Uploads from Imagineering My Way, tagged imagineering

Uploads from Imagineering My Way, tagged imagineering http://www.flickr.com/photos/imagineeringmyway/tags/imagineering/ Wed, 01 Feb 2012 12:28:39 -0800 Wed, 01 Feb 2012 12:28:39 -0800 http://www.flickr.com/ http://farm1.staticflickr.com/154/buddyicons/39146060@N00.jpg?1295822775#39146060@N00 Uploads from Imagineering My Way, tagged imagineering http://www.flickr.com/photos/imagineeringmyway/tags/imagineering/ Main Street USA HDR http://www.flickr.com/photos/imagineeringmyway/6803030197/ <p><a href="http://www.flickr.com/people/imagineeringmyway/">Imagineering My Way</a> posted a photo:</p> <p><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/imagineeringmyway/6803030197/" title="Main Street USA HDR"><img src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7013/6803030197_77506bbce5_m.jpg" width="240" height="135" alt="Main Street USA HDR" /></a></p> <p>Inspired by Walt Disney's hometown of Marceline, Missouri (as in the film Lady and the Tramp), Main Street, U.S.A. is designed to resemble the center of a turn-of-the-century (c. 1908) American town. According to Harper Goff, who worked on Main Street, U.S.A. with Walt, he showed Walt some photos of his childhood home of Fort Collins, Colorado. Walt liked the look, and so many of the features of the town were incorporated into Main Street, U.S.A.<br /> <br /> Walt Disney said, "For those of us who remember the carefree time it recreates, Main Street will bring back happy memories. For younger visitors, it is an adventure in turning back the calendar to the days of their grandfather's youth." Above the firehouse at Disneyland is Walt Disney's personal apartment, fully furnished but off-limits to the public. A lamp is kept burning in the front window as a tribute to his memory, except at Christmas where a small tannenbaum replaces the lamp. It is largely decorated for both Halloween and Christmas.<br /> <br /> There is a 60-foot-tall (18 m) Christmas tree during Christmas Time, and there is a 16-foot-high (4.9 m) Mickey Mouse jack-o-lantern on Halloween Time, with additional pumpkin ears. In the circular hub in front of the Sleeping Beauty Castle, the bronze "Partners" statue of Walt Disney and Mickey Mouse is surrounded by smaller bronzes of familiar Disney characters, such as Donald Duck and the White Rabbit from Alice in Wonderland.<br /> <br /> In Town Square is the oldest building in Disneyland, the Main Street Opera House. It formerly served as the park's lumber mill between 1955 and 1961. The cannons that are displayed in the center of the square were used by the French army during the 1800s, although they were never fired in battle. The gas lamps that line the street originally came from Baltimore and were brought for $.03 a pound.<br /> <br /> "Partners," sculpted by Blaine Gibson, was added in 1993. During the Halloween season, pumpkin busts for each themed land in the park, except Main Street, are seen around "Partners." It is listed as a real street in the Orange County Thomas Guide.</p> Wed, 01 Feb 2012 12:28:39 -0800 2012-01-31T16:30:01-08:00 nobody@flickr.com (Imagineering My Way) tag:flickr.com,2004:/photo/6803030197 Main Street USA HDR <p>Inspired by Walt Disney's hometown of Marceline, Missouri (as in the film Lady and the Tramp), Main Street, U.S.A. is designed to resemble the center of a turn-of-the-century (c. 1908) American town. According to Harper Goff, who worked on Main Street, U.S.A. with Walt, he showed Walt some photos of his childhood home of Fort Collins, Colorado. Walt liked the look, and so many of the features of the town were incorporated into Main Street, U.S.A.<br /> <br /> Walt Disney said, "For those of us who remember the carefree time it recreates, Main Street will bring back happy memories. For younger visitors, it is an adventure in turning back the calendar to the days of their grandfather's youth." Above the firehouse at Disneyland is Walt Disney's personal apartment, fully furnished but off-limits to the public. A lamp is kept burning in the front window as a tribute to his memory, except at Christmas where a small tannenbaum replaces the lamp. It is largely decorated for both Halloween and Christmas.<br /> <br /> There is a 60-foot-tall (18 m) Christmas tree during Christmas Time, and there is a 16-foot-high (4.9 m) Mickey Mouse jack-o-lantern on Halloween Time, with additional pumpkin ears. In the circular hub in front of the Sleeping Beauty Castle, the bronze "Partners" statue of Walt Disney and Mickey Mouse is surrounded by smaller bronzes of familiar Disney characters, such as Donald Duck and the White Rabbit from Alice in Wonderland.<br /> <br /> In Town Square is the oldest building in Disneyland, the Main Street Opera House. It formerly served as the park's lumber mill between 1955 and 1961. The cannons that are displayed in the center of the square were used by the French army during the 1800s, although they were never fired in battle. The gas lamps that line the street originally came from Baltimore and were brought for $.03 a pound.<br /> <br /> "Partners," sculpted by Blaine Gibson, was added in 1993. During the Halloween season, pumpkin busts for each themed land in the park, except Main Street, are seen around "Partners." It is listed as a real street in the Orange County Thomas Guide.</p> Imagineering My Way night lights twilight disneyland tripod coke cocacola hdr pennyarcade waltdisney mainstreetusa themeparks wdi imagineering candypalace disneyclothiers refreshmentcorner cokecorner canon5dmarkii markeyhouse Lucky Fortune Cookery HDR http://www.flickr.com/photos/imagineeringmyway/6803028055/ <p><a href="http://www.flickr.com/people/imagineeringmyway/">Imagineering My Way</a> posted a photo:</p> <p><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/imagineeringmyway/6803028055/" title="Lucky Fortune Cookery HDR"><img src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7028/6803028055_e7b9d95439_m.jpg" width="240" height="135" alt="Lucky Fortune Cookery HDR" /></a></p> <p>For a quick meal that doesn't taste "fast," order a warm satisfying Asian rice bowl — made just the way you like it! Dine outdoors under the colorful umbrellas and soak in the sights and sounds of the festive wharf location.<br /> <br /> Each bowl starts with fluffy steamed rice and seared crisp vegetables topped with your choice of chicken, beef or tofu and one of these delicious sauces:<br /> <br /> Teriyaki<br /> Mandarin Orange<br /> Spicy Korean<br /> Thai Coconut Curry</p> Wed, 01 Feb 2012 12:28:11 -0800 2012-01-31T19:10:01-08:00 nobody@flickr.com (Imagineering My Way) tag:flickr.com,2004:/photo/6803028055 Lucky Fortune Cookery HDR <p>For a quick meal that doesn't taste "fast," order a warm satisfying Asian rice bowl — made just the way you like it! Dine outdoors under the colorful umbrellas and soak in the sights and sounds of the festive wharf location.<br /> <br /> Each bowl starts with fluffy steamed rice and seared crisp vegetables topped with your choice of chicken, beef or tofu and one of these delicious sauces:<br /> <br /> Teriyaki<br /> Mandarin Orange<br /> Spicy Korean<br /> Thai Coconut Curry</p> Imagineering My Way food signs night neon bricks fastfood drinks dca hdr themepark pacificwharf wdi imagineering ricebowl canon5dmarkii Tower of Terror HDR http://www.flickr.com/photos/imagineeringmyway/6803024333/ <p><a href="http://www.flickr.com/people/imagineeringmyway/">Imagineering My Way</a> posted a photo:</p> <p><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/imagineeringmyway/6803024333/" title="Tower of Terror HDR"><img src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7029/6803024333_dff535e52a_m.jpg" width="192" height="240" alt="Tower of Terror HDR" /></a></p> <p>While similar in concept and theme to the original attraction in Florida, the version of this attraction at Disney California Adventure Park has some differences. This version of the ride opened in 2004, 10 years after the opening of the original Tower of Terror at Disney's Hollywood Studios.