Hey there!

It's been a few weeks since my last update, and while VisionsFantastic's Annual Photo Scavenger Hunt
happened in between updates (click here for photos from that event), I took HUNDREDS more pictures
while at the park for that long weekend that had nothing to do with "The Hunt".

The pictures here are from the Friday evening before "The Hunt", from Saturday the day and evening
OF "The Hunt", and from Sunday, the day after "The Hunt". OK... enough about "The Hunt". I took
some really good photos and had a wonderful time during that long weekend, and I have wanted
to share those with you. It took a while to whittle down 330+ extra photos to something manageable.
Hopefully what I've got here today is more on the entertaining side than on the "Vacation Slide Show From Heck" side.

Also, please understand that these photos go from evening, to daylight, to evening, and to daylight again.
It might get a little confusing and jumbled, but I'll try to keep you up to speed on what was happening.

So let's get to the photos, shall we?

I met up with some friends in Friday evening, one of whom trains assistance dogs. She
brought one of them along for the experience (as part of his training). He is a real
cutie named "Gunner". I had to put down my own dog this summer quite unexpectedly, and
just having another big dog around was amazingly healing for me. I didn't get a chance to thank
my friend in person for being so forgiving of my giving so much attention to her dog...

My dog was a big ol' Golden Retreiver, and I just think that Golden's and Labs have the most expressive
faces. Gunner did nothing to prove me wrong on that point.

We took a ride on Indy first... The thing about going to Disneyland with a big group of friends is
even the longest lines aren't so bad.

Gil, Jeff and Darrell

This is the exterior of the Indiana Jones & The Temple of the Forbidden Eye.. looking up just as you enter
the building.

You see this in line if you happen to look up. It's always prettier in person than any picture I've ever
taken of it. Looks kinda' like a giant metal washtub turned upside down with weeds growing in it
in the picture... it's actually pretty in a spooky way in person.

I usually go through the right-side door at Indy. This time we went through the middle door. I forget
if that's riches or eternal life.

...Either way I got a decent shot of the entry without a flash.

We had enough people that as I recall, we had a jeep to ourselves.

Awfully dark, I know. But without a flash and in a moving vehicle, it came out pretty good.
Kinda' gives you that eery foreboding feeling that the ride actually gives you.

I tried to lighten it up, but the camera just wasn't able to capture the details of this gloomy room,
so lightening it just made a noisy colorful mess with no more details than what you see here.

AHHH!
Who looked into the eye??!!!

oh yeah, since I took this picture, it musta' been me!

"FOOLS!"

This is the blow gun darts shooting around you hallway, I think.

So after Indy, we skidaddled over to Tomorrowland for a ride on "Space Mountain".

I can't beleive I'm saying this, but I wish they'd bring back "Rockin' Space Mountain" occasionally.
I could ride that version of Space Mountain numerous times without queasyness.... I didn't even
dare to go on it at all this evening because I didn't want to take the chance that I'd be so woozy
afterwards it'd spoil my evening.

plus, Rockin' Space Mountain just plain ROCKED!

After folks came out of SM, someone pointed out that they really only wanted to ride
"Pirates" that night... so we went back over to adventureland.

I don't mean to say it was any kind of hassle to go back over there. We were just having a great time
as a group and enjoying the evening.

I was amazed at how well Gunner (the assistance dog) handled sitting in the boat
as it went down the little waterfalls. I woulda' thought any normal dog would ahve barked his head off
after the first one, let alone the second... he just kinda' sat up afterwards, shook his head, and stayed
close to his mistress.

I've been looking forward to trying to get some non-flash shots of Pirates with my new camera
since it has an ISO setting of 3200. In other words, it'll take decent pictures in the dark.

Not too bad, I guess.
Honestly I think I could do better with a different lens and a lower ISO setting.

If you're seeing lots of little red and blue and green dots throughout the picture, that's called "noise" folks.
That's what you get when you push the ISO up too high in the dark. Makes for LOUSY
desktop wallpapers, let me tell ya.

except if the lighting suddenly turns REALLY good...

I've always wanted to catch the lightning just right to get this shot. I think for once, lightning
struck at just the right moment. I'm very happy with this shot.

A perfect desktop for the Halloween season!

The skeleton bar scene turned out well, too.

I got some great Pirates shots back in 2005, so I know I've got a great shot of this from back then.
Some of you who've followed my updates over the years probably still have it.

I've never been able to get the timing right to capture Davy Jones as he appears in the fog/waterfall.
I've always enjoyed this effect (I'm not big on the whole incorporation of the movies into the ride) but
have never been able to be close enough to Davy Jones as he appears to get a shot.

"Don't tell heem Carlos! Don't be Cheeekin!"

