Disney News You Could Use (March 23 - March 30)

This past week at Disneyland saw painfully high levels of crowds, with Wednesday and Thursday reaching capacity levels. This is likely due to many students having their spring break at this time. After all, what's better than visiting the Happiest Place on Earth for your vacation?

Imagine staying in a place like this! Bill Stevens, 2008.

However, for guests like, say, Bill Stevens, the crowds probably weren't a huge issue. That's because Bill and his family won a stay in the park's Dream Suite this last Thursday, as part of the 2008 Disney Dreams Giveaway.

Along with staying in the suite, Bill Stevens was named the Honorary Grand Marshall of the parade. Bill Stevens, 2008.

Bill posted hundreds of photos of his trip, which you can view on his SmugMug album. Congratulations to Bill and his family, as only a handful of people can say they've stayed in the Dream Suite!

We could call it Rossii Disnejlend...

Although there's no current plans to open a theme park in the country, fashion magazine Vogue Russia recently featured a spread with Minnie Mouse, leading me to think of what Disneyland Russia (if there ever was one) would look like.

Model Masha Tyelna and Minnie Mouse ham it up in Moscow. Vogue Russia, 2008.

The characters would likely dress in traditional Russian fashion, restaurants could serve potatoes, borsch, and kasha (porridge), and rides would be set in buildings like those in Red Square. Sounds pretty nice, right?

Well, for now there's little official talk of a Russian Disneyland. However, fans of Disney will note that it's always interesting to discuss the possibility!

That being said, how would you all feel about a Disneyland Russia? Or is there another location where Disney would fit in better (like those listed in the current poll)?

Disney News You Could Use (March 16 - March 23)

What's going on in Disneyland this week? Quite a bit, actually, with several stories making headlines. One in particular is causing debate among a family you'd least expect.

Notice the lack of "Toy Story" in the sign. Darkbeer on smugmug.com, 2008.

The entrance for DCA's Toy Story Mania is nearly complete, with a sign recently installed. The attraction is set to open this summer.

Also in the news is Disney's plans to add new characters to the beloved "it's a small world," including Mickey Mouse, Lilo and Stich, and Nemo. This is causing controversy among some fans who are reluctant to see the attraction change. Personally, I'm fine with this, as long as Disney doesn't go overboard and keeps it in moderation.

However, the family of Small World's creator, Mary Blair, wrote a letter to Disney stating their concern over this move.

Mary Blair, an artist, worked on "it's a small world" by special request from Walt Disney himself. Disney, 1941.

"Ripping out a rain forest...and replacing it with misplaced patriotism [rumors say Disney will add an American scene to the attraction] is a public relations blunder so big you could run a Monorail through it," Blair's son Kevin Blair said.

How do you all feel about this? Certainly not as outraged as the Blair family, I would imagine.

Whipping Good Time

What's bright yellow, expensive, and an essential part of Disneyland? No, I'm not talking about the submarines, but Dole Whips!

Dole Whips come in a float form (left) or in the classic cup (right). nostkim8805 on flickr.com, 2007.

For those not in the (pineapple-y) loop, Dole Whips are frozen desserts sold at Disneyland's Enchanted Tiki Room. They're also available as a float, which is basically the same thing with more pineapple juice.

Why are these cups of frozen yogurt so popular, anyway? Part of the reason is probably due to the intense heat at Disneyland. Eating a cold Dole Whip helps relieve the beating sun, if only for a moment.

Have you ever caved in and bought a Dole Whip? What did you think, and how would you compare them to churros, another Disneyland food staple?

Here's Your Queue

As anyone who's visited Disneyland will assure you, waiting in line is a huge part of the Disney experience. But do you ever really look around to see where exactly you're doing the waiting?

The waiting areas of attractions in the park, typically called "queue areas" or simply "queues," are designed to hold hundreds of guests in a neat line while simultaneously keeping them entertained. So how does Disney do it?

Indiana Jones Adventure isn't considered the best queue in Disneyland for nothing. Brian Rechenmacher on Flickr.com, 2007.

One of the more popular queue areas, Indiana Jones Adventure (pictured above), is nearly 1/2 a mile long, and undoubtedly one of the most well themed. Along the way, there are plenty of surprises and details to keep guests amused. I'll let you figure them out for yourself, though!

Another interesting queue is Space Mountain, where you can observe guests as they board the ride cars. This can be viewed as a negative aspect, however, since many guests become distracted and don't move forward in the line!

My personal favorite queue is Indiana Jones Adventure, and I get the feeling I'm not alone. What about you all? Which queue is best, and which is in dire need of improvement?

Poll Results: What's Your Favorite Land in Disneyland?

The architecture in New Orleans Square is a key factor in its popularity. jericl cat on flickr.com, 2008.

I apologize for not updating in recent weeks. I've been in San Francisco recently (which is nowhere near Disneyland, unfortunately), so I haven't had the chance to post here. But I'm back home, so be prepared for plenty of updates!

Well, the results are in, and you've all made it clear: New Orleans Square is the preferred land of my readers! Fantasyland came in second, with only half the votes, while Main Street and Adventureland tied for third.

Thanks for voting in the poll, and be sure to check out this week's new question!