#Disneyland Blast to the Past Parade | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

ichorizaki · 4 years

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part of your world—s.d.

꒰ ❛ genre ❜ ꒱ — fluff. just, pure fluff

꒰ ❛ pairing ❜ ꒱ — timeskip!sawamura daichi x f!reader

꒰ ❛ warnings ❜ ꒱ — uhhh some curse words and teeth-rotting fluff, asahi’s terrible fashion taste

꒰ ❛ word count ❜ ꒱ — 2.7k

˚ ༘ˀˀ ꒰‧⁺ a text from sol — ✎ˀ !!! my first req!!! ily ily hehe i had so much fun with this; i hope you enjoy it as much as i enjoyed writing it! thank you so much for being patient, @ceo-of-daichi huhu

-`,✎ synopsis! ; ♡ disneyland is just as magical as anyone dreamed for it to be and more.

One of the things that you love about Sawamura Daichi was how he calculated different factors to make sure that his intended outcome was accurate and to his satisfaction. Maybe it was the way his dark brows furrowed in concentration as he mapped out the plans, or perhaps it was in the way he had that small grin that boasted pride when he was done. You didn't know why he was planning so intently for a quick weekend trip to Disneyland Tokyo, but you didn’t quite care because it made for the perfect setting for you to pop the million-dollar question. While you would love to have the trip be just the two of you, you required an audience and moral support, which was why you had Sugawara Kōshi happily laying down in the backseat of the rented car and Azumane Asahi waiting for your arrival at his condominium complex at Ginza, Tokyo.

“Dai, how much further from Tokyo are we? I wanna ride the rollercoasters!” Kōshi complained from the backseat, propping himself up on his elbows. It was a miracle that both you and your boyfriend had heard him over the booming stereo that blasted the Disney playlist curated specially for the trip. He noticed that Daichi had his hand gripping your thigh where it was exposed by your denim shorts and made a gagging noise. “I thought I wasn’t gonna third-wheel.”

“We’re not even making out, you drama queen,” Daichi snorts. His eyes drifted from the rearview mirror to the GPS he was following on his phone next to the steering wheel. “We’re about fifteen minutes from the checkpoint.”

“Finally. Fifteen minutes more and I won’t be the only third-wheel.” You laughed at his comment as he went back to laying down in the backseat, scrolling through his phone and singing along to the songs. In his impatience, you knew it was excitement. Partially for Disneyland, but you knew the real reason behind it: the small velvet box sitting in your Kanken bag that sat by your feet.

Kōshi has been your partner in crime ever since your Karasuno days. You knew he had your back when it came to anything that consisted of the element of surprise, as you had his. You’ve said it a thousand times and you’ll say it again: the Karasuno VBC should be glad that you weren’t one of the managers. Otherwise, you were sure that their productivity would fall drastically.

Feeling your boyfriend’s calloused hand give your thigh a slight squeeze dragged your eyes from your phone screen to his beautiful face. You raised your eyes in question before he nudged his chin towards what lay beyond the glass windows, eyes fixated on the road. You followed his gaze and a small gasp of surprise left your lips.

It was by no means your first time in Tokyo but it never fails to take your breath away every time you near the border. Silver buildings line the landscape, blindingly glinting as they reflected the meridian sun. Billboard signs were but a blur of colours as Daichi drove past. You could practically smell the metallic scent of the metropolitan metal forest.

“Kōshi! Look!” You cried out, the palms of your hands flat against the glass along with your cheek as you tried to get closer to the scenery in the confines of the car. The second you passed the checkpoint and were cleared, the excitement was blatantly obvious in the way it seemed to send jitters down your spine. “Ah, I can’t wait to see ‘Sahi. I’m so glad he agreed to come out of his shell and spend time with us.”

“Right?” Kōshi got up from his position to squeeze his torso in between your seat and Daichi’s. “Man, I can’t wait to go feral at Disneyland and sleep for free in a downgraded hotel.” Daichi couldn’t help but laugh at the statement that his friend had made in reference to Asahi’s place. He had offered his condominium as accommodation for the night. You guessed that he was tired of being so lonely in such a spacious living space. The last time you checked, you were sure that he had two guest rooms which was perfect for the three of you.

Daichi continued driving into the city, easily finding his way to Asahi’s condominium complex. He was waiting there, scrolling through his phone in what could easily be the most tourist-y getup. He didn’t notice the vehicle pull up before him, which prompted you to wind your window down to call for him. Kōshi mirrored your actions, calling for him by his favourite nickname since high school.

“Oi, Negative Beardy!” He giggled as the bigger man looked up from his phone. His hair was cropped short, his previous peach fuzz now a well-groomed beard. He got up from his seat and you couldn’t help but notice the neon green fanny pack standing out exceptionally from his ensemble. You didn’t hold back the laughter and neither did your boyfriend as the clumsy man slid into the backseat next to Kōshi, the apples of his tanned cheeks a bright pink.

“Five months and the first thing you do is tease me . . .” Asahi sighed.

“How can we not when you look like a tourist?” Daichi countered as he began to drive out of the complex. “For a fashion designer, you sure do have a terrible sense.”

“Yeah, ‘Sahi,” you chimed in. “Isn’t the neon green fanny pack a little overkill?”

“Huh? Then where am I gonna put my wallet and phone on rides?” The three of you laughed it off, leaving a resigned Asahi shaking his head. Years may have passed and there may have been distance among the four of you but the chemistry was still there.

The drive from Ginza to Urayasu was about twenty minutes, but time seemed to fly by when you’re having fun because the next thing you know, the four of you were climbing out of the car with entry tickets in hand and standing in line. It was late into the season of spring and you could smell it distinctly in the air. The breeze was nice and chilly against where your skin was exposed as the sun cast a mighty glow upon the citizens of Tokyo, excitement buzzing in your veins like static electricity as you bounced back and forth on the balls of your feet.

Kōshi was the only other person who was being loud about his excitement, running as soon as he was granted entry into the magical grounds of Disneyland. You bounded after him, your voice disappearing into the large expanse of space as you screamed out loud.

“Y/N! People are staring, you idiot,” Daichi called out after you, taking your hand in his as soon as he caught up. You gave him a cheeky grin and wink along with a finger gun with your free hand. Now that you were finally at Disneyland, all you had to do was wait for the opportunity to make this fine man yours for the rest of your life. Kōshi gasped when he saw your linked hands and immediately turned to look at Asahi who tucked his hands behind his back in response.

The four of you started off at World Bazaar, taking a tour on the omnibus around the plaza before deciding to go in hard and strong at the Pirates of the Caribbean ride at Adventureland. Needless to say, Asahi was the only one who emerged trembling like a leaf. You felt like a high school student once again, spending time with your best friends and your crush in what appeared to be a fantasy-like wonderland. Your laughter filled the air as screams and children’s excitement harmonised along.

Regardless of where you ventured in the theme park, you were smiling and laughing and running around like a child with Kōshi as Asahi and Daichi both looked on. The former was visibly embarrassed by the commotion that the both of you were causing while the latter simply bemused by how happy you were. Hell, simply ‘happy’ didn’t cut it. You were in absolute childlike ecstasy as you pulled him along to the different rides and exhibitions, asking him to take your picture with Daisy Duck or Peter Pan or some character whose name he had forgotten. He was completely enthralled by you and knowing that you were his simply sent his mind reeling and his heart thumping against his ribcage as he fondled with the navy blue box nestled in the pocket of his bermuda shorts.

To say that you were nervous was an understatement. You were about to ask the man you love if he wanted to spend the rest of his natural life with you. You kept telling yourself that you had no reason to be nervous, that no matter what his answer was, you’d respect it. It was only natural that you were restless, right? The adrenaline that flowed through your veins was keeping you on your toes at every exhibit, show, ride, and parade that the four of you spectated with bright, eager smiles.

It was only when the stunning blue of the sky began to mix with swirls of salmon pink and golden melting through fluffy whites were the four of you sitting on one of the benches outside Cinderella’s castle. Families of both locals and tourists had ice cream crêpes in hand as they strolled languigly. You had an ice pop in hand, sharing it with Daichi as he sat next to you whilst cooling himself with the electric handheld fan that you had brought along.

Kōshi was staring dead into your eyes, his silver eyebrows furrowing just the slightest bit as he nudged his chin not-so-subtly to an inattentive Daichi. You scowled silently back at him, wordlessly telling him that it probably wasn’t the right time. Probably. But then he went ahead and gave you a smug look that called you a coward for chickening out whenever the opportunity presented itself by neatly dropping into your laps.

