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Disneyland

Are you really enjoying Disneyland so much?

by Mark Eades February 25, 2024

When did going to Disneyland become a battlefield between Disney fans?

I recently visited Walt Disney’s Enchanted Tiki Room (Did you notice I used the correct name for the attraction?) with one of my grandkids. At their age, they enjoy the singing birds and flowers. However, I did not enjoy it. Thankfully, my grandkid did.

Why did I not enjoy it? Because there was a gaggle of talkative and downright rude uber-Disney fans sitting in there.

One group of them were yacking away about some misdeed they had gotten away with in line (or was it skipping the line) at the Indiana Jones Adventure. Another group was singing the tunes, but substituting different words. Finally, a third group tried to loudly teach some other Guests the words – whether they wanted them to or not. Sing along, fine. But not so loud that it is intrusive.

I tried to motion for them to quiet down, they either ignored me or made the classic Disney brush-off comment, “Have a magical day.” It was like being in the middle of a talkative battlefield.

(And I won’t even go into how you cannot hear the Ghost Host’s spiel in the stretching room of the Haunted Mansion over them anymore.)

These uber-Disney fans are getting out of hand. Steven Wilk recently wrote a column for the Disneydining.com website in which he labels these folks as “Disney addicts.” (Click here to read that column)

That seems like a good label. I have a better label for them: Disnoids. They’re everywhere at the park. Actually parks, as they are at all of them now.

Disnoids occupy the front porch on Main Street U.S.A. You know where I’m talking about, it was the entrance to a bra shop on opening day.

Disnoids have all the prime (non-reserved) spots for watching parades, fireworks or live shows – usually hours ahead of time.

When Disnoids go on attractions like Pirates of the Caribbean or the Haunted Mansion, they talk during their entire adventure – about the changes good or bad, or sometimes about other topics like politics, or where they think the best place to eat is at different times of day.

And try to get a seat at a popular bar, such as Trader Sam’s or Oga’s Cantina. Disnoids have been in their seat since the bar opened that morning and stayed in it for hours!

So, I have to ask the question Steven didn’t ask: Why do you still have to go to Disneyland?

You can sit on your own front porch. I do, it’s called “The World Famous Eades Front Porch.” (See the photo at top?)

If you’re on an attraction and talk about other things (loudly) are you really enjoying it? Do you think the people in the rows in front or behind you need to hear you talking or singing badly? If that’s all you’re going to do, do the rest of us a favor: Stay off the attraction or zip your mouth shut.

Then there’s hanging out for hour chattering away while others wait to get in one of those bars. Even then it’s hard as you know how to make a reservation, and those reservations were gone within minutes every time they became available. Frankly, if all you want to do is hang out at a bar and meet up with friends, there are plenty of others out there (many of them very nice) that would be better suited to this. I first wrote about this problem in a column for Jim Hill Media, which was originally published in 2001! (Here is the link to that column.)

From what I understand, that column stirred up a hornet’s nest of comments on his website, and spilled over to many other Disney oriented websites. Worse yet, back then people did not always use their real names.

I think it’s time for folks to recognize their problems.

You want to visit Disneyland a lot? Fine. But keep your voice down in case others want to hear the actual sound that Disney Imagineers created.

Visit the bars, but maybe don’t stay for more than an hour.

And if you want to sit on the front porch, that’s okay. I people watch too, but give up your seat after an hour or so and give others a chance!

Yes, I’m an Annual Passholder. but now that I have grandkids, I find I only want to go when they want to go, and enjoy the parks through their eyes.

So, if you’re going to Disneyland make sure you enjoy it, and not wreck it for others. Or maybe stop going for a while.

February 25, 2024 1 comment

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Adventureland at Disneyland Paris

by Mark Eades December 1, 2020

A swashbuckling host at the entrance to Pirates of the Caribbean at Disneyland Paris.

Time for a salty old look at Adventureland, Disneyland Paris style.

Two things immediately come to mind when wandering through Adventureland at Disneyland Paris. The first is that there is no “Jungle Cruise.” The second is that it is about adventures. Such that all the attractions are either about going on an adventure, or having one. Does it work? For the most part, yes. Though for me it is a little jarring to see the characters of Carl and Russell from the movie “Up” along the shores of a waterway. But then they are about to set out on and adventure, so it’s okay. But, where’s the dog?

A beaten down castle, was it fired upon?

This castle looks like it has suffered some damage, but what from it be ye ask?

The Paris version of the popular Disney attraction.

Keep a weather eye matey, thar be pirates ahead. The sign is in English, curious as to why it’s not in French. C’est la vie.

Some fun loving hostesses at Pirates of the Caribbean.

I’ve said it before, the folks that work at the parks in Paris are definitely fun, happy and seem to have a lot more fun; making the adventures and the experience more fun. They definitely know they are “on stage” and “perform” brilliantly.

I did go on Pirates of the Caribbean in Paris. That’s me in the top left, and partially hidden is my wife, Donna. For the most part it feels more like the version at Disneyland, and that is good. There is a mood setting portion after boarding the boats, which I like. But…the drop is in a strange place in relation to the ride itself. I guess my familiarity with the one in California throws me off. Perhaps one day I will get to see the one in Shanghai, which doesn’t try to copy it as much at all. Just about everything there was working well, including the dueling pirates – that’s a plus in my book.

I don’t think that was the original name of the restaurant, which basically is a pirate version of the Blue Bayou. The queue for the attraction and part of the boat canal wraps around the dining area, which is a real plus. I did not have time to dine there. It was a very rushed day.

The pirate theme carries over to a walk around “discovery type” of attraction called “Adventure Isle.”

Pontoon Bridge to and from Adventure Isle.

Adventure Isle is essentially the Paris version of Tom Sawyer Island. It has both a pontoon bridge and a suspension bridge, just like that at Disneyland.

The two bridges will also lead guests to a Treehouse.

There are a number of caves throughout Adventure Isle to explore, all with an eye towards the pirate theme.

