AL'S ARCHIVE - Ask Al!

These ten questions were posted on 4/26/00, and again thank you all for your terrific feedback and the many queries you've submitted. I always have a hard time picking from all of them for this update, if I didn't get to your question this time, I may be able to answer it at some point later for you.

These ten questions were posted on 4/7/00, again thank you all for your terrific feedback and the many queries you've submitted. I had a hard time picking from them for this update.

Q.	Trudy writes: Are there any other sites you recommend we visit before our trip to the park? -
A.	There are lots of Disneyland sites on the web, but I'll clue you in on some favorites of mine that have all just been recently updated. These sites in particular are very useful on planning your Disneyland trip, especially if you have special needs in your party. The first is the award-winning HAPPIEST POTTIES ON EARTH site that Adrienne and Kevin Krock maintain. What may seem like a bit of a joke to some folks, actually turns out to be quite a useful site - in particular if you have kids who constantly need to go, or as in Adrienne's case [which inspired the site in the first place] you're expecting and you need to go more often than normal. You'll find on a stressful enough day, trying to see as much as you can, knowing where all the bathrooms are can make your visit that much more efficient and pleasant. [I understand even Disneyland is quite pleased with how complete the site is, and how people do care about how much work they put into keeping those restrooms so clean despite the heavy use they can get.] Another recently updated site is very important if you have disabled folks involved in your visit. Tony and Adrienne Phoenix have complied a wonderful site, the DISNEYLAND DISABLED GUESTS FAQ which gives you a very comprehensive overview of what the park does [and in some cases, does not] for these special visitors. Every land is listed, every attraction is reviewed, and now they also have photos of some of the more unique things the park does, such as the special wheelchair boat that is available for it's a small world. Even if you are not in immediate need of the information for your party, it is still a fascinating read nonetheless.
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Q.	Jeff writes: I saw on some pages you mention the Fantasyland "Wonder Bra" Theater. Could you tell me the story behind this name? -
A.	It's a long story, but let's make it short: The name stuck during some rather spirited newsgroup discussions about just how inexpensive / poorly designed this new tent roof to the theater was. Thanks to its ungainly size, not to mention its stark white look, [and despite some rather poor attempts to disguise it somewhat with blue tarps] the thing quite simply looks like a giant bra. The name is now used internally at the park too it seems. Sadly, these kinds of poorly designed, much-too-budget-conscious projects are something that we'll see more and more of in Disney parks now, as folks with a short term view of things take over.
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Q.	Chris writes: Love your site. I check it every day as we are planning our trip to Disneyland. I have a question about the unscheduled Tarzan rehab. Has this rehab shut down the tree house completely or is [it] still open? -
A.	It's back up now. The work was done very quickly and well too.
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Q.	John writes: Hi Everybody, I’m John, and I’m a “DIG-aholic.” You get the picture! Thank you for giving so much time and energy to such a great service. I find myself checking daily to see if you’ve added any new little tidbits of information about Disneyland. You are truly doing a labor of love. And, it is appreciated. In your UPDATE recently, you mentioned how hard it is to predict crowd sizes these days. You commented that weekday’s are often pulling in 30,000 during times that traditionally would have had less. Is there a way to let us know what expected line waits will be, based on crowd size? For example, if the crowd is 30,000, the wait at Splash Mountain will be an hour and a half and an hour at Indiana Jones, etc, etc. It would be great to have a ballpark figure of what kind of wait to expect at major attractions based on different crowd sizes. Thank you for any thoughts about this!. -
A.	Thanks for the kind words John, what you asked for is something I've been looking into for a long time. The only thing holding it back somewhat is that Disneyland guards only one thing more closely to it's heart than your wallet, and that's their attendance figures. We have some rough ideas, we know more or less just about what size crowds hit when, but it's tough to lock it down when they make it so hard on you to find out exact numbers. And really when it comes to it, they probably are guessing just as much as we are, judging just by how many times these past few weeks the park has actually been underestimating crowds and running out of things such as pretzels and chicken drumsticks. But never fear, there may be a way we can present some general ideas to you as to wait times, very soon. Keep your eyes on the site is all I can say now.
