Lilly Belle anyone?

[AlbcAlbrr]

I headed down to Disneyland today. I wanted to walk through Dead Man's Grotto, ride the Mark Twain, check for any new Jessica pins, and ride the DLR. I didn't take a camera and it turned out that would become a regret. The temperature was Warm, the crowds were modest to medium, the wait time for Nemo was around 2 hours.

I had lunch at Rancho de Zocala (or whatever it's called), rode the Mark Twain (watched a girl drop her sandal overboard), headed over to Pirate's Lair and walked through Dead Man's Grotto (1 of the displays made me jump). Back to the Frontierland and I found 2 new Jessica pins. Everything was accomplished except the train ride.

The station in New Orlean's Square was packed. So I opted to have a Diet Coke and a bag of Fritters. Okay, the station is still packed. I decided to walk back to Main Street Station and do the full circuit instead. It wasn't very crowded at the Main Street Station. When the train pulled in I noticed that the Lilly Belle was being pulled. I decided to sit in the last car so I would be able to look into the Lilly Belle.

After everyone was seated one of the Conductors walked up to the last car and said, "Anyone want to ride in the Lilly Belle?" Nobody said yes, except of course for me, and I said "YES!"

So, I rode all the way from Main Street to Main Street, and I had the Lilly Belle all to myself, except for Tom the Conductor. The Love Seats are very comfy. At the Tomorrowland Station, as the train was leaving the station I heard one of the waiting guests who saw me in the Lilly Belle say "Gee, don't you wish you were him?"

All in all, even though I didn't have a camera, it was a great way to end the day.

[elly]

congrats! indeed riding in the Lilly Belle is an amazing experience, you really do feel like you're someone special while going around the park.

[Tom Chaney]

I just turned seventeen shades of (envy) green! Congratulations on your good fortune.

[Snow_White_Raven]

I love the Lilly Belle... Last time I was in there they brought out Walts Smoking Jacket... That was a real treat... Congrats on getting to ride...

[penguinsoda]

I just turned seventeen shades of (envy) green! Congratulations on your good fortune.

That would make two of us.

[wickedqueeniam]

Does anyone have pictures?

[Opus1guy]

Until just the other day, I had forgotten how hot it can get in the Lilly Belle during the Summer daytimes...even with all the windows open. Especially when you are sitting at a station and what little flow-thru breeze there is when the train is moving...is totally cut off.

Gets pretty toasty in there at times!

And once again, our "Conductor" enjoyed telling us how the Lilly Belle was Walt's private car in which he used to love personally taking VIPs around the Park in...all the way back to Disneyland's opening day in 1955. He even told us that the "Love Seat" was the very one in which Walt and Lilly would sit as they circled Disneyland while riding in the Lilly Belle.

All of which is a bit difficult to substantiate...considering that the Lilly Belle Presidential Car wasn't created until 1976...a full decade after Walt's death!

[Snow_White_Raven]

[Snow_White_Raven]

I have some other ones but those are the only ones that I can bring up right now...

[elly]

i've got a couple as well:




Sorry ladies (and gents) he's all mine!!!

[Steve DeGaetano]

And once again, our "Conductor" enjoyed telling us how the Lilly Belle was Walt's private car...All of which is a bit difficult to substantiate...considering that the Lilly Belle Presidential Car wasn't created until 1976...a full decade after Walt's death!

And we wonder how such "Disney Rumors that Refuse to Die" get started!

(See also, "they brought out Walts Smoking Jacket.")

[Opus1guy]

The Lilly Belle before it was The Lilly Belle, and when it was just the tail-end platform car on the old Disneyland Railroad's yellow excursion train:



And the general public enjoying a ride on what would...in about 20 years from this photo's date...become the Lilly Belle:



And the interior of the Lilly Belle Presidential Car as it looks today:


Don't know where this photo came from...it's just on my computer. If one of you took it...apologies for being uncredited.

[Steve DeGaetano]

The Lilly Belle before it was The Lilly Belle, and when it was just the tail-end platform car on the old Disneyland Railroad's yellow excursion train.

It wasn't just the "tail end platform car," Opus...It was the observation car "Grand Canyon."

In your photo above, you can see that the car featured an oval painting of the mighty chasm below the windows. The "banners" on either side read "Grand" and "Canyon."

The car was special even then, even featuring a different window configuration than the other cars, in addition to its open rear platform.

Folks wishing to learn more about the car's history can check out this article I wrote a few years ago:

http://www.mouseplanet.com/articles.php?art=mm051019sg

[Opus1guy]

It wasn't just the "tail end platform car," Opus...It was the observation car "Grand Canyon."

Thanks. Sorry for using "just." I guess I was just trying to impart that it was a car that was open to the general public, like all the rest were back then.

[~xxBooxx~]

so does a CM have to ask YOU if you want to ride the Lilly Belle (Invite only kind of thing) OR can you ask to be seated there?