Trip Report Mahalo Disneyland for 60 Magical Years!

Disneyland 2016-Castle Down Main Street 01 by JUNEAU BISCUITS, on Flickr

Aloha!

My name is Len and some of you might remember me from my trip report to Walt Disney World this past Christmas! If you haven't seen it, and are curious, here is the link:

http://forums.wdwmagic.com/threads/mele-kalikimaka-wdw-adventure-2015-completed.909533/

Having visited a Disney park in 2015, I didn't think I would be back to one for a couple of years. However, my wife Sue had a workshop in Las Vegas about a month and a half ago. She asked if I would come along, but not being a big Vegas fan, I initially declined. Sue asked me again as she really wanted company and I jokingly asked if I could stop at Disneyland first. To my surprise, she said YES! Faster than you can say "Bob's your Uncle", I immediately began making plans to visit the park during the tail end of its 60th Diamond Celebration.

As with my WDW trip, I took hundreds of photos and am roughly half done with post processing. It will be a few more weeks before I get the majority done that I want to use for this report, but I thought I'd do a quick intro so that folks here don't think I've gone AWOL!

Some quick thoughts before I get back to Lightroom and Photoshop. I think my pictures, at least composition wise, are much better this go around. One of the reasons is that Disneyland is so much smaller than WDW! Attractions are closer to each other which works for wide angle shots (I like seeing two different icons or attractions in one image). The less commute time between lands allowed me to take just a bit more time composing and studying my subjects.

Whereas I'm happy with a good number of my night shots, I totally failed at shooting dark rides. Not sure why, but you won't see many ride shots for this report. I did manage to get a pretty decent shot of the Abominable Snowman from the Matterhorn, which you'll see later down the road.

Because I was at DL for roughly 3 and a half days, I don't have as much to report as my WDW trip. I'm going to break this report down by the parks and resort rather than a day by day accounting. I think it will keeps things less confusing and much more focused.

Okay, I think that's it for now! The image I'm leaving you with is similar to the first one I posted for my last report. For WDW, it was a picture of Cinderella's Castle looking down Main Street after park closing. This one is very similar except you can sub in Sleeping Beauty's Castle. Unfortunately, you'll immediately notice the security guard on the right side of the street. I waited a good half hour for him to leave, but he wasn't budging...LOL! I think a lot of my "after hour" shots have one or two stragglers in them (it became a running joke with me), but it didn't bother me too much for some strange reason.

As Arnold always says, "I'll be back!"
 
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Juneau Biscuits

Juneau Biscuits

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
Disneyland's Diamond Celebration marked 60 years of operation since its initial opening back in 1955. In honor of this milestone mark, the park dressed up Sleeping Beauty Castle in appropriate party fashion, and brought in special events such as "Paint the Night" parade. But other than the slew of commemorative merchandise, not much differed from a standard day here in Anaheim.

For most regulars at Walt Disney World who have never been to the West Coast version, I think the size of the park would be the first thing that strikes you as disarming (for want of a better word). The park will seem very small, almost miniscule, when compared to WDW. Sleeping Beauty Castle will do anything but overwhelm you. Its size, in comparison to Cinderella's Castle, will seem quaint in appearance. I visited DL first as a youngster, so the castle always looked immense to me. I was surprised how huge the WDW counterpart was when I finally made it to Florida as an adult. Although WDW is the clear winner in terms of size and scope, there is something about the smaller, more intimate feel of Disneyland that cannot be overlooked. While both Main Streets are very similar, I prefer DL's layout for some reason. It feels more like how a small town main street would look and feel (again, it could be nostalgia playing a big factor in my preferences. I really love both parks for a variety of reasons).

"Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln" has the dubious distinction of being both my least and most favorite attraction on Main Street. As a kid, I could have cared less about a president making speeches or a civil war. As an adult, I love and appreciate what this man did for our country during one of the most turbulent times in America's history. It's a one man show, so it cannot compare (spectacle wise) to the sheer majesty of the Hall of Presidents in Liberty Square. But I can always hear Paul Frees' incredible voice as he narrates the story of Lincoln combined with a beautiful montage of paintings, just before the curtain pulls back, ready to showcase an amazing lifelike replica of our 16th president. In the waiting room, along with a scale model of the capitol building, there is a display of maquettes which are based on the actual "Spirit of..." statues found at Epcot's The American Adventure.