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Q.	Christopher writes: We are planning our first visit. The day we arrive is my son's 5th birthday. We will be a party of six Mom, Dad, Son (5), Daughter (3), Aunt, Uncle. We are staying at one of the Good Neighbor Hotels. As I understand it the birthday parties / dinner with Disney characters are at Goofy's Kitchen in Disneyland Hotel. Can you advise me on any other suggestions to have a magical Disney birthday? We don't plan on entering the park till the next day. Thanks, great site. -
A.	On your actual day of celebration for your son, *Goofy's* is your best bet if you want the Disney characters involved. [There is also a breakfast at the *Disneyland Pacific Hotel* that includes characters and small skits / shows - but that may be too early for you.] You'll really enjoy the fact that the characters here in Anaheim are much freer to interact with your party - unlike in Walt Disney World, where most of them are behind ropes and you have to wait in line to visit with them. As far as the next day at the park, be sure to get a Happy Birthday sticker for your son at City Hall when you enter. This lets all the Cast Members [CM's] and characters know it's a special day for your child, and they'll make a little bit of an extra fuss over him all day long. It's one of the nice things the park does that most folks don't know about.
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Q.	Angela writes: First off I wanted to tell you that you have the most wonderful for Disney updates and I am a faithful reader, though sometimes I get a bit depressed about what is going on there. Anyway, am making a trip there this year and was wondering about something I thought I heard. Are they removing the little restaurant that makes the mint juleps? This is my boyfriend and I's favorite drink. We love to get one and then go sit down, relax and people / train watch. They are the greatest on a hot summer day. Oh, I also wanted to put my 2 cents in about missing the overhead tram [Sky] ride. That was another one of our favorites. We loved getting on it at night and watching the fireworks. I guess those days are gone, at least I have my memories. Thanks a lot and keep up the good work, P.S. - I hope DL doesn't do what WDW did to the tiki room. I was there last fall and the show was horrible!!!! -
A.	Thank you for the kind words Angela, and don't get depressed - there's a lot of good going on at the park these days [compared to the past] and things are getting better. Sometimes it's hard to write about things that need to be improved - but I know now after all the years I've been working on this site that people do appreciate knowing both good and bad, as it really does help them plan their visit much better. The little restaurant [actually a series of serving windows] that you're referring to is the *Mint Julep Bar, which is adjacent to the French Market Restaurant. It's still operational, and yes, is still serving up those Mint Juleps you like so much. What has been closed is La Petite Patisserie* [located on the same little walkway the *Cristal d' Orleans* (the glassblower) and jewelry shop is at, near the main entrance to the *French Market*] - which never really was paid much attention to, and used to serve up some wonderful candy / chocolate drizzled waffles on a stick that were so good. [They also had Mai-Tai flavored non-alcoholic slushies too, which I REALLY liked on those hot summer days.] And yes, I do miss the Skyway too! And make sure you catch the new fireworks show, it really is wonderful. [And don't worry, NO one at Disney likes the new Tiki show in Orlando, so we won't see it here it looks like.]
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Q.	Michael writes: I went to Disneyland, and I noticed that the Frontierland sign was gone, the wood one, and, a banner was in its place. It had the same font as the Woody's Roundup sign. I haven't gone to Disneyland since February, and I do know they didn't have the banner then, how long have they had it? And will they put the old one back? -
A.	I've been asking around about this, and all I get back are some educated guesses, which I will share here with you. It seems that the original sign, and the pole it cantilevered from, were built so that it could pivot out towards the hub, to be able to drive taller equipment through that area after the park was closed. Either a] the swinging arm type of apparatus was damaged by someone plowing into it not knowing how high the sign actually was, or b] it finally wore out and they just cut it away until they could replace it. Let's hope they put the old sign back into place - although lately they seem to be tightening the purse strings again when it comes to projects like this, i.e. witness the permanent loss of the Tiki Room entrance hut.
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Q.	Tony writes: Hi Al I am an annual passholder and have read and enjoyed your site for a long time now. I had a question about the 2nd floor of Starcade. I remember before the major Tomorrowland rehad both floors were opened and now the second floor remains untouched and looks like the Tomorrowland of the 80's. Are they ever going to open second floor again? -
A.	At this time, probably not. Rumors continue that they want to move the entire arcade up to that floor, and expand the adjacent *Star Trader* shop into that area, but nothing has come of that. The other rumor, which doesn't hold much credence apparently, is that the entire area could host a slightly smaller version of the *Buzz Lightyear* ride from Walt Disney World, but I just can't see them a] making an already crowded area more so, b] even caring to spend the money, and c] even THINKING of losing all the revenue the arcade brings in. If anything happens on this, it will be noted in the regular update.
