Zip's "Rather Weighty" Disneyland Photo Report

[Zip~a~dee~doo~dah]

Mansion was great, I liked the new effects & the wonderfully creepy bride. After re-entering the world of the living, we decided Tomorrowland was the place the go. I convinvced the group to take the train. Unfortunately, they were only running two trains, and the line was rather lengthy.



I used the time to call some friends back home and remind them of my location.

Finally caught a train, and soon we were in the land of the future.



Buzz looked promising, so Wendy and I commandeered a star cruiser and set off to battle the evil emperor Zurg.



Booyah, I got high score of the day (granted, the day had just begun, but anyways...)



By this point it was getting quite hot, so the parents headed back to the hotel while Wendy & I wandered west.



There was a birthday party going on at the Plaza Inn, and Chip (or was it Dale?) was on hand.

[Mick Balboa]

Nice score. I think that might be the only way I'll get the highest score.

[Zip~a~dee~doo~dah]

Moving west through the hub...



Castle looked great.



We passed through Frontierland on our way to Splash Mountain.



They were doing the pirate show on TSI. That show is a really great attention-getter for the island. People all along the waterfront stopped to watch.



Bad news upon reaching Chickapin Hill, though. Splash was down, and they had no idea when it'd be back up.

Wendy looked around and saw the canoes running, so she decided to queue up. I on the other hand had no desire to paddle 'round the island, so I took my camera and toured Critter Country.

[Zip~a~dee~doo~dah]

I'll mention here that I took pictures of every menu I came across in order to help update & expand VF's guides.



Pooh was down as well, so I was left with no choice but to wander aimlessly.

But lo and behold, 5 minutes later I passed the Pooh Queue and saw that it had opened! So I thought "Hey, why not?"



Honestly, the wait never exceeded 5 minutes. Always a safe bet when everything else is filled. The ride was ok, I liked the rolling motion of the cars. Rather relaxing, that.



Getting off the ride, I was surprised to see a huge line for Splash. Apperently it had opened while I was riding through the hundred-acre wood. Figures.



By then Wendy had returned from her arduous journey, and we tried to figure out where to go next. And it was getting hot, very hot. But hey, we're from Oregon-- where anything above 80 degrees is considered scorching.

[Zip~a~dee~doo~dah]

We decided we'd had enough for now, so we headed back towards Main Street, stopping for some ice cream along the way.



I took pictures of nearby shops while Wendy Darling experianced the joy of waiting in line.



^The Penny Arcade



^The Blue Ribbon Bakery



Poor Pinocchio...

Back to the hotel to rest up, then back to park.



I like the scorcerer hat over the Downtown Disney entrance to the hotel.

[Zip~a~dee~doo~dah]

Back to the park!

Via monorail, of course. Convenient it is. Wish my town had a monorail...







As we passed the submarine station I remarked to Wendy "This may be as close as we'll ever get to the subs." So close, yet so far..

Moving along we headed to Splash Mountain to check the line and get fastpasses. On the way I noticed strange things going on in the Rivers of America...



^...Such as this.

[Executioner]

Looks like you had a blast. Wish I could have been there too, but we were just there 2 weekends ago. Last time we met and I believe the only time we met, was at the 50th. That was my first VF meet. LOL Can't wait to see more of the update Zip.

[Chatterbug]

It looks like you had a Good Time I am really enjoying your comments and photos.


ok it was me I confess I just had to be the one to say I never enter polls it was just too tempting but hard to tell a lie with out fessing up.

[Zip~a~dee~doo~dah]

Nice looking sign.

Arriving in the wilds of Critter Country, Wendy and I were surprised to see Tigger wandering our way (tailed by a gaggle of children, of course). He stopped at the railing along the river's edge, so Wendy and I quickly concoted a daring plan to get a picture with that wily critter without having to wait in line. As he briefly relaxed against the rail, Wendy ran up next to him and I shot the picture.



Wendy chillin' with Tigger.


Following that little escapade, we did an about face and headed back down through New Orleans Square, where we caught this delightful show in progress.



Scooting east to Tomorrowland we found Star Tours had an acceptable 20 minute wait.



Fun fun fun.


