BOOK REVIEW: The Magic of Disney Storybook Collection

Posted on September 8, 2016 by Dis-LEE

ISBN: 0-7868-3523-0

Type: Hardcover

Size: 9″ x 9″

Pages: 320

Publisher: Disney Press

Date: 2004

This is quite a nice collection of original stories featuring many of our favorite Disney characters along with a few lesser known or forgotten ones. There are thirteen stories in all. Some are:

I loved reading a story about Sport Goofy! It has been a long time since Goofy has played this character. Other long-lost characters show up in another story:

Clarabelle Cow and Horace Horsecollar

My wife and I got to pose with Horace in the Magic Kingdom in 2008. It’s nice to see classic characters making a comeback. Gladstone Gander and Scrooge McDuck also make appearances in separate stories.

Even little Figaro from Pinocchio makes an appearance as the mischievous pet of Minnie Mouse:

And this book also pens a tail (wait for it) of Mickey’s first meeting with Pluto:

It appears that Mickey filled in for a man at a pet store and took Pluto as his payment. It was a fun story!

One of the main things I liked about this book was the diversity of the artwork. Being published in 2004 one would expect the sanitized renderings used for merchandising, but instead we get retro, Golden Books, and comic strip styles of artwork.

Review: I’d give this book a 4.5 out of 5 Stars. A few of the stories took the easy way out with subject matter and some of the artwork was generic. But overall, for children, this would be an excellent reader. The text is large (20-point Cochin) and the sentence structure would make it easy for even younger ones to read for themselves.

This book is still available from on-line stores and is part of a larger series of storybook collections.

Posted in Books, Reviews | Tagged Book Reviews, Books, Clarabelle Cow, Cowboy Mickey, Disney Press, Horace Horsecollar, Sport Goofy, The Magic of Disney Storybook Collection | Leave a comment

Pete’s Dragon ’77 VERSUS Pete’s Dragon ’16

Posted on September 6, 2016 by Dis-LEE

Which is better? The original or the remake? This question has taken on a new dimension since Disney has started releasing cherished animated features as live-action films. So far we have had Alice in Wonderland, Cinderella, and the Jungle Book. I’ll go on record now and say that I liked the original versions better in each case. Soon to be added will be Beauty and the Beast. Will it fare better?

But the effort we are reviewing in this post was a hybrid live-action/animated feature from 1977 called Pete’s Dragon (PD-77). Recently remade in 2016 (PD-16), we are going to pit these two films head-to-head in five categories. The one who wins the most categories will be the best.

~ SPOILER ALERT ~

Although I don’t go into too much detail about the new film, I do mention certain plot points that may ruin things for you if you haven’t seen it yet. You are warned!

CATEGORY ONE

Premise

Runaway vs. Orphan

Both movies have a decent enough premise. In the original adaption Pete is a runaway from an abusive step-family who finds and is protected by a dragon until he finds a new, and loving, foster family. In the remake, Pete is orphaned after a car accident in the woods and is found and protected by a dragon until he is found by a new, and loving, foster family.

Neither premise is realistic. In the original the Gogan family would never have gotten custody of Pete. And in the remake Pete would never have gone missing for 6 years after the crash site was found. Dogs would have been used to find him.

But I must declare a winner so I will award the point to PD-16. The new premise isn’t as outlandish as the first, and it reaches the heart.

CATEGORY TWO

Villain(s)

Dr. Terminus vs. Gavin

I’m not even going to include the Gogan family as villains as this would automatically award the win to PD-16. I love PD-77 but their scenes make me cringe! But Dr. Terminus isn’t much better. We have to adjust things a bit as it was more common to have over-the-top villains in early Disney films, but even doing that, I think Gavin was a more realistic danger for Elliot.

I liked how the new film handled Gavin, a jealous brother tired of being in the background of the family business, looking for something to put him on the map. Capturing Elliot was a sure way of doing that! His redemption in the end as he tries to save his brother and Grace at the risk of his own life was satisfying.

So I have to award the point to PD-16.

