Weekend Update: SeaWorld Orlando, DisneySeas, Mighty Martha, Post Cards from the Past
Posted 04-24-2009 at 11:29 PM by Weekend Update
Our trip around the world goes from sea to shining sea to shining sea this week. We start out with a cruise around Ventura Harbor, courtesy of sir clinksalot. Then we hop over to Florida, where we visit SeaWorld Orlando with SummerInFL. Our last theme park stop is at Tokyo DisneySeas with TDLFAN. Rounding out our report this week is another segment from Ian Parkinson's New Zealand trip plus more vintage post card images from darkfairycthulu.
Before we start our ocean voyage, though, MiceChatter DisneyNRheart just returned from a trip to the World in Florida and shares these highlights from her trip:
Here are some pictures of Epcot. The Flower and Garden Show is going on right now and the gardens were amazing.
The next few are the Magic Kingdom. I thought the Castle looked neat in the fog that morning.
That photo of Cinderella's Castle in the fog is so unique. I can't say I have ever seen fog during my trips to Florida. By the time I return to Walt Disney World on the first weekend in June, the Epcot® International Flower & Garden Festival will be over. I wonder if any of the topiaries will be left?
Ventura Harbor Cruise
Ventura, California
sir clinksalot takes us on a cruise around Ventura Harbor.
It was a foggy day to be out on the water
However, not for Sea Lions
Palm Trees, water and fog ... must be California
I'm not sure what these were, some kind of geese looking thing.
Heading out of the Harbor and into the break water
As we approached the buoy, we saw a family of California Sea Lions camped out. Our captain informed us that having 2 males on the buoy at the same time is very rare.
The one in the middle was posing
Our captain said that this is a squid fishing boat. They fish at night and shine lights into the water to make the squid come to the surface.
If you look closely (on the lower right of the picture) you can see a couple nice sized star fish on the rocks.
The Harbor Visitor Center
The view from the top of the visitor center.
In a future update we'll have more from the actual harbor village with many neat little shops and a classic carousel as well.
SeaWorld
Orlando, Florida
SummerInFL continues to live the theme park life in Florida. Her latest excursion was to SeaWorld and she shares these great photos with us.
I made a brief stop at Sea World after visiting our wonderful Hastin and Jonathan at WDW.
They were doing test runs on Manta, so I took some photos and video.
Next week we'll have more photos from SeaWorld including a trip to Wild Arctic.
TDLFAN visits Tokyo DisneySeas.
Tokyo DisneySeas
Tokyo, Japan
While most TDR guests were celebrating TDL's 26th anniversary and taking their first ride on the officially opened "Monsters Inc Ride & Go Seek" attraction, TDS next door was the epitome of tranquility.... Let take a look around..
Arriving at TDS.. the line is short for the photo op at the Aquasphere.
Passageway to Adventure!
The Miracosta frescos are a sight to behold..
Miracosta Hotel around Mediterranean Harbor.
Ristorante di Canaletto. A TDLFAN-recommended spot to eat.
Characters entertain guests during the "Meet and Smile" show.
Yes, that fabulous volcano...once again. Fortress Explorations and Mt. Prometheus to be correct.
Ponte Becchio.
I wonder where this well themed door leads to...
Arriving at American Waterfront.
The Christopher Colombus statue welcomes guests.
NYStreet.
Tower of Terror.
Fastpass was closed. Only 10 minutes stand by posted. I waited 1 minute for the preshow and 4 minutes to board the elevator.
The waterfront.
Cape Cod.
Cape Cod Shores.
Mickey's Statue in Cape Cod is dedicated to those fearless seamen who never came back from the sea.. very sad.
Aquatopia ride in Port Discovery.
Port Discovery entrance.
Volcano and tram as seen from Port Discovery.
On our way to Lost River Delta, we encounter a new merchandise stand.
It's a Jungle in Lost River Delta...
It's in that jungle when we first stumbled upon Indiana Jones...
Indiana Jones charms some female guests in Lost River Delta.. and who can blame them? This Indy was GQ-cover drop dead gorgeous!!
Leaving TDS for the day... until next time! Ciao!
Auckland, New Zealand
The Auckland metropolitan area or Greater Auckland, in the North Island of New Zealand, is the largest and most populous urban area in the country with over 1.3 million residents, 31 percent of the country's population.
Increasingly cosmopolitan, Auckland also has the largest Polynesian population of any city in the world, and has seen many people of Asian ethnicity move there in the last two decades.
The Sky Tower is an observation and telecommunications tower. It is 1,076 ft tall, as measured from ground level to the top of the mast, making it the tallest free-standing structure in the Southern Hemisphere.
Mighty Martha Mine
Waihi, New Zealand
Darkfairycthulu's back! Here's another peek into the past via vintage post card images. I think you can guess where the first two cards are from!
