Disneyland's Worst Named Ride

Let's see - there's Mr. Toad's Wild Ride which really isn't so wild after all. There's Snow White's Scary Adventure which is neither very scary or much of an adventure. And then there's Pinocchio's Daring Journey which is neither very daring or much of a journey. In fact, Pinocchio goes down on my list as the dullest ride in the Disneyland, promising a journey and delivering a snoozer of a ride without much to offer kids or adults of any age. I suppose there's some charm or nostalgia in there somewhere but when most people get off the ride, they hit the exit and not give the attraction a second thought let alone a chance to give the ride a thought of going on it again. It's ride where you check the box. "Yep, went on Pinocchio....moved on".

Of all the Fantasyland dark rides, only Peter Pan's Flight and Alice in Wonderland deliver as advertised. The rest come up short. Supposedly for the 60th anniversary next year, the Fantasyland dark rides will get some new modern special effects. It could only be an improvement.

Mickey & The Magical Map Is Fun....BUT....

I gotta say that when I first saw the Mickey and the Magical Map show at Disneyland's cavernous Fantasyland Theater I was pleasantly surprised. The 25 minute lively show was quite enjoyable and not a waste of time in the slightest. When I go back to Disneyland, I'll be sure to make it a point to see it again for an entertaining diversion. Best of all, the show has real seats which for Disneyland, is rare. And any show that uses the voice of Leonard Nimoy (sounding just like Spock) can't be all bad.

Now comes the "but....." part. The theater is a huge piece of valuable real estate in Fantasyland. It holds close to 2000 people and on a busy day, Mickey and the Magical Lamp was less than half full. It seems to me, and I've said it before, Disneyland could get far more bang out of the space if it was used for a full-blown ride attraction. Take the space from the neighboring ToonTown (except for Roger Rabbit) and you would really have some area to work with and go development crazy.

That's on my Disneyland imagination wish list, after all, it isn't my money to build expensive rides and attractions. Until then, I can be content with going in and enjoying Mickey and his map. It's a fun thing to do.

Slowly Working Our Way Towards Six Flags Over Anaheim

So I've been pretty cheesed off that Disneyland has decided to bring an end to the Billy Hill and the Hillbillies Show. The Billy Hill shows inside the Golden Horseshoe were performed before packed houses with a great time to be had by young and old alike. Let's get rid of it. Knuckleheaded decision if there ever was one that I'm sure was driven by financial reasons.

Now comes the story that the abandoned Skyway Station in Fantasyland is due to be demolished after the first of the year. Granted, the place hasn't been used for 20 years, but it's just such a rich piece of Disneyland history. A show of hands, how many people took a ride on the Fantasyland / Tomorrowland Skyway with their parents?  And how many took that ride with parents who may have passed on? Bam! Another memory blown away, just like the Market House, or the Court of Angels. Mrs. DisnsyelandTraveler and I have all but decided not to renew our annual passes when they expire next spring. Disneyland is making the decision quite easy.

P.S. I shared this link in a previous post when I first found out that Disney had decided to "retire" the Billy Hill and the Hillbillies show. It is a petition to Disney requesting they reconsider that decision. To date, it has already collected over 2,400 signatures. If you haven't done so already, please sign the petition (and be sure to ask everyone you know to do the same).

PETITION TO SAVE BILLY HILL & THE HILLBILLIES SHOW LINK:

https://www.change.org/petitions/disneyland-resort-anaheim-ca-continue-to-provide-billy-hill-the-hillbilly-shows

The Small World Transformation

And so it is that time of year, that time of year in late October into early November when Mary Blair's charming it's a small world transforms from artful playfulness to Christmas magnificence. Few images in Disneyland are as powerful as it's a small world with the facade is lit up in all its Christmas color. And the new ability to project whimsical images off the facade at timed intervals only enhance the experience. It is an awe inspiring site.

