MEW's Dream Disney Resort - The Final Chapter - Winner of a Lemon Tree Award, Sponsored by Applebees

[MANEATINGWREATH]

Remember yesterday when I said this project was being delayed? Well...

HAPPY EARLY APRIL FOOL'S DAY!

Here it is, in all its early-release glory. A forewarning: this first post is a farce, but serves as an introduction to several key details in my project. Don't say I didn't warn you. Enjoy.

====================

MEW's Dream Disney Resort - The Final Chapter - Pilot Episode



(The stage is set before us with a bright-red curtain and dim footlights. We, the audience, have sat down at fancy dinner tables concealed in white tablecloths and topped by dimly-lit candelabras. A tuxedo-clad pianist [probably British] plays a classy tune off to the side of the stage, when suddenly, the familiar voice of Disneyland's own Bill Rogers rings out...)

VOICE: Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, welcome to tonight's performance of "MEW's Dream Disney Resort - The Final Chapter," presented by WDWMagic. As a reminder, there is no smoking or flash photography during the performance, nor the use of firearms or livestock...that means you... @monkey92514

(monkey steps up from his table with great dignity, brushing his pants off. He turns his tuxedo pockets inside out, dropping a loaded water gun and a baby goat. How he fit a full-sized baby goat into his pocket is beyond us...monkey storms out, whilst the baby goat begins to munch on our tablecloth.)

VOICE: Anyways... Tonight we honor eight years of armchair Imagineering from America's sweetheart... (A picture of Abraham Lincoln appears on the curtain.) No, not him. (A picture of Jennifer Lawrence appears.) Not her. (An awkward picture of MEW eating a sandwich is projected onto the curtain.) That's our man! Ahem. Eight years ago, a bright-eyed fourteen year-old by the name of MANEATINGWREATH stumbled upon a little purple website that was then known as "Visions Fantastic." It was there that he discovered a hobby that has stuck with him ever since: Armchair Imagineering. It was there that he made lifelong friends and memories that would last a virtual lifetime. Ladies and gentlemen, that same fourteen-year old is here today...please put your hands together for...MANEATINGWREATH!



(The pianist plays "Hooray for Hollywood." We burst into applause as the curtains part, revealing...)

(A REAL man-eating wreath munches on a bucket of KFC before making awkward eye contact with us and freezing. We feel oddly uncomfortable. The music stops and the curtain promptly closes.)

VOICE: Oops! We apologize, that was NOT the man-eating wreath we were looking for...please hold. (Whispering backstage.) Who's in charge around here?! What do you mean Donald Trump?! Oh, brother... Well, just fix it! (From backstage we hear drills, jackhammers, shattering glass, and barnyard animals.) There we go, that should do it. No, no, tell her that caffeinated is fine... (Back to us.) Ahem! Ladies and gentlemen, NOW put your hands together for the one...the only...MANEATINGWREATH!

(The pianist plays "Hooray for Hollywood." The curtain parts to reveal the real MEW in a white tuxedo with a red bowtie. @TheOriginalTiki also appears onstage in a red tuxedo with a white bowtie. MEW bows. Tiki bows. MEW realizes that Tiki is onstage with him. With a sharp look, MEW looks offstage and makes a throat-cutting gesture. A shepherd's crook slowly enters from offstage and pulls Tiki off. MEW takes a larger bow than before. Rose petals fall from the sky.)

MEW: Thank you, thank you. Seriously, thank you. (Our applause continues.) Okay, okay. That's enough. Please. (We do not stop clapping. MEW pulls out a flamethrower.) I said that's enough! (MEW scorches the curtain. Our applause subsides. With a smile, MEW discards the flamethrower into the audience. The baby goat begins to eat it.) Eight years...what can be said about the past eight years of my life? It could be said that I've finished high school, traveled the world in a choral group, had four unsuccessful relationships, built a business, and endured one year of employment at Disneyland. It could be said that I've accomplished a great many things that I should be proud of. Well, there is one feat I have yet to accomplish, and that is... (Statler and Waldorf, appropriately perched in an adjacent balcony finally chime-in.)

STATLER: Finding true love?

STATLER & WALDORF: Doe-ho-ho-ho-ho!

WALDORF: You never found true love either, you old fool.

STATLER: Yeah. I'm one of the lucky ones! Doe-ho-ho-ho!

MEW: Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me.

STATLER: Oh yeah? How about this word? (Waldorf hurls several wooden letters at MEW, but promptly misses.)

MEW: Haha! You missed me! And you throw like a grandpa! (An even larger set of wooden letters are thrown at MEW, promptly knocking him over.) I stand corrected. (Clears throat.) Ladies and gentlemen, pay no heed to the elderly puppets in the balcony. Instead, just sit back, relax, and enjoy, as I share with you my long-awaited and final installment in my long-running series of dream Disney resorts. This is a project that has truly been eight years in the making, so before we begin, let's talk logistics. (A projector screen lowers from the ceiling. MEW pulls out a laser pointer. A powerpoint presentation begins.) For my final dream resort, I have decided to accomplish a feat that has never before been done on any known planet in our solar system: building the largest Magic Kingdom in the world. (Audible oohs and ahs from the audience. A picture of MEW at the beach in a speedo shows up. He quickly changes it to a picture of a Sleeping Beauty Castle.) Er, um... My Magic Kingdom will clock in at the massive size of 580 acres. (An audible gasp of shock.) That's eighty acres larger than Disney's largest park, Animal Kingdom which is a measly 500 acres. (Bob Iger and Michael Eisner stand up from their Presidential Box.)

IGER: Goodness me! How much will this mega-park cost?!

EISNER: My little heart can't take it...it must cost...trillions! (He faints. The baby goat begins to
munch on Eisner's shoes.)

MEW: Never fear, current CEO and former CEO, this resort is pure fiction. In fact, it only exists in my mind. While I have taken realism into consideration when designing this project, I'm mostly taking creativity and blue sky into consideration, so I don't want to hear any complaints. Each land in my massive Magic Kingdom will feature several attractions and several sub-lands, as the intention of this park is to make it a multi-day experience, not just a full-day experience. Rather than having to build two or three parks, this resort will only need one. One can even say that this project is not just a labor of love, but also a labor of fun.

EISNER: (Iger waves a crisp $100 bill above Eisner's nostrils. Eisner steps back up and frightens the goat.) It's a miracle! I'm alive! I'm alive! Hallelujah!

AUDIENCE: Hallelujah!

MEW: But if this resort was real, it would cost several billion to make at the minimum. (Eisner faints again. The goat resumes munching on his shoes.)

IGER: What of the attractions? Will they be small and hastily-made?

MEW: No, absolutely not. You see, S.W. Wilson of Ideal Build-Out has a wonderful philosophy that the park should be the E-Ticket, not just the attractions. I share this same philosophy, so not only will my park have lands on the level of immersion and quality as...oh, say Cars Land, Tokyo DisneySea...or the Wizarding World of Harry Potter...

MICKEY MOUSE: You take that back!

MEW: Each and every attraction will be of the highest-caliber, being perfect compliments to the immersion level of each land. Cost-cutting does not exist in my own little world. (IGER faints. The goat moves from Eisner's half-eaten shoes to Iger's uneaten shoes.) Now, what of my resort's location? Well, I've settled on a prime piece of real estate that I've spent eight years of armchair Imagineering focusing on...

RANDOM MOUNTIE IN AUDIENCE: Canada? (The Mountie gently pets the head of a moose resting at his feet.)

MEW: No. Australia! (Applause. The moose moans. The visibly upset Mountie throws a maple leaf-shaped boomerang at the stage. MEW ducks.) The concept of a Disneyland in Australia has followed me around from my earliest days in the armchair Imagineering community, from the wildly successful Disneyland Australia, Open Brainstorming in 2008 to an ongoing project in a recent season of So, You Want to be an Imagineer, it only feels appropriate to place my final dream resort in a location that holds so much sentimentality for me. (The audience applauds. Tiki steps back onstage and steps in front of MEW, basking in the applause. The applause grows louder as Tiki bows dramatically. The shepherd's crook returns and pulls him off again.) You're too kind, really, really. Thank you.

MOUNTIE: What's this mega-resort called then, eh?

MEW: Thanks for asking random Mountie! It's called... Disneyland Australia, the heart and soul of the Disneyland Australia Resort, "The Happiest Place Down Under." (We burst into a standing ovation.) Located just a few miles shy of Sydney, the Disneyland Australia Resort is the ultimate family vacation destination, with its record-breaking Magic Kingdom, two luxurious hotels, and premiere shopping district, the Happiest Place Down Under is surely a place that will be on many a Disney fan's bucket lists for all-time. Thank you for your time, and I will see you all at my Magic Kingdom. (Another standing ovation. MEW is overwhelmed with emotion, tearing up. Tiki returns and jumps up and down, triumphantly waving his arms in front of MEW. The shepherd's crook snatches him back again. Roses and rotten eggs are hurled at MEW as he takes his own bow. The pianist plays a triumphant tune as the curtains close and MEW disappears. Our table-mate turns to us.)

TABLE MATE: We paid $500 for this dinner show?! There wasn't even any food! (The baby goat begins to chew on the shoes of our table mate.)

====================

That being said, the fun begins now! In real-life I do have some unexpected obligations that have arisen, so I cannot guarantee how regularly posts will be added, but I can assure you, the final chapter in my dream resort will finally be completed, and on a regular basis.

