Travel – North Carolina Coast

Posted on August 19, 2014 by barbara

For the last three years during Spring Break our family has spent the week visiting the coast of North Carolina. The first two years we stayed at hotels located in Wilmington and last year we rented a beach house on Topsail Island. Staying in Wilmington was great because it was centrally located for easy day trips around the area to visit places such as the local aquariums and various historic sites and museums. Like most road trips, we ate our meals at the local restaurants and only came back to the hotel at night to sleep. When we stayed on Topsail Island we rented a beach house and it was great because we cooked and ate our meals at the house (which was less expensive than eating out every day!) and, since we had seen most of the sites in the area on our previous visits, we spent more time at the beach which was just a short walk away.

Listed below are some of the highlights of the places we visited during our trips to the North Carolina Coast.

North Carolina Aquariums

The North Carolina has three different locations: Roanoke Island, Pine Knolls Shores and Fort Fischer. Each location has different exhibits featuring a variety of animals that can be found in the ocean, lakes and rivers located along the coast of North Carolina. (Our family has visited the Pine Knolls and Fort Fisher locations during our family vacations) For visitor information regarding aquarium hours, admission prices and tours for each of the three locations can be found on their website, ncaquariums.com

The Pine Knoll Shores NC Aquarium is located about 100 miles north of Wilmington and of the three NC Aquariums this one was our personal favorite. There are several different sections or galleries in this aquarium that feature the diverse natural environments, such as the mountain, Piedmont, coastal plain, tidal waters and ocean areas, located in North Carolina. In the Ocean Gallery of the aquarium is the Living Shipwreck exhibit, which holds 306.000 gallons of water, contains a large replica of the U-352 German submarine that sank off the coast of North Carolina during World War II and the tank features a variety of ocean animals, including moray eels, large groupers and several different species of sharks. (Travel tip: Upon arriving at the aquarium, check the scheduled feeding times of the Living Shipwreck exhibit, it is a great opportunity to see the scuba divers inside the tank hand-feeding the fish and they are also specially equipped with underwater audio equipment to hear and answer visitor questions)

Two other smaller exhibits are the Tidal Touch Pool which allows visitors to see a variety of ocean creatures close-up and the Skate and Ray Encounters exhibit where guests can actually gently touch them. Another popular exhibit features three river otters that were rescued from the wild and bottle-fed by the aquarium staff. The large viewing windows of the exhibit located both above and below the surface of the water allow visitors to view the entertaining activities of these playful otters.

The most famous ocean animal of the Pine Knoll Shores Aquarium is a loggerhead sea turtle named “Nimbus”, which means radiant light. The rare white turtle came to the aquarium as a tiny hatchling in August 2010. Born with a severe cleft palate, impaired vision and a genetic condition that affects the skin and shell pigment it was quickly determined that “Nimbus” would be an easy target for predators and it could never be released back into the wild. “Nimbus” now works to raise awareness to the aquarium’s efforts to care for ill or injured sea turtles that are eventually rehabilitated and released back into the wild. Loggerhead turtles are just one of the five different species of sea turtles found in coastal waters of North Carolina.

The Fort Fisher NC Aquarium is located in Kure Beach approximately 20 miles south of Wilmington and of the three NC Aquariums locations, this one focuses on the Cape Fear region of North Carolina. Upon entering, visitors will see a large tree-lined atrium that features man-made streams and ponds filled with frogs, cat fish, bass and several large alligators including one albino alligator but be sure to look for the box turtles hidden among the shrubbery and groundcover located in this area of aquarium. There is also an exhibit featuring several different species of venomous snakes of the Cape Fear region; such as rattlesnakes, copperheads and cottonmouths.

Other exhibits in the aquarium include the Coquina Outcrop Touch Pool where visitors can learn about and touch sea urchins, horseshoe crabs and other sea creatures. The large Cape Fear Shoals exhibit holds 235,000 gallon salt water and features a 25 foot deep replica of a coral reef that gives visitors wonderful views of sharks, stingrays, groupers and moray eels. In 2011, a new multimedia exhibit about the extinct Megalodon opened complete with interactive holograms and touch-screens where visitors can learn information about this ancient sea creature.

When visiting the Aquariums, we would highly recommend the Behind the Scene tours. These informative guided-tours are available for an additional fee and are a wonderful educational experience for a family to enjoy. (Travel note: Be sure to check before a visit to the aquariums to verify prices and make any necessary reservations. We also advise checking the directions and distance to the aquarium and please be sure to allow plenty of time because some of the coastal cities can get congested with traffic especially during the busy summer months)

Behind the scenes tour - Fort Fisher NC Aquarium 1

Behind the scenes tour - Fort Fisher NC Aquarium 2

(Travel note: Located near two of the NC Aquariums are two historical State Parks that would make for two separate and interesting day trips if you combine a visit to one of the Aquariums with one of the nearby NC State Parks. Fort Macon State Park is located almost 8 miles, an easy 15 minute drive, from the NC Aquarium at Pine Knoll Shores. Fort Fisher State Park is located less than a mile, a quick 5 minute drive, from the NC Aquarium at Fort Fisher. Below is information on both Fort Macon and Fort Fisher State Parks.

Fort Macon and Fort Fisher State Parks

This area of North Carolina was very vulnerable to attack first by pillaging pirates, such as the famous Blackbeard, in the 1700s and then later by invading Spaniards and British in the 1800s. The importance of the coastal defenses of the United States caused the US government to request a chain fortifications to be built along the Eastern coast of the United States and the current Fort Macon and Fort Fisher were two of those military installations that were built after the War of 1812.

