The Little Mermaid: Ariel's Undersea Adventure Ride

On May 31, 2011, Disney's California Adventure Park had a ride preview of The Little Mermaid: Ariel's Undersea Adventure. It was only for Annual Pass Holders and you had to show your pass in order to ride. They also had limited edition ride pins just for AP holders also.


Here are some pictures from the ride and at the end is a video that was posted online and I thought is was a fantastic video of the ride!

Gotta love Disney landscapers! This wavy succulent was so cool!! I'd love to know the name of it, so if anyone out there knows, can you put it in the comments for me?

This picture of one of the tile murals in the queue is compliments of my friend Heather.

I rode it twice, once early in the day with friends, and then
at the last minute with Mr. Diva when he drove down after work.

Mr. Diva is still working on holding the camera still when he takes pictures. ;-D

This picture of the ride entrance was also taken by Heather.

Just a warning, we were not allowed to take any flash photography, so I followed the rules and consequently, many of the pictures are a bit blurry, under exposed or over exposed, but these were the best of what I got.

After you pass Scuttle, you "descend" under the sea!

Entering the "Under the Sea" room -- so fun!

Kiss the girl already!

What? Ursula can't believe she got her voice back and got her man!

Everyone is celebrating, including Ariel's Dad, King Triton!

Prince Eric and Princess Ariel

And since Scuttle started the whole story, it is of course, important that he ends it as well.

This is a really cute, very Disney dark ride! I loved it, but I don't think it is my favorite dark ride in DCA. Monsters Inc. is still my favorite DCA ride, hands down. But the Ariel ride is beautiful and definitely one I will ride over and over again! Well done imagineers!

Here is a fantastic video made by Asianjma123

Star Tours - The Adventure Continues

We got the chance to ride Star Tours two weeks early because they were having some soft opening times when we were there for the weekend. Here are a few pictures and then a video of more of them at the end.

Look what happened to Rex!!

This is the droid from Sector 2!

I loved this window at the end of the queue area where different travelers walk past it.

I'm a little sad that the lady with the eyebrows is gone.

Okay, and I had to add this because it is so funny!

Disney Studio and Archive Tour

I had the chance last year to attend a movie screening at the Walt Disney Studios in Burbank, and then to take a tour of the studios and archives this February. Here are a few pictures and a short video I put together at the end. Enjoy!

Walt Disney's first archivist! Thanks Dave for salvaging all the great Disney stuff from years past! In this picture he is holding the first ticket for entrance into Disneyland.

The gold medallion from Pirates.

This globe from Mary Poppins was found by Dave on a shelf in a janitor's closet. It was one of the things that caused him to start thinking about salvaging things from Disney movies.

Stuff from "Bednobs and Broomsticks"

These are all things from Walt or that were in his office or things about his life.

This is the hat the pirate ladies word in Blackbeard.

King Brian's crown from "Darby O'Gill and the Little People"

Me and Mr. Diva with Disney Legend, Kevin Corcoran.

This is Walt's Office -- the three windows on the end of the second floor.
It is now leased out to Shawn Cassidy of "Hardy Boys" and "Da Doo Run Run" fame.

Silly Symphony Swings

Okay, after I rode on the Orange Stinger in Disney's California Adventure, I vowed never to go on it again, but last weekend when we were down at the Disneyland Resort, Mr. Diva and I found ourselves in DCA at the rope drop, so we decided to avoid the running maniacs and head toward the quieter corner of Paradise Pier.


We happened upon the Silly Symphony Swings and Mr. Diva wanted to give it a try.


As you can see it is a swing ride, but they changed the theme from a giant orange, to "The Band Concert" short from 1935. It is supposed to mimic the tornado the band ends up getting swept into, and yet they continue to play the William Tell Overture as the spin through the air.


Band Leader Mickey is proudly ensconced on the top of the swings and leads the concert.


There is a picture of the concert on the sides of the canopy.


Mr. Diva was really looking forward to the ride.


I was a little reticent seeing as I got a little nauseous when I rode the Orange Stinger.


As you can see, Mr. Diva had a fabulous time.


I couldn't get a picture of myself without screaming...I didn't enjoy my ride as much as Mr. Diva. It's now one of his favorite rides in DCA.


In case you haven't seen "The Band Concert" here it is. The ride makes so much more sense if you have seen the short.