He wasn’t wrong. You had the perfect opportunity to propose just about an hour ago during one of the parades at Fantasyland. Mickey had pulled you in for a dance on the road, and after your little grooving session, you had dragged your boyfriend who was reticent but never tried to hide the fond smile on his face. Poor Kōshi had wasted a good percentage of his battery filming several almost-proposals only for you to chicken out at the last second. You were sure that you weren’t going to hear the end of it if you didn’t get down on one knee to propose in the next hour.

“Do you still want the ice pop?” Daichi asked, pulling you out of your thoughts. You turned to him, shaking your head. Now’s the time, you told yourself. No more backing out. You were going to ask this man to be your partner in life and that was final. How could you not? You’ve known this man close to two decades. He had been by your side the whole time, through the ups and downs, never once letting go of you even when you told him to. To you, he looked no different than he did when you first met him at the shy blossoming age of 15. He bulked a little and sure, there were smile lines and some wrinkles, but that was it. He’s still the same Sawamura Daichi that you fell in love with. “My love, is everything okay? Is there something on my face?”

“Huh?” You blinked. Crap, were you staring at him too obviously? You quickly told him that no, there wasn’t anything on his face other than absolute beauty, to which his cheeks flushed red. Kōshi was staring at you—you knew it from the glaring burning on the side of your face—and you finally reached your arm behind you where your bag was, nervously trying to take the violet box from the confines of the small pocket. You heard Kōshi whisper-yell a not-so-subtle “Yes!” as he fumbled around to fish his phone out.

Daichi’s ochre brown eyes never left your face as he watched you get up from the bench to sink down onto one knee before him. You felt your heart stammering in a jittery, shaking, quaking panic as your cheeks burned beet red. He was patient, waiting and watching you slowly rest your hands over your propped knee. Only then did you realise that the words that you had painstakingly memorised were beginning to disappear from your mind like a drawing in the sand erased up by waves.

“Daichi,” you began. There’s no going back now. “I never thought I’d ever find someone who’s my best friend and lover. I wouldn’t say that you’re my saviour or some shit cause that’s really cringey.” You briefly paused, swallowing the lump in your throat as you tried your best to fight back the tears. Why did you have to get emotional now? You cleared your throat, “Um. Listen. I’m in love with you. I had a script and I forgot what were the specific words on it, but I know this for sure: I want to spend the rest of my life with you. I want to watch you grow old and have kids who are gonna have kids, who are then gonna have kids, and then we’ll be sitting on rocking chairs at the patio of our house in the countryside, watching the sunset.

“I– fuck, this is embarrassing. But, yeah. I love you, and I’m just here to complete the final objective. I’ve taken your jackets, your firsts, and your heart, and I think it’s time I take your last name.” From the corner of your eyes, you noticed there were a few people standing by to watch. Some of them were obviously tourists and the fact alone made your entire face flush pink. Your eyes were trained on Daichi’s handsome face as he let a lone tear escape before quickly wiping it away and sniffling. He had that smile on his face—the very one that made your heart throb and sing hallelujah—and you couldn’t help but smile too as you revealed the golden ring seated intricately in a sea of white silk of the velvet box that you were holding. “So whaddya say, Dai?”

The second he got down on one knee and took out an identical velvet box from the pocket of his shorts, you let out a loud groan, throwing your head back to stop the tears from flowing freely down your face. You heard the spectators cheer and laugh, and also Kōshi screaming right behind you. Your teeth abused your bottom lip when you returned your tear-filled gaze to him, arms going limp by your sides. You refused to believe this was happening. It was the last thing that you had expected from Daichi, but life was full of surprises, wasn’t it?

“I don’t know, Y/N,” he mused. The corner of his lip curled upward into a sly smirk but the amount of love brimming in his eyes told a different story entirely. “What do you think?” By then, you had tears raining as you folded your feet underneath you so you could sit down and process everything. Even then, you were bawling your eyes out, holding his calloused hands in yours as he heartily laughed, kissing your tears away and pushing your hair out of your face.

“I think I wanna marry the fuck out of you, Dai.” Your shoulders trembled as your heart sang a euphoric tune that you never thought you’d be able to achieve. His bare, warm arms wrapped around you to guide you to sit down on the bench. He took his time wiping your tears and putting the ring on your finger before he did the same for himself.

“Tsk, babe, there are children here.” His teasing chides fell on deaf ears as Asahi and Kōshi joined the both of you, congratulations and teasing filling the atmosphere. You didn’t care that there were children there. Disneyland is one hell of a magical place, and you were just beyond thankful it turned all of your dreams into a reality.

#sawamura daichi #sawamura daichi x reader #haikyuu x reader #sawamura daichi x you #haikyuu fic #hq #꒰⚡️꒱ ⨾ zeus’ thunderbolt #bbthots

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artsistory · 5 years

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Disneyland Day 1! (10.23.19)

It’s here! What we’ve all been waiting for! Tokyo Disney 3 Day Extravaganza!!!

It began with waking up at 5 AM!! We had to arrive before the park opened and it takes an full hour of public trans to get there. So at the crack of dawn we got ready and went.

We thought we’d be there pretty early but by the time we got to the front gate, a big line was already forming!! Japanese people go HARD at Disneyland.

Thankfully, Danni did her research and we knew exactly what we had to do. When the gates opened we ran right to Tomorrowland to get Monsters Inc fastpasses and then get in line for Pooh’s Hunny Hunt, the two best rides in the park!

Our first ride was Hunny Hunt! The line was super short since it was so early but it wasn’t going to stay that way. This ride blows the Pooh ride back home out of the water! The sets and graphics are crazy and the whole ride smells like honey!!

We then met some friends in Fantasyland and rode a few rides while we waited for our fastpasses. Don’t underestimate Danni on the teacups. She whipped that cup around so fast, I thought I’d barf.

We rode the Haunted Mansion which was all decked out for The Nightmare before Christmas. There’s a few extra rooms that we don’t have back home! Then on to Monsters Inc! This ride is so crazy! You get flashlights and shine them all around the fast paced ride which triggers all sorts of things to happen! So coooool.

Japanese people really go in on the accessories and costumes. Everyone has headgear and lanyards and matching cutesy outfits. Since it was Halloween, adults are allowed to wear actual costumes too. And the cosplay was crazy impressive. You couldn’t really tell the difference between the actual characters and the park goers sometimes. All this to say, I was feeling left out so I bought one of the most popular items, a 101 Dalmatians headband!

I couldn’t get Makanakai to buy this one.

And since we got most of the popular rides out of the way in the morning, we took a more leisurely run around the park in the afternoon. Main Street is all under a covered market. Looks so pretty!

We also had to stop by Country Bear Jamboree which was killed back home but still going strong in Japan. It was a blast from the past for sure! And almost totally not terrifying to see those giant animatronic bears singing California Girls in Japanese on stage.

I honestly think my favorite ride was the Tiki Room! I love the original and all but in this one, Stitch crashes the party and they sing Aloha Komo Mai all together! Stitchey is very popular in Japan.

And let us not forget all the dope snacks at Disneyland! They have such weird and good food! Like these mochi aliens! Hello!!

Also these pizza spring rolls. What?

It was super fun just to run around the park and see everything. The magic was real.

Especially when we rode Splash Mountain with this man that Danni may or may not have elbowed his wife earlier in the day for crowding up on her at the Small World line.... A magical night!

We ended the night with the Electrical Light Parade which is still going strong over here. It was beautiful! And also, if you are up front, everyone remains sitting which is wild. It’s all so organized! California would never.

And then we slumped all the way back home to do it all over again!!

#STITCHEY!!!

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belphegor1982 · 5 years

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In the immortal words of Samwise Gamgee, well, I’m back :o) And what a trip. Okay, I spent some of it complaining because (in no particular order) heat, blisters, period cramps and the need to make frequent pit stops, and generally feeling tired and gross.

But let’s recap (again, all out of order). (Meant to add pictures I took, but can’t upload them for some reason. Bugger.)

Paris felt a lot - a LOT - like Bordeaux. The buildings have essentially the same feel to them, only bigger and a couple of storeys higher - it’s the same light-coloured stone, the same trees, the same roundstone, the works. That cognitive dissonance hit me several times, really strongly.

The Métro, though. Awfully convenient, gets you places quickly without ever being impeded by traffic. Also makes it feel like you spend half the day underground. It’s uncomfortably hot (corridors and trains), SO MUCH NOISE. Still pretty sure the station of Châtelet-les-Halles is some kind of version of hell, or at least liminal space. It’s so enormous it’s got a multiple-level mall, a cinema, and a swimming pool somewhere. It’s harder to navigate the flow of people than a motorway (and about as easy slotting your way in).

