneyland, I loved how everything had a story, a history that was connected to either a movie or was a concept developed by Walt Disney or Imagineers to make Disneyland one of the most creative places in the world.

So, upon entering high school, I decided to learn more about the park and started reading about the parks and would listen to podcasts, and everything I could in order to make Disney a part of my life. Soon afterward, I started watching the documentaries on the DVD's I got, and was interested more. I loved the art form and was fascinated in the amount of paper and talent it took to make all the old films.

So it all sort of snowballed at the fact that Disneyland was the only place I could go without getting sick or nervous about going on rides.

What was your trigger? Answer on the comment section below!

Tuesday, December 6, 2011

Disneyland Trip This Weekend

Alright, well it almost seems certain that I am going to Disneyland this weekend. I'm excited as I always go at least once a year and it is usually during the holidays, and I love that time of year as it is such a festive time at the Disneyland Resort. I will make sure to take lots of pictures and be able to report on some stuff when I get back. Some things may include the Haunted Mansion Holiday, Splash Mountain, the new Star Tours, Matterhorn, Autopia, Space Mountain, Buzz Lightyear, just to name a few. Anything you want me to look out for tweet on my Twitter page, or make sure to leave a comment here!

"Goddess of Spring"


For those who have the special edition of Snow White that came out many years ago, you will know that there is a lot of bonus features that tells us of the first animated motion picture that premiered back in 1937. But, if you look at the whole DVD, you will see that there is a short that was made by animators to test if they could animate a human being properly.

Seeing as the Disney Animation Studios, last known as "Silly Symphony Production" they made a short on the Goddess of Spring, based on the Greek mythology of Persephone who was stolen by Hades, and though she hated it down there, made a deal with Hades to allow her to come up above for 6 months out of the year, and the other 6 months to be in Hades, which explains why the earth goes cold for winter, for there is no Persephone. This short is done beautifully, and seeing the short is one of my favorites even over some of the Pixar shorts we have now. It is a great piece of animation that I think any Disney fan should watch. Take a look, it is definitely worth watching, and shows how much of that animation was helped in creating Snow White.

Disney's California Adventure Expansion

As many of you might know, there is a great expansion happening at California Adventure and some of which have come to pass already, and are slowly making its way into the park. I went at the beginning of the summer, and the usually huge plaza, is under construction, as well as the new entrance to the park to resemble when Walt Disney came to California in 1920.

The construction of the main plaza is supposed to reflect that of 1920's with red cable cars that used to run through Los Angeles. There is also the Carthay Circle Theatre which will be built which was where Snow White and the Seven Dwarves was premiered in Los Angeles.

Many other expansions are the Little Mermaid's Under Sea Voyage (see post below), Toy Story Mania, which premiered a couple years ago with the first responding and interactive animatronic. Mr. Potato Head.

This animatronic talks to you and tells you jokes, and actually gives not the best response when he is ignored. So make sure to interact with him when you go to the park. Voiced by the actor of Mr. Potato Head in the Toy Story films, Don Rickles,

They also added, removing the Orange Peel swings, replaced it with Mickey's Silly Symphony Swings, which has Mickey in his concert attire on the top of the attraction. Silly Symphony was actually the name of the production company at a time, as seen in the short "Goddess of Spring" which Disney animators put together while creating Snow White to test the animating of people.

The last big attraction they plan to bring to the parks...CARS LAND. Set to come out in 2012, The large rocks that make Radiator Springs can already be seen from Bug's Land. So be sure to be on the look out for that. For more information or what the attractions are, see the video below.

The other expansion which has already been in effect for a while is the World of Color. Which has been a big success for the park since its premiere in 2010.

So what are you looking forward to in this expansion? Let us know on the comments below, and make sure to follow us on Twitter @DlandInsider!

Monday, December 5, 2011

Walt Disney's Birthday!

