Follow me to Disney World

While waiting for our own Magical Express bus at Orlando International I was able to get a shot of a departing one. I love the art deco era style and of course the whole gang in the back window. Once again it shows how Imagineers can make just about anything unique and fun!

Toasting chocolate

This sign in the Confectionery helps add a sense of era to the store. The reference to Chicago would be the World's Columbian Exposition in 1893 I would imagine, also known as Chicago's World's Fair. The Expo was a host to new ideas of all sorts for the industrial era, including the first ever ferris wheel.

Grizzly Peak Pass Trail

This is one of those quiet back areas that no one seems to visit (I suppose that helps on the quiet part...) yet is a great place to go explore. This trail around the mountain and rapids has some neat details to explore that I'll get into later. The highway style sign is an interesting touch, you are, in theory, walking down the highway from the Condor Flats area to the streets of San Francisco so to use a modern DOT style sign, in a way, makes sense. I might have picked a slightly more rustic wooden sign put up by a parks department to better fit the feel of the neighborhood with Grizzly River Run and the old mines nearby, but then again it wasn't up to me. Either way, if you have always walked past this sign but never turned down this road do so the next you are at California Adventure, it is well worth the few extra of minutes.

Deliver to Harambe...

Time for yet anther crate! This time it is a big delivery for the Pangani Forest Conservation School - not sure if FedEx delivers as far as Harambe but it somehow made it to the conservation outpost along the trail. It looks like it hasn't even been opened yet, what are they waiting for? I love getting packages in the mail, maybe they just need help opening it. Off to find some tools...

Skip Level 13

Looks like Level 13 at the Big Thunder Mine has a bit of an issue. Hard to tell if it is flooded or collapsing or what happened but any way it goes that isn't a stop any more on the way down the main shaft! Just one more detail on the incredible queue in Disneyland - if you have only been to Disney World you are missing out as the queue on the other coast is far more elaborate and detailed, thanks in part to the old Mine Train through Nature's Wonderland set and the town of Rainbow Ridge.

Notice - eating utensils ahead

I love this sign! I have no idea where the idea came from but the next time you are looking for forks at the Backlot Express you have little excuse for not finding them. But where are the sporks?

Desktop: Global palm trees

For this week's desktop we have a bit of a different view of the classic Epcot icon Spaceship Earth and the surrounding greenery. There was just something about the way to palm trees and the geometry of the geosphere worked out that caught my eye that day... Outside of the Global Neighborhood entrances at Spaceship Earth were the tall palm trees seen here. Now I've heard they were replaced with smaller ones to match the other side when the wand was removed last year but I forgot to check when I was there this winter. Hopefully the new ones grow quickly as I sort of like having the tall palm trees - especially since there is no way I'll ever see them here at home!

Wanted dead or alive

Peg Leg Pete and Brer Fox are in trouble once again over in Frontierland. Seems like they have been rustlin' pins from the Frontier Mercantile store... Those guys just can't seem to stay out of trouble.

Side note on the store proprietor - for those of you that don't know about John Slaughter he was the main character in Texas John Slaughter, a Wonderful World of Disney show from 1958-61.

Changing lanes

For all of you out there that can't figure out how things look closer in your rear view mirror, this department at the Muppet Labs is clearly to blame for your problems!

Giant green gecko

All I can say is that this is one cool lamp! I'm not sure if it would look as cool at home as it does at Pizzafari but I'd sure be willing to give it a try - once the Polynesian Mail Box aquisition crew is done I see another job...