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Q.	Edwin writes: I have been attending Disneyland since the late 1970's when I was a child and have always thought of it as a magical place that one can escape to. Until recently.... My recent visits to the park did somewhat resemble the fun I had in the late 70's and 80's, but it always seemed be missing something. I soon realized that it was TOMORROWLAND that had been lacking. I found out that Tomorrowland went over major renovation in '98 and decided to get rid of many so-called "outdated" attractions and replace them with "new" ones (if you consider an attraction that still resembles the old one except with different name and color "new") and give the paint and theme a puke-brown / green color. I've always felt the white and blue colors of the old Tomorrowland gave the place a sense of optimism, purity, innovation, and promise of what tomorrow might be like. Attractions like The Peoplemover, Mission to Mars, Disneyland Monorail, The Rocket Jets, and Captain EO helped contributed to the theme. I've read that the "New" Tomorrowland was made as an attempt to duplicate what WDI in Paris had accomplished. They presumed that a "land of tomorrow" would be impossible to build before tomorrow becomes today. Hello? Weren't the Monorail and Peoplemover the first transportation concepts of its time? I believe WDI is missing the whole point. To make a world of tomorrow presented the challenge to think of what the future might hold. WDI decided to turn their backs to this challenge and take the easy way out by making a "Tomorrow that Never Was." I know that change is good, but remember when Disneyland would build truly "new" attractions? The last new attraction I can remember that was not just some renovated ride was Indy. I don't consider remodeled rides such as Rocket Rods (which is basically a fast Peoplemover that has no chance of real-world use) and Autopia 2000 (isn't gasoline engines a invention of the 19th century?), and Tarzan's Treehouse (no comment necessary ; ) ) new attractions by any means. Do you know if Disney has received a negative response from the New Tomorrowland? If so, do they have any plans on correcting it? When can we expect a truly "new" attraction worthy of bearing the Disney name? -
A.	1. As I understand it, Tomorrowland's redo hasn't been all that exciting for visitors, the main complaints concern the Rocket Rods [still getting an 80% negative rating] the closed Subs [people want to ride them since they are still so visible], and the less than stunning Innoventions, where yesterday's technology is nosily heralded as tomorrow's, and people avoid like the plague. Sadly under Paul Pressler's "leadership" [on Michael Eisner's watch] "just good enough" is the motto of the day. Except for the Autopia redo, don't expect much change in Tomorrowland until both of them move on. 2. Right now all the money is being poured into the new park, and Disneyland will not be getting any "E" types of attractions [such as Indy or Mansion] for many years to come. Keep in mind that this isn't all that bad, since the park in the past didn't open these types of attractions each year one after the other, it did take some time between each of them. But there will be an especially long time now before we see anything the caliber of Indy again.
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Q.	Julie writes: Hi Al, first I want to say that I LOVE your site! I check it once a week to read all the updates (you must be a very busy man). I had a two part question: Why don't you have any desktop photos of the actual rides? I recently read that photography is prohibited on all rides, is that true? I went to DL about 3 years ago and I took some photos in both Pirates and Roger Rabbits cartoon spin. I swear not one person ever said a thing to me about taking the pictures and if I knew they weren't allowed, I wouldn't have. Keep up all the great work, my family and I are going to DL end of September and we are SO excited! -
A.	Thanks for the kind words Julie, they are appreciated. First of all, there really are no restrictions on taking photos in rides, only that you not take flash pictures, which do disturb other visitors. [*Star Tours* CM's sometimes do ask that no camcorders be used, but this is more about not jabbing your eye with the camera than trying to prohibit you from filming.] So long as you don't bother others, avoid the flash, and the photos are for your own personal use, you should be fine in this area. As for not having pictures from inside the rides, there are a few reasons why I don't offer them [besides just how dark things are in the attractions, and the inability of the digital camera that I use to take good shots in low light]. First of all, Disney does maintain a copyright on all their characters, no matter what the medium, audio-animatronic or animated. And although they don't really crack down on people posting photos on line from the rides, it's a gray area that I'd just like to avoid for now. [Yes, you will find some character photos on the D-I-G to illustrate stories and such, but they should fall pretty clearly under what is considered a "fair use" situation.] Second, the landscapes and vistas are usually more of what readers seem to want - judging from the downloads the shots get. Hope this helps. -

The following questions were posted 3/30/00, and sadly you'd think the theme was about cutbacks, but honest folks, it wasn't:

Q.	Michael writes: I truly enjoy reading your site and appreciate all of the hard work you put into it. I can tell it is a true labor of love. I have been watching the developments of The California Adventure project for some time. I can't tell you how sad I felt when I saw your photos of the Disneyland hotel and how they demolished all of my favorite parts of it. One of my fondest memories was watching the monorail go by our room as we stayed in the Monorail bungalow area on the second floor by the old Travelport. I know change is good but I have to wonder is Disneyland regressing instead of progressing? Looking over many of the attractions in CA they look like nothing more than cheesy re-themed county fair attractions! I thought that these types of rides were the very reason that Disneyland was built in the first place! Is there going to be any truly Imagineered rides in this new park? I was excited about the prospect of a 21st Disneyland and all of the technology with it. Now all I have to do is look forward to some type of Buena Vista State Fair. -
A.	Thank you for the kind words Michael, they mean a lot. It's been no secret via my own online writings how I feel about what Pressler and Eisner have built over in the parking lot. Increasingly I keep seeing more and more e-mails like yours as people finally begin to understand the rather different nature of this park, compared to previous Disney efforts. UPDATED: 4/11/00 - You may want to visit Jim Hill's site / column here on the D-I-G, he now has a five-part article up on just why we got the park we got. Once you begin to understand the process as Jim has detailed it, it will let you better understand why we're getting something out there that is lower level Disney quality.