Prior to the American Revolution a small military installation named Fort Hampton was built to guard the city of Beaufort and was built across the inlet on a barrier island but it was never used. After the War of 1912 the fort was abandoned and eventually a hurricane in 1825 destroyed the building and coastal erosion eliminated any remaining evidence of the small fort. The current Fort Macon was built on the site and completed 1834, it is a five-sided military defense brick and stone structure with 4½ feet deep outer walls. During the Civil War, the Confederate Army lost control of Fort Macon to the Union forces and it was used as a coal station for naval ships. After the war, Fort Macon was used as federal prison from 1867 to 1876. It was briefly during the Spanish-American War and eventually closed permanently in 1903. The state of North Carolina purchased the property in the 1920s, the Civilian Conservation corps restored the structure and the Fort Macon State Park officially opened in May 1936. Then during World War II, Fort Macon was once again armed with military force to defend the United States eastern coast. In 1946, the US Army returned the fort to the state of North Carolina. Today, Fort Macon is opened to the public and visitors can take a tour and view the museum exhibits that explain the history of the fort. For more information regarding hours, admission fees and directions, please see the NC State Park website at ncparks.gov and then search for Fort Macon State Park. (Travel note: During our visit to Fort Macon in 2012, we stayed for one of the evening programs and were able to watch a cannon firing demonstration which was very interesting and extremely loud! Before visiting, check the website for specific days and time that this program is offered)

Another Civil War Era Military Fort located near Wilmington, NC is Fort Fisher State Park, it is a less than 20 miles by car and it would take approximately half an hour to drive there. We have not visited Fort Fischer but it is very close to the NC Aquarium Fort Fisher State Park which is located less than a mile away and a quick 5 minute drive. For more information regarding the history of Fort Fischer and the hours of operation, admission fees and directions, please see the NC State Park website at ncparks.gov and then search for Fort Fishers State Park.

USS North Carolina Battleship

Located across the Cape Fear River from downtown Wilmington, NC is the USS North Carolina (BB-55) which was an American battleship used during World War II and it had a crew of 144 commissioned officers and 2,195 enlisted men and was armed with nine 16 inch 45 caliber guns mounted on three turrets and twenty 5 inch 38 caliber guns mounted in two sets of 10 each. During the course of the war it provided anti-aircraft coverage for the larger carriers in the fleet while putting in over 300,000 nautical miles during its tour of duty in the Pacific Ocean losing only 10 men with 67 men wounded. After the war, it was used as a training vessel until it was finally decommissioned in June 1947 and place on Inactive Reserve Fleet based in New Jersey for the next 14 years. In 1958, the state of North Carolina launched a “Save Our Ship” (SOS) campaign to rescue the Battleship from being scrapped. It proved a success and the Battleship arrived at its current location in Wilmington, NC in October 1961 and was dedicated in April 1962 at which time it was opened for public tours.

To start the visitor experience on the North Carolina Battleship it is advised to begin with the orientation movie shown in the auditorium and looking at the exhibits in the adjacent hall before heading up the gangway and boarding the Battleship to start the self-guided tour. Once on the Battleship there are clearly marked arrows indicating the route of the tour and information signs explaining the different areas. Please be advised that the Battleship is very large and the average time it takes to tour the nine levels is approximately two hours, since the tour is self-guided visitors can tour at their own pace. Also there are several ladders to climb up and down during the tour and please check in advance to see what the limitations are if guests have any personal mobility issues or restrictions. (Travel note: I would advise visitors to wear the appropriate shoes while on board the Battleship, high heels that could get caught in the metal grates would not be a good choice!! Also, limit the items you take onboard since some of the corridors on the Battleship can become very narrow and possibly crowded, especially if you are visiting during the summer months. Hang onto cellphones, sunglasses and camera or as an extra precaution safely store them while walking on the tour)

For more information regarding hours of operation, admission prices and tour details and directions to the North Carolina Battleship, please visit their website at battleshipnc.com

Bellamy Mansion

Located near downtown Wilmington, NC is the Bellamy Mansion and Museum. The Mansion was the home of John Bellamy, a prosperous doctor and prominent businessman, who lived there during the Civil War period with his wife, Eliza, and their nine children. The elegant twenty-two room house was designed by architect James F. Post in a Greek Revival and Italianate style and was built by local slave laborers and completed by skilled carpenters and artisans. At one point during the Civil War, Federal Troops occupied the house, later the house survived a disastrous fire in 1972 and, years later after extensive restorations, the house is currently administered by a nonprofit organization as a museum with guided tours available. Visitors walk along a quaint oyster path, climb the stairs to enter the elegant 10,000 square foot home through a grand entrance portico with massive white columns typical of southern antebellum houses. Surrounding the house is a lovely Victorian style garden with stately 150 year old magnolia trees and also located on the property are fully-restored slave quarters. For more information about hours, admission fees and directions please check out their website at bellamymansion.org (Travel note: A tour of the Bellamy Mansion is a great historical learning experience for families, but I would recommend that the activity is more appropriate for families with older school aged children since the attention span of toddlers and babies can be very limited)

Poplar Grove Plantation

The Poplar Grove Plantation is located about 21 miles from Wilmington, NC and is less than a half an hour drive. Poplar Grove was once the home of the Foy family from 1795 to 1971 for six generations and was one of the last surviving peanut plantations in North Carolina. When the former house was destroyed in a fire in 1850, Joseph Mumford Foy decided to build the new one closer to the main road. The present 4,284 square foot Manor House has a raised basement brick foundation with a two-story wood-sided structure built on top and it is situated in a beautiful grove of trees dripping with Spanish moss. Poplar Grove is listed on the National Register Historic Places and the Poplar Grove Foundation, a nonprofit organization, administrates the property and the former plantation is available for tours of the house and the grounds. Seasonally, Poplar Grove has various living history demonstrations in the outbuildings on the property. For more information concerning the hours of operation, admission fees and directions, please visit the Poplar Grove Plantation website at poplargrove.org (Travel note: A tour of the previously mentioned Bellamy Mansion located near downtown Wilmington is a great contrast to the Poplar Grove Plantation tour and both experiences are a wonderful way to learn about city and country life during the Civil War Era)

