dlpSteve
12-30-2005, 04:17 AM
December 25th 2005
Photos are already up on Studio One Photos: http://www.rumgone.co.uk/dlrp/index.html
Cast:
Me (31) and Denise (DW – 25)
Before I get going on Crimbo Day I want touch on the Bavarian market because I forgot to mention that in previous posts. As many of you know, I have always been a huge fan of the Bavarian Christmas Market in Disney Village. When I heard it had moved to the area between the parks I was dubious but open to the change, however, on seeing it when we were there a few days ago I have to say it’s a huge mistake to move it and it’s lost almost all of its charm. The huts are no spread out all over the place and some are almost hidden away – it has retained none of the warm, cosy atmosphere it had in the village and subsequently the village looks like it never got the “it’s Christmas” memo. We had a look around, but like before, it was never about what was on sale – put it back in the village, please!
Right – Christmas Day! We has breakfast at 7.45am – I smuggled down my Bran Flakes, have to have my Bran Flakes to start the day and the least said about that the better! After some post-breakfast shopping we met Family Dee at the entrance to the Disneyland Park and Dave and Josh took us into Salon Mickey as their guests – wahooo! Inside we sat in what could be described as a stately home type lounge area with comfy chairs and had a free drink and chocolate cookie. Dave and Josh proceeded to shock me with stories of thrill rides while I told them of my thrill avoidance! Salon Mickey was great, except they had no milk for Dave’s tea! We left Dave and Josh with Dee and Ben and headed off to Disney Studios.
On entering Disney Studios you can’t miss the huge Chicken Little display on the front wall of Studio 1 and I may being a massive minority but I like it! I’m looking forward to seeing the film and understand they need to promote the hell of it to make sure their first non-Pixar film of this type is a success. Studio 1 filled me with joy as it always does – the theming here as good as anywhere else in the park and such a pleasure to walk around and be a part of.
http://www.rumgone.co.uk/dlrp/ChristmasDay2005/photos/photo3.jpg
First off was my favourite attraction on the Studios and one that rivals Phantom manor for my 2nd favourite attraction overall – the Studio Tram Tour. The queues went out of the queuing area but actually didn’t too long – well, about 30 minutes but it looked like it would have taken longer! They’ve changed some of the posters in the queuing area to be more up to date – things like Pirates of the Caribbean and Narnia have been added, as have they all around the Studios park too. The onboard video has been updated a bit too with some different stuff going on in the background – all adds to and improved an already excellent ride. For the first time ever I did the ride with my camera still in it’s case and wow – a great ride got even better. Catastrophe Canyon is so much more spectacular when looking through your own eyes and not through a lens – the water had me startled more than ever before, amazing!
Alog the way Denise ran into Sully so I of course took a photo. We also saw the Narnia set so decided to take a photo, well, Denise took a photo of me anyway! It was pretty impressive and looked just like the White Witches throne from the film. Just as I was walking back from the throne a French chap was motioning for something and at first thought he was annoyed we’d gone before his children but he was in fact gesturing for us to pose together (Denise and I, not the French guy and me – silly!) while he took a photo – which we did, and he did – nice guy and a welcome photo of the two of us together.
http://www.rumgone.co.uk/dlrp/ChristmasDay2005/photos/photo8.jpg
When reading books about DLRP (anyone else have the urge to write a book about DLRP but wonder what they could do that wouldn’t be bettered by Simon’s books?) I have read about the Backlot Express and the props inside so thought that would be a fun place to eat – as a Star Wars fanatic you can imagine my delight when we entered the building and I saw a Speeder Bike (fast bike like hover vehicles that Luke, Leia and the Troopers ride in the jungles of Endor in Return of the Jedi) hanging from the ceiling – fab! Food was good too – we had a cheese and mushroom toastie type thing – with tomato taken out in my case!
http://www.rumgone.co.uk/dlrp/ChristmasDay2005/photos/photo9.jpg
We then had a good look around the shops and in particular we spent a while in the Disney Animation Gallery (the shop with all the pictures situated in the sorcerer’s hat) where Denise bought me the Phantom Manor globe – wow, it’s so awesome, and, big! It lights up and plays Grim Grinning Ghosts. We had them keep it and deliver it to the Cheyenne shop (The General Store) for our collection later in the day. It was over there that also noticed the little statues of Disney characters outside the building – I’d read about them but never seen them and proceeded to take photos of them all – a pursuit I was not alone in – well chuffed, mission accomplished.