While we were ankling around the Île de la Cité we swung by Notre-Dame. She’s surrounded by scaffolding and prefabs and you can’t even get to the parvis. It’s funny (and I mean weird), because the scaffolding looks like any other time a historical building’s having work done on, until you realise there’s no roof anymore and the spire is just... gone.

Disneyland. Oh man, Disneyland. I can’t regret the blisters I got walking up and down the Magic Kingdom. I teared up before we even made it past the gates because just being in the Fantasia Gardens with the speakers blasting an instrumental version of Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious :o) And that feel basically lasted till the end, despite the exhaustion. The level of detail you can spot all around is amazing, the music is unobtrusive enough and not annoying, and I love the number of rides that include boats and water ♥

A number of rides were closed for repairs, and I was surprised at how many got stopped then started again as the day went on.

Queues were generally not too insane, except on “Peter Pan’s Flight” where we queued for over an hour for a ride that turned out to be about 10 minutes long? And we never got around to do Big Thunder Mountain because the estimated queuing time kept going up and up and up. But on the whole, it didn’t feel like we spent our time standing in line, which I was afraid of.

Also I thought we’d see more characters! But apart from Donald (whom I got to hug ♥) and Jessie, a glimpse of Snow White and Mickey (from afar), we didn’t see anyone.

But then again we missed the parade (doing Phantom Manor) where I could’ve seen many characters. *fatalistic shrug*

The map said picnics were to be eaten outside the park, but we totally just sat down and had our sandwiches in a bit of a hurry :D

Most of the rides were in a mix of French and English whenever there was text and I was really happy about that!

Apart from the Tutankhamen exhibition - which was SPECTACULAR (3,000 YEAR OLD WOOD statuettes, gah, so much beautiful I might make a post just for that), we ended up doing none of the museums we thought we’d be doing. We were (okay, I was) too knackered for the Louvre, the Quai Branly museum closes on Mondays, and we gave up on the Musée d’Orsay because at that point I simply couldn’t muster the energy to go from Iena to Orsay even with the Métro. But we did end up visiting the Musée National des Arts Asiatiques, which had an excellent temporary exhibition on the lives of the Buddha (focusing on Gautama, but with references to past lives as well), with magnificent parchments, gold-plated wood and stone statues and painted cloths from India, Pakistan, Tibet, Thailand, China and Japan. It was beautiful and very interesting.

on a general Paris note, we ended up eating out every lunch/dinner, and apart from Disneyland, the picnic we had planned (which was v. nice) with friends, and a quick McDonald’s after seeing Spider-man Far From Home, we only did Asian restaurants. Not on any kind of purpose, but the food is so diverse there! We had Cambodian, Thai, Japanese, Chinese, and I got bubble tea twice ♥♥♥ Really wish we had more bubble tea places in Bordeaux. It’s freaking delicious and exactly what’s needed on a hot day.

One of the restaurants we went to was Le Petit Cambodge, one of the places the terrorists hit on November 13th 2015. We were in the neighbourhood a bit late for lunch and it was open all afternoon. Turns out that 1) they make a pretty fantastic natin and 2) the idiots on Tumblr mocking the French crying because “white tears” really were talking out of their asses, big time. Said neighbourhood is quite diverse, like most of Paris. But idiots will say/do anything, that’s how you know they’re idiots.

SO MUCH GOOD FOOD. Like, that’s what I’ll miss the most - being able to just take the métro (or not, the relatively - still 10x people than were we live - small town we stayed in had lots of restaurants, too) and find diverse and not too expensive places to eat. *sigh*

I have 250 posts in my queue and 112 posts in my drafts and I have no idea how I’ll be able to make them trickle out and not swamp your dash ᕕ( ᐛ )ᕗ

Bref, all in all, a pretty good stay - glad to have gone, and glad to be home :o)

#Bel's adventures in the real world #local dork goes to Disneyland

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asterinjapan · 5 years

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The last words for 2018

First of all, a belated happy new year! I hope 2019 had a good start for all of you, and if not, that it may only get better from hereon.

Well then, I finally took the time to sort through all my pictures, create my traditional photo book (yep, I have a tradition now - all covers use the same layout and everything), and make the final posts about my impromptu trip to Tokyo in December.

Obviously, that marks the last of my 2018 posts if only because 2018 has ended, haha. After this post, I won’t update this blog anymore until my next trip, but I hope that won’t be too long!

Well, this trip was about as much as a surprise to me as it probably was to you! I’m not usually one for last minute trips, but considering I only booked about a week in advance, this one definitely counts. It surely was a great way to end 2018, which wasn’t an easy year for various reasons, making it doubtful if I could go back to Japan this soon. I’d actually aimed at late March to see the cherry blossoms, which will probably not happen now, but December is a lovely time to travel to Japan too! Or well, Tokyo, since I didn’t really venture out of the capital this time.

The weather was nice overall - not too cold yet, and most days were clear and bright, which at least gave me some magnificent views on mount Fuji. Unless I actually get close to the mountain, I doubt I’ll see it this clear again, wow. And suddenly I didn’t regret lugging my huge camera lens with me anymore, haha.

It was fun revisiting old favorites: Hachiko is of course a must when visiting Shibuya, but the little wolf shrine here has become a tradition for me too by now. I didn’t actually know Shibuya used to have a castle until a couple of months ago, but it was fun tracking down the sole stone that served of a reminder of it. And I got to see a lovely shrine in addition to it, too!

Koishikawa Korakuen was another lovely garden I’m glad I visited, especially with the maple trees still bearing their leaves, so red that they seemed to be on fire. A little detour took me past the new Hachiko statue, which was actually more touching than I’d expected.

I finally got to visit Oji, which was on my list since summer 2017. Compared to other Tokyo areas I’ve visited, it almost felt small, but I loved the atmosphere here and it was easy to picture the fox parade taking place at New Year’s here. Maybe next time I can actually attend that parade, who knows!

Of course, I couldn’t skip out on Tokyo Disneyland celebrating its 35th anniversary and Christmas, and I definitely had a blast there. The Christmas lights continued all over Tokyo, and I got to see many beautiful illuminations in the evenings.

Sadly, my last day was rainy, which meant that it got a little hard to spot the Emperor on the balcony, but the trip was worth it (and my camera survived, phew). It’s a little bit of history I managed to be a part of.

Looking back as I write this entry, I actually managed to do quite a bit despite taking it easy, haha. I also had a lot of fun just shopping around Tokyo. A lot of shows I like are Japanese, so why not take advantage of it while I’m there? Exactly. Obviously it’s not the only reason to visit Tokyo, but it sure is a nice little bonus.

I must say I was glad for quiet flights this time, and there’s something charming about getting home just before Christmas, riding high on the winter cheer of Tokyo.

And now, off into the new year! Without jinxing anything, I really hope to be able to visit Japan again this year. I have plenty of plans and so many things to see left, I can only hope I will get the opportunity to explore them all in the near future. I don’t yet know what 2019 will bring to me, but let’s make it a good year to all of us.

Best of wishes and hope to see you on this blog soon again!

#report #tokyo 2018 #report: tokyo 2018

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kurtwarren54 · 4 years

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Holiday Bucket List + Holidays at Disneyland

This past week Blake took the day off from work and we headed to Disneyland with Otis to enjoy a day of holiday fun at the parks. It’s one of my favorite times to visit because they do it up GOOD and the decor is just so cute and everything just gives me the warm fuzzies. (I know, super scientific terminology!!) We stayed from 9am to 7pm and let me tell you, we had the BEST DAY EVER. Since we are annual passholders, we can come to Disney pretty often (and we do!) but we always like to make time in December to see the tree lit up and experience the holidays there. Otis coy little smiles when he met Mickey are the sweetest thing to witness and I just love watching him grow and learn to love Disney more and more each month.

The holidays can be hectic and wild for alot of people. Between holiday parties, family get together, work deadline, and holiday presents can feel stressful for alot of people. I always remind myself each year that it’s important to remember what is really important this time of year: spending time with the people that you love. Whether that is friends, family, etc, make sure you are taking time out to slow down and enjoy life. I wanted to share with you my holiday bucket list of things that I try to do during the holiday time! Don’t let this list stress you out either! There is so much pressure to celebrate the holidays in all these perfect pinterest ways but really, it’s as simple as grabbing your dog and taking a walk in a new neighborhood discovering some holiday lights that can really add a special warmth to the holiday season. With Christmas next week, we still have a full weekend ahead to explore some more holiday traditions and I encourage you to take some time for yourself to slow down and take it all in.

My Holiday Bucket list

Find Holiday Books: This one I can already check off my list. Take a trip to your local bookstore or library and grab some new books to get into the holiday spirit. We read books every night with Otis before he goes to sleep and it’s a very special part of our day. I wrote a whole post with my favorites kids Christmas books here. Plenty of time to swing by your local bookstore and pick up a holiday favorite.

