Disneyland Maine: My Dream Resort

[DisneyManOne]

Couldn’t help but be reminded of The Firebird Suite from Fantastia 2000.

In hindsight, it does feel like a Native American take on that segment.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Here in Fantasyland, some of Disney's classic stories are brought to life. As such, we'll be taking an in-depth journey through some of the adventures just waiting to be had here. And where better to begin than with a ride on Snow White's Scary Adventures?

While much of Storybook Village appears to be designed with the intention of resembling a storybook village somewhere in old Bavaria, the facade of Snow White is built with the clear intention of mixing a sense of enchantment with an aura of foreboding, the strongest way possible to convey a universal message of the building's contents being "scary." Like the versions found in California and Paris, Snow White's Scary Adventures is held within the stone walls of a Gothic-Bavarian manor surrounded by luscious vegetation in a state of decay... An ominous window graces the front of a lone, half-timbered tower, its mysterious contents concealed by a blood-red curtain... Ornamental ravens perched atop stone skulls appear to "hold" the tower in place... Stone skeletons line the front of the old manor home, each holding a different sconce with their skull bearing a different facial expression of agony or fear...



Entering through a small opening in the base of the tower, we find ourselves not in the darkness of the Queen's dungeons, but our eyes are gifted with the majestic sight of Snow White's own Enchanted Forest represented through a magnificent three-dimensional diorama composed mostly of flats, murals, and forced perspective scenery, a near-direct lift of the Magic Kingdom's 1971-1994 attraction load area (designed by the great Claude Coats). An unseen Snow White can be heard perpetually singing "I'm Wishing" (in the same recording from The Mickey Mouse Revue, heard in the video above) from within the well in a slightly distorted, echoed rendition, creating a false sense of security while establishing that the adventures ahead may be unsettling. To our left, we see the courtyard of the Evil Queen's castle, complete with Snow White's flower-entangled wishing well, as well as the dispatch point for our journey. In the center, a forested hillside provides our first glimpse of the relatively distant Dwarfs' cottage bathed in a pool of blue light breaking through the overhead trees. Finally, to our right, is the cavern entrance to the Dwarfs' diamond mine.

Before we know it, we have hopped aboard a two-row, four-seater wooden mine car named for one of the seven Dwarfs, each embroidered not just with a name, but also with intricate little carvings of cute woodland creatures and flowers, a stark contrast to the adventures ahead. After a quick safety spiel from a rather regal female voice (is that you, Evil Queen?), our mine car quickly pulls away from the load area, heading immediately for the castle's courtyard, circling around the wishing well and heading towards the Dwarfs' cottage. But sadly, our car quickly pulls away from the cottage, instead turning towards the intimidating gates of the Queen's castle. From an overhead window, the Evil Queen parts the curtains, making direct red-eyed eye contact with us before drawing the curtains shut. The doors beneath slowly open, beckoning us into the darkness...uh-oh.



Suspenseful music fills the air as we enter the dark confines of the castle. We veer straight on, towards the face of the Magic Mirror. "Alas, Snow White is the fairest of them all." Our car veers right once more as the unseen Queen shouts "No!" Just ahead is the Queen's throne room where we find the Queen facing a second mirror with her back turned to us and her arms outstretched. Nearby, her faithful raven sits perched atop her lavish throne, seeming to be stuck in a state of perpetual shock. Just as our car reaches the Queen, she pivots around with a strike of lightning that illuminates the entire room, revealing the bulgy eyes and boney fingers of the aforementioned Wicked Witch. "I am the fairest of them all!" To the sound of the Witch's hideous cackle, our car hastily turns sharply away from her, but unfortunately goes straight into the innermost dungeons and catacombs of the forsaken fortress via the second of the dark ride's many "crash doors."

Suspenseful music, taken from the film, and the distant sound of howling wind and howling wolves welcome us to the narrow corridors of her Dungeon, ghostly voices telling us to turn back. Countless skeletons pop up in the dungeons, some hanging from chains on the walls, others simply fallen to the floor. Perhaps the most iconic of these skeletons (from a memorable moment in the film) is a skeleton trapped beneath iron bars, reaching for a nearby pail of water, having died doing so. We turn towards a archway leading to the relative safety of the outside world set in a blue night sky with glistening stars. Our escape is foiled - the Witch has summoned a large portcullis to come crashing down, blocking our path. Suddenly, on the door, we see the silhouette of the Queen drink from a goblet, and we see her figure slowly morph into the Witch. Black lights create an unnatural, unreal sensation of disenchantment as we enter the laboratory of the Evil Queen...

The old hag stands behind a cauldron filled with a bubbling, green liquid. Bubbling test tubes and pots, scattered spellbooks, and a multitude of lit candles surround the Witch as she dips an apple into the cauldron, reading from the opened pages of her spellbook. She pulls the apple out to reveal that the fruit has turned into a green skull, an image taken straight from the film. The Queen's raven joins her once more, menacingly cawing from atop a bookshelf filled with lab equipment straight ahead. As she pulls out the apple, the Witch turns to face us. "Apple, dearie?" Approaching the bookshelf, it begins to shift forward as if about to fall! But luckily for us, our car immediately turns right and breaks out of the castle, the sound of shattering glass and crumbling wood not-so-far behind us.



A grey nightsky festers and swirls above us like a hurricane as we exit the castle, racing past several turrets and across a rickety footbridge running above a trickling stream. However, as we head towards the forest, we run across a large river, where we come across a couple of logs resembling some hungry alligators that open their jaws and give actual alligator groans. A third "alligator" launches out from behind a nearby tree, ready for munching on an early luncheon. The trees of the forest grow progressively "deader" and "deader," turning our attention towards the Huntsman. "Please! Run! The Queen is after you! Go! Go!" Thunder and lightning crash, illuminating the first in-ride appearance of Snow White, just as equally terrified as we are. This first appearance from Snow kicks off our trip through a haunted forest filled with fluttering bats, blinking eyes (taken from the Haunted Mansion's wallpaper), and dead oak trees...dead oak trees with "claws" and "faces" that slowly move their claw-like branches towards us. The suspenseful music fades out in favor of eerie sound effects; moaning ghosts, screeching bats, howling wolves. Passing one final tree, we find ourselves surrounded by eyes, but as the dark forest gives way to the setting sun, the eyes reveal themselves to belong to the friendly woodland creatures. At last, something happy and friendly! They point us towards our first "happy" destination since the loading area: the Seven Dwarfs' Mine.



Immediately, we find ourselves re-immersed into a scene of happiness and fairy tale whimsy, meeting the Dwarfs once again amid the horrors of the outside world. The Dwarfs sing a rousing rendition of "We Dig-Dig-Dig" as they tirelessly work at the walls of their glistening diamond mine. Dopey, with eyes multiplied by a pair of giant diamonds covering either socket, sits within a jewel-filled cart pulled by a deer; Sneezy and a raccoon attempt to hold up a pile of buckets filled with jewels, Sneezy himself just about ready to sneeze and drop everything; Sleepy sleeps atop a jewel-filled mine car with a skunk on top of him, its tail brushing his nose; adjacent to Sleepy, Happy and Bashful pick away at the walls, while nearby Doc surveys a collection of rather pricey-looking diamonds; finally, we see Grumpy who stands near an open shaft, clutching an unlit keg of blasting powder which might be a little too heavy for him to carry as a couple of squirrels attempt to give him leg support. Another mine shaft door moves aside for us, allowing us access into the forest at sunset. We find ourselves about to go under a log spanning a canyon, a miniature waterfall near our path. As we pass under, we see the Seven Dwarfs actually march atop the log, singing "Heigh-Ho".

Passing underneath the log, we come across another warm, inviting place: the Dwarfs' cottage. Naturally, our car bursts inside a set of crash doors to enter.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GB_74i-aHRk

Cutesy woodland creatures peer into the hand-carved and self-decorated cottage of the Dwarfs. From in the other room, we hear the sound of "The Silly Song," and entering the other room we find that the Dwarfs and Snow White are having a little dance party amid their scary adventures. Snow White dances on the floor with a very "tall" Dopey wearing a trenchcoat, whilst Grumpy plunks away at the keys of a miniature organ and the other Dwarfs generally jam out on little instruments. From atop the adjacent staircase, even more woodland critters watch the party, gleefully clapping along and or just smiling.

Unfortunately, this moment of happiness doesn't last as we quietly leave the party and head back into the woods, only to be greeted by the Wicked Witch and her all-seeing raven standing just outside the cottage window, cackling wildly as we meet her. We loop around a tree, face a mural of the now-distant Queen's castle, then turn right back towards the cottage. The Dwarfs line both sides of the track, each one warning us not to proceed, others shouting for Snow White to run. Making a left turn explains the shouting: the Wicked Witch stands near the opened front-door, Snow White inside the door, about to take a bite from the apple. "That's right, dearie, just one bite, and all of your dreams will come true." Looping around the cottage, thunder and lightning strike. "Now I'm the fairest in the land!" A pair of mean-eyed vultures from an overhead branch follow our movement as we set off, deeper and deeper into the forest. Using LCI technology, the Dwarfs appear, riding deer and brandishing pickaxes and clubs, in hot pursuit of the Witch. As we pass them by, we hear them shouting over each other, Doc's voice rising above the others: "It's the Quicked Ween -- the Wicked Queen! Come on, men!"

As we leave the forest, we find ourselves standing in front of a tall mountain. All seven of the Dwarfs appear to our left, climbing the mountain in "action poses." "What's she doing?!" Happy asks. "We've gotta stop her!" Grumpy adds. "C'mon, men! Let's get her!" Doc bravely shouts, clutching a lantern. It appears as if the little men are climbing towards a giant boulder perched right on the edge of the cliffside. Without warning, the Witch prods her head out from behind the boulder, attempting to lodge into our heads (and against the Dwarfs' heads) with a walking stick. "Fools! I'll crush your bones! Hee hee hee hee!" The boulder begins to rock forward, but suddenly changes direction, leaning back towards the Witch. We dash underneath the mountain and into a dark room. In the dark, we see the silhouette of the Witch falling backwards with the giant boulder as she unleashes a bloodcurdling scream, shortly followed by the aforementioned pair of vultures flocking down towards the fallen... Our car enters one second-to-last set of crash doors...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=96vvSvdl5BU

A moving instrumental of "Some Day My Prince Will Come" fills the air as we enter a colorful clearing the enchanted forest. Snow White, having been placed in a glass coffin to preserve her beauty, lays out before us, Prince Florian leaning over her, ready for true love's first kiss. As the two animatronics kiss, Snow's eyes open, much to the joy and pleasure of the surrounding woodland creatures. Turning sharply to the right, we face an overhead bridge where Snow White and Prince Florian ride away on horseback towards the Castle in the Clouds, turning to wave to the very bald dwarfs standing on a nearby hillside, red "smooch-marks" on their foreheads. As a humorous farewell, Dopey appears on the back of the horse, sheepishly bidding us farewell with a little wave. Crashing through one last set of doors beneath the bridge, we pull back into the load area and depart our car for other adventures in Fantasyland...hopefully, less scary ones.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

And there we have it--the first of many attractions we'll be looking at here at Fantasyland! Stick around, because in my next post, we'll go visit Snow White's next-door neighbor: Peter Pan!

 

[mickeyfan5534]

In hindsight, it does feel like a Native American take on that segment.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Here in Fantasyland, some of Disney's classic stories are brought to life. As such, we'll be taking an in-depth journey through some of the adventures just waiting to be had here. And where better to begin than with a ride on Snow White's Scary Adventures?

While much of Storybook Village appears to be designed with the intention of resembling a storybook village somewhere in old Bavaria, the facade of Snow White is built with the clear intention of mixing a sense of enchantment with an aura of foreboding, the strongest way possible to convey a universal message of the building's contents being "scary." Like the versions found in California and Paris, Snow White's Scary Adventures is held within the stone walls of a Gothic-Bavarian manor surrounded by luscious vegetation in a state of decay... An ominous window graces the front of a lone, half-timbered tower, its mysterious contents concealed by a blood-red curtain... Ornamental ravens perched atop stone skulls appear to "hold" the tower in place... Stone skeletons line the front of the old manor home, each holding a different sconce with their skull bearing a different facial expression of agony or fear...



Entering through a small opening in the base of the tower, we find ourselves not in the darkness of the Queen's dungeons, but our eyes are gifted with the majestic sight of Snow White's own Enchanted Forest represented through a magnificent three-dimensional diorama composed mostly of flats, murals, and forced perspective scenery, a near-direct lift of the Magic Kingdom's 1971-1994 attraction load area (designed by the great Claude Coats). An unseen Snow White can be heard perpetually singing "I'm Wishing" (in the same recording from The Mickey Mouse Revue, heard in the video above) from within the well in a slightly distorted, echoed rendition, creating a false sense of security while establishing that the adventures ahead may be unsettling. To our left, we see the courtyard of the Evil Queen's castle, complete with Snow White's flower-entangled wishing well, as well as the dispatch point for our journey. In the center, a forested hillside provides our first glimpse of the relatively distant Dwarfs' cottage bathed in a pool of blue light breaking through the overhead trees. Finally, to our right, is the cavern entrance to the Dwarfs' diamond mine.

Before we know it, we have hopped aboard a two-row, four-seater wooden mine car named for one of the seven Dwarfs, each embroidered not just with a name, but also with intricate little carvings of cute woodland creatures and flowers, a stark contrast to the adventures ahead. After a quick safety spiel from a rather regal female voice (is that you, Evil Queen?), our mine car quickly pulls away from the load area, heading immediately for the castle's courtyard, circling around the wishing well and heading towards the Dwarfs' cottage. But sadly, our car quickly pulls away from the cottage, instead turning towards the intimidating gates of the Queen's castle. From an overhead window, the Evil Queen parts the curtains, making direct red-eyed eye contact with us before drawing the curtains shut. The doors beneath slowly open, beckoning us into the darkness...uh-oh.



Suspenseful music fills the air as we enter the dark confines of the castle. We veer straight on, towards the face of the Magic Mirror. "Alas, Snow White is the fairest of them all." Our car veers right once more as the unseen Queen shouts "No!" Just ahead is the Queen's throne room where we find the Queen facing a second mirror with her back turned to us and her arms outstretched. Nearby, her faithful raven sits perched atop her lavish throne, seeming to be stuck in a state of perpetual shock. Just as our car reaches the Queen, she pivots around with a strike of lightning that illuminates the entire room, revealing the bulgy eyes and boney fingers of the aforementioned Wicked Witch. "I am the fairest of them all!" To the sound of the Witch's hideous cackle, our car hastily turns sharply away from her, but unfortunately goes straight into the innermost dungeons and catacombs of the forsaken fortress via the second of the dark ride's many "crash doors."

Suspenseful music, taken from the film, and the distant sound of howling wind and howling wolves welcome us to the narrow corridors of her Dungeon, ghostly voices telling us to turn back. Countless skeletons pop up in the dungeons, some hanging from chains on the walls, others simply fallen to the floor. Perhaps the most iconic of these skeletons (from a memorable moment in the film) is a skeleton trapped beneath iron bars, reaching for a nearby pail of water, having died doing so. We turn towards a archway leading to the relative safety of the outside world set in a blue night sky with glistening stars. Our escape is foiled - the Witch has summoned a large portcullis to come crashing down, blocking our path. Suddenly, on the door, we see the silhouette of the Queen drink from a goblet, and we see her figure slowly morph into the Witch. Black lights create an unnatural, unreal sensation of disenchantment as we enter the laboratory of the Evil Queen...