In my years of going to Disneyland, I have learned a few valuable lessons. One is - I can't compete. At one time Mrs. DisneylandTraveler and I used to decorate and decorate and add lights and add more lights to the house during Christmas. But if you take a trip to Disneyland during Christmas, you will soon learn what decorating and lighting for the holidays is all about. Our house is small potatoes. So we decided gradually over the years to pull back on our decorations here at home and make our Christmases smaller and more intimate. We'll leave the big time decorating to the professionals and rather than spending money on gobs of Christmas lights and ornaments, save a little money and maybe apply it to a trip to Disneyland for the holidays. I've always said that as long is you are in the right frame of mind, a trip to Disneyland during the holidays only enhances your Christmas season. A trip to Disneyland is the best present you can give or get. No scrooges allowed.

And speaking of it's a small world, even with the ride now closed till November 7, Disney created a bit of controversy last week by selling a new T-Shirt. "I CONQUERED it's a small world" the shirt proudly proclaims. When I first saw it, I kind of chuckled to myself. Anyone who is familiar with the ride knows there is nothing to conquer - it's more a test of endurance because of the endless looping of a classic song on a 14 minute boat ride. But some in the Disney community have taken offense that Disney would mock a ride that was built by Walt Disney himself for the 1964 World's Fair (in New York City). Here's the deal. Disney knows the jokes made about the attraction as it has stood the test of time. If they can make a few bucks off some T-Shirts, then better Disney pocket the money instead of non-licensed T-Shirts that are put up for sale. With Disney, there are very few sacred cows when it comes to making a buck.

The Latest Disneyland "Snack" Food - The Pork Shank

Disneyland's Pork Shank "snack"
A Disney Parks Blog photo

They've been available in Disney World for the better part of 6 months now and came with Magic Kingdom's new Fantasyland expansion. From most of the accounts I have read, these things are pretty darn good. So now coming to Disneyland - The Pork Shank - the pig counterpart to the infamous turkey leg, which is available at Edelweiss Snacks (on the fringe of Fantasyland near the Matterhorn boarding area).  The Pork Shanks are also available for the summer in Frontierland at the Festival Arena Jamboree area according to the announcement in Disney Parks Blog.

 

Coming in at 22 oz. and $9.99, these juicy, salt-laden, artery cloggers should be a real hit but probably should be split with as many people as you can round up to keep your doctor happy. Your stomach may appreciate it to. Chowing down one of these and going for a ride on Space Mountain or Indiana Jones probably wouldn't be advised.

Matterhorn Bobsleds Up For Bid At D23 Expo Auction

The classic tandem Matterhorn Bobsleds
A Disney Parks Blog

In the next two months, I'm sure I'll have plenty to say about D23 and the D23 Expo that comes up for 3 days at the Anaheim Convention Center in August. This past week Disney through Disney Parks Blog announced some items that will be pit up for bid at the Expo's silent auction. Now you can have for your very own, one of the classic tandem Matterhorn bobsleds that were removed from service when the mountain went under refurbishment at the beginning of last year. They can be yours of course if you put up the winning bid which will run into the thousands of dollars.

But here's the irony. Given the extremely poor guest reception of the new but uncomfortable, bone jarring, teeth rattling bobsled ride vehicles, how many people will look at the old sleds on Disney Parks Blog (link) or see them up close at the D23 Expo and think to themselves or say out loud "they should have left those sleds where they belong - on the Matterhorn"?

Yeah....the ride was still bumpy but the one thing those old sleds had, with Mrs. DisneylandTraveler in the front slot and me in the back, was room - room to spare. Pardon me while I go get a Kleenix to wipe my eyes.

A Quick Take On Mickey and the Magical Map

Mickey and the Magical Map - A Disney Promotional Photo

Mickey and the Magical Map made its debut at the revamped Disneyland Fantasyland Theater this past weekend and is getting mostly positive reviews though there is room for improvement to the live stage show according to those who have seen it. The highlights seem to be that anything that returns Mickey Mouse to a place of prominence in Disneyland is a good thing and that the Fantasyland Theater itself is now being put the use that it was designed for, namely live entertainment. The show is generally upbeat, imaginative, and colorful and at 22 minutes in length, a nice addition to guests overall Disneyland experience.

