Category Archives: Adventureland

Indiana Jones Adventure (and the Temple of the Forbidden Eye) (Queue)

8 Comments Posted by on May 11, 2012

Heh, that makes it sound like Indiana Jones and the Temple of the Forbidden IQ.

It’s not–this is a post about the line for Indiana Jones. Why just the line? Because the ride broke down. Sad.

Indiana Jones Adventure is a very innovative attraction. It was really the first to involve a truly interactive queue. Which was good because when this ride opened, the lines were looooooong.

And it’s still pretty popular.

Enter at your own peril

 

Indiana Jones not only has a stand-by (regular) line, it has a Fastpass AND a single rider line. There are many ways to enjoy Indiana Jones!

The outdoor part of the queue is a series of shaded switchbacks. Indiana Jones is right next to the Jungle Cruise, so you really have that Adventureland feel.

It was a slow day

 

Next you go into the Temple of the Forbidden Eye, where your adventure really begins. Notice anything interesting?

Hint: It’s the coded writing

 

If you guessed coded writing, you’re correct! Good job!

When Indiana Jones first opened, the cast member at the front used to hand you a decoder card so you could actually read the code during your very long wait inside the temple.

That was pretty much all kinds of cool.

It’s all over the place, really

 

The queue takes you around many bends and curves, keeping things interesting if you have a friend who likes to hide. Which I do.

Peek-a-boo!

 

There are a number of things to do, like swing this pole around and see what happens.

Go Ingrid and Rachel!

 

It was also a warning for troublesome guests

Don’t goof off at Disneyland, okay?

 

Seriously, that’s gotta hurt.

Unfortunately, some of the effects no longer work. For example, there are signs telling you to avoid stepping on the diamond-shaped bricks

Like these

 

But now when you do, nothing happens. Humph.

You can also disobey the sign and pull the rope

Like Rachel did

 

And see what happens!

After that you move into a kind of movie room and get to watch a short film that is both urgent and informative, and kind of a little silly because the dude, Sallah, is TOTALLY freaking out and seems to be completely oblivious to the fact that his entire purpose of life is to be the safety video showing you how to use your seatbelts.

It’s a movie of a movie–very meta

 

It is interesting on the loop though.

Then you go some more until you think you’re going to load, but YOU’RE NOT because you still have to go up and down some stairs.

However, eventually you do make it to the loading gate.

The bamboo poles give it such a rustic look

 

You catch a glimpse of your ride vehicle–an oversized Jeep.

With seatbelts, of course

 

And then Ingrid, Rachel, and I were literally next in line to board a Jeep. And I mean this literally, we were right up against the gate, when…the ride broke.

Dude, bummer.

After they tried rebooting the whole system and then the cast members talked amongst themselves in lowered voices, the ride of officially declared defunct and we were asked to leave.

We were offered a Fastpass to return, however.

Oops

 

And unfortunately I had to go home soon after, so I didn’t get to enjoy it that day.

Rachel and Ingrid were very, very sad.

Boo!

Adventureland ,

Tarzan’s Treehouse

9 Comments Posted by on April 27, 2012

AAAAAHhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!

Yep, that’s the Tarzan call. You’ll just have to say it in your head with me.

Good job.

Now over in Adventureland is Tarzan’s Treehouse.

Cleverly distinguishable by this sign and also the fact that it's a giant tree.

 

Up to this point I’ve been avoiding Tarzan’s Treehouse because taking a stubborn 3-year-old up and down those steps pretty much sounds like hell to me. Fortunately I got to meet up with my friends Ingrid and Rachel and the three of us decided to go for it.

Yeah, it's big

 

I’ve never actually been in Tarzan’s Treehouse. Shocking, I know, but that’s the whole point of MYWTM.

I have, however, seen the Swiss Family Treehouse, which is what Tarzan’s Treehouse was before Tarzan moved in. Poor Robinson family–displaced AGAIN!

Once you go up the initial stairs of Tarzan’s Treehouse, you cross a bridge to get to Tarzan’s Treehouse.

That's because Tarzan's Treehouse is actually two trees

 

Now the best thing about the Swiss Family Treehouse was the elaborate irrigation system they had. Just like in the movie, there were these buckets and a paddle wheel and little channels for the water to run through.

Tarzan, on the other hand, had no running water. So much for that upstairs master bathroom. Bummer.

Once you get to the second tree, there are books telling the story of Tarzan.

They're actually written by Jane, the hostess with the mostess, who invites everyone in to take a look around. However, you'll have to use the bathroom in New Orleans Square or the entrance of Adventureland if you have to go

"Many years ago, a young family enjoyed their life here until the fateful night of Sabors attack"

 

Uh-oh, Disney. Sabor is the name of the leopard. His attack is therefore possessive. Which means that it should read “Sabor’s attack.” Oops.

Anyway, you don’t want to get into that because here is Sabor and he’s pretty much going to eat you.

OMG!!!!!

 

Exit Tarzan’s family, enter Kala the gorilla.

Adoption is a wonderful way to make a family 🙂

 

Kala and Tarzan make a very cute pair.

It's like they're watching television or something, except it's a magic mirror? Confession time: I haven't actually seen the movie

 

Here’s a picture of something that I took from the top of the treehouse. It’s kind of a bummer because when it was the Swiss Family Treehouse, you actually knew what everything was.