A decent picture of Johnny Depp's Character. Again, I'm not big on incorporating the movie characters
into the ride. I think there's a reason why the Hollywood Wax Museum went out of business. These
things are never life-like enough, and trying to get them to look like someone who IS alive is
just (in my opinion folks) creepy and bordering on stalker-ish.

But this is probably the best (non-flash) shot of this vignette I've ever seen.

And here's the complete Bride Auction Scene.
We were fortunate enough to have a slow down of the ride right at this scene, so I was able to adjust my camera's
settings enough to get a good quality shot from this distance.

Like I always tell people who ask my advice... "know your camera!"
You never know when you're going to have about 2 seconds to make an adjustment in your settings to
get that "Fortunate shot".

Makes a pretty good desktop!

I love the reflections on the water in this shot.

I don't know how many photos I have taken of this scene.
I wonder why it seems to capture so many people's imagination so.
What is it about that mangy dog?

This is probably THE most "I'm taking a picture with my flash on anyway" scene in the whole resort.
I don't know how many times I've seen folks snapping away at this as their boat trundles by up the
hill at the end of the ride.

One of my friends laughed at me because I had just said in one of my recent updates that I can't resist the sparkly lights
of the Mark Twain in the water at night... I distinctly heard her use the phrase "Sparkly lights" as I shot this pic.

It's just beautiful at night.

And here's a ship of a different flag...

Unfortunately this ride moves SO quickly, it's almost impossible to get any really good shots.

But I am always AMAZED at the ride. "Peter Pan's Flight" opened with the park in 1955. The "flying" (hanging)
Pirates ships as ride vehicles are ingenious to this day. DECADES before their time.

The effect of flying over London and NeverNeverland are wonderful and the colors of the ride
are still so impressive.

Here's Wendy as she walks the plank... about to be saved by Peter.

I just wish I could ride "Peter Pan's Flight" just one night in slow motion, or to be able to stop completely
so I could get some really good dark photos.

Perhaps that'd be my wish in the "what would YOU wish for" campaign next year.

..."And the evening and the morning were the second day"...

The next four or five photos were included in the "Scavenger Hunt" Photo coverage from VisionsFantastic's
3D Scavenger Hunt that was held on Saturday September 13th. Just some duck and flower shots
(and desktops, of course) that I just had to incorporate here as well.

Let me add that if you've never taken part in our Scavenger Hunt at Disneyland in the fall, or the "Amazing Race" style
contest at California Adventure in the Spring, you've really missed out. EVERYONE has a great time, and it is as much
about testing your trivial knowledge of the park as it is about learning things that you never knew about
the Disneyland Resort... and meeting fellow Disneyland lovers like myself. What's more, the entry fee is pretty small, and the
prizes are HUGE in comparison. Especially when you consider what other websites give out for prizes in their contests.
Did you know that first prize of the scavenger hunt is TWO annual passes?

Listen, this spring we'll be having our "Amazing DCA Dash", and I can't recommend enough that you try to make
plans to attend. It's just simply LOTS of fun, and pretty rewarding!

Keep an eye on VF... and keep a spot open in the middle of March of 2009.
Exact day has not been decided yet, but it will most likely be one of the two Saturday's in the middle of March.

Duck Duck Waddle Waddle...

The ever beautiful "Disneyland Rose"

Beautiful early morning roses... not morning dew, but sprinkler leftovers... but still a romantic shot.

Just a quick interruption to ask for your kind donations to support these photo updates... you support means
SO much to me and helps to bring even more photos and desktop wallpapers to your screen!

thanks ever so much.

Another shot that was included in the "Scavenger Hunt" photo report, but not offered as a desktop previously.

Another shot now offered as a desktop. The colors are just so striking in the morning light.

WHOOPS! Suddenly it's evening!

The "Hunt" is over, the contestants have all dispersed. By this time I had eaten one of the worst
served meals in recent memory over at Naples Restaurant. As an example of our experience, we saw
the waiter and his manager LAUGHING at the hair we found in one of our salads...

SO anyway, here are a couple of "Big Figs" (no, not a Big Fig Newton, but a "Big Figurine") in a window
on Main Street.

We'll be seeing much more of Tinkerbell in the parks in the near future. Disney has removed the
Arial Meet-and-greet area called "Arials Grotto" near the Matterhorn and is creating a new place
for folks and their kids to meet Tinkerbell and her Pixie friends.

While I'm happy to meet Tink when the area opens, I hope the whole marketing push
comes and goes as it just seems like a big marketing ploy to me to add more
dolls and books to the stores.

