Welcome to the Weekend Update for November 22, 2008!
Who says we don't do Disney in the Weekend Update? We have a super duper dose of Disney for you this week. The Christmas holiday seems to capture the imaginations of our photographers because we have a bumper crop of photos from the U.S. Disney parks. Two, count 'em, two reports from Florida, courtesy of SummerInFL and TDLFAN. Then we're off to Disneyland for a triple header from Brenden Delzer, PhotoMatt and Fishbulb. We even have a fond look at Disney's California Adventure from MickeyMaxx. dsnylndmom gives us an inside look at a luxury box at a sports stadium followed by a new segment by darkfairycthulu that features vintage postcard images.
Our image count is pretty high this week, so take a break while the photos load. When you return you'll find another crazy trip around the world with Weekend Update!
Christmas is in the air at Walt Disney World and we have two great photo reports to share with you this weekend. First up is TDLFAN.
Walt Disney World
Orlando, Florida
Disney's Animal Kingdom's Tree of Life.
Animal Kingdom's Christmas Tree.
Asia at Animal Kingdom.
Disney's Hollywood Studios' Christmas Tree.
The American Idol Experience attraction marquee is finished and video screen operational.
EPCOT's holiday display at the main entrance's garden.
EPCOT's Christmas Tree in World Showcase.
Gotta love the new bottle-shaped recycle bins. Please, place your discarded bottles and cans here.
Sailing the Sevens Seas Lagoon towards the Magic Kingdom.
Main Street Station decked for the holidays.
Reflections on the water of the castle's moat.
A favorite spot with Micechatters... the Haunted Mansion.
Dusk over Main Street USA.
Main Street USA decorated for the holidays.
Santa Claus will be here for you to meet during the holidays. This area is next to the City Hall.
Donald peeks out of this lovely holiday window.
Main Street USA.
Castle Dreamlights make for a stunning holiday display.
If that doesn't get you in the holiday spirit, check out these photos from SummerInFL. More of Summer's photos can be viewed at her website: wdwfanpics.com.
Quote:
Grab a cup of cocoa and settle in for some holiday fun. Christmas has come to the Magic Kingdom and everything is in full swing, from candy canes to candy apples, the park has been covered in all things jolly, so sit back, relax and enjoy the photos!
A bag of coal? Is Santa trying to tell me something?
This woman was kind enough to offer singing lessons, anyone need any?
They light up the castle following a short show called "Cinderella's Holiday Wish." The basic premise of the show is the Fab 4 (No Pluto) are talking over how they want to decorate the castle, when the Fairy Godmother shows up and says it should be Cinderella's choice as she does live there, naturally. Cinderella then comes out and tells her she would like to drape it with icicles and as the music swells the Fairy Godmother covers the castle in a dazzling array of twinkling lights, I mean icicles.
Disneyland Resort
Anaheim, California
We're seeing some fantastic photography coming from the Disneyland Resort also. Here are some great shots from MiceChatter Brenden Delzer. Brenden's flickr album is here.
PhotoMatt is back in action and shares these photos with us along with a promise to have many more photos of the Disneyland Resort coming soon!
Our good friend Fishbulb was lucky enough to hitch a ride through the annual holiday makeover of It's a Small World during a soft opening on Thursday. Hum after me, "It's a small world after all...jingle bells, jingle bells."
California Adventure
Anaheim, California
MickeyMaxx offers this interesting photo essay on California Adventure.
Half-empty, half-full? A little of both, to be sure at California Adventure these days. I often catch myself seeing things in life and leaning toward the half-empty reaction, but not with California Adventure of late.
Lagoon's half-empty? Yay! Cranes tower overhead? Yay, for sure! Construction walls abound? That's great! The experience of dining at a waterfront restaurant seriously lacking in water takes away a bit of the magic? Hallelujah! There is just so much to look forward to, and every time I look at a compromised vista all is see is what is going to replace/enhance it!
Blame this place.
Just like when I was a kid, and would go to the preview center on Main Street, I felt like a kid again looking at the future of California Adventure. Wondering if I would be able to bear the wait until the new attractions opened.
Can't wait to pass through these gates . . .
and see this . . .
hop a ride on this . . .
and walk on over to this . . .
I was excited to see that the Mickey Wheel would have a new covered queue and an extension of the pier will surround it on all sides.
Now, I understand that "Blue Sky" means "no limits, nothing is a bad idea, everything is possible," along with "may never happen." But I prefer to define it this way: "Blue Sky = Hope."
And, if you find yourself in a half-empty frame of mind, there are still calming, beautiful sights that might give you hope for what is to come.
By the way, if you think that all of these changes are only going to happen when pigs fly, I offer you this photo taken in DCA:
MiceChat Moderator dsnylndmom celebrated her son Shawn's tenth birthday in style at a Bakersfield Condors ice hockey game, arranging for a private skybox.
Rabobank Arena
Bakersfield, California
Quote:
The Bakersfield Condors are a minor league ice hockey team based in Bakersfield, California. The team plays in the Pacific Division of the ECHL's National Conference. As of May 21, 2008, the Condors are affiliated with the Anaheim Ducks. The Condors play home games at Rabobank Arena in Bakersfield, until recently known as Centennial Garden.
