I had filled my 50^th Anniversary Shag  Fantasyland mug with hot water and a bag of Twinning’s English Breakfast tea. When I returned a few minutes later, the mug was almost empty. It took me a good 30 seconds to sleuth out the subtly disastrous crack on the side of the mug that had caused my brew to steep out, covering the kitchen countertop, walls and floor with a flood of tea-filled tears.

I know it sounds ridiculous, but I broke my Fantasyland Shag mug over three months ago and I still look for it every time I open the cupboard.

Four mugs on the shelf just isn’t right. There should be five. The lands of Tomorrow, Adventure, Frontier and Main Street don my morning mugs, but it’s the missing... ]]> feeds@yuku.com (Mousetalgia Kristen) http://mousetalgia.yuku.com/topic/1088 Wed, 20 Oct 2010 07:10:36 PST http://mousetalgia.yuku.com/topic/1009/-1-The-Jungle-Cruise And now, ladies and gentlemen, what you’ve been waiting for….the backside of water!

Since opening day, lucky crewmembers have been skippering the most punderful attraction in all of Disneyland.  Remarkably, only  a couple of things have changed since July 17, 1955.The foliage has dramatically filled out (the plants during first couple of years resembled my back yard more than any jungle) and good friends have come and gone (goodbye termite hill and hello piranhas.) The famous one-liners, wisecracks, jokes and jibes have varied somewhat in status depending on the skipper, and also when you were there… as the original script was virtually joke-free!  Hard to imagine the Jungle Cruise sans-jokes, but lucky for us, this original idea quickly went the way of live animals.

Live animals, you say? That’s... ]]> feeds@yuku.com (Mousetalgia Kristen) http://mousetalgia.yuku.com/topic/1009 Sat, 17 Jul 2010 08:58:02 PST http://mousetalgia.yuku.com/topic/1008/-2-The-Enchanted-Tiki-Room   (What other attractions allow tasty pineapple treats into their Disneylicious interiors?) 

This is a safe place where it’s okay to admit that we all thought the Tiki room birds were real at one point or another. It’s not just their beautiful cashmere feathers and stuttered head movements that tricks the smallest (and sometimes not so small) children into thinking that Adventureland is the home to these magical birds.  It’s the audio in these animatronics that have snagged the runner-up position in our Disneyland’s 55^th anniversary spectacular.  Out of all the sounds, here are... ]]> feeds@yuku.com (Mousetalgia Kristen) http://mousetalgia.yuku.com/topic/1008 Fri, 16 Jul 2010 19:17:32 PST http://mousetalgia.yuku.com/topic/1007/-3-The-Mark-Twain-Riverboat Maybe its just because I went to Dixieland Band camp as a teenager, but whatever the reason, I love the Mark Twain Riverboat. It big, its white and its full of steam, which makes it my kind of boat. Its also number 3* in this weeks countdown.  

Walking through the gates of Frontierland, my one-track mind often turns to this opening day attraction. While the Mark Twain technically belongs to Frontierland, its unifying power is unlike any other attraction in the park. (Submarines, I’m looking at you.) As ridiculous as it might sound, out of all the things I love about the Mark Twain, its ability to live in two different lands with such grace and ease is my favorite. The powers of the Twain are as mighty as the rivers it navigates and as unifying as the jammy-goodness in the finest of Monte Cristo sandwiches.

Only Disney can take park visitors in a single... ]]> feeds@yuku.com (Mousetalgia Kristen) http://mousetalgia.yuku.com/topic/1007 Thu, 15 Jul 2010 20:00:02 PST http://mousetalgia.yuku.com/topic/1005/-4-Sleeping-Beauty-Castle Sleeping Beauty Castle isn’t known as the big weenie for no good reason. 

(Point of clarification for those pondering all-beef franks: a “weenie” in the Disney dictionary is an item that draws attention and pulls visitors into the park.) 

Sleeping Beauty Castle seizes the number 4 spot on my countdown because really, what would Disneyland be without it? Can you even imagine walking into Disneyland and not seeing that beautiful pink palace at the end of Main Street?

Originally opened in 1957, SBC has gone through a number of interior remodels that would make even the Material Girl jealous. Many of the early dioramas were designed and painted by the legendary Eyvind Earl who was also responsible for the backgrounds and styling for the... ]]> feeds@yuku.com (Mousetalgia Kristen) http://mousetalgia.yuku.com/topic/1005 Wed, 14 Jul 2010 20:52:41 PST http://mousetalgia.yuku.com/topic/1004/-5-The-Matterhorn Permanecer sentados, Por Favor.