Looking up Chino Canyon, from Bonaire Village, toward the route of the Aerial Tramway that will be one of the greatest attractions in the West. In eighteen minutes Palm Springs visitors can be on the snow-clad slopes of Mt. San Jacinto, enjoying one of the world's great panoramas.
One of the Largest Clock Displays on the West Coast. THE CLOCK SHOP. Two locations in Sacramento.
Captain Courageous. Gloucester, Mass. FINEST FOOD ON CAPE ANN - FINE LIQUORS. Open Daily. Luncheon Buffet Daily - Mon. thru Fri. 12:00 - 2: 00 pm. Also Regular Menu.
-
OLD PROSPECTOR. KNOTT'S BERRY FARM AND GHOST TOWN. Buena Park, Calif. His burro packed with beans, a side of bacon and his gun strapped on, the old prospector is ready to go out and look for that big strike...just over the next hill.
Northern section of Santa's Workshop at North Pole, Colorado in Winter. This shows Mother Hubbard's Cupboard, the Wishing Well, Santa's Residence, etc. as well as Santa and one of his elves all ready for Christmas.
Check out the Postcard Junkie blog for more images from North Pole, Colorado. [LINK]
RED'S RESTAURANT. On Rt 9W, West Coxsackie, NY. 20 Mi. South of Albany. Excellent cuisine - FAMOUS FOR SEAFOOD. Bar & Cocktail Lounge. Catering to Banquets. Open all Year.
Look's like Red's is still around and still famous for their seafood. They have quite the website. Besides the reference to 1944 in their logo, they don't have a bit of their history on the website. What a shame.
HARBOR HIDE-A-WAY RESTAURANT. Route 7. Shelburne, Vermont. Greetings from a fine restaurant in a museum atmosphere. Across the walls march artifacts from around the world for your enjoyment.
Visit these MiceChat columns each week:
Andy Castro's Dateline Disneyland
David DarkBeer Michael's In the Parks
On the off chance that you missed it, I should
mention that Al had an update this week, too:
Return to Flash Mountain
And that brings us to the end of another week. Our photographers have just enough time to reload their cameras before we see you all again next weekend. Thank you to all of our wonderful readers, and as always, a huge thank you to our amazing team of global photographers, spies, and gossips:
TDLFAN
Denise nbodyhome Preskitt (mousesteps.com)
SummerInFl (wdwfanpics.com)
sir clinksalot
MickeyMaxx
BigPigletFan
Abominable Snowman
"Postcard Junkie" darkfairycthulu (postcardjunkie.blogspot.com)
Fishbulb
PhotoMatt
Jack Hollywood 1939 Wixom
A very special thank you to to our wonderful guest photographer DisneyNRheart for sharing her vision with us.
Your Editor - Rixter
It is readers like you who make MiceChat such a special place.
Before we start our ocean voyage, though, MiceChatter DisneyNRheart just returned from a trip to the World in Florida and shares these highlights from her trip:
Here are some pictures of Epcot. The Flower and Garden Show is going on right now and the gardens were amazing.
The next few are the Magic Kingdom. I thought the Castle looked neat in the fog that morning.
That photo of Cinderella's Castle in the fog is so unique. I can't say I have ever seen fog during my trips to Florida. By the time I return to Walt Disney World on the first weekend in June, the Epcot® International Flower & Garden Festival will be over. I wonder if any of the topiaries will be left?
Ventura Harbor Cruise
Ventura, California
sir clinksalot takes us on a cruise around Ventura Harbor.
Quote:
Ventura Harbor Village is 33 acres of authentic Southern California exactly how you’ve imagined it. So make your vacation what you dreamed it would be - even if it’s only for a weekend.
Enjoy Waterfront Views…
Stroll the Promenade - If relaxation is what you're dreaming of, Ventura Harbor Village is the perfect weekend retreat.
Rejuvenate yourself with our breathtaking coastline views, four-star hotel, fine or casual dining, and distinctive specialty shops and boutiques.
It's all waiting for you here...
Enjoy Waterfront Views…
Stroll the Promenade - If relaxation is what you're dreaming of, Ventura Harbor Village is the perfect weekend retreat.
Rejuvenate yourself with our breathtaking coastline views, four-star hotel, fine or casual dining, and distinctive specialty shops and boutiques.
It's all waiting for you here...
It was a foggy day to be out on the water
However, not for Sea Lions
Palm Trees, water and fog ... must be California
I'm not sure what these were, some kind of geese looking thing.
Heading out of the Harbor and into the break water
As we approached the buoy, we saw a family of California Sea Lions camped out. Our captain informed us that having 2 males on the buoy at the same time is very rare.
The one in the middle was posing
Our captain said that this is a squid fishing boat. They fish at night and shine lights into the water to make the squid come to the surface.
If you look closely (on the lower right of the picture) you can see a couple nice sized star fish on the rocks.