It took FOREVER to get this shot! Seems like there was always someone coming and standing at the railings
right in front of me. You know how few people get on this ride at a time, and how the line can take forever
to get thru... so even just one person waiting for their wife, daughter, or friends to get off the ride can
stand there for quite a while.

Anyway, it finally worked out.

I've taken shots of the Astro Orbitor at night before and posted them as desktops before as well,
but not from this angle with "Star Tours" in the background so prominently. It's a nice shot, I think.

Still wish this ride was up on top of the Peoplemover track like it's supposed to be, but ah well
that's another argument for another day, isn't it?

Just wait until I take over Disney parks and recreation!

ooohhh... maybe THAT'LL be my "What do you wish for?"

All the lights at the Autopia... pretty!

...and my fascination with the Matterhorn continues...

I wonder how Disney came up with the idea of a roller coaster going INSIDE a mountain?

I mean, I know that Walt Disney was inspired by the Matterhorn while filming "Third Man On The Mountain"
in Switzerland, and he had this big patch of dirt in the middle of Disneyland that he was unhappy with...
but how did that become "The Matterhorn" ride that we know and love today?

anyone? anyone?

oooh... and now we come to this shot. a Panoramic of the Storybook Land Canal Boats at night.
I LOVE this shot. I use dual monitors at work, and I have this shot spread out across the
two widescreen monitors... it's just really cool!

or dorky...

but I prefer "cool".

Click on the picture above to see the panoramic shot, in smaller scale.

The park has started emptying out (it's about to close as it's almost midnight)

For me, THIS is the "magic hour".

I was tempted to make this a deskotp too, but honestly, there are just SO many desktops in this update!
I love how this angle of this shot turned out, though.

I call this one "The Second Star To The Right".

There was a Disneyland Security person standing just off to the left of this picture.
I was afraid he was going to come tell me to not set up my tripod where I had, but he was cool about
it and even looked at my picture after I took it. I like this shot on my screen.

well shoot. I like ALL of these shots on my screen. I really had a magical weekend at Disneyland
with my camera.

Obviously standing on the bridge over the moat in front of the castle. I love the reflection of Snow White
in the water.

This is a little better centered.
I just wish Disney didn't make their water quite so green.

Sometimes it feels like I'm in the middle of Chicago on St. Patrick's day!

Main Street U.S.A.

SO magical at night, don't you think?

I used my flash on this shot. I liked the way it lit up the whole front of the building, but the lights on
it still show up.

here's to another 50 magical years, huh?

I think I am most proud of this shot of any in this update, and of any I've taken in quite some time.

It literally took me almost an hour to get it. Because there are SO many people leaving the park, and they all
seem to want to get that "one last shot" before heading home (or to the motel), it's SO hard to get this
shot without people in it.

You might also realize that I had to leave the shutter open for a long time because the swirls leading up to
Tinkerbell in this photo is completely lit, as is Tink's wand and Mickey's head. Those lights just come on for a moment
as the swirl happens (to simulate pixies dust coming of Tink as if she is swirling around the Floral Mickey
before lighting it up... just like she swirled around the castle in all those years of "Walt Disney's Wonderful
World of Color" with Pixie dust trailing behind her). Then there's a pause before Mickey's head starts to shimmer...

This is a special "Thank You" desktop wallpaper to download for folks who contribute to the
VF cause and to help support my photo updates thru the paypal link below.

There are a LOT of desktops and photos in this update, and it's taken HOURS of editing and proofing to
assemble all the pieces together. Showing your financial support when our economy is as terrible as it is
right now means all the more to me. - thanks again.

..."And the evening and the morning were the third day"...

SO-o-o-o... After getting back to my motel room about 1:30am (Like I said, it took a long time to get that last shot!) I slept
pretty hard and woke up a little later than the day before. I ate left over Pizza from Naples restaurant (I said the service was bad,
not the food) for breakfast and headed over to the park to walk around with friends for a while.
I had noticed the day before that the Disneyland Band is now coming out from the castle right at 11am to put on a nice little show.
The day before I hadn't been able to get over there to take pictures, so I made it a special point to hustle my bustle over there
right before 11 to get a preemo spot.

I was NOT disappointed.

Shortly after 11, who comes prancing right out of the castle but our pal MICKEY MOUSE
in full Bandleader dress... crossing right over the castle bridge right at me!

HOLY SMOKES!
Talk about your photo opportunity!

I strongly suggest grabbing your camera and getting to the front of the castle right before 11am, folks!
These are picture postcard moments!

What a great shot!
I hope to make this available to the Disneyland Band members personally someday soon.

Mickey's Pals come out (minus Minnie for some reason) and lead us all in a couple Disney songs.

Just wonderful!

Mickey really played up for the camera for me!

...and then he played up for the kids, too!