<br /> <br /> New ride operation system<br /> <br /> In order to conserve space and money, Imagineers redesigned the entire ride system for the attraction at Disney's California Adventure and made some general changes to the show scenes. The attraction features three elevator shafts. Each shaft, in theory, is its own separate ride with its own separate operating system. This makes it easier to repair individual areas of the attraction without causing the entire attraction to go down. Each shaft has two vehicles and two load levels. It is designed so that the lower vehicle can be in its ride profile while the upper vehicle is loading, giving the attraction the ability to move its line much faster. Since each vehicle loads and unloads from the same point, it ended up saving space. Due to the smaller budget and fewer breakdowns, Disney decided to use this ride system again for Walt Disney Studios Park's version of the ride and for Tokyo DisneySea's Hotel Hightower (Tokyo's version of the Tower of Terror).<br /> <br /> Disney California Adventure opened Tower of Terror in 2004 to better lure crowds into the struggling theme park, while bringing the Tower of Terror to the west Coast as well.<br /> <br /> As the elevator doors close, the lights of the service elevator flicker out. The re-designed, multi-level boarding ride system for the Californian version of the tower requires that one elevator loads while another is in the drop shaft progressing through the ride cycle. As such, the first movement guests experience is horizontal, as the elevator itself is pulled back from the service doors and into the shaft. This effect is meant to be unsettling, as guests become immediately aware that their "elevator" is capable of performing movements that are unexpected of a traditional elevator.<br /> <br /> Rod Serling's voice is heard as the elevator is pulled back from the doors. "You are the passengers on a most uncommon elevator..." with a flash of lightning, the walls of the basement disappear altogether, leaving only a star-field and the floating service doors with a rotating purple spiral "...about to take the strangest journey of your lives. Your destination? Unknown. But this much is clear: a reservation has been made in your name for an extended stay." The elevator rises quickly to the fifth floor. Because the dark ride portion of California's tower takes place in the drop shaft, the physical vertical vehicle conveyance system can move much more quickly and nimbly than Florida's (in which the first tower functions only as a dark ride and is not built for the quick movements that the drop portion requires). As such, visitors feel a pop of weightlessness as the elevator quickly ascends and then stops on the fifth floor.<br /> <br /> When the doors part, an ornate, wood-framed mirror stands in a brightly lit hallway of the hotel and riders see their reflection in its glass. "Wave goodbye to the real world." At once, lightning strikes the hotel and the lights of the hallway and elevator flicker out at once. A ghostly wind blows through a window and the reflection of riders in the elevator becomes distorted, with elongated, electrified echoes of movement. With another blast, the elevator rumbles and shakes and the electrified reflection disappears, leaving only the image of the empty elevator in the mirror as the doors close. "For you have just entered The Twilight Zone."<br /> <br /> The elevator descends quickly and opens to reveal the "hallway" scene with an image of an elevator, unlike Florida's version with a window. (which functions as the first scene in the Floridian and Japanese version of the attraction). "One stormy night long ago, five people stepped through the door of an elevator and into a nightmare." The five missing guests appear in the hallway, crackling with electricity and beckon riders to follow them. They disappear, and the walls of the hotel become a star-field. The doors open to reveal the lost passengers inside as both elevators appear to float through space. "That door is opening once again, but this time it's opening for you." The distant elevator falls, followed quickly by the ride elevator.<br /> <br /> California's Tower of Terror does not have a randomized drop sequence. The ride experience is identical in every drop shaft and regardless of which floor passengers board on. Two small drops occur in pitch black darkness, followed by a rise to the top of the tower as in-cabin lights flicker. The doors then open out to reveal the view from the top floor before the ride plummets to the basement. A series of quick rises and drops occurs, then another near-complete drop to the area in between the two loading floors (to assure each ride is identical) before the elevator returns to its load level and is horizontally pushed back into place at the boiler room service doors.<br /> <br /> Seasonal enhancements during Halloween Time<br /> <br /> Started in 2006 for Disney's Halloween Time, the Twilight Zone Tower of Terror at Disney's California Adventure receives special sound and lighting effects for the exterior and themed Halloween decor for the surrounding area and in the lobby. The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror is the starting point of Disney's "Happiest Haunts on Earth" tour. The Halloween decor was not put up in 2008, but lights projected spinning spider webs upon the exterior of the hotel. As of the beginning of the Buena Vista Street construction project, the special Halloween decor and lighting effects have not been used.</p> Wed, 01 Feb 2012 12:27:22 -0800 2012-01-31T19:40:32-08:00 nobody@flickr.com (Imagineering My Way) tag:flickr.com,2004:/photo/6803024333 Tower of Terror HDR <p>While similar in concept and theme to the original attraction in Florida, the version of this attraction at Disney California Adventure Park has some differences. This version of the ride opened in 2004, 10 years after the opening of the original Tower of Terror at Disney's Hollywood Studios.<br /> <br /> New ride operation system<br /> <br /> In order to conserve space and money, Imagineers redesigned the entire ride system for the attraction at Disney's California Adventure and made some general changes to the show scenes. The attraction features three elevator shafts. Each shaft, in theory, is its own separate ride with its own separate operating system. This makes it easier to repair individual areas of the attraction without causing the entire attraction to go down. Each shaft has two vehicles and two load levels. It is designed so that the lower vehicle can be in its ride profile while the upper vehicle is loading, giving the attraction the ability to move its line much faster. Since each vehicle loads and unloads from the same point, it ended up saving space. Due to the smaller budget and fewer breakdowns, Disney decided to use this ride system again for Walt Disney Studios Park's version of the ride and for Tokyo DisneySea's Hotel Hightower (Tokyo's version of the Tower of Terror).