Serpentarium

Located in downtown Wilmington, NC is the Cape Fear Serpentarium which is a very unique indoor zoo featuring some of the rarest and most dangerous reptiles in the world including several species of snakes, such as Anacondas, Pythons and Boa Constrictors. Other exhibits display exotic lizards and crocodiles. The Serpentarium is owned and operated by Dean Ripa, a local Wilmington man who has had a life-long passion for snakes and reptiles. Ripa, the famous herpetologist, became on the first international snake hunters and he has traveled to five continents to work in 30 different countries to provide snakes and reptiles to major zoos, animal facilities and private clients. The Serpentarium is a great family activity for those interested in snakes and reptiles. Now, on a personal note, I have never set foot in the building because I have a major fear of snakes but I am told by both my husband and daughter that it was a great experience for them and they enjoyed it!! For more information on the Sertentarium hours, admission fees and directions, please check out their website at capefearserpentarium.com

Additional places of interest on the coast of North Carolina

North Carolina Maritime Museum in Beaufort – ncmaritimemuseums.com
Cape Fear Museum in Wilmington – capefearmuseum.com
Airlie Gardens in Wilmington – airliegardens.org

If you are interested in seeing the crafts made from the seashells gathered on our visits to the coast of North Carolina or the beach souvenirs that displayed in our home, please click on the following links to the Décor post, Beach Memorabilia Display, and the Craft posts, Seashell Embellished Mirror, Embellished Photo Frames and Seashell Crafts.

Travel – Berlin Wall

Posted on August 13, 2014 by jeff0006

Hi, it’s Jeff again this time writing about the Berlin Wall which was a site I saw frequently while I lived in Berlin during the late 70’s and early 80’s. So, for this post I will write about the history of the Wall and my personal experiences living in Germany when the wall was still a dominate feature in the city of Berlin.

A Brief History of the Berlin Wall

As World War II was coming to a close, the allies met at Yalta and Potsdam to decide on how to deal with Germany after the war. The result of these political discussions was the division of Germany into four sectors. In addition Berlin, the capital of Germany, was also divided into four sections. With the escalation of the cold war and the lowering of the “Iron Curtain” starting in the 1940’s the east was effectively separated from the west, but Berlin was about 100 miles inside the eastern block.

People in the eastern block countries were generally not allowed to travel or immigrate to to the west, but there were no restrictions for people moving between East Germany and the western sections of Berlin so somewhere between 2.5 and 3.5 million people escaped the east between 1945 and 1961. Most of these individuals were skilled professionals and educated youth which risked destabilizing East Germany. Finally in on August 13th, 1961 Stacheldrahtsontag (barbed wire Sunday) happened. The East German military closed off West Berlin with about 114 miles of barbed wire. The Wall was built in stages and, as described in Wikipedia, this is how the Wall looked when I lived in Berlin:

The “fourth-generation wall”, known officially as “Stützwandelement UL 12.11” (retaining wall element UL 12.11), was the final and most sophisticated version of the Wall. Begun in the year 1975 and completed about 1980, it was constructed from 45,000 separate sections of reinforced concrete, each 3.6 metres (12 ft) high and 1.2 metres (3.9 ft) wide, and cost DDM16,155,000 or about US$3,638,000. The concrete provisions added to this version of the Wall were done so as to prevent escapees from driving their cars through the barricades. At strategic points, the Wall was constructed to a somewhat weaker standard, so that East German and Soviet armored vehicles could easily break through in the event of war.

The top of the wall was lined with a smooth pipe, intended to make it more difficult to scale. The wall was reinforced by mesh fencing, signal fencing, anti-vehicle trenches, barbed wire, dogs on long lines, “beds of nails” under balconies hanging over the “death strip”, over 116 watchtowers and 20 bunkers. This version of the Wall is the one most commonly seen in photographs.

The closure of the border split started at midnight without warning. It split families a couple of ways. The most obvious way that it effected the families that lived on the different sides of the border and because of the Wall they couldn’t get to each other. Less obvious were the people who were temporarily on the other side of the border. People who worked on one side, but lived on the other were cut off from their jobs and families! There were no exceptions and if you were on the wrong side you were stuck. After the wall was built, many people still tried to escape the east. The estimates of the number of people killed at the wall range from 136 to over 500.

There were only a few crossing points where people could use to go between West Berlin and East Berlin. As an American associated with the armed forces I was only able to use Checkpoints Alpha and Bravo (between West Germany and Berlin) and the famous Checkpoint Charlie to go to East Berlin. Later after I was no longer associated with the military I would use the standard Friedrichstrasse entrance which was accessible by the subway system.

The demise of the East German state and the Wall started in 1985 when Mikhail Gorbachev came into power in the Soviet Union. His glastnost policy led to the weakening of the Soviet Union’s absolute control over its satellite states. Several states such as Latvia and Lithuania declared their independence. Hungary opened its borders to Austria and the mass exodus began. Anti-government demonstrations in East Germany led to the resignation of the Politburo. Gunter Schabowski took control of the country and the military prepared for action. Fortunately Gunter chose a different path and on November 9th, 1989 he announced that the Wall would be opened “for private trips abroad”. Masses of people flooded the wall and began to us hammers and chisels to knock out pieces. By July of 1990 free elections had been held in East Germany and the country was reunited.