The Harbor Visitor Center
The view from the top of the visitor center.
In a future update we'll have more from the actual harbor village with many neat little shops and a classic carousel as well.
SeaWorld
Orlando, Florida
SummerInFL continues to live the theme park life in Florida. Her latest excursion was to SeaWorld and she shares these great photos with us.
I made a brief stop at Sea World after visiting our wonderful Hastin and Jonathan at WDW.
They were doing test runs on Manta, so I took some photos and video.
Quote:
Manta is the name of an upcoming roller coaster at SeaWorld Orlando. Designed by Bolliger and Mabillard, Manta will allow guests to encounter numerous species of rays before boarding a manta-shaped train that will take them on a soaring, gliding journey above the park.
The attraction is scheduled to open to the public on May 22, 2009.
The attraction is scheduled to open to the public on May 22, 2009.
Next week we'll have more photos from SeaWorld including a trip to Wild Arctic.
TDLFAN visits Tokyo DisneySeas.
Tokyo DisneySeas
Tokyo, Japan
While most TDR guests were celebrating TDL's 26th anniversary and taking their first ride on the officially opened "Monsters Inc Ride & Go Seek" attraction, TDS next door was the epitome of tranquility.... Let take a look around..
Arriving at TDS.. the line is short for the photo op at the Aquasphere.
Passageway to Adventure!
The Miracosta frescos are a sight to behold..
Miracosta Hotel around Mediterranean Harbor.
Ristorante di Canaletto. A TDLFAN-recommended spot to eat.
Characters entertain guests during the "Meet and Smile" show.
Yes, that fabulous volcano...once again. Fortress Explorations and Mt. Prometheus to be correct.
Ponte Becchio.
I wonder where this well themed door leads to...
Arriving at American Waterfront.
The Christopher Colombus statue welcomes guests.
NYStreet.
Tower of Terror.
Fastpass was closed. Only 10 minutes stand by posted. I waited 1 minute for the preshow and 4 minutes to board the elevator.
The waterfront.
Cape Cod.
Cape Cod Shores.
Mickey's Statue in Cape Cod is dedicated to those fearless seamen who never came back from the sea.. very sad.
Aquatopia ride in Port Discovery.
Port Discovery entrance.
Volcano and tram as seen from Port Discovery.
On our way to Lost River Delta, we encounter a new merchandise stand.
It's a Jungle in Lost River Delta...
It's in that jungle when we first stumbled upon Indiana Jones...
Indiana Jones charms some female guests in Lost River Delta.. and who can blame them? This Indy was GQ-cover drop dead gorgeous!!
Leaving TDS for the day... until next time! Ciao!
Auckland, New Zealand
Quote:
Increasingly cosmopolitan, Auckland also has the largest Polynesian population of any city in the world, and has seen many people of Asian ethnicity move there in the last two decades.
The Sky Tower is an observation and telecommunications tower. It is 1,076 ft tall, as measured from ground level to the top of the mast, making it the tallest free-standing structure in the Southern Hemisphere.
Wikipedia
Mighty Martha Mine
Waihi, New Zealand
Quote:
William Nicholl marked out a 5 acres claim, calling it "Martha" after a family member. Several smaller claims were later merged to form the Martha Company. By 1882 the first battery to break gold-bearing rock was in operation. The Martha Mine eventually grew into one of the world's most important gold and silver mines, after industrial cyanide processes made recovering gold from the low-grade ores easier. Waihi prospered with the mine, by 1908 being the fastest-growing town in the Auckland Province.
Darkfairycthulu's back! Here's another peek into the past via vintage post card images. I think you can guess where the first two cards are from!
Quote:
Almost everyone knows that the Aerial Tramway is still going strong. [LINK]. I don't think we'll ever know where this photo was shot from. I love the waiters in white jackets serving drinks poolside. A great moment in time captured for eternity. I'll have a another gimlet please...
Quote:
Ummm...yeah...it would appear that The Clock Shop is still there...
