Splash Mountain Closed Until Late May

One of Disneyland's legendary attractions, Splash Mountain (located in Critter Country), is closed due to refurbishment until late May, according to Mouse Planet.

Splash Mountain © Disney

A Mouse Planet user commented with the following:

"Besides the normal refurbmishment and drying out the of the logs, they are replacing the entire lift mechanisms for lift A, lift B, and half of lift C. The other half was replaced in the last major refurb. These motors and related equipment have gone past the expected life span, and really need to be replaced, therefore the extended closure.

"The current schedule has the ride reopening in late May, but as with any major refurb, they can sometimes find other things that need repair, which could delay the reopening."

As soon as I find some pictures/information, I'll post it here. (But you already know that!)

More news on Sleeping Beauty Castle

While I don't have a vast amount of detailed information, I do have some new news revolving around the refurbishment of Sleeping Beauty Castle, courtesy of Mouse Planet.

Sleeping Beauty Castle being refurbished; note the partially drained moat © David Michael at Mouse Planet

According to the Mouse Planet forums, the castle should be completed by February 9, a Friday. Due to this fact, an extensive refurbishment like my last post implied is unlikely.

Along with the castle and the floral Main Street Train Station entrance, both tunnels in the park have recently been revealed to show a new color-filled appearance © David Michael at Mouse Planet

Sleeping Beauty Castle Refurbishment

Sleeping Beauty Castle is currently being refurbished, much to the distaste of Disneyland fans alike.

Sleeping Beauty Castle under refurbishment © garbagepixie at LiveJournal

Although the official cause of refurbishment is currently unknown, a user at the Mouse Planet Disneyland forums said the following:

"I was told several months ago that the inside of the castle has structural problems and basically the whole building needs to be torn down and replaced. Instead of Disneyland putting a band-aid on the problem by repainting and patching, its [sic] probably smarter for them to demo the castle and build a new modern steel structure, identical to the current wooden frame structure. I am sure the castle has lots of termite damage and the wood frame is in very bad shape."

As the Disneyland Expert, I will keep you updated on any breaking news on the castle.

Disneyland Art

Ever heard of Thomas Kinkade or Shag? Of course you have! The artists, generally known for their unique work, are just two of the countless artists who have painted Disneyland.

Thomas Kinkade's 50th Anniversary painting of Sleeping Beauty Castle © Thomas Kinkade

There is more to Disneyland art than meets the eye. After all, there can only be so many portraits of Mickey Mouse posing in front of Sleeping Beauty Castle or Main Street, U.S.A. The previously mentioned artists, along with many others, are working on changing what Disneyland art has become.

Shag's representation of Adventureland © Shag and MousePlanet.com; Matterhorn Bobsleds Print © Disney

I personally own Shag's 5 "Original Lands" set, featuring paintings of Main Street, U.S.A., Adventureland, Frontierland, Fantasyland, and Tomorrowland. Additionally, I own a postcard size of Thomas Kinkade's Sleeping Beauty Castle painting, seen above.

While they're undoubtedly some of the most famous, Shag and Kinkade are obviously not the only artists to use Disneyland as their muse. Just look at the many paintings scattered around Disneyland (and in the Disney Gallery) for proof!

If you wish to purchase one of these prints, you don't have many options. Of course you can take a visit to the Disney Gallery and purchase however many prints you want, but not everyone has access to the gallery at any given time. (If you do, however, take advantage of that fact!) For those of us who live outside of Anaheim, eBay is your next best bet. Simply type in "disneyland print" and you'll soon find yourself in a world full of gorgeous posters. Warning: Make sure the seller you're purchasing from is a decent one before clicking the 'bid' or 'buy' button!

But that's not all! Theme Park Shopper also has sections dedicated to Shag, Disneyland attraction posters, Disney movie prints, and more.

Have fun shopping for prints, and make sure to tell me what you purchased!

Disney Cruise Line: Returning to California in 2008

While this isn't entirely Disneyland-related, I still figure it's worth a read. According to Mouse Planet, the Disney Cruise line will return to the Port of Los Angeles in 2008.

"The agreement is for May 1, 2008 through September 15, 2008, identical to the lease signed when the ship first visited California in 2005. Disney has not made any announcement about potential itineraries, but the lease dates suggest that the West Coast operation will be similar to the 2005 schedule: one west-bound Panama Canal repositioning cruise, likely departing Port Canaveral on May 17 and arriving in Los Angeles the morning of May 31; 12 7-day cruises departing each Saturday between May 31 and August 17; and then a east-bound Panama Canal transit to return the ship to Port Canaveral, likely departing on August 23 ... Disney is expected to release the 2008 itinerary on January 17, but reservations will not open until January 31."

Excellent news! This means that I can now find an excuse to visit Disneyland next summer: Not only could I visit the Happiest Place on Earth, but also take a Disney cruise!