• Now behold the backside of water!


• Wave goodbye to all the people you'll never see them again.


• Wow it looks like those gorillas finally go that jeep turned over.


• Don't worry Hippos are only dangerous when the wiggle their ears.


• and finally... This is Trader Sam he is having a sale today two of his heads for one of yours.

Attraction facts

• 
  Ride system: Three small turntables, which rotate counter clock-wise, each holding six teacups, within one large turntable, rotating clockwise


• 
  Restrictions: The original attraction at Disneyland is unable to run in the rain, once the turntables are saturated with a moderate amount of water they slip and can no longer spin.


• All other versions of this attraction at Magic Kingdom, Tokyo Disneyland and Hong Kong Disneyland are covered to prevent such situations, as well as protect riders from extreme heat and sun.
  

I think that Disneyland has evolved into an all encompassing ride. For my proof you only have to look at the Tram back and forth between the front gates of Disneyland and the Mickey & Friends Tram. It is so exciting to clamber aboard the tram with the strollers and backpacks and what ever else you can possibly haul to Disneyland (i.e. the Happiest place on Earth). After an abbreviated pause for the tram conductor to tell the 1st time tourist to stay behind the yellow line so they don't get run over. You here over the loud speaker " We are now on route to the Disneyland Resort Entrance Plaza...". What a rush, in the old days the Tram we have today would have been a "E" ticket ride. That's a whole other blog. You fill the air rush through your hair (present blogger excluded) and everyone is talking about what to do first it's such a rush!

I think Walt really thought about transportation when he created Disneyland. He had street cars going up and down main street, the people mover, the monorail, Autotopia, etc. Walt was always worried about the comfort of the guest they even created a special concrete pavement that is easier on the feet than normal concrete. You may not think that at midnight when you're the second to last group out of the park and all you want to do is soak your feet for an hour. UGH! But Walt cared about us in the old day you would have to walk to your car from the front gate and that was the longest walk ever. You still have to walk some but I think the Imagineering team really wen tot great lengths to make us want to come back the next day even if our feet hurt. So to conclude from the time you get out of your car to the time you get back in it your on a ride so sit back relax and keep you hands, arms and legs inside the vehicle at all time.

Travel back in time to the era of the Gold Rush and race through canyons and cliffs of the deserted mining town of Tumbleweesd in a runaway mining train. Big Thunder Mountain Railroad located in Frontier land is inspired by scenes from the southwest such as Bryce Canyon and Arizona's Monument Valley. Big Thunder was the vision of imaginer Tony Baxter (no relation). The ride opened in 1979 and was a big hit! Built over the location of the "Mine Through Nature's Wonderland" the small town overlooking the loading area is part of the original town from Natures Wonderland. Miners havening a good time in the saloon and a player piano can be heard as you roll back into the station.

Here's a couple little know facts about Big Thunder:

• A crate by the stairs reads "Baxter Boring Co."
• Look a the Goat and pick up your feet for fun thrill as you race down around the Mountain
• Big Thunder was the first ride at Disney Land to utilize "computer-aided design" in it's design
• The Name Big Thunder is derived from the name of a waterfall on Natures Wonderland.

For a place as amazing as Disney you would think that any snacks,treats or food in general would not be a issue that was given a lot of thought. Walt however gave a great deal of thought to Food at Disneyland. He wanted you to feel at home even though you were in a magical place. The original 1955 Restaurants included:

• Carnation Cafe
• Plaza Inn
• Refreshment Corner,hosted by Coca-Cola
• River Belle Terrace

1. River Belle Terrace: an original 1955 restaurant- Home of the Mickey Mouse Pancake
2. La Brea Bakery Cafe: Downtown Disney- Best Bacon and French Toast in the Park
3. Main Street fruit Stand: Great place to get some healthy morning snacks

What comes between Breakfast and lunch why 2nd breakfast (or morning snack time) of course. Usually the time is right after we have ridden POC and maybe the haunted Mansion and are ready to take a long walk over to Fantasyland or Tommorowland and you need some little pick me up:

1. Apple, Carmel and Peanuts-Found at the Critter Country Fruit Stand
2. Popcorn
3. Churros
4. HOT McDonalds French Fries at Harbor Galley or Conestoga Fries
5. Pooh Corner- Best Carmel dipped pretzel sticks and apples in the land.

After some thrilling rides and having It's a Small World stuck in your head for the rest of the day its time for lunch. There are so many great lunch places it's hard to say where you should start but I know where I head to first:

1. The Golden Horseshoe:Chili Bread Bowls,Burgers and dogs while watching the best Hillbillies this side of the I-5 freeway.
2. The Bengal Barbacue- Chicken, Beef and veggie Kabbobs oh Yum.
3. Redd Rockett's Pizza Port- Hey It's got AC for those hot summer days and great Pasta,Pizza and Salads.
4. Royal Street Veranda-I've never eaten here but dang it smells good 1 word GUMBO

After Lunch parades and shows are always fun. Some show let you bring more nummy treats but whats best in the hot afternoon sun when you wan to cool down ICE CREAM!

