Something Wicked This Way Comes...at Disneyland!

It's that time again -- that's right, we're just one short week away from the official start of Fall, the most wonderful time of the year!

Everyone has their reasons for loving Fall. For some, it's the Fall leaves...

For others, it's the Fall fashion...

And still for others, it's the fact that their children are back in school...




(Shout-out to my Mom, who LOVED this commercial, and also became maniacally excited when it was Back-to-School time, LOL)

While these are all amazing aspects of the season, for the Disney Dames, the best part of Fall without question...is HALLOWEEN!

We love Halloween!

We LOVE Halloween!

...and did I mention we love Halloween? ;-)

So luckily for us, Halloweentime at Disneyland starts early! It's an incredibly special time of year for the three of us -- we so look forward to the change of decor, the seasonal sweet treats, and the spooky ride updates! And as usual, the attention to detail employed by the Imagineers, who work through long nights to make the holiday come to life, is amazing!

Check out some of my favorite highlights from Dames Do Halloweentime Past below, and stay tuned for more spooky-themed Disney posts next month!

In the meantime, Halloweentime at Disneyland begins THIS FRIDAY, September 14^th, and runs through October 31^st. So if you haven’t been, check it out! And if you have, check it out again. Every year is a little bit different, and who knows…you may just see the Dames there! ;-)

Disneyland: A Voice of Liberty

I’m not the least bit bashful when I name the amazingly cool and educational Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln as one of my favorite Disneyland experiences.



I usually have to drag the other Dames kicking and screaming, and even sometimes go alone while they get corn dogs or take photos elsewhere in park. But thanks to Mother Nature and the unusually hot temperatures of last weekend, this time convincing the Dames to sit in on the air-conditioned Great Moments was a cinch. ;-)

And what awaited us just outside the theater was a brand-new treat that made the heat much more bearable. No, not froyo…something way better: The Voices of Liberty!





The Voices of Liberty is an acapella singing group that debuted at Disneyland back in June to accompany Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln with sweet, sweet sound. For about fifteen pre-show minutes, they dazzle you with eight-part harmony on American standards such as America the Beautiful, This Land is Your Land, and Grand Ole’ Flag. *Shout-out to Mrs. Thibodeaux, my fourth grade teacher, who made us sing one of these EVERY. SINGLE. DAY. before the start of class, so I knew all the lyrics and could sing along.*

The Disney parks are well-known for providing a forum for great, budding talent and Disneyland’s Voices of Liberty are no exception. As a singer myself, I’m a bit of a song-snob (I’ll admit it!) and very critical of voice performances, but these men and women were fantastic! Completely on key, completely on time, completely in sync. Leave it to Disney to accept nothing less than perfection. Not to mention that completing a five-song acapella set in a cotton-burlap-polyester blend in 90-degree heat is no easy feat – but they did it with the effortless grace of Civil War-era ladies and gentlemen, making me, as usual, yearn for a classier time long, long ago and far, far away.

Inside the Great Moments exhibit in the theater’s entryway is a short film documenting Abraham Lincoln’s rise from a tree-chopping young man, to a lawyer in Illinois, to our nation’s 16^th president. If you don’t know much about his life and presidency (and even if you do), this exhibit is fascinating. I love walking around the early model of the White House and taking in the Civil War-era dim-lit chandeliers and décor, and for those not as interested in all that, there’s an entire exhibit on the history of Disneyland as well. *Be sure to take a look at the original blueprints for the park while you’re in there. You’ll find that much has changed over the years.

After the film ends, you are invited inside the theater for the show. But this time, the Voices of Liberty started us off with another medley of patriotic tunes, and I have to say I loved every minute of it! I kept thinking that I wish they always started off this show! What I really loved about this portion of things was when they did a medley paying homage to those that fight for our country. They sang the song of each branch of the military, and as they did, called out for anyone who serves or has ever served in that branch to stand, so that we could applaud and thank them for their service, something that isn't done nearly enough.