Pirate Treasure Grotto on Adventure Isle

This, then, has been my look at Adventureland at Disneyland Paris. Overall, I do like the land, and exploring Adventure Isle. I did not have time to get to the Indiana Jones themed roller coaster attraction. My kids (all adults) did ride it. They reported that it looked like it came right out of one of the Indiana Jones’ movies. Though they were disappointed it wasn’t more like the mine car ride in the second movie. They also said it was a very rough but, thankfully, short ride.

To read about Frontierland visit this link.

Read about Discoveryland at this link.

Here is the link to read about the Paris version of Main Street.

December 1, 2020 0 comment

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Frontierland at Disneyland Paris

by Mark Eades November 24, 2020

The entrance to Frontierland at Disneyland Paris looks and feels like a throwback to the Frontierland as it used to be at Disneyland in California, starting with the entrance to the land. You enter through the same style “entrance” to a frontier fort.

Indian Village in Frontierland at Disneyland Paris.

On the right, just before you enter Frontierland, sits a Native American Village – just outside the fort’s walls.

One thing feels familiar, the river. Now it’s not the “Rivers of America.” Rather, it’s the Western Rivers. Yes, there is a paddlewheeler that plies the river (sorry, I didn’t get photo in my one short day in the park.) but that’s where the similarities end. Because where it should be Tom Sawyer Island, it is, instead, Big Thunder!

That’s right, the majority of the attraction is on the island. But you don’t get to the ride via a raft. That’s because the station for the attraction is on the mainland.

Some of the mining gear in the Big Thunder queue area

The queue line for Big Thunder is similar to others in that it has a number of mining artifacts sprinkled throughout.

As you can see, the trains are pretty much like all the others, complete to the ties in the rails. You might be able to see at the back of the train that it is coming up out of a tunnel. That’s the return from the island, which makes for a much more dynamic finish to the ride than the one here or in Florida. Riders also get to the main part of the ride via a tunnel as well. But beyond that the ride dynamics on the island are pretty much the same as both parks here in America.

Here are some of the shops in Frontierland, right across from Big Thunder. The colors in France for Frontierland are, with one exception, much brighter and bold.

The shops in Frontierland pretty much contain the same type of merchandise as found at most Disney theme parks.

Phantom Manor is Paris Disneyland’s version of the Haunted Mansion. But unlike other parks, designers decided to make the house appear a lot darker and eerier, almost rundown. It’s okay, though I’m not sure I agree with their choice of using a cliche approach to a haunted house. That’s what makes Disneyland’s so interesting; the house is not dark and eerie and definitely not rundown looking from the outside.

The attraction cast members at Paris Disneyland were really into their role. Here this hostess always maintained an Edgar Allen Poe type of demeanor, and it worked. Others on the attraction were similar into their approach, though I didn’t really understand what they were saying in French. But the fact that they were all into it says plenty about the quality of Cast Members there. They were great!

This interesting building’s backstory is supposedly where the “bride” from the manor would host tea for visitors. Obviously she’s not there, but the tea set sits – waiting for her return from the hereafter. The bride character is a major part of the Phantom Manor story, though I think it’s overwrought in the current version and hard to follow.

Just like California’s Haunted Mansion, the queue line heads up to the side of the house before moving around front for entry into the attraction. Here you can see the deliberate approach to making the house exterior look rundown. Inside the attraction many things are the same to a point. There’s the stretching room then you board the omnimovers to go through the house then into the graveyard. However, there is a long scene set in a haunted western ghost town that is, well, strange. It’s definitely different and I guess it was added to ground the attraction in a western Frontierland.

It wouldn’t be Frontierland unless there was a shooting gallery, and this one seems to be pretty popular.

I did not have time, but word is that this steakhouse is pretty darned good. It is, appropriately, located in Frontierland and does require reservations. The prices are in line with a higher end steakhouse too, but I wish I had had the time to dine there. Oh well, next time.

Read about Discoveryland at Disneyland Paris at this link.

You can read and see photos of Main Street at Disneyland Paris at this link.

November 24, 2020 1 comment

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Discoveryland at Disneyland Paris

by Mark Eades November 23, 2020

It wasn’t called Tomorrowland, it was named Discoveryland. This Paris version of Disneyland pays an homage to Jules Verne.

The entrance to Discoveryland from the hub at Disneyland Paris.

If you’re wondering Tomorrowland in California got its look from for the redo in the late 90s, look here at Paris Disneyland. Finally, the Imagineers got the message in California and got rid of this look, but it lives on in Paris. It has not really stood the test of time as much as the park’s designers thought it would. Part of the problem is that it is too open. Secondly, there is no real reason to carry the look throughout the area.

Space Mountain anchors one area of Discoveryland.

This is the Paris Disneyland version of Space Mountain. It’s a very ornate look. The problem? The ride is actually (at least at this time which was February 2020) Hyperspace Mountain. It was meant to be an ode to the time of Jules Verne and the old silent 1902 movie “A Trip to the Moon.” So the exterior decor does not set up the actual “space journey” at all.

Discoveryland’s Space Mountain queue line decor.

Inside the queue line above the load area of Space Mountain, the theming matches the premise of being from the time of Jules Verne and the 1902 movie. It is very ornate. But, at least during this visit, the ride itself does not match up at all.

The intricacy and ornate “Jules Verne” inspired look continues throughout, nice consistency. But no fit at all with Star Wars, which is what the ride had been converted into.

One of the original attractions in the area was a walk-through attraction whereby guests walk down inside the Nautilus based on the Walt Disney film, “20,000 Leagues Under the Sea.” To be honest, this is about the only thing, other than a fast-food dining facility, that fits the Jules Verne design theme in Discoveryland.

The look for this fast food facility was taken, almost directly, from the Walt Disney Productions film, “Island at the Top of the World.” Interesting look. The film was a big flop. So, lots of money spent on a look and where it’s located doesn’t really work to draw people out to it at all. Someone was determined to finally put this into a Disney park and did. Oddly enough, there was a model/design done to put this into Disneyland way back in the 70s. But fortunately, management back then knew better.

The Disneyland version of this attraction is essentially the same as this one in Disneyland Paris. It is surrounded by the “french fry” rocks like Disneyland’s was. But it doesn’t work as well as it makes it hard for guests to take pictures of their family on the attraction. In my book, this is a failure of basic Disney design and the original designers should have known better.

