30 Days of Disneyland - Day 15: Favorite Atmosphere (Fur) Character

Day 15 - Favorite Atmosphere (Fur) Character

DONALD DUCK! Anyone who knows me KNOWS I love Donald. He is probably the very best character Disney has ever created - and they've created a lot of great characters. I have such a good time meeting him wherever he is in the parks. I especially like him in Disneyland because it's the only place I've ever met him when he is in his classic/signature look (sailor suit).

I've loved Donald Duck my whole life, partially because my Uncle Rick (probably my favorite Uncle EVER) does a spot on Donald Duck voice. He is known in his hometown as Donald Duck, he's that good! The other reason is I grew up in a time when Ducktales was one of the best television shows in the afternoon line up. I watched it religiously every day. Donald was not in many of the episodes, but I love the whole Mc/Duck family.

Donald in the parks is so much fun. He's just as egotistical and hilarious in the parks as he is in his shorts. One of my favorite ways to interact with him is to tell him he's my favorite and that he's #1, forget that old Mickey Mouse. He only partially disagrees with me (and that's only when other's are in ear/eyeshot). Also, ask to give him a kiss on his beak, and then tell him we'll keep it between us. Don't let Daisy know! Hee hee!


Oh, yeah, 91 days to go. I'm comin' Donald!

30 Days of Disneyland - Day 14: Favorite Face Character

Day 14 - Favorite Face Character

This is difficult as typically I don't do a lot of characters at Disneyland outside of Character Meals, and I typically go for non face characters when I do that (conversing with face characters is always awkward for me). If we were talking Walt Disney World it'd be easy as I crush hard for a certain Prince Naveen I met back in 2010. But we're talking Disneyland...

So I am going to, once again, cheat a bit and not go with one that you can meet but is no less a FACE CHARACTER. And that is Genie from the Aladdin Show playing at Disney's California Adventure. He is freaking HYSTERICAL in the show (of course he is, right?) and with the little bit of "improv" they allow him each show is just a tad different than the last. The improv is what makes the show so awesome, and the character so loveable.

I've seen the show a handful of times and Genie never disappoints. I really wish you could meet him after the show like you would at a real stage door or something. It'd be AWESOME. But I could see where that would create bottle-necking issues. Plus the poor guy does several shows a day and would be exhausted! But I would love to meet him "in character". They have several genies that rotate, and each one is fantastic in his own right.

So, I cheated, but I'm not sorry. I love love love this character.



92 days to go!

Alaskan Visitors

We had a Moose Cow and Calf visit our backyard this morning. I was on my way out the door when I noticed them so I grabbed the camera and the 100-400mm lens and stood on the deck to take their photos. I try very hard not to get too close/bother the moose when they make it into the yard. Safety first! So that means short little baby moose remain pretty hidden from the camera's view, but I managed to get a few.

I also managed to get a couple of pics of a Robin. All in the rain. It was worth it.

30 Days of Disneyland - Day 13: Favorite Piece of Architecture

Day 13 - Favorite Piece of Architecture

I'm kinda cheating because this is more "art" or "sculpture" but I say it counts. My most favorite piece of Disneyland (and Disney World for that matter) is the Partners Statue. It sits in the center of the hub at the end of Main Street USA. Its backdrop is Sleeping Beauty's Castle (Cinderella's at WDW, of course), and it's Walt showing Mickey the Kingdom. I visit this statue several times during my trip. It's one of my first stops my first day - so that I can greet the two who "started it all" - and I always always always make sure to take a moment on my last night to reflect. I know it comes dangerously close to idol worship - or maybe that's what it is - but I just like to honor the man who taught me from a very early age through his works to dream big and make it happen. He is the source or joy and inspiration, he encouraged creativity and imagination... and even so many years after his death he continues to inspire. So I always go by both the statue and when I'm at Disneyland I stop by his apartment over the firehouse, just to say thank you.

And I'm going to make myself weepy if I continue, so I won't go further in my hero worship tonight.


93 days to go!

30 Days of Disneyland - Day 12: Ride You've Gone On Most

Day 12 - Ride you've been on most

I have Haille Rae to thank for this one, the Haunted Mansion easily wins this award. I've done it back to back to back. I don't recommend it for your sanity, especially since the timing seemed to be too perfect and we ended up with the same ghost EVERY TIME WE RODE (didn't matter if it was back to back, or several days in between). Totally creeped me out, but Haille loved it! She thought the ghost just liked her best and that's why he kept sitting with us. I just thought it was super weird! LOL


We're at 94 Days till we're in Southern California!

Missing Kenai Family - Bring Them Home

The area that they're searching is close to where I live. It's so odd/strange. Definitely has the community buzzing. This has been an odd start to the summer. Praying for safety for all.

