Weekend Update: American Idol, Pollardville, Monster Trucks and Reagan's Library
The Weekend Update is all over the place this week - that's what makes it fun, right? Right? First up we get to see some early photos from The American Idol Experience, courtesy of nbodyhome. Following that we have a very unique look at Pollardville Ghost Town. I'll wager that not many of us had heard of Pollardville until last week. Now we have a detailed report from darkfairycthulu including a personal story about the place. sirclinksalot's trip to The Reagan Presidential Library follows that and then we take a trip to the Monster Truck Jam with MonstersGoBoo!. We finish off this week's Update with some more vintage postcard images from darkfairycthulu.
I planned it this way...honest!
Walt Disney World
Orlando, Florida
Denise nbodyhome Preskitt gives us a first look at The American Idol Experience at Disney's Hollywood Studios. These photos are from the first (soft opening) day.
Denise tells me that there are 140 photos of American Idol's first operating day at her mousesteps website.
Denise also shared these shots from around the "World":
The Contemporary Resort Bay Lake Tower:
The balloon going in at Downtown Disney:
The Dolphin:
The Swan:
Those of you who read the Weekend Update last week will probably remember this vintage postcard image:
This image generated so much interest, our resident postcard expert darkfairycthulu submitted these photographic images of Pollardville and this personal story:
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I was first introduced to Pollardville in roughly 2003, never having visited before. I had the good fortune to make four separate visits before the final closing in April of 2007. It was always fun to visit, though towards the end several of the buildings weren't looking their best, along with lots of antique items and wood and odds and ends left to the elements in various spots. Pollardville was also home to a thriving community of wild cats and both chickens and roosters. There were still daily gunfights and the train was running on weekends.
Thankfully, today, some of Pollardville lives on, as I and my family were able to purchase several items during the last trip, inculding some antique window frames, doors, wooden fixtures, hitching posts, a horse bridle and a cow skull (which appears in the photos) all that were part of the attraction. These currently reside in our western-themed backyard setup among other items. Please enjoy the photos, taken on my last trip before the attraction closed it's doors permanently.
Thankfully, today, some of Pollardville lives on, as I and my family were able to purchase several items during the last trip, inculding some antique window frames, doors, wooden fixtures, hitching posts, a horse bridle and a cow skull (which appears in the photos) all that were part of the attraction. These currently reside in our western-themed backyard setup among other items. Please enjoy the photos, taken on my last trip before the attraction closed it's doors permanently.
darkfairycthulu
Here's the second installment of sirclinksalot's visit to the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library. The library is about 75 miles northwest of Disneyland.
The Ronald Reagan Presidential Library and Museum
Simi Valley, California
The second part of our tour of the Reagan Library begins with a tour of the Air Force One Hangar
Air Force One has a nice view
These are flags of all the countries President Reagan traveled to
A Mural of the different Air Force Ones
Unfortunately you were not allowed to take pictures in the actual plane, but it's definitely cool. It's not the big "Harrison Ford" Air Force One and was a lot more compact than I thought it would be.
Marine One
A Re-Creation of Checkpoint Charlie
Some Cold War Memorabilia
I thought this sign was great
Reagan and Gorbachev signing one of the nuclear proliferation treaties.
One of the limos ridden in by the president
The license plate was classic
Back in the Library, some Just Say No memorabilia
And some jerseys given to the President by some SoCal sports teams
If you are ever in the Simi Valley area, I'd highly recommend a visit to the library. It's quite nice, educational and well done.
MiceChatters MonstersGoBoo!, Kritter and PacMan spend a recent Saturday at Monster Jam. Thanks to MonstersGoBoo! for sending us these photos.
Monster Jam
Angel Stadium of Anaheim
MetroPCS was offering everyone Pit Party passes for those who bought tickets, so earlier in the week Kritter picked up a few for us.
GraveDigger
Maximum Destruction
Besides monster trucks, they also had classic cars and TV/Movie cars.
Who is this loveable bug?
Delorean
BatMobile!
We named this one the "Mr. Toad Car"
The show started promptly at 5:30pm inside the Angel's Stadium. They started off showing the classic and TV/Movie cars.
And then off to the show. The first portion of the monster trucks was racing/speed trial. Then it went to semi-finals and finals, and then to the freestyle competition. Grave Digger won both.
We were cheering for Maximum Destruction who had an amazing run... and an amazing wipeout! He caught on fire!
Besides the classic cars and monster trucks, there were also UTV racing both for children/teens to adults. The youngest racer for the child section was 8 years old.
There are lots more photos of this fun event in MonstersGoBoo!'s trip report HERE.
Here are some more vintage postcard images from darkfairycthulu.
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A "trembling trio" of deceased musicians strikes up a graveyard melody...one of the Haunted Mansion's spectre-filled surprises in store for courageous guests.
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Main Street's Town Square represents the typical small town in the early 1900's where the gas lamp is gradually being replaced by electricity: the plodding, horse drawn streetcar is giving way to the chugging "horseless carriage"
[I actually visited this Pioneer Village in southern Nebraska several times as a kid. We visited our cousins in Beaver City, which is about ninety minutes west of Minden. - Rixter]
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Located on the 6000-foot line of majestic Mount Hood, Timberline Lodge is famous as a center for Oregon's winter sports. (Not on the postcard, but viewers will also recognize this as the exterior location for Stanley Kubrick's film version of The Shining.)
The Bahia Mar Beach Resort & Yachting Center is still in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida,
but somehow I doubt the items depicted in the postcard are still around. [LINK]
It looks like Weeki Wachee now operates under the auspices of the State of Florida.