Take a holiday lights walk: This can be as simple as exploring your own neighborhood and checking out the holiday lights after the sunset. Where we live, we love to check out the holiday lights and houses on Balboa Island. People go all out and it’s a nice walk with our stroller along the inlets. We also love to watch the Newport Beach Boat Parade. People decorate their boats and parade through the water. It’s been a special tradition to go see it for us! Especially since moving to Orange County it’s such a unique experience. Lots of local Zoos and botanical gardens usually decorate as well!

Plan a Holiday Snacks Party: Gather your friends and have them bring different holiday cookies (store bought or homemade whatever your vibe is!). Or find some kind of food you can decorate. Sugar Cookies are always a crowd pleaser but they take alot of work to make. An easier treat to whip up is rice krispies and let kids decorate with icing and sprinkles. You can also have everyone bring one sweet treat and create a massive sweets charcuterie board. Basically keep it easy and fun and use it as an excuse to get together with friends.

Walk around Disneyland to see all the decorations: This one is specific to me here in California. Since we have an annual pass, there are times we just go to walk and have a special holiday flavored treat. SO WORTH IT if you are debating on going. Yes it’s crazy crowded, but if you do a little research and go with the flow, you can have a really amazing day.

Host a cookie decorating party: Making sugar cookies took me years to get into. Then one day I found this recipe that is magic and makes the perfect sugar cookie. Now I look forward to making them each holiday. Last year, we had a cookie decorating party at my friends house with my sisters family and we all spent the night decorating cookies with icing and sprinkles and ordering Chinese food takeout. We had holiday music blasted and it was the most fun day. I plan to keep this in our holiday traditions. If baking isn’t your thing, you can easily buy some store bought cookies and icing and do the same thing at home with friends. It’s more about having the time together creating something yummy.

Friendsgiving: We all spend alot of time planning our family Thanksgivings but we love to celebrate the holidays with our friends as well. Either cook and have everyone bring a side, get catering, or just make it a special dinner out if you don’t want to be bothered cooking. We love to plan Friendsgiving with our friends that have kids since no one case we plan our dinner at 4pm so we can all go home at bedtime. HA! I know it’s way past Thanksgiving but the idea of a big special dinner is something you can easily accomplish without roasting a turkey for hours too.

See Santa: I am a big kid at heart and seeing Santa in the flesh is just always so special. Even without kids, seeing the man in red always made me smile. We saw so many Santa’s this year and Otis is finally getting excited to see him from a far. I loved the Santa at South Coast Plaza (here is our pic!) and they have a little train and carousel etc there that makes it a fun activity day for the kids. Otis didn’t enjoy sitting ON Santa but what a fun memory to share with him when he’s older. We also now have a tradition of going to my friend Poppy Lea Photography’s studio for an intimate Santa experience. I posts about it here if you are into it for next year! I also oddly enough ran into Santa at Target!! Honestly Santa gets around guys. There are so many places to go see him!!

Christmas Tree Hunt: Another great activity if you are into Christmas is going on a Christmas Tree hunt! Lots of local malls and shopping centers have some amazing setups and the lights and decorations can be such a fun thing for adults and kids to experience. It can be a fun game to make a checklist of all your favorites and then make it a tradition to go see them each year.

Donate: My family has a tradition of donating money to the local food bank ever since I was younger. I remember my dad explaining to us that every year, it was important that we did that to help our local communities. It has always stuck with me that in a season where everything is so focused on gifts and gift giving it’s so important to take a step back and think about others. Whether its bringing toys to a local children’s hospital, donating food to your local food bank, or dropping off toys and food at your local animal shelter. There are so many way to contribute to your communities and what better time than the holidays to remind us all that we need to open up our hearts a little bit bigger if we are able to.

The post Holiday Bucket List + Holidays at Disneyland appeared first on eat.sleep.wear. - Fashion & Lifestyle Blog by Kimberly Lapides.

from Wellness https://www.eatsleepwear.com/2019/12/19/holiday-bucket-list-holidays-at-disneyland/ via http://www.rssmix.com/

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elizabethcariasa · 4 years

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Holiday Bucket List + Holidays at Disneyland

My Holiday Bucket list

The post Holiday Bucket List + Holidays at Disneyland appeared first on eat.sleep.wear. - Fashion & Lifestyle Blog by Kimberly Lapides.

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thekimmiandjackieshow · 7 years

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The Closing of Streets of America.

I stared at my dresser, trying to decide which camera I should pack. This was the last chance I was ever going to get to capture the magic of Streets of America. It had to be perfect. While the Instax camera would give me cute little Polaroids and the GoPro would undoubtedly give me nice wide perspective shots, I decided to go with my trusty DSLR. I threw it in my plastic see-through backpack and headed to Hollywood Studios with Dana and Jo.

When we got to Hollywood Studios, we walked right past everything else and straight to the Streets of America. As soon as we got near, I felt the emotions hit me like a ton of bricks. I had seen things come and go at Disneyland. Things that were important to me were torn down and replaced by new and improved areas. Parades and shows that I would remember forever were taken out and updated with all new bells and whistles. I had yet to experience the same at Walt Disney World. I didn’t imagine I would ever get attached enough to something to be devastated by its departure. Despite this, the news of Streets of America closing for Star Wars Land was hard to swallow. After the first few days of April, walls would go up around the streets and slowly things would be taken down.

We walked past Sci-Fi Dine-In, around Writer’s Stop, and paused at the entrance of the streets. Right at that corner was where Jackie and I stood in the rain, and I told her that I was in love with her. We had then raced in to Writer’s Stop, laughing and soaking wet, for discounted hot chocolate.

We walked along the blue barricades that were preventing guests from approaching the building facades, and stared down the street of New York. Right there was where my fall co-workers and I had taken hundreds of pictures as we danced under the Osborne lights. Fake snow landed on us and we laughed as children tried to eat it.

We walked to the end of the street and stopped at Mr. Gold’s Pawnshop, admiring all the homages to ABC’s Once Upon a Time in the window. We rounded a corner and took our final pictures at the Singin’ in the Rain umbrella, a popular photo op despite it being a modest umbrella. We sat on the stoops of the houses in San Francisco, joking about how we could just live in these houses instead of our apartment a few minutes off property. We covered every inch of the Streets of America that day, laughing and sharing memories.

Even on their last day, the streets were fairly empty. A few guests, clueless about the fate of the streets, meandered up and down, pausing for a picture here and there. Dana, Jo, and I, walked around with our cameras pressed to our faces, each of us attempting to capture the last bit of magic in the streets. Each of us with our own memories to preserve.

The Streets of America may have been old and tired, but they had become familiar territory for us. We had all spent quite a few nights on the streets, and were sad to know that we’d never sit on those steps again. We relied heavily on our cameras to help us capture the beauty of the streets, carefully cropping out the chipped paint and fading facades.

When our hearts were satisfied with the number of pictures we got, we took a break. Our last day on the streets couldn’t just be about taking pictures of it. We had the entire afternoon to create more memories. We had one last chance to dance in the streets that had become our home. While the three of us all had very different attachments and memories there, we understood that we all would miss it greatly. The advertisements for Star Wars Land looked cool, and would undoubtedly have a greater entertainment to space ratio than Streets of America ever could, but at that moment we didn’t care about any of that. We resented Star Wars Land for taking out a place that was home to so many fond moments. In the short amount of time we had to spare before the next Lights, Motors, Action show took place, we skipped down the streets and laughed on the stoops of San Fran homes, joking about what our lives would be like if we truly lived there. We picked out houses for ourselves and each picked a shop to own and run. We talked about how we would still be neighbors, and joked about how we would have late nights eating at the Chinese restaurant across the street while our clothes tumbled in the coin laundry next door. We laughed about the street signs listing all the times it was inappropriate to park along the street and made up stories of who would probably get towed the most. For a second it really felt like we were sitting on our own front porch.

It was almost time for Lights, Motors, Action. We walked up to the stadium, excited for the show. Even after seeing the same stunts time and time again, it was always impressive. It was never a “must see every single time” type of show for me, but whenever I found the time, I always really enjoyed it. It was hard to believe this would be the last time I’d ever see the show, or hear the cars revving up as I drove past the area.

We walked up the metal stairs lining the bleachers, and I laughed as I remembered the time I made the hike in heels. It was my first Walt Disney World Dapper Day and it was being held in Hollywood Studios. The idea was to fill the stands of LMA with dapper guests, which meant we all had to climb about 3 flights of metal stairs in heels and large dresses. When we finally found our perfect seat, we looked out at the horizon. Directly in front of us was a modest stunt set, set in France. Beyond it was the Muppets hot air balloon. To the left, the top of Tower of Terror could be seen. Further back was the top of Spaceship Earth. It then occurred to us that it was the last time we’d ever get that particular view. We started pointing out everything we could see to each other, including the parking structure that had destroyed my navigational skills the morning I worked at Hollywood Studios Strollers. There were so many things we weren’t ready to say goodbye to.

