Jack Spence

Disneyland Paris – Frontierland — Part 3 — Big Thunder Mountain and the Riverboats

February 18, 2009 by Jack Spence

Big Thunder Mountain As with all Disney attractions, your journey on Big Thunder Mountain starts with the queue – and in this case, a very detailed queue. The line twists and turns around rusting mining equipment, amusing signs, and dilapidated buildings. Periodically, a mine train rolls by. Eventually you reach the boarding area and your … Continue reading "Disneyland Paris – Frontierland — Part 3 — Big Thunder Mountain and the Riverboats"

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Disneyland Paris – Frontierland — Part 2 — The Outskirts of Town

February 15, 2009 by Jack Spence

Frontierland can be divided into two sections, the town of Thunder Mesa, and the more rural, backwoods section. In my previous blog I discussed Thunder Mesa. Here I will talk about the outskirts of town. Let’s start with the Pocahontas Indian Village. This is a children’s play area with a Native American theme. Kids can … Continue reading "Disneyland Paris – Frontierland — Part 2 — The Outskirts of Town"

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Move It! Shake It! Celebrate It!

February 13, 2009 by Jack Spence

In keeping with this year’s new “Celebrate Today” theme, the Magic Kingdom kicks off a new show/parade on February 13 titled “Move It! Shake It! Celebrate It!” This high energy event starts near the Fire Station on Main Street and moves its way up to The Hub. Five brightly colored floats adorned with your favorite … Continue reading "Move It! Shake It! Celebrate It!"

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Disneyland Paris – Frontierland — Part 1 — Thunder Mesa

February 12, 2009 by Jack Spence

Frontierland – Part 1 – Thunder Mesa Moving clockwise from the end of Main Street, Frontierland is the first land you come to. You enter the Wild West by walking through Fort Comstock. But before you do, be sure to check out the Native American encampment just outside its gates. A nearby babbling brook and … Continue reading "Disneyland Paris – Frontierland — Part 1 — Thunder Mesa"

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VIP Tour at Walt Disney World

February 12, 2009 by Jack Spence

My friend Linda Mac and I were invited to participate in a training session intended to help VIP Tour Guides learn the ropes. Before these knowledgeable cast members can escort paying guests through the various parks, they must first practice on a test audience. We were lucky enough to be a part of this two … Continue reading "VIP Tour at Walt Disney World"

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Disneyland Paris – The Hub and Sleeping Beauty Castle

February 9, 2009 by Jack Spence

One thing that’s a little different about the Disneyland Paris’ Hub is the lands that radiate from it are set further back than at other Magic Kingdoms. In other words, Frontierland, Adventureland, and Discoveryland really aren’t all that visible from The Hub. This allows the area to maintain its Victorian theming without contrasting architectures intruding … Continue reading "Disneyland Paris – The Hub and Sleeping Beauty Castle"

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Disneyland Paris – Main Street Part 3

February 6, 2009 by Jack Spence

Main Street Part 3 In my last blog I discussed the Town Square section of Main Street. Today I’m going to talk about the rest of this Victorian thoroughfare. However, I’m not going to describe things in any particular order. I’m just going to pick some points of interest that appeal to me. Let’s start … Continue reading "Disneyland Paris – Main Street Part 3"

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Disneyland Paris Main Street – Part 2 – Town Square

February 3, 2009 by Jack Spence

Town Square is the first area you come to when entering Main Street U.S.A.. Here you’ll find a number of “public” buildings like the Train Station, City Hall, and the Transportation Company. The following picture was taken from the second story of the Train Station. When the original Disneyland was being built in California, a … Continue reading "Disneyland Paris Main Street – Part 2 – Town Square"

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Disneyland Paris Main Street Part 1

January 31, 2009 by Jack Spence

Before I start to discuss Main Street, I need to give you a little background about the Disneyland Paris Park. When Walt built Disneyland in California, he did it on a shoestring. It was all he could do to scrape together enough money to buy the land and get the park open. Today, Disneyland is … Continue reading "Disneyland Paris Main Street Part 1"

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Golden Oak Outpost and Button Cart

January 29, 2009 by Jack Spence

It pays to read the AllEars Newsletter. I was unaware that the Golden Oak Outpost, which replaced the McDonald’s Fry Cart in Frontierland, had opened until I read Kitty Smith’s blurb. I figured that I’d better get some pictures to share with you all so I headed to the Magic Kingdom today. This new location … Continue reading "Golden Oak Outpost and Button Cart"

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