30 Days of Disneyland - Day 18: Favorite Band/Vocal Group

Day 18 - Favorite Band/Vocal Group

I am a band nerd. I played trumpet in junior high and most of my freshman year of high school before switching over to TC Baritone. So I'm kind of a band nerd. I love marching bands - though we never had one when I was in high school, and the closest thing they have now is a drumline. I love orchestra. I love BIG BRASS and DRUMS! I love music, and I love it done well.

And, of course, the Disneyland Marching Band has all of that and more. I stop and listen every time, watch their different mini shows... I love listening to them play. And they all have the joy of music showing on their faces.

When I played in high school we had a chance to do the Magic Music Days at Disney in Disney World. We played on stage at EPCOT and it was so much fun. We even got to warm up back stage where they record music! It was incredible. So I just love everything about Disney music. Very thankful for the experience.

Honorable mention has to go to the Dapper Dans. I LOVE LOVE LOVE this barber shop quartet that is a signature feature on Main Street USA. I love me a good harmony, and they are always spot on. They're another thing that I make sure to stop and listen and fangirl over when walking down Main Street.


Oh, and 88 days till Disneyland! w00t!

30 Days of Disneyland - Day 17: Favorite Live Show

Day 17 - Favorite Live Action Show

Hands down it's Aladdin: A Musical Spectacular which is found at Disney's Hollywood Studios. It's on par with a Broadway show and is just as entertaining no matter how many times you view it. As I posted a couple of days ago, The Genie character makes or breaks this show - and I've never seen a Genie flop yet. Jafar is also deliciously evil and humorous. They steal the show from Jazzy and Al, that's for sure.

The music is the familiar songs from the movie plus an extra one that was originally for the movie but got canned - I believe it's now in the Broadway version of Aladdin (which is different to the movie and this show at California Adventure). There are rumors going around that this show may not be around much longer - they tried pulling it a couple of years ago but due to the response from fans they reopened. Rumors say that FROZEN may take its place, so I'm hoping to see Aladdin one more time (if it is truly going away, which does make sense what with the Broadway show a hit now and all).



And we're officially under 3 months to go. I spent the majority of my day getting my park admissions bought. Good way to spend the day, but dang I'm poor again! It'll be worth it, though!

30 Days of Disneyland - Day 16: Favorite Parade

Day 16 - Favorite Parade

My favorite is still Wat Disney's Parade Of Dreams. Erin and I saw it when we went to Disneyland in 2006, it was such a sweet parade and I admit I got weepy! It was a great way to tribute the wonderful films and characters of Disney film. Walt's legacy if you will. It was created for the 50th anniversary and it worked. Soundsational is a good parade now, but I still miss this parade.



Oh and we've hit the THREE MONTH MARK! I have got to sit down and finalize an itinerary with my travel buddies, and get my park admission ordered... and my photopass+ preordered... Thinking I'll do that next week as I have a wedding to shoot this weekend. 90 days to go! w00t!

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!