They have an Autopia at Disneyland Paris. My question is why? Other than people like to ride the gas-powered cars. But this was an opportunity lost. If they wanted it to fit in with the theming, perhaps more thought should have been put into what they attraction was to be, and come up with a unique look for the cars. Why didn’t they? Cost. Sad.

At least for Star Tours the designers did not try to give it the Jules Verne look for the attraction building or the interior queue space. It’s the same as all the others, though it is in French. Yes, that’s me with the attraction hostess at the entrance. Of course, not sure how Star Tours fits in with a Jules Verne themed land.

This photo op of the characters from the Disney/Pixar movie “WALL-E.” They were obviously planted along one of the giant walkways to give guests a chance to be photographed with, but somehow doesn’t totally fit in the Jules Verne style theming of Discoveryland.

This building was originally the home for “Le Visionarium,” a Circlevision-360 style attraction. I spent three and a half months mostly inside that building overseeing the installation, programming and more as the Show Producer. I was not the original Show Producer on the project, but in August of the year before the park opened, I was given that job by Mickey Steinberg and Marty Sklar. At that time the attraction was not going to open with the park, even though it was mandated by contract with the French government. In fact, the schedule at the time said it would open four months late.

My mandate from Marty and Mickey was to do what needed to be done to try and get it done on time for the park’s opening day. I did a lot of persuading, cajoling, darned near got into a couple of fist fights and more. But when all was said and done, I delivered the project to operations a week before opening.

Yes, some people were mad at me, but I was in an untenable position. I was fully supported by Marty and Mickey to get it done – though other execs at WDI were not, but left me alone. At least for a few years after it was done.

My take on the film/attraction was that (frankly) it was not as good as it should have been. I fault the show’s writers and the production of the film. It was too contrived but that’s what they wanted – I guess. By the time I came on board it was too far along to really exert any influence on the direction of the script and the film’s production efforts; so didn’t try.

Yes, I rode Space Mountain and here’s a photo of the ride photo to prove it. I’m the one in the front right at the bottom. It is a fun ride and an interesting, if tight, ride layout.

That’s it for this part of my visit to Paris Disneyland in February 2020.

There are some who will disagree with me on my opinions of this land. Others might agree. Feel free to write to me via email to: markaeades@aol.com.

Want to read about Main Street at Paris Disneyland, this is the link.

Take a tour of Frontierland at this link.

November 23, 2020 3 comments

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Main Street at Disneyland Paris

by Mark Eades November 11, 2020

I and my family paid a visit to Disneyland Paris in February 2020, it was cold, but the park was gorgeous. So in this post, I cover Main Street.

The Disneyland Hotel at Disneyland Paris

To get to the entrance of Disneyland Park, aka the Magic Kingdom, you walk from your hotel, car, train station or bus to this area at the north end of the resort’s Downtown Disney, then underneath the Disneyland Hotel. To the west is the second gate, Walt Disney Studios Park.

After gaining entrance, it is a very similar layout to the original Disneyland. You walk under the train tunnels and there you are in Town Square on Main Street. Sadly, the trains were not running this day. (Boo!) You can see a small band stand in the middle of the plaza. No flag ceremony here.

City Hall in Town Square at Disneyland Paris

While the layout is nearly the same, there are slight design differences. Notice City Hall. It’s in the same place but a different design. By the way, the streets are wet as it had rained over night, and while the skies are clear blue in the morning, we did have cloud cover and wind later in the day.

The home of the Main Street Trolley Cars

Unlike Disneyland in California, an onstage presence for where the Trolley Cars are kept is very visible. Because of the inclement weather that is present for a significant period of time (nearly six months) the cars have to be kept in an enclosed building.

A view of Sleeping Beauty Castle from Main Street at Disneyland Paris.

Main Street here at Disneyland Paris is all bricks, not asphalt. The Rails for the Horse-Drawn Trolley (not running this day) still run down the middle of the street just like in California. The castle is still called Sleeping Beauty Castle, but it definitely looks more like the one in the Disney animated film “Sleeping Beauty.” Sadly, we could not walk through the castle due to the high winds that day. (See the flag on the building on the upper left!)

One of the entrances to the Emporium. The statues are a little kitschy, but cute. The Emporium is in the same relative location as the one at Disneyland in California.

A Main Street Vehicle in the hub (Plaza).

The Main Street Vehicles are very similar to those found at Disneyland in California, and were running this day.

It is called the Plaza Gardens at Disneyland Paris, but it is in the same location as the Plaza Inn at Disneyland in California. Unfortunately, we did not have time to eat there as we only had the one day at this park.

Here’s a closer view of Sleeping Beauty Castle. You can see how much is looks like the animated film version. We got to this point just as they did the rope drop to open the rest of the park, and we were off.

Main Street at Disneyland Paris has side corridors running down both sides of the street and both are covered, which allows people to stay under cover from the winter time inclement weather and the park to stay open. Winter coats, gloves and hats are the order of the day there. But other than that, it’s like visiting Disneyland in California, only in French.

Want to see photos and read about the French version of Downtown Disney? This is the link.

Here is where you’ll find Part 1 of my visit to the Walt Disney Studios Park.

And here is where you’ll find Part 2 of my visit to the Walt Disney Studios Park.

The next land is Discoveryland, which you can find at this link.

Here is a look at Adventureland.

November 11, 2020 5 comments

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Disneyland Mine Train Restoration underway

by Mark Eades May 16, 2019

The “abandoned” Mine Train that was once part of “Mine Train Through Nature’s Wonderland” sits by the Rivers of America in 2010. Photo courtesy: George Kissinger.

Remember when the mine train engine sat like an abandoned railroad by the Rivers of America at Disneyland?

It was removed in 2010 for a then newly imagined Rivers of America, and was replaced with a rockslide on the abandoned rails.

A rock from a “rockslide” now sits on the abandoned tracks of the “Mine Train Through Nature’s Wonderland” by the Rivers of America at Disneyland. Photo by Mark Eades

Those of us who go back further, remember when it was one of the locomotives on the “Mine Train Through Nature’s Wonderland” attraction at Disneyland. That was removed in 1977 to make room for “Big Thunder Mountain Railroad.”

