A True Disney Baby

By Beth Skarp

Those of us who are true Disney aficionados love decorating our nursery in Disney themes in anticipation of our newest arrivals. Who can resist a baby dressed in his or her first set of Mickey ears or adorable Disney character outfit. I admit, my grown children were dressed as true Disney babies and my husband and I adored doing this, much to the chagrin of my children. 

A rumor used to be floating around that “if” a baby was born anywhere on Disney property, the infant would receive a lifetime pass to Disney. This is truly an Urban Legend. I mean, think about it. If this were the case, expectant Mother's would be lined up all around the Magic Kingdom in hopes of delivering their child or children—all in hopes of obtaining a Lifetime Pass for them. Talk about a logistical nightmare!

One infant actually has an official Disneyland Birth Certificate and was literally born on Main Street USA. On July 4th of 1979, in an overcrowded park on a stifling hot day, Rosa and Elias Salcedo of Los Angeles were trying their best to enjoy their visit despite the fact that Rosa was in the final term of her pregnancy. Why anyone would go so close to their due date is beyond me. Yes, I have gone to Disneyland while several months pregnant and actually had an enjoyable time. However, I have never gone anywhere close to my delivery date. 

While sitting down to rest on a bench behind the Plaza Inn, Rosa went into labor unexpectedly. The baby was in a rush to be born, coming much faster than either Rosa or Elias expected. Rushing off to the hospital was not practical for Rosa or her unborn child. Medics were called in to assist Rosa, and “Princess” Teresa Salcedo was born, just a few steps from Main Street USA. 

Like all true Princesses, Teresa was a small and petite girl in size but born perfectly healthy. Mother Rosa and newly born Princess Teresa were then transported to the local Medical Center to be checked out.

A few months later, in a special ceremony in front of Sleeping Beauty Castle, Teresa Salcedo was presented with “Disneyland Birth Certificate Number One”. The family happily posed with Mickey, Minnie, Donald, Goofy and Pluto—better known as the Fab Five.

Incidentally, this celebration coincided opening of Big Thunder Mountain Railroad which occurred in September as well. This was the first time in Disneyland's 24 year history that a child had been born inside the park, but not the first time that a child had been born literally on Disneyland property.  

Disney Legend, Ron Dominguez, has more of a connection to Disneyland than others. I recently learned that the Dominguez family owned much of the property that Walt bought for Disneyland in the early 1950's. Ron, his mother and his brother were all born in the area that is now New Orleans Square, Club 33, the Blue Bayou, and the Pirates of the Caribbean. The Dominguez family “home” later became offices for Walt's staff. Ron Dominguez still bills himself as a "Native-Disneyland-American" a nationality few can claim. 

There will, of course, be other babies born in Disney Resorts and Parks. Only Teresa Salcedo has the Disneyland Birth Certificate to prove this. And yes, only one can be called the “"Native-Disneyland-American". All others will have just a story to tell (and will have to pay full price like everyone else to visit their special birthplace).

While Disney Birth Certificates are no longer issued (to the best of my knowledge), you can send Disney a birth announcement of your new baby and you will receive a Happy Birthday Response back from them. I have done this for all three of my children—and each one is unique and different. My grown children have their respective Disney Happy Birthday Responses, so I don't have them to post a picture for you.

You can send your child's birth announcement to either California(Disneyland) or Florida (Walt Disney World). Below are the addresses:

Mickey and Minnie Mouse 
Walt Disney World 
1675 N Buena Vista Dr 
Lake Buena Vista, FL 32830

– or --

Mickey and Minnie Mouse
The Walt Disney Company 
500 South Buena Vista Street
Burbank, California 91521 
     

Wordless Wednesday: Autumn in Disneyland

Photos by Nick and Barbie

Disneyland's 50th Anniversary Pin Map

By: Nick

In April of 2005, to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Disneyland, the Disney Catalog reprinted a 1956 Disneyland map, and produced pins of certain attractions and other elements into six pins representing the original Disneyland lands, limited to 1500 sets. A certificate of authenticity is on the back, but it doesn’t give a specific number.



Main Street USA: The Main Street Station and Train.





Tomorrowland: The Moonliner Rocket.



Fantasyland: Sleeping Beauty Castle.



Frontierland: Sternwheeler Mark Twain.