<br /> <br /> Disney California Adventure opened Tower of Terror in 2004 to better lure crowds into the struggling theme park, while bringing the Tower of Terror to the west Coast as well.<br /> <br /> As the elevator doors close, the lights of the service elevator flicker out. The re-designed, multi-level boarding ride system for the Californian version of the tower requires that one elevator loads while another is in the drop shaft progressing through the ride cycle. As such, the first movement guests experience is horizontal, as the elevator itself is pulled back from the service doors and into the shaft. This effect is meant to be unsettling, as guests become immediately aware that their "elevator" is capable of performing movements that are unexpected of a traditional elevator.<br /> <br /> Rod Serling's voice is heard as the elevator is pulled back from the doors. "You are the passengers on a most uncommon elevator..." with a flash of lightning, the walls of the basement disappear altogether, leaving only a star-field and the floating service doors with a rotating purple spiral "...about to take the strangest journey of your lives. Your destination? Unknown. But this much is clear: a reservation has been made in your name for an extended stay." The elevator rises quickly to the fifth floor. Because the dark ride portion of California's tower takes place in the drop shaft, the physical vertical vehicle conveyance system can move much more quickly and nimbly than Florida's (in which the first tower functions only as a dark ride and is not built for the quick movements that the drop portion requires). As such, visitors feel a pop of weightlessness as the elevator quickly ascends and then stops on the fifth floor.<br /> <br /> When the doors part, an ornate, wood-framed mirror stands in a brightly lit hallway of the hotel and riders see their reflection in its glass. "Wave goodbye to the real world." At once, lightning strikes the hotel and the lights of the hallway and elevator flicker out at once. A ghostly wind blows through a window and the reflection of riders in the elevator becomes distorted, with elongated, electrified echoes of movement. With another blast, the elevator rumbles and shakes and the electrified reflection disappears, leaving only the image of the empty elevator in the mirror as the doors close. "For you have just entered The Twilight Zone."<br /> <br /> The elevator descends quickly and opens to reveal the "hallway" scene with an image of an elevator, unlike Florida's version with a window. (which functions as the first scene in the Floridian and Japanese version of the attraction). "One stormy night long ago, five people stepped through the door of an elevator and into a nightmare." The five missing guests appear in the hallway, crackling with electricity and beckon riders to follow them. They disappear, and the walls of the hotel become a star-field. The doors open to reveal the lost passengers inside as both elevators appear to float through space. "That door is opening once again, but this time it's opening for you." The distant elevator falls, followed quickly by the ride elevator.<br /> <br /> California's Tower of Terror does not have a randomized drop sequence. The ride experience is identical in every drop shaft and regardless of which floor passengers board on. Two small drops occur in pitch black darkness, followed by a rise to the top of the tower as in-cabin lights flicker. The doors then open out to reveal the view from the top floor before the ride plummets to the basement. A series of quick rises and drops occurs, then another near-complete drop to the area in between the two loading floors (to assure each ride is identical) before the elevator returns to its load level and is horizontally pushed back into place at the boiler room service doors.<br /> <br /> Seasonal enhancements during Halloween Time<br /> <br /> Started in 2006 for Disney's Halloween Time, the Twilight Zone Tower of Terror at Disney's California Adventure receives special sound and lighting effects for the exterior and themed Halloween decor for the surrounding area and in the lobby. The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror is the starting point of Disney's "Happiest Haunts on Earth" tour. The Halloween decor was not put up in 2008, but lights projected spinning spider webs upon the exterior of the hotel. As of the beginning of the Buena Vista Street construction project, the special Halloween decor and lighting effects have not been used.</p> Imagineering My Way blue trees night lights tripod disney anaheim dca tot hdr themepark 2012 waltdisney towerofterror plamtrees wdi imagineering rodserling canon5dmarkii disneycaliforniaadeventure Castle HDR http://www.flickr.com/photos/imagineeringmyway/6803025411/ <p><a href="http://www.flickr.com/people/imagineeringmyway/">Imagineering My Way</a> posted a photo:</p> <p><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/imagineeringmyway/6803025411/" title="Castle HDR"><img src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7030/6803025411_491da4eae6_m.jpg" width="240" height="160" alt="Castle HDR" /></a></p> <p>Opened July 17, 1955, the castle is the oldest of all Disney castles. Though it reaches a height of only 77 feet, it was designed to appear taller through a process known as forced perspective; design elements are larger at the foundation and smaller at the turrets. Sometimes swans will swim in the moat, so the WDI workers lined the moat with junipers. Swans will not eat junipers. The castle initially featured an empty upper level that was never intended to house an attraction, but Walt Disney was not satisfied with what he viewed as wasted space, and challenged his Imagineers to find some use for the space.<br /> <br /> Beginning April 29, 1957, visitors were able to walk through the castle and view several dioramas depicting the story of Sleeping Beauty. The original dioramas were designed in the style of Eyvind Earle, production designer for Disney's 1959 film Sleeping Beauty, and were then redone in 1977 to resemble the window displays on Main Street, U.S.A.. The walkthrough was closed for unspecified reasons in October 2001; popular belief claims the September 11th attacks and the potential danger that ensued played a major factor in the closing.<br /> <br /> On July 17, 2008, Disney announced that the Sleeping Beauty Castle walkthrough would reopen in the style of the original Earle dioramas, enhanced with new technology not available in 1957. The walkthrough reopened on November 27, 2008 at 5:00 PM, drawing long lines going as far back as the Hub. Unlike previous incarnations, visitors who are unable to climb stairs or navigate the passageways of the Castle can still experience the walkthrough "virtually" in a special room on the Castle's ground floor.This room is lavishly themed, and presents the closed-captioned CGI walkthrough recreation on a high-definition TV. This same virtual recreation is included on the Sleeping Beauty 50th Anniversary Platinum Edition DVD.<br /> <br /> It is a common myth that the Disney family coat of arms hangs above the archway to the castle. The Disney family coat of arms is composed of three fleur de lis whereas the coat of arms on the castle is three lions passant in pale. The origins and meaning of the coat of arms on Sleeping Beauty Castle is unknown at this time.<br /> <br /> It is known that the coat of arms was not originally on the castle but was placed there sometime between June 1965 and July 1965.