TDL's 23rd Anniversary day/Find Stitch! in photos

[TDLFAN]

TDL celebrated it's 23rd Anniversary on April 15th, 2006 and TDLFAN was there to witness the chaos. Also, this was debut day for TDL's brand new special event "Lilo's Panic: FIND STITCH!", featuring the spectacular rolling show and parade "Huli Huli Ohana Bash!" The story behind the event is about Stitch getting loose at TDL and literally trashing the place. We must try to find Stitch (who is hiding in some places around TDL) and stop him from causing any more further damage to TDL's lovely surroundings!! Sadly, we are too late. Stitch has taken up to repaint and trash the park mercilessly. Armed with paint and brush, Stitch destroys everything in sight and leaves an unsightly mess everywhere he goes. Graffiti is everywhere as Stitch does not leave a stone unturned, turning TDL into a messy kingdom of artistic proportions. He even paints graffiti all over the parade floats!! Terrible!! Terrible!! TDLFAN here almost had a heart attack when he arrived at TDL this glorious anniversary morning!!!

Now to some real comments... Trashing TDL must have been a huge undertaking for those in charge of planning this event. Its a thin line to walk when you trash TDL for show purposes. They succeeded beautifully.... sometimes a bit too realistic at times... I was going "OMG!! OMG!! What has happened to *my* park!?!?!?" But I do appreciate the approach they took...that of the point of view of a child. Most of the graffiti looks like it was painted by a preschooler kid, and at times... it's cute to look at the final result and the amount of thought it took to design and strategically place it. That's what redeems the effort for me. Details are everywhere in the graffiti. If you don't look twice, you will miss the hidden Mickeys and other jokes. The funny thing is... when I saw it in person.. I actually did like what they had done a lot, but once these pcitures came back... I was truly HORRIFIED at how realistic all this mess looks on photos!! KUDOS to the crew of artists who were able to recreate this entire show and challenge us to look pass the mess and find the small beauty and whim of the final product. But I have to confess... I am glad this "look" will only be there until late July... and I am looking forward to seeing TDL return to it's former glorious state.

As for the main event... the brand new "Huli Huli Ohana Bash!" parade/show... an impressive effort that again, challenges us to NOT to take it at face value. The parade is impressive because it features a FUN FUN FUN musical soundtrack that makes guests clap and tap along with the music, but also features a collection of Disney characters that feel appropriate for the show. It also has the distinction of debuting some new rubber head characters never seen outside Japan before... mainly characters from the Lilo and Stitch TV series, and these new characters translate well into rubberhead form here. The floats... which you will either hate or love due to the graffiti smeared on them, are quite well designed and feature TONS of details that any regular guest will miss with just one viewing of the show, or if you simply do not pay attention. The floats also feature such elaborate extras, like inflatable props, bubbles, exploding confetti streamers and many many many inside-jokes and details worth talking about. It was that level of surprise that exceeded my expectations and reason why I am rating this new parade/show quite highly. It must have been a serious brain-storming session when they put this rolling show together folks, because I was blown away by the sheer amount of details and attention to color placement here. This parade is a huge Hawaiian Rainbow gone MAD right in front of our eyes. Probably one of TDL's most colorful and thoroughly enjoyable parades I have ever seen at that park.

Anyways... without further ado... I sure hope you will find this photo album enjoyable (even with all that mess around TDL). In it, I tried to document the colorful damage caused by Stitch, where he is hiding around the park (why do you think the event is called "Find Stitch??") while also highlighting some lovely new tees and stuff on sale at the park, how crowded it got, a tiki bird doing Cross-U in Adventureland, and many many other sights brought on as a result of this most interesting special day at TDL.

With that in mind... please explore this most colorful (and untidy) look at TDL. Oh yes... HAPPY 23rd TDL!!! We love you!!!

http://albums.photo.epson.com/j/Albu...3&a=32160645&f=

[Mitsukai]

...damn that's a lot of people.

[Pluto94]

Thanks for the pictures! It looks like a colorful event. I don't really like the graffiti that much either but at least they didn't trash the hub and castle like what happened at the MK.

Those are some really clean floors and some really organized crowd control. Do you know why the CMs would have kneel down like that?

P.S. I really enjoy reading the captions.

[TDLFAN]

Do you know why the CMs would have kneel down like that?

In order NOT to block the guests' view of the show. They are very respectful of that in TDR, reason why most guests sit down for parades and CM's enforce that most times.

[Mitsukai]

just curious... who the heck is Clarice?

[Disney Magic]

WOW thanks again those are some more great pics!

In pic #108 the characters name is Capt. Gantu. It is great to see some of those rare characters like Panchito, Jose, and Clarice(I didn't even know her name) but Tarzan would have been a very nice addition too . Only other disappointment also was the lack of surfer and hula boys!

I am with you about the construction wall in front of the castle, not really the best.

[Pluto94]

In order NOT to block the guests' view of the show. They are very respectful of that in TDR, reason why most guests sit down for parades and CM's enforce that most times.

Ohhhh. Yeah that makes sense.

[Disney Magic]

just curious... who the heck is Clarice?

Clarice was the female chimpmunk, I think she was a lounge singer, in the old Chip&Dale shorts from the 50s. She only made one appearence that i can remember and I think Dale had a crush on her.

[Fantasmico!]

Wow! Such an amazing parade! I wish we could get that for DL- but then again it would just look sloppy here. People may not get the concept of the parade being hijacked by Stich. I also wish the level of detail would come back to DL too. And those kneeling CM's- how well mannered are the people of Japan to just stand there and not storm the parade. That would never fly here in the states. Great pics!