Adventureland: Jungle Cruise Boat.

 

Happy 59th Anniversary Disneyland!

Sleeping Beauty Blu-ray Review

by Nick 

I bought this Sleeping Beauty Blu-ray several years ago, when I first got my Blu-ray player, but just got around to watching it last weekend.

A couple of things prompted me to finally pop in this disc which was released in 2008, for Sleeping Beauty's 50th Anniversary.
D23 Magazine's article on Eyvind Earle and Sleeping Beauty for one, and Maleficent for the other.
Eyvind Earle was chosen by Walt Disney to be the driving creative force behind Sleeping Beauty, responsible for the absolutely gorgeous styling of every frame of this masterpiece.
And this Blue-ray release brings those images to the forefront. This is arguably the most beautifully rendered of all of Disney's animated classics, seen for the first time in 1080p Hi Def. And the extra wide picture really showcases this.
The story, well, it's...slow at several points. Not enough to lose an adult's interest perhaps, but I could see how a child's attention might wander at times. Barbie and I, on more than one occasion, asked each other if we remembered one scene or another from previous viewings, or remembered things very differently.
The 7.1 surround sound is terrific, I felt I was at Aurora's Christening, dancing with Briar Rose in the forest, and fighting the dragon!
And, finally, it was great to compare Maleficent's take on the tale compared to Sleeping Beauty. As anticipated, the former has completely altered how I view the latter.

The second disc in this collection has a wealth of wonderful extras.

 Games and Activities: 

Maleficent's Challenge.
This is very entertaining Maleficent herself appears to tell you that the magic orb on her staff will read your mind, through a series of questions.
Choose a "Creature," "Element," "Vegetable," or "Other."
You are then asked a series of questions.
My wife chose lettuce. After several questions "Maleficent" guessed that we were thinking Salad!
I chose a dog. Yep, she got it!

Briar Rose's Enchanted Dance Game.
This teaches you the dance steps to Waltz! I confess, we didn't do this one.

Fun with Language Game.
Learn words with the 3 Fairies. For very young children, this teaches you words like "bowl"

Backstage Disney has many "making of" features, with a look at the original Disneyland Sleeping Beauty Castle walk through attraction, a biography of Eyvind Earle and a look at his art, alternate and deleted scenes, storyboard and art galleries, a look at how they restored the soundtrack, and trailers!
In addition, there is a 16 minute segment from the original Disneyland TV series titled "Four Artists Paint One Tree" featuring a bookend introduction from Walt Disney, and a look at four of the Disney Studios artists, including Eyvind Earle and Marc Davis, and a look at each artist's creative interpretation of one subject. This alone was worth the price of the Blu-ray set.

There is also a DVD which has a view extras of it's own, including a short titled "Grand Canyon" which a visual interpretation of the Grand Canyon Suite, with absolutely beautiful images of the Canyon and surrounding areas, like Monument Valley, which I'd never seen before.

There is a "Diamond Edition" of Sleeping Beauty due to be released later this year, no doubt to coincide with the release of Maleficent.
I'm not sure how they will possibly improve on the visuals and sound, but I confess I am curious to see what extras the new edition will hold.

Wordless Wednesday: Disney Weenies

"What you need is a weenie, which says to people ‘come this way.’ People won’t go down a long corridor unless there’s something promising at the end. You have to have something the beckons them to ‘walk this way.'" - Walt Disney

 

Sleeping Beauty Castle : Where in Walt Disney World?

Yes, I know that Sleeping Beauty Castle is in Disneyland, but this lovely painting of that castle can be found in Walt Disney World. Do you know where? The answer can be found below the photo.

uı ʞɔǝɥɔ ɹǝʌo 'ʇɹosǝɹ ʞןɐʍpɹɐoq s,ʎǝusıp ɟo ʎqqoן ǝɥʇ uı

Christmas Pictures at the Disneyland Resort

Guest Writer Wednesday

Christmas Pictures at the Disneyland Resort

By: Matthew Bassett

Christmas is approaching fast and families are starting to think about their yearly Christmas cards. Like many Disney obsessed families, we spend a vast amount of time at the parks every year. When thinking about those pictures you want to include in your Christmas card we ALWAYS want to include pictures from the parks.