Beginning with this final portion of my TR focusing on Disneyland, I'm using larger images per the suggestion of fellow forum member @fractal . I was worried about eating up to much bandwidth, but looks like that's, by and large, not an issue here.

Disneyland 2016-Sleeping Beauty Castle 01 by JUNEAU BISCUITS, on Flickr

Disneyland 2016-Sleeping Beauty Castle 02 by JUNEAU BISCUITS, on Flickr

Disneyland 2016-Esmeralda Greets You @ Candy Palace by JUNEAU BISCUITS, on Flickr

Disneyland 2016-Night Watch On Main Street USA by JUNEAU BISCUITS, on Flickr

Disneyland 2016-They Went Thataway! by JUNEAU BISCUITS, on Flickr

Disneyland 2016-Train Station Entrance by JUNEAU BISCUITS, on Flickr

Disneyland 2016-Moonlight Over the Train Station by JUNEAU BISCUITS, on Flickr

Disneyland 2016-Your Local Neighborhood Magic Shop by JUNEAU BISCUITS, on Flickr
 
Juneau Biscuits

Juneau Biscuits

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
I'm pretty much fearless now when it comes to asking cast members to pose for picture taking...LOL! But a special shout out for the gang at the Photo Supply Company. Sue and I were there to pick up our free 5X7 pic and I started talking geeky camera stuff with Marcus. Bella soon joined the conversation and I ended up asking the entire group (including Ryan and Brenda) to pose for a photo. They happily obliged and, staying in character, really hammed it up!

Disneyland 2016-Quiet Night @ the Photo Supply Co by JUNEAU BISCUITS, on Flickr

Disneyland 2016-Bella, Brenda, Marcus & Ryan @ Photo Supply Co 02 by JUNEAU BISCUITS, on Flickr

Disneyland 2016-Bella & Marcus @ Photo Supply Co 02 by JUNEAU BISCUITS, on Flickr

I'm a big fan of Mary Poppins, but I always seem to have difficulty in finding her during those "Meet & Greet" ops. On my first day at DL, I almost immediately ran into Bert, gussied up in his "Jolly Holiday" attire. I'm thinking that Mary is not far away, but after waiting around for 10 minutes, I accepted that she wasn't going to show. I headed to Fantasyland to try and get in line for Peter Pan. This is the one ride where I start questioning the sanity of waiting 45 minutes in the blistering sun for a ride that lasts little more than a minute. I don't feel this pain in any of the other queues, so curse you Captain Hook! It's no secret that this is the toughest dark ride to try and photograph (although I have major issues with Haunted Mansion too), and my first try was a total bust. The few photos here was from my 2nd attempt, but even these were only okay. After the ride, I headed back to Main Street, and lo and behold, Mary was coming out of one of the secret doors to meet guests on Main Street. I was fortunate enough to catch her before the crowds arrived, and was able to get some decent shots! Woohoo...game over!

Disneyland 2016-Mary Poppins 01 by JUNEAU BISCUITS, on Flickr

Disneyland 2016-Bert Tips his Hat by JUNEAU BISCUITS, on Flickr

Disneyland 2016-Mary Poppins 02 by JUNEAU BISCUITS, on Flickr

Disneyland 2016-Peter Pan Dark Ride 01 by JUNEAU BISCUITS, on Flickr

Disneyland 2016-Mermaids from Peter Pan Ride by JUNEAU BISCUITS, on Flickr

Disneyland 2016-Peter Pan Dark Ride 02 by JUNEAU BISCUITS, on Flickr
 
Juneau Biscuits

Juneau Biscuits

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
 
Juneau Biscuits

Juneau Biscuits

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
Not sure if I prefer Main Street during the day with its constant activity of vehicles and cast performers, or at night, when the lights accentuate and enhance the magical quality that is Disney!

