Archive from December 2001

4:50 PM - WDW Pirates of the Caribbean (night vision) ride video... (posted by Allen )
I've also encoded a ride through WDW's Pirates of the Caribbean using night vision on a digital camcorder. This produces a black and white (green and white) image but you can clearly see all the scenes. Normal ride throughs are often very dark.

3:08 PM - WDW Snow White ride video... (posted by Allen )
I've just finished encoding video of WDW's Snow White ride. If anyone wants to view it (in three different sizes, QuickTime format), sign up to the mailing list and you will receive the link.

1:31 PM - Walt Disney World gallery revised. (posted by Allen )
I have revised the Walt Disney World photo gallery. There are no new pictures, but the layout is a bit different. I will be redoing all of the galleries in this site over the coming weeks.

3:34 PM - Electric Light Parade music? (posted by Allen )
Attention all Main Street Electrical Parade fans. Do any of you know how many versions of the MSEP soundtrack have been released over the years? I bought the Fantasmic CD a few years ago (before I'd even seen that show) just to get the "most complete" version of MSEP that had ever been released -- 14 minutes long. I also have a version from a stand-alone "Main Street Electrical Parade" CD that has a 10 minute version. In the past they've had very short versions on various soundtrack CDs. Just how many have there been?

Also, the intros are different between the parks. The Fantasmic CD starts with "Disneyland is proud to present..." while the other (from Walt Disney World?) starts with "The Magic Kingdom...". What does the one for sale at Disney's California Adventure say? The CD says "(original version)" the same as the 10 minute "The Magic Kingdom" version I have does.

Any MSEP fans out there who can clarify this? Or point me to a web site with good MSEP details?

3:27 PM - Merry Christmas! (or Happy Holidays!) (posted by Allen )
Merry Christmas Eve, everyone. Just a few more days of 2001 left to go...

10:37 PM - Newest photos successfully uploaded. (posted by Allen )
Thanks to a new version of my gallery generator and a new FTP program, I have uploaded all the latest photos. Members of my announcement list have been sent the link. For anyone else, just sign up to the list and you'll be sent a message with the details (read next news posting for a link to the signup page).

Something new in the gallery: This version shows the preview (thumbnail) page, then lets you look at a half size image. If you click on that image, you can then see the huge full size photo. The half size image should dramatically speed up browsing through the gallery.

I will be reprocessing the rest of the photo archive over the next few weeks to make everything work this way. Enjoy!

12:41 PM - New Disneyland / California Adventure Christmas photos! (posted by Allen )
Over 1000 new photos are currently being uploaded to my server. If you would like to take a sneak peek at the latest pictures, including tons from the new Haunted Mansion Holiday at Disneyland, take a moment to sign up to my announcement list at:

http://www.disneyfans.com/mailinglists.html

I usually send out announcements to the list first (giving them first chance to view the latest additions). I will be posting information on the new photos there first, then I'll post a general announcement here on the news page a few days later.

Due to issues with my cable modem provider and FTP software, it might still take a few days to get the images posted.

3:09 AM - December 2001 trip reports...soon? (posted by Allen )
So much to do, so little time. It may be after the holidays before I can get to this, but I have already started working on a trip report for my visit this past weekend. You will find it in the Disneyland Resort section (see the links at the top of each page on this site, or click the "more" to go there now).

6:20 PM - Haunted Mansion Holiday video! (posted by Allen )
I have some extra room on the virtual couch for anyone who wants to have a seat and watch my vacation video. It includes two trips through the Haunted Mansion Holiday attraction. Send me an e-mail and I'll tell you how to play it on the virtual VCR.

12:47 AM - Haunted Mansion FAQ (posted by Allen )
I put up a copy of my old version of Don Bertino's Haunted Mansion FAQ in the "Articles" section of this site:

http://disneyfans.com/articles/index.htm

I have viewed some of the video I took at the Haunted Mansion Holiday and it turns out pretty good. I also took a few MPEG movie clips with my other camera. If you want to see the video, be sure to sign up to my announcement list.