The biggest question for us becomes where in the resort do we find the best Christmas themed family pictures. Here are some traditional suggestions:

1) Take a picture by the Christmas tree on Main Street. The tree is so tall that you will either have a distorted view of the tree with the family in front or you will only see the six feet of tree so you can see the family. An alternative idea is to take the family on top of the Main Street railroad platform and take a picture overlooking the tree from across Main Street. Another alternative would be to take a picture at the DCA tree as it isn’t nearly as crowded as it’s Disneyland counterpart.

2) Take a family picture by the castle. The castle has been dressed up with snow for the last few years. The trick to get the best family shot is to avoid standing in front of the castle. Move to one of the sides and get a picture avoiding your favorite people who you will never see again.

3) We love to get pictures with the characters. During the holiday season you can usually catch the characters in their Christmas best. Some of the best suggestions are to find Santa Goofy in the Big Thunder Ranch are or the Winnie the Pooh characters in Critter Country. We have also found luck in finding other characters in the Big Thunder Ranch area over the last few years. The shortest lines are typically those in Big Thunder Ranch and Toontown. If your really have to get a picture in another location you might want to talk with a Disney photographer to get some tips to save you some time.

4) We have to take a family picture with Santa. Santa can be found in the Big Thunder Ranch but the lines are usually really long unless you line up before he officially starts to greet guests. I recommend going to DCA and visiting with Santa at the Elias and Company store. In the past, DCA’s Santa was dressed out in his surfer best but with the relaunch of the park he has changed his attire for his traditional best! The best part is that the lines is about 10 times shorter than Disneyland.

What do you do if you want to get a “non-traditional” picture? Here are a few suggestions.

1) Head to Bug’s Land in DCA and take a picture next to the gigantic ornaments. Stack one of the kids on Dad’s shoulders to get the scale of the ornaments as you’ve been shrunk down to the size of an ant. I have a great family picture of my one year old son on my shoulders that I jokingly took.

2) Some of our favorite Christmas pictures were the silliest pictures we took. Head into one of the shops and try on the different hats. Get one of the Cast Members to take a picture of the family. Make sure you all try on the best Christmas ears or the stocking hats. Have fun! This picture doesn’t require you purchase the hats as long as you put them back when you're done.

3) Head to the hotels and Downtown Disney! All three Disney hotels and Downtown Disney get decked out in Christmas gear. You can get some time away from the crowds and explore the rest of the resort. Find a Christmas tree or some other decorations to take your family picture with.

4) Take the family to It’s a Small World at night. Bring a tripod and take pictures with all of the lights. This is one of the best places to take pictures at night in the park. The tripod will help reduce the fuzzy pictures. You can also utilize lenses that use image stabilizer technology.

5) Don’t forget to take a picture in front of your favorite attraction. Some of the attractions, like Splash Mountain, will get some Christmas theming that will add to your family picture. Regardless, taking a picture with the family in front of your favorite attraction will be a great story to share with your friends and family.

Things I Love About Disneyland (That You Won't Find in Any Guidebook)

Things I Love About Disneyland (That You Won't Find in Any Guidebook)



By D'land Diva

Like many folks, I enjoy vacation planning. There is just something about flipping through guidebooks, reading articles online and looking at Disney pictures that get me pumped for my Disney vacation.

But, after my vacation, when all is said and done, it is the little things that really made my vacation memorable. When I think back to the most special of trips, it wasn't the fact that I rode on Splash Mountain- it was the view at the top of the flume. It wasn't the tune of It's a Small World that got stuck in my head for hours that I remembered- it was the awe of the first time guests who sat in the boat in front of us oohing and ahhing over every different scene.

So what are some of the things that I love about Disneyland that you maybe would not find in a guidebook?

1) The chlorine smell by the Pirates of the Caribbean ride.

2) The fact that I can buy a Christmas ornament in several shops throughout the park no matter the time of year.

3) Saying four guests when a cast member asks how many people in our party before we get on a ride. It used to be two. Then it was three. Now it is four. Four beautiful people that I love and get to experience the park with.

4) The beaded necklaces that are sometimes thrown out by musicians performing in New Orleans Square (and no, I don't have to flash anyone to get them!).

5) The announcement of the train arrival at the train stations. That deep voice on the loudspeaker, slow and steady.