The show began. We ooh’d and ahh’d at all the right places, clapping when the vans tipped over to the side, laughing when the red car nailed a jump “backwards” and fooled all the first timers around us, and snapping pictures of the man catching fire. After the final jump, the car flying through a wall of fire, the crowd gave a standing ovation. Then, the narrators of the show went off script to thank the cast of LMA, specifically one of the stunt men who had just finished his very last show after years and years with the team. It was an unexpectedly emotional end.

As we exited the stadium for the final time, we took a look back towards Studio Backlot Tour. The route for the tram of the classic attraction used to wind right behind the LMA stadium, and even though it closed shortly after my visit in 2013, some of the attraction route was still in place and visible from the LMA stadium stairs. Walt Disney’s private airplane in its white and blue glory stood facing the old tram route. Far off to the right, Catastrophe Canyon was all dried up. It was always a little sad to see bits and pieces of the attraction from LMA, but it was comforting to know some of it was still back there. Soon it would all be taken over by Toy Story and Star Wars.

We walked out of the stadium, got our final pictures with the LMA signage, and said our goodbyes.

Shortly after LMA, Dana said goodbye and headed off to work. Jo didn’t have much longer either before her shift at Casey’s. My plan was to leave Streets of America with Jo, otherwise I probably would’ve sat on a curb admiring the streets until closing time by myself. We spent our remaining time saying goodbye to Honey I Shrunk the Kids Movie Set Adventure. It was a play place for kids, tucked in the streets of New York. It was going to be another casualty of the upcoming lands. Despite it being a kid’s play place, I had several fond memories there as well.

The small pathway leading up to the play place was divided in two: a small walkway for incoming guests and a walkway lined with benches at the exit. At the front of the entrance was a movie clapperboard, inviting kids to come start their adventure. As we walked in, the stalks of grass grew taller, creating the illusion that we were smaller than we were.

Giant stalks of grass, massive containers of play-doh, spiderwebs and ants only slightly larger than ourselves, and a dog’s nose sniffing through the grass were scattered throughout the play place creating slides and things to climb on for kids. Kids screamed as they were hit with flying water, some purposefully standing directly in the line of fire and some completely surprised by the splash. The area was full and kids were having a blast. It was hard to believe it would soon be ripped out and it would only be a distant memory to all the kids inside.

I refused the urge to look back as I walked through the exit. I shouldn’t have been that sad about a kid’s play area closing, but I was. Like everywhere else in Walt Disney World, I had made memories there. And like every other goodbye I’ve said in my life, it wasn’t easy. The exit path had its own movie clapperboard that seemed fitting for the occasion. Exhausted adults waited in benches alongside the exit, resting while another family member chased the kids around inside. I climbed over their things to get next to the clapperboard.

The streets of New York welcomed us again, and we were ready to officially say goodbye. I had a few more pictures I wanted to take, half-knowing that I’d never have enough pictures.

I handed Jo my phone and stood in the middle of the street for one last shot. I jumped when the sound of running feet got closer and I could all of a sudden feel a ton of people around me. Cast Members from LMA were roaming the Streets of America one last time, photobombing guests.

It took the edge off the sad goodbyes for a moment, but eventually they had to happen. Jo had to get to work and I was determined to leave with her. Besides, along with the closing of Streets of America, Magic Kingdom was ending their Dream Along With Mickey castle show the very next day. I had never gotten particularly attached to it, but I thought that it might be nice to go and see it one last time. My plan was to head to Magic Kingdom next, catch the show, and hang out in the hub grass for a little bit.

Actually leaving was easier said than done. I didn’t want to step foot off the streets and leave it behind. I didn’t want it to become a construction site. I didn’t want Star Wars to take it all over. I didn’t want to lose the corner where I told Jackie I was in love with her. I didn’t want to come back in the Christmas time and not see it sparkling in lights. I didn’t want any of it. I knew it was outdated and that Hollywood Studios deserved better, but I also didn’t want the place that made me fall in love with the park to be torn down. I know it sounds silly to be so sentimental about a few old streets, but I really didn’t want it to go.

Sadly though, the goodbye had to come eventually. I took one last walk through the streets, one last look around the best street corner to ever exist, and left Streets of America behind.

I’m so sad that Streets of America closed, but I’m so thankful I got to be part of the magic they made.

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mrdaps · 6 years

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It’s Almost Here!

Pixar Fest is rapidly approaching and the parks are full swing in preparation. Boasting all sorts of offerings from food to fireworks, it looks like it’s going to be a blast!

Following suit with past celebrations and special events, Pixar Fest is guaranteed to bring in the crowds. As we spend the last few days prepping our cameras and Pixar themed outfits, what can we expect to encounter this weekend for the big debut? Do you have a plan of attack to hit all everything you want to see?

If not, don’t worry! We’ve got you covered! Here are a few things to help you navigate the crowds and make the most of your time during the opening Pixar Fest celebration.

*Most Important*

Familiarize yourself with all the offerings available to you.

We’ll go more in-depth with few different categories here, but it’s helpful to check the current times guide and event information on the official Disneyland website. We will also be adding more happenings and details on dapsmagic.com as we get them. Bottom line, it’s great to have an idea of what’s available beforehand so you can plan your day accordingly.

Events

Disneyland Park

“Together Forever – A Pixar Nighttime Spectacular” is sure to be a hit, utilizing the same technology as “Disneyland Forever,” with projections on Main Street, Sleeping Beauty Castle, “It’s a Small World,” and the Rivers of America. So many awesome spots to choose from! Of these, the most popular is going to be Main Street and the Castle, so if you have your heart set on viewing the show from either of those locations, you’ll want to plan ahead. It’s a good idea to arrive at your spot a couple hours before showtime to ensure you get the perfect view! These two locations will also serve as the best viewpoints to see Buzz Lightyear and the Up house fly over the castle. The fireworks will be at 9:30 pm Friday night and most nights for the duration of Pixar Fest.

The Pixar Play Parade will feature brand new additional units alongside what we remember when it was across the esplanade in California Adventure. Debuting in Disneyland park will be Luxo the Pixar Lamp, Up, and Inside Out elements. It will make its way down the parade route twice a day at 3:30 pm and 6:00 pm.

Disney California Adventure

The fan-favorite, Paint the Night, will illuminate Disney California Adventure twice a night at 8:45 pm and 10:45 pm along the parade route. This parade is guaranteed to draw a large crowd, so find your parade spot early regardless of which showtime you choose!

Over at the Paradise Garden Stage, TripleDent Gum presents The Pixarmonic Orchestra. While it’s unclear what this music performance will entail, it’s a cute homage to the commercial song that got stuck in Riley’s head (and now ours) in Inside Out.

Food

A number of food items were announced on the Disney Parks Blog last month, but we can anticipate more themed food and drinks available all over the resort over the next few months. To check out a few things that will be offered, check out our photo article here.

Merchandise

On Monday, the first Pixar Fest merchandise started to make its way into the resort as well as a new line of Exclusive Annual Passholder items which debuted on Wednesday. (Please see gallery below) More is expected to come out on Friday. If what was released earlier this week is any indication, this collection is going to be great fun and full of character!

Know Before You Go

Check all annual pass block out dates!

Before you make plans to visit the parks on Friday triple check your pass isn’t blocked out that day! Don’t forget Disney reserves the right to change blockouts if they need to. We have seen the disappointment when Guests find out their passes are blocked as they get to the turnstiles. The first day of Pixar Fest is not the day you want to experience the disappointment of arriving and not being able to enter. You can check the official blockout calendar here.

Weather

Southern California weather can change on a dime. Check your forecast! As of this post, it is expected to be warm! Please plan accordingly for comfortable clothing and do not forget to stay hydrated! *Pro Tip: You can get free ice water at any of the quick serving dining locations. If you want more tips on surviving Disneyland in the heat, check out this Dapsmagic article.

Parking/Traffic

Not only are we expecting a very busy day inside the parks on Friday, the outside traffic will also reflect crowd attendance in the surrounding streets and freeways. Parking may get full so arrive as early as you can. Traffic typically backs up the streets surrounding the Mickey and Friends Parking Structure, the Toy Story lot, and exits on I-5 towards the resort. Plan accordingly to allow time for traffic when heading to the parks and check your GPS and/or traffic apps before leaving. Be patient as there is no way to get around the traffic at the resort. It is very possible that entry to parking can take an hour on these busy days.