During the Navy song, an old man a few rows in front of us stood up very slowly, but surely. His legs undoubtedly moved a little differently that day than they had when he fought for our country, but he wanted his moment anyway. And we wanted to give it to him. And as his eyes teared up to our loud applause, I felt so lucky to be there.

Then came the short introductory reel about Lincoln. It includes a music video, “Two Brothers”, about a family whose sons were split apart by the Civil War. One fought for the Confederacy, and the other for the Union. One particular hook in the song always stands out to me:

“One was gentle, one was kind. One was gentle, one was kind. One came home, one stayed behind. The cannonball don’t pay no mind. The cannonball don’t pay no mind, if you’re gentle or if you’re kind. It don’t think of the folks behind…”

*Note: this is NOT the video from Disneyland, just the song.

This song haunts me every time, as it reminds me of the harsh realities of war and the ultimate pices paid to keep our country safe. So by the time the curtain rises next, revealing an eerily-realistic animatronic Abe, I’m feeling all kinds of patriotic!

His speech is referred to in the show as “ten short sentences” that changed the world, that he had no idea would become immortalized. So every time I come to the show, I try to actually count the sentences. I’ve counted 14, 16, 19, and even 21 over the years (and that’s being generous with punctuation), but never as few as 10. It’s a pretty long speech, really. Someone can’t count here. But I digress…

It's such a well-written speech that by the end, you are energized, excited, and you may even jump to your feet screaming "YES WE CAN!" Oh wait...wrong President. ;-)

Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln is an underrated treasure. It’s a great show for a mature audience, and an even better show for youth – it’s a fun way to introduce them to such an important time in our history, and may even inspire them to seek more knowledge of it. It's a must-do! Since it’s right near the Disneyland gates, it’s tempting to walk right by to get to more exciting rides or to get to bed after a long day of fun, but next time take a few minutes to stop and check it out. I think you’ll be happy you did. And if you get there before September 18^th, you’ll get to see the Voices of Liberty up close and personal!

In the meantime, thank you Disneyland and Voices of Liberty for reminding us in the midst of fun how blessed we are to be Americans. For reminding us how grateful we should be to the men who fought for our freedom long ago.



And to the many that fight for it every single day.



Thank you for bringing a tear to that former soldier’s eye.

And for making that a moment I will never forget.

ASIA'S FAVORITE RIDE: Twilight Zone Tower of Terror

I am a girl who longs for the polished glamour of Marilyn Monroe and Dorothy Dandridge. Who reads true crime novels. Who wears cherry red lipstick and evening gloves. Who hosts murder mystery parties. Who listens to Ella Fitzgerald while cooking. 

And I am a girl who, on a dark, stormy night alone in the house, curls up with a bowl of Top Ramen and a few of my favorite scary movies.

So for a girl like me, Disney has never done it better than with the glamorous mystery of the Twilight Zone Tower of Terror.

If you’ve been to Disney’s California Adventure and/or Disney’s Hollywood Studios in Orlando, you’ve seen the tall, gorgeous building looming in the distance, beckoning you to summon up the courage to step inside. This ride possesses a slightly different character than other Disney attractions, abandoning the bright, cheery whimsy of fantasy, and taking you to depths a bit darker.

You feel it the moment you step inside the Hollywood Tower Hotel – that unsettling feeling that something is very off. And it is. On every piece of furniture is the dusty abandonment of a far more glamorous time, and brushing by your ear is the soft, solemn whisper of one starry night cut short.

 



Your challenge is to take the pieces of the puzzle left scattered in those whispers and make it complete.