CATEGORY THREE

Pete

Sean Marshall vs. Oakes Fegley

I think Sean did a wonderful job in the first film… until he had to sing! Disney had a habit of hiring child actors based on looks and acting ability and then forcing them to warble a tune. For the time though, Sean did a good job.

Oakes has a very natural way about him. In an aside, I think he did a better job of reinventing the character of Pete than Neel Sethi did with Mowgli. He was able to capture some humor and a lot of heart in his performance.

Again, sounding like a broken record, I have to give the point to PD-16. If only Sean hadn’t of sung!

CATEGORY FOUR

Elliot

Cartoon vs. Realistic

Back in 1977 live-action and animation together was a big thing. This was pre-Roger Rabbit and given the technology of the time was a very good job!

Today’s CGI effects are hard to beat and the technicians on PD-16 did a very good job of integrating Elliot into the natural surroundings. But more could have been done to show effect for Elliot’s causes.

I struggle with this one but being as the original Elliot was played almost completely for laughs, whereas the new Elliot has a bit more dimension, again, I have to give the point to PD-16.

CATEGORY FIVE

Effects

Traditional Animation vs. CGI

The original film did a very competent job of integrating the animated Elliot into the real world. I also have to mention how well the effects department handled the damage caused by Elliot when he was invisible and running through the town.

The new film handled the CGI effects well but that is to be expected. Almost every film has CGI elements these days and the art has been all-but perfected.

So finally I can award a point to PD-77 as a tip of the hat to the old-school wizards who created a convincing world with limited technology!

RESULTS

Winner: PD-16

I have to admit I was surprised by the 4-1 outcome! Before starting to write this review I pegged PD-16 with the win by a slim margin as I had fond memories of PD-77. But when I had to closely compare each category, it became apparent that the remake was far better than the original.

It isn’t easy for a remake to surpass its predecessor but I believe PD-16 has done just that! Do you agree? I’m afraid that the upcoming Beauty and the Beast live-action remake does not continue this trend.

Posted in Movies, Reviews | Tagged Dr. Terminus, Elliot, Gavin, Movie Reviews, Movies, Oakes Fegley, Pete's Dragon, Sean Marshall | Leave a comment

DISNEYLAND 1968 Pictorial Souvenir & GUIDE

Posted on September 5, 2016 by Dis-LEE

Once again we travel back in time and visit a Disney park as it was, this time in 1968. Disneyland had only been open for 13 short years, but had already undergone some significant changes from opening day.

Let’s do away with the further ado and get right to the 1968 Pictorial Souvenir and Guide:

This cover image was likely a publicity shot or a still from one of Walt Disney’s television appearances. Not long after Disneyland opened Walt stopped signing autographs in the park because he would get bogged down and be unable to move efficiently. So he would give out a business card and ask the autograph hound to write the studio to receive his signature.

So it is very unlikely that Walt would be sitting in a fire truck on Main Street signing autographs unless it was set up for promotion.

Each guide-book usually had a map near the front of the publication:

Can you find all three monorails?

The guide-book then covers each land in turn. Here are some highlights from 1968:

Adventureland once employed José the Barker Bird outside the Enchanted Tiki Room. His job was to entice guests into the attraction but he was fired after a while. Two theories as to why exist. One: Being audioanimatronic he required too much repair due to being out in the elements. Two: He was so good at capturing the attention of passers-by that great crowds would just stop and stare thus blocking the pathways to other attractions. Let’s hope no other Cast Members got fired for doing their job too well!

Wonderful aerial view of the Rivers of America

Love the retro Donald Duck hat!

I have a picture of me at Walt Disney World with the Winnie the Pooh character pictured above. Do you remember when Pooh had a hunny pot on his head in the parks?

Ahh, the ‘Bucket Ride’

The Disneyland Skyway attraction ran from 1956 to 1994. I remember riding the Walt Disney World version in the early 1970’s but wish I could have experienced the Disneyland version!

Disneyland’s Submarine Voyage opened in 1959 as part of Tomorrowland’s expansion and closed in 1998. It reopened in 2007 as the Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage. The grey subs were basically just painted yellow and changed from a more military look to a research theme.

I was able to ride the 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea attraction at Walt Disney World in the early 1970’s but never got to ride Disneyland’s subs until 2013. The Finding Nemo storyline is fun!

