Friday, February 17, 2023

Strolling Through the (Theme) Park One Day: Disneyland!

Disneyland is one of the fun parks, there is a number of entertainers, and nods to the history of the theme park! Still, I was there before the close of the French Market restaurant and try for Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway. First there was an exhibit from the Disney Gallery, Disney 100 Years of Wonder at Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln. It featured artwork and maquettes from attractions and themed areas like Haunted Mansion, Indiana Jones and the Forbidden Eye, and Avengers Campus. A feature on Frederick Douglass was at the lobby outside of the theater. It was narrated by Robin Roberts and an informative summary of Douglass’ life produced by National Geographic. Recommended especially for Black History Month. Great Moments was a bit much for young guests, but it is a classic Disney attraction and something you can learn in a theme park of just entertainment. Plus, it has the “Two Brothers” song. Recommended for at least one time. 

I went from there for my reservation to Rise of the Resistance, but it was down. This is the downside with the latest, high tech attractions. Still, I saw The Mandalorian walk out of a gate, he had a bag with Grogu. Mando strolled through Black Spire Outpost, and he was examining objects at the woodcarving shop, The Wooden Wookie. A very great character moment. Then, I left Galaxy’s Edge only to find that Rise had wait times on the Disneyland app., so I circled back. This time, I focused on getting photos since I’m more ready for certain areas. I will say that the cast members at the stormtrooper bay are unfriendly. One just nodded no at taking pics which is strange because this is not the case outside of the ride. Yes, it is trying to be in character as an Imperial officer, but just rude. I left and was about to leave Galaxy’s Edge when I saw Fennec Shand. She was more open to a photo op and a very close likeness to the character.  


Finn at Rise of the Resistance, photo by the author.  


The French Market was crowded, almost every table was filled, usually there is five or seven open tables. The restaurant has a great menu, I had the Cajun Roasted Half Chicken with a Mint Julep, delicious! I worked at food services at Disneyland and this was one of the restaurants I would always go to, now it is Ronto Roasters in Galaxy’s Edge. It will be closed (today, Feb. 17) for Tiana’s Palace said to be open at the end of the year. To the side is the Mint Julep Bar, I went there towards the end of my visit to get one last drink. If you don’t know, it is the most refreshing drink, and gives you minty fresh breath. I haven’t found a single drink that is thirst quenching as a mint julep. One summer, I had sweat pouring off me, drank a mint julep and it was sealing off the sweat glands and hydrated me! Still, the queue was about twenty minutes, but worth it. At that part of New Orleans Square, it is a bottleneck with restrooms, the train station, foot traffic headed to Haunted Mansion, and the Mint Julep Bar. 


Then, my virtual queue was ready for Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway. At this time, there are only two ways to ride the attraction; virtual queue or lightning lane. I entered the virtual queue at 6 a.m. and it was available at around 1:30 p.m. This is next to Roger Rabbit’s Car Toon Spin which was closed. The rest of Toon Town is still under construction and will open on March 19th. The attraction first opened at Disney’s Hollywood Studios at Walt Disney World on March 4, 2020. Reservations are checked before you walk under the railroad bridge. Then, you can see the El Capitoon Theatre. Strangely, it didn’t have the feel of the El Capitan, and no handprints of the stars. I would like to see voice actor signatures maybe next to character hand and footprints. This would make it magical for me. There is a queue that forms to the right of the entrance where your reservation is checked in. I do like the faux movie posters especially The Mousketeer. A great play on the Mickey Mouse Club members and The Rocketeer


                                                                              Mickey costumes from Mousercise and Disco Mickey, author’s photo. 


Next, you move into the next room under a red banner, “It was all started by a mouse…” The room had the plane from Plane Crazy (1928) hanging from the roof. Other movie props include the Steamboat Helm from Steamboat Willie (1928) and the Beanstalk from Mickey and the Beanstalk (1947) breaking through the roof. I also like the costumes from the albums; Mickey Mouse Disco (1979) and Mousercise (1982). The kids walking in the queue had no idea or interest in the Mickey memorabilia, their parents should seriously take them to Main Street Cinema before going on this ride! Strangely, nothing from the Mickey Mouse Club, no pictures of the Mouseketeers, Disney please put them in! C’mon, we should have Jimmie, Annette, Britney, and Justin! Next, there is a room with a concession stand, I liked that there is different condiments and the best one was Haggis! The inside queue is just long and it is amusing to see all of the Easter Eggs, but finally you are led to different theaters featuring the new Mickey Mouse short, Perfect Picnic. You start to see the short on screen before you enter the cartoon! This goes to yet another room which leads to the loading of train cars with the locomotive in front. You chug past some abstract hills like painted walls. 


The movement is trackless, the technology was pioneered with Pooh’s Hunny Hut in Tokyo Disneyland in 2000. Still, it kinda doesn’t make sense, a trackless ride on a railroad which usually has tracks. Conductor Goofy pops open the locomotives doors to talk to you. Mickey and Minnie drive a red convertible above you. It looks like faces projected on figures. They drive through the mine shaft and then into a Western canyon. I was just slammed around by the ride which was not at all fun. A carnival follows and then the train goes underwater. Next, a city street with Donald Duck driving a van. This is all before you go to a dance studio with Daisy Duck teaching you a few dances like the mambo. The movement is like Mater’s Junkyard Jamboree. This ends up at a night picnic with Mickey, Minnie, and Pluto. I’m not certain if there are cameos of other Disney characters like Genie, Stitch, or Olaf. I still think there is hope for a Bambi themed area. The ride storyline is confusing, I didn’t like the tossing action, and I noticed no excited kids at the end of the attraction. It was a nice day at Disneyland; I like the characters, highly recommend going to see Mirabel at Frontierland, she had kids jumping up and down, and one was just stunned meeting her, and having one last meal at French Market!  


#Disneyland, #GreatMomentsWithMrLincoln, #FrederickDouglass, #RiseOfTheResistance, #TheMandalorian, #FennecShand, #FrenchMarket, #MintJulepBar, #MickeyAndMinniesRunawayRailway, #TheMouseketeer, #PlaneCrazy, #SteamboatWillie, #MickeyAndTheBeanstalk, #MickeyMouseDisco, #Mousercise, #MainStreetCinema, #PerfectPicnic, #Mirabel  

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