30 Days of Disneyland - Day 19: Favorite Fireworks Spectacular

Day 19 - Favorite Fireworks Spectacular

FAN-FREAKING-TASMIC! Anyone who knows my Disney obsession knows how much I freaking LOVE THIS SHOW. It is the best thing EVER. I first saw it at Disney World and thought it couldn't get better... then they recreated Maleficent's Dragon (with SUCH DETAIL) at Disneyland and OH MY WORD! I literally CRIED last time she was so beautiful!

I love how the show truly celebrates Disney imagination. They bring life to some of the best Disney characters, and it works seamlessly! The climax is Maleficent transforming into a HUGE fire breathing dragon. The worst part is Mickey kills her (oops, spoiler!), but just add that to the list of why I'm not a huge Mickey fan. ha ha! (Sorry, Walt!)

The technology of this show is incredible. And I love how they add the fireworks in as "magic". It totally works from start to finish. Absolutely love EVERYTHING ABOUT THIS SHOW. And can watch it multiple times a trip (or night) and not be bored with it!


87 days to go till DISNEYLAND! I'm coming, Malfy!

Disneyland 2012: Another day, another ADR made

My very excitable breakfast buddy - Christmas 2010.

After saying today was a day off from getting in touch with Disneyland, I couldn't help myself and booked a breakfast at Disney's Carnation Cafe. It's a tradtion of mine to have breakfast here at least once in my Disneyland visit. I always get the same thing, a Mickey Waffle, Sausage, and an apple juice. I booked for just me and Haille Rae for 10am on Tuesday August 7. This will give me a bit of one on one time with her and then we'll meet up with the rest of the family later on. I think it will be nice to give everyone a break.

As stated previously, Haille Rae is probably one of my favorite kids to be with. She's too funny, even if she does think I'm a moron, I think she enjoys hanging with me. She asked me if I would come with her to Disney for her trip this year, and I couldn't say no. I want to keep the Disney magic alive for her as long as possible. She's a girly-girl, and a daredevil, so she enjoys both worlds at Disney. She's trying to talk me into going on California Screamin', but that ain't happenin'.

The Carnation Cafe is beloved by many Disney regulars. It's found on Main Street USA, and generally has no problems with walk ups, but it never hurts to have a reservation. It's been closed for months as part of the refurbishments going on in the Disneyland Park. It is set to reopen on June 13 (after originally being set to open on the first).

Oscar is a mainstay at Carnation Cafe, and retires this year.

It's also "home" to the longest working Cast Member - Oscar - who is a mainstay and one of the few non Disney characters who gives autographs and poses for pictures. The man is a Doll. It's been said he's retiring sometime this year - if not already retired. I met and chatted with Oscar when I was there in 2011. While he never *knew* Walt Disney he did begin working at Disneyland very early on and saw Uncle Walt walking in his park. Oscar's been a Cast Member for over 50 years. That's impressive.

I decided to do this around 7:30pm tonight, so instead of calling down I emailed Disneyland. It's a new system they're using and I've heard only good things. I sent off my information request and got an automated response that the hours were until 9pm Pacific. Knowing that I am an hour behind and that others were also emailing, I figured I wouldn't be getting a response until Saturday. However, I was surprised a half hour after closing with a confirmation code for my request! Score!

Tomorrow I don't expect to make any reservations, however I may send an email late tomorrow night requesting a booking that can't be made till Sunday. I will be attending - shooting rather - the Tri-the-Kenai Triathlon and that will be an all day thing. I'm not sure if I will be up for a Disney call afterwards, so email might be best. We'll see. As much as I enjoy the simplicity of the email, I still enjoy calling down and booking that way!
I guess it's just not Disney without the hold music.

Disney?!... AGAIN?!

Oh how every Disney Parks fanatic *loves* to hear the condescending tone when they have friends and family ask this question. We normally answer with an all too perky "Yes! Yes, I am!" or a sarcastic sigh with a short "mm, hmm." It's not like we're flying to the moon, or joining a convent - though you might argue for some Disney is their place of worship. It's amusing to think that people actually think we need to be reminded that there's "More than Disney."