Time management

Prioritizing is a huge factor on days like these. Will you be going by yourself? With a group? Pick what is most important to you and set your plan to concur. If merchandise and seating for fireworks is high on your list, plan your day around those. If you are attending with a group, it may be beneficial to deal out “assignments” to each member. Send one to get food, one to get merchandise, one to scope out fireworks seating, etc. Working together as a team is the best way to check off your goals.

Bring your patience

This is very important to remember for any busy Disneyland Resort day, but especially this one in particular. The majority of park guests are going into the parks with the same goal in mind: to see all the new Pixar entertainment offerings. There will be waiting for parades, waiting for fireworks, waiting for food, waiting for merchandise, characters, and yes… even waiting for the restrooms! If patience isn’t factored into your formula, it is almost guaranteed frustration will plague your day. Trust us, if you anticipate the crowds and be patient, your day will go much smoother!

Annual Passholders

Annual Passholders! You get special perks in the AP Corner in Paradise Gardens. There will be keepsakes and photo ops in this area from April 13th to June 8th. Exclusive merchandise is now available in Disneyana on Main Street, Disneyland side, and Kingswell Camera Shop on Buena Vista Street, California Adventure side. Keep your eyes peeled for special attire, drinkware, Dooney and Bourke purses, and pins! Lastly, Annual Passholders can purchase the fun, Alien-themed popcorn bucket (between April 24th-May 24th) and enjoy $1 refills on popcorn until June 21st. You can read more about the Annual Passholder offerings here.

That about wraps it up! Hopefully, these tips will help you navigate the spectacular events coming this weekend. Please let us know in the comments below if there are any other points we may have missed or if you have a tip you’ve utilized during busy weekends! We’d love to hear and share!

Till next time,

Caitlyn & Annie

Your Guide To Pixar Fest at the Disneyland Resort It’s Almost Here! Pixar Fest is rapidly approaching and the parks are full swing in preparation. Boasting all sorts of offerings from food to fireworks, it looks like it’s going to be a blast!

#Annual Passholders #Annual Passports #AP #Disney California Adventure #Disneyland Resort #Food #guide #Merchandise #Pixar Fest

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carmineri · 7 years

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SATURDAY SIX: 6 Reasons We Love HALLOWEEN at the Disneyland Resort

By Derek Burgan

This week’s SATURDAY SIX takes a look at Halloween at the Disneyland Resort! Here at the SATURDAY SIX HQ we are suckers for Mickey’s Not Scary Halloween Party at the Magic Kingdom. Boo-To-You is one of our favorite parades, Happy HalloWishes is one of our all time favorite fireworks spectaculars, and – no matter how absurd it may technically be to “waste” your time doing it – picking up candy at the treat stations is a blast. This week though we are going across the country to see some of the Halloween offerings in Disneyland. With fun decorations, exclusive treats, and one of the most amazing top-to-bottom overlays of a land ever done, Disneyland truly brought it’s “A-game” this year and we’ll look at our favorite parts starting with…

# 6 – Haunted Mansion Holiday

In September, The Haunted Mansion began its annual transformation into Haunted Mansion Holiday. Inspired by Tim Burton’s 1993 stop-motion musical The Nightmare Before Christmas, this soup-to-nuts overlay features characters such as Jack Skellington, Sally, and Oogie Boogie cavorting among our favorite mansion haunts to music from Danny Elfman’s memorable score. Everything, and we mean EVERYTHING, at the Mansion has been tweaked for this special holiday version. The outside facade, the signage, the stretch room pre-show, and the entire ride is decked out with the Nightmare Before Christmas story, making it a completely different experience than the original attraction.

Jack Skellington welcomes guests to Haunted Mansion Holiday. (photo by Brian Pinsky)

Haunted Mansion Holiday. (photo by Brian Pinsky)

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# 5 – Guardians of the Galaxy: Monsters After Dark

No one saw this coming. Guardians of the Galaxy: Mission BREAKOUT! – a ride which made its debut in Disney California Adventure just this past summer – already has a seasonal overlay with Monsters After Dark. Each night Mission BREAKOUT! switches over to the Monsters After Dark with new lighting (both outside and inside the attraction,) a new storyline, and a new song created exclusively for this experience.

Monsters After Dark. (photo by Brian Pinsky)

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# 4 – The Snacks

We may have a “blessing of size” here in Florida, but in Disneyland they have a blessing of snacks. Disneyland’s every day snack game is strong, but the resort take it up a notch with seasonal versions of popular snacks along with making a bunch of tasty options for special occasions (like the return of the Main Street Electrical Parade.) For Halloween season Disneyland put the pedal to the metal and went all out in putting out a ton of unique snack items across both parks. Our resident Disneyland Foodie Guy Selga made a list of his favorite items this year including the chicken pot pie at Flo’s V-8 Cafe, S’mores Churro in Critter Country, and the Bat Wing Sundae at Clarabelle’s Hand-Scooped Ice Cream. Disneyland also outpacing their Disney World counter part in snack related items such as an Oogie Boogie themed popcorn bucket, skull glow cubes, and a next level bananas Headless Horsemen straw. I didn’t even know I needed a themed straw in my life until seeing it and now I can’t live without one!

Bat Wing Raspberry Sundae (photo by Brian Pinsky)

Oogie Boogie cupcake. (photo by Brian Pinsky)

Dreamsicle Beignets. (photo by Brian Pinsky)

Spider Silk Ice Cream Sandwich. (photo by Brian Pinsky)

Slow Burnin’ Mac & Cheese Cone. (photo by Guy Selga)

Cozy Cone Motel Soft Serve Ice Cream with Orange Sprinkles. (photo by Guy Selga)

Car-achnid Pot Pie. (photo by Guy Selga)

Oogie Boogie popcorn bucket. (photo by Brian Pinsky)

Straw holder~! (photo by Brian Pinsky)

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# 3 – Ghoulish details abound in both parks

Both Disneyland’s Main Street USA and DCA’s Buena Vista Street are loaded up with Halloween decorations to get guests immediately in the spirit of the season when they pass through the turnstiles. From the Headless Horseman statue in DCA, to seemingly hundreds of themed pumpkins throughout Disneyland’s Main Street USA, to the Day of the Dead celebration in Zocalo park, there is a whole bunch of Halloween theming to enjoy. For those guests who like getting pics with characters, some of your favorites including Mickey, Minnie, Donald and Goofy are dressed in cute outfits.

Entrance to Disney California Adventure. (photo by Brian Pinsky)

Bats flying out of the top of the Carthay Circle restaurant.(photo by Brian Pinsky)

Headless Horseman statue on Buena Vista Street. (photo by Brian Pinsky)

Mickey in a fun Halloween outfit. (photo by Brian Pinsky)

Minnie Mouse. (photo by Brian Pinsky)

Donald Duck. (photo by Guy Selga)

Buena Vista Street. (photo by Brian Pinsky)

Abraham Lincoln pumpkin in the Opera House window. (photo by Guy Selga)

Tarzan pumpkin. (photo by Brian Pinsky)

Roger Rabbit pumpkin. (photo by Brian Pinsky)

Main St. USA pumpkins. (photo by Brian Pinsky)

More Main St. USA pumpkins. (photo by Brian Pinsky)

Pumpkins hanging in Zocalo park. (photo by Brian Pinsky)

Skeletons in Zocalo park. (photo by Brian Pinsky)

Sleeping Beauty Castle. (photo by Brian Pinsky)

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# 2 – Mickey’s Halloween Party

Mickey’s Halloween Party is a hard ticket event held in Disneyland which – like WDW’s Not So Scary party – has trick or treating, photo ops with characters not normally in the parks, a Halloween themed parade, and a special fireworks spectacular. Many guests get dressed up, some with extremely creative costumes. Hard ticket parties can be a hot topic in the WDW fan community, with some believing they aren’t worth the high price tag for the limited amount of hours you get in the parks. To that I say Nay Nay, as the combination of unique show elements along with the ability to have shorter waits for rides make for a fun evening in the parks. Disneyland fans get it, as every single night of Mickey’s Halloween Party sold out before the season started. Incredible.

The Cadaver Dans. (photo by Brian Pinsky)

Halloween Screams Fireworks. (photo by Brian Pinsky)

Frightfully Fun Parade. (photo by Brian Pinsky)

Ursula in the Frightfully Fun Parade. (photo by Guy Selga)

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# 1 – Cars Land Haul-O-Ween

With Haul-O-Ween at Cars Land we now have the gold standard for seasonal overlays in a theme park land. From top to bottom the entire land – which already is one of the best in any American theme park – was re-themed to what Halloween would be like in a universe populated by cars. There are so many truly amazing details everywhere you look, including faux movie posters (which have multiple layers of references), Cars characters dressed in costumes, and even zombie cars. The new food options, including the pot pie at Flo’s V-8 Cafe and the Spoke-y Cone Macaron from the Cozy Cone Motel, are brilliantly themed AND taste great. At night, the Radiator Springs mountain rage takes on a whole new color scheme with green, purple, and orange providing the perfect atmosphere. An E-Ticket overlay.

