The 60th Anniversary of Disneyland: The Reality of it All

[TP2000]

I have a photo shoot on May 9th...to cancel or not?

You are a grown woman and can make your own decisions, but I'm going to give you some advice from the old codger to the left here sitting up in first class having the stewardess bring me another Scotch...

If this photo shoot is part of your career or education, and/or you are being paid to be there, then you need to go to the photo shoot! Education and your career must come first, and then Disneyland is the thing you reward yourself with after you take care of those two things.

The Hatbox Ghost will be there for decades. (Unless, of course, the second version is as crummy as the first version was and Imagineering pulls it from the attraction because it's a failed concept like its 1969 all over again)

The new Hatbox Ghost might not even work right on opening day, or the lighting might be off, or the audio needs tweaking. Wait until you can go and treat yourself properly, without jeopardizing your career or education. He will still be there at Disneyland, and your long-term future will thank you for it.

 

[Californian Elitist]

You are a grown woman and can make your own decisions, but I'm going to give you some advice from the old codger to the left here sitting up in first class having the stewardess bring me another Scotch...

If this photo shoot is part of your career or education, and/or you are being paid to be there, then you need to go to the photo shoot! Education and your career must come first, and then Disneyland is the thing you reward yourself with after you take care of those two things.

The Hatbox Ghost will be there for decades. (Unless, of course, the second version is as crummy as the first version was and Imagineering pulls it from the attraction because it's a failed concept like its 1969 all over again)

The new Hatbox Ghost might not even work right on opening day, or the lighting might be off, or the audio needs tweaking. Wait until you can go and treat yourself properly, without jeopardizing your career or education. He will still be there at Disneyland, and your long-term future will thank you for it.

I can always count on you, TP, for your wisdom haha.

My photo shoot is for my upcoming commencement. I will be receiving a B.A. in English after I pass my classes next week. I will just have to wait and save Hatbox for when I visit the park to celebrate my graduation.

 

[Suspirian]

considering the recent Magic Eye Theater's new paint scheme and now BLAB's change, it seems like theyre trying getting rid of the remaining coppertones from 1998 TL

 

[Figments Friend]

Indiana Jones opened today, ahead of schedule.

Looks like I get to finally ride it after all!

Yes indeed...a nice surprise today.
A shame however that many of the effects were not working, and the three pass throughs i experience the boulder sequence was completely shut off.

 

[Figments Friend]

Something i forgot to mention a couple of days ago -

While visiting the Park on Tuesday i was admiring the old window displays in the Emporium on Main Street.
These had displays of older figures used over the years to promote various Disney animated films.

Well, when i came back into the Park the next day, all of the windows were now covered in blue crushed velvet curtains.
The displays are being changed, and it looks like it is related to the 60th based on the color scheme.
Small scroll-like signs tease at what is to come...each window with a rhyme hinting at what may be in the window in the near future.
I am sure photos shall be forthcoming from various Disneyland=centric websites soon...but wanted to mention it here as it is something else to look forward to.

 

[Figments Friend]

They're repainting Astro Blasters to Buzz Lightyear colors. I have to say that while I don't like the facades in Tomorrowland these days, this at least looks better. I mean, the facades are mostly just repurposed 1967 Tomorrowland facades with 1998 junk attached and absolutely nothing to distinguish them but a sign and ugly murals. This at least differentiates it somewhat and the brighter look for Tomorrowland is better, in my opinion.

Yeah, the paint smells really good too.
When i walked by yesterday morning they were spraying and the fumes were...well...something that sure wakes you up better then coffee!

Speaking of coffee, if anyone would like to know, the Main Street Starbucks has plenty of their 'You Are There' Disneyland mugs in stock.
If you are looking for one and are visiting soon, you know where to get one!

They are quite nice, and the design is retro-wish and appealing.

 

[Figments Friend]

We were not disappointed, and while we wouldn't have been able to tell, I've heard some chatter from guests around me that some new effects were added prior to today's soft opening. Something about the rolling boulder being enhanced in some way.

That might explain why the boulder effect was not working at all the three times i passed through today on the Attraction.
Perhaps they kept trying to bring those 'new effects' online and it kept glitching so they deactivated the boulder sequence completely.

This would explain the random closures i saw happen during a few points late in the day, and CMs stressing how this was a 'soft opening'.
There was no FP for it today, or SIngle Riders for a while.

 

[Vegas Disney Fan]

That might explain why the boulder effect was not working at all the three times i passed through today on the Attraction.
Perhaps they kept trying to bring those 'new effects' online and it kept glitching so they switched it off.
This would explain the random closures, and CMs stressing how this was a 'soft opening' with now FP or SIngle Riders for a while.

