After spending a good portion of the early day checking out many of the Fantasyland rides that I typically bypass, Jimmy, David, and I continued with our visit to Disneyland on Friday, March 25, 2011, with more traditional fare. After we had disembarked the Disneyland Railroad at the front of the park, we hit the first attraction we came to on Main Street U.S.A.: Great Moments With Mr. Lincoln. Always a classic (and pre-cursor to the Magic Kingdom’s Hall of Presidents), this attraction welcomed us to the 3:00pm showing and front row seats. This enabled me to get at least one good photo of Mr. Lincoln in the room where cameras were frowned upon.
The always delightful Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln
Model of Disneyland as it was on opening day 1955; part of the Disneyland Story
Miniature of the United States Capitol building in the Mr. Lincoln lobby
Disneyland or bust, Mr. Lincoln
One of the many great moments with Mr. Lincoln
After the show, we swung by Sleeping Beauty Castle again to get a typical group photo of us to commemorate our day (seen at the top of the posting). We then headed into Adventureland and Walt Disney’s Enchanted Tiki Room. Really we were more interested in getting one of the delicious Dole Whip Floats that they sold here, and which we could take inside and enjoy whilst we watched the attraction.
Somehow the line to get said floats was the longest line of the day. It literally took over 30 minutes. The lines got so long in the waiting area for the attraction that park employees started designing makeshift queues using benches. We actually got to see the pre-show film from Dole Food Company, who has been their sponsor since 1976. The promo pineapple film looked to be at least that old and David said that he had never seen it all the way through. This time we saw it twice! Once we got the floats, we then had to wait to the next showing and by the time that came around, we had already eaten the floats. Nevertheless, it’s always good do see the original Tiki Bird show, which has been completely remade at Walt Disney World.
Incredibly entertaining Dole pineapple video outside the Tiki Room
The payoff: Jimmy gets his Dole Whip Float
Birds on the ceiling
More birds
It was about 5pm when we headed back into Tomorrowland to utilized our FastPasses for Space Mountain. As I have recently noted numerous times, this version completely blows away the Disney World version, and I am amazed and thrilled every time I get on it. Knowing by now where our picture is taken, I exhibited a special face – as did David.
David and I ready for more space thrills
Jimmy in the space vehicle behind us
David and me: deranged space creatures
The it was back to the other side of the park again, this time in New Orleans Square where we hit the standard favorite The Haunted Mansion. The wait wasn’t too bad, and in we were in and out within a half-hour. Bob called us just before we got on and was nearing the park, so we met up with him in front of the Pirates of the Caribbean at 6pm.
Is this haunted room actually…stretching?
The ‘rotating’ busts – part of the line queue at Disneyland, whereas it is part of the ride at Disney World
The wait for Pirates was rather lengthy (at least by Pirates standards) so it took about 40 minutes total to wait in line and then ride. However, it should be noted that we spent a good five minutes directly in front of the Davy Jones curtain of mist; our boat just stopped there. It eventually moved on, but it was terrifically slow for the last half of the ride. This was actually rather cool to have longer to gawk at the animatronics. I recalled to Bob how we had had to actually walk off the ride (ie. exit the boats midway through the ride) the first time that we rode it together in 1988. It almost appeared that we might have to do that once again this time.
A cannon sighting outside the Pirates
The hidden initials in the wrought iron fence above Pirates, not quite as hidden any longer. This area was orginally going to be apartments for Walt Disney and Roy Disney, hence the initials.
Jimmy and a very amazed David on Pirates of the Caribbean
We saw Davy Jones’ spiel repeatedly for no less than five minutes
The hanging foot pirate, restored to his original position
Carl and the pirates from a slightly different angle
More pirates who can’t be found at the Walt Disney World Pirates
Johnny Depp as Jack Sparrow bids farewell to the guests
We just lingered around New Orleans Square until it was time for our dinner reservations at 7:10 at the Blue Bayou. I chatted with Jamie (as did Bob and David briefly) while we waited. Dinner was good as usual; I enjoyed the Royal Street Seafood Jumbalaya – but I will admit that the cajun food went through me so fast that I left most of it behind at Disneyland. From our seats we could see the door that led into Club 33 – where we had originally had dinner reservations.
Pals unite at the Blue Bayou
It was about 8pm as we headed out. After my 10-minute stop in the restroom, we made it to the parking lot. I grabbed my bags out of Jimmy’s car, said my goodbyes, and Bob and I headed off into the sunset – which had already set. Fireworks from the park exploded above us as we left Disneyland behind just before 9pm.
I was thoroughly exhausted by this point in the day – but we had a nice long four-hour ride ahead of us before reaching our final destination of the day.
The day – and the road trip – will continue in Las Vegas…
I love those Dole Whip floats. People always come and ask what we’re standing in line for, and I ‘sell’ them on the floats so they too join the line. I have the music for the area in my rare Disneyland recordings.
Rick Greene
May 3rd, 2011