Well today is the man who started it all's birthday. Walt would have been celebrating his 110th birthday this year. Thinking back on all his achievements, the man had created the first animated feature film, started the first multimedia franchise, started the theme park business which has now spread over 4 continents. His company has produced 50 animated features not including sequels to the movies, along with attractions which has sprung some of the most popular culture sayings of our time, one even becoming a blockbuster franchise.

What is your favorite Walt Disney aspect, and if you could tell him something, what would it be?

Put your response in our comments below. Make sure to follow us on twitter @DlandInsider or email us at dlandinsider@yahoo.com

Glee's Disney Cameo!

As much s I love Disney, I am just as much a Gleek. I love Glee with a burning passion and I was supposed to put this out when the season 2 finale aired. In Glee's Season Two Finale "New York" they do "Lady and the Tramp"'s 'Bella Notte', the romance song of the entire movie, which was originally sang to Tramp and Lady while eating spaghetti and having a walk through the park. There is already a reference to Disney and this movie once in the show (Brittany talks about moving spaghetti with her nose).

Upon this singing it, I found it a strange cover, but good all the same. serenading the couple as they try to reunite their love for one another which falls short anyways. But! Alas, a Disney song was sung on Glee. Those Gleeks of us out there, do we want more Disney covers? Or is this enough for all of us?

Please let us know by commenting below, or by posting on our Twitter page @DlandInsider or emailing us at dlandinsider@yahoo.com!

"Brave" - A New Pixar Movie

Well, for those who have seen "The Muppets" they have seen this trailer already, or is just plain a Disney fan knows about this movie already. I have been excited to see how this is going to go as a movie as I am a Celtic myself and my father is from the United Kingdom. I think this movie is going to be good and will be an interesting watch for sure, for those who want to see it, it comes out sometime next year and it looks to focus on a Scottish Princess who doesn't want to be a princess, and wants to do men-like activities. I am looking forward to this, as it seems that there will be some type of supernatural theme to it and I am a sucker for that kind of stuff. So we shall see!

Any ideas, comments, excitement please comment below, or email us at dlandinsider@yahoo.com or join our twitter page @DlandInsider! 

Sunday, December 4, 2011

Villain of the Week

I decided to start some segments on the blog, and I decided on a villain of the week.

This week it is dedicated to the Evil Queen. She is the first Disney Villain and is one of the first people to ever chill us to the bone. She is a great villain who is evil, asks for Snow White's heart. Is so vain about her beauty that she turned herself evil in order to take out the competition of the woman who seemed to think that nothing else mattered except her looks. Her death is also one of a kind, and is one of the only deaths to get a buzzard hovering above and has the death of a rock landing on her, crushing her to death.

Any discussion on the Evil Queen make sure to post here or follow on our Twitter page!

Any ideas you want for the blog please make sure to either post on twitter or email! Our Twitter page will also have a daily fun fact! So make sure to tune in each day for your Disney fun fact!

Contacting the Dland Insider

Hello all! Probably like my 12th post if the day. But! I have just signed up for ways in which you can come in contact with the Dland Insider and for you to be able to talk back to me and give me some suggestions in things to cover or if you just want to say hi! You can email me at dlandinsider@yahoo.com or follow us on twitter at http://twitter.com/DlandInsider! I will speaking on here as well as twitter to keep you guys loving in the disney! Also if you have any comments on a particular post you can do so on the page as well as follow the blog. So excited to continue and would love some responses!

Coming Soon...

Well, I am getting all too excited over this blog again, and at this rate, you could be getting posts CONSTANTLY! But I need to plan out some things to post here. But here are some things to look forward to:

  • Attraction Reviews (both Disneyland and Disney's California Adventure)
  • Food Reviews
  • Store Reviews
  • Top Attractions for Disneyland
  • Movie Reviews
  • Music Reviews
Basically, I will talking about all there is about Disney. I love their movies especially, and hopefully I will get into some history in there, as my research for more information about the parks continues! So stay tuned and please, spread the word to the Disney Community! I hope you all enjoy the blog and hope to see more people read soon!