6) The way the flowers change throughout the year. Springtime brings tulips and poinsettias appear at Christmastime.

7) The friendly competition of Buzz Lightyear's AstroBlasters. It's not just about besting my own score- it's about trying to beat my husband's score!

8) The location of where the cast members are from printed under their name on their nametags. I've seen Saudi Arabia, Washington D.C., Bahrain, Los Angeles and Sri Lanka to name a few.

9) The Flag Retreat ceremony at dusk when the current and former military service members step forward into the circle around the flag. I don't consider myself an extremely patriotic person, but it brings a tear to my eyes every time seeing an older soldier from the Korean War standing next to a younger soldier who just returned from Afghanistan.

10) The great snack debate: churro, popcorn or Mickey pretzel?

11) The way the princesses in the Fantasy Faire interact with my children. My five year old son is a "handsome prince" and my daughter is a "beautiful princess." Once the princesses learn their names, they call them by names and they engage in conversation with them. There's no "just hand over the book to sign and take your picture already."

12) The way cast members ask you to exit a ride once you reach the end. They try to theme it like on the Winnie the Pooh ride: "Welcome back honeybees. Just bounce on out to your right." They could just say "Rides over, get your butt out."

13) On Splash Mountain, you will get wet. But, usually it is just one side of your body that gets wet, just to make you extra uncomfortable.

14) In line for Buzz Lightyear, there are vegetables and herbs growing. Yup. We try to guess the rosemary and basil and lettuce types. It's a fun way to pass time and don't tell anyone, but we have been known to pick a leaf to sniff them.

15) The fireworks at night. You are standing next to strangers, but are united in this one time period. When they are over it is back to every man or woman for themselves.

16) Watching the ducks on the Rivers of America.

17) The sensory overload that comes at about 3 p.m. in the afternoon. Go watch the ducks. It helps.

18) The nastiness of the burgers at Hungry Bear that is balanced by the deliciousness of their oversized onion rings.

20) The way my two year old daughter bounces from ride to ride.

21) The knowledge of the drivers of the Main Street Vehicles. They are full of trivia and clearly LOVE their job.

22) The way the inside of the Matterhorn lights up at night.

23) The view of Tomorrowland from the top of the Innoventions building. Check it out next time!

24) Watching folks as they ride down the flume of Splash Mountain. Some scream, some hide their head, and some look a bit like a deer  caught in headlights.

25) The sweet fried food smell that comes off the corndog cart at the end of Main Street.
26) The feeling you get that you have truly entered another world once you go through the turnstiles. Suddenly, everything in the world seems right.

27) The outside/inside seating at Red Rockett's Pizza Port. The seating in the back of the restaurant is outside, but it is completely covered.

28) Ice cream simply tastes better when sitting on a curb on Main Street.

29) It's the only place where matching shirts with lame sayings are cool and admired.

30) Looking at Tom Sawyer's Island and remembering my husband's proposal and feeling lucky to still be visiting this incredibly magical place.

Disneyland, Partners Statue / Sleeping Beauty Castle Desktop

The Partners Statue in Disneyland by sculptor Blaine Gibson depicting Walt Disney and Mickey Mouse. Taken 2/13.

Vinylmation Mickey Mouse at Disneyland

This California Adventure Mickey is a topper from the Vinylmation Parks 11 Series and was purchased at Walt Disney World in Florida.

I felt it only appropriate that he should come with us to the Disneyland Resort in California. Here's Mickey in front of Sleeping Beauty Castle.

That first shot came out a bit blurry. So I went to retake it, and Mickey got photo bombed!

Okay crazy lady, thanks! Let's try that again.

Now this is just silly. From left to right up there is Jill, my wife's cousin, Zach, Jill's husband, and my wife Barbie. Speaking of silly, we then headed to Toontown, where we rode Roger Rabbit's Car Toon Spin.

We got a little dizzy, which is why this shot is a bit off kilter.

Next we headed to the Enchanted Tiki Room.

And since we were right next door, we hit the Jungle Cruise.
Mickey waving goodbye to guests on the "Amazon Belle," as it's likely we'll never see them again.

And Mickey is waving goodbye to you readers, but we hope we WILL see you again, real soon!

Sleeping Beauty Castle Desktop

Sleeping Beauty Castle, Disneyland.