I think that I shall never see…
With apologies to Joyce Kilmer, today offers a quick look at some of the trees encountered about the Disneyland Resort last weekend. See? It was not raining all the time!
I always enjoy a stop at the Grand Californian Hotel. A visit to the Story Tellers Cafe and you see this tree outside on the lawn in front. Something more seasonal? Okay, how about this?
Yes, that’s more like it. You can even find Santa here in the lobby at various times throughout the day.
And California Adventure does not disappoint either! This one features some great theming with the train and vintage ornaments to match.
Could have sworn the Red Car was by here only a few minutes ago.
Meanwhile, over at the Disneyland Hotel…
Yes, it is Southern California and that is a palm tree. And yes, thank you, there are plenty of seasonal trees about the hotel, too.
Disneyland still has it’s magnificent tree at the aptly name Christmas tree point. Wasn’t it a pumpkin only a few weeks ago?
And speaking of trees. why not a mobile tree? I mean one that moves under it’s own power. Like this!
It is after all the Christmas Fantasy parade.
And finishing off today, what would a seasonal to Disneyland visit be without a living tree? From the rain shortened Candlelight Processional, Saturday night:
Great as ever.
So with that, I think it is past time to make like a tree and …
It’s begining to look…
For a number of years now, the first weekend in December has found me in Anaheim.
The main reason being to enjoy a performance of the Candelight Processional at Disneyland. That has meant one of four, being at 5:30 and 7:30 pm, Saturday and Sunday. Weather permitting. A bit different than that offered at Epcot, on a series of nights through the month.
2012 sees Disneyland take up the challenge by offering 20 nights of the performance. The first two were to be for invited guests and not even publicized as part of the events. Actor Dennis Haysbert (you may recognize his voice as he is the commercial spokesperson for Allstate, but I will never forget him as Pedro Cerrano in “Major League” – ” Is very bad to steal Jobu’s rum. Is very bad.” ) was to be the guest narrator for these performances.
Traditionally, Disneyland’s Candelight was a way to say “thank you” to the local communities around the Park. Various people would be invited to view the performances. And it was also an opportunity for Disneyland to welcome back some of it’s more illustrious retirees. As an example, former Disneyland President Jack Lindquist is one who I have seen at many of the performances, including last Saturday night.
Another tradition of sorts is the variable Southern California weather. You name it, we have had it. This past weekend was no exception with just enough liquid sunshine, a.k.a. light rain, to stop some of the performances if not outright cancel others.
While I have not heard personally, anyone complain about this, I know that people have in the past made their way to City Hall and done just so. Always strikes me as odd in that this was an event, not publicized by the Park, held in an open air venue, and yet people complained if the weather forced the cancellation. At best, the safety of the people performing should come first. Not the inconvenience of guests. But, after all, this is Disneyland! Why can’t they control the weather?
A few folks might remember that there was one year where Candlelight was held in the Fantasyland Theater. It was not the perfect venue for the event, but it was under cover. Traditionally, it has been in front of the Main Street Station, in the Town Square. With it’s small town feel, the location may have made sense in an emotional vein. Logistically, it has grown to be a nightmare at the choke point of entry and exit for guests. But I think that the Park and the cast members do a great job in getting things ready and keeping everything (and everyone) moving throughout the performances.
2013? Well, it might be that Candlelight moves to another location. The Fantasyland Theater is under construction from the Princess experience back to a theater. And there is always the Hyperion Theater, home to the guest favorite “Aladdin” show. Either one would make a good choice for these seasonal performances.
Disneyland and the Christmas holiday is a big part of the lives of many guests and cast members. Trust me, Disney as a company “gets” this. No Scrooge here. The special time for family and friends here is treasured and shared. And no, it does not hurt that there are plenty of opportunities to help with the profit margins either. What business does not look to maximize potential income? Can’t fault this one for doing it’s part.
So, as I dry out from last weekend, I can report that despite the misty weather, it was a good time in Anaheim. And I will be sharing a few more photos from the weekend with you, loyal readers, right here in the next few days. So stay dry, stay warm and enjoy as we all get into the “spirit” of the season.
And it comes out here!
Got to love this time of year.
Just a lot going on what with the holidays and all. Family, friends. Seems like there simply is not time enough to fit everything in, is there? Part of my challenge you might say…
If I ever get some time, I have plenty to share with you, loyal readers. Like the Walt Disney Family Museum and their new exhibit on Snow White. With a fantastic exhibition catalog and book about the film by J.B. Kaufman, too!
And this year is the 200th anniversary of the birth of Charles Dickens. Which makes the Dickens Fair at the Cow Palace in San Francisco all the more merry. I survive the long opening weekend and promise to be back for the last three as Cuthbert’s Tea Shoppe.