There you have it – today’s blog, completed in just one sentence.  

I’ll continue just for the sake of becoming a more disciplined blogger…and really, when have I ever uttered, written or even thought one singular sentence?

The Matterhorn is today’s selection for the #5 spot in Disneyland’s emerald anniversary countdown. Created by our old friend Bob “see ya next time” Gurr in 1959, this Disneyland classic is the eye catching mountain O’fun where you can spot Tinkerbell, random Swiss mountaineers and the illusive Yeti on a daily (or in Tink’s case, nightly) basis.

If you had asked me why I loved the Matterhorn when I was a kid, my response would have been, “Because its awesome.” (Due to my childhood corresponding to the 1980’s, I most likely would have said... ]]> feeds@yuku.com (Mousetalgia Kristen) http://mousetalgia.yuku.com/topic/1004 Tue, 13 Jul 2010 19:43:26 PST http://mousetalgia.yuku.com/topic/1002/-6-The-Big-Thunder-Mountain-Railroad How can you not love a runaway train designed by the Stache? (In case you were wondering, the Stache is none other than Tony Baxter, creator of incalculable Disney memories and bearer of a world-class mustache – hence the moniker coined by yours truly.) The Big Thunder Mountain Railroad which opened September 2, 1979,  is in my opinion one of the Stache's greatest designs as well as a must for any cowboy or girl moseying their way through Frontierland. 

As a child, certain family members had convinced me I was terrified of roller coasters even though I had never actually ridden one. I can’t judge them too harshly though, for I fear I was an easily swayed,  “whatever you say” kind of kid. (Evidence of this is my former collection of Elvis memorabilia and an... ]]> feeds@yuku.com (Mousetalgia Kristen) http://mousetalgia.yuku.com/topic/1002 Mon, 12 Jul 2010 20:06:21 PST http://mousetalgia.yuku.com/topic/999/Top-7-Reasons-to-Celebrate-Disneyland-s-55th-Anniversary-7 T-minus seven days until Disneyland’s 55^th Anniversary. In the context of history, 55 years is really only a drop in the bucket, but for most of us, its hard to imagine a world without Disneyland.  Walt hit the nail on the head that opening day as he invited his first guests to not only look to the promise of the future, but also to relive fond memories of the past. So in the spirit of nostalgia, I offer up my top seven-still-in-existence Disneyland attractions (be patient, only one per day) as my own personal countdown to the upcoming celebration of 55 glorious years.

#7 Davy Crockett Explorer Canoes.

Opened as the Indian... ]]> feeds@yuku.com (Mousetalgia Kristen) http://mousetalgia.yuku.com/topic/999 Sun, 11 Jul 2010 20:32:39 PST http://mousetalgia.yuku.com/topic/903/Battered-Disney-Fan-Syndrome No one is immune from Battered Disney Fan Syndrome.

Resulting from years of theme park hopping, excess collecting and a general over consumption of all things Disney, Battered Disney Fan Syndrome pays no mind to gender, ethnicity or otherwise. Its causes are many and the cure may vary, but at its core, BDFS threatens to turn the otherwise joyful Disney fan into a critical ball of ostentatious arrogance and at times, apathetic surrender. (Side effects may include grumbling, sighing, eye rolling whining, complaining, feet stamping, arm crossing, and monologuing.)

This last week, I attended the D23 One Year Anniversary Party at Disneyland. As we waited with sixty-five dollar anticipation for the party to start, the sickly fingers... ]]> feeds@yuku.com (Mousetalgia Kristen) http://mousetalgia.yuku.com/topic/903 Sun, 14 Mar 2010 21:04:31 PST http://mousetalgia.yuku.com/topic/897/MacGyver MacGyver* was always getting himself out of a jam. Bound, gagged and hanging from a ledge over a pit of flaming alligators, he could escape with only a paper clip, teacup and an origami paper crane. While his feathered hair may be outdated, his survival skills stand timeless and prove especially useful when it comes to meeting (not stalking) Disney Legends. His ability to think on his feet and use whatever means necessary to get the job done can serve as the foundation for any Disney Uber-fan on a quest to meet as many Legends, Icons and Whatnots as possible.