We can all name people who go to Hawaii for just about every vacation, or Lake Tahoe, or Colorado to ski. Yet, while that does not get the "you're going again???" Disney always does. The answer is, simply, yes. The next series of questions and statements follow two themes "why" and expense.
So why is it that some folks and families are die hard disney park goers? The answer relies heavily on what you consider when you think vacation. Sure, expense is a big deal - there are several trips I would take over Disney if I had a bottomless budget to blow - but even before budgetting, what makes a vacation?

For many it's the family factor, what's the most family friendly vacation you can think of? If you asked my dad growing up it was camping in the woods. No distractions from neighbor kids, cable tv, or the original Nintendo. Camping is always considered cheap, but if you begin adding up the fuel it takes to get to the camp spot, the equipment, etc it adds up - the thing that makes it more affordable is how many times you can use the equipment.

Mom's idea of a vacation was wherever she could get away from the life drama that surrounds an everyday life, the housework, and be pampered. This could be a weekend with the ladies at the church or a week away with her sister. As long as she could laugh, and forget about the laundry dad was no doubt ruining while she was away, she was happy.

Me? Disney is my vacation destination of choice. I've converted my family - though they are content still with the cheaper options - by just showing them what I've found to get out of Disney. Yes, it can be crowded, and yes it can be expensive. Family meltdowns can, will and do happen. And, no, Disney is not for everyone.

There. I said it. Disney is not everyone's cup of tea.

Hawaii is not my idea of a good time. I don't swim, I don't like being too hot, and I don't do well with whatever is in the geological make up of volcanic rock (rare skin allergy). Yet so many suggest that if I just try it I'll love it. And maybe I will. But these same people balk at the idea of ever liking Disney. Fine. But don't judge my balking of your destination.

Disney is a place of nostalgia for me. I cannot remember a time where I didn't have disney movies playing constantly. My first movie in the theaters was Disney's Oliver & Company. My generation grew up during the rebirth of Disney's animated films. The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin, and The Lion King are still considered some of the best films the company has EVER produced.
We also grew up with the CGI company of Pixar. The story of Andy's Toys, who concluded their Feature Length films two years ago with the Third film, was in many ways our story. We basically grew up with Andy and Molly. So who wouldn't want to visit the toys of Andy's room, or go to Ant Island and meet up with Flik and the other bugs all the while looking up at Rafiki's Tree of Life?

When Walt Disney dreamed of his theme parks - originally Disneyland, but he was unhappy with the layout and thus Disney World was born - he thought of a park that would never become stale. That everyone could come and enjoy and get something out of it. Nostalgia, all the while promoting the new - be it a new Disney film, or some new technology. A place where mom and dad can watch their children gaze in wonder at their surroundings, and where other adults can become children again.

Walt wanted a place where everyone could go and just be. Become part of a story. Forget life realities and remember what's really important. Friends, family, yourself. I've been to the parks on my own, with my best friend, with my high school concert band, with different sets of my family. Each time memories were made. That joy is remembered long after the trip is over.

Yes, this same achievement happens everywhere, but for me - and many others - Disney is the happy place. Yes, there are other places that are cheaper, yes there are other places less crowded, but think of it this way: Perhaps the real reason we need the vacation is to get away from people that think like the naysayers. The "unbelievers"... as Peter Pan might say - the one's who went and grew up. The types that don't get Disney and never will are just one of the many reasons I run to get away at Disney. Disney is not negative. Good conquers evil. True love conquers all.

Everyone lives Happily Ever After.

I'll be going back to Disneyland - Walt's First Park - in just 99 days... and I cannot wait.

Movie Review: Disney-Pixar's Toy Story 3

The toys that started it all are back in the final chapter of their wild ride. Their owner Andy is all grown up and packing up for college and the core gang is all that's left of the young man's childhood. Memories, photographs must all be packed up and stored in the attic, donated, or thrown away. But what of Woody, Buzz and the rest? This is the question that we're faced with in the beginning moments of Toy Story 3.

Pixar does not disappoint in the third and final installment of the Toy Story series. They were hoping to only have two films, but it was thanks in large part to their original contract with Disney and the threat that if Pixar didn't do it, Disney would, that brought about a long wait for fans to have what we've all been waiting for. The wait was worth it.

