Running Behind...a Grumpy Man, a Grumpy Cat, and Just Plain Grumpy

I have to report that I'm running behind on my Disney postings. A lot going on these days. Probably a good thing for readers because there's a lot to catch up on in November, and until we leave on our trip in December (fingers continue to be crossed). Running behind makes me grumpy. Mrs. DisneylandTraveler thinks I'm grumpy anyway. 

So, here is a YouTube video from a couple of weeks ago of an internet celebrity (?), Grumpy Cat in Disneyland meeting up with the original Grumpy. Counting me, that makes three of us out of sorts.

The Billy Hill Petition

There is a petition drive to save Billy Hill and the Hillbillies. I wouldn't be surprised at all if there were several petitions going around and would sign them all to keep this fine act going. Here is the one posted by Mrs. DisneylandTraveler that she found on Facebook. Keep signing.

Don't forget the first rule of Chicago elections - vote early and vote often.

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

Pardon My Language - WTH??? Billy Hill Act To Retire Jan. 6

A Disneyland institution from the early 90's - the performance of Billy Hill and the Hillbillies at the Golden Horseshoe is set to retire January 6, 2014 following this holiday season (and the Billy Hill Holiday Spectacular). If this popular act gets replaced by something meant to generate a revenue stream, I'll be pissed.... My hope this is a Billy idea for graceful retirement and not Disney giving them the boot. Right now there are about 80 negative comments on Disney Parks Blog against this idea. 

Over the years, Mrs. DisneylandTraveler have seen Billy Hill and the Hillbillies perform more than two dozen times. We haven't haven't seen a performance that wasn't completely enjoyable yet.

The Accidental Christmas Fantasy Parade

I'm sure I have written about this topic before in this blog but now with 653 published posts, even I don't remember what I have written and too lazy to actually go and find out. My blog, my choices on what to write, for better or worse. Which brings us to one of Mrs. DisneylandTraveler and mine biggest little surprises in all our years going to Disneyland. Make no mistake, Disneyland surprises can be real gems and last for years to come.

Typically, we will leave for Disneyland early on a Sunday morning from our suburban Sacramento based location.  Once on the road, we are not people who tend to doddle when it comes to going to Disneyland. A quick stop at a McDonalds (preferably one with a gas station attached) along with one other gas stop before going over the grapevine and we dead stopped in L.A. traffic before you know it. I try to maintain a safe driving speed but even I glance down at the dashboard once in awhile and see that 95 mph number. "Oh S***, I gotta slow down". 

So we usually end up in Disneyland at our hotel between 1 and 2 o'clock, usually after about a 6 and a half hour trip. So someone out there is asking "why don't you guys just fly like normal people?" Well it goes like this. We usually stay a week at a time. We bring a lot of stuff and not just clothes. We bring oscillating fans, coffee makers, snacks, laundry detergent,fabric softener,assorted electronic devices, an extension cord and power strip, our own soaps and shampoos, paper towels....the list is endless. We have an SUV. We just load up the back and hope that our hotel parking spot is right in front of the front door of our room. Goodness knows I don't want to drag this crap up a flight of stairs. The other thing is rather packing her clothes, Mrs DLT rather lay them flat in the back of the SUV on hangers. No wrinkles I guess. Kind of like Seifeld episode.

If we can get into our room before check in time (usually about 50 -50) we can unpack in about an hour and head over to the park and be in the front gates by 3:00. And it just so happened in that in December 2008, quite by accident, we walked right into the start of the Christmas Fantasy Parade. Now admittedly, Mrs. DLT and I are not really Disneyland Parade people. Mrs. DLT is a Disneyland Shopper and I'm pretty much a Disneyland bench sitter. But on this particular day in December (probably around the 10th), we hit the timing of this parade exactly perfect. The found ample unobstructed views from the train station as the parade joyfully marched right on by us. It couldn't have been a more delightful surprise.

And did I mention the temperature was abut 75 degrees? So the parade went by and we were enraptured by the Christmas Fantasy Parade to the point that the sometimes questionable brain trust at Disney ever tried to remove this parade (and there has been that rumor for years, I'd be the first to sign the protest petition. (Apparently, they replaced the cute teddy bear with commercially disastrous Duffy the bear - that's bad enough).

So this was about 20 minutes of a joyful surprise and we just entered the main gates. There are other tales to tell of this December trip including REAL snow but I'll hold on to that for awhile. If you get a chance to see a Christmas Fantasy Parade which officially starts next weekend - DO IT!. It's a Christmas joy.

After the parade, we made it over to the Carnation Cafe and had a bowl of loaded baked potato soup. Is there a better way to begin a trip to Disneyland. When we leave for Disneyland in a couple of weeks, we are aiming for the exact same experience. Fingers crossed.....

Some Disneyland Questions To Ponder Over Lunch

So I just went down to the cafeteria and brought back some lunch to eat at my desk. While I was on my way down I had some Disneyland questions to ponder. I don't really have any answers. The one thing I do know is if I would spend less time spending money eating lunch in the cafeteria and squirrel that money way for my next trip to Disneyland, well, I'd have a lot more money in my pocket to enjoy the trip.