Disneyland 2016-Market House & the Lone Guest by JUNEAU BISCUITS, on Flickr

Disneyland 2016-Disneyland Fire Dept. Engine No. 1 by JUNEAU BISCUITS, on Flickr

Disneyland 2016-The Banjo & the Drummer by JUNEAU BISCUITS, on Flickr

Disneyland 2016-Main Street Cinema by JUNEAU BISCUITS, on Flickr

Disneyland 2016-Dusk On Main Street USA by JUNEAU BISCUITS, on Flickr
 
MinnieM123

MinnieM123

Premium Member
As always, I love your updates and amazing photos. The last one above of the Main Street twilight scene really caught my eye. (Now, if they could only remove that stupid flood light pole on the left, then the photo would have been perfect! The pole just does NOT go with the rest of the attractive background!)
 
Juneau Biscuits

Juneau Biscuits

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
MinnieM123 said:
As always, I love your updates and amazing photos. The last one above of the Main Street twilight scene really caught my eye. (Now, if they could only remove that stupid flood light pole on the left, then the photo would have been perfect! The pole just does NOT go with the rest of the attractive background!)
Click to expand...

Thanks @MinnieM123...I should have photoshopped that light pole out, but I hadn't really notice it until you mentioned it in your post...LOL!
 
Juneau Biscuits

Juneau Biscuits

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
My all time favorite shop on Main Street is the Emporium. I always start and end my Disney park trips at this location. I hardly have time for shopping anymore since I got bit by the camera bug. But, I always make time to pick up one (and only one) t-shirt for each trip. I use to bring home 3-4 shirts in the past, but it's ridiculous the amount of clothes I have sitting in my dresser draw. I shouldn't even be buying any, but it's hard not to bring home something that commemorates the trip. Here was my choice (which clearly represents the Diamond Celebration):

Disneyland 2016-Emporium Display by JUNEAU BISCUITS, on Flickr

Disneyland 2016-Diamond Celebration T-Shirt Front by JUNEAU BISCUITS, on Flickr

Disneyland 2016-Diamond Celebration T-Shirt Back by JUNEAU BISCUITS, on Flickr

Another thing that I truly love about the Emporium are its amazing window displays. Through YouTube, I knew Disney had created all new, highly interactive, rotating scenes of various Disney classics including Peter Pan, Cinderella, Frozen, and Aladdin. It was one of my goals of the trip to capture some images, but of course, I had totally forgotten and was only able to quickly snap a few shots as we were exiting the park. People were giving me strange looks as I was half shooting, half wiping down the windows...LOL! The reflective nature of glass always makes photographing these displays a challenge (I had to eliminate some glare and strange light spots in Photoshop)!

Disneyland 2016-Frozen Main Street Window Display 01 by JUNEAU BISCUITS, on Flickr

Disneyland 2016-Aladdin Main Street Window Display 02 by JUNEAU BISCUITS, on Flickr

Disneyland 2016-Peter Pan Main Street Window Display 01 by JUNEAU BISCUITS, on Flickr

I always make it a point to have breakfast at Carnation Cafe sometime during the visit. The prices are pretty reasonable for DL and the food is always tasty. Service is excellent...I've never had a bad experience. I got some of the cast members together for a group shot while waiting for our table to be called. The other photos include a cast member from the Plaza Inn which is known for the fried chicken, and a couple of greeters at the Market House.

Disneyland 2016-Carnation Cafe Cast Members Daisy, Amie,Elizabeth, & Anderson 01 by JUNEAU BISCUITS, on Flickr

Disneyland 2016-Breakfast @ Carnation Cafe by JUNEAU BISCUITS, on Flickr

Disneyland 2016-Cast Member Katie @ Plaza Inn Restaurant by JUNEAU BISCUITS, on Flickr

Disneyland 2016-Cast Members Brandee & Javier on Main Street USA by JUNEAU BISCUITS, on Flickr

I had a chance to see the new, more contemporary Disneyland band. There was quite a bit of controversy and lash back to the dismantling of the original group. I heard a lot of the band members had years of service only to receive a pink slip. It's seems even Disneyland is not immune to the cost cutting methods of corporate America. I'm not enough of a regular park goer to judge which band is better, although I thought this group brought energy, fun, and professionalism to their performance.