The Mine Train travels across a trestle in “Bear Country” on the “Mine Train Through Nature’s Wonderland” in Frontierland at Disneyland. Photo courtesy: The Disneyland Resort.

The rails alongside the Rivers of America and two of the tunnels from the attraction are still there, but the engine and two cars were sent to an outside storage area owned by Disney.

Then, in 2015, they were sent to Walt’s Barn, to be restored by the Carolwood Foundation and put on display there. But there were some contractual issues that needed to be resolved between the foundation and the Walt Disney Company before anything could be done.

The wrapped up Mine Train waits for a restoration in 2015. Photo courtesy: Ed Romero.

Finally, in December 2016, an agreement was reached and the foundation started devising a plan to restore the engine and cars to their former glory, as written in this story by me for the Orange County Register. There were further delays in finding someone to do the work, but that person and their company was identified and the work is starting.

A member of the Carolwood Foundation holds up the sign that used be on the side of the engine from Disneyland’s Mine Train Through Nature’s Wonderland. The engine and two cars will be restored by the foundation, and eventually put on display at Walt’s Barn in Griffith Park. Photo courtesy Ed Romero.

The work is being done by Tim LaGaly and his company, TJL Construction, Inc. in Burbank.

Tim LaGaly of TJL Construction, Inc. stands by some of the metal pieces from the Mine Train that he is working on for the restoration. Photo by Mark Eades

But it also takes money. With that in mind, the Carolwood Foundation has launched a funding drive to raise $150,000 to fully restore the engine the cars, and even build a new tender, that held the actual motor and batteries for the train. (Though this restoration will not include a working motor nor batteries.)

The Mine Train engine sits in a storage bin at TLJ Construction, Inc. waiting for restoration work to start. Photo by Mark Eades

Here is the direct link at www.carolwood.org/contact and click on the donate to donate to this effort via PayPal. But people can also write a check made out to “The Carolwood Foundation” and put “Mine Train Resoration” in the memo space. Checks may be mailed to Carolwood Foundation, PO Box 2208, Toluca Lake, CA 91610, Attention: Larry Boone.

Some of the metal parts to the Mine Train that have all ready been restored. Photo by Mark Eades.

The foundation is a 501 (c) 3 non-profit foundation, so donations may be tax deductible. It also operates and cares for Walt’s Barn, which is located at the Los Angeles Live Steamers Railroad Museum in Griffith Park. The Barn is open free to the public on the third Sunday of each month.

Bill Barbe (left), president of the Carolwood Foundation, along with Tim LaGaly of TJL Construction, Inc. show of the undercarriage for the Mine Train cars to four members of the Order of the Red Handkerchief led by their president, Scott Fleener. Photo by Mark Eades.

Recently, members of the Order of the Red Handkerchief visited to see some of the progress being made. Members of the order used to work the original attraction and include a few “Club 55ers” such as Ron Dominguez. The order is also helping with a financial donation and expertise from their time working the attraction.

Bill Barbe, president of the Carolwood Foundation, shows two members of the Order of the Red Handkerchief some of the wheels to the cars of the Mine Train. Photo by Mark Eades.

Besides money, foundation president Bill Barbe says they are looking for additional items to help with the restoration. Those items include a Drive Wheel, an oiler for the wheels, color photos, particularly of the controls for the engine, and good color photos of the tender.

The smokestack and part of the roof for the Mine Train. Photo by Mark Eades.

They would also like either receive a donation of, or borrow the following, so they can do a 3D scan of them: an original bell, an original whistle, and a number plate. All three have been purchased at Disney auctions, mostly through the Van Eaton Gallery.

“If those who own them could either let us have them on loan for display, or to borrow so we can make a 3D scan of them to reproduce for the display, that would be terrific,” said Bill adding, “We’re trying to make this as authentic to the original as we can.”

Anyone who has these materials can contact Bill via email at: waltsbarn@carolwood.org, or send him a snail mail to his attention at: Carolwood Foundation, PO Box 2208, Toluca Lake, CA 91620.

A wood siding from one of the rail cars for the Mine Train, it is completely rotted and will have to be replaced. Photo by Mark Eades.

Unfortunately, most of the cars that followed behind the engine and tender were made of wood, and the wood has rotted to such a condition that it will have to be replaced. The underlying metal carriage and other metal parts, including the wheels, are in good shape and refurbishment of all of them is underway.

Part of the wood that was once part of the rail car that was part of the Mine Train. Photo by Mark Eades.

Bill also said they would like a couple of the rails from the original attraction to set the engine, tender and cars on when the work is completed. Anyone who visits Disneyland can still catch a glimpse of those rails along the Rivers of America, but there are also some rails in the two tunnels that are not really visible and hopes to get a couple of them.

A tunnel through which the Mine Train Through Nature’s Wonderland still exists at Disneyland in Frontierland. Inside the tunnel are rails from the original attraction. Photo by Mark Eades.

May 16, 2019 3 comments

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Disney sponsors a new playground at Barton Park in Anaheim

by Mark Eades January 31, 2019

Volunteers from the Disneyland Resort and the Anaheim Family YMCA work on a new playground with special equipment for children with disabilities at Barton Park in Anaheim. Photo by Mark Eades

It was a beautiful, sunny day in Anaheim when 300 volunteers showed up at Barton Park. They were there to build a very special playground, one with play features for children with disabilities.

Photo by Mark Eades

They were also going to build it in just six hours on Saturday, January 26, 2019.

Photo by Mark Eades

The playground build was organized by KaBOOM! The non-profit organizes events like this for parks in disadvantaged neighborhood parks across the country.

Photo by Mark Eades

Here in Anaheim they worked with volunTEARS from the Disneyland Resort, the city of Anaheim, the Anaheim Family YMCA and others from the local community to build the playground. The Disneyland Resort also sponsored the playground.

Photo by Mark Eades

Included in the playground are a variety of play pieces with unique equipment and accessibility features that will allow all children to play together.