</p> Wed, 01 Feb 2012 12:27:36 -0800 2012-01-31T20:28:28-08:00 nobody@flickr.com (Imagineering My Way) tag:flickr.com,2004:/photo/6803025411 Castle HDR <p>Opened July 17, 1955, the castle is the oldest of all Disney castles. Though it reaches a height of only 77 feet, it was designed to appear taller through a process known as forced perspective; design elements are larger at the foundation and smaller at the turrets. Sometimes swans will swim in the moat, so the WDI workers lined the moat with junipers. Swans will not eat junipers. The castle initially featured an empty upper level that was never intended to house an attraction, but Walt Disney was not satisfied with what he viewed as wasted space, and challenged his Imagineers to find some use for the space.<br /> <br /> Beginning April 29, 1957, visitors were able to walk through the castle and view several dioramas depicting the story of Sleeping Beauty. The original dioramas were designed in the style of Eyvind Earle, production designer for Disney's 1959 film Sleeping Beauty, and were then redone in 1977 to resemble the window displays on Main Street, U.S.A.. The walkthrough was closed for unspecified reasons in October 2001; popular belief claims the September 11th attacks and the potential danger that ensued played a major factor in the closing.<br /> <br /> On July 17, 2008, Disney announced that the Sleeping Beauty Castle walkthrough would reopen in the style of the original Earle dioramas, enhanced with new technology not available in 1957. The walkthrough reopened on November 27, 2008 at 5:00 PM, drawing long lines going as far back as the Hub. Unlike previous incarnations, visitors who are unable to climb stairs or navigate the passageways of the Castle can still experience the walkthrough "virtually" in a special room on the Castle's ground floor.This room is lavishly themed, and presents the closed-captioned CGI walkthrough recreation on a high-definition TV. This same virtual recreation is included on the Sleeping Beauty 50th Anniversary Platinum Edition DVD.<br /> <br /> It is a common myth that the Disney family coat of arms hangs above the archway to the castle. The Disney family coat of arms is composed of three fleur de lis whereas the coat of arms on the castle is three lions passant in pale. The origins and meaning of the coat of arms on Sleeping Beauty Castle is unknown at this time.<br /> <br /> It is known that the coat of arms was not originally on the castle but was placed there sometime between June 1965 and July 1965.</p> Imagineering My Way california wood blue trees winter green castle mill 1955 water leaves stone disneyland grizzly orangecounty anaheim dca hdr waltdisney disneyscaliforniaadventure wdi imagineering disnayland januaryday watdisney canon5dmarkii DCA Entry HDR http://www.flickr.com/photos/imagineeringmyway/6803026291/ <p><a href="http://www.flickr.com/people/imagineeringmyway/">Imagineering My Way</a> posted a photo:</p> <p><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/imagineeringmyway/6803026291/" title="DCA Entry HDR"><img src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7031/6803026291_a1abdcbf44_m.jpg" width="240" height="135" alt="DCA Entry HDR" /></a></p> <p>Disney California Adventure is a theme park in Anaheim, California and one of two theme parks comprising the Disneyland Resort (with the original Disneyland Park being the other). It opened on February 8, 2001 as Disney's California Adventure Park, with its name change (the removal of the possessive and the word Park) announced on May 28, 2010. The park is owned and operated by the Walt Disney Parks and Resorts division of the Walt Disney Company.<br /> <br /> The 67-acre (27 ha) theme park - built during the 'Disney Decade', a growth initiative of former Walt Disney Company CEO Michael Eisner - was designed as part of a major expansion that transformed the Disneyland area and its hotels into the Disneyland Resort. Whereas the original 85-acre (34 ha) Disneyland Park contains 8 themed "lands," Disney California Adventure is divided into six themed "districts": Buena Vista Street, Hollywoodland, The Golden State, "a bug's land," Cars Land, and Paradise Pier. Each district is meant to resemble various aspects of Californian culture and landmarks, both stylized and idealized.<br /> <br /> In October 2007, the Walt Disney Company announced a $1.1 billion re-construction of the park (against its initial $600 million price to build) to counter initial criticisms that the park lacked the immersion, character experience, and timelessness of Disneyland Park. As a result of the initiative, each district was re-imagined to transform the park from a veritable spoof of modern California culture to a romanticized, idealized version of the state exploring specific time-periods and historic settings. For example, the park's Paradise Pier (originally a modern, seaside carnival-style wharf with comedic midway games and rides like Maliboomer and Mulholland Madness) was re-themed to a Victorian Era pier with flashing incandescent lightbulbs, classic midway games with Disney character references, and the Toy Story Midway Mania interactive attraction. The ambitious re-construction project began in December of 2007, and is predicted to be finished in August of 2012.<br /> <br /> In 2010, the park attracted approximately 6.28 million guests, making it the 11th-most visited theme park in the world, its highest ever attendance total for a calendar year</p> Wed, 01 Feb 2012 12:27:48 -0800 2012-01-31T17:17:23-08:00 nobody@flickr.com (Imagineering My Way) tag:flickr.com,2004:/photo/6803026291 DCA Entry HDR <p>Disney California Adventure is a theme park in Anaheim, California and one of two theme parks comprising the Disneyland Resort (with the original Disneyland Park being the other). It opened on February 8, 2001 as Disney's California Adventure Park, with its name change (the removal of the possessive and the word Park) announced on May 28, 2010. The park is owned and operated by the Walt Disney Parks and Resorts division of the Walt Disney Company.<br /> <br /> The 67-acre (27 ha) theme park - built during the 'Disney Decade', a growth initiative of former Walt Disney Company CEO Michael Eisner - was designed as part of a major expansion that transformed the Disneyland area and its hotels into the Disneyland Resort. Whereas the original 85-acre (34 ha) Disneyland Park contains 8 themed "lands," Disney California Adventure is divided into six themed "districts": Buena Vista Street, Hollywoodland, The Golden State, "a bug's land," Cars Land, and Paradise Pier. Each district is meant to resemble various aspects of Californian culture and landmarks, both stylized and idealized.<br /> <br /> In October 2007, the Walt Disney Company announced a $1.1 billion re-construction of the park (against its initial $600 million price to build) to counter initial criticisms that the park lacked the immersion, character experience, and timelessness of Disneyland Park. As a result of the initiative, each district was re-imagined to transform the park from a veritable spoof of modern California culture to a romanticized, idealized version of the state exploring specific time-periods and historic settings. For example, the park's Paradise Pier (originally a modern, seaside carnival-style wharf with comedic midway games and rides like Maliboomer and Mulholland Madness) was re-themed to a Victorian Era pier with flashing incandescent lightbulbs, classic midway games with Disney character references, and the Toy Story Midway Mania interactive attraction. The ambitious re-construction project began in December of 2007, and is predicted to be finished in August of 2012.