Disneyland Details

Ahh, Disneyland, how I love thee...

Don't worry, though; I won't be boring you with endless snapshots of me and John in Mickey ears.

Well, ok, maybe just *one*...

Awww. Isn't John adorable?



Ahem.

As I was saying, no boring snapshots here! Instead, I want to focus on the little things that make me love California's Magic Kingdom so much more than Orlando's. (Yeah, I said it. Sorry, WDW.)

First, Main Street.

Ok, so it's not little, but DL's Main Street has more charm, antiques, detail, and gorgeous signage than WDW's. They also had a spectacular amount of vehicular traffic going while we were there: the horse-drawn trolley, two cars, a double-decker bus, and the firetruck, which you can see in my first picture.

Our view while riding the firetruck. The driver told us Walt Disney used to drive this very same truck around the park. Trivia like that makes me happy. :)

The Penny Arcade is probably my favorite spot on Main Street. I love the vintage pipe organ and games.

A peek at the scroll in the pipe organ/player piano/band in a box thingy.
(Anyone know the real name for this?)

[UPDATE: Well, I've had votes for calliope, nickelodeon, & hurdy-gurdy, but I think the final, correct answer is a Welte Orchestrian. See how educational this blog can be?]

The cabinet with the brass pipes is the top half of the music thingy.

I like this shot of the light better, though:

Kind of a dark carnival vibe going here. I like it.

For a coin, you can make Pinocchio dance.

Or squeeze Uncle Sam's hand.

My other favorite Main Street attraction? These guys:

The Dapper Dans (Jon, Drew, Eulis, & Jim), on their bicycle built for four!! [geek swoon]

Now, you have to understand: I've wanted to see the Dans on this bike since the first time I visited Disneyland, back in 2005. Walt Disney himself ordered the bike, it was custom built by Schwinn, and WDW doesn't have one. In the three visits we've made to DL since '05, John and I always just missed the Dans, or the bike was in the shop, or they weren't riding it that day. So, I didn't have very high hopes when I asked them about it after one of their performances.

I should mention here that every cast member we've ever met at Disneyland - on this trip or the ones prior - has been above-and-beyond amazing. Truly. So I guess I shouldn't have been surprised when the Dans changed their plans and rode the bike just for us at their very next performance. But I still was. :)

When they came pedaling down the street, I was standing on the corner with my camera hopping up and down like a five-year-old. I'm not sure if I flattered the guys or frightened them. Hee. Oh, and see how crowded the street was? That's why they weren't going to ride; it was insanely busy.

One last shot of the Dans:

And lest it appear I only love the Dans for their mode of transport: I absolutely adore four-part harmony. Always have. I don't have much musical ability myself, but I did sing alto/tenor in a small ladies' a capella group as a teen, and loved every minute of it.

Ok, moving on...

More details I love:

The window displays...


This one in particular caught my eye:


Check out all the detail!

The little statues tucked all around the park:

Does this count as a statue? Hm. Whatever. It's cute.

And the cool signs!

And then, of course, there's this guy:

Woohoo!!
Rocketeer popcorn-cart dude ftw!

I have to thank James & Kim Keeline, organizers of the upcoming Tom Swift convention in San Diego, for telling me about this next Disney detail: The Lilly Belle Passenger Car.

This train car used to be reserved exclusively for Disney VIPs, but nowadays you can make an appointment with the conductors to ride in it yourself. It's like stepping into another world in there: all velvet and antiques and wood paneling.

Outside that door, the rest of the tourists sit on wooden benches. In here, you sit on velvet cushions like royalty. :)

This marble-topped table was directly across from me:

Such a fun, insider-only kind of experience! I'm so glad we got to do it.


And the final detail that makes Disneyland delightful: the cast-members!

Oooh, so eeeevil.

I'd say she's nailed "the look."

And now, I shall regale you with two Matterhorn cast member stories.

Story #1:

My first visit to DL, I was terrified of going on the Matterhorn. TERRIFIED. So, I approached the guy working the queue and had the following conversation:

Me: "Excuse me, how scary is this ride?"

Him: "Well, it depends. How old is the child?"

Me: [without missing a beat] "Twenty-seven."

Him: [double-take]

Me: [bright smile]

Him: "Ok, you guys are coming with me."

And with that, he walked us to the front of the line. (!!) If he hadn't, I probably never would have gone on the thing, and then never would've discovered my favorite ride in DL.

Story #2:

During one of our many waits in the Matterhorn queue last week, John and I were amused to see a little boy get into a bobsled with his dad, and then pull his shirt up and over his head so he couldn't see. I guess he was scared.

The cast member checking seat belts was using a flashlight to see into each sled (it was nighttime), and when she got to them, she leaned down and had a quick conversation with the boy. Seconds later, when the car pulled forward to start the ride, the boy was wearing his shirt back down, a big smile, and had the girl's flashlight clutched in both hands.

Can I get an "awww"?

And finally, since I started this insanely long post with a picture of the front of the castle, I'll end with one of the back:

See the little crown on the central peak? I just noticed that!

Oh, and John and I did see the new show, World of Color, over at California Adventure. I took so many photos, though, that after narrowing them down I *still* have 100 to choose from. Hah! So anyway, I'll post a few of those next. I think you'll like them; the colors are bee-YU-teeful.