I've been unusually busy lately, so kindly forgive the lack of recent updates.

Halloween has come and gone again (mmm, apple cider cupcakes...), and the Halloweentime crowds are gone. The mini Zonie Invasion appears to be over, though I suspect it'll be back with a vengeance as Christmas approaches. It is my honest opinion that if someone built a theme park in Phoenix, it'd rake in a tiny fortune.

Christmas decorations have, once again, started to appear in the park. The castle already has sparkly fake snow caps and icicle lights, and New Orleans Square's transformation began a couple days before Halloween. Toontown is nearly done. It's a good thing Disneyland's decorations are among the most beautiful I have ever seen (and when you have a design background, you see a lot of good stuff!), since "Christmas creep" really is tacky. I know I say that every year even though I don't actually celebrate Christmas, but it's the truth.

Most of the Halloween decor is gone, with the exception of a few window displays. It's not like I mind, since the color scheme works for Thanksgiving, too.

Sharp-eyed visitors to Fantasyland just may spot a brand-new hidden Pixar character, though I won't say which one or where. If you're smart, you'll figure it out.

Alice is down for rehab, earlier than anticipated. Given the recent improvements it'll probably be better than ever when it's ready to re-open later this month. It's a Small World Holiday is set to open later this week. The planned rehab is still on (read Al Lutz's MiceAge column for the nice version, or http://blogs.ocweekly.com/navelgazing/disney-dirt/churros-anyone/ for a snappier take on the situation). While I have never actually seen IASW boats get stuck, I have it on good authority that this does happen with increasing regularity.

Spotted in Town Square: Cruella de Vil giving the thumbs-up to a guest in a long leopard-print coat. I wonder if "Cruella" could see the guest's "Faux, Not Fur" lapel pin!

It has come to my attention that a few of the dozen or so people who actually read this blog have made a few guesses as to my real-life identity. There are a number of AP's who fit my general description. I know a few of them, and I am sure of the speculation because one of them mentioned a comment from a cast member that struck her as bizarre but which I recognized as a reference to this blog. Nobody who knows me offline knows I keep this blog, and I am very careful about what I post. Identifying details are always worded very, very carefully or left out entirely. Put simply, you'll just never know. And really, who doesn't have something better to do anyway? ;)

That's enough out of me for now...see you at Disneyland.

Don't go to Disneyland for a while.

I made this mistake on Sunday and found that Zonies have taken over Anaheim.

Zonies, for those of you not in the know, are Arizona residents. Now, I'm sure at least some of them are decent people when they're at home, but in California they're a nuisance.

Why Californians Generally Do Not Like Zonies:

*Their lack of driving skills (and persistent insistence on driving 10-30 mph below the posted speed limit) drives up accident rates, makes traffic even worse, and prolongs already hellish commutes. This would be bad enough, but it contributes to the already-high price of insuring a car in California.
*They invade the beach from Santa Barbara to Tijuana on every holiday weekend and all summer. This would be annoying enough (just ask my surfer friends), but they litter and chain-smoke on the beach (both are illegal and highly punishable in my city; not sure about the rest of the state).
*Arizona college students are even bigger party animals than SDSU students, which spells extra noise, vandalism, and random vomit puddles around hotels, motels, and any place that serves booze.
*They're stuck-up and ungrateful. Seriously, there are people in Arizona who actually think they are better than Californians and are openly hostile to any who move into town. They ought to THANK the transplants, since Californians who leave the state are willing to pay very, *very* well for a nice house and some land (real estate here is extremely expensive). This, in turn, raises the Zonies' property values. Are they grateful? No. And I've met a few who were extremely rude.
*A bunch of cheap bastards in Arizona decided to use a legal loophole to cheat the state school system out of tax money. Some months ago I read a story in (IIRC) the New York Times about some selfish Zonies who created a fake school district with no schools and no students so they wouldn't have to pay school taxes (AZ state law allows students to attend any public school as long as it has room for them). Public education is hands-down THE most important source of social stability, since it allows children from all backgrounds to actually have a chance at a decent life. Not paying school taxes is tantamount to stealing a child's future.
*"But it's a dry heat!" Do they even know how stupid that sounds? BTW, dry heat is bad for your skin and hair.
*They're just plain weird - and inconsiderate, too. I was an RA in college and every check-in weekend there'd be a handful of Zonie freshmen who showed up to check in at 2 a.m.; well after check-in had ended for the night. What, they couldn't have just left earlier? This, in turn, would wake up their sleeping roommate, they'd fight, and the housing office would have yet another problem on its hands. Half of them eventually flunked out, too.

I don't know why they're invading SoCal in October - shouldn't school be in session there or do they not believe in school at all now? But, I do not recommend going until every last one of them goes home. I will keep you posted.

See you at Disneyland.

Opening time: 10 a.m.
Weather: Isn't summer supposed to be over?
Crowds: Wouldn't have been so bad if half of Fantasyland weren't closed

I know I've slacked off a lot on updates lately. My laptop is a lost cause, and because the faulty hardware problem wasn't detected until right after the warranty expired, Dell is giving me the runaround (in spite of the fact that the hardware was ALWAYS faulty...cheap bastards). Screw it, I am done with Dell. I'm just going to keep selling off stuff I don't need and save up for a good, reliable laptop with a really, really long warranty.