<br /> <br /> In 2010, the park attracted approximately 6.28 million guests, making it the 11th-most visited theme park in the world, its highest ever attendance total for a calendar year</p> Imagineering My Way tripod disney anaheim dca themepark entry wdi imagineering nighthdr canon5dmarkii Pluto Statue HDR http://www.flickr.com/photos/imagineeringmyway/6803031853/ <p><a href="http://www.flickr.com/people/imagineeringmyway/">Imagineering My Way</a> posted a photo:</p> <p><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/imagineeringmyway/6803031853/" title="Pluto Statue HDR"><img src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7153/6803031853_0108bb791b_m.jpg" width="192" height="240" alt="Pluto Statue HDR" /></a></p> <p>Statue of Pluto in the HUB at Disneyland</p> Wed, 01 Feb 2012 12:28:59 -0800 2012-01-31T20:04:51-08:00 nobody@flickr.com (Imagineering My Way) tag:flickr.com,2004:/photo/6803031853 Pluto Statue HDR <p>Statue of Pluto in the HUB at Disneyland</p> Imagineering My Way california ca bronze twilight mainstreet disneyland anaheim hdr waltdisney thehub wdi imagineering canon5dmarkii Main Street USA HDR http://www.flickr.com/photos/imagineeringmyway/6803030909/ <p><a href="http://www.flickr.com/people/imagineeringmyway/">Imagineering My Way</a> posted a photo:</p> <p><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/imagineeringmyway/6803030909/" title="Main Street USA HDR"><img src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7025/6803030909_a64ae08b6f_m.jpg" width="240" height="160" alt="Main Street USA HDR" /></a></p> <p>Inspired by Walt Disney's hometown of Marceline, Missouri (as in the film Lady and the Tramp), Main Street, U.S.A. is designed to resemble the center of a turn-of-the-century (c. 1908) American town. According to Harper Goff, who worked on Main Street, U.S.A. with Walt, he showed Walt some photos of his childhood home of Fort Collins, Colorado. Walt liked the look, and so many of the features of the town were incorporated into Main Street, U.S.A.<br /> <br /> Walt Disney said, "For those of us who remember the carefree time it recreates, Main Street will bring back happy memories. For younger visitors, it is an adventure in turning back the calendar to the days of their grandfather's youth." Above the firehouse at Disneyland is Walt Disney's personal apartment, fully furnished but off-limits to the public. A lamp is kept burning in the front window as a tribute to his memory, except at Christmas where a small tannenbaum replaces the lamp. It is largely decorated for both Halloween and Christmas.<br /> <br /> There is a 60-foot-tall (18 m) Christmas tree during Christmas Time, and there is a 16-foot-high (4.9 m) Mickey Mouse jack-o-lantern on Halloween Time, with additional pumpkin ears. In the circular hub in front of the Sleeping Beauty Castle, the bronze "Partners" statue of Walt Disney and Mickey Mouse is surrounded by smaller bronzes of familiar Disney characters, such as Donald Duck and the White Rabbit from Alice in Wonderland.<br /> <br /> In Town Square is the oldest building in Disneyland, the Main Street Opera House. It formerly served as the park's lumber mill between 1955 and 1961. The cannons that are displayed in the center of the square were used by the French army during the 1800s, although they were never fired in battle. The gas lamps that line the street originally came from Baltimore and were brought for $.03 a pound.<br /> <br /> "Partners," sculpted by Blaine Gibson, was added in 1993. During the Halloween season, pumpkin busts for each themed land in the park, except Main Street, are seen around "Partners." It is listed as a real street in the Orange County Thomas Guide.</p> Wed, 01 Feb 2012 12:28:48 -0800 2012-01-31T19:53:30-08:00 nobody@flickr.com (Imagineering My Way) tag:flickr.com,2004:/photo/6803030909 Main Street USA HDR <p>Inspired by Walt Disney's hometown of Marceline, Missouri (as in the film Lady and the Tramp), Main Street, U.S.A. is designed to resemble the center of a turn-of-the-century (c. 1908) American town. According to Harper Goff, who worked on Main Street, U.S.A. with Walt, he showed Walt some photos of his childhood home of Fort Collins, Colorado. Walt liked the look, and so many of the features of the town were incorporated into Main Street, U.S.A.<br /> <br /> Walt Disney said, "For those of us who remember the carefree time it recreates, Main Street will bring back happy memories. For younger visitors, it is an adventure in turning back the calendar to the days of their grandfather's youth." Above the firehouse at Disneyland is Walt Disney's personal apartment, fully furnished but off-limits to the public. A lamp is kept burning in the front window as a tribute to his memory, except at Christmas where a small tannenbaum replaces the lamp. It is largely decorated for both Halloween and Christmas.<br /> <br /> There is a 60-foot-tall (18 m) Christmas tree during Christmas Time, and there is a 16-foot-high (4.9 m) Mickey Mouse jack-o-lantern on Halloween Time, with additional pumpkin ears. In the circular hub in front of the Sleeping Beauty Castle, the bronze "Partners" statue of Walt Disney and Mickey Mouse is surrounded by smaller bronzes of familiar Disney characters, such as Donald Duck and the White Rabbit from Alice in Wonderland.<br /> <br /> In Town Square is the oldest building in Disneyland, the Main Street Opera House. It formerly served as the park's lumber mill between 1955 and 1961. The cannons that are displayed in the center of the square were used by the French army during the 1800s, although they were never fired in battle. The gas lamps that line the street originally came from Baltimore and were brought for $.03 a pound.<br /> <br /> "Partners," sculpted by Blaine Gibson, was added in 1993. During the Halloween season, pumpkin busts for each themed land in the park, except Main Street, are seen around "Partners." It is listed as a real street in the Orange County Thomas Guide.</p> Imagineering My Way lights twilight disneyland tripod coke cocacola hdr pennyarcade waltdisney mainstreetusa themeparks wdi imagineering candypalace refreshmentcorner cokecorner canon5dmarkii Tower of Terror HDR http://www.flickr.com/photos/imagineeringmyway/6803023615/ <p><a href="http://www.flickr.com/people/imagineeringmyway/">Imagineering My Way</a> posted a photo:</p> <p><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/imagineeringmyway/6803023615/" title="Tower of Terror HDR"><img src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7015/6803023615_98a64c4519_m.jpg" width="240" height="192" alt="Tower of Terror HDR" /></a></p> <p>While similar in concept and theme to the original attraction in Florida, the version of this attraction at Disney California Adventure Park has some differences. This version of the ride opened in 2004, 10 years after the opening of the original Tower of Terror at Disney's Hollywood Studios.