The old hag stands behind a cauldron filled with a bubbling, green liquid. Bubbling test tubes and pots, scattered spellbooks, and a multitude of lit candles surround the Witch as she dips an apple into the cauldron, reading from the opened pages of her spellbook. She pulls the apple out to reveal that the fruit has turned into a green skull, an image taken straight from the film. The Queen's raven joins her once more, menacingly cawing from atop a bookshelf filled with lab equipment straight ahead. As she pulls out the apple, the Witch turns to face us. "Apple, dearie?" Approaching the bookshelf, it begins to shift forward as if about to fall! But luckily for us, our car immediately turns right and breaks out of the castle, the sound of shattering glass and crumbling wood not-so-far behind us.



A grey nightsky festers and swirls above us like a hurricane as we exit the castle, racing past several turrets and across a rickety footbridge running above a trickling stream. However, as we head towards the forest, we run across a large river, where we come across a couple of logs resembling some hungry alligators that open their jaws and give actual alligator groans. A third "alligator" launches out from behind a nearby tree, ready for munching on an early luncheon. The trees of the forest grow progressively "deader" and "deader," turning our attention towards the Huntsman. "Please! Run! The Queen is after you! Go! Go!" Thunder and lightning crash, illuminating the first in-ride appearance of Snow White, just as equally terrified as we are. This first appearance from Snow kicks off our trip through a haunted forest filled with fluttering bats, blinking eyes (taken from the Haunted Mansion's wallpaper), and dead oak trees...dead oak trees with "claws" and "faces" that slowly move their claw-like branches towards us. The suspenseful music fades out in favor of eerie sound effects; moaning ghosts, screeching bats, howling wolves. Passing one final tree, we find ourselves surrounded by eyes, but as the dark forest gives way to the setting sun, the eyes reveal themselves to belong to the friendly woodland creatures. At last, something happy and friendly! They point us towards our first "happy" destination since the loading area: the Seven Dwarfs' Mine.



Immediately, we find ourselves re-immersed into a scene of happiness and fairy tale whimsy, meeting the Dwarfs once again amid the horrors of the outside world. The Dwarfs sing a rousing rendition of "We Dig-Dig-Dig" as they tirelessly work at the walls of their glistening diamond mine. Dopey, with eyes multiplied by a pair of giant diamonds covering either socket, sits within a jewel-filled cart pulled by a deer; Sneezy and a raccoon attempt to hold up a pile of buckets filled with jewels, Sneezy himself just about ready to sneeze and drop everything; Sleepy sleeps atop a jewel-filled mine car with a skunk on top of him, its tail brushing his nose; adjacent to Sleepy, Happy and Bashful pick away at the walls, while nearby Doc surveys a collection of rather pricey-looking diamonds; finally, we see Grumpy who stands near an open shaft, clutching an unlit keg of blasting powder which might be a little too heavy for him to carry as a couple of squirrels attempt to give him leg support. Another mine shaft door moves aside for us, allowing us access into the forest at sunset. We find ourselves about to go under a log spanning a canyon, a miniature waterfall near our path. As we pass under, we see the Seven Dwarfs actually march atop the log, singing "Heigh-Ho".

Passing underneath the log, we come across another warm, inviting place: the Dwarfs' cottage. Naturally, our car bursts inside a set of crash doors to enter.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GB_74i-aHRk

Cutesy woodland creatures peer into the hand-carved and self-decorated cottage of the Dwarfs. From in the other room, we hear the sound of "The Silly Song," and entering the other room we find that the Dwarfs and Snow White are having a little dance party amid their scary adventures. Snow White dances on the floor with a very "tall" Dopey wearing a trenchcoat, whilst Grumpy plunks away at the keys of a miniature organ and the other Dwarfs generally jam out on little instruments. From atop the adjacent staircase, even more woodland critters watch the party, gleefully clapping along and or just smiling.

Unfortunately, this moment of happiness doesn't last as we quietly leave the party and head back into the woods, only to be greeted by the Wicked Witch and her all-seeing raven standing just outside the cottage window, cackling wildly as we meet her. We loop around a tree, face a mural of the now-distant Queen's castle, then turn right back towards the cottage. The Dwarfs line both sides of the track, each one warning us not to proceed, others shouting for Snow White to run. Making a left turn explains the shouting: the Wicked Witch stands near the opened front-door, Snow White inside the door, about to take a bite from the apple. "That's right, dearie, just one bite, and all of your dreams will come true." Looping around the cottage, thunder and lightning strike. "Now I'm the fairest in the land!" A pair of mean-eyed vultures from an overhead branch follow our movement as we set off, deeper and deeper into the forest. Using LCI technology, the Dwarfs appear, riding deer and brandishing pickaxes and clubs, in hot pursuit of the Witch. As we pass them by, we hear them shouting over each other, Doc's voice rising above the others: "It's the Quicked Ween -- the Wicked Queen! Come on, men!"

As we leave the forest, we find ourselves standing in front of a tall mountain. All seven of the Dwarfs appear to our left, climbing the mountain in "action poses." "What's she doing?!" Happy asks. "We've gotta stop her!" Grumpy adds. "C'mon, men! Let's get her!" Doc bravely shouts, clutching a lantern. It appears as if the little men are climbing towards a giant boulder perched right on the edge of the cliffside. Without warning, the Witch prods her head out from behind the boulder, attempting to lodge into our heads (and against the Dwarfs' heads) with a walking stick. "Fools! I'll crush your bones! Hee hee hee hee!" The boulder begins to rock forward, but suddenly changes direction, leaning back towards the Witch. We dash underneath the mountain and into a dark room. In the dark, we see the silhouette of the Witch falling backwards with the giant boulder as she unleashes a bloodcurdling scream, shortly followed by the aforementioned pair of vultures flocking down towards the fallen... Our car enters one second-to-last set of crash doors...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=96vvSvdl5BU

A moving instrumental of "Some Day My Prince Will Come" fills the air as we enter a colorful clearing the enchanted forest. Snow White, having been placed in a glass coffin to preserve her beauty, lays out before us, Prince Florian leaning over her, ready for true love's first kiss. As the two animatronics kiss, Snow's eyes open, much to the joy and pleasure of the surrounding woodland creatures. Turning sharply to the right, we face an overhead bridge where Snow White and Prince Florian ride away on horseback towards the Castle in the Clouds, turning to wave to the very bald dwarfs standing on a nearby hillside, red "smooch-marks" on their foreheads. As a humorous farewell, Dopey appears on the back of the horse, sheepishly bidding us farewell with a little wave. Crashing through one last set of doors beneath the bridge, we pull back into the load area and depart our car for other adventures in Fantasyland...hopefully, less scary ones.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

And there we have it--the first of many attractions we'll be looking at here at Fantasyland! Stick around, because in my next post, we'll go visit Snow White's next-door neighbor: Peter Pan!

I'm loving it all so far. I hope you'll do some of the entertainment in the park as well because you had some really cool ideas.

 

[Twilight_Roxas]

Its Peter Pan's Flight going to be the same like in the other Disney Parks or more like the one in Shanghai Disneyland?

 

[Suchomimus]

 

[AceAstro]

I was thinking this too! I loved seeing updates for this project!

 

[DisneyManOne]

I was thinking this too! I loved seeing updates for this project!

Don't worry, you guys. This project is still very much alive. It's just that I've been busy with college lately, and I haven't had the time to update the thread. But I'll tell you what: expect the Peter Pan's Flight ride-through to drop by sometime tomorrow!

 

[DisneyManOne]

It may be a day late, but here it is: Disneyland Maine's Peter Pan's Flight!
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Having completed our journey through Snow White's Scary Adventures, we decide to go visit her next-door neighbor: Peter Pan. The entrance to this beloved Fantasyland dark ride is marked by a Tudor-style mansion, topped with blue patchwork roofs and lovely wooden decor. Our entryway into this building is through an old tower. Perched atop the tower is an old weathervane, with arrows pointing towards the different directions of the compass and Captain Hook's ship, the Jolly Roger, atop it. Nearby is a similar weathervane, but minus the arrows and with a silhouette of the Crocodile atop it. Perched on the panelings of the tower's balcony is a sign bearing the ride’s name. Longtime Disney visitors may notice it as the exact same sign as Florida's version: a giant cloud bearing the name and Peter Pan, the Darling children and Tinker Bell soaring past Big Ben. However, there's been an added bonus. The words have been embedded with LED lights, so when night falls, it will look as if the words are glowing with pixie dust.

Hanging from the tower are two signs, one to the left boasting the FastPass return time, and the one to the right boasting the current wait time.

Stepping through the tower, we pass through ornate wooden switchbacks, much like California’s queue. Upon reaching the loading area, the first thing that catches your eye is an ornate mural. 80s and 90s kids may recognize the mural as taking inspiration from two notable Peter Pan VHS covers. On the left-hand side, we see the island of Neverland, the moon shining high above it. In the forefront, however, we see the Jolly Roger, and Captain Hook in a rowboat, menaced by the Crocodile. This part comes from the 1998 VHS cover....

Clouds separate Neverland from the next part of the mural, featuring Peter Pan and the Darling children flying above London town. This, of course, comes from the 1990 VHS cover:

The town of London, in turn, transitions into the quiet streets of Bloomsbury, leading up to a full-scale building made to look like the top floor of the Darlings' house, where the nursery is located. A large window sits in the middle of the building, allowing a bevy of flying pirate ships to pass through and begin their journey.

Speaking of the ships, let's talk about them. Disneyland Maine's fleet of pirate ships feature two rows of two (similar to the Disneyland Paris version), allowing for a doubled capacity and parties of two, three and four to ride together. However, the crown jewel of these ships is the additional Kuka arm disguised into the mast and sails. This new Kuka arm will allow the vehicle to be programmed with many new movements. Throughout the attraction, the vehicles will now tilt slightly forward, backwards or side to side. In addition, the Kuka arm allows the ship to rise or fall along the track.

As our pirate ships soars out of the loading area, LED lights sparkle around us to simulate the feeling that our ship is being covered in "pixie dust". We fly over the chimneys and into the Darlings' nursery. The nursery is as ornately-themed as all the other versions are. Standing nearby another window in the nursery, we see Peter Pan holding Tinker Bell in his hand, shaking her so that pixie dust is seen falling down upon Wendy, John and Michael, who start to rise off the floor.

http://www./wp-content/uploads/2016/05/pp-800x400.jpg

You go out the window as an instrumental version of "You Can Fly!" starts up. We hear Peter's voice calling: "Come on, everybody! Here we go...! Off to Neverland!" Nana floats nearby (as we can see, some of the pixie dust must have gotten on her), waving good-bye with her paw. We sail past some of the neighboring houses on the Bloomsbury street the Darlings call home. The ships really come alive here bobbing, tilting and weaving through the scene to replicate the feeling of flight. 
Then the ships pass through a cloud (simulated by a fog effect) to unveil a glittering London beneath them.

The entire set has been revamped to make it glitter in the night while projections and LED’s add to the magic, including improved car effects on the streets and even the effect of the Thames' river's water "shimmering" in the moonlight. The entire room is surrounded by a large projection screen depicting the night sky. As we exit, we can see Peter and the Darlings flying past the moon (as they pass the moon, their silhouettes are seen). Peter is heard saying "There it is, Wendy. Second star to the right and straight on till morning." The ships then turn to face a giant mist screen, projecting the "second star to the right", which reveals itself to be the island of Neverland. Tinker Bell appears via projection and motions for them to follow her.



The ships pass through the mist screen and suddenly they are flying right over Neverland. Much like the Florida version, we do not merely just fly over the island itself, but rather soar over the hills and mountains, getting up close and personal with the people that call Neverland home. We begin with a rather un-warm welcome from the pirates on the Jolly Roger. As we fly over, we hear Hook shout "Here they come, Mr. Smee! Shoot 'em down!" To which Smee responds, "Aye-aye, Cap'n!" and then fires. The ship quickly swerves to dodge the cannonball but guest can feel the wind rush by them. From there, we pass by more friendlier faces. First, we pass by the Lost Boys, sitting around a campfire near Hangman's Tree. After passing by Hangman's Tree, we travel through the jungles of Neverland. We pass through a waterfall, passing by a hippo blending in with the rocks. From there, we pass by three monkeys--a boy, a girl and a baby--sitting on a bench, messing around with John's top hat, followed by a pass through the tall yellow grass where a rhino grazes, and a near-encounter with a bear resting on a rock.

Next stop: Mermaid Lagoon, where mermaids are seen preening themselves. Finally, we pass by a plateau where Tiger Lily and her tribe sit around a campfire, playing their drums. Their teepees sit behind them. From there, things take a more ominous turn as we pass through Skull Rock, in a scene straight out of Shanghai's version of the ride.

Once out of Skull Rock, we come to the ride's big climax: the battle on Hook's ship. It's the same as all other versions: Wendy about to walk the plank of Hook's ship, John and Michael and the Lost Boys lashed to the ship mast, the pirates all looking on and Peter and Hook dueling on the cathead.

Here, the figures of Hook and Pan are improved and more convincing as their blades somehow connect. All the figures have been updated to fully animated animatronics giving real life to the scene. Meanwhile, the crocodile waits nearby, ticking away as usual. Swinging around the ship, the pirates are all knocked out and the usual scene of a victorious Peter (now wearing Hook's hat and coat) and the Darling siblings poised at the ship's steering wheel as Peter tells Tinker Bell, "Cast off for London! Pixie dust!" Upon Peter’s command, the ship turns a bright shade of gold (in the form of fiber-optics which quickly covers the entire ship). You then see the usual scene of a defeated Hook standing precariously on the crocodile's jaws to avoid going into his mouth. Unlike previous versions, the jaws actually try to scissor shut (with Hook's legs with it). Hook calls out for help to Smee, who answers from a rowboat. The projected water effect will also be showcased in this scene.

Once past Hook, we pass through the foliage and head towards a giant moon, which turns into the face of Big Ben. We pass through the moon/face and find ourselves back in London. Above the buildings and trees, a screen depicts the gold-colored ship flying off into the night, trailing pixie dust behind it. However, once it passes the moon, we see it become a cloud. You then head to the unload area and get off to the right.

And that was Disneyland Maine's take on Peter Pan's Flight. Still anxious for more adventure, we decide to head over to the other side of Storybook Village and ride through the story of a certain little puppet...
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I think you can guess what's coming along next, so stay tuned.

 

[DisneyManOne]

On the farthest side of Storybook Village, just nearby the underground court where the story of the Hunchback of Notre Dame is re-enacted every day, you'll find the fanciful abode of Pinocchio's Daring Journey.

Now, Disneyland Maine's version of this classic dark ride will be a bit more, shall we say, extravagant compared to the other versions of the ride. The rather rushed story will be fleshed out a bit, and a few new scenes will be sprinkled in here and there. But don't take my word for it. Let's hop right to it!

The ride's exterior is modeled after the beautiful exterior of Disneyland’s ride. Passing underneath the theater entrance, we find that although the exterior may look Californian, the queue takes inspiration from Tokyo Disneyland’s version of the ride. After passing through those wooden switchbacks, we arrive at the loading area, which also looks like the Tokyo version. Passing through the loading area is a never-ending parade of woodcarver’s carts, ready to take guests through the world of Pinocchio. As we wait to board, we hear Jiminy Cricket provide the safety spiel.