Disneyland 2016-The Disneyland Marching Band Does It Thing! 01 by JUNEAU BISCUITS, on Flickr

Disneyland 2016-The Disneyland Marching Band Does It Thing! 07 by JUNEAU BISCUITS, on Flickr

Disneyland 2016-The Disneyland Marching Band Does It Thing! 03 by JUNEAU BISCUITS, on Flickr

Disneyland 2016-The Disneyland Marching Band Does It Thing! 04 by JUNEAU BISCUITS, on Flickr
 
Juneau Biscuits

Juneau Biscuits

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
I was privy to not one, but two great marching bands in Anaheim! Besides the aforementioned DL band, guests were treated to performances down Main Street by the Disneyland 2016 All-American College Band! These photos were taken while people were securing spots along the curb for the upcoming "Paint the Night" parade. By this time, I had met Eddison Esteban, a fantastic photographer who lives in California (check out his Disney Resort Images page on Facebook). We were sitting down, a ton of photo gear next to us, as this lively group of college performers put on an incredible show!

Disneyland 2016-Disneyland All-American College Band 01 by JUNEAU BISCUITS, on Flickr

Disneyland 2016-Disneyland All-American College Band 02 by JUNEAU BISCUITS, on Flickr

Disneyland 2016-Disneyland All-American College Band 03 by JUNEAU BISCUITS, on Flickr

As the sun began to fade, the lights of Main Street slowly came to life. Vendors with their carts full of goodies, and cast members hawking the traditional balloons began to fill the area.

Disneyland 2016-Vendor Cart on Main Street USA by JUNEAU BISCUITS, on Flickr

Disneyland 2016-Balloons Light Up the Night by JUNEAU BISCUITS, on Flickr

As night rolled in, a quiet hush enveloped the crowd (not really, but it sounds dramatic...LOL)! Then, a cacophony of sound and light suddenly explode to announce the start of "Paint the Night" parade! Sad to say, I'm not a real good parade shooter. I take a ton of images, but when it comes down to processing them...FAILURE! Not sure why. The parade is visually interesting...a cross hybrid between a traditional DL parade and the Electrical Light classic. I think one of my issues is that I tend to shoot parades with a long telephoto lens, so getting the entire float into the frame is a challenge. Pros like Eddison (and Tom Bricker) have two camera bodies with a telephoto and wide angle lens so they can keep switching as the floats move closer. A lot of my shots are of the performers since I prefer shooting people and faces. Folks on the forum have probably seen a gazillion of the parade pics already, so I'll post the few that I have and move on...

Disneyland 2016-Paint the Night Parade 01 by JUNEAU BISCUITS, on Flickr

Disneyland 2016-Paint the Night Parade 02 by JUNEAU BISCUITS, on Flickr

Disneyland 2016-Paint the Night Parade 03 by JUNEAU BISCUITS, on Flickr

Disneyland 2016-Paint the Night Parade 04 by JUNEAU BISCUITS, on Flickr

Disneyland 2016-Paint the Night Parade 05 by JUNEAU BISCUITS, on Flickr

Disneyland 2016-Paint the Night Parade 07 by JUNEAU BISCUITS, on Flickr

Disneyland 2016-Paint the Night Parade 09 by JUNEAU BISCUITS, on Flickr

Disneyland 2016-Paint the Night Parade 08 by JUNEAU BISCUITS, on Flickr

Just before the parade ended, Eddison told me to get ready to rush the middle of the street to set up for the fireworks show. I was ready, but the ensuing madness and crowds proved to be very difficult and challenging. I nearly lost track of Eddison, but somehow managed to set up my tripod in the middle of utter chaos (Eddison didn't even bother trying, he shot handheld). I didn't have a chance to shoot the aerial night show at WDW last Christmas, so I was looking forward to trying my hand this go around. As you can see from my two mediocre pics below, it did not go very well. Unlike WDW, where you can lock down optimal spots if you're willing to camp for a few hours, DL's smaller size severely limits options. Eddison mentioned that prime areas near the hub are now reserved for VIP guests. My question is, at the prices Disney charges for admission, why is every guest not VIP status???