<br /> <br /> New ride operation system<br /> <br /> In order to conserve space and money, Imagineers redesigned the entire ride system for the attraction at Disney's California Adventure and made some general changes to the show scenes. The attraction features three elevator shafts. Each shaft, in theory, is its own separate ride with its own separate operating system. This makes it easier to repair individual areas of the attraction without causing the entire attraction to go down. Each shaft has two vehicles and two load levels. It is designed so that the lower vehicle can be in its ride profile while the upper vehicle is loading, giving the attraction the ability to move its line much faster. Since each vehicle loads and unloads from the same point, it ended up saving space. Due to the smaller budget and fewer breakdowns, Disney decided to use this ride system again for Walt Disney Studios Park's version of the ride and for Tokyo DisneySea's Hotel Hightower (Tokyo's version of the Tower of Terror).<br /> <br /> Disney California Adventure opened Tower of Terror in 2004 to better lure crowds into the struggling theme park, while bringing the Tower of Terror to the west Coast as well.<br /> <br /> As the elevator doors close, the lights of the service elevator flicker out. The re-designed, multi-level boarding ride system for the Californian version of the tower requires that one elevator loads while another is in the drop shaft progressing through the ride cycle. As such, the first movement guests experience is horizontal, as the elevator itself is pulled back from the service doors and into the shaft. This effect is meant to be unsettling, as guests become immediately aware that their "elevator" is capable of performing movements that are unexpected of a traditional elevator.<br /> <br /> Rod Serling's voice is heard as the elevator is pulled back from the doors. "You are the passengers on a most uncommon elevator..." with a flash of lightning, the walls of the basement disappear altogether, leaving only a star-field and the floating service doors with a rotating purple spiral "...about to take the strangest journey of your lives. Your destination? Unknown. But this much is clear: a reservation has been made in your name for an extended stay." The elevator rises quickly to the fifth floor. Because the dark ride portion of California's tower takes place in the drop shaft, the physical vertical vehicle conveyance system can move much more quickly and nimbly than Florida's (in which the first tower functions only as a dark ride and is not built for the quick movements that the drop portion requires). As such, visitors feel a pop of weightlessness as the elevator quickly ascends and then stops on the fifth floor.<br /> <br /> When the doors part, an ornate, wood-framed mirror stands in a brightly lit hallway of the hotel and riders see their reflection in its glass. "Wave goodbye to the real world." At once, lightning strikes the hotel and the lights of the hallway and elevator flicker out at once. A ghostly wind blows through a window and the reflection of riders in the elevator becomes distorted, with elongated, electrified echoes of movement. With another blast, the elevator rumbles and shakes and the electrified reflection disappears, leaving only the image of the empty elevator in the mirror as the doors close. "For you have just entered The Twilight Zone."<br /> <br /> The elevator descends quickly and opens to reveal the "hallway" scene with an image of an elevator, unlike Florida's version with a window. (which functions as the first scene in the Floridian and Japanese version of the attraction). "One stormy night long ago, five people stepped through the door of an elevator and into a nightmare." The five missing guests appear in the hallway, crackling with electricity and beckon riders to follow them. They disappear, and the walls of the hotel become a star-field. The doors open to reveal the lost passengers inside as both elevators appear to float through space. "That door is opening once again, but this time it's opening for you." The distant elevator falls, followed quickly by the ride elevator.<br /> <br /> California's Tower of Terror does not have a randomized drop sequence. The ride experience is identical in every drop shaft and regardless of which floor passengers board on. Two small drops occur in pitch black darkness, followed by a rise to the top of the tower as in-cabin lights flicker. The doors then open out to reveal the view from the top floor before the ride plummets to the basement. A series of quick rises and drops occurs, then another near-complete drop to the area in between the two loading floors (to assure each ride is identical) before the elevator returns to its load level and is horizontally pushed back into place at the boiler room service doors.<br /> <br /> Seasonal enhancements during Halloween Time<br /> <br /> Started in 2006 for Disney's Halloween Time, the Twilight Zone Tower of Terror at Disney's California Adventure receives special sound and lighting effects for the exterior and themed Halloween decor for the surrounding area and in the lobby. The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror is the starting point of Disney's "Happiest Haunts on Earth" tour. The Halloween decor was not put up in 2008, but lights projected spinning spider webs upon the exterior of the hotel. As of the beginning of the Buena Vista Street construction project, the special Halloween decor and lighting effects have not been used.</p> Wed, 01 Feb 2012 12:27:12 -0800 2012-01-31T19:28:38-08:00 nobody@flickr.com (Imagineering My Way) tag:flickr.com,2004:/photo/6803023615 Tower of Terror HDR <p>While similar in concept and theme to the original attraction in Florida, the version of this attraction at Disney California Adventure Park has some differences. This version of the ride opened in 2004, 10 years after the opening of the original Tower of Terror at Disney's Hollywood Studios.<br /> <br /> New ride operation system<br /> <br /> In order to conserve space and money, Imagineers redesigned the entire ride system for the attraction at Disney's California Adventure and made some general changes to the show scenes. The attraction features three elevator shafts. Each shaft, in theory, is its own separate ride with its own separate operating system. This makes it easier to repair individual areas of the attraction without causing the entire attraction to go down. Each shaft has two vehicles and two load levels. It is designed so that the lower vehicle can be in its ride profile while the upper vehicle is loading, giving the attraction the ability to move its line much faster. Since each vehicle loads and unloads from the same point, it ended up saving space. Due to the smaller budget and fewer breakdowns, Disney decided to use this ride system again for Walt Disney Studios Park's version of the ride and for Tokyo DisneySea's Hotel Hightower (Tokyo's version of the Tower of Terror).<br /> <br /> Disney California Adventure opened Tower of Terror in 2004 to better lure crowds into the struggling theme park, while bringing the Tower of Terror to the west Coast as well.<br /> <br /> As the elevator doors close, the lights of the service elevator flicker out. The re-designed, multi-level boarding ride system for the Californian version of the tower requires that one elevator loads while another is in the drop shaft progressing through the ride cycle. As such, the first movement guests experience is horizontal, as the elevator itself is pulled back from the service doors and into the shaft. This effect is meant to be unsettling, as guests become immediately aware that their "elevator" is capable of performing movements that are unexpected of a traditional elevator.