Once inside our cart, we set off. Passing by a few village facades, a la Tokyo, we pass under an arch and towards Geppetto's workshop at night. The Wishing Star shines high above as we stop outside his workshop. Through the window, we see a workbench where a lifeless puppet--namely, Pinocchio--is seated. Suddenly, a holographic Blue Fairy appears, taps the puppet with her wand, and brings him to life. In doing so, she says: "Little puppet made of pine... wake! The gift of life is thine." The puppet moves around and says, "I can move! I can talk!" The Blue Fairy adds, "Prove yourself brave, truthful and unselfish, and someday you'll be a real boy." She turns to Jiminy Cricket standing nearby and says, "Mr. Cricket, I dub thee Pinocchio's conscience." Then she disappears.

As we pick up motion, we hear Geppetto exclaim, "It's my wish come true! Pinocchio's alive! But now you've got to go to school." The projected night turns to day as we head out onto the cobblestone streets. The instrumental strains of “Hi-Diddle-Dee-Dee” fill the air. We see Pinocchio, with books in one hand, and an apple in the other, being enticed by Foulfellow and Gideon. “My dear Pinocchio”, Foulfellow says, “you should take the easy road to success...to the theater!” As the two rogues escort Pinocchio toward the theater,, Jiminy appears again and calls out in protest, "Wait, Pinocch! You can't go with those ill winds in cheap clothing! You can't be an actor! You've got to go to school!" But this has no effect as you approach the entrance to Stromboli’s puppet theater…

Entering the puppet theater, we see Pinocchio performing “I’ve Got No Strings” alongside a Dutch puppet and a French puppet.

But as we leave, we hear Stromboli laughing sadistically as he bellows, "You will never get away from Stromboli now!" You then enter the backstage of the theater, similar to other versions out there. Here, other puppets are imprisoned in cages, Pinocchio especially, in a bird cage, as Stromboli leers at him menacingly, .while saying, "This will be your new home, my little wooden gold mine!" You go past the both of them, past Jiminy Cricket pointing the way out. You go through the giant cage and out into the cobblestone street.

Heading back out onto the streets, we come across a fork-in-the-road. Foulfellow and Gideon are standing beside it. It looks they've been messing with the directional signs. One points the way to Geppetto's Workshop and the other points the way to Pleasure Island. From the way the signs are pointing, you (and by extension, Pinocchio) seem headed in the right direction, but then the fox laughs uproariously while the cat hiccups. Jiminy calls out, "Wait! You're going the wrong way!"; it seems you are now crossing a stone bridge over some water, towards Pleasure Island…

Pleasure Island is similar to other versions out there: you wend through the area, full of carnival attractions, themed to sweets and such, while "Hi-Diddle-Dee-Dee" plays on a circus organ. At the farthest end of Pleasure Island is the Pool Hall, shaped like a giant 8-ball. Here, the truth about Pleasure Island hits, as Lampwick starts turning into a donkey before the terrified eyes of Pinocchio. Meanwhile, the Coachman stands menacingly off to the side and says, "So, you blokes choose the easy life, do ya?"

Leaving the Pool Hall, you see donkeys in crates, some wearing boys' clothing and either braying a melancholy bray or crying, "Mama!" and "I wanna go home!" while the Coachman says, "You boys have had your fun!" Meanwhile, Jiminy point the way out of Pleasure Island as he cries, "We gotta get outta here, before it's too late!" Just then, you come face-to-face with the Coachman again as he tries to pull open the door to a giant crate labeled "To the salt mines", while saying, "Don't leave yet!"

Somehow, you manage to slip by, and you come across a stormy sea, which is occasionally illuminated by flashes of lightning. Here, Jiminy stands on a sign reading, "Beware of Monstro, the Terror of the Deep!", while the cricket himself warns, "Watch out for Monstro! Nothing escapes from him!" You head forward into darkness, where you hear an unearthly roar. One last flash of lightning reveals that you're approaching the huge gaping maw of a whale… That’s right! In this version of Pinocchio’s Daring Journey, we actually get to go inside Monstro!

The innards of the beast are littered with various shipwrecks. In the center of it all are Pinocchio and Geppetto on their ramshackle boat, contemplating their predicament. Pinocchio proposes a way to escape from Monstro by building a fire so the great whale sneezes. You pass by an effect of Pinocchio building a fire (it's a shadow effect, backlit by the fire). The room then rumbles and shakes, simulating an upcoming sneeze. Suddenly, the cars turn backwards, as if to go back the way you came, and then exit out of the whale's mouth. It is similar to Expedition Everest, with two hallways next to each other. To enhance the effect, you see a projection of Pinocchio and Geppetto on the raft blasting out with you.

You blast out onto a sandy shore. Turning back around, we find ourselves once again on the streets of cobblestone. To the instrumental strains of “When You Wish Upon a Star”, we cruise past the serene streets of the village. Jiminy floats down on his umbrella as he says “We’re almost there now!” At last, we return to Geppetto’s workshop, the Wishing Star shining high above it. As we head inside, we find ourselves in pitch darkness. The only light comes from the ethereal light of the Blue Fairy, who waves her wand. And as she disappears, the lights come back on to reveal Pinocchio, sitting on the bed...finally a real boy. A beaming Geppetto stands beside him, Figaro and Cleo nearby. “It’s my dream come true!” Geppetto exclaims. “You are a real boy, Pinocchio!” “Gee, Father!” says Pinocchio. “I’m so glad to be home!” Finally, you see Jiminy standing by with a huge "Official Conscience" medal on his shirt while he says, "Gee, thanks, Miss Fairy..." With that, the doors to the workshop open and we head back out to the loading area.

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Well, how about that? But the adventures will keep on comin', my friends, because in my next post, it's off we go, deep in the 100 Acre Wood, for a voyage through The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh!

 

[DisneyManOne]

As we leave Storybook Village behind and head further into the forests of Fantasyland, we decide to check out a brand-new version of a beloved dark ride. Yes, my friends, it's time to experience the magic for ourselves as we join in the whimsical fun of The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh.

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Located in a secluded corner of the forest, you'll find yourselves in the "enchanted neighborhood" of the 100 Acre Wood like never before. Hopping aboard a hot-air balloon, we take off for the magic, the music, and the memories of Winnie the Pooh's timeless adventures.

I've decided to do away with the giant storybook entrance for this ride, because I want to make this 100 Acre Wood sub-area feel more immersive and realistic. So, instead of a storybook, we'll step across a bridge passing over a river and find ourselves standing before an old English farmhouse, presumably the one Christopher Robin lives in.

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Stepping into the house, we first find ourselves in an old toolshed, looted with all sorts of odds and ends and bric-a-brac.

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Moving on from the shed, we move on to Christopher Robin's bedroom, decked out as it was in The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh's opening sequence.

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At the farthest end of Christopher Robin's bedroom is an large open book, large enough to step through. As in the film's opening sequence, our eyes are met with a large map of the 100 Acre Wood. An instrumental arrangement of the Sherman Brothers' inspired music plays on an endless loop.

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In the map's foreground is the ride's loading area. Riding along an aerial track, a la Peter Pan's Flight, are a series of hot-air balloons. These hot-air balloons seat four to five people within their baskets, and are decorated to look like different characters from the Winnie the Pooh stories (ex. half-red, half-yellow for Pooh, orange and black stripes for Tigger, half magenta and half light-pink for Piglet, etc.)

Once all are aboard their balloon, we pass through an arch in a nearby page of the book, and soon find ourselves face-to-face with an illustration of the sun shining happily over the trees of the wood. Suddenly, the balloon rises and sails over the trees, thus marking the transition from the pages of a book into the Hundred Acre Wood itself. Much like every other version of the ride, we are taken through the story of the 1968 Academy-Award winning featurette Winnie the Pooh and the Blustery Day. “A Rather Blustery Day” plays as an instrumental, as wind blows across the land (slightly shaking the balloons a bit).

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We first pass by Pooh as he flies his balloon over to the Hunny Tree in order to get a small smackarel, as he says, “I’ve got a rumbly in my tumbly. It must be time for something sweet!” Like in the Tokyo Disneyland version, the audio-animatronics used on this ride not only blink and move their mouths when they speak, but they’re also quite fuzzy, like real stuffed animals. As we move around the room, Pooh flies above our heads as we travel through the wood, and in the middle of the room is Owl’s house, where Owl sits outside in his rocking chair blabbering about his relatives. Across from Owl’s house, we find Rabbit’s garden, where Rabbit is clinging to his wheelbarrow for dear life. “Oh, why do these things always happen to me?” he groans. “Why oh why oh why?” Just then, Pooh flies through his garden, knocking some vegetables into a nearby wheelbarrow. “Thank you, Pooh!” the rabbit says. “Next time, I hope he blows right through my rutabaga patch.”

Nearby, we pass by Gopher's hole. He pops up and says “If I was you, I'd think about skedaddlin' out of here...” He heads back into his hole and finishes his sentence: “...'cause it's Winds-day!” As Gopher says “Winds-day”, a bunch of leaves pop up from his hole.. Meanwhile, over at Kanga and Roo’s house, Roo is hanging from a kite that Kanga is holding. “Hang on tightly, Roo!” Kanga yells. “Look, Mama, look! I’m a kite!” Roo replies. Nearby them is Piglet, sweeping up leaves in front of his house, Trespassers Will (named after his grandfather, Trespassers William). As he sweeps, the wind keeps bringing more leaves on, and occasionally blowing him a few inches away. “I don't mind the leaves that are leaving, it's the leaves that are coming”, Piglet says.As we leave the room, we pass by Eeyore standing nearby his house...which Pooh promptly knocks over. “If you ask me, he’ll never reach that tree”, the donkey sighs. But before we leave the room, we see one more sight – As we pass by a clump of branches across from Eeyore’s house, we see Tigger jump out and say, “Come on, everybody! Let’s all bounce together!”

As we pass by Tigger, the aerial track changes into a normal dark-ride track. Oh, I forgot to mention--the real technological breakthrough of this ride, is the fact that it combines three different types of track--aerial track, normal track, and water track. Anyways, the normal dark-ride track is necessary for the next scene. Here, we pass through a part of the Wood at nighttime, and taking advantage of Tigger's invitation, our balloon actually starts bouncing alongside Tigger.

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This segment should be very identical to the one seen in the current Magic Kingdom version. However, in order to achieve a proper bouncing effect, and not the faulty "bucking-bull" effect of the Magic Kingdom version, the balloon is equipped with a small Kuka-arm that allows it to "bounce" and "land" completely vertically.

After all the bouncing's done, we then pass by Pooh's house, under the name of Sanders. Outside of the house, Tigger has pounced on Pooh. He warns him"Watch out for Heffalumps and Woozles. They steal honey." "Steal honey?!" Pooh reacts, horrified at the thought.

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Then, our balloon starts to slow down in speed and we creep in through the front door of Pooh's house. Inside, we stop in front of Pooh, who has fallen asleep in the middle of his vigil. Suddenly, the house disappears into a starfield as the balloon standing nearby turns into the head of a Heffalump. Weirdest of all, Pooh begins to float through the starfield as we hear Tigger's ghostly voice intone "Heffalumps and Woozles...Heffalumps and Woozles steal honey...beware...beware!"

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We travel through the starfield and find ourselves inside Pooh's mysterious and wacky dream world haunted by Heffalumps and Woozles. Unlike other versions, the walls of this scene are not inky-black, but rather, they flash in different colors, a la the backgrounds during the "Heffalumps and Woozles" scene in the short.

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The eerie yet catchy refrain of the honey thieves' theme fill the air. Many effects and gags are scattered around the room. Heffalump-Bees and hot-air balloons with eyes on them fly above our heads. Woozle-headed jack-in-the-boxes pop right out of their boxes and laugh at us. We pass by a honey tree with three Heffalumps at the top of it. A hot-air balloon carries Pooh over to it, but a gust of air within the hole of the tree blows him away. A large transparent Heffalump is projected on a mirror as we pass by, sucking the honey out of our honey pot. We even pass by a Heffalump and Woozle band, using their bodies as their instruments. Soon, we escape the madness via a large tunnel made from a Heffalump's trunk. As we pass through it, the sounds of thunder are heard as lightning flashes along the tunnel walls and we see a projection of Pooh flying past on an umbrella. At the end of the tunnel, we head back into the 100 Acre Wood. However, we find that this isn't the 100 Acre Wood we began the ride in. It has now become victim to a flood-inducing rainfall.

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At this point, our vehicle now goes on a water flume track. We float along the waters of the flooded Wood as projected rain falls along the walls of the area. An instrumental version of "The Rain, Rain, Rain Came Down, Down, Down" plays. This is basically like the Blustery Day scene, but we’ll seem to be higher due to the flood. Once we enter the flooded wood, the first thing we see is Pooh, who is sitting on a tree branch that we go under. He sits with 10 honey pots as he says “Oh, no! I must rescue my supper!” Passing under Pooh, we set off to see how the other residents of the Wood are holding up. Seeing as how their residencies are unavailable at the time, this leads to an all-new immersive experience. The things the characters float on have an LPS system, so it truly feels like we're really floating along with them. First, we pass by Piglet, standing on a chair, bailing water with a saucepan. He floats right out of his house towards us. Next, we pass by Owl, sitting on a rocking chair, still talking about his relatives. Then, we pass by Eeyore, sitting on a doorframe. "First the wind, and now this..." he moans. The final group we float by are Tigger, Kanga, Roo and Rabbit, sailing along in a turned-over umbrella, which Tigger rows. Much like before, Roo isn't fazed. "Whee! This is fun!" he says. Rabbit, on the other hand, is far more anxious. "Goodness gracious!" he says. Then, things take a decidely darker tone. First, we pass by Pooh, stuck head-first in a spinning honey pot. Then, we pass by Tigger and Piglet, the former is trying to save the latter from a log. “We’ll save you, Piglet!” cries Tigger. “Oh, hurry, Tigger!” says Piglet. “It’s a very big waterfall!” And just as Tigger says "...Did you say..."waterfall"?", we plummet down one. The waterfall is about the same size as the first drop on Pirates of the Caribbean back in New Orleans Square, and it's guranteed that we'll get a little splashed when the drop ends.

A few inches away from the waterfall, we leave the water-track behind for one final stretch on the dark-ride track and come back to the land. The skies clear, the sun comes out, a triumphant instrumental of "Winnie the Pooh" starts to play, and a rainbow spreads overhead. We see that our Hundred Acre friends are throwing a party. “Hooray!” they all yell. “Hooray for Pooh, too!” pipes up Piglet. “Speaking of which, where is that silly ole bear?” asks Tigger. "Over here, everyone!" Pooh replies from inside the honey tree. "But you can start the party without me." And with that, he happily starts to enjoy his favorite treat.

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Passing through an arch made of forest foliage, we find ourselves once again within the pages of the book. We pass by a giant animated storybook page, featuring the characters waving goodbye and text reading, of course, "The End". After passing through the unloading area, we leave the book-world behind and head back into the real-world.
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Now, that's what I call an adventure! Stick around, my friends, because in the next post, we'll head over to the other side of Fantasyland for a pleasant cruise through...

...Storybook Land.

What, did you think I was gonna say "small world"? Well, don't worry. We'll get to "small world" after our ride through Storybook Land. So, until the next post, see ya real soon!

 

[Suchomimus]

It’s a shame you’re only covering a handful of attractions. You have such brilliant imagination and writing.

