Tuesday, September 21, 2010

Trip Report - September 19, 2010

Time for a fall trip report. Today’s trip report is from a visit to the park on Sunday morning. It was not nearly as crowded as I thought it would be, but it wasn’t quite like a week day.








Boy the band leader is certainly authentic, he reminds me of Vesey Walker!
The weather was once again made to order and it was a beautiful day.






Halloween has invaded the park, I’m not sure if I like it or am annoyed by it, both I think.





Minnie was decked out for the Holiday.





These odd plants are all over town square, what’s are they supposed to be?






I really like the yellow flowers surrounding the flag pole.





They still have water on them; in fact, they look good enough to eat.





Already a group of “needy” guests are lining up at City Hall, the park has only been open for 2 minutes!






More… Whatever this is.






IF I’m ever able to get Major Pepperidge to visit the park, I’m going to hand him a bag of pennies and leave him here all day.





The Coke Corner has been closed on my last three visits, I’m guessing it must open later?






Guns have returned to Disneyland! I think they stopped selling them after 911, but now they’re back!






The colors are extreme; as soon as someone paints a real gun these colors they’ll change them! Notice the price tag – “Made in China”!!!!






Apparently I’m the only one how knew it was International Talk Like a Pirate Day (link) no one was riding pirates! I rode it and shouted like a pirate the whole time mattes!







Well, well, well – Hello Club 33; Guess what? I’ll be on THE OTHER SIDE OF THAT DOOR in November!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!





The flowers match the Holiday even here, which is where?






The nicely themed fastpast machines for Haunted Mansion were open for business.








The Pirates are still on Tom Sawyers Island and with POTC IV coming next May, I’m guessing they will be staying for at least another year.






However, never fear, Tom Sawyer still has his sign behind the pirate’s sign, ready to return to normal at any time.





The River was stunningly beautiful.








The early morning sun bathes Frontierland.






The waterways were extra calm this morning; I don’t think the water was moving at all.






Obligatory Castle shot – looks like I caught a couple during their kiss!






My favorite angle for photos of the castle.






Let’s compare today’s Botox lips Monstro with yesterday’s Monstro.





Looking at Major’s vintage photo of Monstro (taken from the Skyway), Monstro has either had total reconstructive surgery or he has been replaced entirely.






Taking another look at one of Major’s vintage photos, this 1964 picture shows a retaining wall for the old fantasyland Autopia. Look directly below the front car of the monorail, the beige retaining wall still exists today.






The wall serves no function today, it’s been shortened since the last Autopia update but its still there.






It’s actually two walls that continue for about 10 feet past the fence, again they don’t have any function, they were just left for me to obsess over.





Monorail Orange was naturally out on the beam for Halloween.






Three Fences is doing great.






I hope they never paint or remove this.






The water was flowing nicely down the Matterhorn.






The Tomorrowland cross must be staying – I didn’t notice on my last visit but they’ve added a custom fitted rain gutter to the right side of the cross.






One of the vents for the climate controlled - devoid of walls “Refreshment Gardens”.






Ghost Galaxy has returned – it’s pretty much the same as last year, but better!






So I’ve seen these guide dogs at the park before, they are so cute. Now that I got a decent photo of the little vests they wear I’m thinking of making a couple of them for my dogs and bringing them on my next visit.






Is this an orange tree? Whatever it is, it looks like it needs water!






I’m going to photograph and post this neglect ever time I visit until they fix it, it’s only been like that for TWO YEARS and counting.






Where is everyone? By 10am (the park opened at 9am) the masses of humanity stopped flowing into the park. NICE!






This vintage photo was recently sold with 70 other vintage slides on eBay for $1,200, yes $1,200 for slides!!! I copied this one from the auction before they disappeared.






Here’s how it looks today, the colors sure have changed huh?






Is that Chip and Dale?






I finally got a decent photo of this display in the Opera House.






I want one of these flags, how cool it that?






Here’s a short video of the Disneyland Band as they finish up their first set. Watch at the very end as Alice and hatter show up Very late indeed.