You can find a more interesting and I feel slightly more realistic description of the history of the wall in Fredrick Taylor’s “The Berlin Wall: A Secret History”.

Personal Experience

The Berlin Wall is very personal to me. While living in Berlin it was always a strong presence in the city and I also lived extremely close a section of the Wall and I would often walk along it. The East German side was barren, raked so the guards could see if anyone crossed. The western side was generally overgrown. You could see the guards in their towers and the fortifications on the other side.

Going back in 1999 for my high school reunion was very strange in many ways. When I lived in Berlin, the Wall was always there, ever present, even if unseen. Generally you didn’t think much about it, but in the back of your mind you always knew you could only travel so far within the boundaries of West Berlin. I remember looking at the Brandenburg Gate, it was completely closed off for anyone, east or west and when I got back there there were two things I had to do. The first was have a currywurst, one of the best sausages in the world and one I can’t get in the US. The second was to walk through the Brandenburg gate. Until then I couldn’t really come to terms with the fact that the wall was really gone. It was surreal moment…

It was also strange to me that it was so really, really gone. I understand why it needed to be demolished, but it is so completely gone with no evidence that it had really existed and it was hard to imagine that it was ever really there and had such an impact on the people living in Berlin. I understand there is a small section that is still up as a remembrance, but I did not see it during my trip back there.

I remember the day the wall came down. When they cut through that first section. Honestly, I never thought it would ever happen. My dad was in Germany right around the time the wall came down and he brought us a small piece of the wall. it is brightly painted. I have trouble with that as well. My memories are more black and grey. Color, even though I have seen it in pictures and on TV just don’t go with the the wall – at least not in my mind.

I strongly recommend going to Berlin if you are ever in the area. There is so much to see and so much history. Maybe one day Barbara will write (or have me write) one of her travel posts on the area!

Travel – Disneyland (Part Four)

Posted on July 23, 2014 by barbara

In this next installation of the five part Disneyland series I will discuss New Orleans Square and Critter Country which are two “lands” that were added several years after the park originally opened in 1955. New Orleans Square is a lively and festive area located on the banks of the Rivers of America where two of the most popular rides, the Haunted Mansion and the Pirates of the Caribbean attractions in Disneyland can be found, while in Critter Country there is the exciting thrill ride, Splash Mountain.

New Orleans Square

New Orleans Square opened in 1966 and was part of Walt’s idea that Disneyland would always be forever changing and growing with new attractions. At the dedication ceremony, Walt joked that creating New Orleans Square cost almost as much as the original price of the Louisiana Purchase but sadly this occasion was the last public appearance by Walt before he died in December 1966. The almost three acre area located adjacent to Frontierland cost an estimated $18 million to complete and the design and architecture was inspired by the antebellum era of New Orleans with its classic ironwork and narrow streets filled with restaurants offering delicious creole food and small little shops selling all kinds of souvenirs. Located on the second floor over the Pirates of the Caribbean show building there was once a large apartment that was built for the Disney family, look for the initials of both Walt and Roy Disney in the intricate ironwork on the balcony overhead. Since that time, it has been used as the Disney Gallery store which also featured various ongoing exhibits of Disneyland and this area is currently available to special guests as the only “overnight” accommodations within the park; it is known as the Disneyland Dream Suite.

The next two photos are of the exclusive Disneyland Dream Suite

The first attraction that guests will see upon entering New Orleans Square is the Pirates of the Caribbean ride, it was the last ride that Walt personally oversaw the development and construction and the attraction opened in 1967 three months after his death. Pirates is a dark ride where guests ride boats through various scenes that feature a band of pirates that pillage and loot their way through small towns of the Caribbean while singing the attractions famous song, “Yo Ho, a Pirates life for Me”. With success of the “Pirates of the Caribbean” movie series, in 2006 the character of Jack Sparrow was added to several scenes within the attraction, the audio-animatronic figure is very realistic and a perfect likeness to the character as played by Johnny Depp in the films. Also if you have any pirates or wenches in your group while visiting the park, don’t forget to check out the 2007 refurbished of Tom Sawyer Island which is now the current location known as the Pirate Lair. (Travel tips: #1. Located on the path from Adventureland into New Orleans Square, look for Lafitte’s anchor, which has infamously been said to be the one used on his pirate ship in the Battle of New Orleans, but this could be one of those urban rumors!! #2. While in the boarding area of the ride, look for the sign overhead that reads “Lafitte’s Landing” which is also a reference to the famous pirate, Jean Lafitte, that once roamed the Caribbean. #3. Located in the interior of the Pirates attraction is the adjacent Blue Bayou restaurant which is famous for their Monte Cristo sandwiches, be sure to make a reservation for this popular Disneyland restaurant prior to your visit through the Disneyland Resort Reservations line which can be reached at 714-781-3463 and reservations can be made up to 60 days in advance of a visit) For more detailed information about the Pirates of the Caribbean ride, please click on the link.

003 - Pirates of the Caribbean - jail scene

Located on the other side of the Disneyland Railroad New Orleans Station is the Haunted Mansion attraction, one of the most popular rides in Disneyland and features a ride on the patented Omnimover vehicles, also known as “Doom Buggies”, which take guests through a not-so-spooky haunted house filled with audio-animatronic ghosts and a variety of other special effects. (For more detailed information on this New Orleans attraction, please click on the link, Disneyland’s Haunted Mansion, which was originally posted in October 2013)

Critter Country

Critter Country is located in the area of Disneyland that was formerly a part of the old Frontierland called Indian Village. The Indian Village was originally the site inspired by the Native Americans culture of the old western frontier and where there were daily demonstrations of their dances and other customs; it was also the original site of an attraction called the Indian War Canoes. Indian Village closed in 1971, refurbished and expanded into a new re-themed four acre area that reopened in 1972 as Bear Country. The Country Bear Jamboree became the main attraction in this area of the park and featured audio-animatronic bears and other animals that put on a fun musical show. Also located to this new section of the park were the new Hungry Bear Restaurant and the renamed Davy Crockett Explorer Canoes. In 1988, Bear Country was renamed Critter Country and a year later Splash Mountain opened and instantly became one of Disneyland’s most popular thrill rides. Eventually the Country Bear Jamboree closed in 2001 and was replaced two years later by a new attraction called the Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh.

