My Mini Grand Tour

My mini Grand Tour is about to begin starting tomorrow.

We will be flying to LA in the morning, and will be spending 3 1/2 days at the Disneyland Resort. I'm very excited about this because, while I've been at WDW many times, this is my very first visit to Disneyland. I thought I'd better go now while they are still celebrating the Golden Anniversary.

Then on Tue, we fly to Orlando to continue with the rest of the week at WDW.

I'll try to post pictures during the trip.

BTW, does anyone know if it is worthwhile to make a trip to Burbank to go to the Disney Studios? I know they have a store there, but is there something else we can do, such as take a tour, etc?

Thanks!

Zz.

 

[Uponastar]

OK, more videos from this trip uploaded and finally appearing online.

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=538135385302248841&hl=en

I videotaped for the very first time during this trip the complete Wishes at The Magic Kingdom. Now, there are already plenty of Wishes videos all over the 'net, including at Google Videos. However, this one is, hopefully, different. Just like what I did with IllumiNations, I stripped the live audio, and replaced it with the original music. The soundtrack has been timed to match the original live track.

I think this time, we were far enough back on Main Street to catch the full fireworks show, but you'll be the judge of that. I'm rather pleased with what we captured, and it looks very good on a large widescreen TV.



Zz.

Zapper Zee, this was beautifully done! It was so nice to have such sound quality and you matched it up perfectly!
I watched this after reading your post about watching Wishes and feeling that "special connection". . . it made it twice as nice to watch knowing that it was a labor of love.

 

[ZapperZ]

Zapper Zee, this was beautifully done! It was so nice to have such sound quality and you matched it up perfectly!
I watched this after reading your post about watching Wishes and feeling that "special connection". . . it made it twice as nice to watch knowing that it was a labor of love.

Thanks very much, Uponastar.

I did this and uploaded the video before I wrote anything in that thread, so I didn't mean for the video to go with the background "narration". But yes, I would say it was a labor of love. I had videotaped Wishes several times, but each time I looked at the result, there was always something wrong with it. Either we were too close to the castle and missed some of the fireworks, or there's someone's head that moved into our view somewhere in the middle, or some other problems that just didn't make me happy with it. This one was the first one that I thought was good enough, and that's the one I worked on. It just happens that it was from my Mini Grand Tour trip, and so I get to include it in this thread.



Zz.

 

[M:SpilotISTC12]

Awesome trip report!!!!!:sohappy: You took some great pics. Did you use a flash during the day and I think I read that you used a tripod on this trip? And what was the party at MGM for? Is it something they do every year because I dont remember ever hearing or reading about it?

 

[ZapperZ]

Awesome trip report!!!!!:sohappy: You took some great pics. Did you use a flash during the day and I think I read that you used a tripod on this trip? And what was the party at MGM for? Is it something they do every year because I dont remember ever hearing or reading about it?

Thank you very much. Glad you like reading it.

During the day, or when there's plenty of light, I just let it go under auto mode. So the flashe comes on only when the camera thinks it needs it (usually it doesn't). However, in low lighting, or at night, I put it on manual mode, where I have it set for no flash and ISO setting of 100. This seems to work quite well. You definitely need a tripod for this, or at least put the camera on solid ground or object - I some time use a trash can. I used a 2 second delay to make sure the camera isn't shaking when it is snaping the picture.

As for the MGM party, that was part of the Gay Days festivities. It's a circuit party organized by Jeffery Shankar. Althought it is a Gay Days event, I've noticed over the years that more and more of straights also attend it, since it has become quite a large, fun event that almost everyone thoroughly enjoys. I think just having Tower of Terror and Rock 'n Rollercoaster running all night long is a good enough reason to be there.



Zz.

 

[AliBeth]

Thanks to the info that I got from someone on here, I bought and wore the t-shirt that said "Please Stand Clear of the Doors" (and the Spanish version on the back) today while at Disney/MGM Studios. At least 3 cast members stopped me asking where I got that t-shirt.

Where did you get one of those?! I want to buy one now!

 

[ZapperZ]

Where did you get one of those?! I want to buy one now!

You can find them at

www.cafepress.com

Zz.