Don't worry, only this post will be written like a play script. The rest of this project will be presented with visuals, music, and detailed write-ups, just like I have always done in the past. Stay tuned...

 

[DisneyManOne]

Can't wait, MEW! Wonderful introductory post. Is it bad to say I want that baby goat to be a featured part of your write-ups?

 

[MANEATINGWREATH]

Can't wait, MEW! Wonderful introductory post. Is it bad to say I want that baby goat to be a featured part of your write-ups?

Darn, you figured me out. The baby goat won't be in every write-up, but will be making a return appearance in one of my personal favorite attractions. As for what said attraction is...well...you'll have to wait and see!

 

[Twilight_Roxas]

Cool btw MEW little off topic, but Hyrule Warriors Legends came out.

 

[MANEATINGWREATH]

====================

Disneyland Australia, Part I

"Every great dream begins with a dreamer. Always remember, you have within you the strength, the patience, and the passion to reach for the stars to change the world." - Harriet Tubman



To me, Walt Disney is so much more than just Walt Disney. Walt is the very definition of inspiration.

Time after time, this man has inspired me to follow my dreams and shoot for the stars, no matter what the circumstances. To this day, thousands of people such as myself continue to be inspired by the legacy of Walt, particularly the legacy he left that is Disneyland.

Disneyland Australia is one of those dreams that Walt has inspired, and I am proud to share that dream with you today.

Tonight, I end one year of employment as a Disneyland cast member (Indiana Jones Adventure). While on Main Street, I often found myself looking up towards Mr. Disney's apartment. Each glance into the home of such a legend led me to keep dreaming, to keep trying, and to never give up. Even though I've parted ways with the company, I will never forget the memories I have made or the lessons I have learned while in their employ.

So, in a way, I guess you can say that this project is dedicated in the memory of my childhood hero:

Walt Disney - December 5th, 1901 to December 15th, 1966

"Disneyland will never be completed. It will continue to grow as long as there is imagination left in the world." - Walt Disney

====================



Disneyland Australia, 580 acres of pure Disney magic...

As the heart and soul of the Disneyland Australia Resort, "DLA" sets and maintains a standard that was started when Walt Disney opened the gates to the original Disneyland in 1955. This is not your average theme park. This is a realm of three-dimensional fantasy, where daring adventures and wishing upon stars are an everyday reality. This is truly a place where parents and their children can have fun together, just as Walt intended for Disneyland so long ago.

Naturally, any day at DLA begins once we're past the ornate, cast iron turnstiles and face-to-face with the beaming floral face of Mickey Mouse, masterfully crafted to resemble the logo of the 1950's-era Mickey Mouse Club.

Not so high above Mickey rests the rustic yellow, green and burgundy facade of Eliasburg Station, marked by an unattended handcar overflowing in luggage, surrounding palm trees, and an overhead sign reading "Disneyland Australia - The Magic Kingdom." A similar sign labeled "Eliasburg, Elv. 774" rests on the adjacent side. Unlike its American and French counterparts, Eliasburg Station is not composed of bricks, but is instead composed of lumber, made to resemble a small town American train station of the Cold War-era.

Every five minutes, a vintage steam train pulls in front of the station, emerging from the dense woods to the west. This is the first stop of the Disneyland Australia Railroad, a grand circle tour of the Magic Kingdom. Headed past the flowerbed and beneath the railroad tracks (thru tunnels marked by a familiar plaque), we pass by movie theater-style posters advertising the various attractions and adventures ahead, electronically interchanging to represent other attractions periodically. Once on the other side, we are transported back in time to a different dawn in a different era...

Each morning at park opening, a train pulls into the station, filled with countless Disney characters (as pictured above). From the moment the clock hits 8 o'clock AM, the varied characters step down from the station and run into the park, being the first meet-n-greets of the day.

====================

"Here you leave today and enter the world of yesterday, tomorrow and fantasy."

Before us is Eliasburg, small town America as it appeared in the 1950's and early 60's. The sights and sounds of retro-fun are everywhere, from vintage cars parked along the sidewalks to music standards of the era wafting on the crisp afternoon breeze. On either side of the tunnel we find a slightly-faded billboard welcoming us to the little town.

"Welcome to Eliasburg!
Home of Music & Magic
Est. 1905 Pop. 1,955"

On each billboard, a young couple can be seen sitting in a convertible with its top down, the girl in a poodle skirt and the boy in a letterman's jacket. The "star-crossed lovers" rest on one another's shoulders whilst overlooking the whole of Eliasburg from a wooded clifftop. Painted adjacent to the couple is a large grizzly bear, hungrily eyeing the human intruders from behind a tree.

While not Australian in inspiration, Eliasburg takes place in a town reminiscent of park creator MEW's own hometown, California's San Gabriel Valley, similar to how Disneyland's own Main Street, U.S.A. resembled Walt's boyhood home of Marceline, Missouri. Amid the neon signage and colorful rooftop billboards, we find a small town where leather jackets and "greased lightning" are apart of everyday life.

Town Square, marked by its central bandstand and recreational park, greets us with the musical stylings of the Doo-Wop Dans, a leather jacket-clad male quartet known to perform such hits as "Stand By Me" and "In the Still of the Night." Each and every night around sunset, the Doo-Wop Dans and the Disneyland Band put on concerts in the bandstand, allowing guests of all ages to partake in a musical picnic under the stars. The grassy knolls throughout the square are guardrail-free, allowing open seating and room to relax. Picnic tables and benches are also provided, in addition to a cement dance floor for lovebirds of all ages to boogie the night away. Mickey & Friends respectively host meet-n-greets within the bandstand when no performance is underway, all dressed in 50's attire, of course.

Just west of Town Square is City Hall, a Victorian-style structure home to the park's Guest Relations, First Aid and Baby Care Center. Next door rests the Pacific Electric Railway Depot, a museum dedicated to the Red Car Trolley, Eliasburg's primary mode of transportation (said trolley runs daily around Town Square, up the main drag of Eliasburg, towards the park's icon, and thru a certain land before making a turn down the western extension of Eliasburg and back into the depot.). Within the museum we find artifacts and relics of the real-life Red Car Trolley, including an actual Red Car model of the era. On the eastern side of Town Square rests the last of the now-defunct gas station chain: Oswald's.

Oswald's, named for and represented by Oswald the Lucky Rabbit is a gas station for "human refueling." Fresh fruit, giant pickles, pineapple spears, water bottles, Australia-unique snacks (such as vegemite), and many other refreshments are sold here, in addition to Oswald-shaped "Mickey ears." Oswald himself hosts meet-n-greets outside the gas station (dressed as a mechanic), while a pair of vintage cars rest near the pumps. The Omnibus, a fictitious advertisement-adorned bus of British-inspiration makes the first of its two stops at Oswald's.

Next door at the Eliasburg Police Station (H.Q. for in-park security), a madcap band of musically-inclined policemen perform whacky standards of the era via brass and bass instruments. The neighboring Firehouse plays home to a vintage fire engine. Second and third-story windows above display the fictitious establishments of various shopkeepers and neighborhood services, actually just cleverly-disguised references to the Imagineers responsible for the park, a subtle detail that carries throughout the whole of the "city."

As previously mentioned, Eliasburg has extensions; two to be exact. At the northern tip of Town Square, the 1950's city splits into a three-way fork in the road, with a main drag (Main Street), western extension (Blue Moon Boulevard), and an eastern extension (Anaheim Way). The Red Car naturally heads up Main Street and down Blue Moon Boulevard throughout the day and late at night, but only before and after the nightly entertainment has occurred, as Main Street itself becomes prime viewing for...

The Paint the Night Parade, a heavily-updated lift of the Hong Kong original serves as the primary parade of Disneyland Australia, albeit vastly different and updated from its sister productions in China and California, featuring such floats as...well, you'll just have to be patient and see. Shortly after Paint loops around Town Square and exits backstage near the Firehouse, the heart of the park is washed aglow with the Magic of Dreams nighttime spectacular, an unbelievable production that must be seen to be believed.

In the Magic of Dreams, we are introduced to Sarah, a young girl with an imagination comparable to that of Mickey Mouse in Fantasmic!. When Sarah is kidnapped from her bedroom by Captain Hook and his pirates, she must use the help of a familiar and friendly Genie (whom she finds within a magic lamp in Hook's treasure trove) to evade the pirates and find her way home, meeting some friendly and not-so-friendly faces along the way such as Queen Elsa of Arendelle to Oogie Boogie of Halloween Town. This nighttime spectacular utilizes live actors, puppets, animatronics, fireworks, mist screens, projection mapping, lasers, set pieces, and nearly anything else one can utilize in a nighttime spectacular to bring the magic of dreams to life, all performed directly in front of the park's crowning jewel...

Snow White Castle

Unsurprisingly, Snow White Castle is the largest Disney castle to date, standing just slightly larger than Shanghai Disneyland's Enchanted Storybook Castle. When designing the park, Imagineers only found it fitting to give such a massive Magic Kingdom such a massive castle. Named for the first of Disney's animated classics, Snow White Castle takes a more storybook approach to its appearance, similar to Sleeping Beauty Castle in Paris. Slanted walls, curved towers, and colorful paint make the magnificent structure appear to be straight from the cells of an animated classic, complete with shaped topiaries and hedges lining the perimeter of the medieval marvel. As one approaches the castle, Snow White can be heard singing about wishing, or princes, or whatever she sings about...

