World of Color Fire Test

As mentioned in my last post, one thing I'm really looking forward to this year is the premiere of "World of Color" at Disney's California Adventure. Below is a test of the various flame spurts installed throughout the show platform - take a look!



Pretty incredible, huh? Can't wait for this one to open!
T.H. Excellence

First Days at Disneyland

If you happened to be here around mid-April, you may recall that I was recently hired by the Disneyland Resort to work in an attractions role. Well, Saturday, May 31st marked my first official day as an attractions cast member as I went down to the Disneyland property to begin my first day of training called "Traditions". This day was a simple walk-through of general training, in which I was instructed in various cast member traditions and guidelines with regards to safety, performance, guest interaction, and so forth. After lunch, my group and I were taken through the backstage area of Disneyland and emerged "on-stage" in the middle of Toontown, where we began a quick walk around the park to inspect and observe its various aspects. I must say that entering Disneyland from the back is quite a different experience, but not an altogether unwelcome one.

The day eventually concluded by preparing each of us for our next day of training (which would be area-specific), and I learned I would be operating Splash Mountain for the time being (bummer, no Haunted Mansion). When all was said and done, we received our official Disneyland Resort ID cards and name badges, which was very exciting. And, of course, my natural response upon receiving my ID was to rush to the main entrance of Disneyland and present it for admission into the Magic Kingdom.

Since Traditions concluded around 6:00, I had approximately six hours to romp the parks before they closed for the night. Since it was a Saturday, the lines were a bit long, so I was worried I wasn't going to get to do everything on my agenda. Indeed, Disneyland closed its gates before I could get on every attraction I had intended (California Screamin' will have to wait for another time), but I managed to fit in quite a bit between 10:00 and midnight. Pirates of the Caribbean, the Haunted Mansion, and Splash Mountain were all walk-ons, allowing me to experience all of those in less than an hour. Space Mountain wasn't quite a walk-on, but I easily made my way through the queue in about 10 minutes, which wasn't bad at all. Afterwards, I attempted to cram Peter Pan's Flight and Indiana Jones Adventure into the last 20 minutes of the day, but, alas, I did not quite make it.

Oh well. There will be other times.

Anyway, even though I was rushing from place to place, I still managed to snap a few pictures. I would have loved to take more, but I can spend more time doing photography later. After all, I've got access to the park for the entire summer.

The train station was looking lovely in the setting sun, so I took a few shots.


I was inspired to take this shot while in line for Soarin' Over California. I'm very satisfied with the lighting and colors, but I'm not sure about the composition. I can always try again some other time.


So I went on Tower of Terror for the first time (that ride is a death trap!) and got a few not-so-good out-of-focus slightly-grainy shots of the very well themed lobby.


Loved this owl sculpture in the middle of the room. Wish I would have had my tripod so I could have capture it better.


My group stopped to watch a bit of the Electrical Parade (which we kept running into as we tried to get out of the park), so I propped my camera up against a trash can and got a few shots.


In my opinion, this is probably the most memorable part of the parade. Not sure why, though.


I bet it's fun to be the guy who drives that turtle around.


And for the final shot of the day, Space Mountain (the wait was only 10 minutes!). Don't look too closely - it's a little blurry. Wish I had my tripod.

Okay, those are all the pics for now. I'm hoping to go down to the park one day for a massive photo excursion, but first I have to get settled in working there. At any rate, I'll keep you updated until then.
T.H. Excellence

Film Fest Friday - A Cowboy Needs a Horse

Happy Friday everyone. Take a break and enjoy this classic Disney cartoon from the 1950s. I first saw an abridged version of this short on a sing-along VHS I had when I was a kid. Since all the other songs were based off of actual (recognizable) animated films. As for this, I had no idea as to where it came from. Now, over a decade later, I finally know the truth.



But wait, there's more! Recently the new Mr. Potato Head audio-animatronic figure built for California Adventure's Toy Story Mania has been testing to guests. I happened across a couple videos and was so impressed I had to post them:



"And for my next trick..."



Wow! Fun stuff, huh? Can't wait until this attraction opens this summer!

Okay, that'll do it for me. See you all around!
T.H. Excellence

California Adventure Expansion

Late Wednesday morning Disney put out a press release concerning the expansion of California Adventure. This project is an effort to increase the appeal and popularity of the park, seeing as the park's attendance has never held the numbers it was supposed to. The imagineering department now has thorough plans for the park as well as 1.2 billion (that's right - one.point.two billion) dollars to see these plans through. Obviously something big is in the works. Here's a little sampling of what to expect:


First up is "Walt's California". This building is modeled after the Carthay Circle Theater (where "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs" premiered) and will facilitate a new "Walt Disney Story", featuring interactive exhibits reflecting Walt's experiences with California.


Being installed under California Screamin' at this very moment is "Toy Story Mania". This attraction will be a more advanced version of "Buzz Lightyear's Astro Blasters", but with a midway/carnival theme hosted by the Toy Story characters. In addition to the shooting targets, "Toy Story Mania" will utilize the use of 3-D projection and glasses, making for a more immersive experience. For those of you who can't wait, this attraction will be opening in summer of '08.


California Adventure's makeover will also include the addition of a brand new land - Cars Land. This section of the park will feature three new rides, including an exciting E-ticket called "Radiator Springs Racers". Also included in this new land are two family friendly rides, perfect for the kids.


Another attraction being added to the park's roster is a new Little Mermaid ride employing the omnimover ride system as well as spectacular animation and amazing special effects. Guests will be able to dive into the undersea world and experience the magnificent scenes and magical music of the feature film.


California Adventure isn't the only part of the resort being improved. The Grand Californian Hotel adjacent to the park will also receive an expansion during the overhaul. This expansion will include 200 new rooms as well as 50 new rooms dedicated to the Disney Vacation Club.


Last but not least is the addition of "Walt Disney's World of Color" to the Paradise Pier lagoon. This new nighttime show will utilize water, color, and music to bring classic Disney animation to life after dark. The addition of the show will also include a new viewing area for approximately 9,000 to enjoy the show.


So that's what's in store for California Adventure. I don't know about you, but I'm pretty excited for everything that's going into this. I'm just scared to see what the ticket prices will be like when the expansion is over.
Anyway, those who are interested can read the full press report by clicking the "D".


Alright, I'm done.

So long, y'all
T.H. Excellence