Original People Mover. Nuff said.

Disneyland After Dark

The guide-book concludes with a look at the park after the sun goes down. Many forms of entertainment were available, but please look to the top left corner of the picture above. Yes, that’s The Firehouse Five Plus Two Dixieland Jazz band made up of Disney animation employees! Ward Kimball lead the band in the 1950’s and on into the early 1970’s. I have many of their original albums. You can read a little more about them in my previous post entitled Top Five Forgotten Disney Things.

The band received an homage in the ending of the 2009 Disney film The Princess and the Frog, with the jazz-playing alligator Louis now belonging to a group called “The Firefly Five Plus Lou”.

Cross Promotion

The last page of the guide-book is basically an advertisement for the Disneyland Hotel, which was the only on-site lodging available in 1968.

Back Cover

These old guide-books are gems of nostalgia! I have many examples from both Disneyland and Walt Disney World in my collection.

I hope you enjoyed taking this pictorial trip down memory lane with me!

Posted in Attractions, Collectibles, Disneyland, Ephemera, Magazines, Promotions, Theme Parks | Tagged Attractions, Barker Bird, Collectibles, Disneyland, Disneyland Hotel, Disneyland Skyway, Ephemera, José, Magazines, Promotions, Souvenir Guides, Submarine Voyage, Submarines, The Firehouse Five Plus Two, Walt Disney | 2 Comments

WALT DISNEY WORLD 1983 Pictorial Souvenir and GUIDE

Posted on September 2, 2016 by Dis-LEE

Some of the best pieces of merchandise Disney ever put on the shelves were, and are, the wonderful pictorial souvenir booklets! You could buy one to remember your visit or collect them all over the years to get a clear picture of how the parks evolved. Regardless of why they were bought, for collectors like me, they are now priceless collectibles.

Walt Disney World as it was in 1983

This, as with most yearly pictorial souvenir booklets, starts with a trip down Main Street and then veers off into the other lands of The Magic Kingdom.

Watch for natives struggling to get ‘a head’!

From under the sea to the open road, and beyond!

Once you leave The Magic Kingdom it is time to choose your mode of transportation as you begin

You may end up at the newest theme park at Walt Disney World, at least as of 1983:

Opened October 1st, 1982

Many attractions have come and gone from this early time to the present, as have many beloved characters, such as…

Who mourns for The Dreamfinder?

Next you could visit nine countries in one day by visiting The World Showcase. My favorite?

Of course, I may be biased!

As we’ll see later, Disney was promising new lands for Epcot, such as Morocco, Spain, Israel, and Equatorial Africa. We know Morocco made the cut, as did a small nod to Africa, but the rest are still waiting for their spot around the World Showcase Lagoon.

Next our pictorial souvenir booklet takes us on a tour of the resorts to be found in 1983:

Some of the names have been changed, and changed…

Two now-defunct attraction areas are also featured:

I remember the pink flamingos from my visit in 1972!

Sadly, I never got to visit this now-extinct water park

And who remembers the first name for Downtown Disney/Disney Springs?

This particular pictorial souvenir booklet finished up with a look to the future:

Horizons, The Living Seas, and some ‘health’ thing were coming

Also, some new resorts were planned. A Cypress Point Lodge and a Mediterranean Hotel never made it past this booklet, but The Grand Floridian Beach Resort Hotel did, but with a slightly modified name.

And let’s not forget that Walt Disney World wasn’t the only Disney park in 1983:

Obviously Disneyland had opened many years before Walt Disney World (in 1955 to be exact) and Tokyo Disneyland was just a new addition, opened in April of 1983.

FUN FACT: Well, hopefully a ‘fact’! For these booklets to be a true reflection of what had happened in the year they were for, in this case 1983, it would be likely that they would be released later in that calendar year and sold throughout the next year, in this case 1984. This supposition is supported by the fact that this guide mentions the opening of Tokyo Disneyland in the past tense in April of 1983. So this booklet had to be completed and released after that date. Make sense?

