October 17, 2006 - DLR News and Info Update

[dlfreak]

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There's a special magic at Christmas-time each year and it's on its way to the Disneyland Resort. One of the Christmas trees is currently poking up along the tram route. It may look rather unimpressive now but recycled branches will be used to fill in the dead space between branches to give the tree a fuller look.



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HalloweenTime banners in Downtown Disney.



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New window displays in the World of Disney.

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Another of the new window displays.



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One more window display.



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Speaking of Christmas, there's some new holiday merchandise for sale!



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Christmas plush of Mickey, Minnie, and Pluto.

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Although the lights always remain on the trees near the tram route, I believe the colored lamps are only around for the holidays.



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The Paradise Pier refurb walls have been given a blue trim.



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I interrupt this update to show a picture I took while upside down on California Screamin'.

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A closer look at WALLS. Ooh. Ahh.



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A look at some of the work going on behind the walls.



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Orange tape placed on the ground.



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An overview of some of the walled off area.

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SS Rustworthy is still under it's much-needed refurbishment.



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A peek at the progress on the SS Rustworthy.



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Some welding on the metal work below the stairs.

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Caution tape on the upper level of the SS Rustworthy.



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Supplies and other boring things under the ship.



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New HalloweenTime stroller identifiers.

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The Delta Daddyos were in the Pacific Wharf Cafe area. Quite bizarre. I also read earlier this week that Push will also start appearing in Paradise Pier. We chatted with the Daddyos briefly after one of their sets and they told us that there is a whole lot of changes going on with entertainment at the Resort and that Disney is trying all kinds of new things. Surely, Push in the Pier is likely one of these tests. At any rate, they also mentioned that one of the plans is to keep New Orleans Square a bustling area with a variety of entertainment acts occurring every 30 minutes.



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The Halloween lights in the Wharf were on this morning.



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The Ugly Bug Ball stage has been removed, cementing the fact that the show will not be returning. It should be interesting to see what happens to this thematically confused space in the future.

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Over the past few months, this turbine (or whatever it is) has not been working. It was operating again today although it was not wildly spinning the water as it has done before.



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Flik's Fair is apparently still not FUN.



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Over at the Greetings from California shop there are Year of a Million Dreams displays with Dreams merchandise.



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Another of the displays in the Greetings from California shop.

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We noticed a $350 leather jacket and then some other snootyish (yes I just made up that word) looking merchandise that was also relatively expensive. I assume it's merchandise from the new Vault 28 shop in Downtown Disney.



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Starting today (October 17, 2006) Disney's Photopass began testing at Disney's California Adventure. The program is new to the DLR but has been used successfully for years at WDW. The program makes taking official photographs around the Resort easier as a Photopass card is given to guests when they take their first picture. Later, when they take another official picture, the photographer scans the card and the images are stored to the unique ID on the card. The images can be purchased at the park as always but will also be available online for purchase, as well. Disney's Photopass will launch Resort-wide, as will the Photopass website for the DLR, on November 7, 2006.



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Here is the back of the card. Another advantage of this system is that photographs taken at Disneyland can now be viewed at Disney's California Adventure and vice versa.



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The usual photo ordering area inside Greetings in California is closed while it is equipped with brand new Photopass equipment.

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The other photo ordering area is open and equipped with the new Photopass machines.



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The interface is much nicer and allows for several new options including ordering a Photo CD with all the pictures from your trip. As a reminder, Photopass is currently only available at DCA and several features (including the photo CDs) will not be available until November 7, 2006.



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Photographers and photo staff have new vests.

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The protective covers for official Resort photographs have been changed to feature the Year of a Million Dreams.



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Here's the receipt for our photograph.



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Looks like the area for the former Steamboat Willie mural is coming along. Please ignore the man behind the curtain.

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I really liked this shot in Frontierland. Disney has done a great job decorating the parks for the fall season but no one can beat Mother Nature.



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Jambalaya Jazz add life to New Orleans Square.