<br /> <br /> Rod Serling's voice is heard as the elevator is pulled back from the doors. "You are the passengers on a most uncommon elevator..." with a flash of lightning, the walls of the basement disappear altogether, leaving only a star-field and the floating service doors with a rotating purple spiral "...about to take the strangest journey of your lives. Your destination? Unknown. But this much is clear: a reservation has been made in your name for an extended stay." The elevator rises quickly to the fifth floor. Because the dark ride portion of California's tower takes place in the drop shaft, the physical vertical vehicle conveyance system can move much more quickly and nimbly than Florida's (in which the first tower functions only as a dark ride and is not built for the quick movements that the drop portion requires). As such, visitors feel a pop of weightlessness as the elevator quickly ascends and then stops on the fifth floor.<br /> <br /> When the doors part, an ornate, wood-framed mirror stands in a brightly lit hallway of the hotel and riders see their reflection in its glass. "Wave goodbye to the real world." At once, lightning strikes the hotel and the lights of the hallway and elevator flicker out at once. A ghostly wind blows through a window and the reflection of riders in the elevator becomes distorted, with elongated, electrified echoes of movement. With another blast, the elevator rumbles and shakes and the electrified reflection disappears, leaving only the image of the empty elevator in the mirror as the doors close. "For you have just entered The Twilight Zone."<br /> <br /> The elevator descends quickly and opens to reveal the "hallway" scene with an image of an elevator, unlike Florida's version with a window. (which functions as the first scene in the Floridian and Japanese version of the attraction). "One stormy night long ago, five people stepped through the door of an elevator and into a nightmare." The five missing guests appear in the hallway, crackling with electricity and beckon riders to follow them. They disappear, and the walls of the hotel become a star-field. The doors open to reveal the lost passengers inside as both elevators appear to float through space. "That door is opening once again, but this time it's opening for you." The distant elevator falls, followed quickly by the ride elevator.<br /> <br /> California's Tower of Terror does not have a randomized drop sequence. The ride experience is identical in every drop shaft and regardless of which floor passengers board on. Two small drops occur in pitch black darkness, followed by a rise to the top of the tower as in-cabin lights flicker. The doors then open out to reveal the view from the top floor before the ride plummets to the basement. A series of quick rises and drops occurs, then another near-complete drop to the area in between the two loading floors (to assure each ride is identical) before the elevator returns to its load level and is horizontally pushed back into place at the boiler room service doors.<br /> <br /> Seasonal enhancements during Halloween Time<br /> <br /> Started in 2006 for Disney's Halloween Time, the Twilight Zone Tower of Terror at Disney's California Adventure receives special sound and lighting effects for the exterior and themed Halloween decor for the surrounding area and in the lobby. The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror is the starting point of Disney's "Happiest Haunts on Earth" tour. The Halloween decor was not put up in 2008, but lights projected spinning spider webs upon the exterior of the hotel. As of the beginning of the Buena Vista Street construction project, the special Halloween decor and lighting effects have not been used.</p> Imagineering My Way blue trees night lights tripod disney anaheim dca tot hdr themepark 2012 waltdisney towerofterror plamtrees wdi imagineering rodserling canon5dmarkii disneycaliforniaadeventure The Magic Kingdom's Cinderella Castle http://www.flickr.com/photos/imagineeringmyway/6739060245/ <p><a href="http://www.flickr.com/people/imagineeringmyway/">Imagineering My Way</a> posted a photo:</p> <p><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/imagineeringmyway/6739060245/" title="The Magic Kingdom's Cinderella Castle"><img src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7154/6739060245_7e86213b52_m.jpg" width="240" height="171" alt="The Magic Kingdom's Cinderella Castle" /></a></p> <p>Cinderella Castle is the fairy tale castle at the center of two Disney theme parks: the Magic Kingdom at the Walt Disney World Resort, and Tokyo Disneyland at the Tokyo Disney Resort. Both serve as worldwide recognized icons and the flagship attraction for their respective theme parks.<br /> <br /> Cinderella Castle was inspired by a variety of real and fictional castles. These included Fontainebleau, Versailles and the chateaus of Chenonceau, Chambord and Chaumont, as well as Castle Neuschwanstein, Bavaria, and Alcázar of Segovia, Castile and León (Spain), the oldest of all, which is 9 centuries old and also the Moszna Castle in Poland which was built in 18th century. The chief designer of the Castle, Herbert Ryman, also referenced the original design for the castle in the film Cinderella and his own well-known creation — the Sleeping Beauty Castle at Disneyland in California.</p> Sat, 21 Jan 2012 16:31:43 -0800 2012-01-21T16:21:00-08:00 nobody@flickr.com (Imagineering My Way) tag:flickr.com,2004:/photo/6739060245 The Magic Kingdom's Cinderella Castle <p>Cinderella Castle is the fairy tale castle at the center of two Disney theme parks: the Magic Kingdom at the Walt Disney World Resort, and Tokyo Disneyland at the Tokyo Disney Resort. Both serve as worldwide recognized icons and the flagship attraction for their respective theme parks.<br /> <br /> Cinderella Castle was inspired by a variety of real and fictional castles. These included Fontainebleau, Versailles and the chateaus of Chenonceau, Chambord and Chaumont, as well as Castle Neuschwanstein, Bavaria, and Alcázar of Segovia, Castile and León (Spain), the oldest of all, which is 9 centuries old and also the Moszna Castle in Poland which was built in 18th century. The chief designer of the Castle, Herbert Ryman, also referenced the original design for the castle in the film Cinderella and his own well-known creation — the Sleeping Beauty Castle at Disneyland in California.</p> Imagineering My Way blue vacation sky people horse usa castle stone guests clouds america florida trolley south disneyworld canon10d orangecounty themepark magickingdom waltdisney topaz wdi imagineering Disney's Grand Floridian Resort & Spa http://www.flickr.com/photos/imagineeringmyway/6738472579/ <p><a href="http://www.flickr.com/people/imagineeringmyway/">Imagineering My Way</a> posted a photo:</p> <p><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/imagineeringmyway/6738472579/" title="Disney's Grand Floridian Resort & Spa"><img src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7015/6738472579_b88eac8510_m.jpg" width="160" height="240" alt="Disney's Grand Floridian Resort & Spa" /></a></p> <p>Disney's Grand Floridian Resort & Spa is a AAA Four Diamond Award–winning, Victorian themed luxury hotel and spa located at the Walt Disney World Resort in Florida. The property opened on June 28, 1988 as the Grand Floridian Beach Resort. The name changed to Disney's Grand Floridian Resort & Spa during the fall of 1997. The resort contains 867 rooms among six buildings at an average of 400 square feet (37 m²) per room. A standard room can sleep up to five people. The resort is owned and operated by Walt Disney Parks and Resorts.