G-Force

The tongue-in-cheek G-Force Records is the home to Rock 'n' Roller Coaster and Aerosmith. And with the loops and high speed take off you'll certainly feel the g forces...

Ready to roll

This trailer sits just inside the entrance to Dinoland near the intersection of the path the Asia and the bridge to the island. Note the attention to the weathering - it is very accurate for a trailer that would be sitting out in the dusty, hot sun of the southwest... Faded logo and paint, a bit of dirt and grime, etc. What gets me is the a/c unit on the roof, I have no idea why they need that - what is really stored in the trailer?

Kringla Bakeri og Kafe

This tasty sign hangs outside the Kringla Bakery in Norway. The pretzel with a crown is all about my favorite item they have, the frosted sweet pretzels! A perfect snack that goes great any time of day as you explore the World Showcase...

Hey you! Can't you read the sign?

There are plenty of warnings as you enter Stage 3, er, 3D to keep out and the research is top secret. Though that doesn't really stop anyone...

Trash Can Tuesday: Carribean Beach

This week's trash can is brought to you by the Caribbean Beach Resort where they remind you to dispose of your trash properly while you are lounging in the sun...

Desktop: Happy Chinese New Year!

Today is the Chinese New Year! Don't forget to celebrate - or at least support your local chow mien take out place.

Lions, dragons, triceratops, oh my...

The Animal Kingdom logo creatures can be seen in a few of the benches around the park, this one sits out by the Disney Transport bus stops. From the latest rumors this quintet of creatures may be losing their status as the AK logo in the future. The dragon made it over a decade with no real connection to the park actually materializing - you have to wonder how many people caught that and wondered "Hmm, that's interesting..."

A very Goofy formula

I'm not sure how Goofy came up with this formula or even how it works (proof that those four years in college weren't all that useful I guess) but you can try to figure it out for yourself the next time you are at MouseWorks.

Henry's Horseshoes

Among the pile of supplies, crates, and barrels at Big Thunder is this one for Henry's Horseshoes Co. I'm not sure if there are any exact Henry's that it is named after or just a good use of names...

Desert Hot Springs Ice Co.

A creative play on words, the Desert Hot Springs Ice Co. can be found along Sunset Blvd. They have to have some serious coolers to keep that ice in its solid state... Not sure what the blanked out window is for (speaker?), it was an oddity that has been like that the last couple times I've seen the window...

Enjoy a Coke

This little reminder to enjoy a bottle of Coca-Cola can be found near the Drinkwallah at the gateway to Asia in the Animal Kingdom...

We the people...

With the historic inauguration of President Obama starting at this time, the Hall of Presidents once again has a new dignitary as a part of show...

Desktop: Rafting the Grizzly River

This week's delayed desktop is from DCA and the Grizzly River Run. The rocks and trees in the foreground are along the edge of your rafting route - they add to the rugged waterfall effect for those just watching (and staying dry) while the iconic bear watchs over the rafters... You can find scene this along the scenic path and hiking trail - a nice way to escape the crowds that sometimes can gather out in front of GRR on a warm day...

Playful spooks have interrupted our tour...

Minor technical issues folks - the recent bad weather wiped out the internet connection just before I was heading out of town so there has been a bit of a delay in the posts. Don't worry, the weather has cleared up, I'm back in town, and the internet connection is live again so I'll be catching up over the next day or two!

This way to Chinatown

Tucked back in the Streets of America once you leave the San Francisco section is this sign. For anyone entering the back way there is a helpful little guide on a lamppost...

A rat's nest in the sky

The electrical lines above Anandapur are, shall we say, a tad bit creative. Or scary, take your pick. Either way it looks like it is a bit to start sparking...

Trash Can Tuesday: World Showcase

This week we're in the World Showcase - the UK to be exact. This cans have the compass logo on them and are pretty sedate, made to blend in with most any surrounding...

Dekstop: House with a river view

Today's desktop is in Liberty Square. As you walk around the backside of the Columbia Harbor House you get the feeling that you are walking through a colonial era New England town. This house (well, house facade) is jsut one example of the interesting architecture. And when you are done looking at the buildings you can swing inside and grab some chicken or fish and enjoy a good meal at the Harbor House!