I've been on Indy dozens of times this year and it seems to be one of the most unreliable rides at DL for special effects, every time I ride it something is missing or different from the previous ride. I love the lightning at the beginning but it's off more than on, the face rusting has been very hit or miss, the boulder usually rolls but on a few rides it hasn't moved, etc, etc, etc. Luckily the ride has so much going on if an effect or 2 fails it's still a great ride. I just hope after the refurb it's more consistent.

 

[FerretAfros]

Something i forgot to mention a couple of days ago -

While visiting the Park on Tuesday i was admiring the old window displays in the Emporium on Main Street.
These had displays of older figures used over the years to promote various Disney animated films.

Well, when i came back into the Park the next day, all of the windows were now covered in blue crushed velvet curtains.
The displays are being changed, and it looks like it is related to the 60th based on the color scheme.
Small scroll-like signs tease at what is to come...each window with a rhyme hinting at what may be in the window in the near future.
I am sure photos shall be forthcoming from various Disneyland=centric websites soon...but wanted to mention it here as it is something else to look forward to.

Thank goodness! Those window displays are one of my biggest pet peeves about DL. When I was growing up, I remember getting excited about seeing the new displays on each trip, highlighting the next release from the studios. When they decided to do the retrospective windows full of old props for the 50th, I thought it was a charming idea...

...until they didn't change them for a decade (and were old from the very beginning, using components from 'historic' window displays past). The rest of the windows on Main Street got charming seasonal updates (and are quite different from year to year), yet these ones just sat there, often with non-working elements. There was a similarly long-lasting display in DCA's Sunshine Plaza that was originally to advertise the then-upcoming Finding Nemo, which was later converted for the Subs in DL, and was finally put out of its misery when they converted the are into Buena Vista Street.

Even the Emporium windows in MK (you know, in WDW, where they're notorious for never changing anything) get updated at least twice a year to install and uninstall the Mickey's Christmas Carol displays. Given how very little it must cost to make those sorts of changes, and how much I remember enjoying them as a kid, it always annoyed me that they couldn't manage to keep the tradition up. I'm glad that they're finally getting around to fixing it!

 

[TTA94]

Have they started full PTN rehearsals yet?

 

[George Lucas on a Bench]

Are they ditching the freaky Ariel that bobs back and forth or that creepy-*** Peter Pan that wants to kill me?

AHHHH!

 

[GiveMeTheMusic]

Have they started full PTN rehearsals yet?

Do you mean overnight dress rehearsals?

 

[TTA94]

Do you mean overnight dress rehearsals?

Yes

 

[Sage of Time]

Have they started full PTN rehearsals yet?

Yup. One happened this past week, I think.

 

[lego606]

That might explain why the boulder effect was not working at all the three times i passed through today on the Attraction.
Perhaps they kept trying to bring those 'new effects' online and it kept glitching so they deactivated the boulder sequence completely.

This would explain the random closures i saw happen during a few points late in the day, and CMs stressing how this was a 'soft opening'.
There was no FP for it today, or SIngle Riders for a while.

Maragement has decided to keep the new show effect off, pending a more dazzling reveal date. As far as I know, the boulder didn't receive any updates. However, it has had more stage fright lately (the issue with the boulder is a timing problem, something that's being worked on. However, the office that deals with such things is at Walt Disney World, and so... it'll take a whole)

 

[TTA94]

Anyone know if PTN will have the same intro as HKDL with the parade route lighting effects? I think I heard that it will have a male narrator instead of the female narrator in HKDLs version?

 

[VJ]

Anyone know if PTN will have the same intro as HKDL with the parade route lighting effects? I think I heard that it will have a male narrator instead of the female narrator in HKDLs version?

HKDL's version has a female chorus singing the intro I'm pretty sure...

 

[TTA94]

HKDL's version has a female chorus singing the intro I'm pretty sure...

Yes HKDL has a female speaking, or "singing" basically the MSEP intro.

Should DLs version be the same, It will be interesting to see if they keep it as Disney proudly presents or DisneyLAND proudly presents...

 

[George Lucas on a Bench]

Rode Indy tonight and it was what Donald Trump would deem a complete and total disaster. The transport was moving at seemingly twice the normal speed limit as though Clifford was on-board and Charles Grodin was controlling the thing. Same old Observatory of the Future door, we then blew by Indy holding back the aurora borealis as he was in the middle of a sentence, no laser from Mara's eye, the Poltergeist house implosion scene skeletons barely popped out, the snake just stood there, but then I guess there was no time for it to attack, no projection on the ceiling in the skull room, rats weren't working and no boulder. Terrible!

 

[Californian Elitist]

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