Directly in front of the castle rests Fantasy Lagoon, a large body of water inhabited not by fish or swans but by colorful fountains that dance in tandem with one another, day and night in time with the voice of Snow White. As Fantasy Lagoon rests right at the end of the Hub, the heart of DLA, it appears at first glance that Snow White Castle sits on an island, when in reality, it is the threshold of Fantasyland, the happiest land of them all. During the day, a bridge connects the Hub to the castle's entryway, but just a few hours before the Magic of Dreams is underway, the bridge mysteriously splits in half and pulls back into the ground from which it protrudes. Guardrails rise where the bridge's entrance once stood, allowing front and center views of the Magic of Dreams. Secret passages and canals allow barges and other in-show effects to enter and exit with ease, while the castle's "island" serves as a stage for the actors to perform, much like Tom Sawyer's Island in California's Fantasmic!

==================

Stay tuned for Part 2! In the next part I will cover all three streets of Eliasburg, before going deep into the mega-park.

In the meantime, what are your thoughts on Part 1?

 

[DisneyManOne]

:O

Oh my goodness, this looks so incredibly epic! Can't wait for more!

 

[IAmNotAHufflepuff]

====================

Disneyland Australia, Part I

"Every great dream begins with a dreamer. Always remember, you have within you the strength, the patience, and the passion to reach for the stars to change the world." - Harriet Tubman



To me, Walt Disney is so much more than just Walt Disney. Walt is the very definition of inspiration.

Time after time, this man has inspired me to follow my dreams and shoot for the stars, no matter what the circumstances. To this day, thousands of people such as myself continue to be inspired by the legacy of Walt, particularly the legacy he left that is Disneyland.

Disneyland Australia is one of those dreams that Walt has inspired, and I am proud to share that dream with you today.

Tonight, I end one year of employment as a Disneyland cast member (Indiana Jones Adventure). While on Main Street, I often found myself looking up towards Mr. Disney's apartment. Each glance into the home of such a legend led me to keep dreaming, to keep trying, and to never give up. Even though I've parted ways with the company, I will never forget the memories I have made or the lessons I have learned while in their employ.

So, in a way, I guess you can say that this project is dedicated in the memory of my childhood hero:

Walt Disney - December 5th, 1901 to December 15th, 1966

"Disneyland will never be completed. It will continue to grow as long as there is imagination left in the world." - Walt Disney

====================



Disneyland Australia, 580 acres of pure Disney magic...

As the heart and soul of the Disneyland Australia Resort, "DLA" sets and maintains a standard that was started when Walt Disney opened the gates to the original Disneyland in 1955. This is not your average theme park. This is a realm of three-dimensional fantasy, where daring adventures and wishing upon stars are an everyday reality. This is truly a place where parents and their children can have fun together, just as Walt intended for Disneyland so long ago.

Naturally, any day at DLA begins once we're past the ornate, cast iron turnstiles and face-to-face with the beaming floral face of Mickey Mouse, masterfully crafted to resemble the logo of the 1950's-era Mickey Mouse Club.

Not so high above Mickey rests the rustic yellow, green and burgundy facade of Eliasburg Station, marked by an unattended handcar overflowing in luggage, surrounding palm trees, and an overhead sign reading "Disneyland Australia - The Magic Kingdom." A similar sign labeled "Eliasburg, Elv. 774" rests on the adjacent side. Unlike its American and French counterparts, Eliasburg Station is not composed of bricks, but is instead composed of lumber, made to resemble a small town American train station of the Cold War-era.

Every five minutes, a vintage steam train pulls in front of the station, emerging from the dense woods to the west. This is the first stop of the Disneyland Australia Railroad, a grand circle tour of the Magic Kingdom. Headed past the flowerbed and beneath the railroad tracks (thru tunnels marked by a familiar plaque), we pass by movie theater-style posters advertising the various attractions and adventures ahead, electronically interchanging to represent other attractions periodically. Once on the other side, we are transported back in time to a different dawn in a different era...

Each morning at park opening, a train pulls into the station, filled with countless Disney characters (as pictured above). From the moment the clock hits 8 o'clock AM, the varied characters step down from the station and run into the park, being the first meet-n-greets of the day.

====================

"Here you leave today and enter the world of yesterday, tomorrow and fantasy."

Before us is Eliasburg, small town America as it appeared in the 1950's and early 60's. The sights and sounds of retro-fun are everywhere, from vintage cars parked along the sidewalks to music standards of the era wafting on the crisp afternoon breeze. On either side of the tunnel we find a slightly-faded billboard welcoming us to the little town.

"Welcome to Eliasburg!
Home of Music & Magic
Est. 1905 Pop. 1,955"

On each billboard, a young couple can be seen sitting in a convertible with its top down, the girl in a poodle skirt and the boy in a letterman's jacket. The "star-crossed lovers" rest on one another's shoulders whilst overlooking the whole of Eliasburg from a wooded clifftop. Painted adjacent to the couple is a large grizzly bear, hungrily eyeing the human intruders from behind a tree.

While not Australian in inspiration, Eliasburg takes place in a town reminiscent of park creator MEW's own hometown, California's San Gabriel Valley, similar to how Disneyland's own Main Street, U.S.A. resembled Walt's boyhood home of Marceline, Missouri. Amid the neon signage and colorful rooftop billboards, we find a small town where leather jackets and "greased lightning" are apart of everyday life.

Town Square, marked by its central bandstand and recreational park, greets us with the musical stylings of the Doo-Wop Dans, a leather jacket-clad male quartet known to perform such hits as "Stand By Me" and "In the Still of the Night." Each and every night around sunset, the Doo-Wop Dans and the Disneyland Band put on concerts in the bandstand, allowing guests of all ages to partake in a musical picnic under the stars. The grassy knolls throughout the square are guardrail-free, allowing open seating and room to relax. Picnic tables and benches are also provided, in addition to a cement dance floor for lovebirds of all ages to boogie the night away. Mickey & Friends respectively host meet-n-greets within the bandstand when no performance is underway, all dressed in 50's attire, of course.

Just west of Town Square is City Hall, a Victorian-style structure home to the park's Guest Relations, First Aid and Baby Care Center. Next door rests the Pacific Electric Railway Depot, a museum dedicated to the Red Car Trolley, Eliasburg's primary mode of transportation (said trolley runs daily around Town Square, up the main drag of Eliasburg, towards the park's icon, and thru a certain land before making a turn down the western extension of Eliasburg and back into the depot.). Within the museum we find artifacts and relics of the real-life Red Car Trolley, including an actual Red Car model of the era. On the eastern side of Town Square rests the last of the now-defunct gas station chain: Oswald's.

Oswald's, named for and represented by Oswald the Lucky Rabbit is a gas station for "human refueling." Fresh fruit, giant pickles, pineapple spears, water bottles, Australia-unique snacks (such as vegemite), and many other refreshments are sold here, in addition to Oswald-shaped "Mickey ears." Oswald himself hosts meet-n-greets outside the gas station (dressed as a mechanic), while a pair of vintage cars rest near the pumps. The Omnibus, a fictitious advertisement-adorned bus of British-inspiration makes the first of its two stops at Oswald's.

Next door at the Eliasburg Police Station (H.Q. for in-park security), a madcap band of musically-inclined policemen perform whacky standards of the era via brass and bass instruments. The neighboring Firehouse plays home to a vintage fire engine. Second and third-story windows above display the fictitious establishments of various shopkeepers and neighborhood services, actually just cleverly-disguised references to the Imagineers responsible for the park, a subtle detail that carries throughout the whole of the "city."

As previously mentioned, Eliasburg has extensions; two to be exact. At the northern tip of Town Square, the 1950's city splits into a three-way fork in the road, with a main drag (Main Street), western extension (Blue Moon Boulevard), and an eastern extension (Anaheim Way). The Red Car naturally heads up Main Street and down Blue Moon Boulevard throughout the day and late at night, but only before and after the nightly entertainment has occurred, as Main Street itself becomes prime viewing for...

The Paint the Night Parade, a heavily-updated lift of the Hong Kong original serves as the primary parade of Disneyland Australia, albeit vastly different and updated from its sister productions in China and California, featuring such floats as...well, you'll just have to be patient and see. Shortly after Paint loops around Town Square and exits backstage near the Firehouse, the heart of the park is washed aglow with the Magic of Dreams nighttime spectacular, an unbelievable production that must be seen to be believed.

In the Magic of Dreams, we are introduced to Sarah, a young girl with an imagination comparable to that of Mickey Mouse in Fantasmic!. When Sarah is kidnapped from her bedroom by Captain Hook and his pirates, she must use the help of a familiar and friendly Genie (whom she finds within a magic lamp in Hook's treasure trove) to evade the pirates and find her way home, meeting some friendly and not-so-friendly faces along the way such as Queen Elsa of Arendelle to Oogie Boogie of Halloween Town. This nighttime spectacular utilizes live actors, puppets, animatronics, fireworks, mist screens, projection mapping, lasers, set pieces, and nearly anything else one can utilize in a nighttime spectacular to bring the magic of dreams to life, all performed directly in front of the park's crowning jewel...