Some of the criticisms have come from the odd song selections used from Disney movies, a puppet Sebastian from the Little Mermaid that comes off as more weird the entertaining, lack of costume changes through the various sequences and songs by the on stage performers, an ending that isn't exactly rousing, and the show itself is heavy once again putting the Disney Princesses front and center which seems to have become the overall theme for all of Fantasyland these days.  

Now since I haven't seen the show I can't really be a fair reviewer (there are now full videos on YouTube if you want to check it out though) but here would be my take. The Fantasyland is a huge cavernous space in a park that is space challenged. Using the theater for a princess meet and greet like it has been for the last several years really failed to put the space to a good productive use. If getting in line (sometimes very long lines) to see Princesses wasn't on your Disneyland agenda then there wasn't a reason to give the area for most people a second thought. With Mickey and the Magical Map at least the area is now being used as it was intended and will bring entertainment to a broader spectrum of park guests. BUT..... when it comes down to it..... wouldn't you rather see some sort of ride attraction in that space? 

I suppose Mickey and the Magical Map will play for the next year or two. Live shows and parades tend to be expensive to develop so once they're in place, they stick around for awhile. If Mickey was a walk in like Billy Hill over at the Golden Horseshoe, then it is probably worth my time. If its one of those things you have to line up for long before the show starts, then I'll probably pass. This show isn't Aladdin or anywhere near it.

Funny....  I keep wanting to call it Mickey and the Magical Lamp for some reason.

How Disneyland Messed Up The Mighty Matterhorn

During our week's stay at the Disneyland Resort, the refurbishment list had The Matterhorn scheduled to be down for most of our visit for "ride testing". Following the unexpected closure of Space Mountain by Disney and/or the Dept of Occupational Safety and Health (DOSH), Disney decided to forgo the "ride testing" of the Matterhorn and keep it open. After all, having the Matterhorn, Space Mountain, Thunder Mountain Railroad, and Soarin' Over California all down at the same time might be a bitter pill to swallow for guests wanting to get the most out of their dollars.

Oh those horrible sleds - Ouch

But what exactly is "ride testing"? Well, most Disneyland insiders believe that it is an admission of guilt on the part of Disney that their 6 month refurbishment of the Matterhorn in 2012 may have missed its mark and instead of improving the mighty Matterhorn, they actually made the classic attraction worse - and worse not by a little.....Disney missed the mark completely.

Sure the mountain looks great with a spiffy new exterior paint job that accentuates the snow covered peaks once again, but other than a little clean-up and minor repairs, little was changed with the ride's interior. The big problem was with the new sleds. The Matterhorn is and always has been a bumpy ride. The first steel tubed roller coaster built in the U.S. has a lot of years (built in 1959) and mileage under its belt and every pimple sized blemish is sent right back to the rider. The old tandem sleds, cushioned and very amply spaced absorbed the jolts. It's not like that anymore. The Matterhorn is spine crunching hence the decision by Disney to tinker with the sleds and make them less of a literal pain in the rear. The tinkering is done in "ride testing".

At least the paint job is nice

I didn't ride the Matterhorn when we were there a few weeks ago. My sister came off the ride with a pained expression on her face. "That was horrible. My head and neck actually hurt." she rather regretfully said. No more Matterhorn for her. That was all I needed to hear having no desire to get on a ride only to get beaten up by it. Far too old to go asking for pain. 

And what a shame. The Matterhorn is a great ride gone bad for the sake of lawyers. Sure it's safer and up to code but in doing so, all the fun was taken out and replaced by pain and discomfort.

Fix it.

Impressions of Disneyland's Fantasy Faire

When Disneyland announced it was building it's new Fantasyland Expansion - Fantasy Faire - in front of the iconic Castle, I was one of the many who had reservations of the distinct Fantasyland archetcture intruding onto the charm of Dinseyland's Main St. Well, after seeing Fantasy Faire up close and personal, my reservations can be laid to rest (not that anyone really cares).

Waking down Main St. towards the Hub and looking off to the left towards Fantasy Faire Village, the area remains quite small. Sprawling it isn't and most of the buildings are recessed back as far they will go rather than pushed obtrusively forward. And from a distance, the trees around the village do provide some additional seclusion. It's rather nice actually and for Disney, probably a better use of the space rather than the old Carnation Plaza Gardens events.