http://www.rumgone.co.uk/dlrp/ChristmasDay2005/photos/photo34.jpg
Animagique was next where Denise dosed off a few times – we were close enough for me to see some of the ‘people’ – I had seen a documentary a few months ago about the show on Travel and was looking out for them! Really fun show with one of the catchiest tunes (ha – unintentional but pleasing play on words – Disney music ambiguity rules!) ever – ani-ma-gique~! We left the show dead on the finish and were lucky enough to see Chicken Little arriving on his little set so I rushed over and after Mr Little tricked with the old ‘hold hand out, I go to shake, he pulls it away and makes a funny face at me’ we pose for a photo! Next was Cinemagique – if you time it right you can go straight from one show to the other with no waiting. I always love Cinemagique and the Star Wars scenes never fail to get me excited – I’m a simple chap!
http://www.rumgone.co.uk/dlrp/ChristmasDay2005/photos/photo40.jpg
After another stroll through Studio 1 we made our way back to the main park and that days ride on Pirates of the Caribbean – this time we both posed suitably stupidly for the photo and bought it in the wooden frame – it joins our ever growing collection! Crowds were just as quiet as the day before and we revelling in our luck! Star Tours was next and though the queue seemed massive it was constantly moving and I never tire of looking at the Stars Wars props en route to the ride. Seat 40 (back row on the far left) is the seat that gives the wildest ride and I joked to Denise that I would do my best to get that seat – she’s not that keen and give me ‘a look’. About 30 seconds the CMs at the turnstile asked for a party of two – though there were about 40 people in front of us we were the first party of 2, so with a he grin on my face we walked past everyone and to our ride – guess which two seats were vacant? Yes, you guessed it – 39 and 40!!! Great great ride, in need of a major update but great all the same – Denise was less enthusiastic and we were glad we hadn’t eaten before riding!
As people gathered for the Fairytale Lighting Ceremony we walked to Plaza gardens and met Dee, Dave, Josh and Ben for dinner. Both the restaurant and the food were great – lots of choice though a scary lack of vegetables. One thing that came into conversation were Josh’s trampolining and gymnastics at which point he showed us all up with his 6-pack! Plaza Gardens will be a definite eating venue for our future visits and after being the last ones in the restaurant we took photos, Josh taught the French waiter some Welsh and we walked back to the Sequoia Lodge Hotel. On the way back we noticed that the weather had taken a turn for the worse and it was now bitterly cold. Drinks were even harder to order than the night before though we eventually got some – Bear Hugs again, honey syrup – wahooo! After some drinks, pool, characters we said our goodbyes and headed back to the Cheyenne – shattered, we went to bed – great great Christmas day.
http://www.rumgone.co.uk/dlrp/ChristmasDay2005/photos/photo45.jpg
Next: Boxing Day and the journey home
Photos are already up on Studio One Photos: http://www.rumgone.co.uk/dlrp/index.html
Cast:
Me (31) and Denise (DW – 25)
Before I get going on Crimbo Day I want touch on the Bavarian market because I forgot to mention that in previous posts. As many of you know, I have always been a huge fan of the Bavarian Christmas Market in Disney Village. When I heard it had moved to the area between the parks I was dubious but open to the change, however, on seeing it when we were there a few days ago I have to say it’s a huge mistake to move it and it’s lost almost all of its charm. The huts are no spread out all over the place and some are almost hidden away – it has retained none of the warm, cosy atmosphere it had in the village and subsequently the village looks like it never got the “it’s Christmas” memo. We had a look around, but like before, it was never about what was on sale – put it back in the village, please!
Right – Christmas Day! We has breakfast at 7.45am – I smuggled down my Bran Flakes, have to have my Bran Flakes to start the day and the least said about that the better! After some post-breakfast shopping we met Family Dee at the entrance to the Disneyland Park and Dave and Josh took us into Salon Mickey as their guests – wahooo! Inside we sat in what could be described as a stately home type lounge area with comfy chairs and had a free drink and chocolate cookie. Dave and Josh proceeded to shock me with stories of thrill rides while I told them of my thrill avoidance! Salon Mickey was great, except they had no milk for Dave’s tea! We left Dave and Josh with Dee and Ben and headed off to Disney Studios.
On entering Disney Studios you can’t miss the huge Chicken Little display on the front wall of Studio 1 and I may being a massive minority but I like it! I’m looking forward to seeing the film and understand they need to promote the hell of it to make sure their first non-Pixar film of this type is a success. Studio 1 filled me with joy as it always does – the theming here as good as anywhere else in the park and such a pleasure to walk around and be a part of.
http://www.rumgone.co.uk/dlrp/ChristmasDay2005/photos/photo3.jpg
First off was my favourite attraction on the Studios and one that rivals Phantom manor for my 2nd favourite attraction overall – the Studio Tram Tour. The queues went out of the queuing area but actually didn’t too long – well, about 30 minutes but it looked like it would have taken longer! They’ve changed some of the posters in the queuing area to be more up to date – things like Pirates of the Caribbean and Narnia have been added, as have they all around the Studios park too. The onboard video has been updated a bit too with some different stuff going on in the background – all adds to and improved an already excellent ride. For the first time ever I did the ride with my camera still in it’s case and wow – a great ride got even better. Catastrophe Canyon is so much more spectacular when looking through your own eyes and not through a lens – the water had me startled more than ever before, amazing!