Snow White Castle

Unsurprisingly, Snow White Castle is the largest Disney castle to date, standing just slightly larger than Shanghai Disneyland's Enchanted Storybook Castle. When designing the park, Imagineers only found it fitting to give such a massive Magic Kingdom such a massive castle. Named for the first of Disney's animated classics, Snow White Castle takes a more storybook approach to its appearance, similar to Sleeping Beauty Castle in Paris. Slanted walls, curved towers, and colorful paint make the magnificent structure appear to be straight from the cells of an animated classic, complete with shaped topiaries and hedges lining the perimeter of the medieval marvel. As one approaches the castle, Snow White can be heard singing about wishing, or princes, or whatever she sings about...

Directly in front of the castle rests Fantasy Lagoon, a large body of water inhabited not by fish or swans but by colorful fountains that dance in tandem with one another, day and night in time with the voice of Snow White. As Fantasy Lagoon rests right at the end of the Hub, the heart of DLA, it appears at first glance that Snow White Castle sits on an island, when in reality, it is the threshold of Fantasyland, the happiest land of them all. During the day, a bridge connects the Hub to the castle's entryway, but just a few hours before the Magic of Dreams is underway, the bridge mysteriously splits in half and pulls back into the ground from which it protrudes. Guardrails rise where the bridge's entrance once stood, allowing front and center views of the Magic of Dreams. Secret passages and canals allow barges and other in-show effects to enter and exit with ease, while the castle's "island" serves as a stage for the actors to perform, much like Tom Sawyer's Island in California's Fantasmic!

==================

Stay tuned for Part 2! In the next part I will cover all three streets of Eliasburg, before going deep into the mega-park.

In the meantime, what are your thoughts on Part 1?

I've only seen part of the entrance land, and I want to book my ticket already!
Awesome work!

 

[spacemt354]

Really well done! Great work!

 

[MANEATINGWREATH]

Thanks all! Part Two will be here within the next couple of days.

 

[MANEATINGWREATH]

Happy Easter! Look, I found an Easter egg! Part 2! As usual, enjoy, and let me know what you think.

====================

Disneyland Australia, Part II

Walt Disney once said of the original Main Street, U.S.A., "Main Street, U.S.A. is America at the turn-of-the-century - the crossroads of an era. The gas lamps and the electric lamp - the horse-drawn car and auto car. Main Street is everyone's hometown - the heart line of America." When dedicating Disneyland Australia, MEW said of Eliasburg, "Eliasburg is America at the dawn of a new era, a country on the move in a post-war world. Soda fountains and poodle skirts - the Pacific Electric Railway - B-Movies and drive-in theaters. From Main Street to Blue Moon Boulevard, Eliasburg is everyone's hometown - a tribute to the hopes and dreams of a new generation."



This "country on the move" is best represented by Main Street, marked by its overhead trolley cables (just tall enough to evade Paint the Night) and luscious scent of vanilla. Built in forced perspective, Main Street serves not only as the main road of Eliasburg, but also serves as the best view of the not-so-distant Snow White Castle. The Main Street Department Store, a Disney superstore of an era gone-by greets us from the western side of the street, closely resembling a Macy's of the 50's, inside and out. Window displays along the side of the overstocked emporium display animated dioramas of classic Disney films, while inside, animated displays showcase new inventions of the decade, such as the awe-inspiring... wait for it... Robot. Of course, the robot is poorly-made and primitive, shooting off sparks and often sharing ridiculous opinions of the time period.

Next door is Tom's Toyland, named for the hero of Babes in Toyland. Naturally being a massive toy shop, Tom's also sells "retro-toys" to fit in with the established time period, such as the original Mr. Potato Head. Life-size recreations of the Babes in Toyland stand guard near the shop's entrance (miniatures of said soldiers are sold here, a Disney first).

Across the street sits Disneyland Showcase, a rather fancy shop dealing items exclusive to Disneyland Australia, ranging from t-shirts to dishware. Next door in Alice in Wonderland, we find a cleverly-disguised jewelry store made to resemble the twisted world of the Lewis Carroll book and Disney film of the same name. Giant plaster mushrooms and rather creepy dolls of characters from the film provide bizarre decor among the glistening jewels. Prof. Atencio's Fine Arts Academy sits next door to "Alice," the home of Prof. X Atencio, a powdered wig-wearing Beethoven knockoff, as seen in his crooked portrait hung above the cash registers. Warped instruments and cracked windows and mirrors refer to ill-fated music lessons held in the past...in fact, the nutty professor can be heard upstairs with a dreadful piano student, furiously scolding him in some foreign language. Music, electronics, and films make up the shop's inventory, as do the ever-addicting pins and Vinylmations. Madame Librarian's, a book shop with books piled all the way from floor to ceiling provides Prof. Atencio with a fitting next door neighbor. As seen in black and white photographs on the empty librarian's desk, this so-called Madame Librarian is actually married to the nutty professor.

Back on the western side, we find not one, but THREE eateries! At the distinctly "retro" Luigi's Deli, we find a small grocery store of sorts, greatly resembling a 50's market, complete with giant signage for each display.

Although actual groceries are not for sale here, we do find a wide selection of desserts, fresh fruit, refreshments, fresh bread, a soup of the day, Italian sandwiches, and the vastly popular Luigi's Pastrami, a to die-for eight-inch pastrami dip. Luigi, the store's Italian owner has a not-so-friendly rivalry with his brother Roberto at Roberto's Italian Ristorante just a few feet away. Roberto's Italian is a romantic establishment with melt-in-your-mouth-good dishes from Italy, not to mention subtle details referring to Lady and the Tramp. From outside, one might just catch an all-Italian argument between Roberto and his brother over some ridiculous matter upstairs. That Old Black Magic Shop boasts the finest collection of pranks and magic tricks in town, its window displays filled with bizarre tricks and contraptions straight from the mind of Harry Houdini. A cleverly-placed backdoor leads to Blue Moon Blvd's Curiosity Shop.



Candy Land and Coke Corner round off the rest of the western side, respectively selling candy at the former and Coca-Cola (in addition to hot dogs and pretzels) at the latter. Candy Land is a candy shop themed to a 1955 original: Candy Land. References to the classic Milton Bradley board game are everywhere, right down to the wallpaper. Coke Corner, inspired by the original Main Street, U.S.A. is simply a refreshment stop with an old ragtime piano in its seating area. Every half hour or so, a skilled pianist arrives and plunks away at the keys, making Coke Corner the finest in old-fashioned fun.

Back on the eastern side, Lily's Coffee House provides a well-hidden Starbucks, themed to a small "hole-in-the-wall" cafe typical of small American towns. Iwerks Avenue cuts right down the middle of Main Street, connecting to Blue Moon Blvd and Anaheim Way and right past Lily's Cafe and Luigi's Deli (which is good, considering Luigi and Tony should be split up by a few feet of asphalt). Photo Supply overlooks the eastern corner of Iwerks Avenue and Main Street, being a photographic art studio where one can reclaim pictures taken by professional photographers throughout the day. Additionally, an actual photography studio is held here, allowing families to take family photographs, people without families to take solo photographs, and people without a face to go to the hospital because they probably need to get that looked at.

Three more venues round off the eastern side of Main Street, starting with two additional shops: Baby Mine, a Dumbo-themed baby supply store (no, not actual babies), and Frosty's Cabinet. While a bizarre name for a store at first glance, Frosty's Cabinet is a year-round Christmas store dealing all manner of Christmas and other winter holiday-related merchandise; ornaments, light-up figures, statuettes, you name it. Vintage Christmas decorations adorn the walls (even tacky plastic trees appear on higher shelves) and, during the holiday season, Santa Claus himself hosts department store-style meet-n-greets within the shop.

Last but not least we have a 1950's staple: a Soda Fountain.



Doubling as an ice cream parlor and all-American dining establishment, the Soda Fountain is perhaps one of the most popular establishments in Eliasburg, complete with a jukebox that operates free of charge. Rare and unusual soda flavors flow from the fountains, while unique ice cream flavors join the traditional favorites of chocolate, vanilla, and strawberry.

Hopping on the red car at the Hub, we ride through a certain land and head down the western extension of Eliasburg: Blue Moon Boulevard. Hopping off at the Pacific Electric Railway Depot, we head up the blvd from Town Square.



Unlike its Main Street counterpart, Blue Moon Blvd is distinctly focused on entertainment of the era, starting with the Eliasburg Cinema, an old-time movie theater with one screen playing several classic Disney shorts, including, but not limited to Goofy in "Motor Mania," Mickey in "Steamboat Willie," and Donald in "Donald Duck and the Gorilla." In between each short, classic Disney trailers for films made prior to 1965 are shown, some especially created just for DLA. The abandoned Eliasburg Hotel sits just across the street from the old movie theater...

Boarded-up, ramshackled and generally ancient when compared to the rest of Eliasburg, the Eliasburg Hotel stands as a testament to the turn-of-the-century, still boasting a slight amount of gingerbread-trim and colorful blue paint amid the general disrepair of the structure. As the story goes, the hotel is only kept around for the sake of the Eliasburg Historical Society, and the seldom tour. No one quite knows for sure what happened in that hotel, but what is known is that at night, strange noises emit from within...weird lights creep through the shadows...and mysterious figures peer out from the foggy windows... Every October, the hotel is reopened for visitation, but only for those brave enough to enter...

(This is a seasonal Halloween attraction that sits unused until October. Similar to Hong Kong's Main Street Haunted Hotel attraction, it is a walkthrough attraction. No blood or gore, just creepy atmospheric thrills and a few scareactors).