Woody and the gang are faced with the cruel fact that all toys must go through: children grow up and move on from their playthings. Over the years the band of toys shrank as they were tossed away, sold, or donated. Even Woody's girl, Bo Peep, has moved on to a new home. All that remains are the classic characters that we've come to know and love (oddly enough the three green aliens were kept). Their one hope to all stay together is if Andy decides to store them in the attic and they will one day again be played with (the hope is that Andy will have children and they will be brought out when that time comes). But, in classic Toy Story style, Mom mistakes the bag of toys (minus Woody, whom Andy has decided to take to college) as a bag of Trash and puts them on the side of the road for pick up. Seeing this, Woody goes to save the day. The toys, after rescuing themselves, believe Andy to no longer care.

The toys run for the box being donated to the daycare, and so begins their adventure. They meet several new characters: Ken (voiced by Michael Keaton) whom we're never quite sure if he's straight, gay... or bisexual. Pixar does its best to keep it family friendly and Ken is definitely attracted to Barbie (and in the end she stays with him), but he's definitely a METROsexual. Basically think Ryan Seacrest as a Ken doll. We also meet Lotso, another toy from the 80s, who is plush and loveable and smells like strawberries... but don't let his exterior fool you. He may seem all soft and cuddly, but deep down he's a heartless and evil mastermind. Think Stinky Pete (Toy Story 2 voiced by Kelsey Grammer) but softer.

[spoilers ahead: highlight to read]

After some hilarity ensues during their escape - Woody, upon entering the daycare, leaves via a kid at the daycare taking him to her house where he relives a few moments of his time with Andy and finds out via another toy that Lotso isn't so loveable and goes to rescue the rest of "Andy's Toys" and vows to take them all back and live in the attic - the toys eventually make it home. Though first they find out the horrors of the garbage dump and nearly are destroyed in a gut wrenching heart in your throught moment. They are reunited with Andy who is still bent on taking Woody to college and leaving the rest in the attic. In the final moments before the box is taken upstairs to be stored, Woody grabs a sharpie and a sticky pad and writes a note ("from mom") to Andy that says he should donate the toys (it's later implied that the note gives him Bonnie's name and address). Andy struggles in the decision as he drives the toys to their new home.


Upon meeting Bonnie he introduces her to the new toys, telling her they meant a lot to him growing up and that she has to promise to always love and take care of them for him and to keep them together. If you don't tear up in this moment of the movie, well, I can't say what exactly that means, but tears were streaming down my face for the rest of the movie. He introduces each toy one by one, and finds Woody at the very bottom. Bonnie recognizes Woody and begins quoting the different sayings that come when you pull Woody's string. Andy once again struggles with letting go, but finally comes to terms that Woody needs to be played with and not just sit on a shelf. He speaks of Woody like an old friend in a hearttouching, tearjerking moment. And then, one last time, he plays with the toys with Bonnie before driving off to start his new life. Woody and the gang watch after him and Woody wishes him a fond farewell (I'm choking up as I write this. It is THAT much of a moment.)

This is a perfect send off to a series of characters that forever changed animated film. To be honest, I do not believe we'd even have the likes of Shrek without first Pixar making a market for this type of film medium with Toy Story. Toy Story is 3d animation's version of Snow White - yes, in a way it'd been done before, but Toy Story made it "okay" to do so and it reached all movie goers, not a select few. The final scene in Toy Story 3, I believe, is a message to those of us who have grown up with the classic Pixar films. It's okay that we've moved on to other things, it's part of life, but we will always have the memories to come back to. We can all still remember watching in the theaters and seeing the toys come to life for the first time. Now we share them with our neices, nephews, young cousins, and kids. It's a new era, and it's time to let go. (Of course, if you're like me, you are also of the Peter Pan mindset so that whole idea is a foreign concept as you will never be "too old" for Toy Story).

All in all, if you don't see this in theaters you will miss out. I paid the extra money and saw it in the new IMAX theater here in town, but you don't need the magic of 3D to appreciate the film. The story - like classic Disney films - is what makes the movie more than just another animated film.

Mickey speaks @ Character Meet & Greets

not sure how I feel about this. thoughts?