1. Clarabelle's Frozen Yogurt-in ToonTown
2. Gibson Girl Ice Cream Parlor, hosted by Nestlé® Ice Cream-Main Street
3. Main Street Cone Shop, hosted by Nestlé® Ice Cream- Main Street
4. Tiki Juice Bar, hosted by Dole Pineapple-Frozen Pinapple Pops- Adventureland
5. Mint Julep Bar-New Orleans Square
6. And last but not lease any street vendor- Nestle Chocolate Chip Ice cream Sandwich

Dinner is great as the sunsets and the lights come on Disneyland changes into a different world. It's like eating by candle light or like a picnic under the stars. your still have 4-6 hours until the park closes so it's time to relax a little and fill up because you have probably walk several miles and stood in line for more time than it took to walk there. Here's my dinner favs:

1. Rancho del Zocalo Restaurante, hosted by Ortega-BBQ and Mexican Food-Frontierland
2. Blue Bayou-( a late comer to the original restaurants) Fine dining Disney Style
3. Plaza Inn- Fried Chicken dinner (coleslaw with almonds)
4. Village Haus Restaurant, hosted by Minute Maid - great for the kids Mickey Chicken Nuggets. Fantasy land
5. A whole bunch of places in Downtown Disney!

Well our day of Disney Treats is almost over the rides have shut down and now the crowds stroll down through Main Street shopping and what getting snacks for the evening. Main street has so many places to pick up snacks and souvenirs that it's almost too much to name them but her we go:

1. Candy Palace and Candy Kitchen- Homemade candy while you watch
2. Market House- A great place to pick up treats to go -chocolate covered pretzels, hot coco and more
3. Speaking of Hot Coco - In the winter time they sell it from street vendors with whip cream NUM!
4. Popcorn Carts- Nuff Said
5. Gibson Girl and Main Street Cone Shop
6. And Finally you will always find a Churro stand in the town square in front of the Train Station.

Well I'm full now and all this talk of food has made me gain at least ten pounds. I'm sure I have left some stuff out and of course we haven't even begun to talk about Disney's California Adventure. I'm not big on candy myself but there are lots of places to buy it in Disneyland, Downtown Disney and DCA. One thing you will never find at any of the Disney parks is GUM. It too hard to clean up and gets on peoples shoes so if you bring some yourself make sure to use a trash can, by the way did you know that the trash cans are spaced apart from each other by how long it took Walt Disney to eat a hot dog. True Story.

In 1956, Walt Disney attended a conference, along with many other notable celebrities of the time, at the invitation of President Eisenhower. The conference was about founding a national organization to help promote world peace through international civilian travel. (This dream became a reality in 1956, when Eisenhower founded the People to People Student Ambassador Program.) Inspired by the ideas from the meeting, Disney returned to California and set to work, creating the It's A Small World ride at Disneyland.

• It's a Small World originated with the 1964/1965 New York World's Fair (it was Pepsi's pavilion.)
• Many of the dolls were created by Joyce Carlson who is honored with a shop window along the Magic Kingdom's Main Street U.S.A. The sign there reads: "Dolls by Miss Joyce, Dollmaker for the World
• A major feature is a gigantic three-dimensional clock with a happy face On the quarter-hour, wooden dolls representing different cultures parade out of the clock. After the last dolls exit the clock, a pair of giant doors swings open to reveal two large toy blocks — one block with the hour, and one block with the minutes, written in highly stylized numerals — then a bell tolls indicating the time.
• The name of the ride was originally "children of the world". When Walt Disney demonstrated it to songwriters Robert B. Sherman and Richard M. Sherman, the ride's soundtrack featured numerous national anthems all playing at once. Disney said, "I need one song." In response, the brothers wrote one of the best known Disney tunes of all time: It's a Small World (After All). It is argued that the song may be the most performed and translated song on earth.
• On Opening Day May 28,1966 (42 years ago In May) Walt Disney poured water from the 7 seas of the earth into the canal in the opening ceremony.

It's a small world has always been our favorite ride when we are tired and want to take some to relax. The 14 minute ride is refreshing and soothing to aching feet that have trekked from Main Street to New Orleans Square to Fantasyland. After It's a Small World we always are ready to jump back in a tackle some more rides.

In 1959 several new rides opened in Tomorrowland. They were the Matterhorn Bobsleds, the Monorail, the Motor Boat ride (no longer there), the rebuilt Autopia and our topic for today the Submarine Voyage. The Submarine Voyage consisted of 8 submarines. Walt Disney boasted at the time the ride opened that he had the 8th largest peace time submarine fleet. The subs were diesel powered boats and for a time women dressed as Mermaids would swim in the water and wave to guest.
For 30 year the ride took voyagers to the depths of the sea. Voyagers saw many creatures of the sea including a sea serpent. Today however after a 10 year break the ride has re-opened as the "Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage" At the attraction's entrance, guests enter the Nautical Exploration and Marine Observation (NEMO) research center. There are three seagulls perched on a nearby buoy, bellowing out the phrase "Mine! Mine! Mine!" every few seconds. Nemo Finders relive the wonderful voyage that Nemo's Dad Marlin had when trying to find Nemo all our friends from the movie are there. Check out the link to see all about it (Way too much to include). No ride through video for this one so nothing is given away! Just a teaser.

By the way: The ride is actually under neath most of Autopia and the Monorail tracks in Tomorrowland.