It's almost time!

It’s the final countdown to 24 hours of Disneyland! Are you ready? With so many exciting events pilling up on Disneyland's 24 Hour Leap Year Day schedule there should be plenty of things to experience for the throngs of fans coming!

We are down to the last few hours before our departure to "overnight it" in the Happiest Place on Earth!
I will do my best to keep with my daily postings, but once we are there all bets are off! However I am sure we will come back with some great photos for many more daily posts to come! 

I'm Wishing.....

That I had more time! I know I am almost 2 hours late....but we are on a mad dash to get ready  for our 24 hour day at Disneyland!  OK breather over, back to packing!

The real Indiana Jones...

Well an actor that looks like him anyway....

So back in the summer of 2008 the 4th installment of the Indiana Jones saga was released in theaters and Disney, being the marketing machine that it is, flew into action by inserting an Indiana Jones show into Adventureland, specifically the Indiana Jones: Secret of the Stone Tiger show. Now the show itself was nothing to write home about. It was a re-purposing of the  Aladdin Oasis Dinner show space, which was a re-purposing from the original use The Tahitian Terrace. However there was a second part to the show, the Indiana Jones Stunt Show. And that was totally awesome! 

As I said the Tiger Eye show nothing special, just a way to publicize the Indy franchise and and keep the image of the Fedora and leather satchel wearing hero in the forefront of  everyone's mind as a summer must see movie. But the Stunt Show was truly pure Disney Magic...OK OK so maybe it was just the thrill of having the immortal Dr. Jones zoom past you! Yea...that's probably it.

So what would happen is, after the Tiger show Indy would jump over the wall dividing the stage area and the main thoroughfare of Adventureland and make his way his way up above the Jungle Cruse queue and that is where the stunt show started. Indy was being followed by a Moorish looking bad guy and all kinds of shenanigans ensued. From one end of Adventureland to the other.

 But alas *sigh* the wandering Indiana only lasted a summer and then he was gone like the People Movers. I think there could have been a permanent place for an Indiana Jones character darting in and out of Adventureland! I mean the New Orleans Square area has...um...er HAD Captain Jack Sparrow (well until Disney realized they shouldn't  underestimate the power of Captain Sparrow's ...*a-hum* raw charm on their female guests) but for a couple of year he was a staple around Pirates and could be found in and around Pirate's Lair on Tom Sawyer's Island. These kinds of characters, creating "street-mospher", really make you feel like you are part of the "show", much like the Laughing Stock Co. has been doing for years in Frontierland. I know Disney is finding more ways to immerse guests in their experiences...well Disneyland bring back Dr. Jones and give some new life to Adventureland!

Just under the wire

With one hour left in the day. And now I give you this.....

Sleeping Beauty and Prince Philip in Bronze. A beautiful and sometimes missed statue just as you enter the castle to the left.  And while your checking that out don't forget to walk through the castle and see the new and improved dioramas depicting the story of Sleeping Beauty.

Over the river and through the wood.....

To Disneyland we go!

I just love this picture because there is no sign of the rest of the Park and it really looks like we are walking through the woods and happening upon an enchanted castle! These are some of my most favorite pictures of Disneyland! What do you think?

How to get a better view.

Have you ever seen this view?

It’s a little spoken of place, but if you are anywhere in Frontierland or New Orleans Square, I bet you've seen it. It’s the Wheel House of the Mark Twin.
We always try and take a trip around the Rivers of America and as much as I love the Columbia, there is something so Romantic about a river boat! On our last trip my hubby made an inquiry about taking a ride with the Captain in the Wheel House (we had heard here and there that it was a possibility). We had to wait for the next trip, but we got our ride and oh what a ride it was!

First, the look on our 2 year old’s face when he saw the gigantic wheel was hilarious. Then to see his face light up when he got to "steer" the boat and ring the bell AND blow the whistle! I would wait for hours to see his expression again! Pure Magic!!!!

If you have the time I highly suggest checking it out. The Wheel house will accommodate 4 guests and the Captain. It is so relaxing and breezy being up there, looking down at the hordes of people hustling and bustling not knowing what they are missing.  The 12 minutes trip is a fantastic respite from the crowds and gives such a unique view of Disneyland. Not only that, but you have a cast member right there to ask all the questions you might have burning in your mind. We had the pleasure of cruising with Captain Dee who was so kind and sweet to all of us but especially to Jackson!

Disneyland Slumber Party....

Who is with me?

How often can one say, "I stayed in Disneyland and watched the sun come up" ?

Well in 7 days Geoff and I will make that attempt! Consider this our official countdown! Can we do it? Will we be searching fore an empty park bench by 2am, because we cant go any farther? I just don't know. One thing I do know is we will not make it a full 24 hours. Nope, we know our limitations. But, what is the next best thing....reliving your Disneyland Grad Night, right? And that is just what we are hoping to do.

So let me know if you are planning to spend One More Disney Day in Disneyland and we can try to keep each other awake until cast members peel us off the curb and throw us out!

Where in Disneyland?



Don't you just love this game! Ok so maybe this isn't the hardest thing to find, but I couldn't help it, I  just love this picture. This sign is one of those Disney touches, theme-ing if you will, that makes Disneyland (and Alice to be more specific) the magical place that it is. Looking at this picture I can almost hear the Tea Cup ride audio whistling in the air.   Aaaaa Very Merry Unbirthday to You....to You.....

Disneyland Traditions?

There is no reason, we didn't mean for it to happen, but my husband and I started a Disneyland tradition. We seemed to always start our first day with.....wait for it.....wait for it......

The Jungle Cruse! 

 Accident? I think not! The Jungle Cruise is one of the original 1955 attractions AND has some of the hippest cast members in the park! What better way to start your Disney Day off, right? Okay, Okay I'm just one of those people that has always traveled the park starting on the left and traveling clockwise. Because that's where the Dole Whip and Mickey Mouse pancakes are? More than likely its because that's how my mom trained me! Yes she is the organizational genius killing several proverbial birds with one veer to the left.

1. Jungle Cruise - check
2. Mickey Mouse Pancakes  - check 
3. Reservations to The Golden Horseshoe Revue - Check (when reservations were necessary to be assured to see the show)

All of this before 9am, which for you die hard Disneyland Gurus, know that that is no small feat! So I suppose I am just emulating my teacher and mastering the art.....Thanks Mom!

Things, I am sure, will change for us. As my son gets older and inevitably is drawn to the magnificent power of Sleeping Beauty's Castle and the riches of Fantasyland and beyond, our traditions may shift. Of course I will do my best to be sure our "First Ride of the Day" is at the very least one of the originals and as Casey Jr is our attraction of choice, I think there will be no fear in that!

Do you have a Disneyland Tradition? Big or small? Please feel free to share them!

Or maybe you should think about starting one!

New to Blogging....Old to Disneyland

So this is  a new endeavor...I wouldnt call myself witty or a crafting genuious or a home chef....
What I am is a Mommy who loves her family and Disneyland. I have to have a daily dose and I thought there might be others out there who are like me, actually I'm pretty sure there are. My answer? Try a blog! My goal is to post something Disneyland related everyday...knowing I am a working Mommy, this goal may be a little overambitious...but I will do my best! My first thought was "A Picture A Day" (photos courtesy of my Disney Husband Geoff), but who knows what each days post might be!

And here goes....

Why not start at the the beginning! For my son who loves Trains! There are so many blogs out there that are all about WDW or Disney in general, but this is my Love Letter to Disneyland, The Original, where Walt walked. I may touch on other "Disney" things, but the heart of this blog is My Family and our LOVE of Disneyland.