Back Cover

I hope you have enjoyed this look at a vintage piece of ephemera from 1983! The pictorial souvenir booklets of today just don’t have the same feel as these older versions, being too commercial with slick production values. Sometimes cheese is better than class!

Posted in Attractions, Collectibles, Ephemera, Magazines, Promotions, Theme Parks, Walt Disney World | Tagged Attractions, Collectibles, Ephemera, Promotions, Souvenir Guides, Theme Parks, Walt Disney World | Leave a comment

BOOK REVIEW: Disney’s Adventure Guide to Florida

Posted on September 1, 2016 by Dis-LEE

A FODOR’s Travel Book

Size: 7″ x 10″

Type: Soft Cover

Pages: 64

ISBN: 0-679-00575-7

Distributed by: David McKay Company, Inc.

Date: 1980

Fodor’s Travel is the world’s largest publisher of English language travel and tourism information and the first relatively professional producer of travel guidebooks. Fodor’s Travel and Fodors.com are divisions of Random House, Inc.

Today, Fodor’s has published more than 440 guides (in 14 series) on over 300 destinations, and has more than 700 permanently placed researchers all over the world.

Back in the 1980’s Disney was more charitable with sharing the tourist dollars that flowed into Florida. They produced ‘adventure guides’ like this one to highlight all of the available attractions in the State rather than just Walt Disney World. You can find such cross-promotion on souvenirs like tin trays, to name just one type of item.

Similar images are found on tin trays of the period

So let’s have a look at just some of the attractions featured in this book:

Cape Canaveral

Disney would have a hard time competing with real space vehicles but did eventually try with Mission:Space, a centrifugal motion simulator thrill ride at Epcot that opened in 2003.

Daytona Beach

The Sky Lift pictured here is apparently no longer in operation. Here is what Joe Wittwer had to say about his ride on it in 2007: “This ride scared me so bad. You don’t go over water, just the concrete pier below. It looks like it hasn’t been maintained in decades.” It is probably safe to assume it is gone!

Disney now tries to compete with the natural beaches of Florida with two major water parks, Blizzard Beach and Typhoon Lagoon. Disney’s ‘Bucket Ride’ is also gone!

High Wire Parrots and Jungle Cruises

I guess at this point you just have to say that in 1980, Florida had it all!

Everglades National Park

Alligators are synonymous with Florida and not always in a good way. But back in 1980 tourist were encouraged to walk along precarious wooden ‘bridges’ and seek them out!

Cypress Gardens and Busch Gardens

Cypress Gardens was a botanical garden and theme park near Winter Haven, Florida that operated from 1936 to 2009. It was in 2011 that the botanical garden portion was preserved inside the newly formed Legoland Florida.

Busch Gardens opened on March 31, 1959, as an admission-free hospitality facility for Tampa Anheuser-Busch; in addition to various beer tastings, they had a bird garden and the Stairway to the Stars, which was an escalator that took guests to the roof of the brewery. And that works for me! It has grown over the years and is still in operation today.

Walt Disney World

Other than having Disney characters interspersed throughout the book, this is the only page dedicated to a Disney destination. Just to put it a bit above the rest, the copy reads that “There’s nothing quite like it east of California’s Disneyland.” We can forgive Disney because it is a true statement!

20,000 Leagues Under the Sea: Submarine Voyage was an attraction at the Magic Kingdom theme park at Walt Disney World from 1971 through 1994. So of all the attractions that could have been pictured on this page, they certainly picked an iconic one!

Price: $3.95 US

Review: This was more of a souvenir guide than an actual guide-book. No addresses are given for any of the attractions so it would serve better as a reminder of places gone than a true guide to places that one would want to see.

So judging it as such I would give it a 4.5 out of 5 Stars.

Posted in Attractions, Books, Reviews, Travel | Tagged 20000 Leagues Under the Sea: Submarine Voyage, Attractions, Book Reviews, Books, Busch Gardens, Cape Canaveral, Cypress Gardens, David McKay Company Inc., Daytona Beach, Disney's Adventure Guide to Florida, Everglades National Park, Fodor's Travel, Souvenir Guides, Travel, Walt Disney World | Leave a comment

Original RADIO Broadcast LPs Too

Posted on August 24, 2016 by Dis-LEE

Back in April of this year I posted a selection of old LP’s that contained some of the best old radio programs from the early days of the medium. It was entitled Original Radio Broadcast LPs and I’m sure that explains the title of this post!