If you haven’t experienced this MUST-DO attraction, here’s a short summary (SPOILERS AHEAD):

The premise of the ride is that you are the guests in an old hotel that was abandoned after the mysterious disappearance of five members of Hollywood glitterati. The line queue weaves you through what was once the gorgeous lobby of the hotel for the who's who. And in the library, the one-and-only Rod Serling introduces you to the fateful night in 1939 when everything changed…

Shortly thereafter, you are led to the Boiler Room, where you board the hotel's maintenance elevator (the main one is still "out-of-order"), hang on tight, and hope for a better fate than that of those before you. ;-)

Needless to say, this ride is not for the faint of heart.  It’s got thrills, chills, and an end drop sequence that can bring out a high-pitched scream in the toughest of men. But there’s nothing like the rush you feel when you arrive back on the ground floor to that familiar four-note hook, and you inevitably smile and say, “I want to do it again!”

I rode Tower of Terror for the first time when I was fourteen, and my best friend and I repeated it twelve times in a row, in hopes of breaking a record FAR larger than we realized at the time. But hey, it was a valiant effort. ;-)

So for all the girls who ever watched Twilight Zone episodes on their daddy’s laps…

Or ever read more Agatha Christie books than they can count...



Or ever threw a 1920s speakeasy-style Murder Mystery Party for their birthday…

This one's for you. ;-)

-Asia

***If you too adore all things vintage and mystery, check out the horror anthology that I write for: The Palmer Hotel, with my very own mini-mystery in Room 1210***



WHO WORE IT BEST: Disney Edition

It’s a little known fact that Disney characters have long been the source of fashion inspiration for runway designers. But believe it or not, some of the same looks making their way down red carpets on gorgeous celebs first made their debuts on drawing paper in colored pencil.

Below I’ve highlighted some high-fashion looks clearly inspired by your favorite Disney characters, but what good would this be if I didn’t tell you WHO WORE IT BEST? ;-)

*TAYLOR SWIFT vs. KATY PERRY vs. MINNIE MOUSE*

Katy Perry gives us Disney chic with a pinup twist in a cute attempt to update the classic red and white polka dot dress, however it would've been much cuter with a strand of pearls and a peep-toe pump. And while Minnie always looks lovely, the yellow clogs are a bit too heavy outside of Sweden and I'm a bit distracted by her peek-a-boo bloomers.

With a simple red lip, tie cinching the waist and cascading golden curls, Taylor takes the cake and exudes class.

*PRINCESS JASMINE vs. KIM KARDASHIAN *

This was a tough one, as I think Kim Kardashian is Princess Jasmine's real-life doppleganger if there ever was one. But Jasmine gets points for her gorgeous Arabian jewelry and for being a little more covered up. With Kim's ultra-boost cleavage, slits on the legs, and way too low rising waistline, she looks less like a class act, and more like the class hoochie.

*SERENA WILLIAMS vs. BELLE*

Both ladies look lovely in floor-length yellow gowns, but Belle has the edge for the soft shape of the gown. She looks elegant, romatic, and like she'd float across the dance floor, while Serena's more fitted design leaves her looking uncomfortable and a little over-stuffed.

*FREDDY vs. LEIGH AS FREDDY vs. DONALD AS FREDDY*



All three give me shivers in the brown and red sweater we know so well, and it was almost a three-way tie. I love Donald's preppy, v-neck take on the sweater and anger, and then of course, there's Freddy's original more casual, relaxed-fit crazy, but Leigh comes out ahead for her sexier take. The longer, more fitted sweater over tights is a great update, and the sexy-but-not-too-sexy slash over the stomach leaves just enough to the imagination.

Until next time, that's WHO WORE IT BEST!

DAMES DO CARS LAND!

It all began on a regular Saturday morning at 4:00am, aka: bright and early! The sky was dark, the owls were hooting, and everything was as normal as it always is.

Everything, that is, except that the Disney Dames were up and at 'em to take advantage of the Annual Passholders Early Preview of the brand spankin’ new Cars Land at California Adventure!

Leigh had a broken toe (actual x-ray below)...