As previously mentioned, the Davy Crockett Explorer Canoes were originally located in the old Frontierland Indian Village. The 35 foot long canoes hold up to twenty guests, not including the two cast member guides at the front and the back of the boat. The ride takes guests on a circular route that travels 2,400 around Tom Sawyer Island and, since the canoes are free-floating in the Rivers of America, the length of the trip depends on how fast the guests can paddle, the attraction operates seasonally and shuts down with inclement weather and also does not run at night.

Splash Mountain opened in 1989 and is based on the 1946 Disney film “Song of the South”. As the $75 million cost of the attraction’s construction went severely over budget, there was an idea presented at that time to refurbish the characters from the recently closed America Sings attraction in Tomorrowland. Splash Mountain takes guests on an fun ride in flume logs as they gently float past several scenes recreated from the movie, the basic storyline is that Brer Rabbit is on a search for his special “laughing place” but encounters some trouble from Brer Fox and Brer Bear along his journey, until the exciting 53 foot steep drop that takes guests into the briar patch and concludes with a final scene of all the audio-animatronic characters singing the song “Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah” in celebration that Brer Rabbit is safe! (Travel tip: Located on the ride, shortly before entering the interior scenes of the attraction, listen closely for the sounds of snoring coming from Brer Bear’s cave, this is a tribute to the original entrance to the old Bear Country that had a bear named Rufus also snoring in his cave)

Splash Mountain Brer Bear house May 2007

The most recent attractions added to Critter Country is The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh ride which opened in 2003. The Disney Studios has made several animated films based on the series of books by A.A. Milne about Winnie the Pooh and his friends from the Hundred Acre Woods and the ride features various scenes from the stories with colorful audio-animatronics and other delightful sights and sounds. During the 1983 Fantasyland major refurbishment there was briefly a proposed Winnie the Pooh ride but it was never built and the attraction was eventually placed in Critter Country on the site of the former Country Bear Jamboree which closed in 2001. Located just outside of the attraction, the Winnie the Pooh, Eeyore and Tigger characters are usually available to greet guests, take photos and give autographs, but be prepared because the line is usually long and very slow moving. (Travel tips: Look for the figure of Winnie the Pooh floating up and down attached to the string of a balloon, this mechanism at one time lowered “Teddi Barra” from the ceiling in the old Counrty Bear Jamboree attraction. Also when entering the final scene of the ride, look backwards and over the doorway the vehicle just passed through are the three “trophy” heads of Max the buck, Buff the buffalo and Melvin the moose that were once used in the Country Bear Jamboree that were placed there as a tribute to the former attraction)

This post completes the tours of New Orleans Square and Critter Country but be sure to check out the four additional posts in the Disneyland series. Part One – The history of Disneyland, Part Two – Main Street and Fantasyland, Part Three – Adventureland and Frontierland, Part Five – Tomorrowland and Mickey’s Toontown.

Travel – Disneyland (Part Three)

Posted on July 22, 2014 by barbara

In this third post of the Disneyland series I will discuss two more of the original “lands” of Disneyland, Adventureland and Frontierland. When Walt was planning the construction of Disneyland he wanted to incorporate the ideas used in the many successful Disney Studio movies and television shows. Adventureland was based on the Disney True-Life Adventure series and Frontierland was based on Walt’s love of the classic stories of Tom Sawyer and Davy Crockett, the Davy Crockett television show was a very popular Disney series of the 1950s. (Who remembers those coonskin hats that were a national craze way back then??)the

Adventureland

Adventureland is one of the smaller areas of Disneyland but special care was taken to recreate the feeling of an exotic tropical location found in the jungles of Asia and Africa. When the park opened in 1955, Adventureland was sparsely landscaped with plants, in fact the trees from the former orange groves on the site were uprooted and placed upside down around the area to fill in the empty spaces to stimulate exotic vegetation and weeds were labeled with strange scientific plant names.

When Disneyland opened in 1955, the only attraction in Adventureland was the Jungle Cruise. Taking inspiration from the Disney True-Life Adventure series, the imagineers developed a ride that simulated a trip down the major rivers of Asia, Africa and South America. The trip is led by a Disney cast member who drives the boat past several different scenes while offering the guests a humorous narration. Originally the plan was to use live animals, but due to animal behavioral restrictions the imagineers instead created numerous animatronic animals so the scene was consistently the same for each ride. The boat design was inspired by the 1951 movie “The African Queen” and the river that the boat rides through is only 5 feet deep and is dyed a blue-green color to obscure the boat tracks, other mechanical equipment and platforms used for the animatronic animals. The Jungle Cruise river was originally 1,920 feet in length but it was shortened and rerouted twice, once in 1962 when the Swiss Family Treehouse attraction was added and again in 1994 for the Indiana Jones ride.