Mid-September to mid-November used to be the ideal time to visit Disneyland. Most families don't pull the kids out of school that early in the school year, most people don't take vacations in the fall, and the weather's nice, so you'd have a nice day in a near-empty park. This is no longer the case. (Late February also used to be a good time to go, until two years ago when the secret got out and tourists descended upon the park in droves, then bitched and moaned loudly in every single ride line because too many other people had had the same idea. Yet more proof that tourists are not very smart.)

I love Halloweentime. I love the silly pumpkins and orange bunting all over Main Street. I love pretty much everything related to my favorite holiday. But, it is boosting attendance. This is good news for Disneyland but not for the crowd-averse. (I'm starting to think I should buy some Disney stock shares. They do know how to make a lot of money.) Just an FYI to the claustrophobic.

Anyway, when I went on Wednesday, Casey Jr. and Storybook Land were still closed for a long rehab (they're supposed to reopen today), then Snow White and Pinocchio both broke down. Fantasyland is a tiny bit congested, so visitors just piled into whatever lines were open as fast as they could. Next on the rehab list: Alice in Wonderland, then (after the holidays) It's A Small World. IASW is expected to re-open next October, so if you're going to miss it, go after November 8 but before January.

There is a rather persistent rumor going around that the foods department has started putting butter in the vegetarian gumbo again (the original recipe used a butter-based roux but they switched to cornstarch for a thickener some years ago). What the hell?! How many people go to Disneyland instead of other theme parks because only Disneyland will accommodate special diets? Southern California is home to thousands of people with food allergies, thousands of people with lactose intolerance, and thousands of vegans - vegetarians who do not consume any animal products (I know - I fall into two of those camps). Never mind the scores of tourists with special diets who visit Disneyland every year. If this is true, it's a really stupid call on Foods' part.

Well, I've got to get back to work. I have stuff to do - and apple-cider cupcakes waiting for me at home.

See you at Disneyland.

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.

Opening time: 8 a.m.
Weather: Sunny, warm but not too hot
Crowds: Stay away, fellow locals.

You would think that, with this being such a busy time of year for Disneyland, that they'd attempt to open the parking lot at a reasonable time instead of letting two lanes of traffic back up down Magic Way and onto Disneyland Drive by 7:30 a.m. Sadly, this was not the case.

Anyway...

The fountain in Mr. Toad's Wild Ride is on again but Sir Clinksalot still doesn't clink. It's a bit jarring to have a suit of armor silently lean toward your car.
The line for Finding Nemo is so freaking long it extends into Fantasyland and around the Matterhorn. I don't envy anyone who waits in it.
One of the jack-in-a-boxes in Roger Rabbit's warehouse scene has been missing for weeks. Do take the time to notice the money on the floor - the bills are simoleons (1940s slang for dollars) and some feature the back of Roger's head. Ha.

Classic example of guest stupidity:

I was waiting in line for the Jungle Cruise at the point where it splits into two separate lines (to load different sections of the boats). The three tourists in front of me stared brainlessly into space while one skipper announced, repeatedly, on the intercom that there were TWO lines, and could everyone please use both? Then they couldn't make up their minds regarding which line to use. Anyone with decent eyesight and a few living brain cells could have seen that their best move would have been to move into the right line. Did they even look? Of course not. Tourists are stupid. If I had been in a worse mood I might have told them straight off to get moving; it's very poor etiquette to make other people wait for you to move your lazy butt.

Word has it the Cafe Orleans is serving (what else?) ratatouille. I haven't gone (I rarely eat in the park, especially in the summer), but I have seen pictures. I'm all for encouraging people to discover this fantastic soup for themselves, but in the photo I saw, the stew was garnished by asparagus spears (which is a nice touch) and what sure looks like a cheese wedge (which isn't). My family is from Southern France, which gave the world ratatouille, so I know what it is and is not supposed to contain. Ratatouille should be served with potatoes, rice, or some good crusty bread (or as a crepe filling - drain the excess liquid first), but *never* cheese. It competes too much with the rich flavors of the stew. Besides, as I have pointed out many times, dairy is a common allergen. Well, hopefully what I saw in the photo isn't cheese.

My ratatouille recipe:

2 tbsp olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 white onions, chopped
6 tomatoes, skinned and quartered (blanch in boiling water for 2 minutes, drain, and the skin will peel off much more easily - if you can't be bothered, use 1 28-oz can crushed tomatoes, but for food's sake get a good brand like Muir Glen)
1-2 eggplants, chopped, sweated, rinsed, and drained (to sweat eggplants, slice thinly, salt liberally, put slices in a colander, allow to drain 30 minutes, and rinse well - don't skip this step, it's essential to help reduce an eggplant's natural bitterness)
3-4 zucchini
2 green bell peppers, chopped
2 red bell peppers, chopped (optional; I LOVE red bell peppers)
1 tbsp sea salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 tbsp herbes de Provence (this is an essential ingredient, do not skip it)
Fresh thyme and basil to taste (optional)

Heat the olive oil in a large metal casserole dish or soup pot. Saute' onions and garlic until onions are translucent. Add the other vegetables and stir occasionally. It may take a while, but the tomatoes will produce enough liquid to cover the other veggies. Add seasonings and allow to simmer partially covered on low heat (I use gas mark 2) for 45 minutes or until vegetables are tender and stew is reasonably thick. Adjust seasonings if necessary. Makes about 8-10 cups of ratatouille.