 

Classic storytelling by castmember performers takes place in Royal Theater. Even on a slow day, every seat seems to get filled with additional standing room towards the back. But here's where it gets a little weird. When the Princess Meet & Greet was held at the Fantasyland Theater, lines to meet the Disney princesses were often 30, 60, 90 minutes long. With the princesses in their new home - Royal Hall, at least the times I looked in, the lines were always relatively short - 5 or 10 minutes. Could be just my timing or maybe Disney did too good of job secluding the place.

 

Fantasy Faire Village also contains a small gift shop aimed at little princesses and a food stand that didnt't appeal to me at the time. You are also prominently pointed to the Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique in Fantasyland to keep the dollars rolling in.

Also in the back of Fantasy Faire Village is a dark covered walk way the dumps you right into the Rancho del Zocalo Restaurant in Frontierland. Talk about an abrupt tranisition. Now that I have seen Fantasy Faire Village, I have no reason to go back. But for little princesses, have fun....

 

 

The New Oz Movie? Disneyland's Fantasy Fair? Getting Excited?

Featured Stars of Oz: The Great and Powerful
A Disney Photo

We're just a couple of days away from Disney's first big budget release of 2013 - Oz: The Great and Powerful.

Rapunzel at Disneyland's Fantasy Faire
A Disney Parks Blog Photo

We're about 6 days away from the official public opening of Disneyland's elaborate new Princess Meet and Greet - Fantasy Faire Village. Annual Passholders will get their own first crack at taking a look at the place this weekend before the public. Disney Parks Blog (link) gave us a sneak peak at Rapunzel and Cinderella checking out their new homes this past week.

Cinderella inside her Fantasy Faire home
A Disney Parks Blog Photo

Oz? Fantasy Faire? Two big Disney events coming up within the next week. Am I getting excited? Eh.....sorry......no. Hope you have better luck generating some enthusiasm than I do. Please note that I freely admit the movie and the new Fantasy Faire area could be absolutely spectacular and huge hits. I'm usually wrong about 5 things before I ever roll out of bed in the morning.

Princess Fantasy Faire - A Main Street View

What is wrong with this picture?
A MiceChat Dateline Disneyland Photo

Just look at the picture above. MiceChat's In The Parks and Dateline Disneyland (link) weekly photo reports have given us the best look at how the Princess Fantasy Faire construction has progressed over the last several months. As it nears completion Disneyland fans can now begin to form a real opinion of just how nice the brightly colored and extremely detailed buildings show themselves or just how much of an intrusion the classic views from Main Street are compromised by an out of place village.

I think lot of this depends on your view of where exactly does Main Street end? Does it end at the photo shop on one side and the Coca Cola Plaza on the other or does it include The Hub and its surrounding area? If you are one of those people that think The Hub is a transitional area to all the lands it connects to, then maybe the brightly colored Princess Fantasy Faire is not a big deal. It looks nice and doesn't occupy a huge amount space.

If you are one of those people who think The Hub, with the Partners Statue and the lovely seating area that surrounds it, the classic Plaza Inn Restaurant, and the Jolly Holiday Bakery are all part of Main Street, then the Princess Fantasy Faire just might be an out of place intrusion and the questionable decision to put a Fantasyland expansion area in front of the castle which has always been the traditional transition point.

I fall into the latter point of view. It comes down to money of course. In Disney, now matter how much magic and illusion they want to throw at you in pretense, it always comes down to money these days. The prior resident of the Princess Fantasy Faire space - the Carnation Gardens, really wasn't a money maker in the traditional sense. Oh it could be rented out or use to bring in park guests with swing dancing or other events that required a stage but it wasn't set up for what Disney likes - the constant handing over of cash and credit cards.

Enter the Princess Fantasy Faire. Beneath all the exquisite detail, it is primarily a meet and greet for Disney Princesses. But aren't meet and greets free you might ask? They can be but the best photo ops with a Princess are going to come from a Disney Photo Pass photographer. And right beside the meet and greets with a Princess is the shop with princess dresses and all the assorted goodies that come with it that little girls must have and moms are willing to pay for. When you strip it all the way down, Princess Fantasy Faire is a store that caters to a very specific demographic.