More to come, as soon as I have time to process the photos...

3:07 PM - Post-trip update... (posted by Allen )
Okay, I'm back home in chilly Iowa now. Funny, it feels like it might have been colder in California this past weekend! So far, only a brief snow here (only enough to dust the grass slightly) on one day -- this means I've seen more "snow" at Disneyland this year than here, which is interesting since we often get snow on Halloween night in Des Moines.

Anyway, the photo count stands as 1208 images (680 megs). I will try to process these and add them to the library by this coming weekend. It may take literally take DAYS to upload them all, so don't necessarily expect anything "soon".

ALOT has changed at the parks since I was last there in February of this year. I took video of most of the new shows and the Haunted Mansion Holiday (excellent!). I'll see about converting some video over at some point in the future, too.

Happy holidays! I have to get back to work now...

3:56 PM - It was a California Adventure! (posted by Allen )
Final entry. We are now at the Orange County Airport waiting for our 3:15 flight. Watch for a photo and trip report in the next few weeks (holiday and work schedule permitting).

11:58 AM - Nothing... (posted by Allen )
It is much less crowded this morning. After the 11am performance of Billy Hill we will probably take one last free sleigh ride at the Mansion then head back to DCA to finish up the trip. TTYL...

10:47 AM - Monday, monday... (posted by Allen )
Sunday night the line for Mansion disappeared at around 11pm - for the last hour everything was a walk-on (as usual).

Monday we only have an hour or so before we have to get to the airport. Hopefully I can see the Billy Hill holiday show and take final pics and shop a bit... Gotta check out of the hotel now - see ya in a bit.

12:17 AM - Christmas Mansion rocks! (posted by Allen )
Anuthcr long day winds down as we hop to DL for dinner in Frontierland then a trip with the pirates (no line) and a visit to the Mansion (60+ minute wait!) Now I'm going to ride again with no weight thanks to FastPass.

3:38 PM - What a blast! (posted by Allen )
Millionaire was great fun, but I suck. I did "win" a monkey on the boardwalk, though, so at least I'm not a total loser. We found a beer place that was open, then did Mulholland (fun but short) and Maliboomer (fun and real short!) Now we are sitting in the Hyperion waiting for Blast! to start...

11:58 AM - Day three... (posted by Allen )
We begin a chilly day three at the Carnation Cafe on Main Street for a quick sit down breakfast. Mmmm... Mocha. It is chilly but the sun is starting to warm things up.

...then to DCA where we are in line for Soarin' before official park opening. Cya!

3:12 AM - End of day two... (posted by Allen )
What a long day. After gumbo, chowder, hot chocolate and apple cider we wanted to take one last Mansion ride. Too bad, long lines even after 11pm. Disney has a real hit on their hands. Pirates, however, was a walk-on... So we did. And left. And warmed up. What a long day.

12:37 AM - It's cold... (posted by Allen )
It's cold. Real cold. We went on the tour and it was great! Tons of trivia I did not know. They FastPassed us through Mansion and Small World and gave us a private parade viewing are (with a free Rice Krispie treat thing). Excellent.

After that, DCA for Limo and Luminarium. No indoor food places were open. Blah. Back to DL to eat. I am in a LONG line for gumbo and chowder.

And it's cold.

6:16 PM - Update from Avalon Cove... (posted by Allen )
FastPass is so great. We've spent the day getting passes then going to eat or ride things with short lines while we wait for our time. Lunch at Pizza Port and we saw Minnie's Christmas Party and Buzz Lightyear's show. I like Buzz.

The new ride photo area at Space Mountain is nice. We are now enjoying a quick "adult beverage" at DCA. We just saw the cute Monsters, Inc. show. (They mention Des Moines, IA, a few times - that's where I live.) Nice day so far. In an hour it's back to DL for the Christmas Tour.