30 Days of Disneyland - Day 11: Favorite Disney's California Adventure Attraction

Day 11 - Favorite Disney's California Adventure Attraction

I love Grizzly River Run. It's one of the few attractions I not only will go on but that I enjoy. It's very similar to Kali River Rapids, but I think you get wetter? I'm not sure. I also love how close as spectators we can get to watching the people come down the mountain and get soaked (sometimes the audience can get wet, too). The theming is much more fun (there's not a forest fire going on so it smells better), and it's a ride that I can safely say will not make me sick. Unlike the other big ticket attractions/rides in DCA, this is right up my alley.

I got to ride it the first time with Haille Rae in 2011. She wanted to go on the water ride so bad! Every time we watched a video on youtube or on the planning DVD about it she was all "oh yeah, that's the ride!" so it was on our list of must tries. So glad we did. She was a little nervous when we first started down the river, but as we splashed our way around her laughter and squeals were proof she was having a blast. She thought it was hilarious that I was getting soaked (she was not as amused that she did NOT get as wet) because I was complaining that I was going to be cold - I had clothes in the car that I ended up changing into as the sun went down and I was still very wet. It WAS February after all.

Haille still talks about that ride - oddly enough she does not like Splash Mountain, the drop messes with her tummy. I can't wait to ride it again as OMG! I know I'm going to need a lot of water rides to keep me from melting in the September heat (my besties just have to all have summer birthdays. jerks)!

**This video can make you dizzy. But it's the best one I could find (I didn't look hard, though). You've been warned.**

We're at 95 days till we're in SoCal. Very excited to watch the countdown go down down down down... I think I have about 35 days until I can begin to do ADRs, but I'd have to check and make sure. I think I have a basic itinerary mapped out as well... just gotta finalize details. I feel so behind and yet I know I'm on track so I'm in the panic/don't panic faze/rut. Oy!

BOOM! OUAT's Jennifer Morrison Speaks - and fans hopefully listen

Jennifer Morrison - aka Emma Swan in ABC's hit TV Show Once Upon A Time - saw some heated discussion thrown her way earlier today for comments she made about a character on the show. It was in answer to a question about Neal Cassidy (Emma's first true love, played my Michael Raymond-James, who was killed off the show in the second half of the season), and it had Nealfire/Swanfire fans upset.

Fans have been upset for months now with the death of the character - arguing that it happened only to open the door and allow Captain Hook to "win the girl". The creators, writers, and actors have all been "confronted" by fans on twitter demanding answers, demanding Neal be brought back. Certain actors have been vilified for the characters they play, or for what they have or have not said in response to the character death.

The "other side" of the fan wars have been no better, antagonizing and creating rumors. It's gotten ugly. It's gotten bitter. It's definitely made ME wish I hadn't gotten so into the social media version of the fandom (all I wanted to do was follow the actors! what was I thinking?!). As someone who likes both Neal and Hook it's been hard to keep my sanity much less hold my "virtual tongue" on the matter.

Morrison got a lot of heat today with her comments in Monte Carlo saying that Neal and Emma would've had a hard time being the ultimate true love - but that it probably would've happened had he lived. But that Emma would've had a huge hill to climb with the betrayals. It's the multiple of betrayal that had most people at least questioning her statement as most (including me) could only think of one - when he left her at August's request and let her go to jail (nevermind that, that last part was August, not Neal). I was amazed by the hate that was spewed at the actress almost immediately.

Having not been paying attention to her Monte Carlo trip (I normally don't follow the cast around while they go off and do the interview circuit... and I'm really not interested now while I'm still bummed MRJ will not be joining them this year *tear*) I really had no idea what was going on when I logged onto twitter this afternoon. But once I got caught up I had to just roll my eyes. We're taking all of this far too seriously, folks. It's a TV show.

Yes, Neal is a fantastic character. Michael Raymond-James gave such heart and warmth to him that I can't help but really connect with the character (it took time, but OMG... I'm obsessed). But this is not a true life or death situation. This is not the end of the world. MRJ has survived - he's got himself a project that he's excited about (declaring on twitter that "#This1feelsspecial"). And while yes I GET THAT IT IS SAD and FRUSTRATING and something that makes us ANGRY (I have felt all of these emotions more than once since Quiet Minds airred), it is NOT THE TRAVESTY WE'VE MADE IT OUT TO BE.

Was it bad writing - I've contested that it was not the best writing. That it was too soon - too close to the last time Neal "died". However, the way it was written was well done. Neal has been very well respected in the episodes after Quiet Minds as well. This was not to placate the fans - not entirely. It was to give MRJ and Neal the send off he deserved. I hope that this is not the end for him - flashbacks, for me, would be enough if nothing else. Yes, there is a lot of Neal's story that should have been shared. Does it make sense to leave it open ended - this fangirl says no. But others have said that it is. Who am I, as a biased fan, to judge that?