 

[AliBeth]

thank you! :sohappy:

 

[ZapperZ]

I have already uploaded a video of the full SpectroMagic parade that I took a few years ago(you may find it here SpectroMagic). However, it was not done with a high resolution camcorder, and it wasn't in widescreen. On this last trip, I took a newer video of the whole thing. This is, to me, a better quality, in widescreen, and viewed the parade from the opposite side of the earlier video (so you get to see the side with Donald at the end of the parade).

SpectroMagic 2006.

Enjoy!

Zz.

 

[ZapperZ]

Disneyworld collage

During this last trip, there were of course those amazing collages spread out all over Disneyland and California Adventure, made up of pictures submitted by guests. Show below are 3 of them that I managed to take pictures of.

Does anyone know of anywhere on here, or on the 'net, of the pictures of the complete collection of these collages? I'd love to see if I missed any while I was there. I wish I had the time to go to each one and snap a picture, but it was my first trip to DLR, and I wanted to do the attractions more than looking for these things.

Zz.

 

[iMike]

Wow, I just noticed I might of seen you at DLR I was there on the exact same days.

 

[ZapperZ]

Wow, I just noticed I might of seen you at DLR I was there on the exact same days.

Hey, then you should have stopped me and said hi!

Of course, we would have have noticed each other had we been wearing WDWMagic t-shirts or buttons <hint at the powers that be>

Zz.

 

[iMike]

Where did you stay when you were at the DLR?

 

[ZapperZ]

Where did you stay when you were at the DLR?

I stayed at the Marriott Courtyard on Harbor Blvd., practically across the street from Disneyland. We're planning on going back to DLR maybe in 2008. If we're not staying at a Disney resort, we will definitely stay at this Courtyard again.

Zz.

 

[ZapperZ]

I was cataloging all the videos I took on this particular trip when I realized that I actually have a complete video of the Jungle Cruise attraction at Disneyland. I have already posted the Magic Kingdom version of this attraction during my last visit to WDW this past Sept. in my "Pin Event" trip report.

So this is the Disneyland version of the Jungle Cruise, which was Walt's most favorite attraction when he was alive. Enjoy.

Zz.

 

[ZapperZ]

Speaking of having the memories linger long after the trip has ended, there is another video that I have uploaded from this trip. This is the Dumbo Ride at Disneyland, CA (you can see that immediately when you notice the Matterhorn). For some odd reason, I always have such fondness for this ride, both the one here at Disneyland, and of course, the one at WDW that I ride everytime I make my way there.

This was obviously videotaped during the Happiest Homecoming on Earth since you can see the presense of the gold Dumbo.

Zz.

 

[ZapperZ]

Disneyland's It's A Small World

This is another video that came out of this trip. This is the original It's A Small World at Disneyland.

While I have plenty of video footage of the attraction at WDW (none of which I'm yet happy with), I only have this one from my first and only trip to Disneyland. So I have to settle with what I have, at least till the next time I go there. If I ever get a decent version for the one at WDW, I'll upload it on here and one can clearly see the difference between the two.

This was videotaped in June 2006, and includes the opening of the front facade at the end.

Zz.

 

[ZapperZ]

More videos from this trip. This is the Primeval Whirl at the Disney's Animal Kingdom. I decided to upload this video because you seldom see the ride video for this attraction. Of course, this attraction isn't a favorite among many Disney purists. It does feel like something you do get at an ordinary neighborhood fair. Still, it is a lot of fun, and we ride it every time we're there.

BTW, due to a lot of camera motion and spinning action, you may not want to view this if you're very susceptible to motion sickness.

Zz.

 

[ZapperZ]

Speaking of having the memories linger long after the trip has ended, there is another video that I have uploaded from this trip. This is the Dumbo Ride at Disneyland, CA (you can see that immediately when you notice the Matterhorn). For some odd reason, I always have such fondness for this ride, both the one here at Disneyland, and of course, the one at WDW that I ride everytime I make my way there.

This was obviously videotaped during the Happiest Homecoming on Earth since you can see the presense of the gold Dumbo.

Zz.

This video is not from this trip. However, since I already uploaded the Dumbo ride from Disneyland, I had just uploaded the same ride from The Magic Kingdom for comparison. Obviously, one didn't see any "golden Dumbo" as what one could see at Disneyland. Still, it is interesting to compare the different "views" one get.

Zz.