Hmmmmmmm

 

Kala was a great mom, apparently. What are your happy memories?

My happy memories of my life, or my happy memories of the movie?

 

Enter Jane and our first look at grown-up Tarzan.

He's kind of a stud, but I'm not a fan of his hair

 

There’s also some kind of magic canvas that draws Tarzan by itself. I’m sure this has some kind of meaning from the movie, and I’m sure one of my sharp-eyed readers will be able to tell me what it is.

It's cool and everything

 

Then Jane talks about teaching Tarzan to be human, and Tarzan teaching her all about the apes.

Who got the better deal here?

 

And then it’s time to leave.

Down, down, down

 

Jane sums it all up by saying they all live happily amongst the trees and take a look around, make yourself at home.

What did I say? Hostess with the mostess!

 

The book says “You may make a discovery of your own.” No kidding.

OMG, it's a dead person! Definitely did not see that one coming.

 

Down on the ground there are two “rooms.” The Robinsons used them for the kitchen and library, but it’s hard to tell what Tarzan and Jane use them for. There is a bamboo microphone-looking thing that says “Yell in here,” but my friend Rachel tried it and didn’t really get anything out of it. Maybe a crude intercom?

Can you hear me now? Can you hear me now?

 

Tarzan’s Treehouse is a fun little Adventureland detour if you’ve got some time on your hands and don’t mind the stairs. However, it’s not as good as its predecessor. Maybe one day Tarzan and Jane will figure out running water.

 

Adventureland , , ,

Aladdin’s Oasis?

14 Comments Posted by on March 9, 2012

Once upon a time, there was the Tahitian Terrace. Located in Adventureland between the Tiki Room and the Jungle Cruise, the Tahitian Terrace was a splendid outdoor dining show. Or so they say, since despite being in operation for more than 30 years and despite my growing up in Southern California, I never once ate there. Or even knew it existed.

In my defense, for years and years we only went once a year on a private company night and as such, there were many things that didn’t operate at that time of day and year. Like the Explorer Canoes or the fact that you can actually go to the island in the middle of the Rivers of America. I was in high school and there in the middle of the day when I was like “What? You can row your own canoe? Since when???” and people were like “since always?” But whatever.

Anyway, never ate at the Tahitian Terrace. And when the Tahitian Terrace closed and was replaced by Aladdin’s Oasis, I never ate there either. More defendable on that front, since apparently Aladdin’s Oasis was only an actual dinner show for two seasons, both of which occurred when I was in college in the Midwest (where incidentally, I did paddle my own canoe down a river, but that’s a whole other story).

So basically, my entire experience with this location has involved walking past it saying, “is that a restaurant? I’ve never seen it open.”

That person in the foreground in black is thinking, "Is that a restaurant? I've never seen it open."

 

Well it’s not a restaurant anymore. Let me just put that issue to rest. Apparently for a while it was used as a storytelling location. If this is still the case, I wouldn’t know, because I’ve never seen it open.

Quite lovely

 

The entrance is delightfully-themed. The colors are bright, the building is detailed, and it’s all-around a lovely place. It even has a lovely courtyard.

It's actually kind of romantic back here

 

But the only thing I’ve ever seen it used for is this:

Jasmine

 

An Aladdin meet and greet. It’s always so weird, because the entranceway is lush and decorated and you really feel like any second now it could open up and be come kind of restaurant or show, or both. It doesn’t look neglected or forgotten, it just sits there, totally unused, except for a sporadic meet and greet location. Go figure.

I do hope that one day they’ll reopen the main area. I know that it shares kitchen space in the back with what is now the Jolly Holiday Bakery. I wonder if they’ll ever do anything with it? Until then, it just sort of stands there making people think “Is that a restaurant? I’ve never seen it open.”

Adventureland

Disneyland Pillow Pets

14 Comments Posted by on February 3, 2012

For whatever reason–I’m assuming the sheer popularity of Pillow Pets–I get a lot of search hits on Disney Pillow Pets.

Now for those of you not in the know, a Pillow Pet is a stuffed animal/pillow hybrid. Lay it flat and it’s a pillow with a stuffed animal head, but then fold it in half and fasten the velcro and it’s a regular stuffed animal.

Theo has one. A doggie. It actually came from his great-grandmother (Kevin’s grandmother), who saw an advertisement for Pillow Pets on tv and then ran out and got one for Theo. I mean seriously people, how ADORABLE is that??? Here’s one-day-old Theo with Great-Grandma:

Christmas Day, 2008

Right?????

Anyway, so there are some Disney Pillow Pets at Disneyland. They’re located in Adventureland right across from the Jungle Cruise.

In a jumble

Usually they’re more neatly stacked than that.

Anyway, the only Disney Pillow Pets I’ve seen are Pluto, Eeyore, and Tigger. I’m not sure why other characters aren’t represented, but these are the only ones I could find anywhere in the park.

And in case you’re wondering, these cute little guys will cost you…

$24.95

They are actually quite cute, so if you’re looking for a Disney Pillow Pet…well, I’m not sure what to tell you because I’ve never seen them offered outside of the park. Though I’ve never looked. But if you want one and you know someone in or near the park, they CAN be yours!!!

 

Adventureland ,

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