All that being said, when I first get my chance to look at Princess Fantasy Faire Village up close, I'm going to be a picture taking fool. But after that, do I really have any real reason to go in there? No, not really. I may be a one visit and done kind of guy unless the specialty snacks they serve in there are good enough to be "must have's". And you got a think that after all the regular Disneyland visitors make their first visit to PFF, it's probably only a small percentage that actually need to go back. This doesn't mean the place won't be popular. When the Princess Meet and Greet was held in the Fantasyland Theater, the lines often went beyond 60 minute wait times. Princesses are hugely popular and big business. Just not for me.

And I'm not going to lose any sleep over Disney violating another section of the park by putting a Fantasyland extension on Main Street. Goodness knows they have done that enough that you kind of get numb to it. But when I think about it, I don't have to like it.

Mickey and the (Hopefully) Magical Map

Mickey and the Magical Map Artwork
A Disney Image

The old Fantasyland Theater is still currently being rebuilt but should be ready soon for Mickey and the Magical Map, the new Disneyland 25 minute summer stage show (probably begins in June) featuring everyone's favorite Mouse and a host of Disney characters. Sounds like a winner that will be sure to pack them in because.....well....it's Mickey Mouse, a character that is probably underutilized in a park he supposedly co-founded.

But with the Disneyland Traveler there seems to be always a ...... but. I'm just not a huge fan of staged Disney shows in the park. Oh, they certainly add to the overall atmosphere of the park and are crowd pleasers especially for kids. My question has more to do with their long term staying power. I'm sure I will see Mickey and the Magical Lamp somewhere along the line, but is it something I wouldn't mind seeing again and again? That's the difference between shows and attractions. A good Disney ride well themed is something that becomes repeatable with every trip, shows are more problematic.

I never saw a show in the Fantasyland Theater even when they had them (before the space was wasted for the Princess meet and greet). Just had no interest. I saw the little Aladdin show they did in the Oasis once but that was it. I've see the show at Playhouse Disney in DCA twice, the second time I fell asleep (for us non-kids, the benches that line and back and side walls are most welcomed). The big Aladdin stage show at the Hyperion Theater in DCA is different. With a huge cast and a length of more than 50 minutes, its impact is for more dramatic though even that show has lost some of its oomph when the flying carpet scene was removed over safety issues. And you can't regard something like Fantasmic as a staged show given all the elements that are put into use beyond the characters. After seeing Mickey and Magical Map once, I fear it will become a waste of precious park time, and something I will not go back to (though admittedly, I could be wrong). Of course, Disney could rotate new shows through the theater but that is something they tend not to do since the development costs are expensive. 

Since the Fantasyland Theater is a large cavernous space, my hope would have been for a ride attraction to be put in there, maybe move a new and improved Pooh ride in the spot more along the lines of the impressive Pooh ride that is in Tokyo Disneyland (you can check it out on YouTube). The space freed up where the old Pooh ride was could have been put to better use (and no, not the return of the Country Bear Jamboree). This is pie in the blue sky stuff. Rides are very, very, expensive to develop and construct. A staged show is easier and cheaper in the long run.

This is all personal opinion of course, there won't be an empty seat in the house for Mickey and the Magical Map through the summer (another problem). Long waits for a character stage show? I'm not so sure. Shows come and go. Well themed rides last through generations. Does anyone pay admission to Disneyland where seeing a show is tops on your list of things to do? Not likely. People will always love attractions that move. I can sit at home and watch Disney on TV. 

The New Home For Disney Prince$$e$

Model for Disney's Fantasy Faire Village
A Disney Photo

March 12 has been set for the opening date of Disneyland's Fantasy Faire Village which is now nearing completion of its construction. The date corresponds nicely with the busy Disneyland Spring Break season which now seems to run from mid-March until the end of April. The photos of the near completed village show a great deal of detail and charm but underneath it all, it really is just an elaborate meet and greet for the newly relocated Disney Princesses. 