Mickey was being a great sport for me.

The Mad Hatter and Alice come out and convince the bandleader that it's all our unbirthday day!

Some real cuties came out of the crowds to help us sing happy unbirthday to us.

After that magnificent photo opportunity was over, we headed over to Adventureland.
I stopped to take a tourist shot of the wonderful sign leading into this land...
and ended up with another remarkable desktop!

I really need to credit my camera and polarizing filter for this one.

I literally just stopped, pointed, and shot. The colors, sharpness and detail are extraordinary.

Heading over to Critter Country with some friends, I met ol' Brer Fox who was
out looking for some rabbit stew or something...

who loves ya' baby?

I chickend out on Splash Mountain this time and we headed back over
towards Frontierland.

Someone (I think it was D-dog) that the petrified tree over in Frontierland served as a
template for the outline of Big Thunder Mountain. Supposedly once can (when the trees
are bare in the winter months) line up the top of the trunk with the mountain.

So I leave it to you... what do you think?

yeah, I can kinda' see it.
I definitely want to try it out come December-ish.

a moment of patriotism:

I love our flag!

I'm just a big softie at heart... anyone who knows me is probably saying "DUH!", but there ya go.

I like how this flower shot screams "Disneyland" in it's own way.

...and then over to Tomorrowland....

Are ya getting dizzy yet? Seems as I write this that I spent the whole weekend going from one end of the
park to another.

It'd be interesting to re-assemble this whole photo update with all the photos put together into
the same areas of the park... but I certainly don't have the time for that!

These almost look fake...

OOH! LOOK!!!!

The new monorail!

Monorail "Red" was operating that day.
Sure looks sleek and retro, doesn't it?

Frankly, I couldn't get enough of it.

wow this thing shure is purty!

I liked how this shot looked kinda' "Metropolis" futuristic to me.
I tweaked it a little to accentuate that. The haze makes all the points in
Space Mountain and Tomorrowland in general just look, I don't know, "Real".

Yes, Gunner was still around. What a GOOD dog!

He had NO idea why this Fire Hydrant was so funny to us humans.
He just sat there looking at his mommy like... "What?"

Matterhorn Flowers

EVINRUDE!

Wow! That's quite the miniature animatronic Disney's put out, isn't it?!

This fella was over on the walkway near The Matterhorn and the castle. My friend Don and I
just snapped pictures like crazy, and it just seemed to be enjoying resting there in the sun, ignoring us completely.

Fairy Godmother was out meeting all the little Cinderella wanna-be's.

This is a spy shot of Mary Poppins.
I'm not allowed to get any closer any more.

Funny how it seems like a bunch of grown men hanging around her.

go figure.

Another GORGEOUS Disneyland rose.

This is certainly a rose in Disneyland (can you guess which famous elephant's photo op is behind it?)
But I don't think it's a "Disneyland Rose".... although I'm no horticulturalist.

The birdies were really loving the shrubbery cut out to look like Dumbo behind the "Dumbo" ride.

I got some nice close up shots of them.

"What are YOU looking at?"

So I was getting pretty pooped by this time, and I knew my family was waiting to see me. It'd
been a great time with friends, but it really felt like it was time to be home again.

I started heading out to the motel to get packed up and on my way home, but was
almost SHOCKED to find:

PRINCESSES!

I dont' know the last time I saw a Disney Princess NOT in the Princess Fantasy Fair area.
I've long HATED how Disney has forced parents with little ones who adore the princesses into this
ridiculous meet-and-greet shopping zone they call the Princess Fantasy Fair.

I was VERY pleased to see Aurora / Briar Rose / Sleeping Beauty and another princess out in front of
the railroad station as I headed out the front gate.

I didn't have the time or energy to stand in line to take a full-on shot, so I snapped my telephoto onto
my camera and grabbed a couple of decent picks.

thank you Disney for releasing some of the princesses from the dungeon of marketing drudgery at the back of the park!

and what's more, these two princesses were shining examples of what Disney Princess should look like
fresh, clean, and remarkably similar to their animated counterparts!

Not to say that I've ever seen a "dirty" or disheveled princess on Disneyland property, but sometimes
they just so DON'T look like the real princess, you have to wonder what the hiring manager was thinking
when they put the particular gal on the payroll.

(wish I had a better shot of Belle, she really looked quite a bit like the movie version)

wow, I had a GREAT weekend. I walked away with SO MANY
wonderful photos that I'm going to treasure for a long time!

I hope you found some you liked, too!

until next time my friends!

Love uP!
DaddyB

thanks for anything you can give to help support these updates!

I use a 12 megapixel Canon EOS 40D with a Canon 580EX flash
and an assortment of fine Canon lenses.

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