Monday, October 11, 2010

Disneyland - Trip Photos for the Jungle is 101 Crew!

I made it to the Park this past Sunday and snapped a few photographs (since I remembered my camera for once).

I've been a bit busy this week, so this post is a cheat. Very little thought.
Even less humor.

Mostly just pictures.
You get the idea.

To our right, the world famous, stupendous, absolutely amazing---Backside of the Castle!
Actually, in the twilight it looked amazing. My little digital barely did it justice.

Next, I offer a shot of one of those tucked away places in the Park that many folks miss or ignore.

This is the west entrance to Fantasyland. You come to this location from Plaza Gardens.
Used to be, you could enter Tinkerbell Toy Shop just to the left (and out of the photograph).

Again, as twilight was settling in, the colors in this area were interesting and the light above the passageway made all the more warm and inviting.
And look! No people!

Speaking of no people, here is a shot of the Plaza Gardens seating area just north of the stage and bandstand.

Grab a seat! There are plenty.

It seems they should put a restaurant here.

Oh.

Forgot.

They did.

Ok, then, it seems they should put it back!


My next photograph captures the magic time between afternoon and evening, when the sky darkens and the Park's lights come on.

The Plaza Gardens canopy and stage were nicely lit, so I took a picture without a flash.

Again, there weren't many people around.


The next pictures come from an area near and dear to me.

The first is the Indiana Jones expedition dock area along the banks of the Jungle Cruise.

This is where you'll often see the first "sign of Danger" in the Jungle.

Professor Henry Jones apparently has a shipment ready for pick up.

Next, we have a shot through the brush of the Monkey God temple.

It used to be more of a focal point before Indy went in and changed the course of the river. Now you kinda blow past it without really seeing it clearly.

Below this picture is a shot taken downriver of a Jungle boat as it makes the turn into the Sacred Bathing Pool of the Indian Elephants.

I like the dark green shadows at this time of day.

Makes everything look more...jungly.

Finally, we close with a photograph of the exit of Indiana Jones.

Talk about theming!

Looks like we've stepped out of one of Jones' digs in South America!

Start the plane!!
Start the plane!!

You get the picture.

Have a great day all!

---Mike

7 comments:

Connie Moreno said...

Great post! Like you, I enjoy shooting the Park with a "different eye". I'm going again on Thursday and yes...I'll have my camera with me (It rarely leave my side!).

Rich Blansett said...

I too should return on one of my many trips to the Magic Kingdom with my camera. After dozens of trips in the last few years with my family, I have forgotten that you can snap pics of things other than your brood.

As a side note, your pic of the west entrance to Fantasyland best demonstrates why this was my favorite path in the entire park, especially at night. The east side with its wishing well and constant singing used to annoy me ("I'm wishing...[I'm wishing]...For the one I love..."), eesh. Many a night I would catch teens necking along the west side path, due to its darkness and relative obscurity, and occasionally spot a dirty diaper in the planters. Such a strange dicotomy.

Anne said...

Nice Mike,
I am going to frequent Disneyland myself soon, hopefully, and take my camera. One of the things I forget to do most of the time. (and it makes one less thing for me to lose, as i do this a lot, mostly on Big Thunder. Had to reclaim a bag and phone from there) Did you go on the jungle cruise? Thats what I want to kno. How was the speil? hope it was good. Any bread jokes? Haha. I do love the aura of adventureland, but not the crowd. But hey if they got $3 kabobs at Bengal Barbecue I'm there. Cheapest food in the park. Hope you had loads of fun!

Anonymous said...

These are nice to see. I love the blogs with old pictures, but it's nice to see the Indy ride and my favorite monkey temple.

Also, that west door to the castle is a favorite spot. I try to pass that at night at least once each visit.

Thank you.

JG (no profile today)

Okie said...

What a fabulous set of pictures. Thanks so much for sharing. Very lovely. :)

Doug Reed said...

Dear Mike,

These are lovely photos. Thanks for capturing some of the little out-of-the-way details that make Disneyland so special. I've been a longtime lurker on your blog, and you write beautifully in a way that captures Disneyland as well as your pictures.

Have I flattered you enough? Good. Because now I have a favor to ask you.

I apologize for hijacking your comment thread. I don't see anywhere on the site to send you a private message, and I have wanted to contact you for quite some time.

I'm a computer programmer living in the Midwest. My kids are teenagers and in a few years my wife and I will be looking at what to do with the post-childrearing years of our lives.

I don't want to be a programmer anymore. I don't want to live in the Midwest.

I want to be a Jungle Cruise skipper at Disneyland, California, USA.

My wife thinks she's calling my bluff. She says that once the kids are gone, my time in the cubicle farm will be done, and that if I get the Jungle Cruise job, we can move to Anaheim.

I am writing to see if I can enlist your help. Would you be willing to strike up an e-mail correspondence? It's going to be approximately four years until I can make the move. As the time draws nearer, I will want to know some of the ins and outs of personnel, and if there are any ways to get my application a FastPass.

For now, though, I will go on appreciating your blog and planning my next Disneyland vacation (2013). Thanks so much for the little slice of Magic Kingdom your blog brings into the gray doldrums of cubicle world.

Doug Reed
Stoughton, WI

Mike said...

Doug:

mikekelly@mskellylaw.com

E-mail me anytime, my friend!

I'll get you into Disneyland like Tinkerbell!

Let me tell you, your dream is worth it! It's worth every second!!

---Mike