This post contains eight more selections that I just recently came across in a local flea market. Let’s have a look at them:

Roy Rogers and Gene Autry were the two most famous singing cowboys of the old West. Although I rather doubt real cowboys went around crooning on horseback, it was fun to hear them whoop it up and shoot it up at the same time!

Gene rode onto his first show, Gene Autry’s Melody Ranch, on January 1st, 1940. Along with his ranch hands he sang songs, told stories, and kidded around to every kids delight!

The album above was produced by Golden Age Records in 1977.

You would think having a ventriloquist appear on radio would be a bad idea, but Edgar Bergen, along with his dummy Charlie McCarthy, made it work. They appeared together on radio from 1928 to 1948 making this comedy duo (?) the stars of one of the longest-running programs ever to hit the airwaves!

The album above was produced by Mark56 Records in 1974.

Time to get tough with one of the most well-known golden age gangster serials of all time. Gang Busters first appeared of radio on January 15th, 1936 and was still being heard, loudly, in 1957. It featured actual descriptions of wanted criminals which was credited with the capture of 110 wanted men. Now that’s entertainment with a purpose!

The album above was produced by Visual Drama Inc. in 1977.

Anybody remember this guy? The Jack Benny Program ran from 1932 to 1958 and I think he may have ended up on television. What could I possibly say about this man and his legacy that you wouldn’t already know? So I’ll just say that this record has episodes from 1933.

The album above was produced by Mark56 Records in 1976.

Mystery and detective shows were on every radio station with varying degrees of success. No doubt you’ve heard of The Thin Man, Sherlock Holmes, The Shadow, Charlie Chan, and maybe even Boston Blackie and Bulldog Drummond. But you may not have heard of Mr. Keen, Tracer of Lost Persons. It ran from 1937 to 1955 and featured a soft-spoken ‘kindly investigator’ who always got his man!

The album above was produced by Radiola in 1975.

Family programming was a big hit in the early days of radio and The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet was one of the most popular shows of this type, eventually ending up on television and launching the singing career of one Ricky Nelson. This LP features a show in the series which aired on October 5th, 1951. The complete series started in 1946 and ran until 1954. It made the transition to television in 1952.

The flip side of this LP features an episode from the Phil Harris-Alice Faye Show from 1948 (not pictured).

The album above was produced by Radiola in 1979.

This LP is a bit unique in that it contains a biography of the man and not an excerpt from a radio show of his own. On February 28th, 1956, Fred Allen narrated the ‘adventures’ of W. C. Fields with the help of several Hollywood A-listers. It also contains a comedy routine by Fields called ‘W. C. Fields Drinks a Glass of Water!’ Only on Radio.

The album above was produced by Radiola in 1975.

The last of the eight albums featured in this post is very special to me. I’ve posted before about my love of The Henry Ford Museum in Dearborn, MI. There, in Greenfield Village, you can visit the Menlo Park laboratories of Thomas Edison. In those laboratories you will see one of only 9 working Edison phonographs in the world! Too cool.

At first, Mr. Edison was determined to force culture on the masses by only recording music and entertainment that he himself viewed as good. This led to poor sales as companies like RCA and others had no problem publishing whatever garbage the masses wanted to hear! It took awhile, but finally Mr. Edison relented and also put out what the people wanted.

This particular collection is beyond awesome! It was released under a special arrangement with The Henry Ford Museum and Greenfield Village and contains historical recordings dating back to the first ever record from 1888 and including other recording firsts through to 1929.

The album above was produced by Mark56 Records in 1978.

I hope you’ve enjoyed this look into the early days of radio via these great LP’s. If you’d like to do more research into the history of radio, please read my review of the book This is Radio, from which I drew most of my information for this post.