1:52 PM - Hello, sunshine... (posted by Allen )
We picked up Indy FastPasses then ate pancakes at the River Belle Terrace. Dry and warm enough to leave our umbrella and jacket in a locker on Main Street. Mansion has a 50 minute wait so we snagged a FastPass then got in line at Pirates (where I am now).

Oh... Over 300 pics taken yesterday (all high rez - most at DCA) and good video of Mansion, Christmas parade and Fireworks (with that fantastic tear-inducing snow). It is the Merriest Place on Earth.

11:03 AM - End of day 1, start of day 2... (posted by Allen )
Friday ended up good. Our friend Elizabeth (finally) showed up, we met her friend Cindy, we ate a VERY expensive (but good!) meal, and then it stopped raining. No waits on almost everything (after the rides came back online). Haunted Mansion is AWESOME! Tons of details to see.

Hello from the tram as we begin day 2. It is cold but dry.

2:09 PM - Rain, rain go away... (posted by Allen )
What a cold and rainy day. We walked down Main Street as it drizzled and snowed. Yep, Disney had the magic snow machines on making it an amazing first experience for this trip. Sadly, a power drop had all the rides shut down in both parks so here we sit - after noon - at DCA in thc winery trying to dry off as we sip. Kudos to CMs Josh at Pieces of Eight (arrr!) and Ginger at the winery restaraunt.

11:15 AM - Hello California! (posted by Allen )
Hello from the John Wayne Orange County airport. We will be on our way as soon as lugage arrives and our car is ready.

9:26 AM - Live update... (posted by Allen )
Our trip began on Thu night with a 2hr drive to Omaha, NE where we spent the night. Up at 4am, at the airport by 5am and on our way at 6am. We are now in Phoenix about to take of for Orange County.

5:23 PM - New photos coming ... soon? (posted by Allen )
I will be visiting Disneyland Resort from Friday the 14th until Monday the 17th. I had so much fun seeing the Christmas snow being tested last year that I want to go back and see it for real this time. Equipment and Internet connetion willing, I'll try to add a few hundred new photos to the gallery.

11:37 PM - Disney auctions off Keel Boat from Disneyland... (posted by Allen )
See this following Disney Auction:

http://cgi.ebay.com/disney/aw-cgi/ebayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=1672999864

We believe the bottom photo was taken from Yesterland.com, who was using the photo by permission. It's a shot I took, I am told. I feel special! (Now, can Disney lift and use a photo without permission if it's of a Disney item they own?)

The challenge is this: Can any of you find the original photo in my library?

5:57 PM - Happy Birthday, Walt! (posted by Allen )
Today, December 5th, marks the 100th anniversary of Walt Disney's birth.

1:37 PM - Disneyland Paris information: dlpfans! (posted by Allen )
We have a new site hosting with us! Please welcome Inge's Unofficial Diseyland Paris Webpages! She has moved her site to our server because she needed more room for her photos and other items. The site is available in French and English, and I've been asked to help get the new message board going. Please drop by today and check it out!

(Special thanks to Filip's DLP Pages for referring her.)

10:24 PM - IT/Ginger invention revealed. (posted by Allen )
Anyone out there paying attention to the rumors of "IT"? It's been revealed now at http://www.time.com and also in an article at http://www.nytimes.com with a full segment on Monday morning on ABC's Good Morning America show. Disney owns ABC. Several quotes have mentioned how this thing might be seen at places "like" Disneyland. Could be interesting... Other pages: http://www.ginger-chat.com and http://www.theitquestion.com

4:30 PM - @HOME results. (posted by Allen )
Ironically, AT&T is the only carrier that had its @HOME access shut off today. We have ours, but the nameserver appears to be down. After I figured that out, I've been able to get back online via the cable modem. Updates may be spotty for awhile as they work things out, but hopefully I've have some form of high speed connection in a few weeks to use for uploading the new Disneyland Resort photos ;-)