 

[DisneyManOne]

I'm back, everybody! And well, I've come to the conclusion that I won't do a Storybook Land ride-through. Sorry to those of you who were looking forward to that. Instead, let's jump right ahead further, and take a look at Disneyland Maine's take on the "happiest cruise that ever sailed", "it's a small world".
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Having found ourselves heading towards the Gardens of Imagination, our attention is first pulled towards that of a large fountain in the shape of the globe, topped by a boat filled with laughing children. On board, each child represents a different nation: Saudi Arabia, China, England, Australia, etc., whilst Renaissance-era flags bearing the title of the attraction and its slogan protrude from among their two-dimensional shoulders. "Join the happiest cruise that ever sailed!"

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Forming a semi-circle around the fountain are additional flags, bearing the ride's name in a language other than English. (ex. "que le monde est petit", "es is eine kleine welt", etc.), not to mention speaker-towers covered in abstract paneling pointing the way towards Small World Palace, the not-so-humble abode of our impending adventure. Quirky instrumentals straight from the 1964-1965 World's Fair fill the air.

The magnificent spires of Small World Palace stand tall above the surrounding plaza, a lasting tribute to the universal concept of peace on earth and goodwill towards men (especially when the palace is decorated for Christmas). From within the palace walls, the triumphant sounds of that all-too-familiar song ring out, majestic fountains spewing on either side of the crystal-clear lagoon in the forefront. Topiaries crafted into the shape of various animals serve as a perfect compliment to the various landmarks and familiar icons crafted into the palace walls; the Eiffel Tower, the Statue of Liberty, the Golden Gate Bridge, Sydney Opera House, the Temple of Zeus, Big Ben, the Temple of Heaven, Leaning Tower of Pisa, the Windmills of La Mancha, etc. Front and center is the smiling purple face of the iconic Clock Tower, the Rolly Crump-designed landmark. As with other takes on the venerable tower, every fifteen minutes, the constantly churning cogs and gizmos on the facade begin to protrude and sound off like a cuckoo clock, halting the ongoing music. With a dramatic drumroll, a sextet of musical tin soldiers emerge from the tower's walls, signaling a parade of dolls to emerge from the tower's base and circumnavigate the smiley-faced structure to the tune of the titular song. Each doll represents one of twenty-four countries, dressed in garbs respective to their country. At the conclusion of the parade, the Clock Tower concludes with a series of gongs and chimes in beat with the current time (like a grandfather clock), the time itself displayed from an opened-panel beneath the tower's "face."

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After meandering a bit through a series of sheltered-switchbacks, past animal-shaped topiaries, wavy-hedges, and colorful flowerbeds, we make our way down to the docks of the aforementioned lagoon where brightly-colored boats (also known as bateaux) gently pull in and out of the densely-populated harbor. Medieval shields bearing the likeliness of a random country's flag serve as decor for the railings in between each row of the boarding area. As the loading dock is also sheltered from the elements, flags that aren't represented by a shield are draped from the covering, a subtle but appropriate detail. Being gestured to the first row by a friendly dockhand in a straw hat and polo shirt, we patiently wait our turn to set sail with the happiest crew to ever sail around the world. Finally, our own boat floats into position, allowing us to board.

As our boat departs from the dock, an unseen woman states, "Welcome to It's a Small World! For your safety, please remain seated throughout your voyage, keeping your hands, arms, feet and legs inside the boat. And please, watch your children. Thank you." This same safety spiel is played several more times and in multiple languages, including but not limited to Japanese, German, French, Mandarin, Maori, Cantonese, and so on. As our boat draws closer to the palace (where the canal feeds into a small opening in the palace's right-hand side rather than the usual Clock Tower), John Debney's sweeping instrumental of the Sherman Brothers classic begins to draw closer and closer, gradually overpowering the quirky instrumentals of the World's Fair.

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In a mere matter of seconds, we gently drift inside the palace walls for our tour of the world as seen through the eyes of a child, starting with the Hello Room. Like the Paris attraction, the Hello Room is a simple straightaway into the main show building beyond. Mary Blair-styled flowers bear greetings in various languages. At the end of the Hello Room is a stylized banner reading "Welcome", held up by four birds.

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Like at Hong Kong Disneyland, our cruise begins in the Arctic,. The lights of the Aurora Borealis illuminate the scene from above, whilst snow-capped mountains and glittering white glaciers appear from all around us, fully immersing us into the mystical realm of the far-Northern Hemisphere. To our left, a koala-like polar bear paddles a kayak oar in circles from atop a googly-eyed beluga whale slowly lowering up and down beneath the surface of the Arctic Ocean. From atop a narrow glacier, a pair of eskimos facing back-to-back go fishing, a blue walrus caught on one eskimo's line, a flower-spotted seal on the other's, said seal balancing a fish on its nose. In the background, eight smiling reindeer bob their heads side-to-side from the snowy mountaintops, a multi-storied igloo topped by a barbershop pole sitting between the fourth and fifth deer. Closer to the water's edge, an eskimo clutching a trio of fish stands back-to-back with a tall polar bear pointing in the opposite direction towards a sign that reads "The North Pole." Nearby, another polar bear spins around in circles on its bottom aboard a floating ice platform, closely neighbored by an all-white seal also spinning around its bottom, which in turn is neighbored by a small Arctic fox spinning around in circles on its bottom. A pair of Norwegian-inspired gnomes, hand-in-hand also spin around in circles, taking advantage of the natural skating rink. The titular song, having been heard in instrumental form for the past few minutes gives way to its first sung incarnation: Scandinavian.

Passing under the Aurora Borealis, we drift into the expansive continent of Europe where the song is sung not just in a British-accented English, but also in French, Italian, German, Spanish, etc. From the "heavens" above, clowns in hot-air balloons, acrobats on tightropes, and children attached to balloons soar about in hectic directions, a visual compliment to the scenes below.

To our left, Scandinavia is represented not through ice and snow, but through colorful mountains, giant flowers and hills given the markings of abstract Swedish art, also done in the Mary Blair-style. A large clock-like sun overlooks the area (actually telling the time), whilst Scandinavian children sing the titular song from opened-songbooks, swaying in perfect unison. Shimmering waterfalls pour down from an overhead ice-skating rink where a boy and girl in warm, winter clothing go for a perpetual skate. An overhead chalet of Swedish influence rests in a pile of partially-melted snow, a half-melted snowman at its doorstep. Norway finds its representation in the form of a Viking ship swaying back and forth upon the high seas, a trio of Viking children singing from on deck. Non-Frozen trolls, a la Maelstrom, compliment the gnomes on the adjacent side of the flume, happily picking flowers and relaxing under the clock-like sun. Nearby,
a musical band of toy soldiers guard the gates to Copenhagen's Tivoli Gardens. Next door, a rather pink Eiffel Tower stands high above the Paris skyline, said skyline consisting of several "pink" buildings, Notre Dame Cathedral, and oddly enough, the Elephant of the Bastille. In the forefront, a slew of cancan dancers "weeing" and "ooh la-la-ing" in time with their kicks perform a routine. A ballerina spins around in circles with her dance partner, much to the enjoyment of a nearby French poodle.

On the right-hand side of the canal we are treated to a glimpse of the United Kingdom, starting with the Emerald Isle of Ireland, represented through a multitude of massive shamrocks, a glistening rainbow, clogging Irish children, and several leprechauns, one leprechaun poking in and out of a large pot of gold. Closely following Ireland is Scotland, represented by a bagpipe-player atop an old tower. In the background, a strange goat-like creature munches on a kilt from a plaid-colored hillside ridden with ancient castles. In time with the music, the goat and the hillside change colors. Nearby, the massive serpentine neck and head of the Loch Ness Monster protrudes from the waters, slowly rocking from side to side. From atop the beast's nose, a boat filled with smiling children throw their arms up in glee, as if the monster was a thrill ride. London Bridge appears up ahead, topped by a double-decker buss filled with children, a pair of flag-waving boys sporting the colors of their favorite football team, and guarded by a Buckingham Palace guard slowly clogging to the music. Just to the right of the bridge is a checkerboard-colored Big Ben with a rapidly-spinning clock, backed by the skyline of the London Eye, Tower of London, Parliament Building, and Buckingham Palace. A large checkerboard laid out before the skyline plays home to several large chess pieces, including a stylized-king and queen whom spin around wildly. Directly above London Bridge hangs a smiling crescent moon, sat upon by three carolers, almost hidden among the aforementioned tightrope-walkers and hot-air balloons.

Passing beneath London Bridge, we stumble upon Germany to our right and Spain to our left. Spain, represented by the Windmills of La Mancha and several grassy hills, greets us with a girl in an elaborate dress clicking castanets as she twirls, a Spanish boy on the guitar nearby. Straw-made puppets of Don Quixote and Sancho Panza appear on wooden rocking horses, facing towards the neighboring scene of Italy where the Leaning Tower of Pisa, Colosseum, and seaside homes of Venice appear. Naturally, a large gondola appears, rocking back and forth with its pilot on board. Several Italian girls sing the song from opened-songbooks, swaying with the music. A puppet show is held nearby, being that of Punch and Judy (who beat the heck out of each other). Back on the right-hand side, Germany finds its representation through a miniature recreation of Berlin, featuring the Reichstag, TV Tower, Brandenburg Gate, and Berlin Cathedral. In the foreground, an Oktoberfest-type polka-band provides accompaniment for dancing German children whilst a train filled with toys chugs by. A large dachshund-inspired slinky toy stands on top of the train, wagging its tail and panting. The Alps of Switzerland next to Germany welcome us with the mighty Matterhorn, not to mention a yodeling-boy and several cuckoo clocks marked by bell-ringing dolls in lederhosen and mountain goats rocking their heads from side to side. The Netherlands appear on the left-hand side, marked by a series of colorful windmills, giant flowers, and wooden shoe-wearing children clicking their heels from within giant flower buds. A girl with a shepherd's crook conducts a trio of ducks quacking in time with the music. Back on the right-hand side, Greece is seen, marked by flying pegasus horses overhead, the Temple of Zeus, Mount Olympus, and a pair of sheep listening to the pan flute-stylings of their master.

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As we prepare to depart Europe, we pass through a cave beneath Russia's Saint Basil's Cathedral where a trio of Cossack dancers twirl in circles to the musical accompaniment of a fez-wearing bear playing a street organ. Nearby, Russian musicians provide an eerie musical transition between Europe and the next scene: exotic Asia which is, ironically, an exact replica of the Hong Kong Disneyland scene, save for the fact that the Disney characters found here don't show up; as well as the Shanghai skyline replacing that of Hong Kong's. Oh yeah, not to mention Mount Everest and a cartoonish Yeti making their Small World debut near Taj Mahal. The song itself alternates between Japanese, Cantonese, Mandarin, Korean, and Tagalog.

Passing beneath a bridge, we enter the next major show scene...

The Middle East transports us into a bazaar straight from the pages of 1,001 Arabian Nights...well, sort of. Much of the Middle Eastern segment is enclosed within a close-knit passageway covered by overhead tarps and tapestries. Israel finds its representation in the form of a boy and girl dancing beneath a wedding canopy, the boy wearing a Hebrew prayer shawl and the girl wearing a wedding dress. On the adjacent side, a boy clutching a magic lamp sings in Arabic with a child-like genie who also sings in Arabic. A trio of boys in desert-protective clothing stand with their arms folded, swaying and singing in Arabic. A belly dancer and several sheep point the way to the not-so-distant figure of Argrabah's Palace on the right-hand side, fronted by a fruit-filled marketplace. On the left-hand side, the Pyramids of Giza and the Sphynx (rocking its head back and forth) appear alongside a boy playing drums atop a pink camel, naturally representing Egypt. A mysterious throne room of sorts entangled by a googly-eyed snake sits on the right-hand side following the market, the residence of a Cleopatra-lookalike reclining on a sofa and giving us a wink.

​

Tribal drums fill the air as the desert setting subdues into that of the colorful jungles of Africa, where technicolor animals and children alike jam out to the titular song on both sides of the canal. However, there is a stark contrast between both sides. To the left, we have a tropical rainforest being absolutely pelted by an ongoing thunderstorm, and to the right we have a jungle jamboree that has thus far stayed in the sunshine. Starting with the left, we find umbrella-shaped trees amid the falling "rains," several exotic birds chirping and crying out everytime thunder strikes. Many of these tropical birds spin their heads in complete circles, roll around in their eggshells, or perform other weird feats, all surrounding a beady-eyed crocodile clutching an umbrella that is far-too-small for its body. The crocodile (who appears to shake his head "no") is neighbored by a flower-spotted leopard with a much larger umbrella (who shakes his head "yes") as well as several frogs residing in a lily pad-filled pond, flower-spotted giraffes swaying in the background foliage, and a series of huts painted with tribal mask-type markings and fronted by a trio of tribal musicians in ceremonial masks. An African elephant (who appears to be pink) perpetually sprays "water" from its trunk, unintentionally creating a heart-shaped fountain as it frolics in the rain. Multicolored chimpanzees connect the two sides of the canal via overhead vines, leading our attention to the right-hand side.

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First and foremost, a pair of hyenas wildly laugh at the rainy misfortune of the animals across the way, closely neighbored by a blue and pink-striped zebra, flower-spotted rhino, and yellow chimpanzee pounding away at their own individual bongos. Additional frogs and a secondary crocodile float amid the swampy waters in the foreground, whilst several African children sing the song in English from an island, joined by a red and yellow lion hosting a flute-playing boy atop his head. In a large alcove overlooking the scene, the sun shines high. Back below, a sheltered-dance floor features several African girls dancing in a circle, also singing in English. A droopy-eyed hippo covered in flowers rests near the exit of the scene, gleefully being pecked by a couple of "peck-peck birds" on its back. Before departing from the scene, we pass beneath the head of a pink African elephant swaying its head back and forth, several children sitting on its tusks and playing instruments.

​

Passing below the elephant, we take a tour of the Islands, starting with Australia's Great Barrier Reef tastefully mixed with the other regions of the Pacific Ocean. Greeting us first are several mermaids singing the song in gurgled English, joined by several other underwater creatures donning sunglasses, straw hats, and leis. Towards the left-hand side of the canal is Australia. Starting with the Sydney Opera House and Sydney Harbour Bridge, we see a collection of Easter Island-type heads surrounded by a line of platypuses shaking their eggs like maracas, a kangaroo and her baby rocking back and forth, a Crocodile Dundee-type boy waving a boomerang at a puppy-like dingo, and several koalas munching on eucalyptus trees protruding from the water. An Aboriginal boy sails the high seas in his canoe, while several other Aboriginal children perform the song on instruments, including that famous didgeridoo we heard so much of in the Badlands...the major butte seen in nearly all images of the Outback makes an appearance here, as does the skyline of Melbourne.

On the right-hand side, Hawai'i and Polynesia find representation in the form of rapidly-shaking hula dancers, a boy on a teetering surfboard, and Polynesian boys spinning around in the flames of twirling volcanoes. Tiki heads and tribal masks line the water's edge, leading the canal path into the mouth of a Tiki Room-like structure, our entrance into South America!

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South America is an exact replica of the Disneyland original, save for the addition of an Incan temple with children in Incan garbs placed in between the spinning penguins and the Andes, as well as a new adobe-built archway dividing Latin America from the next scene: North America.