Posted in Collectibles, History, Humor, Soundtracks | Tagged Charlie McCarthy, Collectibles, Edgar Bergen, Gang Busters, Gene Autry, Gene Autry's Melody Ranch, Golden Age Records, Greenfield Village, History, Humor, Jack Benny, Mark56 Records, Mr. Keen Tracer of Lost Persons, Phonograph, Radio, Radio Broadcasts, Radiola, Soundtracks, The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet, The Henry Ford Museum, The Jack Benny Program, Thomas Edison, Visual Drama Inc., W. C. Fields | Leave a comment

Mickey Mini CERAMIC PLANTER

Posted on August 23, 2016 by Dis-LEE

Oh what a few dollars can buy! Recently I was on one of my many Excursions of Discovery and found this Mickey Mouse miniature square planter:

There is no way to know what year this was produced but it obviously isn’t very old. So the $4.00 I paid for it was more than enough.

Nice detailing in the back and top edging

I guess if you wanted to plant a single flower this vase (?) would be perfect!

The word ‘Disney’ is embedded in the base and the stickers say ‘Mickey and Co.’ and ‘Licensee Enesco’ and ‘Made in China’.

Maybe I should plant a single Snow White Frangipani in this planter in honor of Minnie’s old look?

Posted in Ceramics, Garden, Merchandise | Tagged Ceramics, Enesco, Garden, Merchandise, Mickey and Co., Mickey Mouse, Planters, Snow White Frangipani, Vase | Leave a comment

BOOK REVIEW: This Was Radio

Posted on August 22, 2016 by Dis-LEE

Isn’t media wonderful? Here I am writing a post for the Internet that I will share on social media about a hardcover book which describes the early days of radio. If I could find a way to throw television in somewhere I’d have every form of media covered!

But rather than do that I will start by showing the publication in question:

11 1/2″ x 14″ Hardcover, 70 Pages

ISBN: 07413-0038-9

I love all-things vintage. And if I can find a Disney tie-in along the way more the better! This publication was published in 2000 by the Great American Audio Corporation. It was written by Ronald Lackmann with an introduction by Leonard Maltin.

The book is divided into 10 chapters which first cover the invention of radio before seguing into the different genres, such as comedy, children’s programming, and talk shows, among others. Chapter 10 provides a brief sum-up of radio’s impact on popular culture.

Here is an excerpt from the introduction:

If it’s entertainment history, it’s Leonard Maltin

I love the reporting of this man! He has done many introductions for Disney productions and is a well-known champion of entertainment history. He, like myself, feels that the shows of the past should be remembered and studied.

In the early days of radio, two companies were major competitors in setting up networks that crossed the United States. They were:

Other smaller companies would join the party and the government would later step in with regulations to balance out the content.

And what was in that content?

Lucille Ball’s first stint as a wife was on radio

Mr. Inka Dinka Doo got his big push on radio

And even dummies made it big!

Another Disney tie-in comes from a famous Disney star. From Chapter One: “As performers realized how many people were “tuned in” to radio broadcasts, entertainers like… vaudeville comedian Ed “The Perfect Fool” Wynn decided they might be able to increase the size of their audiences by performing “on radio” for thousands, instead of a mere hundreds of fans. Wynn was heard on one of the first important, well-publicized aired-live comedy shows… Wynn decided to broadcast on a regular basis, becoming one of radio’s first major stars (with the Ed Wynn Show, later called The Fire Chief).”

But it wasn’t all fun and game shows on radio. News broadcasters soon found that radio was a great way to spread fear and panic, er… I mean informative political and social commentary. Some of what was covered was quite chilling:

From political commentary to the bomb

So if you needed to know it back in the day, you learned of it on radio! Of course, we all know that in time television did come along to overshadow that little talking box in the corner. But it never gave up the fight and is still around today, if only for talk and musical purposes.

But if you’re like me you yearn for the days when The Lone Ranger, gangsters, monsters from outer space, funny comedians, and famous actors all ‘appeared’ over the airwaves!

Review: I’d give this book 4 out of 5 Stars. It is a very comprehensive listing of the programming from the early days of radio with a nice selection of behind-the-scenes photographs. For those not that into radio it will seem a bit like a laundry list of shows with not enough context, but as this book was written for the über fan, that hardly diminishes the books validity.

The book also contains two compact discs with a smattering of old-time radio broadcasts.