Top 10 Attractions/Shows at Disney's California Adventure

I am inspired by the segment that Lou Mongello does about the top ten's that he does, and I think one for the neglected park needs one.

As their refurbishment on the whole park is happening, I went at the beginning of the summer as I said in a couple other posts, there are other parts of the park not covered that I think are definitely needed to be put into place.

So without further adieu, lets get to the list shall we?

10. 'It's Tough To Be a Bug' Attraction - This attraction is one that I love to go on despite it being one of the most intense experiences. This attraction is a 3-D show that shrinks you down to bug size and makes you 'Honorary Bugs'. You get a little experiences on the life of a bug and how to deal with it, with some surprise grasshopper friends. With great surprises, it is one of the best attractions I like to go on when I go to the park.

9. California Screamin' - Well, this is one of the park's most outstanding attractions and is also one of the longest wait times unless you get a FastPass. This ride accelerates you from 0 to 60mph in 5 seconds. It is also Disney's first attraction that has a loop in it. Riding it was an experience as I have bad motion sickness, and though I felt nausea afterwards it was a great experience and allows you to have the thrill factor so many people look for.

8. Aladdin's Musical Spectacular - One of the best shows I have seen (and this is a person who studied music in high school). The performers are great, the effects are great, and you even get to see some people sign language who are just as entertaining as the show itself. If you ever get the chance to see it, it is great.

7. Grizzly River Run - This is another E-ticket attraction and has a long wait. Comparing it to Knott's Berry Farm's Big Foot Rapids, you get a lot less wet, but it is a great ride none the less. You have a lot of bumps and great little leaps into the ride. Also the drops make it so you never know who is wet, for you spin as you drop! One of the best rides at DCA.

6. Walt Disney's Electrical Parade - The same show that was displayed in Disneyland for a long time before being moved to DCA. It is a great show which shows you how lightbulbs can indeed be an art form and it is just a great show to watch. It is only shown twice in one night, so you have to plan ahead.

5. Toy Story Midway Mania - A great attraction, similar to Buzz Lightyear's Astro Blasters in Disneyland, but with the 4-D capability of if something you hit you feel a rush of air, water, etc. It is also a fun way to get out of the heat for a while, and just have some competitive fun. The only hassle is to make sure you keep on your 3-D glasses while shooting things rapidly.

4. Animations - A GREAT place to go. I go every time I am in DCA. It is a place in which you can see animation at its best and how it works. There is Turtle Talk With Crush, which is more for the children, but entertaining to watch none the less. There is the Animation Studio in which they teach you to draw famous Disney characters. The two times I have been in there, I learned to draw Mickey and Winnie the Pooh. There is also the Sorcerer's Cave, in which you go through three rooms. The first is where you can make your own animation, with the Magic Mirror there to speak riddles to you. The next room is the Beast's Study where you can find out which Disney character you are, while seeing the room transform every few minutes. Finally is Ursula's Grotto where you can act or sing out a scene from a Disney movie while hearing it played back to you. Great great place to go.

3. Twlight Zone's Tower of Terror - Another thrill ride where you get to soar over the park and yell over as you drop and lift back up. It is a great attraction in which you feel like you are just floating in the elevator unless you grip onto something. It is a great adrenaline rush and is another one the park's most popular attractions. Upon finishing the ride, you can go into their shop where they have lots of Twilight Zone or Tower of Terror merchandise to buy from your experience. So, another great ride!

2. Soarin' Over California - Probably the park's busiest and most popular attractions. It is a ride that allows you to feel like you are on a hang glider and soar over all over the Golden State. Taking you from Orange County, to the Redwood Forest, to Downtown Los Angeles, San Francisco, and other great places in the state that is California.

1. World of Color - Well I have said this once before, but I will say it. It is AMAZING! One of the best shows, and in my opinion a little more amazing that Fantasmic!. So I would definitely check it out, for more information on the attraction see one of my posts below.

As you can see, there is a lot that you can do at California Adventure while still doing other amazing things! There are many other attractions, but those are my top ten for if I go what I need to see or do.

