Here’s the photo Disney just released of the way the Rivers of America will look upon completion of the project at Disneyland. Is Star Wars Land open yet? I hate waiting!
Editors Note. Andy Castro’s Dateline Disneyland and Fab News are switching places today to allow Andy more time to update you on all the changes coming to the Disneyland Resort. He’ll be back tomorrow. – Dusty
I’m writing this Sunday night, after a fun day at the park for the Last Day of the River (it’s not really the last day of the whole river, but it is the last day we’ll enjoy it for quite some time and the last time we’ll see it as Walt envisioned it). Hastin Zylstra and Dusty Sage of MiceChat organized a stellar event. They make it look so easy, and believe you me, it’s not. At park opening (I got metal detected! It was my first time!) Everyone got Fastpasses for the 9PM showing of Fantasmic!
I love the Disneyland app, and I’m happy that the Shop Disney Parks app will be coming here soon. But if you use it to get into the park, you have to get a separate paper card to get fastpasses. I miss my MagicBand so much.
Afterward, we all gathered at Magnolia Gardens, the area between French Market and The Haunted Mansion, and took the Disneyland Railroad on a grand circle trip around Walt Disney’s Magic Kingdom. Then everyone but me rode the Mark Twain. I got a Mickey Mouse pancake at the River Belle Terrace because it would probably be my last chance to do so and it was something that we did on the Sunday morning of our annual weekend stays since, I believe, I was in utero.
We then walked together to the canoes, and I waited with a pal at the Hungry Bear for the group to pass. It took a very long time, but I got some nice, albeit grayish, shots of the Mark Twain as she passed along on her way around Tom Sawyer Island. 
Eventually, they came around. They did a fantastic job!
Then it was time for the noon meet, then we split off into two groups for lunch, half to Hungry Bear with Hastin, the other half to Big Thunder BBQ with Dusty Sage. Miss Chris was performing with King Kukulele’s country cousin Tex Tumbleweed, who regaled us with some really rare and obscure Disney songs from the fifties and sixties: “The Ballad of Big Thunder Mountain“, “The Scarecrow of Romney Marsh“, “Mine Train Through Nature’s Wonderland Song” and even “Oo-de-Lally” from Disney’s animated country music version of Robin Hood!
We saw Tony Baxter there, too! He passed out some hellos and hugs, then had to run to take a pal to the airport. The barbecue (and many of the servers) will be moving to the River Belle Terrace, and I hope to the the entertainers around the parks.
Meanwhile, over at DCA, there was a two-hour line just to get fastpasses for the Aladdin show. People who were bound and determined to see the very last show would get to the machines, and if it hadn’t reached the time they wanted yet, would turn around without getting a fastpass and go straight to the back of the line. Think of it as a fastpass treadmill. That’s some determination and dedication right there. As for me, I saw it opening night and many times during its run, and I can’t wait til it comes to the Pantages in a year or so. Alice raves about the Broadway version. I wouldn’t be surprised to see a familiar face or two there, either.
After lunch, the group went to Tom Sawyer Island, except for Terri Hardin and I, who were in longish dresses, so we walked to Main Street and parted ways there, and I went to check and see if they had anything of Kylo Ren with his mask off at the Launch Bay yet (No.) But – they DID have Paul Barrie and his gorgeous gal, so we chatted, and his son Calvin clued us into some sweet collector cards they’re passing out when you meet Chewbacca and Darth Vader inside. But there’s a third one, too. Go to the Cantina to get it. Stick around and you might get your picture taken with Boba Fett!
(This is where the photo of me and Darth Vader would have been. Sorry.)
I did go into the Disney VISA photo experience, and while showing my cards, thought I would do the Jedi hand wave while saying “You WILL let me in.” Without missing a beat nor looking up, the Cast Member said, “Ma’am, your Jedi mind tricks don’t work on me.” Heh heh heh. Anyway, I just ended up giggling nervously at Darth Vader, and then forgot to pick up my photo on the way out of the park, dang it. I also bought the Passholder-only Star Tours Aurebesh nametag. What a nice thing to do for passholders! I like the other ones, too.
We then went on the World Famous Jingle Cruise! I’d actually never been on the Christmas version; it was hilarious. The company was great, also. There were 39 of us!
Later, Noe and I talked about whether the Oasis would fare better as a reboot of The Tahitian Terrace or as something like the crazy successful Skipper Canteen in Florida. I’m leaning more toward the latter, even though the tiki style shows and Trader Sam’s have been big hits, they would have to be set shows with casts of performers; fire codes would be in effect for the fire dancers (and insurance would be through the roof), and as a friend of mine said, what’s a luau without rum? The Skipper Canteen would be more cost-effective but heavy on show and theming, be able to turn over tables much more efficiently, and fit in with the Jungle Cruise story right next door pretty seamlessly. What do you think? Is there a third option I don’t see?
Then it was off to Autopia before it gets brought up to the 21st Century, thank goodness, by the Helpful Honda Guys and Imagineering. I went back into Launch Bay, because Star Wars. Someday I will make it upstairs, but today was still not the day. I do want to see the real Spidey. I see the fake one every time I go to the El Cap!
Everyone else headed off for Fantasmic!, but I had a hot date at Earl of Sandwich with my hubby and a column to write, which turned out to be a lengthy trip report more than actual news. I hope you didn’t mind.
…and just as I’m editing photos, Alice calls me with incredibly sad news. I hate cancer. I’m so grateful for the time we had to experience David Bowie’s genius. Let’s leave on a magical note, shall we?
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