...and it was so early that our regular stop at Starbucks was a no-go, which is usually a must to begin any Disneyland day. But the mark of a true Disney fan is the one who’s still excited to get on the road, despite those circumstances – and boy were we!

When we arrived, after receiving our super-exclusive wristbands, we waited in line outside California Adventure’s entrance to be among the first inside. Well, Melody and I did. Leigh had to go rent her electronic convenience vehicle, aka: grandma cruiser, to make getting around the park with a broken toe a bit easier. But it was only moments before she came cruisin’ up in her brand new rental making it look way flyer than any grandma could. ;)

  

And when the gates opened, we immediately hurried over to Cars Land to discover exactly what magic awaited.

When you enter Cars Land, you are transported to a desert movie set, where oldies-but-goodies blare over the loudspeaker, there are old-fashioned gas attendants, and you’d swear you even feel a warm desert breeze graze your cheek. Imagineers did an amazing job with bringing Radiator Springs to life. Just incredibly cute on all fronts. I could have sat down cross-legged in the middle of Cars Land and just taken in it’s cuteness in ALL.DAY.LONG.

But first and foremost we were there for the main attraction: Radiator Springs Racers. So imagine our frustration when, after standing in line for it less than 5 minutes, we were informed that THE RIDE HAD BROKEN DOWN!!!

WHAT?!!!

Now, in my experience at Disneyland, many rides have broken down, some even while I’m on them – hey, it took me four rides of Roger Rabbit’s Cartoon Spin before I knew how the darn thing ended. But never have I ever heard of a ride breaking down before it even starts up. “This better be good,” I heard from the folks in line around us that decided to stay, while others migrated over to the super-cute breakfast place (Flo’s V8 Café) jamming the Supremes next-door.

We considered stepping out of line and coming back another time too – after all, there’s so much Disney to see! But in the end, the three Disney Dames decided to stay and stick it out like champs. Reason: We’re not quitters! We love Disney and we finish what we start! Real Reason: There was no way imaginable to get the grandma cruiser back through the line to exit. So we were in it to win it whether we liked it or not.

So what did we do to pass the time? What any group of girls would do when faced with an uncomfortably long wait outside at 7am on a Saturday.

We had a photo shoot.

 

We posed.

We posed again.

We posed alone.

We posed with photo hijackers.

And we realized that we look amazingly photogenic at 7am without coffee. :-)

And then, after an hour of watching racecars speed by, our eyes frantically searching for any bobbing heads inside, the line finally started to move. And then it was all gravy from there. Because of Leigh’s foot, we were ushered right up to the handicapped entrance, and we took off.

The first (and longest) portion of the ride is the car you’re in preparing for the Radiator Springs race. You’re washed, you socialize, your wheels are checked, you’re even warned by a very cool cop car that you’re going too fast. And after a final check in the mirror of the body shop (because there’s no use winning if you don’t look good doing it), you shoot out of the building and onto the track running through the beautiful Radiator Springs, and guess what? Another car has crept up next to you, which you quickly realize is your opponent! But before you can yell,  “Oh My God, I’m in a race!”, “Where did that other car come from?”, “This is so cool!”, or more plainly, “What the F@$%?” you’re off! The wind is in your hair, the music is in your ears, and the excitement is in every twist and turn, every drop and rise.

You finally finish the race having either won or lost (we won!) and then are transported back to the platform where you started, in our case the handicapped boarding zone. I was happy to discover that this was a picture-taking ride, too.

Love those mid-ride snap-shots!

And in the end, even after an hour delay that pretty much cancelled out our early entry, we promised to return soon for more Cars Land fun, before gathering that it was only 8:30am and we still had a whole day of Disney ahead. And even better, we could finally stop for coffee. ;-)

Run, don’t walk to Disney’s California Adventure for Cars Land.

The Disney Dames are onboard.  J

MEET THE DAMES: Asia

I'm Asia, Creator and Blog-Master of Dames Do Disney. I'm a creative, 

bubbly, old-fashioned chick who LOVES to talk and write about anything under the sun! I've got a number of TV and novel projects I'm working on, so I'll be sharing some of those soon. 