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The Florida Department of Environmental Protection’s (DEP) Florida State Parks welcomes Weeki Wachee Springs as the newest unit in the state park system. State Park management of the site not only protects the integrity of this well-known first magnitude spring, it also preserves one of Florida’s oldest tourist attractions.
“We are pleased to welcome Weeki Wachee Springs as the 160th state park in Florida’s award-winning state park system,” said DEP Deputy Secretary Bob Ballard. “Adding Weeki Wachee Springs to the Florida State Park system has been a cooperative effort between all of the parties involved and we are truly excited to be a part of preserving this unique piece of Florida history.”
Weeki Wachee Springs, “The Only City of Live Mermaids,” is a famous Florida attraction located in Hernando County. As one of Florida’s 33 first-magnitude springs, Weeki Wachee is a valuable natural and cultural resource. The attraction, established in 1946, turned the spring into an underwater mermaid show which garnered increased attention and fame into the 1960s.
“We are pleased to welcome Weeki Wachee Springs as the 160th state park in Florida’s award-winning state park system,” said DEP Deputy Secretary Bob Ballard. “Adding Weeki Wachee Springs to the Florida State Park system has been a cooperative effort between all of the parties involved and we are truly excited to be a part of preserving this unique piece of Florida history.”
Weeki Wachee Springs, “The Only City of Live Mermaids,” is a famous Florida attraction located in Hernando County. As one of Florida’s 33 first-magnitude springs, Weeki Wachee is a valuable natural and cultural resource. The attraction, established in 1946, turned the spring into an underwater mermaid show which garnered increased attention and fame into the 1960s.
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Kona Inn Whaler's Bar and Lounge: A unique and colorful atmosphere of whaling days in the attractive spouting whale lounge overlooking Kailua Bay at this famous Inter-Island Fun Resort.
Due to space limitations this week, our German Holiday report will continue next week.
Looking for Disneyland news and photos? Check out Andy Castro's Dateline Disneyland column and Michael "DarkBeer" David's In The Parks column.
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
BigPigletFan
Abominable Snowman
A very special thank you to our wonderful guest photographers darkfairycthulu and MonstersGoBoo! for sharing their 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.
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Total Comments 11
Comments
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Great Weekend Update as always!!! Great shots everybody.Posted 01-17-2009 at 09:29 AM by sir clinksalot
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Great weekend update. Pollardville looked like alot of fun and that giant chicken beats the one at Knott's for sure!
Thanks, PamPosted 01-17-2009 at 09:41 AM by gawama -
Great update like usual!Posted 01-17-2009 at 04:31 PM by WheresMickey -
Wish I had seen Pollardville before its demise. After all, ghost towns followed up by a good chicken dinner . . . just seems to go together! Last week's Weekend Update was my first exposure to it. Thanks for all the info darkfairycthulu!
Posted 01-17-2009 at 06:11 PM by MickeyMaxx -
Awesome update today!
Bay Lake Tower looks so much better from the actual Bay Lake side. As you ride the monorail it looks like a big cylinder.Posted 01-17-2009 at 07:18 PM by WDITrent -
Awww Pollardville! My oldest son had two of his birthday parties there. Full of gun fights, panning for gold and a train ride complete with robbers. So much fun there. Thanks for the picturesPosted 01-18-2009 at 12:34 AM by dsnylndmom -
Awesome update!!!
Posted 01-18-2009 at 03:22 PM by SouthHrbrBlvd -
Thanks for the update on the Weeki Wachee Springs. I have been wondering if they were going to survive.Posted 01-18-2009 at 08:09 PM by Melonballer 
- I grew up in the area near Pollardville, in the 60's we used to go there for the fried chicken dinner. It is located off Hwy 99 between Stockton and Lodi. I think their meal used to be called Chicken on a Bun, It was a couple of pieces of fried chicken, fries and a buttered hamburger bun served in a plastic basket. It was good, but I went again maybe 10 - 15 years ago and I didn't think it was that great, certainly not as good as Knotts. I looked around the Ghost Town at that time, I don't remember it being as big as in your pictures, but I remember thinking that this was a Knott's Berry Farm that never made it big.
Sometime maybe in the 80's they bought the Tommy Lee's Islander restaurant building in Stockton and moved it to their location. You can see it in your picture of the restaurant, the building with the slightly sloping roof. The Islander was a Polynesian restaurant like Trader Vics. But the Polynesian style didn't fit with the down home country atmosphere you would expect with a fried chicken restaurant.
Overall I had fond memories of Pollardville. They also used to have melodramas in a theater, but I never saw it. It was a little theme park slice in Northern California for a kid who lived far from Disneyland. I wish it could have stayed open, but I understand why it closed.Posted 01-18-2009 at 09:57 PM by Disneykin Kid -
I love the photo of the two kitties. Great shot. Cats rule.Posted 01-19-2009 at 01:21 AM by TDLFAN -
Thank you darkfairycthulu you have brought back some wonderful memories with your pictures of Pollardville. I have never been there but I used to work at Movieland Frontier Town in Colton, CA (just West of the San Bernardino freeway interchange).
I did Magic shows, Mime and Juggling acts every Sunday afternoon in the late 1970's. The gunfight picture you put up looks like a dead ringer for Movieland Frontier Town.
Movieland Frontier Town has been closed many years ago - it is now just a used car lot.
Does anybody else remember this place?
LA Times Article:
Family of Gunslingers Put Colton on the Map
~JBodine
And some of you thought I was "just a hillbilly!"Posted 01-19-2009 at 10:27 AM by JBodine
Updated 01-19-2009 at 12:05 PM by JBodine