Haul-O-Ween. (photo by Brian Pinsky)

Horror movie posters in the Cars universe. (photo by Brian Pinsky)

Great references to Disney’s Hocus Pocus. (photo by Brian Pinsky)

Haul-O-Ween. (photo by Brian Pinsky)

Spider car. (photo by Brian Pinsky)

Brakes Hotel. How great is that?! (photo by Guy Selga)

Lightning McQueen. (photo by Brian Pinsky)

Mater. (photo by Brian Pinsky)

A Mummy tractor. (photo by Guy Selga)

Horn-O-Plenty. (photo by Brian Pinsky)

Even the Cars cone cups come with stickers so that you can make them Halloween themed. (photo by Brian Pinsky)

Cadillac Mountain Range with new lighting package. (photo by Brian Pinsky)

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Honorable Mention – Space Mountain Ghost Galaxy

While not nearly as beloved as the Star Wars themed Hyperspace Mountain overlay, Disneyland’s Space Mountain does have a “spooky” Halloween version with Ghost Galaxy. While the warnings outside make you think you are about to enter a Halloween Horror Nights maze, outside of the soundtrack, some mood lighting, and projections, there’s not much actually “scary” about this ride. However, it is another unique overlay that we in Florida do not have, so be sure to treasure it you spoiled rotten blessed Disneylanders!

Ghost Galaxy. (photo by Brian Pinsky)

So there you have it: Six Reasons We LOVE Halloween at the Disneyland Resort! See you next weekend for the latest installment of the SATURDAY SIX, where we’ll look at something fun from the world of Disney and Universal. If you enjoyed yourself, be sure to check out The Magic, The Memories, and Merch! articles, or, for your listening pleasure, check out the E-Ticket Report podcast. You can also follow Your Humble Author on Twitter (@derekburgan).

Just two crazy kids taking a waterside stroll in Disneyland. (photo by Guy Selga)

If you enjoyed this article, you will surely like the following:

Top 10 Disneyland Resort Halloween Food Items

6 Reasons This WDW Annual Passholder LOVES DisneyLAND

6 Disneyland Snacks You Gotta Try (including Matterhorn Macaroon)

6 Reasons We Love Universal’s TOOTHSOME Chocolate Emporium

6 Reasons We Love Disney’s BOARDWALK

Disneyland PREVIEW: Week of October 14, 2017

Special Thanks to crack staff photographer Brandon Glover, Captain EO Superfan Guy Selga, California photo wizard Brian Pinsky, and blogger to the stars Megan Stump for their invaluable assistance with this article. Be sure to also check out Brandon on The Park Blogger podcast with goofballs co-hosts Aengus Mackenzie and LitemAndHyde , while fellow Potterheads may enjoy Meg’s work on the Central Florida Slug Club.

FINAL PLUG! Did you know The 2017 Unofficial Guide to Universal Orlando has a special edition of the SATURDAY SIX in it? Finally, someone came up with an actual reason to read a book. ORDER this baby now!

“You are all WEIRDOES!” – Sam the Eagle

SATURDAY SIX: 6 Reasons We Love HALLOWEEN at the Disneyland Resort is a post from the TouringPlans.com Blog. Signup for a premium subscription today! Or get news via Email, Twitter, & Facebook.

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trippinglynet · 5 years

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Bonfire of the Techies | Time Magazine, August 25, 1997

Originally published in Time magazine, August 25, 1997

Hordes of Playful Digerati Assemble for a Hallowed Annual Rite

On the last weekend in August, my two young daughters and I will pack our suburban minivan with 2 1/2 gal. of water per person per day and head off to northern Nevada. There, in thousands of square miles of pure desert nothingness, 20,000 cheering, dancing celebrants will circle a towering, two-legged wooden sculpture and burn it to the ground.

It happens every Labor Day. Burning Man, as the festival is known, is an annual outbreak of techno-tribalism that has the makings of the next great American holiday. If this year's party is like past ones, the immense desert flats will be teeming with offbeat stunts, weird art, flamboyant performances and bizarre, gasoline-powered contraptions. When we pulled up to Burning Man for the first time several years ago, we were greeted by a fat guy riding a large, furry rabbit motor scooter. He sat behind the ears. Across the desert we could see a truck hauling a mattress behind it, stirring up a huge, blinding vortex of dust. Three passengers in gas masks were reclining on the mattress, waving insanely.

It gets even stranger. Each year a do-it-yourself city appears overnight. On one makeshift street, a three-story tower of scaffolding grows like a high-tech mushroom; draped with a parachute, it becomes an instant cafe. At a table, generous folks with a spare gallon of blue body paint offer to turn you into an alien. Behind them, two guys have built a house out of old wooden doors hauled in on a yellow rental truck. Inside you hear hypnotic techno music. The house will be gone 48 hours later, as will the rest of the instant city.

This premillennial Woodstock got started 12 years ago when an unknown artist, Larry Harvey, built a wooden statue on a foggy beach near San Francisco and then set it on fire. For Harvey it was a catharsis to heal a broken relationship. For his friends it was a soul-energizing blast, and Harvey decided it should be an annual ritual. He cast a single brilliant rule: no spectators. What he wanted, he said, was to create "a Disneyland in reverse." Everyone had to be a participant and march in the electric-light parade.

In succeeding years, Harvey's wooden statue became a 40-ft.-high man; the flames leaped higher, and the crowd grew ever more animated and theatrical. The intensity eventually taxed even the beatnik- and hippie-hardened San Francisco police, who asked Harvey and his acolytes to move off the beach. The Zen of the desert beckoned.

Once on the public lands of northern Nevada, where the rules are few and the possibilities infinite, Burning Man blossomed into a full-fledged happening. By word of mouth, via friend of a friend, with photocopied flyers posted in music stores, Burning Man quietly gathered a tribe of hundreds each summer to partake in the meaningless but mesmerizing ritual. And there, in its seclusion, it might still be, if it weren't for cyberspace.

News spreads quickly and efficiently via E-mail, and when the digerati got wind of Burning Man, something clicked. The pierced and tattooed young Netizens of Silicon Valley and the Bay Area spend their workdays and worknights making little decentralized theaters of do-it-yourself creativity on the World Wide Web. Burning Man and its temporary city are material manifestations of the same creative urge. It was a perfect fit, a perfect way to celebrate a year of laboring on the Internet.

And so the Netizens flocked to the desert, where Burning Man's neo-tribal vibes were amplified with the technology of the digital revolution. They set up Burning Man Web pages and E-mail lists. They started two Burning Man radio stations, broadcasting live from ground zero in the desert. From a laptop they produced a daily Burning Man paper.

If you build it, they will come--and they have. The population of Burning Man doubles every year. Last year it was just shy of 10,000. Its cheery inventiveness pulls in mid-40-year-olds like me, who load up the family minivan and find a spot--any spot!--in the vastness to camp and cavort.

I would make the trek just to see the guy whose obsession is a jet engine the size of a truck muffler bolted to go-cart wheels; he sits in front of the glowing, screaming toy and zips across the alkali flats. It's nothing like piloting a computer. And there's the elaborate camera obscura some thoughtful person usually sets up, big enough to walk into and see the desert upside down. And this year, if my girls can be talked into it, we'll squish in the mud of nearby hot springs and wander around as dried-mud people, just like everyone else.

Burning Man almost did not rise from its last pile of ashes. Two of the key organizers quit last year after one young man died in the chaos and dust storm churned up by thousands of vehicles driving every which way on the roadless flats of Black Rock Desert. The karma of mayoring such a bohemian city was more than they bargained for. But Larry Harvey, a visionary in the classic sense of the word, is undaunted. "They told us it would fall apart at 1,000 people," he says. "Then at 5,000. But we could have a million people and still make it a positive, uplifting experience."

He may yet get his wish. The location is kept vague, and tickets (to pay for portable toilets and the like) are best found via the Web. By not advertising the event and making finding it a rite of initiation, Harvey gets his crowds and his harmony. By now, it's self-feeding, bigger than Harvey or anyone else. Its main draw seems to be its utter lack of meaning.

