Disneyland On Christmas Eve, A Tradition (Page One)
It's just what we do. This is Sue's 46th year of going to Disneyland on Christmas Eve.... Rain, snow, heat... whatever.
We begin at the Rainforest Cafe for a little food and perhaps a drink! Then off to Disneyland where we catch the Christmas Tour which get's us great parade seats!
Then to dinner at Catal in Downtown Disney followed by a return to the park for the fireworks and snow!
We are home by 9:00 where we visit and prepare to go to church at 11:00. What a day!
Onward to Breakfast!
What better way to sart the day!
The group has gathered
Tummies are full... Off to Disneyland
Inside Disneyland Via The Monorail
Did you know? - A monorail is a rail-based transportation system based on a single rail, which acts as its sole support and its guideway. The term is also used variously to describe the beam of the system, or the vehicles traveling on such a beam or track. The term originates from the contraction of the words mono (single) and rail, from as early as 1897 as early systems used metal rails. The transportation system is often referred to as a railway. Colloquially, the term "monorail" is often used erroneously to describe any form any elevated rail or peoplemover. In fact, the term solely refers to the style of track, not its elevation.
The first monorail was made in Russia in 1820 by Ivan Elmanov. Attempts at creating monorail alternatives to conventional railways have been made since the early part of the 19th century. The earliest patent was taken out by Henry Palmer in the UK in 1821, and the design was employed at Deptford Dockyard in South-East London, and a short line for moving stone from a quarry near Cheshunt, Hertfordshire to the River Lea. The Cheshunt line is notable as it was the world's first monorail to carry passengers, as well as the first railway line to be opened in Hertfordshire.
Early designs centred on use of a double-flanged single metal rail alternative to the double rail of conventional railways. Wheels on this rail would both guide and support the monorail car. A surviving suspended version is the Wuppertal monorail. Into the 1900s, Gyro monorails, with cars gyroscopically balanced on top of a single rail, were tested but never developed beyond the prototype stage.
The Ewing System, used in the Patiala State Monorail Trainways in Punjab, India, relies on a hybrid model with a load-bearing single rail and an external wheel for balance. One of the first systems put into practical use was that of French engineer Charles Lartigue, who built a monorail line between Ballybunion and Listowel in Ireland, which was opened in 1888 and closed in 1924 (due to damage from Ireland's Civil War).
The Lartigue system uses a load-bearing single rail and two lower, external rails for balance, the three carried on triangular supports.
Time To Head For The Tour!
Weather was beautiful on this Christmas Eve
The Castle was beautiful
Did you know? - Opened July 17, 1955, the castle is the oldest of all Disney castles. It reaches a height of 94 feet (28.5 meters). The castle initially featured an empty upper level that was never intended to house an attraction, but Walt Disney was not satisfied with what he viewed as wasted space, and challenged his Imagineers to find some use for the space. Beginning April 29, 1957, visitors were able to walk through the castle and view several dioramas depicting the story of Sleeping Beauty. The original dioramas were designed in the style of Eyvind Earle, production designer for Disney's 1959 film Sleeping Beauty, and were then redone in 1977 to resemble the window displays on Main Street, U.S.A.. The walkthrough was closed for unspecified reasons in October 2001; popular belief claims the September 11th attacks and the potential danger that ensued played a major factor in the closing.
On July 17, 2008, Disney announced that the Sleeping Beauty Castle walkthrough would reopen in the style of the original Earle dioramas, enhanced with new technology not available in 1957. The walkthrough reopened on November 27, 2008 at 5:00 PM, drawing long lines going as far back as the Hub. Unlike previous incarnations, visitors who are unable to climb stairs or navigate the passageways of the Castle can still experience the walkthrough "virtually" in a special room on the Castle's ground floor. This room is lavishly themed, and presents the closed-captioned CGI walkthrough recreation on a high-definition TV.
Everywhere you look it's beautiful
Awaiting our tour guide
Headsets provide music and a means of hearing the guide
Did you know? - November 10th 2009 - The massive bottom half of Disneyland’s Christmas tree slowly made its way along Main Street USA – followed by the top half.
Both were carried by cranes early Tuesday morning, as the theme park finished decking itself out with annual holiday decorations.
