6 Days to Go: Plussed for Disneyland 60!

Disney made some changes to classic rides in celebration of their 60th anniversary. Not big changes, mind you. But little plusses to make the ride more exciting! The two big ones are Peter Pan's flight and the Matterhorn. However, these aren't on our touring plan. So which ride's plus do we most care about? The Haunted Mansion!

Photo from disneytouristblog.com

The Hatbox Ghost was originally in the Haunted Masion at Disneyland when it opened in 1969. He was a central figure in promotional materials when Disney first advertised the world's first haunted mansion ride (where you didn't have to walk through it like other scare houses). Disney was taking the haunted house to a whole new level and the Hatbox Ghost was a big part of that. His head disappears from on top of his shoulders and reappears in the hatbox itself. 

Unfortunately, Imagineers were not happy with the quality of the effect and he was taken out of the attraction for a very long time. Yet many still had a fondness for the old ghost. Disney sold many merchandise items with his ghoulish face featured and even featured him in a recent cartoon. However, now for the 60th, the Hatbox Ghost is back, featuring new technology, in his old spot next to the bride. 

Does this mean that the mansion no longer has 999 haunts but is at full capacity? Maybe we will be let off the hook for filling that vacancy for the next time we ride!

Disney Trivia! 

Yesterday's Question:

Q: What is the name of the 100 year old Alligator in the Jungle Cruise attraction? 

A: Old Smiley

Today's Question: 

Q: The organ in Disneyland's Haunted Mansion was orginially used in another attraction, which one?

7 Days to Go: Disneyland Half!

With the Dumbo Double Dare, that means that we are running a 10K followed by a half marathon! The Avengers assembled and were ready to rock the race!

Everyone with their bling!

Like my shield?

That's five medals for the year including our Coast to Coast!

This race was so much fun!

Disney Trivia!
Yesterday's Question:
Q: How many Doom Buggies are there in Disneyland's and Walt Disney World's Haunted Mansions?
A: Disneyland: 131; Walt Disney World: 160. Disneyland's 131 Doom Buggies can average approximately 2,000-2,400 guests per hour while Walt Disney World averages 3,200.

Today's Question:
Q: What is the name of the 100 year old Alligator in the Jungle Cruise attraction?

8 Days to Go: Disneyland 10K!

Today we are taking the Tardis back to summer of 2014 to the last time we got to visit Disneyland! We ran the Dumbo Double Dare over Labor Day weekend and we were having a blast! Probably the best 10K course we have ever run at Disney.

Walle and Eva - rouge robots!

All smiles for a PR!

Let's watch!

Yesterday's Question:
Q: When Disneyland's Monorail first opened in 1959 it was the first daily operating monorail in the country. What was it called when it first opened?
A: Disneyland-Alweg Monorail System (Alweg was the German Based Company that assisted in its design).

Today's Question:
Q: How many Doom Buggies are there in Disneyland's and Walt Disney World's Haunted Mansions?

9 Days to Go: Season of the Force!

Star Wars is taking over the park, probably even more than Frozen did. So what new galaxies do we have to explore during our trip? Well let's find out!

First port on the space flight is the new Star Wars Launch Bay. It seems to be mainly a place for people to go learn about Star Wars (if, heaven help us, they haven't seen the movie) and there is supposedly a couple of character meet and greets as well.

Entrance
From Disneytouristblog.com

Star Wars Launch Bay
From Disneytouristblog.com

The other interesting exhibit is the Path of the Jedi. From what I can tell, it combines all the movies into one short film, chronicling Luke's path to becoming a Jedi. Probably worth a stop if we have time!

But the most exciting new piece of the rebel alliance? Hyperspace Mountain! 

Hyperspace Mountain
From Disneytouristblog.com

Come on...add the best coaster with a trip through the Star Wars Galaxy??? Sign me up!

May the force be with us.

Disney Trivia!

Yesterday's Question:

Q: What is the order (From Lowest to the Highest) of the 4 Disney Castles located in WDW, Disneyland, Disneyland Paris and Tokyo Disneyland? 

A: Disneyland's Sleeping beauty Castle: 77 Feet, Disneyland Paris' Sleeping Beauty Castle: 148 Feet, Walt Disney World's Cinderella Castle: 180 Feet, Tokyo Disneyland's Cinderella Castle 185 Feet.

Today's Question:

Q: When Disneyland's Monorail first opened in 1959 it was the first daily operating monorail in the country. What was it called when it first opened?

10 Days to Go: Disneyworld Marathon!

Well, we can never do any of these countdowns without reliving the granddaddy of them all...the Disneyworld Marathon!

Let's relive the magic!

Disney Trivia!
Yesterday's Question:
Q: What was the quote that Walt Disney used in the dedication of Disneyland's Fantasyland?
A: "Fantasyland is dedicated to the young and the young at heart; to those who believe that when you wish upon a star, your dreams do come true."

Today's Question:
Q: What is the order (From Lowest to the Highest) of the 4 Disney Castles located in WDW, Disneyland, Disneyland Paris and Tokyo Disneyland?

11 days to Go: Toronto!

Last year we took a wet trip to Toronto!

Arrived!

Signing the wall!

Beautiful view of the bay!

At the spotify station!

Hockey anyone?

It's Lord Stanley's Cup!!!

About mile 4!

All smiles at the finish!

It was a great time together, despite the weather! Let's watch!

Disney Trivia!
Yesterday's Question:
Q: When Disneyland First opened in 1955 who bought the very first admission ticket at a cost of $1?
A: Walt's Brother Roy

Today's Question:
Q: What was the quote that Walt Disney used in the dedication of Disneyland's Fantasyland?

12 Days to Go: Time Travel to Washington D.C.!

Back in 2014, we made a little trip to Washington D.C. for the Nike Women's Half Marathon!

At the Expo!

Found our names on the wall!

Cheers go a long way!

Breaking records!

Screaming' to the finish line!

Dad tracking our progress!

Start line...

Finish bling! 

It was such a great race! Let's relive it!

Disney Trivia!
Yesterday's Question:
Q: In WDW's Haunted Mansion is the ceiling stretching or are you actually being lowered? What about in Disneyland??
A: In WDW the ceiling rises while in Disneyland you are in an elevator and are being lowered.

Today's Question:

Q: When Disneyland First opened in 1955 who bought the very first admission ticket at a cost of $1?

13 days to Go: Corral Assignments!

We both submitted a time just around the 2:30 mark. Which according to Disney makes us the front of the C corral!

As long as we get to the front of our corral, I think we will have a good chance to see characters with little line if we choose to do so!

Disney Trivia!
Yesterday's Question:
Q: Including Main Street, how many stops does the Disneyland Railroad make? And name them if you can.
A: 4; Main Street USA; New Orleans Square; Mickey's Toontown; and Tomorrowland.

Today's Question:
Q: In WDW's Haunted Mansion is the ceiling stretching or are you actually being lowered? What about in Disneyland??

14 Days to Go: The Tinkerbell Event Guide!

We are just 2 weeks out from a magical Disney trip! We have a ton of great stuff on the itinerary including rides, Star Wars, great food and of course, fun!

The event guide for the Tinkerbell Half Marathon came out! So be sure to check out all the going ons and the maps. It looks like our commute to the starting line is going to be AWESOME!

The link to the event guide: http://as1.wdpromedia.com/media/rundisney/2016TinkProgram.pdf

Disney Trivia!

Q: Including Main Street, how many stops does the Disneyland Railroad make? And name them if you can.