Photo by Mark Eades

The pieces include a merry-go-round style device with a Unity Spinner that includes seatbelts for wheelchairs. A Teeter Tunnel with a feature that will help children transfer out of a wheelchair and onto the teeter. Many of the items feature braille panels for this visually impaired.

Photo by Mark Eades

The playground’s design was aided by children from the area including students at neighboring Barton Elementary School. Volunteers from KaBOOM! met with more than 650 kids soliciting design ideas and drawings for this playground.

Photo by Mark Eades

Disneyland Cast Members took part in the playground build, as did members of the Anaheim Family YMCA, along with folks from the city of Anaheim.

Photo by Mark Eades

January 31, 2019 0 comment

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Adventures in the Daddy Zone with the baby at Disneyland

by Mark Eades June 15, 2018

Editor’s note: This was originally written and to be published in the June 2018 edition of Parenting OC Magazine. But do to space limitations it was cut. So it is posted here by the author.

Well here I was, sitting on a bench under the shade of a tree in the Central Plaza at Disneyland. With me was our daughter, then about eight months old. Where was Mom? She was off in the long line for Pirates of the Caribbean with our four-year-old son.

He decided Mom deserved a trip to Disneyland for her birthday. Meanwhile I, the Dad, got to come too as it was Father’s Day, but it really meant I would watch baby sister while they went on a bunch of Disneyland attractions, especially those the baby could not ride.

My wife really knows how to get ready for trips to places like Disneyland. She was determined to not bring a stroller. So, we had a front pack for our daughter, and a backpack with all the baby stuff in it: Formula, bottles, baby food, disposable diapers, a change of clothes, extra blankets, two containers of baby wipes, and large, sealable, baggies to put, well, soiled things in.

The last would come in handy, as I would find out.

Thankfully, before they ran off to see the pirates, my wife took our daughter into the ladies’ bathroom and changed our daughter’s wet diaper. I figured that would hold her for a while. But my wife also assured me there were changing tables in the men’s bathrooms too.

I’m a little old-school. If my daughter did something while my wife was gone, I really didn’t want to have to change my daughter’s diaper in a men’s room. But I also did not want to do it out in the open on a Disneyland park bench either. My wife pointed across the plaza.

“There’s a Baby Care Center over there, I’m sure they can help you out,” she said as the two of them took off to get in the 90-minute line for Pirates of the Caribbean.

Now the nice thing about being a Dad with a baby, is that all the people like to stop by and make fun faces at the baby. And I will admit some of them were some nice-looking women. But I digress.

There we were, baby daughter and me sitting across from Sleeping Beauty Castle. She seemed to be very happy. When the horses pulling the street cars stopped nearby, we would walk over to them; she really liked them. Mary Poppins and Bert strolled by and said “Hello.” She really liked that.

We watched some ducks waddle by for a handout, I had a box of popcorn and “accidentally” spilled some on the ground for them. It went fine with my cup of soda, which did have a baby spillage prevention device on it, better known as a lid.

Things were going along fine for about an hour when she got fussy. Usually a sign that she wanted to either eat or drink something, so I carefully set my popcorn and drink down on the bench and got a ready to go bottle of formula of a side pocket of the backpack, and a baby blanket from another pocket. The bottle satisfied her for a while.

Then she spit the bottle out, obviously full. I set the bottle down next to the popcorn and soda, put the blanket on my shoulder, put her up there, gave her a few pats on the back and she burped. I was a pro at this. Then I laid her down on the blanket, with an arm in place to keep her from rolling off.

What a lovely day, she was kicking and smiling and goo-gooing. As I watched people taking pictures in front of the castle. I wasn’t really paying attention when she stopped making noise. I looked down at her and saw she was making a face of great concentration.

Oh oh. Did I just hear some music of impending doom? No, it was a different kind of noise – equal to the level of concentration on her face. It was a doom of a different kind – she was going poo-poo. Now normally, at home, this would not be that big a deal. But she was doing it right here on a park bench in the middle of Disneyland.

Worse yet, it was massive as it started to ooze out the sides of the diaper like the Blob and onto the blanket. And the smell? It was worse than anything the horses could do. I panicked and quickly grabbed the bottle of formula and stuffed it into the backpack – knocking over the popcorn in the process, to the great joy of the ducks in the area.

I needed to get to the Baby Care Center – and fast, as the daytime parade was approaching and I needed to get across Main Street U.S.A. before it arrived at the crossing. I wrapped her into the blanket, hiding the evidence of her dastardly deed, and quickly headed across the plaza, leaving my soda behind. Oh well, Disneyland’s Custodial staff, I was sure, would make quick work of that.

I did get stuck at the crossing while the first few floats passed, I had visions of her poo-poo oozing out like the Blob and devouring all nearby. Finally, they let us cross. I strived not to bump into anyone while carrying a baby with a diaper full of bad news. Suffice it to say, I made it to the Baby Care Center.

The Disneyland Baby Care Center is located just off the Central Plaza (also known as “The Hub”) at Disneyland. Inside the entry lobby there is a photo of Walt Disney when he was a baby on the wall. Photo by Mark Eades.

When I entered, it was like I’d gone to heaven for anyone needing to deal with feeding, nursing or having to change extremely dirty poo-pooed diapers like me. I thought I even heard angels singing.

The two Cast Members inside took one look at me and seemed to immediately understand what was going on. They directed me to one of the changing stations, which also had a nice paper liner on it to keep it clean from messes like my daughter’s.

One even asked if I needed any other assistance. I said no, but that they might want to hold their noses.

“We’re used to that, but this facility has excellent air circulation to take care of any unwanted odors,” the Cast Member said as she smiled.

I laid my daughter down, she seemed to relish squirming around in her mess. This was going to be a multiple baby wipe extravaganza to clean this mess up. I set the backpack emptied it, then proceeded to undo the diaper and was immediately assaulted by a pile of goo that would have been better handled by a large bulldozer.

I opened up two of the large zip top baggies; one for the diaper and wet baby wipes, the other for everything else. It took about 15 minutes to clean up the mess, with my daughter constantly moving the whole time. Finally, I was done. The dirty diaper and wet wipes filled one baggie, the dirty clothes and now dirty blanket filled the other. I sealed them both up and looked around for a waste basket for the one. The ladies pointed.