Churchill Dance Hall next door to the haunted hotel has sock hops day-and-night, complete with live music and beverages, seeming to be straight out of Back to the Future's prom scene, but not really since Back to the Future is clearly not a Disney film... Back on the right-hand side is the world renown Disney Gallery, a massive art museum of sorts dedicated to all manner of Disney artwork. Paintings, statuettes, prints, and other similar inventory are for sale here but at a hefty price. Also at the Disney Gallery is a Preview Center, where coming attractions are illustrated through art and video.

The Curiosity Shop is exactly what its title says it is, delving in the art of bizarre souvenirs and odd trinkets. The interior of the shop takes inspiration from a never-built fan favorite that truly needs no introduction...

A backdoor in the Curiosity Shop appropriately leads into That Old Black Magic Shop, a hidden gem that may or may not prove useful when evading the parade crowds on Main St.

Iwerks Avenue starts in neighboring Hollywoodland which lies to the west, a seamless transition between 1940's Hollywood and 1950's America. The red car travels through Hollywoodland (so, this is that "certain land" I kept referring to) and reenters Eliasburg by going down Iwerks Avenue and turning south onto Blue Moon Blvd. Blue Moon Blvd, being slightly smaller than Main Street, is finished off by a second entrance to Candy Land and Eliasburg's most popular restaurant: the Sci-fi Drive-In which provides an appropriate transition between the world of cinema and the world of the 50's.

Only open after sunset (and if weather permits), diners hop into old "automobiles" and watch clips and trailers of classic B-Movies...you know, truly awful films such as Robot Monster and Creature from the Haunted Sea. When Magic of Dreams is performed nightly, the screen goes temporarily dark to allow prime viewing of the not-so-distant fireworks.

===================

In Part 3, I will cover Anaheim Way, the Plaza, and more details about the nighttime entertainment and Snow White Castle. What do you think?

 

[IAmNotAHufflepuff]

Happy Easter! Look, I found an Easter egg! Part 2! As usual, enjoy, and let me know what you think.

====================

Disneyland Australia, Part II

Walt Disney once said of the original Main Street, U.S.A., "Main Street, U.S.A. is America at the turn-of-the-century - the crossroads of an era. The gas lamps and the electric lamp - the horse-drawn car and auto car. Main Street is everyone's hometown - the heart line of America." When dedicating Disneyland Australia, MEW said of Eliasburg, "Eliasburg is America at the dawn of a new era, a country on the move in a post-war world. Soda fountains and poodle skirts - the Pacific Electric Railway - B-Movies and drive-in theaters. From Main Street to Blue Moon Boulevard, Eliasburg is everyone's hometown - a tribute to the hopes and dreams of a new generation."



This "country on the move" is best represented by Main Street, marked by its overhead trolley cables (just tall enough to evade Paint the Night) and luscious scent of vanilla. Built in forced perspective, Main Street serves not only as the main road of Eliasburg, but also serves as the best view of the not-so-distant Snow White Castle. The Main Street Department Store, a Disney superstore of an era gone-by greets us from the western side of the street, closely resembling a Macy's of the 50's, inside and out. Window displays along the side of the overstocked emporium display animated dioramas of classic Disney films, while inside, animated displays showcase new inventions of the decade, such as the awe-inspiring... wait for it... Robot. Of course, the robot is poorly-made and primitive, shooting off sparks and often sharing ridiculous opinions of the time period.

Next door is Tom's Toyland, named for the hero of Babes in Toyland. Naturally being a massive toy shop, Tom's also sells "retro-toys" to fit in with the established time period, such as the original Mr. Potato Head. Life-size recreations of the Babes in Toyland stand guard near the shop's entrance (miniatures of said soldiers are sold here, a Disney first).

Across the street sits Disneyland Showcase, a rather fancy shop dealing items exclusive to Disneyland Australia, ranging from t-shirts to dishware. Next door in Alice in Wonderland, we find a cleverly-disguised jewelry store made to resemble the twisted world of the Lewis Carroll book and Disney film of the same name. Giant plaster mushrooms and rather creepy dolls of characters from the film provide bizarre decor among the glistening jewels. Prof. Atencio's Fine Arts Academy sits next door to "Alice," the home of Prof. X Atencio, a powdered wig-wearing Beethoven knockoff, as seen in his crooked portrait hung above the cash registers. Warped instruments and cracked windows and mirrors refer to ill-fated music lessons held in the past...in fact, the nutty professor can be heard upstairs with a dreadful piano student, furiously scolding him in some foreign language. Music, books, artwork, electronics, and films make up the shop's inventory, as do the ever-addicting pins and Vinylmations.

Back on the western side, we find not one, but THREE eateries! At the distinctly "retro" Luigi's Deli, we find a small grocery store of sorts, greatly resembling a 50's market, complete with giant signage for each display.

Although actual groceries are not for sale here, we do find a wide selection of desserts, fresh fruit, refreshments, fresh bread, a soup of the day, Italian sandwiches, and the vastly popular Luigi's Pastrami, a to die-for eight-inch pastrami dip. Luigi, the store's Italian owner has a not-so-friendly rivalry with his brother Tony at Tony's Italian just a few feet away. Tony's Italian is a romantic establishment with melt-in-your-mouth-good dishes from Italy, not to mention subtle details referring to Lady and the Tramp. From outside, one might just catch an all-Italian argument between Tony and his brother over some ridiculous matter upstairs. The Candy Palace and Coke Corner round off the rest of the western side, respectively selling candy at the former and Coca-Cola (in addition to hot dogs and pretzels) at the latter.

Back on the eastern side, Lily's Cafe provides a well-hidden Starbucks, themed to a small "hole-in-the-wall" cafe typical of small American towns. Iwerks Avenue cuts right down the middle of Main Street, connecting to Blue Moon Blvd and Anaheim Way and right past Lily's Cafe and Luigi's Deli (which is good, considering Luigi and Tony should be split up by a few feet). Three more venues round off the eastern side of Main Street, starting with two additional shops: Baby Mine, a Dumbo-themed baby supply store (no, not actual babies), and Frosty's Cabinet. While a bizarre name for a store at first glance, Frosty's Cabinet is a year-round Christmas store dealing all manner of Christmas and other winter holiday-related merchandise; ornaments, light-up figures, statuettes, you name it. Vintage Christmas decorations adorn the walls (even tacky plastic trees appear on higher shelves) and, during the holiday season, Santa Claus himself hosts department store-style meet-n-greets within the shop.

Last but not least we have a 1950's staple: a Soda Fountain.



Doubling as an ice cream parlor and all-American dining establishment, the Soda Fountain is perhaps one of the most popular establishments in Eliasburg, complete with a jukebox that operates free of charge. Rare and unusual soda flavors flow from the fountains, while unique ice cream flavors join the traditional favorites of chocolate, vanilla, and strawberry.

Hopping on the red car at the Hub, we ride through a certain land and head down the western extension of Eliasburg: Blue Moon Boulevard. Hopping off at the Pacific Electric Railway Depot, we head up the blvd from Town Square.



Unlike its Main Street counterpart, Blue Moon Blvd is distinctly focused on entertainment of the era, starting with the Eliasburg Picture House, an old-time movie theater with one screen playing several classic Disney shorts, including, but not limited to Goofy in "Motor Mania," Mickey in "Steamboat Willie," and Donald in "Donald Duck and the Gorilla." In between each short, classic Disney trailers for films made prior to 1965 are shown, some especially created just for DLA. The abandoned Eliasburg Hotel sits just across the street from the old movie theater...

Boarded-up, ramshackled and generally ancient when compared to the rest of Eliasburg, the Eliasburg Hotel stands as a testament to the turn-of-the-century, still boasting a slight amount of gingerbread-trim and colorful blue paint amid the general disrepair of the structure. As the story goes, the hotel is only kept around for the sake of the Eliasburg Historical Society, and the seldom tour. No one quite knows for sure what happened in that hotel, but what is known is that at night, strange noises emit from within...weird lights creep through the shadows...and mysterious figures peer out from the foggy windows... Every October, the hotel is reopened for visitation, but only for those brave enough to enter... (aka this is a seasonal Halloween attraction that sits unused until October).

Churchill Dance Hall next door to the haunted hotel has sock hops day-and-night, complete with live music and beverages, seeming to be straight out of Back to the Future's prom scene, but not really since Back to the Future is clearly not a Disney film... The Curiosity Shop next door to the Picture House is exactly what its title says it is, delving in the art of bizarre souvenirs and odd trinkets. Appropriately enough, a palm reader and psychic-medium is on duty at all times, providing weird predictions and humorous incantations. The interior of the shop takes inspiration from a never-built fan favorite that truly needs no introduction...

Iwerks Avenue starts in neighboring Hollywoodland which lies to the west, a seamless transition between 1940's Hollywood and 1950's America. The red car travels through Hollywoodland (so, this is that "certain land" I kept referring to) and reenters Eliasburg by going down Iwerks Avenue and turning south onto Blue Moon Blvd. Blue Moon Blvd, being slightly smaller than Main Street, is finished off by Eliasburg's most popular restaurant: the Sci-fi Drive-In which provides an appropriate transition between the world of cinema and the world of the 50's.

Only open after sunset (and if weather permits), diners hop into old "automobiles" and watch clips and trailers of classic B-Movies...you know, truly awful films such as Robot Monster and Creature from the Haunted Sea. When Magic of Dreams is performed nightly, the screen goes temporarily dark to allow prime viewing of the not-so-distant fireworks.

===================

In Part 3, I will cover Anaheim Way, the Plaza, and more details about the nighttime entertainment and Snow White Castle. What do you think?