In the meantime, check out more about me below:

1. My occupation is:

Comedy Development at a TV network

2. But I really want to be a:

Novelist/TV Writer/Screenwriter Extraordinaire 

3. I'd describe myself in these three words:

Creative, talkative, talented

4. My favorite Disney movie is:

It's hard to top The Lion King with me! The opening still makes my eyes go misty. 

5. My favorite Disney character is:

Minnie Mouse is oh-so-classy.

6. My favorite Disneyland ride is:

Twilight Zone Tower of Terror -- I love everything vintage (music, fashion, movies, etc) and everything Twilight Zone, so it's the combination of champions if you ask me! 

7. Least Favorite Disneyland ride:

Though there is something very disturbing about a children's ride that ends in Hell (Mr. Toad's Wild Ride, I'm talking to you), I'm going with Snow White. It's just too dark. 

8. If I was locked in Disneyland overnight, I would:

Have my own parade down Main Street!

9. Disney character I'm most like: 

I'd say Belle. We're both hopeless romantics who love to read, are kind to animals, and LOOOOOVE France! 

10. Disney character my husband should THANK HIS LUCKY STARS isn't real:

Captain Shang from Mulan. The man is hurt-me-gorgeous. If I had to train with him, ie: "I'll Make a Man Out of You", I wouldn't be able to concentrate. I'd probably forget the difference between left and right. 

11. If I got a job at Disneyland, I'd be: 

Princess Tiana! I'd love to perform her songs and dances in the middle of New Orleans Square!

12. NOTABLE DISNEYLAND MEMORY OR OPINION:

In fourth grade, I got to preview Indiana Jones Adventure when my Dad was broadcasting at Disneyland, and got to ride up the backstage elevator and skip the line. It was so cool! But, as I later learned, so is the line queue! :-)

NEXT UP,  FIND OUT WHAT HAPPENED WHEN THE DAMES DID CARS LAND...

MEET THE DAMES: Melody

Melody (aka: Mel) is another one of my best friends from junior high. We all met at the same school, but Melody and I danced and played in orchestra together, too! She's a sweet, quirky, musically-gifted chick (not to mention one hell-of-a photo model) who runs her own piano teaching business in Southern California.

Check out more about her below, and her piano teaching here:

Piano by Melody

http://www.pianobymelody.com/



1. My occupation is:

Independent Piano Teacher

2. But I really want to be a:

Independent Piano Teacher

3. I'd describe myself in these three words: 

Shy, goofy, sweet

4. My favorite Disney movie is: 

I'm terrible with favorites, so I will give a favorite: Aladdin

5. My favorite Disney character is:

Piglet

6. My favorite Disneyland ride is:

Once again, a favorite ride is The Pirates of the Caribbean and a favorite is Indiana Jones.

7. Least favorite Disneyland ride is:

Unfortunately, I do have a least favorite: Snow White. If we include DCA, it's The Little Mermaid!

8. If I was locked in Disneyland overnight, I would:

Have a party, or wedding!

9. Disney character I'm most like:

Piglet

10. Disney character my boyfriend should THANK HIS LUCKY STARS isn't real:

Aladdin

11. If I got a job at Disneyland, I'd be a:
I've always said this since I was little. I want to be a monkey in Fantasmic, a gingerbread cookie in the Christmas parade or Music Supervisor. I need more training for each of course.

12. NOTABLE DISNEYLAND MEMORY OR OPINION:
I spent the turn of the century at Disneyland. It was one of the most fantastic Disneyland experiences. I sat with my best friends at the time, in front of the castle for hours to wait for the year 2000. Every hour Mickey came out and did a little dance until it was time to ring it in.

That's Melody! Stay tuned for Part Three of our Meet the Dames series: ASIA!