“Looks like you’ve done this before,” one of them said as they changed the paper liner.

“You might need to feed her soon,” the other Cast Member said.

I nodded and got out a jar of food, then realized there was no spoon in the backpack. One of them offered me a disposable plastic spoon, and suggested I take a few more with me.

Thank goodness for the Cast Members at the Baby Care Center. After feeding my daughter, I packed everything, not as neatly as my wife had done, and went outside. The parade had passed, and I could see my wife and son strolling this way, thank goodness, as I suddenly realized I needed to use the restroom.

The Disneyland Baby Care Center is located just off the Central Plaza (also known as “The Hub”) at Disneyland. Inside, parents or guardians can find a variety of things to support those with babies. In addition, the center serves as the location for lost children or lost parents. Photo by Mark Eades.

–Some additional tips from Linda Marquez, a Disneyland Park Specialist of the Disney Parks Moms Panel: “Traveling with infants is making sure they are comfortable while at the parks. Bring along kid-approved sunscreen, a hat to provide shade from the sun, and a small, portable fan to keep cool. You will definitely want to bring your stroller from home or rent one at the parks. A stroller is not only the safest and most efficient way to get your little one around the parks, but it’s also an excellent place to store your belongings and a comfy spot for your little one to take a snooze. If you use a baby carrier or wrap, you can wear your baby on the majority of attractions that do not have height requirements.”

Personally, my wife and I always found it easier to go without a stroller. It was easier to move throughout the parks, and we’re good with backpacks. The Baby Care Center in each of the Disneyland Resort’s two parks have a microwave, handy for warming formula. In addition, it is the place that any lost children or lost parents can be found as well.

June 15, 2018 0 comment

Disneyland

Walt Distant’s Enchanted Beefy Room

by Mark Eades March 27, 2018

(Editor’s note: This is written as a satire, so Disney can’t sue me!)

As we enter the corral of “West Distant’s Enchanted Beefy Room,” we are surrounded by the ghosts of the Old West as they appear in their Cactus form.

While waiting here, we’re invited to purchase one of Old Dole’s whips, made from real cowhide leather. Not much to drink here except for water from the trough, filled with a bucket from a nearby well. A bit uncomfortable too, as we have to get down on our knees and lap it up just like a horse or a cow.

The building appears to be an old barn. The corral is all dirt, just like found at any ranch. Mixed in with the dirt are bits of hay, horse apples and cow manure, leaving us with the delicate aroma normally found here.

A voice can be heard from one of the cactus plants that looks like an Old West cowboy.

“My name is Shadow, cowboys call me the shorty one. I am scorched from the sun and haven’t a clue what time it is. I’m so short I don’t have a shadow at all, so cowboys can’t get a clue as to what the time of day is.”

A voice pops up from another cactus shaped liked a donkey.

“Howdy partner, I am an ass. I don’t dance, I don’t move, but I’m part Agave, so if you drink my nectar after it is made into Tequila, I might give you a head ache! Just like the one I got from closing down the bar last night.”

A large withered-old cactus speaks up.

“Me Mongo. No one good to me. Me once star in movie. My thorns so dull, animals use me for a clawing post. Now just old and no longer cactus in game of desert.”

A large Saguaro suddenly speaks.

“I am Hot Mama. I’m the babe of this here garden. I like to tease my husband, Tiny Papa.”

A small cactus next to the large Saguaro starts shaking.

“Yes, she does, but I like it, even when she’s sticking it to me.”

The hay bale hanging from the loft starts to sway, as the old windmill starts to turn – even though there is no wind at all. The windmill speaks.

“I am windmill, without me there would be no water in this dry forsaken place.”

The Hay Bale speaks.

“Without water, there would be no hay, then no ranch, no corral. That wouldn’t bother me at all, I’m tired of hangin’ around up here. I think I’ll fall down on all the folks standing around in the corral.”

A cowboy comes out from inside the barn, firing his six-gun into the air.

“Okay, that’s the last straw Hay Bale, there’s been enough complainin’ out here in the corral. Time for me to round up these folks and git them on into the barn for the show.”

No automatic doors here, the cowboy has to swing open the barn doors, which creak due to the lack of grease in these here parts.

“Cowboys and cowgirls! Come on in for a rootin’ tootin’ show of fun western and prairie songs in West Distant’s Enchanted Beefy Room!”

As people enter the barn, they’re directed to sit on a variety of saddles, hitching posts or the floor. Most would rather stand then sit on the dirt floor where there is a mixture of, well you know…

Above everyone, in the darkened rafters of the barn, can be seen some distinct shadows of what appear to be cows.

The room lights dim, one light is shined onto the floor, the cowboy cracks a whip as he steps into the pool of light.

“Yee haw, cowboys and cowgirls. Are y’all ready for a really moovin’ show?”

He looks around the room, expecting a response. Getting none, he cracks the whip again.

“I said YEE HAW! Y’all ready for a rootin’ tootin’ udderly moovin’ show?”

Everyone yells “Yee haw,” aided by the sound system recording of a western crowd saying, “Yee haw!”

“Well let’s get this rodeo started. I don’t want to start a stampede for the door, so let me quietly wake up Josie.”

The cowboy cracks his whip up in the air on one side of the room. Snoring, that almost sounds like mooing, is heard.

The cowboy gets out his six-gun, fires it and cracks the whip again.

“Get along there Josie, it’s show time!”

A light is shined on a bull sitting in a saddle swing above the audience. He slowly opens her eyes, stretching her hooves and looks around.

“You’re not Josie. Where’d she go Ralph?” asks the cowboy.

In a distinct Brooklyn voice, he responds, “She’s out on the range. What are you bothering me for, Pardner? Can’t you see I’m sleepin’?”

The cowboy responds, “These here city folks came for a show. Looks like you’re gonna have to do it.”

“Hey, I’m sleeping here,” Ralph says in his New York accent. “I’m going back to sleep.” He starts to close eyes. The cowboy draws his gun and aims it at Ralph.

“Don’t make me come up there and send you out with the herd, get a move on ya little dogie,” says the cowboy.