The 13-ton, 60-foot-tall artificial tree is in its second year at the theme park; two years ago, in part to go more green, Disney quit using live trees.
More than 60,000 lights are on the new one, along with 2,000 ornaments.
“The lighting and the electrical weigh over 5,000 pounds - a real tree wouldn’t be able to accommodate that kind of weight,” said David Caranci, Manager of Resort Enhancement at the park.
Early Tuesday morning also found more than 40 workers on lifts or ladders decorating the rest of Main Street. Elsewhere, crews added a snow-and-icicle look to the castle. More than 100,000 lights were attached to the “it’s a small world” façade, and ornaments and lights sprung up in New Orleans Square, too.
Everyone is wired!
The reindeer (Rangifer tarandus), also known as the caribou when
wild in North America, is an Arctic and Subarctic-dwelling deer,
widespread and numerous across the Arctic and Subarctic.
Always activities at New Orleans Square
Did You Know? - New Orleans Square is a themed land based on 19th century New Orleans. It was opened to the public on July 24, 1966. Despite its age, it is still very popular with Disneyland guests, being home to two of the park's most popular attractions: Pirates of the Caribbean and Haunted Mansion.
A show aboard the paddlewheeler
Haunted house is always a kick
We catch the train to Small World
Toon Town
Did you know? - Mickey's Toontown opened in 1993 and was partly inspired by the fictional Los Angeles suburb of Toontown in The Walt Disney Studios' 1988 release Who Framed Roger Rabbit. Mickey's Toontown is a 1930s cartoon come-to-life and is home to Disney's most popular cartoon characters. Toontown features two main attractions: Gadget's Go Coaster and Roger Rabbit's Car Toon Spin. The "city" is also home to cartoon character's houses such as the house of Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse.
We Await The Para
Did you know? - The "A Christmas Fantasy Parade" is an annual parade presented at Disneyland Park in the Disneyland Resort in Anaheim, CA. The parade is a holiday parade that runs (usually) from the weekend before Thanksgiving until the Sunday after New Years. It debuted in during the 1994 Holiday Season, replacing the "Very Merry Christmas Parade." The parade features several Christmas themed floats and a catchy soundtrack, along with favorite Disney characters such as Mickey, Minnie, Donald, Daisy, Goofy, Max, Roger Rabbit, Pinocchio, Jiminy Cricket, Geppetto, Woody & Buzz, Aladdin, Jasmine, Belle, Beast, Snow White and her Prince, Aurora (Sleeping Beauty), Prince Philip, Cinderella, Prince Charming, Ariel, and the Babes in Toyland soldiers. Earlier versions of the parade included Winnie the Pooh and friends, characters from Lilo and Stitch, The Hunchback of Notre Dame, Mulan, and also young children.
Music box float, with a dancing ballerina atop a revolving platform,
and
a giant stuffed bear sitting beside her.
Toy Soldiers from Babes in Toyland marching that play trumpets and snare
drums
Mailroom float, with Mrs. Claus greeting park guests,
accompanied by
Donald
and
Daisy
Eight Snowflake performers skate down the parade route on roller skate
Eight Snowpeople scurry along, 4 male, 4 female.
Mickey and Minnie ice skate atop the Ice Rink float
# 6 Candy Bakers (3 Male, 3 Female) help Goofy and Max, who are atop the Gingerbread float, wreak some havoc.
Lady Tremaine, Drizella, and Anastasia (Cinderella's stepmother and stepsisters)
are not invited and therefore walk in front of the unit while playing with
guests.
Princess Aurora, Prince Philip, Snow White and her Prince, Belle, Beast, Ariel, Prince Eric, Cinderella, and Prince Charming are all invited to the ball
Pinocchio, Jiminy Cricket (or Foulfellow or Gideon), and Geppetto ride on top the giant Toy Factory float
Buzz Lightyear from Toy Story in a spaceship is atop a Toy Block float
8 Finale Reindeer Dancers (4 male, 4 female) dance and sing to Christmas carols.
Santa Claus sits atop his sleigh on the Finale float led by the 8 Reindeer.
The Tour Is Complete And We Head For Billy Hill
Funny!!!
Time For Lighting The Castle
Nick studies the guide
Watch The Disneyland Cristmas Tree Being Put Up!