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Children in the garbs of a Mariachi band sing in Spanish from atop the archway, but are quickly drowned out by the sounds of the song being sung in American-accented English. To our right, coyotes yip and yowl from atop red-rock buttes and clifftops, welcoming us to the Old West. A Plains Indian Chief pounds a drum from a nearby butte, joined by several Native American girls dancing and a trio of large kachina dolls opening and closing their mouths. This is all backed by a small western diorama featuring a saloon, hotel, and bank. Several cacti wearing bandito clothing rock back and forth among the desert rocks, while saloon showgirls perform a kickline on the saloon's rooftop, a cowboy tipping his hat to us from in front of the hotel. A horse and mustachioed cowboy toy roast weenies over a crackling campfire, subduing the right-hand side of the scene into the Midwest where rolling green hills, twirling sunflowers, and a colorful barn house appear. A smiling horse takes several children on a hayride, while a trio of scarecrows move their heads back and forth in time with the music. Back on the left-hand side we are treated to the sights and sounds of Canada, where a child dressed like a Mountie waves to us, standing by a friendly moose. A pair of Kwakiutl totem poles also move their "wings" up and down, standing in the foreground of a tree-capped mountain range. An ice-skating rink painted with Kwakiutl symbols also resides in the foreground, two hockey-playing children engaging in a match. Spanning from the Canadian mountains to the end of the Midwestern scene is the Golden Gate Bridge.

Passing beneath the bridge, we enter the United States of the modern-day, passing by the colorful bayous of the South to our left and a multitude of American icons to our right. In the colorful bayou, swamp animals--mice, owls, bullfrogs, etc.--lazily relax among the swampy fauna, one smiling bullfrog going so far as to recline on the back of an alligator. In the background, a riverboat paddles by, the familiar silhouettes of Spaceship Earth and Cinderella Castle residing on the horizon. On the adjacent side, the Capitol Building, White House, Washington Monument, Statue of Liberty, Space Needle, Mount Rushmore, Empire State Building, Freedom Tower, and Lincoln Memorial all appear in a tasteful clump, a group of children dressed as American revolutionaries right out front, one dressed as George Washington, another dressed as Abraham Lincoln. A girl dressed as the Statue of Liberty points our attention towards the Hollywood sign which serves as the exit of this scene, backed by searchlights and surrounded by "paparazzi" children taking flash pictures of us as the canal passes through the mountain and into...the Finale.

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Almost all the children of the world have gathered together in a purple and white room, singing the song in English unison. For the first time in any Small World, some of the more recognizable animals make appearances in the finale. Each child, animal, and toy wears all-white to symbolize peace and unity in a world that can at some times be so divided. A carousel appears to our immediate right, several children riding in circles on all-white animals. A hot-air balloon filled with happy children lowers down from the ceiling before going back up, several international instrumentalists standing beneath its landing zone. On the adjacent side, children rolick back and forth on a swing set, while other children sing from opened-songbooks aboard a slow-moving riverboat, a la Splash Mountain on a smaller scale. Africa's droopy-eyed hippo floats in the waters near the riverboat, still being pecked, whilst the umbrella-clutching crocodile returns, this time wearing a white tuxedo and not clutching an umbrella. The cow, mule, and yellow-bird from Latin America make an appearance on the side adjacent to the hippo, standing before an all-white castle filled with singing children. From the ceiling above, Chinese kites and acrobats on tightropes wheel by, including a magnificent Chinese dragon built in hues of white and gold. Before our boat departs from the finale, we pass beneath a large sun taken straight from the 1964-1965 World's Fair, a bird-carried banner beneath it reading "Come Again." Our boat then drifts through the Goodbye Room, a short passage filled with similar Blair flowers bearing words of farewell in different languages. We then drift back outside, return to the loading dock, and depart to continue our day at Disneyland.

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And that's where we'll leave off for now. I don't think I have any other rides I'd like to go into with full detail, so I think we'll start getting into some of the major forms of entertainment here at Disneyland Maine.

Say, is it almost 3:00?

 

[PerGron]

As a Mainer, I am 100% on board with a park up here. Would finally give us something to do up here!

 

[DisneyManOne]

As a Mainer, I am 100% on board with a park up here. Would finally give us something to do up here!

Thank you very much! I wouldn't mind seeing this happen myself someday.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

As the afternoon sky rises over Disneyland Park, the sight, sounds and memories of some of Disney's most recognizable works comes to glorious new life along the streets of the park. This can only be Disney's Dream Celebration Parade!

This is the daytime parade to end all daytime parades at Disney parks, bringing guests into the worlds of Disney like never before.

By the way, let's go over the parade route for a brief second here. In the case of Disneyland Maine, the parade garage is located beyond the park's northwestern berm directly behind the easternmost berm of Fantasyland. The route itself starts in between "it's a small world" and Mt. Olympus, then proceeds to make its way through Fantasy Bay, past the eastern wing of the Beast's Castle, across a cement bridge over the waterways of the Hub, through the eastern side of the Hub, down Main Street, around Town Square, and out through a backstage entrance in-between the Firehouse and the Emporium, on the west side of Town Square. As expected, the floats rest in a backstage area in between the Jungle Cruise and Town Square. Since many of the floats are rather tall, the ground in this backstage area is lowered down a few pegs, carefully hiding the floats from the jungle sightlines as they enter a secondary parade garage which is also hidden from sight via lower ground and tall palm trees.

As the parade starts, we hear an instrumental of "When You Wish Upon a Star", followed by a narrator's voice: "Once upon a time, there lived a man named Walt Disney. Walt was, like a lot of you, a dreamer. He was a dreamer who could transform wishes into reality, and with just a sprinkle of pixie dust, he made characters we could only read about come to life. Over the years, we've met them all--a girl whose foot fit the glass slipper, a magical genie who can make wishes come true, a little lion cub who just can't wait to be king. Theirs was a world where dreams became reality and anything could happen. Today, we invite you to step inside this amazing world and let your imagination free as Disneyland Maine proudly presents Disney's Dream Celebration Parade! "

And that segues into the parade's main theme "Just Like We Dreamed It" (from Disneyland Paris' Once Upon a Dream Parade), which you can listen to here:

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With that, the parade begins!

First Float: Once Upon a Time
Coming down the parade route, a large storybook float appears floating on a cloud, led in by a series of parade performers as animators, holding paintbrushes, pencils and paint cans. The open storybook reads, "Disney's Dream Celebration Parade", glowing in changing, colorful LED lighting. Underneath the title, the page of the storybook feature numerous Disney characters, that are slowly revealed when the character is back-lit from within the storybook. On the backside of the storybook, fiber-optic, LED lighting waves appear, as if they storybook has just opened the guests into a world of magic.

Interlude: Hi-Diddle-Dee-Dee
Honest John and Gideon make their way down the street, with a set of donkey boys, dancing to the choreographed song of "Hi-Diddle-Dee-Dee".

Second Float: Pinocchio/Winnie the Pooh
Following Honest John and Gideon, the front of the next float features a large puppet Geppetto operating two puppet performers (who actually operate the Geppetto puppet.)

Located in-between the two puppets, Pinocchio is located, in front of a wall of clocks and Gizmos. An audio animatronic figures of Jiminy Cricket floats down on the float. An audio-animatronic Figaro reaches into a fish bowl to capture a swimming Cleo. Just off of Geppetto, to the right, the Blue Fairy is located, telling the entire audience to be true of heart and their dreams will come true. On the backside of the entire scene, a storybook "page" is located, separating it from the second half of the float.

On the backside of the float, a beautiful day in the 100 Acre Wood is located. A large, beautiful tree with orange and dark red leaves, features a quiet Piglet waving from inside. Winnie the Pooh sits in an overflowing hunny pot just off the right of the tree. Tigger bounces in a grove just off the left of the tree.

Interlude: The Blustery Day
Christopher Robin, Eeyore, Rabbit, Owl and Kanga with Roo, make their way down the parade route, carrying colorful flying flags.

Third Float: The Princess and the Frog
A somewhat small riverboat travels down the parade root, steaming with smoke from the top canisters. In the front of the steamboat, Princess Tiana and Prince Naveen wave at the guests. The inside of the riverboat is adorned with water pads and beautiful lily flower. Louie, the Alligator, steers the entire riverboat from the Captain's Deck, as a cast of performers sing "Down in New Orleans". On the back of the boat, Dr. Facilier awaits, taunting the guests. A shadowy, dark figure of Dr. Facilier appears, projected on the boat behind Dr. Facilier.

Fourth Float: The Little Mermaid
A set of performers in tropical, undersea costumes appear down the street with streamers in hand, before a colossal cornucopia of coral and shells appears, with Ariel and Eric planted on top, in a giant clam shell. Watery fountains emerge from the clam shell, making it seem like the couple is being lifted into the air by layering waterfalls. The float features several audio-animatronic fish from the "Under the Sea" scene, including Flounder and Sebastian, who sits at the front of the float in a much smaller clam shell, conducting the entire orchestra of fish.

Interlude: Captain Hook's Crew
Captain Hook, along with Smee and his crew of pirates, make their way down the parade route.

Fifth Float: Peter Pan/Mary Poppins
A pirate ship makes its' way down the parade route, with Peter Pan at the ship's wheel. Wendy, cheerfully stands next to him, waving and interacting with the guests. Tinker Bell appears as a projection in the ship's hold. Tall masts stretch into the sky. At the base of the ships, watery waves are sculpted onto the base of the ship, as Tic-Toc, the Crocodile makes his way up the ship. At the back end of the ship, the wood work begins to fade into the brick-work of chimneys and London buildings. Big Ben, located on the opposite side of the float, can be seen.

On the opposite side of the float, a series of chimneys and Londong buildings make up the background of the Mary Poppins section of the float. Mary and Bert are both riding on horses on a small carousel, located on the back end of the float. A tall structure of the clocktower, Big Ben, is located just behind the carousel. A set of dancing penguins from the movie proceeds to follow the float.

Interlude: I'm Late, I'm Late!
The White Rabbit and Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum make their way down the parade route.

Sixth Float: Alice in Wonderland
This float unit consists of three separate floats, all attached, but each with a different theme. The first float comes down adorned with beautiful flowers, seen in "The Golden Afternoon" scene from the movie. In the center of the float, the catepillar from the film, sits atop a large mushroom, smoking, as puffs of circular smoke emant from the audio-animatronics' mouth. The float is surrounded with different sort of trees and leaves. The Cheshire Cat spontaneously appears within the openings of the trees.

Continuing on to the second float of the unit, the float consists of a large table, adorned with all different sorts of teapots, teacups and plates. Alice, the Mad Hatter and the March Hare run along the float, interacting with the guests. Lanterns are suspended from the top of the float.

In the third and final float of the Alice in Wonderland unit, tall hedge maze arches surround the float. Each of the arches is guarded by a heart or a spade soldier, surrounding the Queen of Hearts, who wields a dodo bird, in the middle of an intense game of croquette. The float is adorned with white roses, which have been hap-hazardly been painted red.

Interlude: Prince Ali's Royal Caravan
Genie, Abu and Iago make their way down the parade route, alongside cymbal dancers and harem girls.

Seventh Float: Aladdin
Aladdin and Jasmine make their way down the parade route. The Magic Carpet actually operates as the float, hovering about five feet off of the ground, with a pillar support as its' track. Clouds of smoke emant from the sides and underneath the carpet, to not only hide the mechanisms of the moving carpet, but to make it seem as if Aladdin and Jasmine are on the carpet, floating on a continuously moving cloud. The carpet soars over a model of Agrabah, which gradually gets larger as it reaches the back of the float. At the back of the float is the Sultan's Palace, shining in all its glory.

Interlude: You've Got a Friend in Me
The Green Army Men march their way down the parade route in time with the music. Mr. Potato Head, Rex, Slinky Dog, Bullseye and Bo Peep also walk down the parade route, interacting with guests as they pass by.

Eighth Float: Toy Story
This float seems to be built out of Tinker-Toys, and decorated with cards, monkeys from the barrel, and other Toy Story pals. Woody and Jessie stand at the front of the float, nearby Mr. Spell. Above them is Buzz Lightyear, riding in his spaceship. A mobile of Little Green Aliens spins nearby him. Essentially, this is the same float used for Block Party Bash, re-purposed here.

Interlude: The Circle of Life
Dancers dressed like lions, birds, cheetahs, panthers, gazelles and monkeys make their way down the street. Stilt walkers representing giraffes and birds dance down the street, nearby a "moving" AA rhino (using same technology as Lucky the Dinosaur) and a giant elephant (using the same technology as the elephant seen in the Broadway version of The Lion King).

Ninth Float: The Jungle
The ninth float of the parade is themed to three different Disney movies and consists of three distinct units to the float. The first float of the unit is themed to The Lion King. A down-sized Pride Rock appears on the parade route, as a puppet Simba communicates with the audience. Timon and Pumbaa audio-animatronics lie just underneath the rock face of Pride Rock. On the opposite side of them, an audio-animatronic Zazu talks to the audience. Off to the side of Pride Rock, a streaming waterfall runs down both sides of the float. The sides of the float are covered in dense jungle trees and plants, before revealing Rafiki on the back end of the float, with a hand-drawn image of Simba, drawn into the wood of a tree trunk.

The next float of the unit is themed to The Jungle Book. Tall trees border the corners of the float, as the entire center of the float is themed to a ruined jungle fortress, where King Louie has made his home. Mowgli, Baloo and King Louie all dance to "I Wanna Be Like You", along with a crew of monkey performers. Kaa, the snake, surrounds the top of the float, hanging from the trees, occasionally hissing at the guests.

The final float in the unit is themed to Tarzan. The float consists of dense jungle plants bordering the floats, with a large rock fixture in the background, featuring a cascading waterfall. A canopy of leaves and vines are suspended overhead. Tarzan and Jane circle the float from the overhead vines, before proceeding to interact with the audience. On the back side of the waterfall, Terk is located.

Interlude: Something Wicked This Way Comes
A series of dark creatures make their way down the street, as the tone of the music turns dismal and dark.

Tenth Float: The Villains
The villains appear at the base of a mountain, Bald Mountain. Chernabog, the winged-demon, sits at the top of the mountain, sneering at the guests, as the mountain occasionally erupts with smoke. The score of "Night on Bald Mountain" plays. Slithering down the curves of the mountain, wrapping around it, Jafar, as a snake, slithers towards the front of the float, leading the way, as the audio-animatronic head of the snake, slithers and moves its' head awfully close to the audience.

At the front of the mountain, on either side of Jafar, Maleficent stands with her staff, opposed to the Evil Queen, who is just by a smoking cauldron, holding a poisoned, red apple. Located to the left of Maleficent, Hades is located. On the opposite side of the float, located to the right of the Evil Queen, a puppeteered Scar is located. On the back-side of the float, an audio-animatronic Ursula sits, manipulating the guests to come visit her in her lair, so they can make a little bargain.

Interlude: The Good Fairies
The three good fairies, Flora, Fauna and Merryweather, along with the Fairy Godmother, lead in the next float, casting magical dust from their wands into the audience and towards the villain float, to almost repel them away.

Eleventh Float: The Royal Ball
A set of royal dancers leads into the next float,a royal triple-tiered golden staircase, adorned with beautiful golden banners, golden castle spires, leading to beautiful silver turrets, reflecting the sunlight, making everything glow with a radiant hue. Tall garden arches beautiful arrange around the triple-tiered staircase, upholding a large crystal chandelier.

At the base of the first tiered staircase, Snow White and Prince Florian are located, along with Princess Aurora and Prince Phillip. Leading up to he second tier of golden staircases, Belle and Prince Adam are located, along with Rapunzel and Flynn Rider. Rapunzel's hair seems to flow down the set of stairs and wrap around parts of the sides of the float, with are adorned with flowers and golden carvings. At the very top tier of the float, Cinderella and Prince Charming are located, standing right before a beautifully detailed stained-glass portrait of Cinderella Castle, adorned with blue curtains.