Those Davy Crockett Explorer Canoes. Is it just me or does it strike you odd that the attraction is listed for Critter Country? The only thing that connects the canoes to Critter Country is that is where the loading dock is located. BTW: Walt had a fascinating with Davy Crockett who was such an iconoclast the he pretty much left the United States out of political disagreements and moved to the Mexican territory of Texas where he met his untimely death. The Battle of the Alamo took less time than any movie or TV show made about it. The Alamo was lost in a little over an hour. Crockett and everyone else was massacred.

While were at it. The Harbor Galley is also in Critter Country. True, that's the place where they park the Rivers of America sailing vessels when they are not in use but the name Harbor Galley seems to fit better where the ships sail from not where they are sitting dormant. It could be just me.

The Winnie the Pooh ride does fit in Critter Country. Too bad the ride itself is better suited to a Fantasyland ride.

Over in Tomorrowland, what's so "tomorrow" about Finding Nemo's Submarine Voyage. The old subs were cool. Nemo is a cartoon.  In fact what's so tomorrow about Buzz Lightyear? Sure he's a space guy, but ultimately, he's a child's toy.

And while we are at it, props to Disneyland for prominently displaying Blackbeard the Pirate - a throat slashing head lopping pirate if there ever was one.

There's still my issues with ToonTown, a children's play area about a movie that prominently contains, drinking, smoking, womanizing, and murder. Fun stuff.

Oh well.  It's still Disneyland and still a whole lot of fun.

Time To Throw Out The Pumpkins

Now This is More Like It

I have to admit that trips to Disneyland in September and October have soured me on pumpkins a bit. I'm definitely at odds with the color orange which oddly enough was my favorite color when I was a kid. But during Disneyland's Halloween season there are pumpkins of all sorts everywhere you turn. I'm sick of 'em. Pumpkins is one of those things where a little bit goes a long way.

But this is the transitional week in Disneyland, the week that the pumpkins are either put away or thrown out. And up come the Christmas decorations. By the end of this week a 60 ft decorated Christmas tree will replace the clever but garish Mickey Mouse pumpkin head in the Main Street plaza. At last, a holiday that can warm my heart and make me feel good.

Which brings me to the announcement of a couple of weeks ago that Disneyland (and even Disney World) will be adding Christmas theming to the venerable Jungle Cruise ride and giving it the holiday name of the "Jingle Cruise". In both Disneyland and Disney World the changes made the ride will not constitute a ride closure (like Disneyland's Haunted Mansion and small world overlays). Basically, lights and decorations are added to the queue area and the skippers are given a Christmas shtick to recite rather than the same tired old Jungle Cruse jokes. Simple enough and from what I hear, there are still people out there complaining about the changes.

There's a select few that believe that no Disneyland ride or attraction should be altered from the way it was conceived and since the Jungle Cruise was conceived by Walt Disney himself (based on his fondness for the classic film The African Queen), to alter the ride in any way is something akin to sacrilege. Well, it's time to get off your high horse.

Here's the deal. I've been looking at pumpkins in a sea of orange for two months for a made up holiday which isn't a holiday at all. Anything that Disneyland can do to bring Christmas spirit to the "happiest place on earth" then count me in - no matter how early it is. 

Starting The Day With A Couple Of Scoops Of Mickey

As most people who read this blog regularly, I'm kind of a Disney shopping curmudgeon. I figure by the time I've paid to get into the Disneyland, foot the bill for a hotel, and bought all kinds of meals and food in the place, I've invested enough of my hard earned money on Disney (Mrs. DisneylandTraveler on the other hand...that's s different story). So personally, I just don't have a of Mickey stuff. I have a couple of baseball hats. There's a few prints hanging on the walls around the house, and Mrs. DLT has her Mickey curio cabinet. 

So here at home, far removed from Disneyland, my life doesn't exactly sing the praises of Mickey Mouse except for maybe the wisest Disneyland investment I have ever made. A few years ago, Mrs. DLT and I bought a Mickey coffee scoop, a simple metal scoop that retails at a whopping ten bucks. But you know, I use the Mickey coffee scoop every day. Oh sure we've got other coffee scoops, better coffee scoops, cheaper coffee scoops, but I go out of my way to use the Mickey Coffee scoop. There's probably something psychological there stuck way down in my brain. The scoop only holds about two tablespoons of coffee but add three scoops to a 12 cup coffee maker and you have just made yourself a fine cup of coffee - Mickey coffee. Is there a better way to start a day? I'm not just having a cup of coffee. I'm having a cup of coffee assisted by the hand of Mickey. It makes me smile.

Once in awhile I forgo the making my Mickey Mouse pot of coffee and head over the Starbucks. But now, even standing in line at Starbucks - the line at one of the new Disneyland Starbucks locations isn't far from my mind. As Disney weaves itself into the simplest facets of societies' conventions, it probably makes the corporate accountants quite pleased with themselves. And you know, I even think the old Walt would be please with his beloved cartoon character helping you start your day with a simple cup of coffee.