Our last photographed ride of the day was It's a Small World (we rode more attractions afterwards, but I'd handed off the camera by then). Funny story here.

'Twas during the Parade of Dreams that Wendy and myself found ourselves in Fantasyland (near Tomorrowland), and thought it'd be a smart thing to queue up for Small World while everyone was watching the parade. We got in line just after the parade ended, with not but a 6 minute wait. As we neared the front of the line, we get a call on the radio from our parents down in Main Street. We invited them to join us for our 'round the world journey of happiness, but their answer was frazzled by static and fuzz. We could only make out that they were coming to us. Soon we reached the head of the line, but our parents were still nowhere to be found. We allowed many guests to pass us before finally 5 minutes later our parents arrived (much to the relief of a very impatient Wendy Darling).



End Day 1 at the park

[Zip~a~dee~doo~dah]

The next morning we slept in, as we intended to start the day off in DCA. We strolled the length of Downtown Disney before we finally found a place we thought looked great for breakfast, the La Brea Bakery. Strangest thing happens to me on these trips though; I suddenly have an abnormally small appetite, and can go for long periods of time with no food whatsoever.



Anyways. I had a plate of bacon, eggs and hashbrowns. 'twas good. From our table near the esplanade we watched guests line up for tickets.

Entering DCA, we turned right into Condor Flats to pick up Soarin' fastpasses.



That mission completed, I suggested we check out the new (to us) Monster's Inc. attraction.



Being a graphic designer, I appreciated the look of the sign here, however thematically confusing is may be (a studio within a studio?).



Yes the facade is 2 dimensional and rather carnivel-esque, but I liked it nonetheless.

[Zip~a~dee~doo~dah]

Mickey says "You must be this tall to ride Monsters Inc."


Across the way they were just wrapping the Drawn to the Magic show. Such a nice little production.



Mickey says "I tell ya, the fish was at least this big!"


Rode Monsters, thought it was ok. Door room effect was cool.



The HTH looked imposing.

Then me mom decided we should all ride the Sun Wheel for the first time.



Paradise Pier, not one of my favorite districts in DCA.

[Zip~a~dee~doo~dah]

After a short wait we chose a non-swinging gondola and went up, up and away.



^Below you can see Disney's new Miniature High School Musical (available soon on DVD).

It was getting hot, so the parent once again retreated to the hotel pool while Wendy & I headed to Grizzly River Rapids, with Wendy picking up a fastpass for Screamin' on the way.



^I like the look of this restuarant.



I was so thirsty...



Wendy hit the single rider line for Grizzly while I hunted for shade, eventually finding it outside the park gates, in the Grand Californian Hotel. Naturally, before riding Grizzly, Wendy had givin me her backpack so as to protect it from a certain watery doom. She was to call from her cell when she got off. Sound simple enough?


Well, best laid plans of mice and men and all that...


After waiting at least 15 minutes to hear from Wendy (time I spent roaming the hotel taking pictures), I returned to the Grizzly exit to see what was up. I called her, and was very surprised to fell Wendy's backpack vibrating. Oops. Turns out her cell that she was suppossed to call me with, she had left in the bag which she had givin to me.

A couple frantic "I-lost-her-again" calls later, and I finally saw her descend the stairs of the Grizzly exit, apparently after riding numerous times.

[Simply Phenomenal]

Nice report Zip!

[DaddyB]

You got a ton of really nice photos! Great work!

[Zip~a~dee~doo~dah]

After Wendy and I had been reunited, we split up: she to use her Screamin' fastpass, I to pick up passes for Splash Mountain. Thus my journey took me through Sunshine Plaza, and past a few slightly enticing food carts.



And out into the esplanade.



And into Walt's park.





Seeing the train at Main Street station, I decided I'd rather ride the rails than wade through hoards of people.



So it was that I boarded the E.P. Ripley, choosing a spot in the back row of one of the back cars. In the front row ahead of me there sat a family of four with 2 small children, the lot of them wearing matching YOMD Mickey ears. A minute before leaving the station a cast member walking along the train stopped to talk to the family, asking them if they were going on the round tour. They all responded with an eager "yes." Then to my surprise, the CM said to the family "Come with me." they followed her out of the car and toward the back of the train, and into the Lilly Belle! Lucky...