Interlude: Classic Characters
Characters such as Daisy, Pluto, Chip and Dale, Clarabelle Cow and Horace Horsecollar make their way down the parade route.

Twelfth Float: Finale
The final float of the parade features a flat surfaced storybook. Clouds of smoke and LED waves of light emerging from the clouds enchant the entire float, as if it is being overcome with magic. The pages of the book make up the stairs leading up to the float. The pages are littered with words and stories from Disney movies. Goofy, Donald and Pluto are at the base of the float, with paintbrushes and pencils in hand. The pages of the stairs lead up to Sorcerer Mickey Mouse, who is using his magical powers, to create the storybook. Minnie stands right nearby him. LED lighting appears to flow from Mickey and illuminates words and images throughout the entire float, making it appear as though Mickey is magically writing the story. The words behind Mickey seem to fade into infinity, as Mickey and Minnie tell the audience to use their dreams to create their own story.

A banner displaying "Disney's Dream Celebration" follows the float and closes out the parade.

 

[DisneyManOne]

Now, the cool shades of nighttime cast their veil over Disneyland Park. As the moon rises high, and twinkle-lights illuminate Main Street, U.S.A. and the trees in the Hub, the streets once again bustle with excitement, because a tried-and-true Disney classic is coming our way: The Main Street Electrical Parade!



After enjoying a fond return engagement at the original Disneyland, the Main Street Electrical Parade has made the trek up north to be a part of the Disneyland Maine experience.
But while much of the parade will be the same, there will also be numerous differences as well, all in an effort to really make the classic sparkle as never before. For one thing, the new music and floats will be in place. And there will be appearances by new characters and, more importantly, new scenes in the parade! Let's see what's in store, shall we?

All along the route from Fantasyland to Main Street, U.S.A., you hear the original 1972 music swell up, the lights dim in the park and a classic-sounding, computerized announcer introduces the parade...

"Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, Disneyland proudly presents our spectacular festival pageant of nighttime magic and imagination, in thousands of sparkling lights and electro-synthe-magnetic musical sounds... the Main Street Electrical Parade!"

With that, the iconic "Baroque Hoedown" starts up as the parade's grand marshal, the Blue Fairy, leads the way. A unique float makes her dress look larger than it would normally seem.

Following behind the Blue Fairy's leading float is another, much more classic float, Casey Jr., which is being driven by none other than Goofy. He playfully pulls on the train whistle, which emits a silly whistle (and real steam) as it comes by the route. The engine is pulling a huge drum upon which the name of the parade is proudly displayed. As in the past, standing on the drum are Mickey and Minnie Mouse, but now they are joined by an old friend, who makes his formal appearance in the parade for the first time, Donald Duck. He stands next to Minnie, while Mickey stands alone up atop the drum and a little further behind. Another new difference is that Mickey, Minnie, Donald and Goofy all speak to you as they pass by, their mouths moving to new technology and everything. They interact with you by way of LCI, so it's always different each time.

After the train and drum pass by, you are now treated to the first of many scenes from many Disney classics to come your way in lit-up lights and synthesized music. First up is the world of Alice in Wonderland. It is similar to the version of old, but with numerous differences, not the least of which is the lack of any mushroom floats, all of which have been repurposed for use elsewhere in the parade, but we'll get to that later. First you see, three classic floats, three spinning creatures that spin around and race from one side of the route to the other. The first is a turtle wearing glasses, then a snail with a red shell and finally a green lightning bug. Amid these spinning critters, you are also treated to more classic characters from the film, most notably, the Mad Hatter, the White Rabbit and the Queen of Hearts. Behind this little bunch of characters, you finally see Alice herself reclining on the back of a new float, a giant Cheshire Cat. The float, in keeping with the feline himself, is constantly shifting the lights on and off. Alice herself talks to you as she does in the past, making comments based her experiences in the movie. The float looks like the same float as in the image below:

Behind the Cheshire Cat float cavort more characters and more classic spinning critters. Here, the characters are Tweedledee and Tweedledum and the Walrus and the spinning critters include a turtle wearing a hat, a snail with a green/blue shell and an orange lightning bug. Finally, the last float in the scene is another new float, a giant version of the hookah-smoking Caterpillar, all done up in blue lights. Real smoke rises from the hookah as the Caterpillar makes comments (i.e., "A-E-I-O-U", "Who... R... U...?", "How doth the little crocodile improve his shining tail...", etc.). This float is one of the longest in the parade thus far. And when the Caterpillar float passes by, the "Alice in Wonderland" scene ends.

Following Alice in Wonderland is the Cinderella unit. On the first float, the Fairy Godmother works her magic as Cinderella’s pumpkin carraige rides past. Like at Tokyo, the horses actually trot! Then, we have the classic “Ballroom Dancers” unit from the current parade. This is followed by a float where Cinderella and Prince Charming, share a romantic waltz as the mice (Jaq, Gus, Suzy and Perla) look on. A clock tower stands at the far back of the float.

Up next, a unit themed to Winnie the Pooh. This features Winnie the Pooh, Tigger and Eeyore (also using LCI) sitting outside a tree, pictured right. Piglet, Rabbit and Christopher Robin dance around on the streets. Behind the float, Heffalumps and Woozles can be seen, some giant floats, some operated like Chinese dragons and some using bunraku. The music for this segment is “Winnie the Pooh”, “The Wonderful Thing About Tiggers” and “Heffalumps and Woozles”.

Dumbo, a retired unit is back and better than ever with plenty of new color and effects.

Following this is the Pinocchio unit, which receives no changes.

The Peter Pan unit faces both gains and losses, starting with the old Jolly Roger float. A brand-new and much larger pirate ship (still the Jolly Roger) replaces the float, allowing more room for Pan and Hook to battle along with the addition of Mr. Smee whom has been evicted from his tiny rowboat float. In place of the rowboat is a giant recreation of the infamous crocodile, a brightly-lit-green float roving around the street and coming up close and personal with spectators. Wrapped in his tail is a giant alarm clock with spinning hands (spinning clockwise for a bit before turning around and going counter clockwise).

Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs is up next featuring much of the original unit, starting with the mine carts and jewel mine (all refurbished). One of the old mushroom floats from Alice in Wonderland has been transformed into a recreation of Prince Charming's Castle, the float obviously centered around a waving Snow White and Prince Charming.

Another new unit to the parade is the Jungle unit which as mentioned in a prior post represents The Jungle Book and The Lion King. Taking a cue from DisneySea's rendition of Fantasmic!, an over-sized Simba and Baloo appear on two separate floats, the floats glowing green and adorned with vivid blue waterfalls and colorful flowers. A Baroque Hoedown-style version of "I Wanna Be Like You" and "Hakuna Matata" are the two main songs heard here, appropriate for a unit as such. The giant Simba cub figure is composed of yellow and orange lights on a close-resembling figure (just about as close a resemblance as the Cheshire Cat is to the original) and features a humongous mane composed of color-changing leaves (think "I Just Can't Wait to be King"). Timon, Rafiki, and some puppet-made African wildlife parade around Simba while King Louie and his jazzy monkey army dance around Baloo who like Simba greatly resembles his movie counterpart. Baloo full-on changes colors to truly match his jazzy and upbeat personality. The colors change into images and shapes as well showing jungles, waterfalls, shapes, stripes, and so on so forth.

Next up, another new addition: The Little Mermaid. This new underwater unit marks the first time since the early 1980s that a scene themed to the ocean is featured, that being the Briny Deep, which was later rethemed as Pinocchio Underwater. Anyway, the new Little Mermaid unit's music has some of Baroque Hoedown intertwined with "Under the Sea" and "Part of Your World". This new unit has some elements of the old Briny Deep scene thrown in, most notably some depictions of seaweed, seahorses and lots of colorful fish, all under a series of ripples to further enhance the underwater effect and bubbles, both lights to simulate those floating up to the surface and real bubbles that are sprayed out towards the audience. It is an entirely new version of the old Briny Deep unit, but new and drastically improved. The fish all swim around in a circle underneath Flounder and Sebastian all lit up. On the end of the float, Ariel herself waves to the audience. Bringing up the rear is a gigantic Ursula float, about the same height as the clock tower in the Cinderella unit, all done up in lights and surrounded on both sides by the Flotsam and Jetsam puppets from the old Parade of Dreams, but which are now re-purposed for this new parade here.

Next up, you witness still another classic scene in the parade: Pete's Dragon! It's the same float as before, a giant Elliot the dragon comes down the street, spewing smoke from his nostrils, disappearing and reappearing at will, his friend Pete riding him on his neck, and a lantern hanging off of his tail. Pete also continues to comment on Elliot to the guests and vice-versa.

Finally, we have still another returning classic, the finale unit To Honor America. Like some of the earlier scenes of the parade, this closing scene is the same traditional unit, but remastered, restored, and given new life, color, and lighting effects. It features the same elements as before: a banner reading "To Honor America", firework rockets, firework effects, a long, elongated American flag, drums, and finally, at the very end of the line, a giant bald eagle to close out. Flanking the sides of the unit are several female performers in colorful colonial getup doing high-kicking dances as they parade along. Behind the eagle, more patriotic girls act as rope tenders to allow the guests to leave. As the music reaches its end, you hear the classic closing line: "Disneyland's Main Street Electrical Parade!" And the music finally reaches its dramatic close, the lights along the parade route are turned back on and the parade is over.

What do you think? Next up, we'll end our journey at Disneyland Maine with its nighttime spectacular: Disney Dreams: Experience the Magic!

 

[DisneyManOne]

​

"They say it started very small
as most dreams do.
A twinkle in an eye,
the thrill of something new.
Then the dream began to grow
and come alive,
touching every one of us,
lighting up the sky..."

These are the words that open "Share a Dream Come True", the theme for Disney Dreams: Experience the Magic, Disneyland Maine's epic new nighttime show. In the show, Jiminy Cricket invites us into a "living storybook" and takes us through some of the greatest Disney stories of all time.

Night has settled all across the Magic Kingdom. The murmur of guests rings down Main Street U.S.A., as you approach the center of the hub, by the Partners Statue, to find a good location to view the fireworks for their opening night debut. The Beast's Castle is illuminated in a dark blue hue, as the light of the moon reflects down onto the hub. After watching the Main Street Electrical Parade, you find yourself anticipating what lies in store next. The trees down Main Street U.S.A., and the trees in the middle of the Hub, twinkle with pixel lights, enchanting the street making everything seem magical. The smell of popcorn settles into the hub, as families quickly rush to get some ice cream and their spots to see the fireworks. Anticipation rises.

Prologue

Then, all of Main Street U.S.A. and the Beast's Castle black out, enveloping the entire entrance of the park and the hub in complete darkness. A simple xylophone medley fills the air, as the image of a storybook appears on the Castle. It opens up to reveal Walt Disney, hard at work (in a style similar to the video above). A woman's gentle voice sings...

"They say it started very small
as most dreams do
a twinkle in an eye
the thrill of something new
then the dream began to grow
and come alive
touching everyone of us
lighting up the skies."

As the images of various Disney characters appear in the book (again, in a style similar to the video above)...the orchestra swells and a choir vocalizes underneath the woman. Fireworks burst in the distance.

"We share a magic day
we share enchanted nights
it's a never ending story
that together we all write.
It's been a part of me
it's been a part of you
a part of growing up together.
We share a dream come true."

The projection fades away. As the voices fade and the song continues in instrumental, Jiminy Cricket's voice is heard.

JIMINY CRICKET: Gosh, wasn't that beautiful? Oh, hello, everybody, and welcome. Cricket's the name--Jiminy Cricket. You know, this entire wonderful place was inspired by the dreams of one man, who used his power to make a wish. That man was Walt Disney, of course! He dreamed of a place where families can be together and see their dreams unfold before their very eyes; and that dream turned into Disneyland. Everybody has the power to wish and to dream. I know some of you out there may not believe me, I'm just a cricket after all, but let me tell you, the most wonderful things can happen and all it takes is a wish!

A blue bolt shoots from behind the Beast's Castle, before a firework in the formation of a star bursts in the sky. A choir proceeds to sing "When You Wish Upon a Star". Sparkles along the castle begin to illuminate, as the castle soon begins to light in a bright golden color.

"When you wish upon a star
Makes no difference who you are
Anything your heart desires will come to you."

All the while, glittery curtains of fireowrks descend down from the sky, before fading into the night. The book appears once more.

JIMINY CRICKET: Say, why don't I take you inside this magical book, so you can see the power of dreams come to life? Inside this living storybook, we'll meet some old friends and see how dreams and wishes saw them through. All you need is a dream to let your imagination take flight!

Act I: Flight Into Imagination

Suddenly, Tinker Bell descends down from the tallest spire of the castle, using her wand to set of a plethora of fireworks behind the castle, in a variety of different colors. Blue and golden fountains surrounding the castle, rise higher and higher and Tinker Bell continues her descent. The chorus of notes descend down along with Tinker Bell, before proceeding into a chorus of "The Second Star to the Right". The entire hub darkens again, as the entire castle becomes illuminated with twinkling projected stars. A bright, predominant star is located at the very top of the castle. As the chorus of "The Second Star to the Right" continues, twinkling waterfalls of light burst in the sky.

As the chorus of the song concludes, Peter Pan suddenly emerges from one of the balconies of the Beast's Castle, and appears to fly across the front of the castle.

Peter Pan: Hey there, everyone! Now, think of the happiest things, it's the same as having wings! All you need is faith and trust. Oh, and one thing I forgot, dust! Tinker Bell!

Suddenly, the entire castle becomes illuminated in a darker golden color. Golden streams fireworks fall around the castle.

Peter Pan: Come on, everybody! Here we go! Off to Neverland!

In that instance, suddenly, Peter Pan flies around the castle. With the use of projections, the castle appears to be shrinking smaller and smaller. Wait, we're flying! Clouds soon cover the castle, as six different water screens surround the castle emerge, projected with fanciful clouds, making it seem as though the entire hub is floating in the middle of the sky. As this is happening, the tune of "You Can Fly! You Can Fly! You Can Fly!" is heard, as Peter flies through the clouds, before the segments ends with an arch of firework streams rising from behind the castle, illuminating it with a white light.

Then, a drum roll sounds, as the entire castle is illuminated in a dark red hue. The windows of the castle are illuminated with bright yellow lights. Lumiere (a large puppet) appears from behind a curtain and welcomes the guests to the magical night that is yet to be seen.

LUMIERE: Esteemed madames et monsieurs, it is with deepest pride and greatest pleasure that we welcome you tonight. And now, we invite you to relax, let us pull up a chair, as the dining room proudly presents...your dinner!

The entire hub then explodes in a celebration of color! Fireworks from behind the castle then are perfectly choreographed to "Be Our Guest" as the castle is illuminated in a rainbow of lights.Fountains to the sides of the castle dance to the melody of the music. In the final segment of the show, Lumiere appears on the castle, which is adorned with numerous colorful spotlights, dancing plates and silverware, as they proceed into the final segment of the show. As the song segues into its' final fanfare, an array of colorful fireworks explode behind the castle, as the fountains dance higher and higher. At the speed of the music picks up, more and more fireworks blast off. It's like a mini-finale and the show has only just begun! In the final chord of the number, a big blast of fireworks erupts completely surrounding the hub, before the hub fades back into the darkness.

Act II: Dreams to be Shared

JIMINY CRICKET: Dreams can be very special, especially when you share them with friends...

Suddenly, we see the iconic sunrise from The Lion King projected onto the castle, complete with the iconic opening chant. What follows is a beautiful segment inspired by "Circle of Life". The water screens project animals walking towards the castle, which has turned into Pride Rock. As the song ends, a gigantic firework explodes in time to the bass drum hit that ends the song as the projections black out.