[Disney Magic]

I found the info about Clarice, she appeared in 1952's Two Chips and a Miss.

[TDLFAN]

Great info on Clarice. She has been giving Marie a run for her money at TDL lately and was prominently featured with a solo song one year ago this month during TDL's 22nd anniversary American oldies castle show.
I love Clarice... she is so vampy.

And those kneeling CM's- how well mannered are the people of Japan to just stand there and not storm the parade. That would never fly here in the states.

Another reason why TDR is the best.

[PrncssZ]

Those pictures are awesome. I was wondering if I could save a few of them and put them on my desktop as wallpaper. ^-^ I love Stitch and I was the cartoon all the time. Thank you so much for sharing your pictures.

I also had a question because I have only been to Disneyland. Since there are so many parks around the world, is the primary language English or do they speak their native language but know English..or how does that work. I noticed the signs were all in English. Thanks guys.

[MickeyMania]

We must try to find Stitch (who is hiding in some places around TDL) and stop him from causing any more further damage to TDL's lovely surroundings!!

Sounds like this event should be called "Find Eisner!"

Armed with paint and brush, Stitch destroys everything in sight and leaves an unsightly mess everywhere he goes.

I can see the sign at the front door now. "Coming Soon: Six Flags over Chiba!"

TDLFAN here almost had a heart attack when he arrived at TDL this glorious anniversary morning!!!

I would too if I saw that much Stitch promotion. I'm suprised L&S is at all popular in Japan. Hawaii luaus, Elvis, and Very Poorly Drawn Human Characters are not a hot recipe over there.

Its a thin line to walk when you trash TDL for show purposes.

See Indy in DL for very well done show "grungyness."

I actually did like what they had done a lot, but once these pcitures came back... I was truly HORRIFIED at how realistic all this mess looks on photos!!

Did they change the music or sounds at all? I thought they could really get that "something is wrong here" feeling without having to spend much money by playing the wrong area loops. Hearing banjo music in Tomorrowland as Fantasyland medleys play outside Big Thunder.... Eh, maybe I'm taking it too far.

It also has the distinction of debuting some new rubber head characters never seen outside Japan before...

I do have to admit the Gantu looks pretty good. Although I really, really wish that Hamsterviel villain was a one-time character as it wasn't very well done (oh hey, look, a short supervillain. Yawn) and isn't deserving of a second shot. I get the feeling someone in Animation loves that character to death while everyone else rolls their eyes.

The floats... which you will either hate or love due to the graffiti smeared on them

I don't mind the colors but I hate the designs of them. To emphasize on one, does the world really need a 15' Stitch head with giant tongue picking it's own nose?


EDIT: WOOOOF! Just checked out the pics. Is it ALWAYS that crowded? Or is it exceptionally so?

EDIT 2: Okay, I'm seeing in these parade pics a building that looks like one near the moat in MK that supposedly hasn't served a purpose in years in FL. What do they do in Tokyo?

EDIT 3: Upon reading the comments and further reflection, I'm not sure how much of the stuff you love about the place could actually be exported to other parks. Yes it's clean and the cast has a great work ethic, but it's Japan. What kind of "lesson" can other parks learn? Americans are trashier by nature (I'm from a whole generation that were used to driving everywhere and just throwing their Dairy Queen cups out the window without a care where it would land) and if you asked one to kneel on the ground regularly for long periods for minimum wage, they'd laugh at you.

[TDLFAN]

Those pictures are awesome. I was wondering if I could save a few of them and put them on my desktop as wallpaper.

As long as they are used for personal reasons and not to post on websites and be passed on, then I guess it's ok.

I also had a question because I have only been to Disneyland. Since there are so many parks around the world, is the primary language English or do they speak their native language but know English..or how does that work. I noticed the signs were all in English. Thanks guys.

At every international park... the local language is the prominent language used. At TDL.. most everything is in japanese language with english signs and TDR happens to be the toughest park to find an english speaker CM. Years of isolation from the western audience has made this resort very japanese and not all that english friendly, even though most everything is bilingual in show and signage. In Hong Kong... cantonese is the official language at the park but because of HK's former ties with the UK, english is widely spoken here as well and you won't have a problem getting around at all. DLParis, it's probably the most language friendly park... Most CMs are biligual in euro languages and most speak english, even if they pretend not to know it as that may be the case with some rude CMs there. At WDW of course... if you don't speak spanish, you are simply out of luck!! Spanish has definitely become the mother tongue at WDW, and some CM's do not even speak english all that much, but lucky for you, those remain 'backstage' where they cause the least damage.

I can see the sign at the front door now. "Coming Soon: Six Flags over Chiba!"

TDR is in Urayasu. Not Chiba City. Or maybe Urayasu is in the Chiba Prefecture??

See Indy in DL for very well done show "grungyness."

There is lots of fake "grungyness" at TDR as well, especially TDS's venetian canal and their own Indy ride.

Did they change the music or sounds at all?

No. The regular loops play as normal.

does the world really need a 15' Stitch head with giant tongue picking it's own nose?

That was the only float I had an issue with and stated so in my photo caption.

WOOOOF! Just checked out the pics. Is it ALWAYS that crowded?

On special days, events, halloween event, Xmas events, the entire month of August... yes. On other times... not as bad, but close. Late Jan, feb and march? nice and slow, like a busy day at WDW.

[MickeyMania]

Clarice was the female chimpmunk, I think she was a lounge singer, in the old Chip&Dale shorts from the 50s. She only made one appearence that i can remember and I think Dale had a crush on her.

Sheesh, I never knew that! I always though they were.... you know.


I mean, Dale DID wear a red shirt for an entire TV series.