There's big money in princesses. I have now doubt the best photo ops will be reserved for those who purchase and make use of Disney's expensive Photo Pass services. And of course, a princess meet and greet would not be complete without a gift shop which specializes in all things Disney princess related. And just to pull your wallet out one more time, the Fantasy Faire Village will offer some snack foods and beverages that are not available anywhere else in the park.

I look forward to when I can whip out my trusty camera and shoot many pictures of the ornate village but as for the rest of it, I'll pass. Like ToonTown, for a grown-up without kids, Fantasy Faire Village is an elaborate facade covering little of interest. For parents of kids wanting to meet their favorite Disney princess, get ready to wait and probably wait a long time this spring and summer, and maybe spend a few bucks too.

The Simple Life of Casey Jr. and Storybookland

Life can get pretty complicated on occasion. There are ups. There are downs. Sometimes it seems like a thrill a minute as the saying goes. When things seem on the verge of going out of control, sometimes quiet is a gentle place of respite. Such is my story about two Disneyland classic rides that date back to 1955 - the Casey Jr. Circus Train and the Storybookland Canal Boats.

The two rides basically occupy the same area toward the back of Disneyland's Fantasyland. This past week they both closed down for refurbishment until sometime towards the middle of November. Apparently someone thought it was a wise idea to add some pathways around the Casey Jr. train track for maintenance workers and guest evacuation. Safety is big in Disneyland these days or so the state of California keeps telling them. So the two rides quietly close down with barely a whimper in Disney fandom. Oh, but Indiana Jones Adventure closed down at the same time and there's plenty of fist shaking out there even though the huge ride badly needs attention and repair. The IJA thrill is gone while the quiet of two legacy attractions falls by the wayside.

Last year I wrote about how members of my own family thought the Storybookland Canal Boats was the most boring ride in the park. I'll remove the word boring and insert quiet. There are no thrills in the gentle boat ride through the world of storybook miniatures and well manicured topiary. Both these rides came from Walt Disney himself and for that reason alone they are keepers. But there is something to be said for simple rides in a lovely setting that many people just find nice and relaxing. No, everything doesn't have to provide a thrill. Quiet is its own reward.

Nobody is counting down the days until these rides re-open again. Their closure is not causing anyone to second guess their trip plans. Not being able to take a ride on either of these attraction is a "deal breaker".

But with their closure, a little piece of Disneyland's heart is missing. Even if you never went on the rides they certainly were pleasant to look at - a lush oasis amidst the hustle and bustle of a busy Fantasyland. No, these are not major attractions by any stretch of the imagination but Disneyland certainly is a nice place for having them.

Before Casey Jr. closed last week, MiceChat's Andy Castro took a final video look at the train ride from the back end of the caboose. Nice. (fun fact: Walt Disney wanted only horses for his carousel ride. Most older carousels have fixed stationary pieces where people could just sit while going round and round instead of going up and down on some kind of animal. So King Arthur's carousel is made of up from a few different carousels purchased by Walt Disney. Walt used the horses and constructed the Casey Jr. train cars from unneeded odds and ends from the carousel collection)

Here is Andy's video

Fantasy Faire Village or Intrusion on Main Street

Model of the Fantasy Faire Village - Opens Summer 2013
A Disney Parks Blog Photo

I don't know how I missed it but Disney Parks Blog did post an entry last week that contained the first models of the Fantasy Faire Village, the new home for Disney princesses that is now scheduled to open next summer (link here). I probably missed it because I don't actively go out and look for information about Disney princesses, Fantasy Faire, or anything like that. I'm a guy and I'm preoccupied with the impending start of football season. But enough stereotyping....

I must say, the models do look much nicer than the conceptual artwork Disney has previously released. The place is very detailed and ornate. But here would be my issue (and the issue of many fans of Disneyland Park). The new Fantasy Faire Village sits in front and off to the left side of the Sleeping Beauty's Castle as you walk down Main Street towards the Hub area. Most consider the Hub area still a part of Main Street so now you have a replica of a 500 year old village with an entrance facing Main Street - the Partners statue, Plaza Inn Restaurant, Jolly Holiday Bakery, etc. It doesn't quite fit the theming.