Then, projected at the base of the castle, Timon and Pumbaa appear, welcoming the audience to their care-free, no worries lifestyle. An instrumental of "Hakuna Matata" plays, as the castle is soon covered with bugs and grubs, covering all over the castle. Firework explosions in the shapes of types of bugs emerge in the sky, along with other fireworks choreographed to the music. Leaves are projected all along the base of the castle. The fountains at the base of the castle simulate green leaves, to create a dense-jungle like appearance. During the segment, guests can hear Timon and Pumbaa talking about all of the delicious grubs crawling across the castle.

Soon, in a sequence lifted from Disneyland Forever, the Castle turns into a honey-combed paradise, as Winnie the Pooh emerges, singing about the "rumbly in his tumbly". He ends up following a bee, but the bee turns multicolor, and the Castle becomes a multicolored jumble, the perfect segue into the bizarre "Heffalumps and Woozles" nightmare!

In the midst of the song, a flash of blue appears across the castle, as blue sparkles drape around the castle. The Genie from Aladdin appears!

GENIE: Whoa! 10,000 years can give you such a crick in the neck! Hello, people, up here! Come on, we've got some wishes to grant!

This leads into an instrumental of "Friend Like Me", where the Genie uses his magic powers to warp and change the castle. In this number Genie's magical powers are choreographed to the fireworks, as he uses his magic to transfigure the castle, the sparks on the castle are choreographed with real fireworks. At the end of the number, the Genie has multiplied all over the castle and finishes off the number, as a string of blue fireworks shoot into the sky.

At the conclusion of the "Friend Like Me" segment, the water screens re-emerge around the hub, as Aladdin and Jasmine appear, singing "A Whole New World". The two fly around the hub via the water screens, floating along the Magic Carpet, amidst a starry night. The Sultan's Palace from Agrabah is projected onto the Beast's Castle. Water fountains dance in arching formations. Shimmery fireworks blast off into the sky in golden colors. The silvery, starry fireworks descend down over the hub. Beautiful, steams of fireworks shoot up from behind the castle, quiet, not to disturb the beauty of the scene. At the end of the segment, Aladdin and Jasmines descend and the Sultan's Palace fades, leaving the castle twinkling in an array of blinking stars.

Act III: Dreams Born of Yearning

As the next segment begins, guests can hear the faint score to "Part of Your World", as Ariel wishes to be a part of the human world. Soon the castle becomes engulfed with a wave, as if it was being submerged. The entire area soon feels as though it is underwater. Bubbles descend down upon the area and lasers simulate the wavy surface to the ocean, completely enveloping the hub and Main Street. The water screens open to simulate the undersea environment from The Little Mermaid.

Fireworks and fountains dance to "Part of Your World", before the hub becomes alive with color, to the tune of "Under the Sea". Sebastian appears on one of the water screens, as the entire hub wraps with all different sorts of undersea-life, seen in The Little Mermaid. The hub becomes alive with an array of colorful fountains. Colorful fireworks blast off into the sky in red, green and blue colors. Arches of fireworks envelop the castle in the tropical, undersea rhythm. Lights envelop the hub, as the song reaches its' climax and blasts of shimmery, twirly fireworks shoot off into the sky.

As the song concludes, we rise up from the ocean once again to find ourselves looking out towards the ocean. Suddenly, a green glow emerges from the water, and a familiar green stone pops up and floats past. Cutting across the waves is Moana, aboard her boat! The triumphant refrain of "How Far I'll Go" fills the air.

Projected onto the castle, a series of leaves sweep across, before the instrumental tune of "Colors of the Wind" could be heard. Blue and green fountains rise into the sky, turning into the center, towards the castle. The sky becomes illuminated with different colors of fireworks. Some of the fireworks "sizzle" out, almost as if they are part of the leaves flying across the castle. As the end of the song approaches, the fireworks become more vibrant and larger, until the end of the song, where a series of colorful fireworks arch out from behind the castle.

A silhouette of Hercules onboard Pegasus flies across the castle, as the castle is illuminated in a bright orange color. Huge circular red and orange fireworks blast off to the tune of "Go the Distance" in a grand and bold manner. The song soon segues into "Out There" from The Hunchback of Notre Dame, which keeps the same manner as the previous segment, the fireworks launch out in big, bold patterns to the tune of the music. The Cathedral of Notre Dame is projected onto the castle as Quasimodo rings the bells, and huge fireworks explode out from behind it, completely enveloping the entire hub in bright oranges and reds.

Act IV: The Ties of Family

A brief reprise of "Share a Dream Come True" plays again.

JIMINY CRICKET: If you tell someone about your dream, that doesn't mean that it won't come true, you know. Just like my friend, Pinoke, he and his father both wished on a star...and their wishes came true.

An instrumental of "You'll Be in My Heart" plays, as vines slowly creep up the castle, as blue butterflies fly across the castle. Green fountains shoot up around the castle, as golden streams of fireworks fall during the verse of the song, raining down over the castle, like a canopy. During the refrain of the song, strings of pyrotechnics emerge from the sides of the castle, ending the segment perfectly. The hub soon fades to darkness again, as "Ellie's Theme" from Up plays, as colorful balloons rise on the castle. Colorful fireworks in red, blue, green, yellow and all sorts of colors illuminate the hub, for the incredibly colorful, yet somber musical segment.

Then, we hear a familiar voice...

"Remember me,
Though I have to say goodbye
Remember me
Don't let it make you cry..."

It's Hector, singing the song he wrote for his daughter, Coco. As he sings, we see footage of famous Disney families embracing. As the song concludes, he's joined by the voices of his great-great-grandson Miguel, and the elderly Mama Coco.

"Know that I'm with you the only way that I can be.
Until you're in my arms again,
Remember me."

Suddenly, the area takes on a cool, mellow blue tone, as we hear the voice of Timothy Mouse.

TIMOTHY: Come on, Dumbo. You can do it. You don't need a magic feather! You really can fly!

And just like that, Dumbo himself appears flying over Cinderella Castle, flapping his big ears and moving his legs. Blue shells are quietly shot in the background, as Allison Kraus' voice sings "Baby Mine". The music softens and Dumbo makes his exit.

Emerging from the side of the castle, Stitch appears, as Experiment 626. He arrives at a balcony in the castle, where he uses his laser gun weapon to shoot into the audience. As he does so, flares emerge all around the castle and the hub, as lazers emerge into the audience, in a completely 3-D realistic way. Stitch lets out a wicked laugh, before proceeding his onslaught of using his laser gun to spark fireworks from all around the castle. Stitch waves goodbye to the audience, as he climbs down the sides of the castle turrets and plunges into the moat towards Tomorrowland. A splash is heard and the water fountains shoot up.

Act V: Wishes of Love

JIMINY CRICKET: A dream is a powerful thing, especially when it comes from the heart...

The darkened hub becomes illuminated to the grand tune of "One Song" from Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, before proceeding into elements of "Someday My Prince Will Come". The Prince's castle from the film is projected onto the castle, as a colorful mix of golden curtain fireworks is contrasted against the deep blue hues of the dancing fountains.

Immediately following the refrain from Snow White, "So This Is Love" from Cinderella sweeps through the hub, the castle takes on a gloss, glassy appearance, not too different from glass slippers, perhaps? Bold blue and white orb fireworks explode in the sky, almost as bright and shimmery as diamonds. Heart fireworks explode in the sky, as blue dancing fountains illuminate the base of the castle. We see Cinderella and Prince Charming waltz past.

Following the Cinderella segment, the hub livens up to the tune of "Once Upon a Dream" from Sleeping Beauty. Cinderella Castle takes the form of King Stephan's castle from the film, as a battle ensues between blue and pink fireworks above. The bright fireworks light up the castle, lighting up the structure in an array of blue and pink lights. Flying across the castle are small red, green and blue orbs; Flora, Fauna and Merryweather. During the segment, guests can hear Flora and Merryweather chanting "Make it pink!" or "Blue"! At the base of the castle, the fountains themselves are battling out between deciding whether to be blue or pink.

This soon segues into a grand, sweeping sequence where we see Belle and the Beast dance as Mrs. Potts sings "Beauty and the Beast". This is a sequence lifted from Once Upon a Time at the Magic Kingdom.

As the song slowly fades, a single floating lantern is projected, rising up the castle.

"I See the Light" starts playing throughout the hub, as the water screens surrounding the hub soon become illuminated with several floating lanterns, which also completely illuminate the castle. Rapunzel begins to sing the verse of the song, as golden fountains rise from the base of Cinderella Castle. Golden fireworks explode overhead. It really does feel as though the entire hub is surrounded in floating lanterns. As Flynn joins Rapunzel during the refrain of the song, real floating lanterns float from the base of Cinderella Castle and rise into the sky, out of sight. As the song slowly finishes out its' final chords, the tone of the music turns somewhat darker, dismal. The castle falls into a dark blue/purplish color.

Act VI: Dark Forces Ignite

JIMINY CRICKET: Huh? What's going on? Whoa, I guess some of us have to be careful with what we wish for. Anything can happen. Look out!

Suddenly a flash of light appears across the castle, as a firework makes a gigantic, thunderous noise. In a golden circular frame, the face of the Magic Mirror appears, stating to the guests that dreams can give way to a world of nightmares. Flames burst from within the magic mirror, engulfing the mirror and spreading across the castle. Real jets of fire ignite off of the castle.

Smoke emants from the castle, as green fountains emerge from its' base. Projected green some rises along the castle, before the evil face of Scar from The Lion King appears from within the green smoke. Suddenly, a rock theme of "Be Prepared" takes hold, as bold green and yellow fireworks illuminate the sky, cackling above. The segment ends with a thundersome crackle, from the fireworks above. The green lights remain on the castle, as a shadowy figure of Dr. Facilier is projected onto the castle, performing "Friends on the Other Side". During the number, the dark shadow uses his "voodoo" powers to create the magical firework displays at hand, in many different shapes. Dark shadowy creatures swarm the castle. This segment is similar to the "Friend Like Me" segment, where in, the animation on the castle, is choreographed with the fireworks.

Suddenly, bursts of flame appear from the castle, as "Hellfire" plays. Huge orbs of red and orange fireworks explode in the sky, painting a haunting picture of a darkened Cinderella Castle in the forefront. It seemingly appears as though the sky is on fire from the mass arrangement of fiery red fireworks. Fiery beams emerge from jets on Cinderella Castle. The segment ends with an explosion of blood red fireworks surrounding the hub.

When the light from the fireworks fade, a very familiar villain appears in a burst of green flame.

MALEFICENT: Behold the power of all evil! This kingdom shall become my dominion of nightmares!

Blasts of green fireworks emerge from behind the castle. Projected thorns begin to cover the castle. The water screens open to reveal a thorn forest surrounding the hub. Jets of fire appear from within the hub, spreading the blaze across the river, seemingly making it seem as though the hub is surrounding by a river of fire! Blasts of green and purple fireworks explode in the sky, creating a haunted scene. The fireworks explode faster and faster, as the fire sears farther. Maleficent's wicked laugh fills the hub. The momentum continues to build and build until…

Sorcerer Yensid appears on the castle and halts the madness by casting forth his hands. Upon doing so, the fountains rise and rush upwards towards the castle. The fire is distinguished and the madness finally subdues, as Maleficent's laughter fades away. The twisted green and purple mash of colors on the castle fades away, illuminating the castle in a light blue glow.

Finale

Smoke still clears from the previous madness, surrounding the castle, as all falls silent. A slight glimmer of light sparkles across Cinderella Castle.

JIMINY CRICKET: Well, I'll be, the magic lives on! As long as we all believe, then the power of dreams will always triumph over evil. This place, this Magic Kingdom, will never run out of magic, as long as people still have dreams and wishes to make! This kingdom will live on as the place where dreams really do come true...

The woman's voice sings once more...

"And with each generation we know,
Treasure the memories
and together watch them grow."

The book opens up once more, to reveal a very familiar image: July 17th, 1955.

WALT DISNEY: To all who come to this happy place...welcome.

The image fades away as the Castle projects scenes of Disney characters having their dreams come true.

• Snow White being woken up by the Prince's kiss
• Pinocchio becoming a real boy
• Sorcerer Mickey doing magic
• Dumbo being re-united with his mother
• Bambi standing on the cliff; now the Great Prince
• Cinderella and the Prince being married
• Peter Pan and the Darlings soaring off to Neverland
• Sleeping Beauty and Prince Phillip dancing in the clouds
• Wart removing the sword from the stone
• Mowgli and Baloo being re-united
• Winnie the Pooh eating honey in the Honey Tree
• Ariel being re-united with Prince Eric
• The Beast and the servants becoming human again; Belle and Adam waltzing
• Aladdin and Jasmine riding their magic carpet
• Simba, Nala, Timon and Pumbaa on Pride Rock
• Woody and Buzz re-uniting with Andy
• Quasimodo being accepted into society
• Hercules becomes a hero
• The Chinese people bowing down to Mulan
• Tarzan and Jane being re-united
• Stitch becoming part of Lilo's family
• The Incredibles saving the day
• Tiana and Naveen becoming human again
• Rapunzel being re-united with her parents
• Anna being un-thawed; Anna and Elsa hugging
• Moana sailing away

Golden fireworks surround the hub and blast off into the sky. Golden streams of light start swarming around the castle, bright beam of fireworks shooting overhead, as royal chords string on. The castle becomes illuminated in gold, shimmering, piercing through the dark night. Golden fireworks continue to blast overhead. A choir sings out the final refrain to "Share a Dream Come True" as the fireworks illuminate the sky, each one bigger than the last, until the entire sky is awash in gold.

"We share a magic day
we share enchanted nights
it's a never ending story
that together we all write
it's been a part of me
it's been a part of you,
a part of growing up together
sharing a dream come true,
we share a dream come true."

Suddenly, bright gold and silver fireworks burst from the castle and the hub at the conclusion of the song, as a single bolt of blue is shot from the gold-covered Castle, before a dramatic drum roll rings on.

JIMINY CRICKET: Believe in your dreams. They're shining down deep inside of you, 'cause that is where the magic lives...

"We share a dream come true!"

An orchestra of fireworks jet into the sky, of all different colors. They illuminate the Beast's Castle, which grows brighter and brighter. Streams of fireworks shoot from the Castle, towards the sky, crossing in front of one another. The fountains rise higher and higher, as the music builds. On the final note, a burst of golden fireworks surrounding the Castle and the hub illuminate Disneyland, before fading away into the dark.

As the lights come up and the guests head on out, the Beast's Castle stands, shimmering in the nights. Keep an eye out--you may see Mickey and Minnie, waving goodbye from atop the train station! Of course, the shops of Main Street, U.S.A. stay open a half-hour after the rest of the park closes, offering guests a getaway from the stampede, or to just walk around, enjoying the beauty of the night. Stick around long enough, and you'll get one last treat.

​

And just like that--our journey through Disneyland Park is complete. But don't think our journey through the resort is over. We've still got a lot to see! By the way, remember that...second gate I told you about?

 

[Suchomimus]

By the way, remember that...second gate I told you about?​

Is it a new take on Hollywood Studios or Walt Disney Studios, or something newer?​

 

[DisneyManOne]

Is it a new take on Hollywood Studios or Walt Disney Studios, or something newer?​

Let's find out.
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A new day dawns upon Disneyland Maine. The sun rises high as the resort prepares to welcome the day's guests. Now, we've already spent some time at Disneyland Park, but today...we'll be heading across the plaza to visit the second park of Disneyland Maine: Disney's Hollywoodland.