Downtown Disney's Jazz Kitchen

Alright, I think it's time I start talking about food don't you? I go to the Disneyland Resort's Downtown Disney more times that I go to the park in a year. I love the merchandise, and I love having a sort of Disney feel while being there but you aren't in the parks. But! Every time I come to Downtown Disney, I got to the Jazz Kitchen. It is a great restraunt that gives you the feel of being in New Orleans Square in the parks, but you also get to have a great meal. I only go during lunch, so I can only speak about how it is when there is lunchtime.

Now, to start us off, the exterior, the building itself is very much like if you were in New Orleans Square and just in the small roads that they have. It has a beautiful fountain on the front, and the architecture is nothing but breathtaking. the charcoal grey tile on the ground, is just great.

Ideal locations to eat in this place, I would say either the second floor (it is a lot more lavish and expensive looking), or outside (depending on weather of course). The inside is nice if you want to see the game by the bar, or if you want the live entertainment during the day or night. There is a stage in the show room on the first floor for jazz performers to perform, which gives it just that much more of a New Orleans feel to it.

Now to the food. I am a burger guy, who loves to get burgers all the time, but I seem to always enjoy the burgers they have there. If you are someone who likes bleu cheese, the Bleu Cheese Burger is good with tomatoes, lettuce and the cheese. Another good food is their creole potato salad which comes with their sandwich (I can't remember the name for the life of me), which is also delicious, but it is a very big meal, which I would suggest taking home unless you are insanely hungry. They have a special at lunch time in which you can build your own Bloody Mary if you are into that kind of drink, they also have great iced teas, along with the standard fountain drinks.

That is my real description of it. It is a great experience if you want to have it. The service is great, and they all like to be there if you wanted more from them. If you love New Orleans cuisine, I would suggest going there on your next visit, for I may be even going there tomorrow!

Saturday, December 3, 2011

Ariel's Under Sea Voyage

One of the newest attractions from the DCA development. It was a great ride. The colors were amazing, the animatronics were amazing the colors and the story was told so well. The only complaint I had in my opinion is that we only get to see our favorite villain Ursula once and it flies by so quickly, but other than that, it is all so great. A must see attraction if you come to DCA. I will definitely be reporting on the new developments that occur, but I think anyone who will see this ride will agree it is great. If you look at the queue even, it is beautiful Each thing about this ride was done great. So, go out and see what this attraction is all about!

World of Color

Alright, let's talk to all about the World of Color. I had wanted to see this show since it came out last summer, BUT I finally got to see it and to now surprise it was great. I loved every moment of it. Though I have to admit, I was not expecting to get wet, which is something that does happen when you are that close to the water.

The images include Toy Story, Nemo, Lion King, Pirates of the Caribbean, Little Mermaid, just to name a few.

The imagery is amazing, with the lights actually looking as if colored ink is pouring out of the water. The images that were placed on the water was great and it was just nothing but beautiful. It is something you definitely need to see if you can. Though you can buy the $15.00 dinner and show, but you won't get to be that close and see the show as great as you can up close.

FastPass is the best way to go for this. FastPasses are at the Grizzly River Run, and so if you need to see this, I would get it.


Friday, December 2, 2011

Backish

Well, trying to get back to my blogging. I missed doing this, and I was inspired by getting back into listening to Lou Mongello's "WDW Radio Show". So good, and it makes me want to do this again. Well, I have been to the Disneyland Resort, at least as the parks are concerned a couple times since I last posted almost a year ago. I must say, going with a disabled person makes the line experience nothing. I went to Disneyland and went on almost every ride because of going with my friend who needs a wheelchair. I found it interesting to have to work with this. But! None the less, I found it great and it was a great experience as always. Though, my next post will be about World of Color, one of the best and mesmerizing shows I have ever seen at the Disneyland Resort, and will also talk about more movies and the show I found so interesting...Aladdin: The Musical Spectacular. So be ready for my posts to come!