Posted in Books, History, Reviews | Tagged Book Reviews, Books, Charlie McCarthy, Ed Wynn, Edgar Bergen, Great American Audio Corporation, History, Jimmy Durante, Leonard Maltin, Lucille Ball, Radio, Ronald Lackmann, The Perfect Fool, This Was Radio | Leave a comment

Mickey Mouse Clubhouse CANDY FAN

Posted on August 20, 2016 by Dis-LEE

This is a true triple-threat: It has a great Mickey Mouse Clubhouse tie-in. It’s a convenient and fun fan. And it has candy in it!

A present from my wife

I love all-things transportation but especially if it has a Disney element to it. So having Mickey Mouse flying a helicopter is just too much:

And as I mentioned, go further and add candy:

Now you’re just sending me to Disney/Toy/Candy heaven! And an added bonus is that after the candy is gone the candy compartment can be used for secret storage.

I haven’t tasted the candy yet but it claims to be CandyRific, so how bad can it be? You can just see it in the picture above, but the candy bag has little Disney logos on it as well.

Time to fly this post off into the sunset

But first, did you notice that Mickey is flying a helicopter with a Fenestron tail rotor? No? Well here is some aviation information just for you: A Fenestron (or fantail, sometimes called “fan-in-fin”) is a protected tail rotor of a helicopter operating like a ducted fan. Placing the fan within a duct reduces tip vortex losses, shields the tail rotor from damage, is much quieter than a conventional tail rotor, and shields ground crews from the hazard of a spinning rotor. The housing is integral with the tail skin and, like the conventional tail rotor it replaces, functions to counteract the torque of the main rotor. It was first developed by the French company Sud Aviation (now part of Airbus Helicopters) and is installed on many of their helicopters.

The term Fenestron is a trademark of Eurocopter. It comes from the Latin ‘fenestra’ for window. And now you know!

Funny Story: My wife bought a small hand-held fan from AAA/CAA recently thinking she could use it discretely to cool herself off when it got too hot. But the stupid little thing can be heard in the next town over! So later we are at a product fair and she picks up a free hand-held fan from a vendor thinking to have better luck. It’s just as loud!

She buys me this very conspicuous hand-held fan… and it is whisper quiet. I shouldn’t laugh, but…

Posted in Food, Merchandise, Transportation | Tagged Candy, CandyRific, Disney Junior, Eurocopter, Fan, Fenestron, Helicopters, Merchandise, Mickey Mouse, Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, Transportation | Leave a comment

TOP 5 Disneyland Attractions

Posted on August 19, 2016 by Dis-LEE

You can’t visit California without visiting Disneyland. This iconic park is synonymous with the bright and fun spirit of that State!

I’ve already given you a list of the Top 5 Attractions at Disney’s California Adventure, and now it is time to walk across the courtyard to Walt’s original dream: Disneyland. So here will be my list of the Top Five attractions in Disneyland. Keep in mind that my focus is on attractions unique or better realized in Disneyland, so expect some obvious candidates like Splash Mountain and Pirates of the Caribbean to be overlooked on this list. After all, these have been copied and built in almost every Disney park. With that said, and an acknowledgement that this could very easily have been a Top 10 list, here we go:

ATTRACTION FIVE

SAILING SHIP COLUMBIA

Synopsis: Board the 110-foot-long, fully rigged Columbia and feel the wind and sun upon your face. Marvel at the towering 84-foot mainmast or inspect the merchant ship’s 10 cannons and 2 deck-mounted swivel guns — necessary to repel the attacks of ruthless pirates. Imagine what it must have been like to challenge the ocean aboard the Columbia with a determined crew of skilled sailors. It took the original Columbia 3 years to sail around the world, but your voyage will only take about 15 minutes.

Below the main deck you’ll find historical displays recreating the living conditions of 18th-century sailors. The maritime museum celebrates the dedication and sacrifice of the brave explorers who filled in the final details of the world’s map.

Disneyland is the only Disney park where you’ll find this amazing nautical recreation. Most parks have a paddle-wheeler, but not The Columbia! So this is a not-to-be-missed attraction at Disneyland because of its uniqueness, splendor, and edutainment value.