As we pass through the ornate turnstiles of Disney's Hollywoodland, fashioned to resemble the iconic Pan-Pacific Auditorium of Los Angeles, we find ourselves on the streets of Tinseltown, circa 1948. This is...

Hollywood Boulevard

Disney's Hollywoodland is not only a place where movies come to life, it's a celebration of the Golden Age of Hollywood. And stepping onto Hollywood Boulevard is a step back in time to an era where "any office boy or young mechanic could be a panic, with just a good-looking pan." This is yesteryear Los Angeles as it appeared in a time when anyone and everyone could make it, a romanticized representation of the "Hollywood that never was." Here, one can go out and try their luck, and most certainly meet Donald Duck. The Golden Age of Hollywood is reborn in this thematic celebration that evokes the romance, glamour and sentimentality of the silver screen.

Palm trees sway and automobiles beep amid the horns and drums of a big band beat. Keystone cops patrol the park in search of ne’er-do-wells, while an overly-flamboyant movie starlet canoodles her poodle whilst greeting “fans.” A beady-eyed private eye investigates word of paparazzi “gone bad,” while a would-be animator sketches his latest dream. These Citizens of Hollywood instill a true sense of “reality” into this realm of historic fantasy.

Dead-center in this "town square" is Crossroads of the World, a clone of the California icon, with Mickey Mouse atop a spinning globe. The location operates as an information station for the rest of the park.

Of course, your favorite Disney friends appear, all decked out in their Hollywood finest. “Storytellers” recalls the story of Walt Disney’s arrival in 1923 in Los Angeles, dedicated in a quiet corner of Valiant Park. A young Walt and Mickey look down Hollywood Boulevard, eager to progress with nothing more than a suitcase and a dream. An adjacent plaque reads: “It was July 1923. I packed all of my worldly goods - a pair of trousers, a checkered coat, a lot of drawing materials and the last of the fairy tale reels we had made - in a kind of frayed cardboard suitcase. And with that wonderful audacity of youth, I went to Hollywood, arriving there with just forty dollars. It was a big day the day I got on that Santa Fe California Limited. I was just free and happy!” - Walt Disney



The fabulous Five & Dime make their way down Hollywood Boulevard and toward the Crossroads of the World in a jazzed-up jalopy. As the legend goes, five working-class folk from Chicago met a dame named “Dime” and hit it big in La La Land - thanks to a certain Mr. Disney - playing the Ritz and hits of yore. Rooftop billboards and a fanciful array of Art Deco, Mission Revival, and Pueblo Deco buildings compose this seamless world of reality and pretend. Philippe's, named and sponsored by the real-world Philippe’s in Los Angeles is home to the original “French Dipped Sandwich,” found just to the north of the Crossroads. Specialties of the house include roast beef, pork, turkey, ham, or leg of lamb. Coleslaw, macaroni salads, pickled eggs, pickles, olives, and peppers accommodate the varied deli dishes. Like the original, sawdust dusts the floor, “HOT” mustard is at all the tables, and lines form in front of the long deli-display counter, where trained “Carvers” prepare your meal right then and there.

Not far from Philippe’s, the atmospheric Red Car Trolley line makes its first stop, providing transport to and from the center of the park. The historic Red Car crisscrossed Los Angeles from 1887 to 1961, until the advent of the automobile following World War II. Faux catenary (trolley wire) spans the skies of Hollywood Boulevard, adding an atmospheric touch of authenticity.

Built long before the first star was born of the silver screen, the Chamber of Commerce overlooks the eastern half of the Entrance Plaza, its aged clock tower chiming every quarter hour. The proud American flag - complete with 48 stars - gently sways in the breeze, a warm symbol of hope and progress. The in-park home of Guest Relations, friendly Cast Members are always on hand to answer questions, provide touring tips, make reservations, or assist those visiting from across international waters. Bright neon and a vintage radio welcome us to Oswald’s Filling Station. Found west of Valiant Park, Oswald’s always seems to have a ‘40 Pontiac Torpedo Coupe out front, while another, slightly decrepit roadster receives eternal maintenance in the adjacent garage. Named for a certain lucky rabbit, Oswald’s is decked “ear-to-toe” in memorabilia of American Car Culture, though the inventory is almost exclusively snacks and refreshments. Oswald himself often frequents the station in full mechanic attire, a rabbit-shaped wrench at hand.
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I hope you liked that, because in the next post, we'll head down the main thoroughfare of Hollywood Boulevard. See ya then!

 

[MANEATINGWREATH]

Let's find out.
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A new day dawns upon Disneyland Maine. The sun rises high as the resort prepares to welcome the day's guests. Now, we've already spent some time at Disneyland Park, but today...we'll be heading across the plaza to visit the second park of Disneyland Maine: Disney's Hollywoodland.

As we pass through the ornate turnstiles of Disney's Hollywoodland, fashioned to resemble the iconic Pan-Pacific Auditorium of Los Angeles, we find ourselves on the streets of Tinseltown, circa 1948. This is...

Hollywood Boulevard

Disney's Hollywoodland is not only a place where movies come to life, it's a celebration of the Golden Age of Hollywood. And stepping onto Hollywood Boulevard is a step back in time to an era where "any office boy or young mechanic could be a panic, with just a good-looking pan." This is yesteryear Los Angeles as it appeared in a time when anyone and everyone could make it, a romanticized representation of the "Hollywood that never was." Here, one can go out and try their luck, and most certainly meet Donald Duck. The Golden Age of Hollywood is reborn in this thematic celebration that evokes the romance, glamour and sentimentality of the silver screen.

Palm trees sway and automobiles beep amid the horns and drums of a big band beat. Keystone cops patrol the park in search of ne’er-do-wells, while an overly-flamboyant movie starlet canoodles her poodle whilst greeting “fans.” A beady-eyed private eye investigates word of paparazzi “gone bad,” while a would-be animator sketches his latest dream. These Citizens of Hollywood instill a true sense of “reality” into this realm of historic fantasy.

Dead-center in this "town square" is Crossroads of the World, a clone of the California icon, with Mickey Mouse atop a spinning globe. The location operates as an information station for the rest of the park.

Of course, your favorite Disney friends appear, all decked out in their Hollywood finest. “Storytellers” recalls the story of Walt Disney’s arrival in 1923 in Los Angeles, dedicated in a quiet corner of Valiant Park. A young Walt and Mickey look down Hollywood Boulevard, eager to progress with nothing more than a suitcase and a dream. An adjacent plaque reads: “It was July 1923. I packed all of my worldly goods - a pair of trousers, a checkered coat, a lot of drawing materials and the last of the fairy tale reels we had made - in a kind of frayed cardboard suitcase. And with that wonderful audacity of youth, I went to Hollywood, arriving there with just forty dollars. It was a big day the day I got on that Santa Fe California Limited. I was just free and happy!” - Walt Disney



The fabulous Five & Dime make their way down Hollywood Boulevard and toward the Crossroads of the World in a jazzed-up jalopy. As the legend goes, five working-class folk from Chicago met a dame named “Dime” and hit it big in La La Land - thanks to a certain Mr. Disney - playing the Ritz and hits of yore. Rooftop billboards and a fanciful array of Art Deco, Mission Revival, and Pueblo Deco buildings compose this seamless world of reality and pretend. Philippe's, named and sponsored by the real-world Philippe’s in Los Angeles is home to the original “French Dipped Sandwich,” found just to the north of the Crossroads. Specialties of the house include roast beef, pork, turkey, ham, or leg of lamb. Coleslaw, macaroni salads, pickled eggs, pickles, olives, and peppers accommodate the varied deli dishes. Like the original, sawdust dusts the floor, “HOT” mustard is at all the tables, and lines form in front of the long deli-display counter, where trained “Carvers” prepare your meal right then and there.

Not far from Philippe’s, the atmospheric Red Car Trolley line makes its first stop, providing transport to and from the center of the park. The historic Red Car crisscrossed Los Angeles from 1887 to 1961, until the advent of the automobile following World War II. Faux catenary (trolley wire) spans the skies of Hollywood Boulevard, adding an atmospheric touch of authenticity.

Built long before the first star was born of the silver screen, the Chamber of Commerce overlooks the eastern half of the Entrance Plaza, its aged clock tower chiming every quarter hour. The proud American flag - complete with 48 stars - gently sways in the breeze, a warm symbol of hope and progress. The in-park home of Guest Relations, friendly Cast Members are always on hand to answer questions, provide touring tips, make reservations, or assist those visiting from across international waters. Bright neon and a vintage radio welcome us to Oswald’s Filling Station. Found west of Valiant Park, Oswald’s always seems to have a ‘40 Pontiac Torpedo Coupe out front, while another, slightly decrepit roadster receives eternal maintenance in the adjacent garage. Named for a certain lucky rabbit, Oswald’s is decked “ear-to-toe” in memorabilia of American Car Culture, though the inventory is almost exclusively snacks and refreshments. Oswald himself often frequents the station in full mechanic attire, a rabbit-shaped wrench at hand.
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I hope you liked that, because in the next post, we'll head down the main thoroughfare of Hollywood Boulevard. See ya then!

Awful similar to my Hollywood Boulevard.

 

[DisneyManOne]

Awful similar to my Hollywood Boulevard.

Yeah, it's true. But it was a pretty good idea. And @S.P.E.W, keep your eyes peeled. Disneyland Maine may play host to a third gate, serving as a second iteration of a famous, if not one-time only, park. Stay tuned...
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Just beyond the Crossroads of the World is the main thoroughfare down Hollywood Boulevard. A walk down Hollywood Boulevard is a nostalgic stroll through the glamour and glitz of a yesteryear Tinseltown via the main thoroughfare. Amidst the swaying palms, vintage billboards, shimmering neon, and swinging big band, we immerse ourselves into the adventure and romance of a city that never sleeps (isn't that NYC's thing?). First stop: Mickey's of Hollywood, an opulent department store. This two-level mercantile pays tribute to the Art Deco Macy’s of yore, with wooden escalators, crystal chandeliers, and sweeping rotundas. The clanging of cash registers matches the measured pace of the passing Red Car. Countless clothing racks and near-infinite rows of display cases line the tiled floor. Throughout the shop are large statues of the main mouse himself, in various guises from some of his most famous roles, including Steamboat Willie, the Sorcerer's Apprentice and the Band Leader (of The Band Concert fame).

A neon representation of Mickey's faithful dog marks the entrance to Pluto's Toy Palace. This store, which takes up a fraction of space used by Mickey's of Hollywood, offers us Disney toys, books and music. Retro products are also for sale. Baby Mine, represented by a neon Miss Jumbo and Dumbo, carries toys and clothing for the youngest of park visitors. Keystone Clothiers completes the sprawling Complex, the largest Disney wardrobe in town. A seamstress is always on hand to make repairs and special souvenirs from scratch.

On the right-hand side of the street, guests will first come across The Darkroom, a shop which features Nikon cameras and video items. This is also a shop for PhotoPass participants, where guests can see and buy their photos taken throughout the park that day.The outside of the shop takes an artistic style from "California Crazy" architecture, which is big, bold and well, crazy. The exterior of the shop is a large camera. The Darkroom than leads to the next store on Hollywood Boulevard, Celebrity 5 & 10, which features a wide variety of Disney's Hollywoodland merchandise, as well as general Walt Disney World merchandise. The shop also features item embroidery. Sid Cahuenga’s One-of-a-Kind Antique Shop offers an antique collection of Coca Cola machines, jukeboxes, movie props, trading cards, and more. This is the place to go if you want to find Disney costumes and props that look like they came straight from set, be they animated or live-action.

Back on the left-hand side of the street, making up the northwestern block of the boulevard, freshly baked treats, caramel apples, gargantuan candy bars, chocolate rabbits and more decadent delicacies line the shelves of the magnificent Candy Castle. Front and center, a large replica of Cinderella Castle (in reference to Walt Disney World) is displayed, built entirely from gingerbread. Clarabelle's Hand-Scooped Ice Cream Parlour sits right next door, the ultimate in indoor-outdoor air-conditioning. An antique player piano provides appropriate music for the parlour’s turn-of-the-century atmosphere and checkered floor. Completing the western block of Hollywood Boulevard is the Disney’s Hollywoodland answer to Club 33: The 20th Century Limited. An unsuspecting facade gives way to the interior of a sweeping train depot, where few members are allowed private access aboard the world-famous train of yesteryear. While dining, animated windows and a rumbling floor simulate a trip thru the iconic sights and scenery of California. Private banquets, company dinners and board meetings are often held aboard the legendary steam train. For those who can’t afford the club’s exclusive membership, Award Wieners next door provides somewhat classy, albeit public means of dining: hamburgers, hot dogs and Coca Cola.

Along the northeastern block is the Trolley Car Cafe, a good place to get some Starbucks coffee (perfect for those who need that "java jive" to get them going early in the morning).

From here, Hollywood Boulevard then proceeds to split off into the Grauman's Chinese Theater Courtyard, a much needed expanded courtyard, surrounded with lush, green foliage and planted with lining palm trees. This is the Central Hub of Disney's Hollywoodland, where all paths meet. The surrounding area is lined with plains of grass, planted with bountiful trees, illuminated with twinkling LED lights. To the right of the courtyard, guests will find the Hollywood Brown Derby restaurant, a lavish restaurant modeled after the truly iconic location. The restaurant is famously known for its' Cobb Salad, which was apparently Sid Grauman's favorite snack after he had underwent some dental work. The restaurant features wonderful meals, while completely re-inventing the iconic restaurant, which even includes the classic Bamboo Room, modeled after the VIP Space.

Standing tall at the farthest end of Hollywood Boulevard is the iconic visage of Grauman's Chinese Theatre, the icon for Disney's Hollywoodland.

Inside, we can take a journey like no other on-board The Great Movie Ride. Unlike the shining emblem of Disney's Hollywood Studios, recently removed to make way for Mickey & Minnie's Runaway Railway, this version takes us aboard a film reel for a spin through cinema history. With narration provided by iconic Disney voice Corey Burton, Disneyland Maine's version of The Great Movie Ride proves to be another amazing look at the most recognizable names in 20th-century films, from Gone with the Wind to The Wizard of Oz, ending in an outrageous movie crossover straight out of Blazing Saddles - because it is out of Blazing Saddles. .

Towering over Hollywood Boulevard, dwarfing even the Chinese Theatre, are the Hollywoodland Hills. Under the hill’s uneven letters reading HOLLYWOODLAND are the Eastern Gardens' walking paths, bridges, streams, pagodas, and waterfalls; a perfect refuge from the hustle and bustle of Tinseltown.

From here, the path splits. There are plenty of places to go in Hollywood, but I suggest we first take a look at...

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And that's where we'll stop for now. Oh, and by the way, I should point out that, just like my vision for an improved DHS (coming soon to 50 for the 50th), I'd split Disney's Hollywoodland into two distinct areas: A Tribute to Hollywood and Where Movies Come to Life. "A Tribute to Hollywood" focuses on the Golden Age of Hollywood and the romantic idea of movie-making; and "Where Movies Come to Life" is where all the major IP-based lands will be located.

 

[Suchomimus]

Yeah, it's true. But it was a pretty good idea. And @S.P.E.W, keep your eyes peeled. Disneyland Maine may play host to a third gate, serving as a second iteration of a famous, if not one-time only, park. Stay tuned...

Thanks. You really the One Disney Man, I owe you one.