Did you notice these little cut-outs while walking around Disney’s Art of Animation Resort?
Remind you of anything?
I couldn’t help but think of the rusty cars that Lightning McQueen was embarrassed to be around while doing promo appearances for his racing sponsor, Rust-Eze.
I think they have character!
We’re all familiar with the Toothpick Holders that Disney sells. For some reason people use them for shot glasses, but as to why, we may never know. What we do know is that Disney does not sell glasses for the consumption of alcohol. Wink, wink.
Nor does Disney any longer sell tobacco products or smoking paraphernalia, like lighters and ashtrays. And this even though Disneyland had a tobacco shop on Main Street when it opened. Well, times change.
But not before these vintage (but now taboo) ashtrays were produced and sold at the Parks:
Just try to call this a Disneyland collector plate!
Or this a Walt Disney World collector plate 
So we know that at least into the 70’s Disney was still comfortable with making money off of the smoking habit at both of its North American theme parks.
PC must have been an 80’s thing.
Who likes game night? I’ve never been big on playing games so it may seem a little bit weird that I love to collect vintage games. But of course, I especially (read: only) collect Disney games:
Who knew there were so many Disney board games?
Could there be even more??
And I still have more!
So no matter who your favorite character is, or what type of board game you prefer, Disney probably has a version out there for you! And me!
Who wants to roll first?
One thing we never miss doing when at Walt Disney World is to ride the waterways. It doesn’t matter the craft, it’s always a great day if it contains a boat ride!
These few pictures are from our 2009 trip. It was one of our shorter visits with not much in the way of Park time, but we did spend the better part of a day just traveling from Park to Resort on ever boat we could board.
Good times! Do you make this a part of your WDW vacations?
Karen and I have only been to Disneyland once and we stayed at a Good Neighbor Hotel. We couldn’t swing the cost of staying on-property but don’t regret our choice of the Howard Johnson across from the Park.
That being said, it would have been awesome to stay in the first true Disney Hotel! (But not owned by Disney when it opened in the 50’s)
Someday, we may stay…
During our visit to Disneyland though we felt it wouldn’t be complete unless we at least toured the Disneyland Hotel. It has a lot to offer, but what we really enjoyed was the artwork on the walls. So here are some of our favorite ones:
The combination of concept art and stylized renderings of favorite rides and attractions was mesmerizing to say the least. On almost every wall could be found fantastic pieces of art…
Adding to this visual smorgasbord was compilation portraits and display cabinets filled with collectibles and other memorabilia. Such as…
Go back in time
Treasures aplenty… 
How many have you owned?
So if an on-property stay isn’t in your immediate future but a trip to Disneyland is, be sure to at least tour the hallways of the first hotel to be linked to the Disney brand!
Any chocolate is good, but if you can combine it with Disney, it just gets better! While at Toys R Us lately, I was almost out of the store with my purchases when I spied this little packet:
Front, back, and inside of packaging
These four bars of chocolate feature characters from Cars 2 (no, the top character is not from the samequel, Planes). Let’s have a closer look:
Not the best Pixar movie, but I did like Finn McMissile and his cool gadgets
I haven’t eaten the chocolate yet, that’s a treat I’m saving for another day.
Some theme parks may have better roller coasters. Some theme parks may have your favorite non-Disney animated characters. Some theme parks may even have tastier food. But no theme park in the world has better Streetmosphere than Walt Disney World!
And to prove it, here is my short list of the Top Five Streetmosphere Acts:
5. Walt Disney World Band
Which band? Any band, from the full marching kind, to any of the trios or quartets that strut their stuff and play their music. The best part of these performances is that they tend to be spontaneous! The fun part is being surprised by them when they appear.
4. World Showcase Players
Fortunately, these players do hold to a schedule, so you should be able to plan to see them during your next trip. When you pick up your Park Map at the entrance, just ask for a performance schedule. The UK, China, and France Pavilions have all had excellent shows. And most of the other Pavilions have cultural music or crafts to round out the experience.
3. DHS Streetmosphere Actors
As good as the EPCOT Streetmosphere is, I feel that no Park does it as well as Disney’s Hollywood Studios! Maybe it’s because of the sheer number of different characters and skits that are offered. You may find yourself auditioning for a movie, being a contestant in a dating game, or simply accosted by any number of weird and wonderful oddballs! And be warned: These wacky ‘people’ just love to drag unsuspecting spectators into the ‘act’! But then again, that’s the fun of it.
2. De Vine
Take a stroll through the passages of Disney’s Animal Kingdom and you just may catch a glimpse of something strange and magical. She’s somewhat shy, but comes out of the foliage when the mood strikes her. Towering over the guests, she walks, but never talks. Her graceful movements (all done while on stilts) will move you to awe! If you’ve seen her come to life, you are among the lucky few.
1. Dapper Dans
I make no apologies for placing the Dapper Dans in the top spot, as I am a rabid fan. I love music from all eras, but the Barbershop Quartet configuration of singers is one of the best, and is not to be missed! These colorful straw-hatted men never fail to entertain as they interact with the crowds (especially the children) while they sing period specific tunes along with select Disney classics. And if you visit at the right time of year, you just may see the Dagger Dans or the Cadaver Dans (depending on which Park you visit), an eerie variation that is simply spooktacular!
You can visit a great website called Harmonize.com and enjoy a tribute to this awesome institution!
So there you have my Top Five Streetmosphere Acts from Walt Disney World. But don’t let me get away with leaving out one of your favorites! Set me straight in the comment section and let everyone know what to look out for during his or her next trip to The Vacation Kingdom!
That title might be a tad misleading at first, but read on.
In 2007 Karen and I attended the Old Car Show at Greenfield Village in Dearborn, MI. They had literally hundreds of vintage automobiles! Many of them were driving the streets during the day, like this old bus:
Reminds me of the Main Street Vehicles at Disneyland and Walt Disney World
I’ve always enjoyed seeing and riding the vintage vehicles at the Parks. It’s wonderful that Disney continues to run these in order to keep alive that turn-of-the-last-century feel on Main Street. Would Walt have eventually included a bus?
I wish I could have ridden in this one!
Do you enjoy the vehicles on Main Street? Are they a must-do when you visit the Parks?
It’s happened to us all: You’ve just finished a delicious meal at a great restaurant. You’ve enjoyed the atmosphere and the company of good friends. But now it’s time to get up from the table and hit the rides again. But wait! What’s that on your chin? Why, it’s a piece of Disney!
Yes, you sloppy you, you! First, you need to wipe that off. Well, fortunately, Disney has a napkin for that:
Almost too pretty to mess up!
For when you can’t remember which restaurant you’re in 
Don’t forget to save a few for souvenirs!
OK, I know I said it was time to get back to the rides, but first, why not stop for just one more edible delight:
And… it comes with another napkin!
I found these three Princesses at a charity discount store:
I think Jasmine must have convinced them to mingle with the common folk…
Snow White and Belle
For a young girl who is prone to run into scary-looking forests and another who is tired of the Provincial life, a trip to a discount store must have been an irresistable temptation!
I liked the simplified design of these dolls and was disappointed that I couldn’t find any other Princesses. Love the ballerina feet! Oh well, maybe if I wander aimlessly through a forest, I might find them. Hey, it worked for Prince Charming!
Disleelandia 