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Q.	Two questions: 1. Why don't you ever do any major reports about ODV? / 2. WHAT does ODV stand for? -
A.	1. Well I don't think churros merit too many photo essays around here... ;) ...but if you have any specific suggestions, do send them in, and we'll see if they would be of interest to the readers. / 2. ODV is short for Outdoor Vending - the department at the park that runs the countless carts you see all over the place selling hot dogs, pins, churros, popcorn and glow items, among others.
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Q.	Doug writes: Hello Al, I just wanted to say hi and tell you about a great job you are doing. My wife and I look forward to your updates. And we like all the behind the scenes stuff that you write about. We went to the park on 3/19 to 3/22. and we had a great time! I live in Napa California (North Cal) so I try to get down there at least two times a year. We have 3 kids, a five year old girl and twin boys age 2. But I can honestly say I get more excited then them when we go. When we went to the park there some things that I was impressed with. The character breakfast at the park was great. All the characters spent more then enough time with my kids and they had a blast. Something nice like that will stick with my kids forever. Also we got a surprise on the 3/20 they shot off fireworks and they stayed open two hours later. Is this something they do from time to time? (Being that it was a Monday Night).. There were some things that I have questions about - One being the submarine ride. It has been shut done for a long time [and] is a borderline eyesore. [Are] there any plans in the near future for this ride. Let's hope! One more thing is that I hope with the DCA coming that the prices can be some what reasonable. Well keep up the good work and I look forward to see your page. -
A.	1. You lucked out on the fireworks, Eisner was in the park that day for meetings, and they planned a special show for him. Too bad he didn't want to wait around to see it once they had a twenty minute delay [due to the wind conditions] - and when he left all the other executives [who were also supposed to see the show] took off too. So basically, you got the benefit of the show, even if the Disney execs didn't care about it. Great fireworks huh? :) 2. They keep talking about a new Atlantis ride for this area of the park, but at this time everything appears, just as the subs do now, dead in the water. With Eisner's newly mandated cuts and demand for profit increases, which Paul Pressler is just delighted to push forward, it may be years before anything is done in this area. 3. Prices for the new California Adventure park aren't set yet - but count on single day admission prices to match Disneyland's. Any discounts [as in Florida] will come from buying multi-day combination passes to both parks. As you can probably guess, those new combo passes will end up costing a bit more than just a one day admission does now...
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Q.	Jack writes: My wife and I took our 2 and 4 year old girls to DL last Thanksgiving and are returning this September. I'd never been to DL in my life, so I had the added bonus of seeing it for the first time through the eyes of my wonder struck little girls. We get on your site all the time and really enjoy the variety of information you supply. My two year old LOVES the Teacups, so you made her day with the Teacups wallpaper. Thank you very much. P.S. When will the Rainforest Cafe be completed? -
A.	Thanks for the kind words Jack, the teacups are among the most popular of the desktops. There will be more photos coming soon, and a few will be retired at the same time. You're right, seeing the park with younger visitors in tow is a wonderful way to experience Disneyland all over again, it never ceases to amaze me just how much wonder the little ones see in it. Right now they are pushing hard to have Rainforest Cafe open early, along with the rest of DownTown Disney, because they will all start generating revenue for the company. If rumor holds, we may see it open by mid-Summer.