Welcome to the French Quarter

Welcome and enjoy your stay at the French Quarter! Check in to your right, beignets to your left... The sign just says New Orleans - from the wrought iron to the Mardi Gras colors...

Ice cold refreshment downtown

This pop machine can be found near the Marketplace bus stop. It has all sorts of Downtown Disney icons on it - from Fulton's Crab House to the gateways and more...

Night lights

The lights on Main Street are always great and the twinkling movie marquee at the Main St. Cinema is a throwback to the small town movie theatres of the past. Now if they could old go back to showing more cartoons in the cinema instead of making it mostly a gift shop...

Ride the El Capitan

Another look at one of the lockers in Disneyland with their colorful suitcase stickers. The El Capitan was a train on the Santa Fe from Chicago to LA. The Hotel Sole would be in Palmero, Italy - today there is a Grand Hotel Sole in Palmero but I'm bot sure if it is the same place... Meanwhile the Winter Palace in Luxour still exists today in Egypt. So there you go, a minor lesson in history and world travel in a minute or less!

Year(s) of a Million Dreams

Here's one last look at the Year of Million Dreams - the event that out lasted its own name taking the already long Disney year to new extremes. There weren't a whole lot of remnants of the celebration when I visited last month... This banner featuring the special edition ears could still be found at the MGM gates.

See you at the World's Fair

Outside the Carousel of Progress you can find this poster, a recreation of the 1964-65 World's Fair poster where the Carousel made its debut performance. It also talks about its move to Disneyland and then to its current home at Disney World where it still entertains guests today.

Trash Can Tuesdays

Welcome to a new segment we're calling Trash Can Tuesdays. Now as you all know, if anyone can make a trash can look good it is Disney and they certainly do their best. So for the next few Tuesdays, or till I run out of trash can photos, we're going to take a look at some from around the parks.

To start it off I'm going with a photo not only of the trash and recycling cans but also of a bit of the Adventureland atmosphere in the form of the signage outside of the Adventureland Bazaar. Check out the detailing on all the elements in the photo, very nicely done!

Desktop: The return of a classic logo...

At the Polynesian bus stop this sign greets travelers heading out for their adventures. There is one small detail that caught my eye. Note the logo by the Hollywood Studios - could it be that the Earful Tower is finally making its return to replace the dreaded hat?

Welcome to tomorrow

Outside of the new Tomorrowland in Disneyland is a plaque with Walt's speech that he made when Tomorrowland was opened to the world. The speech sums up everything that was hoped for the future - especially the hope for a peaceful and unified world.

Mombasa Marketplace

The Mombasa Marketplace is open and ready for your business. Located in Harambe it stocks African gifts and more and is directly across from the Tusker House. Note all the of the detail in the sign, aging plaster, etc. making it look as if the building has been around for ages when it is really just a decade old....

Epcot Center

"Epcot is an acronym which stands for Experimental Prototype Community of Tomorrow. Its logo is a graphic representation of the Epcot Center philosophy. It symbolizes unity, fellowship, and harmony around the world. The five outer rings are linked to form the shape of a flower - a celebration of life. The heart of the logo is Earth embraced by a star, symbolizing hope - the hope that with imagination, commitment, and dedication we can create a better tomorrow."

From a 1993 guide map (the final year as Epcot Center) - they still have big ideas for Epcot back then and the explanation of the logo was quite interesting. I had no idea until recently when my sister (and fellow Disney fanatic) unearthed this classic map. The Epcot symbols are all simple yet obviously a lot of thought went into them. Now if I can find if there is more than meets the eye with the other Future World logos...

Flying Chinese take out

No, you didn't party too hard last night, you really are seeing a flying Chinese take out box. Over at Flik's Fun Fair you can hop a balloon ride in all sorts of colorful boxes, including this one.

On a separate note - The Backside of Water has a birthday today! It was a year ago that I started this crazy thing and I figured what better way to say thanks than with food. Well, ok so there isn't a single egg roll or wanton in that box but still - thanks for reading!