Quote:
The GoodMorningGloucester blog seems to indicate that the Captain Courageous Restaurant is now known as Latitude 43. [LINK]
-
Check out the Postcard Junkie blog for more images from North Pole, Colorado. [LINK]
Quote:
Quote:
I'm pretty sure the Harbor Hide-a-way Restaurant is gone. On August 12, 2008, the Selectboard for the town of Shelburne, Vermont was trying to decide whether or not to declare the old restaurant an abandoned building:
Article XIX – General Regulations
Typographical errors need to be corrected in the final draft. In Section 1900.42(a), Mr. Talley suggested “who” should be identified, possibility the Development Review Board. Also, the section is too subjective. There was discussion of periphery buffers that do not allow parking within the buffer (ties into Section 1030.3, front yard portion of a buffer). Ms. McKnight recalled Brian Precourt identified several issues related to parking on both sides of an island, which seems to discourage parking. Regarding language relative to front yard setbacks not being used for outdoor merchandise displays, there is question if this meddles with merchandising for the small business owner. Ms. McKnight asked if complaints have been received. With regard to Section 1920.1(b) and 1920.2(c), the Selectboard asked for more clarification in the practical sense (i.e. provide a clear determination of whether the Harbor Hideaway building, for example, would be considered abandoned). Mr. Talley expressed concern about a percentage of land in a PUD subdivision being mandated to remain open per the town’s regulations. Mr. Talley felt this is confiscatory and infringes on a property owner’s rights. The Selectboard asked the Planning Commission to reconsider mandating conserved land on large acreages. It was noted Section 1930.6 needs to be consistent with Article X. Alec Webb will prepare language with the Town Planner to clarify the Rural Mixed PUD. Regarding Sections 1930.9 and 1650.1(c), clarification for consistency is needed in the Redevelopment PUD in the Village Core Overlay District relative to allowable uses and required square footage limits. In Section 1940.2 it is unclear who monitors or provides enforcement relative to garage sales. Clarification is needed in Section 1960.1(c) on parking requirements for elderly housing. Also, the sign application process needs to be simplified. In regard to Section 1980.8 - accessory vehicle sales, Mr. Talley asked if there is control on parking personal vehicles for sale on public property versus private property.
Article XIX – General Regulations
Typographical errors need to be corrected in the final draft. In Section 1900.42(a), Mr. Talley suggested “who” should be identified, possibility the Development Review Board. Also, the section is too subjective. There was discussion of periphery buffers that do not allow parking within the buffer (ties into Section 1030.3, front yard portion of a buffer). Ms. McKnight recalled Brian Precourt identified several issues related to parking on both sides of an island, which seems to discourage parking. Regarding language relative to front yard setbacks not being used for outdoor merchandise displays, there is question if this meddles with merchandising for the small business owner. Ms. McKnight asked if complaints have been received. With regard to Section 1920.1(b) and 1920.2(c), the Selectboard asked for more clarification in the practical sense (i.e. provide a clear determination of whether the Harbor Hideaway building, for example, would be considered abandoned). Mr. Talley expressed concern about a percentage of land in a PUD subdivision being mandated to remain open per the town’s regulations. Mr. Talley felt this is confiscatory and infringes on a property owner’s rights. The Selectboard asked the Planning Commission to reconsider mandating conserved land on large acreages. It was noted Section 1930.6 needs to be consistent with Article X. Alec Webb will prepare language with the Town Planner to clarify the Rural Mixed PUD. Regarding Sections 1930.9 and 1650.1(c), clarification for consistency is needed in the Redevelopment PUD in the Village Core Overlay District relative to allowable uses and required square footage limits. In Section 1940.2 it is unclear who monitors or provides enforcement relative to garage sales. Clarification is needed in Section 1960.1(c) on parking requirements for elderly housing. Also, the sign application process needs to be simplified. In regard to Section 1980.8 - accessory vehicle sales, Mr. Talley asked if there is control on parking personal vehicles for sale on public property versus private property.
Looking for up-to-date reports from Disneyland
including photos, gossip, park schedules and more?
including photos, gossip, park schedules and more?
Visit these MiceChat columns each week:
Andy Castro's Dateline Disneyland
David DarkBeer Michael's In the Parks
On the off chance that you missed it, I should
mention that Al had an update this week, too:
Return to Flash Mountain
And that brings us to the end of another week. Our photographers have just enough time to reload their cameras before we see you all again next weekend. Thank you to all of our wonderful readers, and as always, a huge thank you to our amazing team of global photographers, spies, and gossips:
TDLFAN
Denise nbodyhome Preskitt (mousesteps.com)
SummerInFl (wdwfanpics.com)
sir clinksalot
MickeyMaxx
BigPigletFan
Abominable Snowman
"Postcard Junkie" darkfairycthulu (postcardjunkie.blogspot.com)
Fishbulb
PhotoMatt
Jack Hollywood 1939 Wixom
A very special thank you to to our wonderful guest photographer DisneyNRheart for sharing her vision with us.
Your Editor - Rixter
Where have YOU been recently? We invite you to share your photos of theme parks or any other destination that may be of interest to our readers. Please feel free to contact me via MiceChat Private Message (screen name Rixter)
or send me an email: oceansiderick@gmail.com.
or send me an email: oceansiderick@gmail.com.
It is readers like you who make MiceChat such a special place.
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Total Comments 22
Comments
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Well that Indy ain't no Harrison Ford, but if he works his magic on the ladies...
Great pics from TDS and great update.
Posted 04-26-2009 at 04:55 PM by Barbossa
- Awesome picsPosted 04-27-2009 at 02:35 AM by Emmanuel_4