ATTRACTION FOUR

FINDING NEMO SUBMARINE VOYAGE

Synopsis: Board the yellow research submarine of the Nautical Exploration and Marine Observation Institute (N.E.M.O.). Sit at one of the portholes where you will be dazzled by the underwater curiosities as your submarine dives fathoms beneath the surface. Your mission is to explore a newly erupting undersea volcano! Float past the scattered ruins of an ancient civilization that rest on the floor of a lush kelp forest, recently uncovered by the volcanic explosions. Watch deep-sea divers as they search for diverse exotic fish. Including a certain little Clown fish named Nemo!

I remember the original 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea Submarine Voyage that was in Walt Disney World. I was very young when I experienced it (back in 1972) but still have very vivid images in my mind. To have this attraction back again, albeit in another form, is breathtaking!

Be sure to ride this attraction at least once despite the long lines as one never knows when such an expensive ride will disappear again.

ATTRACTION THREE

AUTOPIA

Synopsis: Take the wheel and whirl around the tracks of Autopia, a fun-filled roadway where you can both be the driver of your own small car and get glimpses of things from the car’s perspective! A combination of the words “automobile” and “utopia,” this roaring racetrack features 4 lanes of fun! Drivers of almost all ages can experience the thrill of putting their pedal to the metal on this imaginative motorway lined with lush green foliage and humorous billboards. Guide rails keep less experienced drivers on course as the cars hug curves, cross bridges and even go off-roading!

If you love the smell of the open road, and by ‘smell’ I mean gas fumes, then this attraction was made for you! I personally love it and it would be in the number one spot if not for that pesky pollution thing. Some parks that have duplicated this attraction have made the cars electric but I hope Disneyland keeps the original smoke-belching cars that Walt placed in his park! Of course, this attraction is getting another make-over now that Honda is taking over sponsorship, so that is also something to look forward to when you visit.

Many say this attraction is boring but I implore you to try it yourself at least once. And if you can do this with your child driving, I promise you won’t regret it!

ATTRACTION TWO

PETER PAN’S FLIGHT

Synopsis: This is an enchanting aerial journey inspired by the classic Disney movie Peter Pan. Soar over Never Land in a flying pirate galleon and watch the daring adventures of Peter as he confronts his dreaded arch-nemesis, Captain Hook.

I should admit that I am firmly in Camp Disney World when the debate over ‘which is better’ comes up. I loved Disneyland when I visited in 2013 and hope to return some day, but it didn’t sway me from my beloved ‘home’ park! However, I have to admit that Disneyland kicks some serious butt when it comes to variations of repeated attractions, like Peter Pan’s Flight. DL wins hands down!

The ride is smoother, the effects are cooler, and the overall presentation is somehow indescribably… better. I really did feel like a child again riding Disneyland’s version of Pan! And you will too.

ATTRACTION ONE

DISNEYLAND MONORAIL

Synopsis: Ride this high-speed, “green” transportation system that rockets along a single rail that circles Disneyland Park! As you are whisked around the Resort for a 13-minute ride, sit back and enjoy aerial views of Fantasyland and Tomorrowland in Disneyland Park and Grizzly Peak, Buena Vista Street and Hollywood Land in Disney California Adventure Park. The route also parallels Harbor Boulevard and travels over the Disneyland Main Entrance and Entrance Plaza, taking you above and beyond the Park scenery.

And ride in the front with the Pilot, something you can’t do in Walt Disney World at present.

To ride a monorail is truly to experience a bit of transportation history and to share one of Walt’s personal passions. He wanted one of these in every city, but he had to settle for one in both of his beloved parks.

Conclusion: Disneyland has many other great attractions from shows to dark rides. And like I said at the outset of this post, this could easily have been a Top 10 list! But I think I have chosen the best five must-try offerings in this park. Do you agree? Let us all know what your favorite Disneyland attraction is in the comments below!

Posted in Attractions, Disneyland, Lists | Tagged Attractions, Autopia, Columbia, Disneyland, Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage, Lists, Monorail, Peter Pan's Flight, Theme Parks, Top 5 | Leave a comment

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