Located near the entrance to Adventureland is The Enchanted Tiki Room which opened in 1964 and it was the first attraction to feature a full cast of characters that used the technique developed by the Disney imagineers called audio-animatronics which was the computer synchronization of sound and robotics. The 15 minute show features songs performed by over 150 animatronic birds, tropical flower and plants, carved Tiki Totems and even a magical fountain located in the center of the room. Since 1976, the attraction has been sponsored by the Dole Food Company based in Hawaii, the theme of the attraction fits in perfectly with the tropical pineapple flavored frozen dessert, the Dole Whip, that is sold at the snack bar. Long time visitors to Disneyland will remember a small restaurant called the Tahitian Terrace which was located adjacent to the Enchanted Tiki Room. The restaurant served a variety of Polynesian food and also featured a show with Hawaiian musicians and dancers; the Polynesian culture was a very popular trend in Southern California during the early 1960s. The restaurant was only open during the summer months until it was permanently closed in 1994.

In 1962, the Swiss Family Treehouse attraction was added to Adventureland, it is inspired by the 1960 Disney movie of the same name which was based on the 1812 book written by Johanna David Wyss. The Swiss Family Treehouse was built in the area adjacent to Frointerland and the tree was officially given the Disney scientific name of “Disneyodendron semperfloren grandis” translated to mean a large ever-blooming artificial tree. The tree was constructed of steel and concrete and measures 60 feet tall and 90 feet wide with its 450 branches covered with over 6,000 artificial leaves. The Swiss Family Treehouse was a walk-through attraction and guests would climb the stairs into the treehouse to see the various rooms decorated with furniture and other items that the Robinson family supposedly salvaged from the ship wreak that caused them to be stranded on a deserted island.

(Photo on left is Swiss Family Treehouse and on the right is Tarzan’s Treehouse)

The Swiss Family Treehouse operated for over 36 years until it was closed to be refurbished and reopened in 1999 as Tarzan’s Treehouse which coincided with the release of the Disney animated movie, “Tarzan”. The attraction was redecorated to reflects the style of the Tarzan movie. (Travel tip: Look closely for tributes to the older Swiss Family Treehouse attraction for such items as the “Mind Thy Head sign and the antique gramophone playing the “Swisskapolka” that were both used on the original attraction.

One of the most technically advanced rides in Disneyland is the Indiana Jones Adventure attraction which opened in 1995. To accommodate the space needed for the queue area and the large 50,000 square foot show building, the Jungle Cruise attraction was rerouted and an area of the former parking lot was removed. (An Eeyore parking sign is placed in the interior queue line as tribute, look for it in the projection room) On the ride guests board military vehicles to join the famous archaeologist Indiana Jones as he travels through a lost temple in search of hidden treasures but the idol Mara has been angered and guests set off on a wild adventure. The ride system was invented and patented by the Disney imaginer specifically for the Indiana Jones ride and each of the military vehicles is actually a motion simulator with three hydraulic systems attached underneath the chassis of the vehicle which can be operated independently creating a variety of motions that simulate speed, lift, reverse and other intense maneuvers. (Travel tip: If the queue line is long don’t worry because there are fun things to see and do while waiting in the various areas of the line, such as in the exterior queue line look for the small mining car that was used in the Temple of Doom movie, in the spike room shake one of the bamboo support poles for sounds of the ceiling crashing overhead and don’t pull on the rope in another area of the queue line because one of the archeologists will give an angry response and after ride as guests exit the ride’s show building look for the Mercedes-Benz truck which was actually used in Raiders of the Lost Ark movie)

Frontierland

Frontierland is another original “land” of Disneyland and when the park being planned Western movies and television shows were very popular. After passing through the fort façade at the entrance to Frontierland guests will see the street and buildings reminiscent of a small western town with raised wooden sidewalks, hitching posts for horses, also on the far corner down the street is the Golden Horseshoe Saloon and the boat dock for the Mark Twain Riverboat is location on the edge of the Rivers of America. (Travel tip: Look for a tribute window to Fess Parker, the actor played Davy Crockett on the Disney television show that was very popular in the 1950s)

Just prior to the opening of Disneyland, Walt and Lillian Disney celebrated their 30th anniversary with a private party held at the Golden Horseshoe Saloon on July 13, 1955. Then the day before the official opening of the park, on July 16, 1955, another private party was held for the corporate sponsors of Disneyland and the event marked the first performance of the long running Golden Horseshoe Saloon Revue starring Wally Boag as Pecos Bill. The Golden Horseshoe Revue was the longest running show to be performed at Disneyland; it ran a record total of 39,000 times. Many years later, another popular show starring Bill Hill and the Hillibillies ran from 1994 to early 2014 and featured bluegrass music. An interesting trivia note regarding the Golden Horseshoe Saloon is that the famous Disney imagineer Harper Goff designed the interior and at the time that Disneyland was being built Goff had also recently designed a very similar set for the 1953 movie “Calamity Jane” starring Doris Day. (Travel tip: Look for a large petrified wood tree stump which is located just outside the Golden Horseshoe Saloon on the edge of the Rivers of America, is was a gift from Walt to his wife for their 31st anniversary … of course the clever Lillian thought that it would look much better placed in Disneyland for everyone to enjoy instead of her backyard!)

When Walt was planning Disneyland’s Frontierland, he wanted the Rivers of America to be busy with activity and the Mark Twain Riverboat was the perfect choice. The Mark Twain is a grand steamboat that was built to 5/8 scale and measures 28 feet high and 105 feet long and weighs 150 tons. The riverboat takes Disneyland guests on a 12 minute ride along the Rivers of America with wonderful views of Frontierland’s Tom Sawyer Island and New Orleans Square. Available for a select few guests is the exciting opportunity to ride the Mark Twain from the pilot’s wheelhouse located on the top deck of the boat where they can stand behind the wheel for a fun photo, pull the rope to sound the boat’s loud horn and after a trip around the river guests are presented with a special Pilot Certificate which makes a great souvenir! (Travel tip: On a trip around Tom Sawyer Island on board the Mark Twain, look for one of the old keel boats abandoned on the riverbank that guests will remember from years ago and also there is an old mine train standing on the tracks of the old Mine Train through Nature’s Wonderland attraction.