Anything lacking meaning will be assigned one. My bet is that Burning Man will be the holiday for deskbound, no-collar workers. Not only does it offer the usual American pastimes--fast cars, parades, costume balls, picnics and all-night music--but it also provides the more contemporary attractions of survival camping, neon lights, nudity, performance art and staged extravaganzas. It's got the sun-dried culture of postmodern road warriors: deep ritual without religion, community without commitment, art without history, technology without boundaries. As essayist Bruce Sterling writes in the only book about the event, Burning Man (HardWired; 1997), which I and others at Wired magazine had a hand in producing, "It's just big happy crowds of harmless arty people expressing themselves and breaking a few pointless shibboleths that only serve to ulcerate young people anyway. There ought to be Burning Men festivals held downtown once a year in every major city in America."

Why? It's hard to say, precisely. Even after a day spent visiting the various tribes at the event--the pyromaniac camp, the rave camp, the wind-surfers camp, the rainbow camp--and then standing before the terrible heat of the very big fire of the neon-lit man, the answer is not any easier to articulate. Harvey, in the sly coyote logic of a true desert mystic, puts it this way: "If we didn't burn it, we wouldn't be able to burn it again next year."

Kevin Kelly is executive editor of Wired magazine and the author of Out of Control: The Rise of Neo-Biological Civilization

#Time Magazine #1996 #Burning Man 1996 #Burning Man 1997 #1997 #Kevin Kelly

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asterinjapan · 5 years

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Day of Lights

I eh, very belatedly remembered I still had a blog entry to write about yesterday. Oops! If you will forgive me, I was only back at the hotel near midnight, so I didn’t exactly feel like writing then anymore.

Sadly I woke up not feeling so great today, but that doesn’t mean I didn’t have a blast yesterday. Let’s get to it – Disneyland day!

I had a bit of a late start for Disneyland, only prepared to leave hotel a little after 8:30 – the same time the park opens, and I wasn’t there yet. The trip was smooth however, so I made it to Maihama station a little before 10 and started my walk to the park. There was a surprise – mount Fuji was showing its face! And so clearly too that for a moment, I thought it was Mount Prometheus from DisneySea. But that one actually spits fire every hour or so, so it would make no sense to give it a snowy top, haha. Nope, the Fuji it was.

I made it to the part with 40 minutes to spare until the first parade, so I hunted down the churro stand and sought a good place to watch the parade. It was a busy parade day, since not only is it Christmas Season, Tokyo Disneyland is still celebrating its 35th birthday. So that meant 4 parades in total!

The spot I ended up choosing was possibly one of the worst, haha, but the Christmas Parade is twice a day, so I’d have another shot later. Walking around in the park and enjoying the views and atmosphere, I sought out the attractions. First up was my favourite during this season: the Haunted Mansion, which is redone in Nightmare before Christmas style starting around the Halloween season. The line was 40 minutes, so entirely doable, and led around the premises now decorated with pumpkins and Christmas hats alike. The attraction is a ton of fun and certainly a lot of work, they didn’t just throw in some Christmas hats and called it a day. A lot of the figures have been replaced by Jack Skellington and consorts, and Zero the ghost dog featured prominently (I love Zero, ssh).

So that was cool! I did some more sightseeing and had lunch (a very responsible burger, ahem, but it was shaped like Mickey) before searching out a better place for the next parade, the Dreaming Up 35th anniversary one. I saw this one past summer, but it’s really gorgeous with some unique floats, so I was happy I managed a good spot for photos this time. The Christmas parade was the same as last year, but this one won’t be around for as long. I don’t recall Aladdin and Jasmine being there at the very end, walking instead of on a float, but maybe it was to subtly promote the upcoming live action remake? I don’t know.

Anyway, that was fun, and next up was an attraction that got a make-over in time for the anniversary: It’s a Small World. The queue here was like 20 minutes, so perfectly doable – must not be a very busy day, I guess. They put in a lot of Disney figures in the remake, so it was a ton of fun spotting them all.

Once out of the park, I noticed several face characters out and about in Fantasyland. I never know with Tokyo Disneyland, sometimes I don’t see them at all (summer too hot, perhaps?) and other times I see characters I hardly hear about walking in the parks (like Esmeralda or Cruella de Vil, though the latter was Disneysea). I spotted Wendy and Peter Pan, and later Prince Charming on his own (what did he do with Cinderella?), Sleeping Beauty and her Prince, and the Evil Queen from Snow White, who mostly wanted to pose fabulously before she strode off, haha. Awesome.

Anyway, I had a goal: Philharmagic! I do so love Disney songs, and the 4D aspect is still great. I did get a little woozy at the segment where Donald rides a magical carpet, though.

Once out, I had a fastpass that I’d secured earlier. Just as well, because as I returned to the Haunted Mansion, the normal queue was 80 minutes! Eighty! Geesh, I love the Halloween/Christmas version too but that’s excessive for this ride, whoa. Even with my fastpass, it took a while to go in.

I was nicely in time for the second time for the Christmas parade now, and got lucky in that I scored a spot just in front of where the Beauty and the Beast float stopped for a good ten minutes, so that gave me some time to switch lenses and what not, haha. It’s a very pretty parade, if a little short. But with 3 different parades today, who’s complaining?

I went to get my picture taken near the castle including Christmas tree next, except the park members taking pictures had already gone, so I had to make do with a selfie, pff. It came out nicely, though, but still.

It was about time for a snack, so I went around the park to find the Special Churro – it turned out to be in Critter Country, which I visit so often that I had no idea I had to go through an underground pass to make it into the actual area, pfff. I always thought it was super tiny and stopped at the entrance of Splash Mountain, but nope! Entire area behind that! Anyway, the churro was purple and supposedly tasted like cotton candy. I don’t know, it was good, as was the hot cocoa I got to go with it.

With darkness setting in, the park transformed into a Christmas spectacle with tons and tons of light, amplified by the extra lights already there for the anniversary. In the dark, I maneuvered to the Enchanted Tiki Room with Stitch and a bunch of singing birds. I was getting really tired, so when the park member asked me if I wanted a subtitle device, I didn’t even realize what he was asking at first, oops. I happily accepted, if only so that I could finally understand the play 100% (it’s usually around 80%, and I’m guessing 60% today with how tired I was getting. I do think I’m slightly under the weather this entire trip). Anyway, it’s a lot of fun and I absolutely do not care it’s technically for little kids, I love the songs and Stitch. Aloha! Also, I forgot to mention, but the benches in the waiting area were heated. I love them. It was getting rather chilly and I could use some warming up.

On my way to Adventure land, I played a ball game that I hopelessly lost, but I got a cute exclusive pin for my efforts, which was probably the easier thing to take home with me anyway, haha. (The prizes were pretty big plushies of Minnie or Mickey.)

I resisted the huge and soft Simba plushies and went to Pirates of the Caribbean, where I got put in the front row by myself. That did give me an excellent view, but the splash early in the attraction is still a bit much for me, haha. As you can tell, I’m not in Disneyland for all the wild rides…

It was now time for the nighttime parade, Electrical Parade Dreamlights, which really profits from being made over last year, and spotted some extra Christmas additions. I sat a lot closer than the last couple of times, although right in a corner, so I got some good photos! I felt a bit bad about flashing with the camera, but I saw more flashes around me and they sold those light-up sticks by the dozen, so not just me at the very least.

I hadn’t had time for dinner before, so I rushed to get a cheese dog menu (so responsible), and from my seat I had a good view of the (short) fireworks show, which had some interesting fireworks and really seemed to move with the beat of the music, so that was nice little bonus!

I’d had coffee with my set, so I had enough energy to get up and walk again, taking pictures of the scenery on my way to It’s a Small World, followed by Philharmagic again, and then one last rush to Haunted Mansion at 15 minutes before closing, haha oops. I think I made it in with the very last group, meaning I could just rush right into the hall of exposition. Take that, 80 minute queue! Just – wait out the entire day until you may or may not get lucky in the evening, hm. Well, strategy works for me!

Finally, they started to announce the park was closing the minute I got out, so I did as I was told and left the premises (sniff), but not before enjoying the light show in the World Bazaar. So pretty. I think I filmed the whole sequence!

After a quick trip to Bon Voyage, the store before the park (and resisting the Simba plushie, but not a cute little Christmas ball), I made my way to the station and caught the train back to Ikebukuro until finally, I made it to my hotel at eh, 23:30, roughly. Oops.

So that was a wonderful day, if very tiring, haha. Today was a lot calmer (and my camera hasn’t been out of its jacket yet, oops), so I’ll type up a quick report for that too. But that was Disney during Christmas! I’ll try to filter through the – eh – 586 pictures I took. Oh dear. It might take a while before the selection is up…

See you!

#report #tokyo 2018 #report: tokyo 2018 #places: tokyo disneyland

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