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Some of the new seasonal desserts at the French Market. Spiderweb cheesecake on the left and I believe these are pumpkin tarts on the right; at least, that is how they were described to me.



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I love the edible little Hitchhiking ghost on the top of the chocolate cake.

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The lighting sucks but I still kinda liked the shot.



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An artsy shot of the Haunted Mansion Fastpass exit.



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How awesome is this shot? I was in an artsy mood today, click here to skip over the rest of the artsy shots.

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This is Halloween. This is Halloween. Halloween, Halloween, Halloween, HALLOWEEN!



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Not a fan of Jack Skellington?



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The pink leaves were really bright and provided awesome contrast to the green leaves but that doesn't really show up in the photograph.

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The tarps are down near the Frontierland / New Orleans Square Train Station.



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In the afternoons, Queeny (that is her name, her Pa owns that big fancy white paddle-wheeler on the river) leads the Jambalaya Jazz in a highly energized and absolutely wonderful Mardi Gras parade/show in New Orleans Square.



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Their brief parade ends near the Disney Gallery and the show begins.



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The talents of Queeny and the Jambalaya Jazz are wonderful and add much-needed excitement and vibrancy to the area. More photos and video coming soon!

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We finally found Minnie in her Halloween costume in Town Square, what a cutie!



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Donald looks great in his Pumpkin costume, as well.



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There was some filming going on near the castle.

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I couldn't tell what they were filming.



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The little girl that was being filmed.



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Railings near Triton Gardens have been repainted.

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The silver paint that surrounds the Astro Orbitor attraction has not yet reached these still-white queue railings.



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I LOVE this table inside Innoventions modeled after the former House of the Future attraction. I also really liked the DCA poster on the wall. Snazzy, snazzy!



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You love them, you want them, I present to you our loyal readers: Submarine Lagoon progress! To skip over pictures of the submarine lagoon progress, please click here.

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The Munch Inc Kids meals now come in these disposable boxes.



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Inside: a PB&J, Mickey tortilla chips, fun straw, and stickers!



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For quite a while now Tomorrowland Terrace has offered a healthier menu next to it's standard fried faire. In light of Disney's recent press release about their commitment to offer healthier foods at their theme parks, kids meals now come by default with carrots and milk or juice with fries and soda on request. However, I noticed that CMs usually ask people if they want carrots or fries whenever a kids meal is ordered instead of relying on guests to know that fries and soda are no longer default.



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Chicken Breast Tenders and Mini Corn Dogs are also served with carrots and juice.

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And to conclude, although still surrounded by refurb walls, the tarps have come down over the entrance arch into the Timon Parking lot!


THE END!

Please use the COMMENT feature to discuss this article!

For corrections please e-mail me, dlfreak, @mouseinfo.com

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Photographs in this update were taken with a Kodak EasyShare p850 camera.

[Iframedroger R]

Love the shots of Queeny and the one of the TImon Entrance, as well as the artsy ones!!!!

[ExClub]

Our man dlfreak is on the scene—the first with photographic evidence that the Harbor Blvd. sign is (almost) complete!

Love your upside-down picture. Such dedication...even a trip on the Sun Wheel! We'll have to start calling you Darkbeer Jr.

[ereed62]

Thanks for a great update.

[club33az]

Another great update, dlfreak! Thanks!

[ZeekSlider]

Aw, that Munch Inc. box is cute. Why did they have to do the MacD's method and make it throw-away?

Oh, because it's cheaper. I forgot.

Great pictures, none the less!

[spidermickey]

As always, another amazing update!!

[disney_lady]

Donald looks so cute as a pumpkin, much better than his being out with the others and no costume. Chip N Dale were hanging out by the Fire Station when we were there Sunday

[Nftysqrt]

Great update as always. Loved the artsy shots!

[grumpy808]

thank you for the wonderful pics - I can't wait for our next visit. I give you a LOT of credit for the upside down shot on California Screamin' - yikes!