(Photo on the left is the Mark Twain and on the right is the Columbia)

After Disneyland had been open for several years, Walt decided that an additional large ship should be added to the Rivers of America. The Sailing Ship Columbia opened in 1958 and it is a full scale historical replica of the Columbia Rediviva that was the first American ship to travel around the world. When the 84 feet tall and 110 feet long ship was being built at the Todd Shipyard in San Pedro, Ca (the same place that the hull of the Mark Twain was made years earlier) Joe Fowler, the Disneyland construction boss and retired Naval admiral, told Disney that it was customary to put silver dollars under the mast of a ship for good luck and Disney personally placed one under each of the Columbia’s three masts. The Columbia only runs on very busy days at Disneyland and both the Columbia and the Mark Twain will close early on the nights when the Fantasmic! show is performed because both are used in the popular nighttime extravaganza that can be seen along the Rivers of America.

When Tom Sawyer Island opened in 1956 it was a magical place for children and adults visiting Disneyland to explore the artificial island located in the middle of the Rivers of America. For decades the Tom Sawyer themed island was reached only by the old keel boats (which closed in 177) and the river rafts and remained generally unchanged with areas such as, Tom and Huck’s Treehouse, Injun Joe’s Cave, Harper’s Mill, Fort Wilderness and on the far end of the island the Burning Settler’s Cave. When the nighttime show Fantasmic! debuted in 1992 the area of Harper’s Mill was re-built to accommodate the equipment needed for the special effects used in the production. Then after the success of the Disney Pirates of the Caribbean franchise the island closed for refurbishment and reopened in 2007 when it was re-themed as the Pirate’s Lair. The Harper’s Mill was renamed Lafitte’s Tavern where on occasion there is a performance by a pirate band called the Blige Rats, the former Injun Joe’s Cave has been changed with pirate sounds and interactive special effects and was renamed the Dead Man’s Grotto, the Smuggler’s Cove area of the island has also been changed with pirate themed refurbishments while the original Tom Sawyer Island old Suspension Bridge and Pontoon Bridge have remained intact. Two additional pirate themed areas were added to the island, the Pirate’s Den features the remains of a shipwreck and an area called the Captain’s Treasure which features a large pile of pirate loot and occasionally the character of Captain Jack Sparrow can be found there for a wonderful photo opportunity.

One of the most popular rides at Disneyland can be found in Frontierland and it is the Big Thunder Mountain attraction which is famously said to be “the wildest ride in the wilderness”! Big Thunder is an exciting mine train roller coaster that takes guests on a ride through an area that looks a lot like Utah’s Bryce Canyon, the backstory of the ride is that the miners have trespassed onto a Native American sacred area and the place has become cursed with severe natural disasters and the mine train careens out of control!! The Big Thunder attraction opened in 1979 on the site of the former Mine Train through Nature’s Wonderland and Rainbow Ridge Pack Mule attractions of old Frontierland. As a tribute to both those previous rides the small Rainbow Ridge mining town that was once located near the loading area of both attractions remains intact and the Rainbow Caverns that can be seen on the first lift of the Big Thunder attraction was also recreated as a special tribute to the former Frontierland attractions. In 2013, Big Thunder closed for a major refurbishment and reopened in March 2014 with a completely new track, trains, and a new “dynamic” ending that features enhanced special effects! (Travel tip: When riding the Big Thunder ride, as the train slowly drops to the right look for the audio-animatronic goat holding a stick of dynamite which is warning to the disaster to come!)

This post completes the tours of Adventureland and Frontierland but be sure to check out the four additional posts in the Disneyland series. Part One – The history of Disneyland, Part Two – Main Street and Fantasyland, Part Four – New Orleans Square and Critter Country, Part Five – Tomorrowland and Mickey’s Toontown.

Travel – Disneyland (Part One)

Posted on July 17, 2014 by barbara

One of the joys of growing up as a child in Southern California was that our family has been going to Disneyland since the 1950s. Many years later with my own children, I continued the family tradition of annual trips to Disneyland. Over the last fifty years I have seen many changes made to the park and the attractions that have come and gone. In this first of a five part series on Disneyland, I will discuss how this magical theme park started and how it has changed over the years. Then, in the next four additional posts of the series, I will offer the history of each of the eight “lands” of Disneyland, Main Street and Fantasyland, Adventureland and Frointerland, New Orleans Square and Critter Country, Tomorrowland and ToonTown.

A brief history of Disneyland

There is a famous story about how Walt Disney was inspired to build Disneyland, the story goes that while during an afternoon visit to Griffith Park located near the Burbank Studios Walt took a seat on a bench while his two young daughters rode the merry-go-round. Walt thought there should be a place where both children and their parents could enjoy spending some time together in an environment that would be both entertaining and visually appealing, so with this one thought came the vision for Disneyland.

Walt’s original plan was to build an 8 acre park located near the Burbank studios that would be a place for his employees and their families. Those plans were put on hold due to the start of World War II, but Walt never forgot. During the war and in the years after, Walt’s ideas for the park continued to develop and quickly a small park turned into something much larger!