Next weekend begins 20 days of Candlelight at Disneyland. Should be interesting to see if guests embrace it in the same fashion they do in Florida.
Beyond that, over at pinkmonorail.com, Shelly Valladolid will be sharing some of the oldies but goodies from the Blue Parrot when she sails off into the sunset aboard a Disney Cruise in December out of Los Angeles.
So, I’m not gone, just busy! And if time allows, look for these and more stories to come.
One of the little things
1965 – a nice night in Tomorrowland at the Circarama Theater sponsored by AT&T.
Photo by eBay user – Nicepictures
Turn back the clock for today’s musing. Back to years gone by. At Disneyland.
If you remember, where Buzz Lightyear now looks for Junior Space Rangers to help defeat the evil Emperor Zurg, used to be the home of the Circlevision theater. How many millions of folks watched “America The Beautiful” here?
Well as one would exit the theater, sponsored by AT&T, there was a series of booths off to the left.
Now as booths go, these were unique. Glass doors across the front of each one and benches inside. On the center wall, a futuristic touch tone key pad. With a coin slot.
What were these? Called Chatterboxes, they offered Disneyland guests the opportunity to phone home. Long before any extra terrestrial made it fashionable. Using a speaker phone, the phone call was not limited to the sole caller. A group could place their call and share their day at Disneyland with family and friends far away.
I don’t recall if our first family trip to the Park included such a call. But I have some very fond memories of calling my mother’s parents in San Francisco using one of the Chatterboxes. A number of times. And on our honeymoon in the spring of 1986, my wife and I both called home to speak with our parents from one.
Technology has come a long way. Cell phones allow instant communication world wide. Text messages or more can be shared as fast as you like. But back in the day, making that call from Disneyland was indeed a special moment.
In the overall scheme of the Park, it was one small feature. But it made memories for many guests. And that is the best thing that Disneyland ever did. And still does.
It doesn’t have to be grand and glorious all the time. Even the small things can bring magic to life.
Time Marches On!
As much as anyone who can claim to be a victim of “terminal nostalgia”, I miss things and places. I am not alone by any means and continue to be amused as folks take umbrage at changes.
For example, take a city I spent a good number of years in. Walnut Creek, California. Moved there in the summer of 1970. At that time, the big freeway to San Francisco was being completed. Rapid transit in the form of trains operated by BART had yet to see it’s first train turn a wheel in revenue service. And it was not hard to see the walnut orchards that gave the place it’s name.
It was for all intents a small town. Yet on the move. For when that freeway was done and trains ran into San Francisco, it would become a full blown bedroom community.
Downtown still had much of the small town feeling to it. Even though we had a shopping center, you could still park on North Main Street in a perpendicular fashion on the diagonal. The businesses all were local. Chain stores or franchises were not present. The city did not even have a McDonald’s.
It still had a railroad running through it, complete with a classic wooden station. Less than five years had passed since Walnut Creek was a two railroad town. The Sacramento Northern right-of-way was part of the route of BART under construction. Now the Southern Pacific’s San Ramon Branch remained. Still serving the cement plant just east of downtown. A locomotive was on duty here to keep cars moving freight to a few businesses along the line.
Just south of downtown was the Broadway Shopping Center, with JC Penneys and Capwells as the big anchor store. On one side you had Luckys in the grocery business and Safeway was still in a classic green and yellow tile structure on the other.
But within another five years, all that changed. An Army Corps of Engineers project rerouted the creek of the same name into a concrete box, all in the name of flood control. Much of that old downtown gave way as things changed. The cement plant gave up rail access and moved to the north end of town. Both Luckys and Safeway moved into newer stores. A seven story office building came into being, complete with a very controversial peace symbol showing support to end the Vietnam war.
Eventually, most of the older buildings that made up downtown were either dismantled or refurbished. McDonald’s did come to town and despite predictions of doom, became part of the lives of many. Both as customers and employees. The multiplex theater (a cinderblock nightmare) replaced the older one screen version. Even the old wooden plant which had processed walnuts found a new use as a civic arts theater.
As a friend put it, “Walnut Creek either sold or tore down it’s history.”
Today, some 40 years later, the little town is a city. Neiman Marcus, Nordstroms, Macys and Tiffany all have locations here. Upscale doesn’t being to describe it. Folks who used to shop at the Army-Navy Surplus Store instead do so at Restoration Hardware.
But things keep changing. That seven story office building? Slowly being demolished this week. That cinder block multiplex? Gone, replaced by another cinemaplex and the space it once called home now used by other businesses.
Yes, things change. That is the way of it. Be it Walnut Creek or Disneyland.
While we enjoy thinking of the past and the way it used to be, nothing lasts forever. Enjoy it while it is here but look forward, too.
For no matter how much we wish, we can not all live in the past. There just isn’t enough room out there.