Disney Imagineers and Show Producers Work with FFV Model
A Disney Parks Blog Photo

Or did Disneyland just find an excuse to extend the boarders of Fantasyland. Granted, Disneyland boarders inside the park tend to be more guidelines than rules - witneess Nemo in Tomorrowland along with other examples if you think and question hard enough. One would hope the Disney recognizes this as well and finds a way to somewhat conceal the area from Main Street views. Disney can be very creative this way. Pixie Hollow, the area and the entrance, can barely be seen though it too infringes on Tomorrowland. But Fantasy Faire Village is a larger area. I'm sure it will be nice. The question is whether "nice area" or "questionable intrusion" win out with the final product.

Fantasy Faire Village Model - A Disney Parks Blog Photo

Disneyland Princesses On The Run

I know very little about the Princess Fantasy Faire Meet and Greet that gathers daily inside the cavernous Fantasyland Theater. I do know that it is hugely popular as I glance over there and see the long lines of little princesses with their parents patiently waiting (usually) to meet their favorite princess. My little MouseWaits phone app says the line is often 60 - 90 minutes long. Ouch! A wait for something that long that isn't a ride? Well, the Princess Fantasy Fair Meet and Greet got itself an eviction notice from its current Fantasyland location several months ago as plans were made to construct a new fully themed meet and greet area in the space in front of the castle formerly occupied by the Carnation Gardens Plaza. The rumored cost of the new Princess Fantasy Faire is somewhere around 12 million bucks. That area is now currently behind construction walls with an opening slated sometime after the start of 2013, assuming we all survive that Mayan end-of-the-world thing. But the time has come for the princesses to move on out as the Fantasyland Theater prepares to go back and do what it was intended to do once upon a time - present live Disney character performances in a theater setting. Personally, the area is big enough to support a new ride which would have been my preference for use of the space, but that's just me.

So the princesses basically get run out across the street and will temporarily set up shop in the small world promenade area across from the namesake attraction until their new permanent home is ready. There the princesses will continue to meet with their adoring fans complete with photographs, autographs, and of course, the selling or princess merchandise. Date for the princesses move is now set at August 12. 

Ugly Alice Will Get Her Face Lift

Ugly Alice in Wonderland
Hideous upper railing with tarps draped to cover additional additional unsightliness

Once upon a time a classic Disneyland Fantasyland attraction benevolently ran for more than 40 years without incident. Then an ogre (and we are not quite sure who the ogre is) said "that won't do at all". Such is the story of Disneyland's Alice In Wonderland.

About 2 years ago, either Disney voluntarily or through strong prodding by the Occupational Health and Safety Administration, came to the conclusion that the raised outdoor "vine" section of the ride was unsafe for maintenance workers who could conceivably fall from the exposed concrete platform to the ground below. The decision came almost overnight. The ride was shutdown and over about a 3 week period, a hastily constructed railing was put in place with ugly plastic tarps draped to cover the fastening points. Following what amounted to a patch job, the ride resumed operation just a bit uglier than originally conceived.

Fans have been waiting both patiently and impatiently for quite some time waiting for when Disney was going to make its move and restore the ride to its charming glory. Well the date has been set if you can believe MiceAge's Al Lutz. Alice in Wonderland will be shutdown right after Labor Day on September 4 to begin its transformation. The rumor is that it will take a few months of refurbishment. Alice will get her face lift after all.

The original Alice in Wonderland
No railing, no tarps

Matterhorn Returns - The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly

With all that went on with Disney California Adventure yesterday, quietly over in Disneyland, an icon was returned to service, the mighty Matterhorn roller coaster. The mountain has been closed for 6 months for refurbishment. Was the wait worth it, or a bit of a disappointment? Both.

The Good -

For generations, the Matterhorn has provided screams and fun for Disneyland fans. It was the first roller coaster I ever rode on as a child and I remember it to this day. Just having the coaster up and running is a very, very good thing. The mountain looks great with a fresh coat of paint. Also, for the first time since Disneyland's 50th Anniversary celebration back in 2005, climbers have returned to the mountain. It's an entertaining spectacle to watch them trek up the mountainside while enjoying a break over at the Tomorrowland Terrace.