Alog the way Denise ran into Sully so I of course took a photo. We also saw the Narnia set so decided to take a photo, well, Denise took a photo of me anyway! It was pretty impressive and looked just like the White Witches throne from the film. Just as I was walking back from the throne a French chap was motioning for something and at first thought he was annoyed we’d gone before his children but he was in fact gesturing for us to pose together (Denise and I, not the French guy and me – silly!) while he took a photo – which we did, and he did – nice guy and a welcome photo of the two of us together.
http://www.rumgone.co.uk/dlrp/ChristmasDay2005/photos/photo8.jpg
When reading books about DLRP (anyone else have the urge to write a book about DLRP but wonder what they could do that wouldn’t be bettered by Simon’s books?) I have read about the Backlot Express and the props inside so thought that would be a fun place to eat – as a Star Wars fanatic you can imagine my delight when we entered the building and I saw a Speeder Bike (fast bike like hover vehicles that Luke, Leia and the Troopers ride in the jungles of Endor in Return of the Jedi) hanging from the ceiling – fab! Food was good too – we had a cheese and mushroom toastie type thing – with tomato taken out in my case!
http://www.rumgone.co.uk/dlrp/ChristmasDay2005/photos/photo9.jpg
We then had a good look around the shops and in particular we spent a while in the Disney Animation Gallery (the shop with all the pictures situated in the sorcerer’s hat) where Denise bought me the Phantom Manor globe – wow, it’s so awesome, and, big! It lights up and plays Grim Grinning Ghosts. We had them keep it and deliver it to the Cheyenne shop (The General Store) for our collection later in the day. It was over there that also noticed the little statues of Disney characters outside the building – I’d read about them but never seen them and proceeded to take photos of them all – a pursuit I was not alone in – well chuffed, mission accomplished.
http://www.rumgone.co.uk/dlrp/ChristmasDay2005/photos/photo34.jpg
Animagique was next where Denise dosed off a few times – we were close enough for me to see some of the ‘people’ – I had seen a documentary a few months ago about the show on Travel and was looking out for them! Really fun show with one of the catchiest tunes (ha – unintentional but pleasing play on words – Disney music ambiguity rules!) ever – ani-ma-gique~! We left the show dead on the finish and were lucky enough to see Chicken Little arriving on his little set so I rushed over and after Mr Little tricked with the old ‘hold hand out, I go to shake, he pulls it away and makes a funny face at me’ we pose for a photo! Next was Cinemagique – if you time it right you can go straight from one show to the other with no waiting. I always love Cinemagique and the Star Wars scenes never fail to get me excited – I’m a simple chap!
http://www.rumgone.co.uk/dlrp/ChristmasDay2005/photos/photo40.jpg
After another stroll through Studio 1 we made our way back to the main park and that days ride on Pirates of the Caribbean – this time we both posed suitably stupidly for the photo and bought it in the wooden frame – it joins our ever growing collection! Crowds were just as quiet as the day before and we revelling in our luck! Star Tours was next and though the queue seemed massive it was constantly moving and I never tire of looking at the Stars Wars props en route to the ride. Seat 40 (back row on the far left) is the seat that gives the wildest ride and I joked to Denise that I would do my best to get that seat – she’s not that keen and give me ‘a look’. About 30 seconds the CMs at the turnstile asked for a party of two – though there were about 40 people in front of us we were the first party of 2, so with a he grin on my face we walked past everyone and to our ride – guess which two seats were vacant? Yes, you guessed it – 39 and 40!!! Great great ride, in need of a major update but great all the same – Denise was less enthusiastic and we were glad we hadn’t eaten before riding!
As people gathered for the Fairytale Lighting Ceremony we walked to Plaza gardens and met Dee, Dave, Josh and Ben for dinner. Both the restaurant and the food were great – lots of choice though a scary lack of vegetables. One thing that came into conversation were Josh’s trampolining and gymnastics at which point he showed us all up with his 6-pack! Plaza Gardens will be a definite eating venue for our future visits and after being the last ones in the restaurant we took photos, Josh taught the French waiter some Welsh and we walked back to the Sequoia Lodge Hotel. On the way back we noticed that the weather had taken a turn for the worse and it was now bitterly cold. Drinks were even harder to order than the night before though we eventually got some – Bear Hugs again, honey syrup – wahooo! After some drinks, pool, characters we said our goodbyes and headed back to the Cheyenne – shattered, we went to bed – great great Christmas day.
http://www.rumgone.co.uk/dlrp/ChristmasDay2005/photos/photo45.jpg
Next: Boxing Day and the journey home