“Who you calling dogie, you’re not even a real cowboy!” says Ralph.

“And you’re not a real bull, you’re a robot” says the cowboy.

Ralph snorts.

“Now get moovin with the show,” says the cowboy.

“All right, all right,” says Ralph as he looks around at the audience.

“Look at all the people staring at me, they must know a handsome bull when they see one.”

“Ralph, the show?” says the cowboy.

“Yeah, yeah, yeah. Howdy pardners, welcome to West Distant’s Enchanted Beefy Barn. Who the heck came up with that name?”

“Ralph.”

“Well it’s corny. Okay, let’s rustle up the others. Hey Sigfried, wake your tired leather encased body up, we gotta put on a show!”

Sigfried yawns and stretches. “Whoa, good thing I woke up. Look out below folks.”

There is the sound of a fart. The cowboy cracks his whip.

“False alarm,” says Sigfried. “Okay, okay, I’m moovin. Hey Dingus, stop chewin’ that cud and let’s get goin.”

Dingus chomps on his cud, then stops as the light shines on him. “Hold on a second.” He swallows his cud. “I wish I’d already swallowed that cud. Hey! There’s supposed to be four of us, where the heck is Jubal?”

The sound of a barn door opening and closing can be heard, along with a loud “Moo!” and what sounds like bull hoofs walking into one of the stalls.

A young male voice responds. “He’s sleeping off yesterday’s stampede, so I’m covering for him.”

Ralph snorts and says, “Who are you?”

The young bull says, “I’m Yippee, the intern.”

All the other bulls snort in derision.

Ralph says, “This is a lot of bull.”

Sigfried says, “Be careful folks, we’re stepping in it now.”

Dingus says, “Come on guys, give him a chance. There’s people watchin.’”

Sigfried says, “Isn’t he your nephew?”

Dingus says, “My son, one of 30.”

Ralph says, “Now who’s bragging?”

The cowboy stomps in, “Hey, let’s get a moovin with the show!”

Ralph says, “All right, all right. Let’s round up the rest of the herd. MOOO!”

Lights come on around the barn, highlighting a variety of western critters. In several stalls are a variety of horses. Some sheep are in another pen, and a billy goat stands atop a barrel. There are a couple of raccoons, startled, as they were caught dipping their hands into a barrel of feed. Some owls hoot up in the rafters, and in large vases attached to posts out pop the heads of some rattling rattlers.

Ralph yells out, “Yee haw, hit it!”

Everyone starts singing.

“In the beefy, beefy, beefy, beefy, beefy room, in the beefy, beefy, beefy, beefy, beefy room.”

Ralph sings, “All the bulls will yodel,”

Sigfried sings, “And the horses will neigh!”

Everyone, “In the beefy, beefy, beefy, beefy, beefy room.”

Ralph sings, “Welcome into our smelly old barn, you stupid city folk you. If we weren’t inside our smelly barn, we’d be out in the fields with them female cows.”

Dingus says, “Hey there’s a kid here.”

Zippy says, “I know what he’s talkin’ bout.”

Sigfried starts the chorus again.

“In the beefy, beefy, beefy, beefy, beefy room, in the beefy, beefy, beefy, beefy, beefy room.”

Ralph sings, “All the bulls will yodel,”

Sigfried sings, “And the horses will neigh!”

Everyone, “In the beefy, beefy, beefy, beefy, beefy room.”

Suddenly a triangle rings, interrupting the singing by the bulls. A large parrot appears in the hay loft.

The parrot says, “What the hell is going on in here? I thought I was flying north to be in a Tiki room review, somehow I ended up in this roundup – in a barn full of bull.”

Ralph says, “That’s bulls and we don’t take no manure.”

Everyone sings, “In the beefy, beefy, beefy, beefy, beefy barn.”

The music ends with a flourish.

“Now I’ve heard it all,” says the parrot. “Watch out for the Tiki gods,” he says as he flies back out.

“Tiki gods?” asks Zippy.

“Wrong show,” says Dingus.

“Time to bring in the girls!” says Ralph.

All the bulls moo together.

“Let’s herd them in here,” says Sigfried.

“We can’t,” says Ralph. “They have to come in from above.”

The ceiling opens up.

“I sure hope that’s a big crane,” says Dingus.

“Oh yes,” says Zippy. “I calculated the weight of the cows, added in a 20 percent factor for udder stuff. We should be safe.”

A large chandelier structure with several female sheep on it lowers into the center of the barn.

“What happened to the cows?” asks Ralph.

“They were too heavy, so I asked the Ewes to sub in,”

“Sheep,” says Dingus with disgust.

“Yeah, well baa to you too,” says one of the sheep.

“We don’t mean to bleat in on your show, but we wanted to pull the wool over your eyes,” says another sheep.

“Where’s a sheep dog when you need one?” asks Sigfried.

There’s a bark from a dog house in the corner, followed by a snore…

“I guess we’re stuck with them, hit it girls,” says Ralph.

The sheep start singing.

“Let’s all yodel like cowboys do. Baa, baa, baa, baa, baa, baa.”

“Hold it,” says Dingus. “That’s not yodeling, did you lose your way?”

“Baa, baa, baa,” sing the ewes.

“That sounds like a boy band,” says Sigfried.

The girls continue…

“Let’s all yodel like cowboys do.”

The sheep dog sticks its head out of the doghouse. “Howl, howl, howl, howl, howl, howl!”

The Parrot flies back in.

“What the hell is all that racket?”

Zippy pipes up, “Well we had to put sheep on the thing in the middle as the cows were udderly too heavy, and they’re not singing the yodeling the right way. Then the sheep dog tried to help…”

“Yee gads, what a mess,” says the parrot.

“Are you talking about the song, or the floor of the barn?” asks Ralph.

“Both,” says the parrot.

“We can yodel if that’s what you want,” says one of the sheep.

“Yeah, we want to get paid too.”

“Paid?” asks Ralph.

“Yeah, I had to promise them we’d pay them to perform,” says Zippy.

Everyone stares at each other in awkward silence.

Sigfried pipes up, “I suppose we can give them some feed.”

