Where have I been?

Hey MYWTM fans-missed me? Well it’s been crazy around here. Last Sunday I went to the hospital with a rather unpleasant stomach ailment and within the space of a week found myself having major emergency abdominal surgery. Oops.  Everything is good now, the surgery was on Friday and I’m having a bit of a rough recovery, but I made it home today and it’s SO good to be in my own bed with my family again. Thanks to everyone who sent good thoughts and pixie dust on Facebook! I’m sure it helped. I’ve got some pictures stored up here so keep an eye on the site (or subscribe or friend me on Facebook) and see when some entries pop up. This is the first I’ve been on a real computer (as opposed to my phone or iPad) in over a week so I’m easing back into computer life. Keep checking back! And I hope YOUR week was better than mine!!!

Custodial Donald Duck and also a Bachelorette Party

I’ve commented before on the custodial staff at Disneyland. They are amazing. Not only do they do things I would never, ever do, like dusting in between railings:

High up there on the list of things you’re not likely to see me doing in my own home

But they’re like the ninjas of cleaner-uppers. You drop something and they seemingly spontaneously grow from the ground, sweep up your popcorn or whatever, and disappear. And it’s practically instantaneous. I’d time it, but only a complete jerk would drop something on the ground and wait around just to see how long it takes custodial to get rid of it. And I am not that jerk.

Trust me though. They’re fast. The park is immaculate. I love it.

Whenever I go to the county fair I feel like I’m knee-deep in trash compared to Disneyland.

And sometimes, custodial just surprises you. Like when I came across a guy with a broom and a litter bucket full of water:

What is he doing?

Great question! He’s doing this:

Drawing with water!

I had heard other people report this but had never seen it before, so I was very pleased to catch it in person. I also happened to meet up with a blog reader, Jeri, and her bachelorette party about 2 minutes before that moment and when I was like WAIT I HAVE TO TAKE PICTURES OF THIS HERE WATCH THEO IN HIS STROLLER and went over to take some shots, they seemed a bit puzzled by my behavior. But they were all really nice about it and made sure Theo didn’t accidentally roll down Main Street while I snapped a few pictures.

It’s Donald!

The custodial cast member drew his Donald like he was picking up popcorn, like this was something he does every day. Which actually it probably is. He simply walked away when he was done.

I got stuck behind some tall people and had to hold my camera way above my head and shoot pictures, explaining the framing and photo quality of this one

Within a minute or so it started to disappear. It was super cool, being in the right place at the right time, for the right little bit of Disney magic.

And then the bachelorette party and I went over and rode on Buzz Lightyear, where Theo managed to score nearly 5,000 points by waving his blaster around and randomly pulling the trigger. He then declared the ride to be “scary” despite the fact that this is probably his 10th time on it. But it was okay because the bachelorette party went off to ride something truly scary, Space Mountain, and he and I went home.

And congratulations to blog reader Jeri on her upcoming nuptials!

Isn’t she cute?

She’s getting married on November 23rd, the day before the best day of the year to get married (which would be my own anniversary, the 24th). Help me wish Jeri a Happily Ever After!

And also Theo’s new favorite babysitters.

See? Wouldn’t you trust these women with your child? Of course you would.

Space Shuttle Endeavour Over Disneyland

Kevin went over to the park to get some pictures of today’s flyover. He strategically staked out a choice viewing area right in direct sight of the castle and Matterhorn for those fabulous shots. Unfortunately, the shuttle flew directly over their heads so while he got some awesome pictures, none of them actually indicate they were taken at Disneyland. Ah well.

“Spaceship” Endeavor? Really Disney?

The crowd anxiously awaits…

And of course, the astronauts!

(clearly he’s a better photographer than I am)

Main Street Cinema

In all the times I have walked up and down Main Street I have never once stepped foot inside the Main Street Cinema.

Until now.

But you saw that coming, didn’t you?

Steamboat Willie is, as everyone knows, the first film in which our pal Mickey appears

 

Trivia time! Who was the original voice of Mickey Mouse?

A. Walt Disney
B. Walter Disney
C. Walter E. Disney
D. Walter Elias Disney
E. That guy who built Disneyland

Did you guess the correct answer? Yay! We’re all winners here at My Year With The Mouse!

The Main Street Cinema’s luminous marquee promises two other movies:

Because the fine sport of polo is just rife with comedic opportunities…

…as is traffic

 

Did you know that the working title for the movie Speed was “Traffic Trouble”?

It wasn’t. I totally made that up.

The difficult-to-photograph-but-when-have-I-ever-let-that-stop-me pole promises six (SIX!!!) different cartoons running continuously and simultaneously.

Mickey sure looks pleased with himself here

 

The sign also says “exclusive engagement” and that, my friends, is a fact. No other Disney park runs 6 classic cartoons in the Main Street Cinema. The Mouse-in-law’s Cinema is a shop.

Admission to the Cinema is free, although you’ll have to get past Tilly and she’s kind of a hardass.

Hiding behind that bulletproof glass and all

 

I mean seriously, look at this woman. She’s totally going to throw your butt out if you make a ruckus.

You can tell by the look in her eyes

 

Interestingly, a close look at the tickets she’s peddling reveals that they are not, in fact, admissions tickets.

Identification check?

 

I mean seriously, it says right there on the ticket “NOT GOOD FOR TAXABLE ADMISSIONS.”

For a fleeting moment I wondered if the ID check tickets were like the kind you get at the fair that proves that you’re over 21 and you can buy beer, and then I wondered if perhaps there aren’t 6 different cartoons being shown continuously and simultaneously and there’s actually a bar back there that nobody knows about since nobody really goes into the Main Street Cinema anyway. I mean this curtain looks totally ominous.

When is a cinema not a cinema? I don’t know, make up your own punchline.

 

But no, it’s actually a smallish room with a platform in the middle and six screens each showing cartoons.

Continuously and simultaneously, I might add

 

A sign outside indicates that the platform is for children.

Also an oldey timey turnstile

 

Here are some pictures of the cartoons. I did photograph all six but I’ll go ahead and spare you now. You’re welcome.

In which Minnie tortures a goat, causing musical notes to emit from its mouth

Violence is not the answer, Mickey!!

OMG MY HEAD IS ON SIDEWAYS!!!

 

If it seems deserted, don’t fear! Each screen has a VERY rapt audience.

I wanted to touch them because they looked fuzzy, but I did not

 

Although the cartoons were not originally silent, the only soundtrack that plays is Steamboat Willie.

So here’s a fun little way to spend a few air-conditioned minutes. I’ll admit I always breezed past it because why would I come to Disneyland to watch cartoons? But these aren’t just any cartoons! They’re Disney cartoons!

Six of them!

Continuously!

Simultaneously!

Stop by a have a look.

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