Originally known as the Bakersfield Fog, the team was founded in 1995 as a charter member of the West Coast Hockey League. The team assumed its current name in 1998 and joined the ECHL in 2003.
Originally known as the Bakersfield Fog, the team was founded in 1995 as a charter member of the West Coast Hockey League. The team assumed its current name in 1998 and joined the ECHL in 2003.
Bakersfield Condors on the left, Fresno on the right.
And the puck is dropped!
The Condors wish Shawn a Happy 10th birthday!
) For an additional fee you can also get catering services, both food and drink.
These two are the private balcony area that seats 18
A scuffle on the ice. It's not hockey without a scuffle on the ice!
We're pleased to introduce a new feature to the Weekend Update. MiceChatter darkfairycthulu has started a blog featuring vintage postcards and has agreed to share some of the images with our Weekend Update readers on a regular basis. You can read the blog at postcardjunkie.blogspot.com.
Can you guess which TWO of these images come from Disneyland?
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:
Jack Hollywood 1939 Wixom
TDLFAN
Denise nbodyhome Preskitt
SummerInFl
PhotoMatt
Fishbulb
sir clinksalot
MickeyMaxx
A very special thank you to our wonderful guest contributors Brenden, dsnylndmom, Grumpy4, and darkfairycthulu for sharing their talents 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.
Don't miss a single one of MiceChat's Featured Blogs (including the Weekend Update). Add our feed to your favorite feed software or site:
MiceChat: Featured Disney Blogs
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*Some factual information sourced from wikipedia.com.
Total Comments 17
Comments
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Great picture everyone! I love the Christmas Season!Posted 11-22-2008 at 09:06 AM by WheresMickey
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The fact that in Blue Sky they say there is no such thing as a bad idea is why DCA was built in the first place.Posted 11-22-2008 at 11:34 AM by HMF -
Now, wasnt that a tad harsh?
I love all the pictures! I do want to know, where is that piggy in DCA? I now want to see it.Posted 11-22-2008 at 12:06 PM by Vasooki -
The pig birdhouse, along with several others is located on the right side of P.T. Flea Market in "a bugs land", directly across from the Blue Sky Cellar. They are around to the right side as you face the building.
Posted 11-22-2008 at 01:24 PM by MickeyMaxx -
MickeyMaxx,
That was a beautiful photo essay. I love the idea of "Blue Sky" as a term for hope. That is a fundamental idea behind so many of Walt Disney's concieved attractions...hope for world peace (it's a small world), hope for a more convenient future (Carousel of Progress). Thanks for the thought!Posted 11-22-2008 at 04:05 PM by pirate_tim -
Great shots everyone! Also good to see Photomatt back in action. That last shot of Splash under that cloudy full moon was stunning. Also amazing shots by everyone else, including those night shots of the WDW castle and Disneyland IASW fully decked out for Christmas.
Bravo to all!
Posted 11-22-2008 at 04:31 PM by Mac Daddy - Yup; photo number two and photo number five.Quote:Can you guess which TWO of these images come from Disneyland?
Both the flower carts and the Upjohn Pharmacy were originally located on Main Street.Posted 11-22-2008 at 06:14 PM by retrodiz -
I'm a Disneyland girl through and through, but Sleeping Beauty Castle's icicle lights can't hold a candle to Cinderella Castle's. It must be the castle's height and additional turrets, because it is so incredibly gorgeous!!!
Wonderful photos everyone :o)Posted 11-22-2008 at 07:21 PM by disneymademoiselle -
Wowee wow! I love all the Christmas pictures! Absolutely beautiful shots.Posted 11-22-2008 at 10:20 PM by Disney Liz -
Is it just me or are the characters eyes blinking in the video? :confused:Posted 11-23-2008 at 10:47 AM by Scurvy Pirate -
Incredible updates! I think the recycling trash can is great. They should have those in more places.Posted 11-23-2008 at 12:02 PM by DonDuck -
That was a great update! It must be one of those days, because the video of Cinderella's Castle lighting up made me all verklempt Hey, someone else has a blogspot! I can be a follower!Posted 11-23-2008 at 02:22 PM by AliKzam -
Scurvy pirate,
To answer your question... yes, they now use aminated rubber heads for most characters appearing in several shows at the MK. Their eyes blink and their mouths move as well. These new "show heads" can be seen on all castle shows and just were introduced in this year's production of "Twas the Night before Xmas" in the Tomorrowland Theater. At first, I found them spooky, but now I have gotten used to them.Posted 11-23-2008 at 08:11 PM by TDLFAN -
Absolutely Stunning.
Especially that Splash Mountain picture. My goodness.Posted 11-24-2008 at 01:21 AM by Goover -
fabulous pics, happy holidays everyone & welcome back It's A Small World!Posted 11-24-2008 at 11:34 AM by wdwnut4life -
That was a great photo update! The MK castle show is amazing and I got chills just watching it on youtube!
Thanks to all the photographers!Posted 11-24-2008 at 01:15 PM by doombuggy driver -
Great pics. I love christmas at disneyland...and I would love to see a hockey game in a box suite.Posted 11-27-2008 at 04:57 PM by aurora1729