“What are you trying to do, fleece us?” says one of the sheep.

Ralph sighs. “No. But since you’re here, go ahead and sing it the way you want.”

The sheep continue.

“Let’s all yodel like cowboys do. Baa, yodel, baa, yodel, baa yodel. Take your cue from the sheep, now you all do what you want. Baa, yodel, baa, yodel, baa, yodel.”

Suddenly some Tiki Gods up in a corner light up in anger and pound some drums.

“Hey, how’d we get some Tiki Gods in here,” asks Sigfried.

“I think they’re leftover from that Disney show,” says Ralph.

“Oh.”

The Tiki Gods start to chant. There is a clap of thunder, then the wind starts howling. A tumbleweed is seen tumbling across the prairie through the window.

All sing, “See them tumbling down….”

At that point it starts to rain outside, but the barn leaks and water comes down inside.

They change songs. “We’re singing in the rain. Just singing in the rain.”

The parrot flies in again.

“Flash flood coming!”

Water comes crashing through the door, carrying all the humans out with it.

“I guess that’s the show,” says Ralph.

“Yep,” says Sigfried.

“I wonder where the people went?” asks Dingus.

“Let’s get out of here and find us a few of them cows!” says Ralph. All the lights go dark.

THE END

March 27, 2018 0 comment

Disney Disneyland

Are too many regular visitors wrecking Disneyland’s Haunted Mansion experience?

by Mark Eades February 22, 2018

Visiting Disneyland is almost always fun, but sometimes the visit can have its challenges – rarely from the park, almost certainly from other visitors.

Thanks to Annual Passes, there are a lot more “regulars” who visit Disneyland on a regular basis. They still enjoy themselves (I would hope so at the prices some pay for the higher end passes!) but the question I have to ask is: Do they enjoy it just for themselves at the expense of others?

So here comes some food for thought about some things us “regulars” should consider when visiting Disneyland on one of our regular visits.

One of my favorite attractions is the Haunted Mansion. It was, when it opened, one of the most ground-breaking and innovative attractions ever made. So successful it has stood the test of time and is still popular nearly 50 years after it opened.

But that popularity and repeated visits have created some odd circumstances for anyone going through the attraction.

Before I get to those odd circumstances, a brief synopsis of the attraction.

This is not just a ride, it truly is an attraction. It starts with the approach to the mansion, a Victorian looking structure, complete with pillars and a porch. Not really that foreboding looking.

Then one enters the foyer, where the enveloping into the experience begins. Eerie organ music plays, and after a few moments (depending on the timing of one’s entrance into the space) a voice is heard. “When hinges creak in doorless chambers, and strange and frightening sounds echo through the halls. Whenever candlelights flicker where the air is deathly still (the air is still in here and the candlelights are flickering.) – that is the time when ghosts are present, practicing their terror with ghoulish delight.”

Okay, this is where the people and more comes in. Some of the “regulars” are trying to appreciate the experience right at the start. Still other “regulars” feel they should be a part of the show and start either mouthing those words quietly, or out loud. Still others have seen it so many times that they just keep their conversations from waiting in the queue line going – in complete disregard for others trying to enjoy the show.

Finally, you have the newbies, those who haven’t seen it before – and because of all those different “regulars,” they aren’t quite sure if they should be quiet, talk amongst themselves or what. Of course, the other factor is if the attraction host or hostess has closed the foyer entrance door in time to block out the outside light and signal that something is about to start.

Next comes Act 2, the art gallery room, known to “regulars” as the “Stretching Room.”

A wall (door) opens to reveal that room, one with art work on the walls, and everyone moves into it. The voice continues by introducing himself, “I am your host, your ghost host.”

Now usually, some of the guests (regulars and newbies) are talking as they move into this room, while others are looking around and straining to hear the ghost host voice of Paul Frees.

Here is where the problems I talked about happening in the foyer come to the forefront.

Depending on the mix of “regulars” and newbies, the Stretching Room can, at times, be Disney’s version of “The Rocky Horror Picture Show.” There are times when you can’t hardly hear the Ghost Host because everyone, or nearly everyone, is saying the infamous words out loud. Imagine, an enclosed room of 90 or so people talking and saying the same thing all at once. Sort of surreal.

Then comes this, “Of course, there’s always my way,” followed by a person who has been hung up in the rafters, then total darkness and a scream. And many people do scream – very loudly.

Many young ones, especially those who have never experienced this before, are very frightened by this, effectively ruining what should be an eerie, yet comical, experience for them and their parents.

Next, it’s time for the walk down the hallway and boarding the “Doom Buggies,” Disney’s term for the Omnimover ride vehicles that will take visitors on a ride through the rest of the Haunted Mansion.

This experience can be slowed down due to guests with disabilities trying to board or exit the Omnimovers, and I have no problem with this at all. No, it is others that are riding that can take one right out of this immersive experience. There are some who take flash photos of the ride now that’s where “regulars” either know better (that the flash will ruin the shot) or they want to take the flash to show the “secrets” the Imagineers used to create the ride.

Still others have their phones or iPads up and running, their screens visible throughout the whole ride by those in the adjoining Omnimover vehicles. Sigh, kind of annoying.

I don’t know that there is a solution to all these issues, as different folks enjoy Disneyland different ways. But I feel there is a societal issue at play here, bigger than Disneyland. That of people not considering the feelings and effects of their actions on others.

It’s part of the selfishness that has reared its ugly head in the current social media driven society.

So, here’s what I would like to see: “Regulars” start being a little more aware of others, “regulars” and newbies, trying to enjoy their visit without intrusion from others. Think of it as being neighborly. Don’t carry on a loud conversation inside an attraction. Don’t take flash photos, it’s just downright rude. Be discreet in your use of smart phones or iPads. Try to enjoy the Haunted Mansion, and let others enjoy the classic entertainment created by Walt Disney’s original Imagineers in all its eerie glory. And if you can’t do that as you’ve seen it so many times, then maybe consider not visiting the attraction for a while so you can maybe enjoy it like new again.

Just my thoughts, I’m sure some will disagree, and that’s okay.

February 22, 2018 3 comments

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