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Q.	Amber writes: My boyfriend and I recently went to Disneyland for President's Day weekend and are planning to go back for our two year anniversary in April. My question is about the Tiki room, it now has Iago and Zazu outside but have they actually changed the show? Please say it ain't so, the original was a classic! -
A.	No changes, yet. Plenty of things have been rumored over the years, but with the current tight-fisted way of doing things, I wouldn't expect any changes for quite a while. The last change was made a few years ago, when one of the songs in the last part of the show was cut, the Offenbach number. It helped keep the MTV generation [with its more limited attention span] much more interested in the show, and even I [an old coot] thought it tightened things up quite a bit. The good thing is that attendance for the show is up, and that helps keep it open.
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Q.	Lloyd writes: After reading all of the negative comments about Fastpass, I wondered if those people were in the same park I visited last weekend. Note that I am an AP from Phoenix, AZ, who visits about once a month. Fastpass is a blessing. Users should follow some basic rules, however. Don't spend your Fastpass waiting period loitering in a shop. Use the time to go ride something else (if the Fastpass begins in 45 minutes, it won't end for 105 minutes). Also, check the delay time before committing to a Fastpass. If the period is too long (Splash Mountain wait times build quickly), decide how important the ride is. The goal (and I think it is a noble goal) is to ensure that everyone who wants to ride will be able to, and to allow customers to avoid those lines that have always quickly exceeded one hour in length. -
A.	You are right Lloyd, when Fastpass works as it should, it is a very good thing! And your suggestions are all right on the money too. The problems begin to creep in when the system is monkeyed around with, and that's what seems to be at the root of the feedback I've seen so far. Hopefully in the future they will keep the meddling to a minimum, and let the system function as it properly should. Read more about this in the latest UPDATE.
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Q.	Jeff writes: Hi Al, from what I understand the Lilly Belle Parlor Car is suffering from dry rot and neglect. I also understand that it is supposed to be restored but the maintenance keeps getting delayed. I would be sad to see this historical treasure neglected indefinitely. If you could mention this on your web site perhaps others would know of this and together we could help in some way. -
A.	Sadly Jeff, there seems to be a new round of maintenance cut-backs that are creeping into the park, some of which I detailed in my last UPDATE. Apparently they seem to feel they need to squeeze even more blood out of rocks again, and they hope folks won't notice. I'd love to see the Lilly Belle returned to its proper place on the track, and hopefully any notes you can write to the park, or any comment forms you can fill out at City Hall on your next visit will let them know there are other people out there who'd like to see it back too.
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Q.	Joe writes: Are the Keelboats ever coming back? -
A.	Your timing was perfect on this question! I had left this same subject out of the last update this week due to time. Cynthia Harriss [president of Disneyland] really does want them to return. But they both have to be rehabbed, and there is just no money in the budget at this time. [I still find myself not believing that - not with all the cash they rake in at the place all the time!] At least we can thank her for the canoes - they would have been axed if it weren't for her personal interest in them. Let's hope she can find a way to also bring the Keel Boats back to really get that river traffic going again.
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Q.	Steve writes: Is there an updated site / calendar that lists the expected crowds for this year? When I go to Monica's crowd site, it only has info for 1999. My family is planning a trip to Disneyland on May 17, and I would like to have some idea of what to expect. -
A.	I've been looking at how to do this for quite some time - the problem lies in the increasing unpredictability of the crowds the park now gets. It used to be that there was a set formula in the old days, holidays and school breaks were all pretty much standardized nationwide, and year-round schools were unheard of. But with the relentless promotion the park now gets, two months of Christmas, resident salute seasonal discounts, spring breaks varying by as much as two months in many school districts, and those year-round schools, the traditional blocks of heavy attendance are now more evenly distributed on the calendar. Keep in mind the following very generalized information though, and it may help you out a bit: If possible try at all costs to avoid Saturdays - that is the peak day for attendance year-round at the park. If you must visit on a weekend, make it a Sunday, it's about half to two thirds the crowd of the day before. If you can make it during the week, keep in mind Mondays and Fridays seem to be busier than Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. Get there early! Most of the crowd for the day comes in from about 10:30 AM to about 1 PM, and you can get a lot done in the quieter 8 / 9 AM to 11 AM time period. After that, you can take it easy and enjoy a long leisurely lunch around the noon hour while the crowds are forming those long lines. And try to avoid those three-day holiday weekends - they can double the attendance overall on them. Hope this helps!


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