Opening time: 8 a.m.
Weather: Mostly sunny, warm
Crowds: Yep...still summer.

If you've never heard of it, Overheard Everywhere is a newer offshoot of Overheard in New York, a humor blog documenting overheard dialogue (most of it funny) in the city that never sleeps. Overheard Everywhere has conversational snippets from just about everywhere on Earth.

Naturally, I just had to submit a couple of the funnier things I've overheard at Disneyland over the past couple of years. Yesterday (probably while I was at Disneyland) they posted one such example. Don't waste time digging through the archives - you can read it here:

http://www.overheardeverywhere.com/archives/001034.html

Disneyland is already promoting HalloweenTime, which is starting on the autumnal equinox this year. Damn. I loved HalloweenTime and all the bright orange decor from last year, but October used to be my top-secret ideal time to go to Disneyland and now it's going to be packed all month. Oh well, you can't win 'em all.

They say that sometimes you just need to go someplace where everyone knows your name. I don't drink (booze = bloating, no thanks!), so Disneyland is apparently turning into one of those places for yours truly (this is true for more than a few passholders out there). Several cast members address me by name, and a couple automatically direct me to a seating row without the usual "How many are in your group?" They know I almost always go alone. Hardcore party animals may scoff at this, since it's not as "cool" as cutting the line for the hottest club in town because you know the bouncer, but I don't care what they think and I got clubbing out of my system in college anyway. Frankly, it's not that great - watered-down drinks, steep covers, smoke wafting in from the patio, creepsters trying to pick you up, sweating, too-loud music, and who knows how much filth the darkness is hiding. Give me reasonably-well-scrubbed, friendly, sober-enough Disneyland any day.

A thought popped into my head on the Jungle Cruise: Why not re-release The Jungle Book in theaters (it's a classic) and add Mowgli, Baloo, and Bagheera animatronics? There's already a Bengal tiger and a very long snake...OK, I'll stop now.

On my way home, I made a detour to Art Supply Warehouse (needed a new sketch pad) and discovered a book in the animation-art section titled "The Art of Ratatouille." I haven't seen the book for sale anywhere in the resort, so once I scrounge up $35, I'm probably going to go back to buy it.

See you at Disneyland.

Opening time: 8 a.m. (Sunday)
Weather: Mostly sunny, on the hot side
Crowds: Yeah, it's still summer

I pulled up to the parking lot gate at 7:30 and to my pleasant surprise, the gate was open! It's about time the parking situation was handled...

Sunday was Bats Day, an unofficial day when Goths from all over the globe meet up and hang out at the park. It's become popular enough that there are pre-Bats events, like a meet-and-greet and the Black Market (imagine a craft fair with lots of skulls, Emily the Strange, and black velvet). I never miss it - for once, I'm not the only fair-skinned brunette wearing black at Disneyland!

Back in July, I was deeply saddened to read about the demise of the Disney Gallery in the Orange County Weekly. This space above Pirates of the Caribbean housed artwork from the Disney archives and Disney-inspired works from other artists, as well as the occasional prop or costume from Disney films (my favorite display: three translucent ballgowns from the Haunted Mansion movie). Alas, the ill-fated "Year of a Million Dreams" promotion has spawned yet another silly idea: turn the Gallery into a hotel suite 'a la the invite-only Mickey suite.

The Disney Gallery may not have been the most popular attraction in the park, but it was a real gem, and a great place to get out of the sun and see some stunning work (where else could you see original Mary Blair paintings? Even the Tomorrowland mural vanished years ago). Now it's closed to the public and what could have been Walt's apartment will instead house a succession of tourist yahoos who don't know Elisabete Gomes from Paul Pressler.

Anyway...

I undertook a 36-hour water fast recently (for my insomnia), and what they say about it sharpening your hearing seems to be true. I could clearly hear every sound effect in every attraction I rode, which hasn't happened since I was 14 and still had normal hearing. (Disclaimer: fasting is not for everyone, consult your doctor, blah blah blah.)

The first thing that struck me about my visit was how cobwebby Fantasyland has become. I saw real spiderwebs in every attraction except Snow White (more on that in a moment). I even spotted a few spiders on the bigger ones. Will somebody please send Maintenance in there with a heavy-duty duster?

Maintenance Updates:

*"Pixie dust" effect in Peter Pan not working
*Toad's car and Mole's boat missing from Storybook Land (though Mole End no longer looks crooked)
*Blossom still missing from Alice's hands; Cheshire Cat's grin effect not working, hedgehog effect timing slightly off
*Sir Clinksalot still not clinking - and why did the Imagineers put bright-orange bulbs in Toad Hall? It looks kind of strange - and you're reading the blog of a woman who LIKES orange. There's also a new Winky figure in the pub scene.
*Roger Rabbit's Car Toon Spin got a new jack-in-the-box in the warehouse scene - a scary-looking purple-and-black joker (apropos for Bats Day, though oddly out of place among all the bright colors).
*Broken, holey baby elephant in the Jungle Cruise has been replaced by a new, squirting model. The squirting baby elephant by the river fork (often called "Little Squirt") seems to be out for repairs, though.
*My God, the HM stretch room wallpaper needs work!

Snow White is, at last, receiving some much-needed and well-deserved TLC. The bronze apple at the entrance is still out, but it'll be back eventually. The pre-show has been cleaned up (though some goofballs keep tossing coins in there). The missing dwarves have all been returned to the cottage scene (the bird on the dresser is still turned around and missing a fiberglass sock, but who cares; the dwarves are back!). The broken Wicked Queen figure is gone - holding her place is a new one, which doesn't move or change appearance. Hopefully this is only temporary, but it's something. Most importantly, that goofy plastic skull has been replaced by a proper-looking apple in the next scene. Keep the kids' eyes covered in the forest scene; the bats got a touch-up and are much, much scarier-looking now than when I was four. Not 100 percent perfect, but a huge improvement.

When you visit Disneyland, be sure to appreciate the window displays on Main Street. I know I say that a lot, but I can't emphasize it enough. When I had a Universal Studios pass, souvenir shop windows didn't change for years at a time (as late as 1995, one still had ET dolls in the window even though they no longer sold them). At Disneyland, they change seasonally (except for the current Emporium windows, showcasing promotional displays from classic and newer Disney films). As it is summer, the Hotel Marceline window (off Main Street by the lockers) currently features a honeymoon theme - vintage marriage certificate and such. Look carefully at the window next to the Cafe Orleans and you'll catch a glimpse of Remy and Emile among the fake food (wasn't Ratatouille the greatest Pixar offering yet?).

See you at Disneyland.