Morrison took to her facebook page to set the record straight, and I'm glad she did. SHE DID NOT OWE ME OR ANYONE an explanation. And while I agree that she probably shouldn't have acknowledged the poor behavior of a few fans, I am glad for my own peace of mind that she did. I have wanted to know how the actors felt about losing MRJ (we've seen some of the "non regular/primary" actors voice their love), and I wanted to know what she meant by the multiple betrayals.

Her explanation is one that I totally understand and get. I typically don't see the "broken" scene where Neal grimaces and then we don't see him again until it's revealed as who he is to the story (first as Emma's lover/the reason she went to jail/Henry's father... and then in a later episode as Baelfire) as a betrayal. But it's obvious that Emma/JMo does. And she knows better than I do. In fact Emma lets him know that it hurt - and that's when he apologizes to her. Saying he wanted to love her, but he was afraid that she'd never forgive him.

Emma will ALWAYS love Neal, always has. But she has to move on for the sake of his memory - she PROMISED him that she would. That it's going too fast is irrelevant - this show moves too fast between emotions and always has. I get that it's icky that she's falling for the guy who at one time was "having relations" with Neal's mother, and I agree. I'm not a CaptainSwan shipper (nor am I a SwanFire shipper, though if I HAD to choose I'd lean more to SwanFire), but I have thought since season 2 that he'd end up being a love interest. In fact in Season 2 I was pulling for Hook, not Neal, to win her heart. It wasn't until we saw Neal fight for Henry and Emma that I started to better like his character.

Ultimately I have to agree with the last part of JMo's statement:

"All that being said, I wish Neal was still alive. I love working with Micheal Raymond James, and I believe that he is such a special part of ONCE UPON A TIME. It was a huge loss for me personally and for Emma when his character died." -- Jennifer Morrison

It sums it up so well... and I've always thought that she was affected by it personally. Her scene with Rumple in the finale where she is crying "I loved him, I wanted to save him. He died a hero, you can't take that away from him," I felt was just too raw and real for her to be acting (I am not a fan of her acting style in general. She normally leaves me cold. But not in that scene).

So, thank you, Jen for giving clarification even though you didn't need to. Hopefully as MRJ begins work on Sons of Liberty he will keep us updated on the progress, and production of OUAT will resume and people will calm down and remember - that even though these are wonderful stories... they are just that, stories (sorry, Jefferson). The people playing these parts are not out to get each other, that they are human just as we the fans are. Let's give them some respect, and the benefit of the doubt... and let's all try to get along.

30 Days of Disneyland - Day 10: Favorite Extinct Attraction

http://www.yesterland.com

Day 10 - Favorite Extinct Attraction

There's a great, big, beautiful tomorrow! Sadly, this World's Fair attraction that made its home in Disneyland does not exist on the west coast, but it CAN be found at Walt Disney World, so it's not lost forever. I finally got to see it in all its glory in October there.

But I wish it was at Disneyland. Where Walt walked. It is, after all, one of his proudest attractions.


Oh, and if you're keeping count of how many days left till I fly out to Disneyland - we're at 96 days. 96 days until I board a plane at the buttcrack of dawn, travel something like 8 hours, get to a hotel and nap while I wait for my bestie and her hubby to make it to the hotel that night (they have to travel something like 6 hours after working all day). 97 days until one of my closest online friends makes it to the hotel (and hopefully she will be able to rest and recoop and be ready for an evening of fun)!!! We're getting SO excited for this trip! It's going to be epic.

30 Days of Disneyland - Day 9: Favorite Frontierland Attraction

Day 9 - Favorite Frontierland Attraction

Anyone who knows me knows this answer - I would hope, anyway. It's the ride that at WDW for my 24th birthday Erin and I sat and rode it five times in a row (four of those we didn't even get off the ride as there was NO LINE. BEST DAY EVER!). Big Thunder Mountain Railroad is the first Disney coaster I tackled back in 2001. Dad was determined to break me of my fear of the things. We were on the high school band trip and he didn't want to do the rides I wanted to go on (Jungle Cruise, Pirates, etc). He won the argument as we took a vote with my friends. I'm so glad I lost that argument.

Big Thunder is the kind of thrill I can handle. It's fast-ish, high up-ish, and I feel well contained in the seat. Another great thing about this ride is that it's different in each park. The effects and storyline is different at Disneyland compared to the one at WDW, but both hold true to the overall theme. Disneyland's just got a huge refurb where they've added new effects using new technology and it looks AWESOME. I cannot wait to ride this ride in September.



We're 97 days away from Disneyland! And it's Donald Duck's 80th birthday today! Happy Birthday to my most favorite of Disney characters, without Donald there'd be no Disney (just ask him, he'll tell you)!