The Bad -

While the outside sparkles with new paint, many fans were looking for something new and exciting inside the ride, perhaps a new abominable snowman, or a new scene of fright. Well that didn't happen, the ride is essentially the same. Maybe he's been cleaned up a bit, but it's the same old Harold.

The Ugly -

Disneyland forums and discussion boards are filled with negative comments about the new 3-seat sleds. Maybe if you're a kid, all is well in the Matterhorn world. But if your an adult, especially if you are a bit on the taller and larger framed side, the comfort of the old sled design has gone out the window. The new sleds are considerably more cramped inside, though the more typical Disneyland side-to-side seat belt design (similar to Indiana Jones, Soarin', and the Tower of Terror) makes getting buckled in much quicker.

The Bottom Line -

Yeah, people will long for the space of the old sleds and the ability to ride tandem and maybe there was a wish for something new and different with the mountain but in the end, just having the ride running again is its own reward. It's a classic and a Matterhorn with a few shortcomings is better than no Matterhorn at all.

In The Meantime, The Matterhorn Says..."What About Me?"

As I had written in a previous post, Cars Land, Cars Land, Blah, Blah, Blah.... That is all we here about now as we approach Cars Land grand opening. Even Buena Vista Street plays second fiddle. Well, the third fiddle belongs to the reopening of Disneyland's venerable Matterhorn, also slated to begin regular operation June 15, the same day Cars Land and Buena Vista Street are thrown open to the public. It almost seems like the great Matterhorn ride is playing off the Rodney Dangerfield classic comedy routine which begins - "I don't get no respect, no respect at all I'm telling you..."

So with all the talk of what's going on in Disney California Adventure, the Matterhorn re-opening almost seems like an afterthought, which it never should be. Some of the most highly read posts in this blog as far as number of viewers are about the Matterhorn. The real fans of Disneyland know its place and while little is being written about or said in the grand scheme of things about its re-opening, down deep, fans know the importance of the attraction.

While everyone marvels at the new paint job of the mountainside, are curious about what riding in the new sleds will be like, no one really knows or is saying anything about the changes that are inside the mountain and the return of our friend Harold the Abominable Snowman. Will he be just be cleaned up with his hair combed and best suit of white fur on, or will it be an all new encounter with the monster? Cars Land I'm sure will be great to visit but underneath it all, it is primarily a kids area. In the meantime, there is a great roller coaster waiting to return and bring happiness to the kid in all of us. 

My Disneyland Bucket List - Item #5

As comedian Bill Cosby once said "I started out as a child...." and so it is with me and Dumbo. I'm sure I have ridden Dumbo the Flying Elephant in Disneyland, but that was back in childhood and childhood is now a long time ago. Me riding Dumbo isn't even a memory anymore. It's gone, a memory vanished into thin air.

Dumbo is an original attraction to Disneyland dating back to 1955. Oh, the ride has been moved around once or twice. The water feature part of the ride wasn't always there. But Dumbo is one of the quintessential Disneyland rides. Riding Dumbo is a rite of passage for all children fortunate enough to pass through the front gates. And my memory is gone.

Dumbo is a child's ride if there is such a thing. Children ride Dumbo. Parents with children ride Dumbo. Young couples in love ride Dumbo. Grown-ups riding Dumbo alone get stared at. At least that would be my impression ("Hey, isn't that guy a little old to ride Dumbo. What a loser"). I suppose when he was very young, there may have been an opportunity to ride Dumbo with the Boy but for whatever reason, it didn't happen. But he's 23 now and about 6'5". The two of us together? That's not going to work very well. When Mrs. DisneylandTraveler and I were making trips to Disneyland with my nieces and their kids, I always kind of wanted to borrow a kid to take on Dumbo but somehow, mom or dad always got that opportunity while I stood by the railing and took pictures of family in full flight.

So on the bucket list I know at some point I am going to have to bite the bullet, stand in line, and ride Dumbo alone just to recapture a memory that is long forgotten. Silly? A bit, but it's something that has to be done.

I shouldn't feel too embarrassed. After all, if Darth Vader can ride Dumbo alone, so can I. Enjoy a Disneyland classic video from last year.....