By 1952, Walt had created a special department that was dedicated to planning his dream; it was called WED which were the initials of his name, Walter Elias Disney. His team of employees were called “imagineers” because they were pioneering a new field that blended imagination and engineering to create the new park. (The department eventually became WDI, a separate division of the Walt Disney Company, which is now based in Glendale, Ca and is currently still responsible for designing and building Disney theme parks, resorts and other venues around the world)

Finally in 1953, the first steps in building the park happened when Walt hired the Stanford Research Institute to make a survey to determine the best possible location for the future park. Taking into consideration projected population growth and accessibility of projected future major freeway construction for easy access for visitors, ultimately a location was found in Anaheim and a 160 acre property was purchased for the site of the new park.

The building of the park would prove to be very expensive and to create funding for the project Walt developed the idea of the “Walt Disney’s Disneyland” television show. It turned out to be a successful idea to not only gain the money from lucrative sponsors to build the park but it was also a wonderful way to present the park to the American public and gaining excitement for the project.

Construction for Disneyland officially began on July 21, 1954, it was an ambitious building schedule of less than one year to complete the new parkt for the projected opening day. The 160 acre property needed to be cleared of orange tree groves and also 15 houses needed to be moved in order to create the space requirements for the new park. Walt’s design for Disneyland called for five different “lands” within the park: Main Street, Adventureland, Frointerland, Fantasyland and Tomorrowland. Each of these original Disneyland “lands” took elements from several previous and current Disney films and television shows: Main Street was inspired by Walt’s boyhood home of Marceline, Missouri and Adventureland was inspired by Disney’s True-Life adventure films, Frointerland was inspired by Walt’s love of the classic stories of Tom Sawyer and Davy Crockett (Davy Crockett television episodes were shown on the Disneyland television show starting in 1954), Fantasyland was inspired by many of the Disney animated films (such as Snow White, Pinocchio, Alice in Wonderland, Peter Pan to name a few!) and finally Tomorrowland was inspired by Walt’s interest in the future and this new “land” would showcase our emerging NASA space exploration .

Walt oversaw the park’s construction and progress continued at a steady pace with just a few minor delays and adjustments. Finally, the park was ready for Opening Day on July 17, 1955. On that day, Disneyland was officially opened to a select number of invited guests and the media for a Press Preview Day which was nationally televised on the ABC network. Unfortunately, several mishaps happened during that day and it was not the anticipated success that Walt hoped for, the day became known as “Black Friday” within the Disney Company. Some of the problems were caused by counterfeit tickets which increased the attendance to an unexpected 28,000 people (which was almost twice the number of people originally invited!) and there were severe traffic problems and delays for guests trying to reach the park. Guests also encountered long lines waiting to see the attractions and food supplies ran out. The weather wasn’t cooperating on that day and the temperature were unusually high causing the newly laid asphalt in the park to melt and another problem was that only a small number of water fountains were working. Finally, there were numerous technical problems during the live broadcast and the press reviews of the Opening Day of Disneyland were very negative.

Walt was concerned about the bad reviews, but the next day approximately 50,000 guests attended the first day the park was open for the general public. To show his support of Walt’s Dream, the first ticket was purchased by Roy Disney who was not only Walt’s brother but also his partner in the Disney Company. Over the first year, the operational problems of the park were resolved, additional attractions opened and attendance continued to increase in size and ultimately Disneyland proved to be a huge success.

During that first year, the park had opened with only five “lands” which were Main Street, Adventureland, Frontierland, Fantasyland and Tomorrowland. Over the following years additional “lands” were opened and currently there are eight consisting of the original five plus New Orleans Square that opened in 1966, Bear Country (later named Critter Country) in 1972 and the newest is Mickey’s Toontown which opened in 1993.

Disneyland attractions have also come and gone over the years. I remember rides like the Flying Saucers (1961-1966) and the original Carousel of Progress (1967-1973) naming just two of my favorite attractions that have been gone several years. I also remember new rides being added to the park, like the Swiss Family Treehouse (1962), It’s a Small World (1964), Pirates of the Caribbean (1967) and the Mansion Haunted (1969) and Space Mountain (1977). Over the years, during our numerous family visits to the park, we saw the Skyway ride dismantled (1956-1994), the new Fantasyland being rebuilt (1983) and the Star Tours (1987) and Splash Mountain (1989) attractions added.

To mark Disneyland 50^th anniversary in 2005, the park underwent a major renovation to prepare for the special occasion. Several events were planned during the expected 18 month-long celebration which officially started with an announcement on May 5, 2005. Some of the events held during that time included a special “Remember” fireworks show, the “Parade of Dreams” and a reunion of the previous members of the Mickey Mouse Club. During the months leading up the official anniversary, people were requested to submit their photos where used to make special murals known as the “Happiest Faces on Earth” that depicted iconic Disney characters and these were scattered across the park. The Disneyland Castle was also decorated to mark the special occasion with a golden overlay and also fifty Golden Mickeys were hidden in the decorations of the park’s attractions. Finally, to note the attractions that were there on opening day in 1955, one ride vehicle on each of those attractions was painted gold.

Walt Disney wanted his dream of Disneyland to continue grow and change with new rides and attractions being added continuously throughout the decades. In closing this post, I want to end with the words Walt spoke on opening day at the dedication of Disneyland.

“To all who come to this happy place: Welcome. Disneyland is your land. Here age relives fond memories of the past, and here youth may savor the challenge and promise of the future. Disneyland is dedicated to the ideals, the dreams, and the hard facts that have created America, with the hope that it will be a source of joy and inspiration to all the world.” July 17, 1955

Be sure to check out the four additional posts in the Disneyland series. Part Two – Main Street and Fantasyland, Part Three – Adventureland and Frontierland, Part Four – New Orleans Square and Critter Country, Part Five – Tomorrowland and Mickey’s Toontown.

The Enchanted Manor

a lifestyle blog by Barbara Jones

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