Great as always, but I have a question involving the Elliasburg Hotel...

What ride system are you using here? Is it a walkthrough or a drop tower ride similar to other Tower Of Terrors?

If it is a drop tower or anything more permanent, why only keep it open seasonally?

Can you please clarify?

 

[MANEATINGWREATH]

Great as always, but I have a question involving the Elliasburg Hotel...

What ride system are you using here? Is it a walkthrough or a drop tower ride similar to other Tower Of Terrors?

If it is a drop tower or anything more permanent, why only keep it open seasonally?

Can you please clarify?

Dang, I knew I had forgotten to include something, thank you for pointing it out, haha.

It is a walkthrough. The idea is inspired by Hong Kong Disneyland's Halloween event which features several non-bloody mazes, such as the Main Street Haunted Hotel which is where the idea for the Eliasburg Hotel came from.

I've updated the description to include the clarification. Thanks for pointing it out!

 

[MANEATINGWREATH]

UPDATE: Parts 2 has been updated with additional shops. Check it out.

Part 3 will be posted sometime within the next couple of days.

 

[MANEATINGWREATH]

====================

Disneyland Australia, Part III

Anaheim Way, the eastern extension of Eliasburg is a stark contrast to the hustle and bustle of Blue Moon Blvd and Main St. Rather than finding ourselves stepping upon trolley track-engraved pavement, we find ourselves meandering up a cracked and rugged road, the backside of Main St to our left (stenciled advertisements and open windows disguising what would just be industrial show buildings), occupied clotheslines hanging overhead, and a huge baseball diamond and playground to our right, nestled alongside a rustic North American backwoods.

It seems as if the neighborhood kids have turned this abandoned plot of land into their own makeshift baseball stadium. Signage (made of old wood) with misspelled words welcomes us to Eliasburg Baseball Stadium where we can take part in hourly baseball games, and by take part, they really mean take part. We become a baseball team with several other strangers, complete with an official umpire and coach for both teams. Popcorn and peanuts are sold to those who decide to sit out and watch from the "rusty" bleachers. The nearby playground, also composed of makeshift objects (old automobile parts, dog chains, oil drums, etc.) opens its tire-made gates to little ones ages three to ten, allowing an open-air getaway from the general disappointment of waiting in line elsewhere.

Other than the playground and stadium, Anaheim Way is mostly focused on creating easy traffic flow for those trying to enter the park during the general bustle of the night time entertainment. Despite its relatively simple purpose, details are abundant here, ranging from animatronic birds on the open window sills to an authentic baseball organ on display at the stadium...albeit, the organ is broken-down, out-of-operation and salvaged by the neighborhood kids from an unseen junkyard. If one is so inclined to lay a finger on the organ, a few notes of "Grim, Grinning Ghosts" echo out, a subtle reference to the organ's former life at a certain mansion in 1940's Hollywood down the road...

At the end of Anaheim Way, we find ourselves in the center of the park: The Hub.

The Hub serves as the primary access point to several of the park's major lands, including: Fantasyland, Adventureland, Frontierland, Mos Eisley Spaceport, Discoveryland, and Hollywoodland. Just to give an idea of how large this park is...those are just six of the park's twelve massive lands (including Eliasburg).

Front and center, we find the ever-symbolic "Partners" statue, a lasting bronze tribute to Walt Disney and his partner-in-crime, Mickey Mouse. Surrounding said statue reside twelve miniature bronze figures of other classic characters, each representing a different land within the park (e.g. King Louie represents Adventureland). The waters of the aforementioned Fantasy Lagoon encircle the perimeter of the Hub, gently rolling into larger bodies of water within nearly every land. Much like Florida's Magic Kingdom's Hub, the Hub allows ample viewing of the Magic of Dreams spectacular, including accessible grassy knolls, and several viewing areas built along the forefront of the lagoon (a la World of Color/Rivers of Light). Taking a cue from Tokyo Disneyland, the Hub is built large enough to allow ample walking space in a massive park that can presumably become very crowded. Several hedges shaped to resemble Disney characters can be seen frozen in time within the larger, unaccessible planters, interchanged with themed figures for the Halloween and Christmas seasons. The Omnibus and Red Car both make stops just near the castle bridge.

A pair of twin stone turrets rest on either side of Fantasy Lagoon, cleverly-disguised projector towers that cast their colorful imagery upon Snow White Castle during the Magic of Dreams. Subtle splits in the road on either side of the lagoon lead the way to two additional areas of Fantasyland: Snow White Grotto & the Festival Arena

To the west of the castle sits the multicolored tents and spires of the Festival Arena. The Festival Arena hosts not one, but two shows, the first being the Festival of Fools. Based on the song and scene of the same name from the Hunchback of Notre Dame, the Festival sits proudly as the Hub's premiere live entertainment, featuring daily performances by Clopin, Esmeralda, Quasimodo, and even the villainous Claude Frollo with magic tricks, live singing, live dancing, and an underlying battle between good and evil. The other show, held in between each performance of the Festival is a direct lift of a Disneyland original.



That's right. Mr. Smythe and Mr. Jones also take up residence in the Renaissance-inspired arena, performing the appropriately-named Tales from Fantasyland. The "olde" minstrels retell several classic Disney stories in 25-minute shows with the help of two lovely assistants, and actual characters from the stories they tell. Each story is presented through makeshift props, minimal set pieces, and of course, humorous slapstick, song, and dance. Unlike Disneyland in California, more than three stories are retold here throughout the day: Tangled, Frozen, Beauty & the Beast, The Little Mermaid, and for boys, Hercules.



When night falls upon the arena, the fantasy characters turn in for the night, quietly replaced by the Royal Swing Band every Saturday and Sunday around sunset. The Royal Swing Band is exactly what its name implies: a swing band. It is here where couples of any age or size can swing dance the night away under the stars, naturally held before and after the fireworks.

On the eastern side of the castle, Snow White's Grotto represents the animated film just as much as its castle counterpart. A "singing" wishing well embroidered in flowers overlooks a luscious waterfall decorated with marble figures of characters from the film.

Just around the "grotto-bend," the Plaza Veranda restaurant provides table service meals and fantastic views of Fantasy Lagoon, especially at night when the skies are aglow in multicolored fireworks.

====================

Live entertainment will be italicized and marked with a "**."


Eliasburg Attractions & Entertainment

1. Churchill Dance Hall **
2. Disneyland Australia Railroad
3. Disneyland Band **
4. Doo-Wop Dans **
5. Eliasburg Hotel (Seasonal)
6. Eliasburg Cinema
7. Eliasburg Baseball Stadium
8. Magic of Dreams **
9. Omnibus
10. Paint the Night Parade **
11. Red Car Trolley

Eliasburg Shopping & Dining

1. Alice in Wonderland
2. Baby Mine
3. Candy Land
4. Coke Corner
5. Curiosity Shop
6. Disney Gallery
7. Disneyland Showcase
8. Frosty's Cabinet
9. Lily's Coffee House
10. Luigi's Deli
11. Madame Librarian's
12. Main Street Department Store
13. That Old Black Magic Shop
14. Oswald's
15. Photo Supply
16. Plaza Veranda
17. Prof. Atencio's Fine Arts Academy
18. Roberto's Italian Ristorante
19. Sci-Fi Drive-In
20. Soda Fountain
21. Tom's Toyland

Eliasburg Seasonal Attractions & Entertainment

1. Jack Skellington's Parade of Screams **
2. Nightmare in the Skies **
3. Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Parade **
4. Holiday Wishes **

====================

Thoughts? Up next, we'll dive into Adventureland, a land that is both dear and near to my heart...in the meantime, I'd love to hear some feedback! Good or bad, it's all welcome.

 

[MANEATINGWREATH]

I'd love to hear some feedback! Thank you for being such loyal readers. I know I have the tendency to do mega-posts, but to be fair, this is a mega-park. Thanks for reading and sticking through with me!

Quick note to keep in mind when imagining my park: the usual Magic Kingdom format is swapped, a la Shanghai Disneyland. This means that Adventureland and Frontierland are on the eastern side of the park, while the Tomorrowland stand-in is on the western side. Fantasyland, of course, is the only thing that stays in place. Adventureland is located to the southeast of the park, and Adventureland just so happens to be our topic of discussion in today's edition.

Enjoy Part 4.

===================

Disneyland Australia, Part IV

"Here is adventure. Here is romance. Here is mystery. Tropical rivers - silently flowing into the unknown. The unbelievable splendor of exotic flowers...the eerie sound of the jungle...with eyes that are always watching. This is Adventureland." - Walt Disney



The world of dreams can take on many forms. Some project us into mysterious and exotic locales far away from the every day. These are the dreams that become real in Adventureland.

As we enter Adventureland, we cross a rickety-old footbridge lined with decor reminiscent of pulp adventure films of the 30's and 40's; Polynesian masks and tikis, African shields and spears, primitive arrowheads, and...human skulls impaled on spikes... The giant thatched-sign welcoming us to the land glows eerily at night as bamboo torches illuminate the surrounding darkness. Not-so-distant wild animals call out in the nearby jungle as a murky, green river drifts below and into the nearby sewers of Anaheim Way. An old fisherman sits peacefully upon the river in his well-worn fishing boat, just "dead tired." His sun-bleached bones eternally clutch a fishing rod still cast out into the water. Nearby, a partially-collapsed dock boasts the muddy footprints of some jungle cat...

