Tag Archives: Disneyland Band

Jambalaya Jazz Band

3 Comments Posted by on September 6, 2011

As I’ve said before, one of the biggest surprises for me during MYWTM is the amount of roving entertainment all around the park. Walt was a huge music lover and I knew about the Disneyland Band and the barbershop quartet known as the Dapper Dans, and some people in Victorian costumes who sing at Christmas, but other than that I had no idea about the little groups and bands that are all over Disneyland. I’m so glad MYWTM is making me slow down and enjoy the atmosphere because I really would have missed these fabulous gems just like I have every year before MYWTM.

The day I rode the Lilly Belle, I caught sight of these guys in New Orleans Square:

Natty outfits, swingin' tunes, New Orleans Square...

It’s the Jambalaya Jazz Band! Nope, it’s not the Dixieland Band, although they are often confused with each other.

Jambalaya. Jazz.

They even had Mardi Gras beads in their pockets that they tossed to a few of the little kids standing around. And said children didn’t even have to…*ahem*…do anything to get some beads ;).

I only listened to them for a song to  two, but like the rest of the bands I’ve discovered, they were lively, very fun, and fabulous to listen to. It’s so exciting to make these discoveries. So far I’ve stumbled across:

The Pearly Band, a jolly performance in front of the castle with special guest stars Mary Poppins and Bert!

Supercalimumblemumble

The Straw Hatters, a group of musicians clad in straw hats with special guest stars Pluto, Donald Duck, Mickey, and Minnie:

Over in the corner of Town Square

The Dapper Dans, which everyone seems to know about. No special guests that I saw but their singing is second to none, and their chime-playing (Kelli knows the proper term for that) is really fantastic.

About halfway down Main Street

The Hook and Ladder Company, a bonny group of firemen and their mascot Spot, who is nearly kidnapped by the evil Cruella DeVille, and we’re also entertained by Chip and Dale and Goofy.

Town Square right in front of the fire department (and below Walt's personal apartment)

Arrrrr, the grimy band of pirates, the Bootstrappers, singing traditional pirate tunes (sans ale) in New Orleans Square.

What's a pirate's favorite letter? Arrrrrrrrrrrrrr.

And of course, the Disneyland Band.

Middle of Town Square at the flagpole

Now that’s entertainment! And all of that entertainment–the kind you can basically trip over on your way to somewhere else–I think that’s a part of the Disneyland Magic, don’t you?

 

Adventureland, Things I Never Knew Existed , , , , , , , , ,

The Disneyland Band

7 Comments Posted by on January 28, 2011

When you walk in the front gate, you can get a map of the park as well as a daily entertainment schedule. I usually completely ignore the entertainment schedule, which is why this blog exists.

Last time I was at the park I did pick up an entertainment schedule and looked for some kind of event that was going to happen within about 15-20 minutes of my arrival time. What can I say–I’m impatient. The first event that fit the bill was a performance of the Disneyland Band.

The Disneyland Band is basically just like it sounds–a small group of musicians performing on Town Square on Main Street. The band marches in from the backlot dressed and playing instruments like a marching band, although their actual performance is seated.

The Disneyland Band has just marched in

Apparently Walt really liked music (Fantasia, go figure), and wanted to bring music to the people or something, so he created the Disneyland Band when the park first opened and they’ve been there ever since.

Talk about something I didn’t even know existed! Thank you, My Year With The Mouse!

As the conductor explained to us, the Disneyland Band plays a series of songs based on a theme which changes every day. The day I was there, the theme was Dixieland and the music was all Dixieland-like. There were also tambourines around the flagpole and at a certain point in the performance you were invited to grab a tambourine and play along.

I really wanted to do that, but Theo was getting grumpy and I also wanted to get some character pictures in, since the characters were also right there. So sorry, Disneyland Band–I ditched you in favor of Goofy and Chip.

And now, the Disneyland Band sits

Yeah, I know this wasn’t very exciting, but I am determined to do everything here, so there ya go.

Main Street ,

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