And you bet your baguettes I'm going to see the movie this weekend. BTW, high-end kitchen store Sur La Table is reportedly carrying high-end Ratatouille merchandise, so I'm probably going to swing by the Newport Beach location after the film.

Has anyone else noticed (from the trailers and ads, anyway) that the only characters who don't have passable French accents are Linguini and the rats? Hmmm.

See you at Disneyland...in about two months.

I've skipped a few entries due to computer issues. Fortunately my laptop is once again up and running. Without further ado, here's yesterday's trip report:

Opening time: 8 a.m.
Weather: Somewhat overcast at first; quickly turned sunny and warm
Crowds: Summer's here. And stay out of Tomorrowland for the time being.

As my regular readers (all three of you) know, I missed the retro charm of the old Submarine Voyage and have waited ten long years for the Mousecutives to put SOMETHING in the lagoon.

I wasn't there when the subs reopened last Monday; I have a little thing called a job. I'm told that the line was 8 hours long at its worst!

So, I went Sunday. Unfortunately someone felt it would be a good idea to have a rare early-entry Sunday, so the line was over an hour long by the time I got through the front gate and practically ran to Tomorrowland. This would be bad enough, but it was 7:40 by the time the parking lot gates opened. Which makes me wonder, are the managers who created such a screwy schedule high or just stupid? Fine way to show the MAJORITY of park visitors how much you appreciate their money...

Anyway, it gets worse.

Supposedly Disneyland always picks its best and brightest Operations employees to be on the opening crew for new attractions. It's a huge honor to be chosen. Well, two of them sure could have fooled me!

One girl working crowd control at the 60-minute point in the queue allowed people to cut in for over half an hour, despite numerous complaints from those of us who were waiting our fair turn. This, of course, bumped my 60-minute wait time to 90 minutes. Not fun when you've recently had surgery, lost a fair amount of blood, and are still having dizzy spells. That stupid kid is just lucky I didn't wind up fainting.

Then, when I finally got to the front of the line, the grouper miscounted. I wasn't affected by it as I was the last one on, but it must have been quite annoying for the three people who were supposed to get on behind me. There aren't many seats on the subs (though each had two more added), so this is a potential problem. Contrast that with It's a Small World, which routinely sends out empty or half-empty boats and still has a very high hourly count. (BTW, those of you who are on the heavy side: the original seats are still in use and are proportioned for the considerably-slimmer visitors of 1959. I'm not saying don't go - my big-boned Scandinavian dad will probably ride the subs the next time I can convince him to come to DL, and he was even heavier when he took me on the subs as a kid. I'm just saying, keep this in mind.)

Now, on to the actual ride.

I was ready to burst from actual excitement by the time I sat down. There are videos of the ride all over the Internet, so I don't really feel a need to rehash every last detail.

The scenery and props look GREAT. I am especially happy that recycled materials were used (and that the subs run on clean fuel!). The faux sea creatures, reef, and plants are stunning, and about as colorful as the real thing. The animated effects are not what I would call realistic, but after all, it's based on an animated film, and they are pretty good.

There are references to the past: the shipwreck was re-used (it's now inhabited by Bruce the shark), at one point the sub passes into a whale's jaws (shades of the popular classic Storybook Land), and the current recorded spiel ends with a joke about getting out of there before running into a mermaid or a sea serpent!

My favorite part: the little girl from the dentist's office scuba diving in a "Friend of the Reef" t-shirt. Oh, and the seagulls on the buoy periodically squawking "Mine, mine, mine."

That said, it was NOT worth 90 minutes in line. 20 minutes, tops. But, for what it is, it's pretty good. I won't be riding it again until the crowds die down, but I'm giving it a B+ for effort (and being more environmentally friendly than before).

By the time I bounced out of the exit gate and into the Tomorrowland chaos, it was 10 a.m. and getting warm. I hit Roger Rabbit, the Haunted Mansion, and Winnie the Pooh before the crowds finally got to me. I would have filed a complaint about the parking lot opening so damn late that cars were backed up all the way down Disneyland Drive, but the line at City Hall already extended out the door and down the steps (I understand the subs are generating complaints, and I'd wager a lot of them have to do with the line-jumping problem), and I was getting woozy due to my aforementioned blood loss.

On your way into or out of Disneyland, be sure to stop and appreciate the new Emporium window display promoting "Ratatouille." I won't spoil it for you, but I will say it's very cute, very funny, and very detailed. I can't wait for the premiere. How can I not love a movie about a cute animated rat that's already taught mainstream America how to correctly pronounce the name of the greatest soup that southern France (the homeland of my grandparents) gave to the culinary world?

See you at Disneyland.