Stepping into Adventureland is like stepping into the reels of Raiders of the Lost Ark or The Jungle Book. Big band music of the 20's and 30's can be heard crackling through the air via old phonographs and radios, setting the stage for some remote safari outpost in the middle of an unknown rainforest. The year is 1933... The luscious and untamed landscape of the surrounding jungle hints at exploration and adventure... Rugged, weather-worn architecture of no specific origin protrude among the treetops, their occupants being the few brave merchants and settlers who dared to explore such an untamed region... Seldom ancient ruins decay among the plantlife, nearby excavation tools scattered nearby. This is truly a romanticized vision of an exotic world that never was, seemingly forgotten by time and pop culture. This sub-area of Adventureland is known as the Forgotten Kingdom.

Crystal-clear waterfalls and refreshing streams flow past walkways and into mangrove-draped swamps and pools. A hazy mist rains down from the towering trees above... Exotic birds and insects call off on the horizon... A beat-up power generator plumb in the middle of town gives "flickering-life" to the dusty lanterns strung from tree-to-tree, hinting at an ongoing excavation. In the distance, a water buffalo snorts and a black panther snarls...

"Toto, I've a feeling we're not in Kansas anymore..."



Primitive artifacts line the path leading to Curse of the Stone Tiger. The F.K.E.T. (Forgotten Kingdom Expedition Team) has set up base just near the entrance to town, having found several rare and unusual artifacts of a civilization lost in the sands of time. Today is their first official "open house," and we've been invited to pay witness to their latest discovery, the fabled Stone Tiger. As fate would have it, the viewing turns hectic when the ancient deity comes to life and thrusts the base into chaos... (Curse of the Stone Tiger is an updated and jungle-themed version of the ill-fated ExtraTERRORestrial Alien Encounter.)

Just adjacent to F.K.E.T.'s base is an old boat landing, now torn apart by years of rain, rotting and entangled in vines. A ceremonial mask with an ominous grim hangs above the landing's entrance, suggesting a feeling of uncertainty. The dim hum of a ramshackled motorboat comes up from behind the landing, as the treetops of the dense jungle claw at the heavens above. Here we find the Jungle River Cruise, a venerable Disney classic.

Leaving behind this last outpost of civilization, we journey down the mysterious jungle rivers of the world, where we find the trappings of a primitive world and vanished cultures: spears, shields, masks, common in tribal life along the equator. The skipper of our boat is a seasoned traveler who knows all the legend and lore of Adventureland. Our skipper points out that life is never boring in the jungle, as elephants frolic in their sacred bathing pool, and a fierce orangutan gives a hungry crocodile a well-deserved knuckle sandwich...

A broken-down truck (similar to the truck that a certain Dr. Jones dangled off of in "Raiders of the Lost Ark") points the way down a beaten path toward an ancient temple towering above the dense jungle foliage. Large statues of elephants and panthers peer out from the bushes, while huge stone faces blankly stare into our very souls. The cobweb-entangled F.K.E.T. Shipping Center is the first stop for the Disneyland Australia Railroad after Eliasburg, the poor little building almost completely reclaimed by the jungle. A fork in the road toys with our fate...to the left we find the aptly-named indoor-outdoor Wilderness Theater, home to Legends of the Jungle.



Legends of the Jungle is not your typical Festival of the Lion King or Journey into the Jungle Book. This is a celebration of all Disney's jungle-themed films, including The Lion King, The Jungle Book, and Tarzan. In this spellbinding show, actors and puppets alike recreate some of the greatest moments from the films in which they originate, with such hits as "You'll Be in My Heart," "Circle of Life," "Hakuna Matata," "I Wanna Be Like You," "The Bare Necessities," and more.

Just near the exit of the Wilderness Theater sits a DLA exclusive: Carl's House & Paradise Falls Explorations.



A miniature recreation of Paradise Falls from Up stands several feet above the treetops, perfectly finished with the homestead of Carl and Ellie, still attached to a bundle of balloons suspended in time. A short upward climb through the cavernous, waterfall-laced interior of Paradise Falls leads us right to the front door of the world's favorite couple. Inside, we find many artifacts and references to the film, such as Ellie's wall-artwork, the couple's change jar (and its shattered counterparts), and an appropriate meet-n-greet with Carl, Dug, and Russell at the conclusion of the tour. "Married Life" plays throughout the entire tour, respectively.

On the right-side of the fork, artifacts lead the way to the base camp of world renowned archaeologist, Dr. Indiana Jones. It appears as if "Indy" has made his latest archaeological discovery, the fabled Temple of the Four Winds.

Legend has it that the temple was erected as a lasting prison to contain the lethal power of the "Four Brothers," more commonly known as the Four Winds: North, South, East, and West. Long ago, the Four Winds engaged in an argument over who was the strongest. North, master of the ice and snow, froze the jungle over in a devastating blizzard. South, not wanting to be upstaged by his younger brother North, set the frosty jungle ablaze in an eternal wildfire. West, not wanting to be upstaged by his older brothers, doused the inferno with a torrential downpour, submerging the jungle in a devastating flood. East, being the youngest of the brothers began to cry. He simply wished for the attention of his three older brothers. In doing so, his tears of sand (that must hurt) created a devastating sandstorm that absorbed the floodwaters and created a terrible drought.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IgncJgSbbck

The natives of the Forgotten Kingdom knew that these unstable spirits needed to be stopped, so, in an act of fear, they constructed a large temple to imprison and hold the Winds. Now, centuries have passed and Indiana Jones has discovered the long-forgotten temple, disproving the common theory that the temple was just a myth...

It wasn't until Indy invited his good friend Sallah to the temple that the F.K.E.T. was formed and Sallah decided to capitalize upon the popular mythology of the temple to fund the excavation. Much to Indy's dismay, Sallah opened the temple to tours from random visitors, such as you and I, with promises of potentially catching a glimpse of the Four Winds themselves.

Boarding a pre-WW2 troop transport, we journey deep into the subterranean world of the Forgotten Kingdom, unintentionally releasing the Four Winds from their earthly prison. What ensues next is a wild ride that would make even Mr. Toad do a double take. This thrilling E-Ticket is appropriately titled: Indiana Jones Adventure - Temple of the Four Winds. No trip to the Temple is complete without a visit to Sallah's Souvenir Stand, an Indiana Jones-themed superstore, cozily nestled beneath a rugged canvas-tent.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MbUv_Tnnl2g

Back in town, we find an odd assortment of shops and eateries, numerous locals offering many a weary traveler a place to stay and a hearty meal. The Adventurer's Club is the premiere in Adventureland dining, a massive, two-story restaurant overlooking the waters of the Jungle River Cruise (only the return-to-base segment). Inside is a dining establishment of epic proportions; artifacts from around the world adorn the walls, tables, and ceilings; live entertainment is featured day and night; some display artifacts come to life, interacting with diners. Colonel Critchlow Suchbench, club glee meister sits on duty as the resident doorman and "bouncer," while the Yakoose, an animated mounted head (of an unknown species) often bickers with diners or Babylonia, the talking stone face mounted next to him. Those are just a few of the in-house residents and artifacts. The ghost of Harrison Hightower and Shiriki Utundu from Tokyo's Tower of Terror make appearances as the resident evil spirits of the club, having been exorcised from Hotel Hightower long ago.

Trader Sam's, named for the head salesman pictured above is an immersive bar owned and operated by the world famous headhunter, appropriately attached to the Adventurer's Club, serving as a less expensive alternative for those on a budget. When certain drinks are ordered (meaning yes, alcohol is served in DLA) many of the decorations inside the enchanted bar come to life, including a giant squid residing in an unseen alcove high above the bar.

Crocodile Mercantile, South Seas Traders, and Safari Trading Co. compose a trio of neighboring shops near the land's entrance, just adjacent to the Jungle River Cruise. Crocodile Mercantile, with its crocodile-shaped sign, fishing net-decorated interior, and general Cajun-theme sells the likeliness of inventory related to Disney's animal-themed characters, from Simba to Nala. South Seas Traders, a Hawaiian outpost of sorts sells a collection of Hawaiian-inspired clothing and jewelry, the shop itself themed to a beachside shack of post-World War II Polynesia. Shrunken Ned, self-proclaimed witch doctor hangs around (he is a shrunken head after all) South Seas Traders, offering bits of advice at the drop of a coin. Safari Trading Co., an African-inspired shop with the distinct theme of "adventure," sells the likes of pith helmets, pop-guns, stuffed animals, rubber snakes and spiders, "shrunken heads," and so on so forth.

Bamboo Bites and Tropical Imports finish off the remote outpost. Bamboo Bites serves skewers and other snacks, whilst Tropical Imports serves fresh snacks and the ever-elusive Dole Whip and Dole Whip Floats. Soko la Kimataifa, which is Swahili for "International Market," sits near the edge of town, providing an open-air marketplace for items unique to Africa, not to mention street foods of the modern-day, ranging from sausages to kebabs. A small passageway near the end of Soko la Kimataifa leads to the next region of Adventureland...

The Forgotten Kingdom isn't the only sub-area of Adventureland... Remember, this park is 580 acres. Two more sub-areas lie just on the other side of the Forgotten Kingdom's shops and eateries: Arabian Marketplace and Uncharted Lagoon...

To be continued...

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Stay tuned for Part 5! Thoughts?

