I couldn't sleep last night. Between my noisy (drunk) neighbors chatting loudly on their patio at 2:30 am and my cats fighting over who got the end of the bed, it just didn't happen. So, I said to hell with it, got up early, and went to Disneyland.
Yeah, yeah, I normally go on Sunday. This weekend my landlord came by to fix my annoying running toilet, so I had to be home to corral the cats while he was here.
I didn't think it would be an early-entry day. What's the point, this close to a national holiday? And isn't 8 am early enough? The hotels will be busy this week, perks or no perks. But, it was.
Anyway...
Overheard in line at the front gate:
8-year-old girl: So your family comes for four days every year?
9-year-old boy: Yeah.
8-year-old girl: Don't you get bored with the rides?
9-year-old boy: Yeah.
10-year-old boy: Hey, are your parents going to the timeshare meeting?
Kids getting bored with Disneyland? How is that possible? I'm an adult (well, technically) and I put in 50 visits last year!
While riding Storybook Land, I couldn't help noticing that Prince Eric's ship is so covered in cobwebs it looks like a mini tribute to the Haunted Mansion Holiday. I just thought that was odd, since the other miniatures are kept pretty clean. And, like I said, I hadn't slept and was a little spacey.
As previously mentioned, several dolls are missing from It's A Small World Holiday. Today I noticed that the two dolls in the finale with their wigs apparently on backwards (yellow yarn hair in tight buns above their foreheads) weren't there. Hmmm.
Tiki Room host gave no introduction, just opened the door to let us in and then vanished backstage. Result: constant clicking of cameras (my eyes were *sore* by the end of the show, though the insomnia might've contributed to that). Usually, the hosts are very careful to emphasize that one mustn't startle the birds, as they ARE right over the audience's heads. Heh. I still find that line funny after all these years.
The Haunted Mansion Holiday had been down for a while but reopened right after I left the Tiki Room. The red berry wreath in the conservatory must've been bumped or something, it's kind of sticking out from the pillar at a funny angle. I'm sure I'm the only person who would notice that, though.
The ride went on as it usually does (did anyone else notice the skull on the roof as you exit the attic? It's been nestled in the snow for weeks; it must be deliberate). Then, just as my doombuggy passed the tea party scene in the cemetery, the music stopped, and most of the ghosts I could see froze. Popup ghosts were stuck all the way up behind their tombstones. I was sure I heard a few of the usual background noises, but no music or narration track. The vampire teddy leaned back and forth, silently tooting his golden bugle, and 'Oogie Claws' was fully animated but dead silent (Lock, Shock, and Barrel worked). The 'moon' was unlit, and Sally silently waved at an invisible Jack Skellington. It was so bizarre and so fascinating. This was the third breakdown I've personally experienced (impressive on the park's part, considering I've been visiting for 21 years).* I imagine they're a major pain for the ride operators and maintenance crews, but from a guest's perspective it's an interesting look at how many details go into creating the entire show. Remove one effect and the show unravels.
*The other two breakdowns were Alice in Wonderland last year (we had to be evacuated through a backstage area...the giant flowers look even more cartoonlike with the lights turned up) and the Jungle Cruise in 2002 (the boat had to go back to the docks entirely in reverse from the hippo pool, so our chipper skipper made the most of it by reciting the spiel backwards; I suppose you had to be there but it was actually pretty funny).
I have *got* to go to bed. My eyes are glazing over from typing this (note to self: move to neighborhood with fewer noisy drunkards).
See you at Disneyland.
Yeah, yeah, I normally go on Sunday. This weekend my landlord came by to fix my annoying running toilet, so I had to be home to corral the cats while he was here.
I didn't think it would be an early-entry day. What's the point, this close to a national holiday? And isn't 8 am early enough? The hotels will be busy this week, perks or no perks. But, it was.
Anyway...
Overheard in line at the front gate:
8-year-old girl: So your family comes for four days every year?
9-year-old boy: Yeah.
8-year-old girl: Don't you get bored with the rides?
9-year-old boy: Yeah.
10-year-old boy: Hey, are your parents going to the timeshare meeting?
Kids getting bored with Disneyland? How is that possible? I'm an adult (well, technically) and I put in 50 visits last year!
While riding Storybook Land, I couldn't help noticing that Prince Eric's ship is so covered in cobwebs it looks like a mini tribute to the Haunted Mansion Holiday. I just thought that was odd, since the other miniatures are kept pretty clean. And, like I said, I hadn't slept and was a little spacey.
As previously mentioned, several dolls are missing from It's A Small World Holiday. Today I noticed that the two dolls in the finale with their wigs apparently on backwards (yellow yarn hair in tight buns above their foreheads) weren't there. Hmmm.
Tiki Room host gave no introduction, just opened the door to let us in and then vanished backstage. Result: constant clicking of cameras (my eyes were *sore* by the end of the show, though the insomnia might've contributed to that). Usually, the hosts are very careful to emphasize that one mustn't startle the birds, as they ARE right over the audience's heads. Heh. I still find that line funny after all these years.
The Haunted Mansion Holiday had been down for a while but reopened right after I left the Tiki Room. The red berry wreath in the conservatory must've been bumped or something, it's kind of sticking out from the pillar at a funny angle. I'm sure I'm the only person who would notice that, though.
The ride went on as it usually does (did anyone else notice the skull on the roof as you exit the attic? It's been nestled in the snow for weeks; it must be deliberate). Then, just as my doombuggy passed the tea party scene in the cemetery, the music stopped, and most of the ghosts I could see froze. Popup ghosts were stuck all the way up behind their tombstones. I was sure I heard a few of the usual background noises, but no music or narration track. The vampire teddy leaned back and forth, silently tooting his golden bugle, and 'Oogie Claws' was fully animated but dead silent (Lock, Shock, and Barrel worked). The 'moon' was unlit, and Sally silently waved at an invisible Jack Skellington. It was so bizarre and so fascinating. This was the third breakdown I've personally experienced (impressive on the park's part, considering I've been visiting for 21 years).* I imagine they're a major pain for the ride operators and maintenance crews, but from a guest's perspective it's an interesting look at how many details go into creating the entire show. Remove one effect and the show unravels.
*The other two breakdowns were Alice in Wonderland last year (we had to be evacuated through a backstage area...the giant flowers look even more cartoonlike with the lights turned up) and the Jungle Cruise in 2002 (the boat had to go back to the docks entirely in reverse from the hippo pool, so our chipper skipper made the most of it by reciting the spiel backwards; I suppose you had to be there but it was actually pretty funny).
I have *got* to go to bed. My eyes are glazing over from typing this (note to self: move to neighborhood with fewer noisy drunkards).
See you at Disneyland.
posted by Sally Ravenswood at 12:47 AM
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