Farewell, beautiful lights

I bid a fond farewell to the Osborne Family Spectacle of Dancing Lights this year.

When I first heard about this over-the-top display at Hollywood Studios, I thought it wouldn't be my cup of tea. I love the holidays, but tend to prefer understated lights and decor. I thought the whole thing sounded a bit...tacky.

Then I visited and saw it in person for the first time last year. I was a convert.

There's something about the abundance of color, the powerful music, the synchronized light choreography- it's tremendously exciting and festive, in a very fantastic way. It's hard for me to describe the feeling of being right in the middle of these lights, but it brings a smile to my face whenever I think about it. I'm glad I got the chance to visit them one last time this year, before their final run is over.

Enjoy your festivities, wherever you may be this holiday season!

 

Jingle (Jungle) All the Way...

The Jungle Cruise is one of those attractions that I appreciate the heck out of, but I'll admit, it's mainly for nostalgic reasons. I don't always make time for it, and it had been a while since my last steamer ride. When I found out my recent trip was going to coincide with the beginning of holiday time, I  was excited to experience the attraction in a festive new way.

The seasonal overlay- in which a holiday takeover turns Jungle Cruise into the JINGLE Cruise- was filled with more holiday touches than I could absorb in one outing. Everywhere I looked, I saw festive, humorous holiday touches. Well done, Jingle Cruise!

The glass case in the queue has holiday-themed documents, including Skippers' letters to Santa.

A closer look at our caged tarantula reveals... 

... it's donned a Santa hat!

Boats are renamed with holiday flair, like Fruitcake Zelda and Icicle Irma...

Packages amongst the ruins! They're getting wet! 

Can't forget this guy...

And finally, New Year's resolutions from our friendly Skippers...

Have you been for a ride on the Jingle Cruise? What do you think of this holiday overlay? 

Tell us about it in the comments...

Bijutsu-kan: a museum space in Epcot's Japan pavilion

Are you aware of the museum spaces present in some of the World Showcase Pavilions? If not, make a point to check them out next time you visit. They often go overlooked by visitors, but they truly are worth seeking out. They house some of the more interesting finds in Epcot.

Tucked away in the Japan pavilion is Bijutsu-kan, a Japanese art gallery.

For the last few years, the gallery has been showing an exhibit on "Spirited Beasts", an exploration of the mythical creatures found in anime:

I was excited to find out that a new exhibit was recently installed, celebrating what's being referred to as Japan's "culture of cute". I look forward to visiting this exhibit in a few weeks, so stay tuned for an update.

Have you been to the museum spaces around World Showcase? Which exhibit was your favorite? Tell us about it in the comments...

Plus the Magic visits Disneyland!

A recent work conference brought me to the west coast, and I had the wonderful opportunity to visit Disneyland for a few days. I returned home overwhelmed by this amazing place, and I hope to share some of my experiences and impressions soon- after I sift through the 1300+ photos I came back with!

For today- a few brief thoughts:

• Despite how difficult it is for me to get to Anaheim, I MUST return soon- a few days was not enough here
• Disneyland Hotel just jumped to the top of my list of favorite Disney hotels  
• It may sound cliche, but charming perfectly describes Fantasyland
• I was pleasantly surprised by just how much fun was in store for me at California Adventure
• I was unpleasantly surprised by how crowded Disneyland was, mid-week ( a rookie complaint, perhaps- but it was more crowded than I have ever seen WDW)
• I am truly & completely in love with Oswald the Lucky Rabbit

OK, back to sifting through pictures and pondering what to write about my #PtMatDLR trip! Stay tuned. But in the meantime- tell us about YOUR Favorite thing about Disneyland...

Flea Market Finds: Disney Edition

One of my favorite things about my neighborhood is a cool little flea market that sets up in an empty parking lot just a few blocks away. Every Saturday (except in the dead of winter), vendors pop up with all manner of trash & treasure. I go every week (always looking for globes), and very often, something Disney catches my eye. Here are a few of the Disney (or Disney-adjacent) things I spotted on a recent visit...

Seeing these books with 45s inside brought me back to my childhood. I had several 

of these, including that Robin Hood one on top. (Kids, a "45" was a short-form record 

that we used to... oh, nevermind.)

This Mickey hand puppet was propped up on a curb, dangerously 

close to a little pile of cigarette butts.

Is that an old All-Star Resort mug? Yes it is!

I was tempted by these World's Fair glasses- they were in great condition!

Princess bookends

This marble-base golf statue weighed about 5 pounds. The seller removed it 

from the table right after I took this photo, saying "I can't sell this, I haven't looked it 

up on eBay yet". OK, settle down, dude.

The rotary version of this was my dorm room phone. 

It was my roommate's most prized possession.

This table was filled with all sorts of little figures, and was a hit with 

a group of preschoolers waiting for their parents.

So, did I make a purchase? YES! I spotted this comic book, and after seeing the $1.00 price tag, how could I pass it up? It's a full length comic that features Mickey teaching Goofy about energy conservation. It's from 1978, and it's in great condition. I'm excited to dive in and see the 1978 take on this subject. Will the content be relevant, inaccurate, outdated, or still valid 37 years later? Stay tuned...

Have you ever discovered any Disney treasures at yard sales or flea markets? 

Tell us about it in the comments!