 

[MANEATINGWREATH]

Bonus! Part 4 and 5 in one day? It's a April Fool's Day miracle! Part 6 to follow this week.

====================

Disneyland Australia, Part V

Adventureland, being large in size to begin with has plenty of room for street-based entertainment, especially in the middle of the Forgotten Kingdom sub-area. The Indiana Jones Stunt Show takes place twice every hour in the streets of the Forgotten Kingdom. Indy, wielding a map leading to the Temple of the Four Winds meanders around town searching for clues. Little does he realize that a certain "desert bandit" is hot on his trail, wishing to steal the map. After the two finally meet right outside the F.K.E.T. base, they engage in an epic stunt battle, complete with sound effects and musical cues straight from the Indiana Jones saga. The battle quickly takes from the streets to the upper-balconies of the shops and eateries, eventually ending with the bandit falling to his doom in the presumed abyss below and Indy headed off towards his namesake attraction...but the battle is never really over...

The Adventureland Swingers also perform every hour on the steps of the Angry Rhino Tavern, bellowing away at the chords of 20's and 30's jazz standards. Being from the jungle, these jazz musicians wear Dixieland-style clothing covered in vines and moss, one going so far as to have a giant spider plastered onto his back, another joined by a shoulder-perched parrot. Occasionally, King Louie, Baloo, Turk, and Louie's Monkeys will join the band, dancing around and encouraging guests to join in.

Identical statues of Anubis guard either side of a passage between the Angry Rhino Tavern and Safari Outpost. Overhead, a cracked archway of Moroccan-inspiration beckons for us to move forward to explore the splendors beyond. We cross beneath. Once on the other side, we find ourselves in a whole new world of adventure and mystery, the Arabian Marketplace.

"Oh, I come from a land, from a faraway place
Where the caravan camels roam..."

In this recreation of the world from 1,001 Arabian Nights, we find ourselves lost in a close-knit maze of winding streets, open-air merchant stalls, and a spacious plaza surrounding an elaborate fountain. Minstrels (the Agrabah Minstrels) of the era parade the streets playing exotic melodies, while cracked fountains in the shape of lions and tigers protrude from the aged-walls and keystones. A pair of hand-carved stone camels "relaxing" near a turret often spit water, providing a bit of a refresh from the often-hot Australian sun.

In addition to several interior shops, a series of sheltered-boutiques provide a true sense of authenticity. Cross-legged merchants and crafty salesmen sell their authentic wares from atop hand-woven rugs spread out along the walls and corridors. Oriental rugs and shawls hang from the adobe walls, while paintings of characters and creatures alike from 1,001 Arabian Nights adorn the walls and interior ceilings alike. This outdoor shopping experience goes by the appropriate name of Scheherazade's Market, named for the narrator of 1,001 Arabian Nights.

The Adventureland Bazaar, a Disneyland staple makes its home just near the entrance to the Marketplace, a natural fit in the Arabian setting. In this sheltered center of trade and fellowship, colorful tarps and tapestries provide shade as we examine the various Disney-themed "wares of mystery and intrigue." At the heart of the bazaar, Aladdin's Other Lamp is prominently on display, allowing visitors to receive a fortune or wish beyond their wildest dreams. Ali Baba's Den provides a more authentic surplus of items from the Middle East, including hand-woven tapestries, rugs, ceramics, sconces, lanterns, candles, and other mediums of art. Handmade mosaics illustrating the story of Ali Baba & the 40 Thieves appear along the walls and ceiling of the shop, with words written in both English and Arabic.

Aladdin, Jasmine, Abu, Genie, and even Jafar make their homes in the streets of the Marketplace, often wandering about or staying put near the plaza's beautiful fountain. Aladdin receives more representation in the form of the 1,001 Nights Theater, home to Genie - Tonight! Inspired by the popular Turtle Talk with Crush attraction, Genie - Tonight! features an "in-person" appearance by the one and only Genie from Aladdin. Aladdin's lamp, prominently displayed at the theater, "sucks us inside," dropping us smack into the middle of Genie's lavish living room. Always the entertainer, Genie (controlled and voiced by a backstage CM) interacts with the audience in realtime with occasional cameos by Abu and or Iago.

Although seldom carts and stalls lining the Marketplace sell authentic snacks of Middle Eastern and Indian origin, The Oasis is the only true restaurant in the sub-area, an authentic table service restaurant with an idea similar to the Morocco Pavilion's "Restaurant Marrakesh." Authentic dishes from the Middle East are served here, ranging from hummus to shish kabob. Dishes from Egypt and India are also served here. Actual belly dancers perform here, often inviting guests to step up and learn how to belly dance themselves.



Pharaoh's Keep is perhaps the most mysterious of Adventureland's gift shops... To start, we don't enter through a normal, human-sized entryway. Instead, we enter through a hieroglyphic-encircled passage leading into seemingly pitch-blackness. Inside is a dimly-lit, cavernous chamber adorned with ancient hieroglyphics and Egyptian ruins. Sold here are items reminiscent of the excavation in Raiders of the Lost Ark - papyrus illustrations, miniature figures and statues, colorful gems and rocks, authentic headdresses and clothing, etc. But the real attraction here is King Ed, King Tut's not-so-kingly brother. In exchange for some pocket change, King Ed will magically reanimate (he is a googly-eyed mummy after all) and predict our future. Of course, his predictions have been known to be incredibly wrong. Occasionally, one unlucky visitor will insert change and get the "Pharaoh's Curse" in exchange - the curse in which sounds an awful lot like flatulence when issued.

Having entered the market's northernmost plaza, we find ourselves facing out towards a tropical body of water surrounded by pristine beaches and swaying palm trees. A small medieval trade ship of Arabic-design rests in the harbor, joined by a much smaller fishing boat washed ashore. On the adjacent side of the lagoon, countless shipwrecks and a mountain in the shape of a skull pierce into our very souls, perfectly complimented by a familiar Spanish galleon (aka pirate ship) docked near the shoreline...of course, we are looking towards the Uncharted Lagoon, the third and final sub-area of Adventureland. Paradise Falls, along with the jungles and ruins of the Forgotten Kingdom appear just south of the Marketplace (to our right), while the wild-n-wooly (never let me say that again) American frontier lies just north (to our left) of the lagoon and Marketplace, guarded from Adventureland's view by some sandy rockwork. We aren't quite done with the Arabian Marketplace just yet... We still haven't explored the wonders within the old fortress just on the outskirts of the market.

The old fortress looks out towards the lagoon, seeming to have once served the purpose of protection from invading nations or pirates. The hum of an ethereal flute beckons us to enter where inside we find the wonders of Sindbad's Storybook Voyage, a calm boat ride through the exciting world of Sindbad the Sailor and his tiger cub Chandu. In this musical adventure (inspired by the DisneySea attraction of the same name), we follow the "compass of our heart" through the farthest reaches of Africa and Asia, exploring dangerous islands and bustling ports, evading baddies and befriending monsters along the way. With the storybook charm of It's a Small World and the swashbuckling adventure of Pirates of the Caribbean, Sindbad's Storybook Voyage is a voyage that one simply cannot miss. Unlike its DisneySea counterpart, DLA's Sindbad is a happy-medium between scary and fun with subtle moments of intensity (attacking ape-men, anyone?) and moments of pure wonder (a singing genie playing a fiddle).

Remember when I said the battle wasn't over between Indy and the desert bandit? Well, I wasn't kidding. Shortly after the bandit falls to his "doom in the presumed abyss below" and Indy heads off to find the temple, the actors are quickly and quietly shifting locations to the Arabian Marketplace, a la the famous fight scene from Raiders of the Lost Ark.

In this edition of the fight scene, Indy, having just returned from his exploration of the aforementioned temple decides to take a break in the Arabian Marketplace, seeking rest and recreation. Unbeknownst to him, the desert bandit survived their prior encounter and has coincidentally returned home at the same exact time. Recognizing one another in the plaza, the two re-engage in a fist fight, taking to the upper and lower-levels of the Marketplace. This time the battle ends with Indy uncovering an ancient sarcophagi. Indy claims that opening the sarcophagi will lead to an eternity of wealth and youth. The bandit is easily fooled and opens the sarcophagi, only to be transformed into a skeleton in a single puff of smoke before crumbling into pieces and out of sight. Indy, now beyond tired, bids us farewell and disappears into The Oasis's second-story window.

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In the next part we'll cover the Uncharted Lagoon which may or may not be themed to a certain band of familiar pirates.

 

[Twilight_Roxas]

This looks great. I wonder what plans you got for Star Wars & Marvel. Because i could loan you my Marvel area for your park.

 

[DisneyManOne]

If I may be frank, which version of the Sindbad ride do you prefer? The original Sindbad's Seven Voyages or the current Sindbad's Storybook Voyage?

 

[MANEATINGWREATH]

@Twilight_Roxas, thanks for the feedback! I won't give away too much, but both Star Wars and Marvel have places in my park, Star Wars for instance has Mos Eisley Spaceport as its own dedicated land. Thank you for your offer! I've got it handled for the time being.

@DisneyManOne, I prefer either or, which is why I'm going to find a happy medium between the two when combining the attraction. For example, the monkey scene will be like the original (as in they're attacking Sindbad) but the giant genie will be friendly if that makes any sense. Both versions of the attraction have their pros and cons, so I want to mesh the two and make one with more pros than cons.

 

[Twilight_Roxas]

Okay as for Haunted Mansion I know a good actress incase of a Ghost Hostess to make it even.