Disneyland 2016-Fireworks Above Sleeping Beauty Castle 01 by JUNEAU BISCUITS, on Flickr

Disneyland 2016-Fireworks Above Sleeping Beauty Castle 02 by JUNEAU BISCUITS, on Flickr
 
Juneau Biscuits

Juneau Biscuits

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
Not sure if this is an everyday occurrence, but it seems like a family is chosen to represent Disneyland for the day. This event takes place at Sleeping Beauty Castle in the morning. I took a few of the honored guests, but had only processed photos of Aurora, Prince Philip, and the Three Good Fairies (I guess non-Disney characters have a low priority on my list...LOL). What really stuck with me was the facial expressions of Merryweather (the blue fairy). Whoever they cast in this role really knew how to bring the character to life.

Disneyland 2016-Opening Ceremony w: Prince Philip & Princess Aurora by JUNEAU BISCUITS, on Flickr

Disneyland 2016-Sleeping Beauty's Three Good Fairies 01 by JUNEAU BISCUITS, on Flickr

Beyond the castle awaits Fantasyland. After experiencing the new version in Florida, this area feels more like the "Mini-Me" counterpart...LOL! I like taking character pictures so the Fantasy Faire is a no-brainer for me. You're guaranteed to meet at least 3 to 4 princesses in air conditioned comfort for autographs and picture taking. It's always awkward when a grown man stands in line for these things without any children or wife in tow (Sue had still not arrived in LA). So I have to swallow my pride, and pretend in my mind that these pics are for my nieces at home...LOL!

Disneyland 2016-Cinderella @ Fantasy Faire Meet & Greet 01 by JUNEAU BISCUITS, on Flickr

Disneyland 2016-Ariel @ Fantasy Faire Meet & Greet 01 by JUNEAU BISCUITS, on Flickr

Disneyland 2016-Cinderella @ Fantasy Faire Meet & Greet 02 by JUNEAU BISCUITS, on Flickr

Disneyland 2016-Ariel @ Fantasy Faire Meet & Greet 02 by JUNEAU BISCUITS, on Flickr

Disneyland 2016-Snow White @ Fantasy Faire Meet & Greet 01 by JUNEAU BISCUITS, on Flickr

The cast members who played Ariel, Cinderella, and Snow White were all great (I went on two different times so the actresses changed), but something about it felt a little generic to me. I'm sure a young child goes bonkers over meeting their favorite princesses, so my opinion is irrelevant. I actually liked the costumes of the cast members at the entrances with their medieval style garbs.

Disneyland 2016-Cast Member Stacy @ Royal Hall by JUNEAU BISCUITS, on Flickr

Disneyland 2016-Fantasy Faire Cast Member Greets Guests @ Entrance 01 by JUNEAU BISCUITS, on Flickr

Disneyland 2016-Cast Member Adriana @ Royal Hall by JUNEAU BISCUITS, on Flickr

Outside in the hot sun, DL has an area where more princesses will show up from time to time. I was lucky to run into both Brave's Merida and the combo of Rapunzel and Flynn Rider. Now, these appearances were more up to my liking. Both Meridas were spunky and playful (again I did this one twice with different actresses), but it was Flynn who really stole the show. With his on the mark expressions, this guy really got into the character! I normally only post one pic of a particular subject, but this guy deserves a few...

Disneyland 2016-Tangled's Rapunzel & Flynn Meet & Greet 04 by JUNEAU BISCUITS, on Flickr

Disneyland 2016-Tangled's Rapunzel & Flynn Meet & Greet 03 by JUNEAU BISCUITS, on Flickr

Disneyland 2016-Tangled's Rapunzel & Flynn Meet & Greet 01 by JUNEAU BISCUITS, on Flickr

Disneyland 2016-Princess Merida Meet & Greet 01 by JUNEAU BISCUITS, on Flickr

Disneyland 2016-Princess Merida Meet & Greet 02 by JUNEAU BISCUITS, on Flickr

Disneyland 2016-Princess Merida & Fan by JUNEAU BISCUITS, on Flickr
 
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