<br /> The Grand Floridian is categorized as a deluxe resort, one of four types of accommodations at the Florida site. The resort is distinguished Disney's flagship and most luxurious resort. The resort has received designation in the Florida Green Lodging Program.<br /> <br /> The hotel was inspired by the Victorian era beach resorts built along Florida's east coast during the late 19th century and early 20th century; its exterior is modeled after the Mount Washington Resort in Bretton Woods, New Hampshire and Hotel del Coronado in Coronado, California, with red gabled roofs and white walls. Additional design inspiration was taken from the Belleview-Biltmore Hotel in Belleair, Florida. The resort's outer lodge buildings — Sago Cay, Sugarloaf Key, Conch Key, Boca Chica and Big Pine Key—are named for islands in the Florida Keys. The hotel's main building features a five story lobby, a cage elevator, stained glass domes, and Italian marble floors.<br /> <br /> Main building of the Grand Floridian resort.<br /> Initially, Walt Disney wanted a Polynesian resort (reflecting Adventureland), the Contemporary Resort to echo Tomorrowland, and other resorts that mirrored the 'lands' of the Magic Kingdom. Main Street and The Grand Floridian act as analogous reflections. The resort was designed by the Disney company and executed by the architectural firm Wimberly, Allison, Tong & Goo.<br /> <br /> Along with Disney's Polynesian Resort, the Grand Floridian sits on the shores of the man-made Seven Seas Lagoon near the Magic Kingdom. The hotel occupies land that had been earmarked for an Asian themed resort during the initial development of Walt Disney World Resort in the late 1960s. As of June 2007, smoking is permitted only in designated outdoor smoking locations. In 1992, a 40,000-square-foot (3,700 m2) convention center opened adjacent to the hotel, which contains a business center.<br /> <br /> The hotel has completed some major renovations over the last couple years. In 2007, all the guestrooms were redecorated and flat panel televisions were added. The lobby has gone under a major transformation since its beginning. Italian marble was put in to replace dated tiles. There are even some mosaics of Disney characters near common places such as the main entrance, monorail station, and elevators with new carpet installed in May 2010. During evening hours, a band plays on the second floor balcony for about 3 hours alternating with a pianist.</p> Sat, 21 Jan 2012 14:24:49 -0800 2012-01-21T13:07:10-08:00 nobody@flickr.com (Imagineering My Way) tag:flickr.com,2004:/photo/6738472579 Disney's Grand Floridian Resort & Spa <p>Disney's Grand Floridian Resort & Spa is a AAA Four Diamond Award–winning, Victorian themed luxury hotel and spa located at the Walt Disney World Resort in Florida. The property opened on June 28, 1988 as the Grand Floridian Beach Resort. The name changed to Disney's Grand Floridian Resort & Spa during the fall of 1997. The resort contains 867 rooms among six buildings at an average of 400 square feet (37 m²) per room. A standard room can sleep up to five people. The resort is owned and operated by Walt Disney Parks and Resorts.<br /> The Grand Floridian is categorized as a deluxe resort, one of four types of accommodations at the Florida site. The resort is distinguished Disney's flagship and most luxurious resort. The resort has received designation in the Florida Green Lodging Program.<br /> <br /> The hotel was inspired by the Victorian era beach resorts built along Florida's east coast during the late 19th century and early 20th century; its exterior is modeled after the Mount Washington Resort in Bretton Woods, New Hampshire and Hotel del Coronado in Coronado, California, with red gabled roofs and white walls. Additional design inspiration was taken from the Belleview-Biltmore Hotel in Belleair, Florida. The resort's outer lodge buildings — Sago Cay, Sugarloaf Key, Conch Key, Boca Chica and Big Pine Key—are named for islands in the Florida Keys. The hotel's main building features a five story lobby, a cage elevator, stained glass domes, and Italian marble floors.<br /> <br /> Main building of the Grand Floridian resort.<br /> Initially, Walt Disney wanted a Polynesian resort (reflecting Adventureland), the Contemporary Resort to echo Tomorrowland, and other resorts that mirrored the 'lands' of the Magic Kingdom. Main Street and The Grand Floridian act as analogous reflections. The resort was designed by the Disney company and executed by the architectural firm Wimberly, Allison, Tong & Goo.<br /> <br /> Along with Disney's Polynesian Resort, the Grand Floridian sits on the shores of the man-made Seven Seas Lagoon near the Magic Kingdom. The hotel occupies land that had been earmarked for an Asian themed resort during the initial development of Walt Disney World Resort in the late 1960s. As of June 2007, smoking is permitted only in designated outdoor smoking locations. In 1992, a 40,000-square-foot (3,700 m2) convention center opened adjacent to the hotel, which contains a business center.<br /> <br /> The hotel has completed some major renovations over the last couple years. In 2007, all the guestrooms were redecorated and flat panel televisions were added. The lobby has gone under a major transformation since its beginning. Italian marble was put in to replace dated tiles. There are even some mosaics of Disney characters near common places such as the main entrance, monorail station, and elevators with new carpet installed in May 2010. During evening hours, a band plays on the second floor balcony for about 3 hours alternating with a pianist.</p> Imagineering My Way florida piano disney resort lobby canon10d orangecounty waltdisneyworld luxury grandfloridian waltdisney topaz wdi imagineering watg Grand Disney's Grand Floridian Resort & Spa Lobby http://www.flickr.com/photos/imagineeringmyway/6738121675/ <p><a href="http://www.flickr.com/people/imagineeringmyway/">Imagineering My Way</a> posted a photo:</p> <p><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/imagineeringmyway/6738121675/" title="Grand Disney's Grand Floridian Resort & Spa Lobby"><img src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7171/6738121675_ccd1f24262_m.jpg" width="240" height="160" alt="Grand Disney's Grand Floridian Resort & Spa Lobby" /></a></p> <p>The hotel has completed some major renovations over the last couple years. In 2007, all the guestrooms were redecorated and flat panel televisions were added. The lobby has gone under a major transformation since its beginning. Italian marble was put in to replace dated tiles. There are even some mosaics of Disney characters near common places such as the main entrance, monorail station, and elevators with new carpet installed in May 2010. During evening hours, a band plays on the second floor balcony for about 3 hours alternating with a pianist.</p> Sat, 21 Jan 2012 13:15:57 -0800 2012-01-20T23:35:57-08:00 nobody@flickr.com (Imagineering My Way) tag:flickr.com,2004:/photo/6738121675 Grand Disney's Grand Floridian Resort & Spa Lobby <p>The hotel has completed some major renovations over the last couple years. In 2007, all the guestrooms were redecorated and flat panel televisions were added. The lobby has gone under a major transformation since its beginning. Italian marble was put in to replace dated tiles. There are even some mosaics of Disney characters near common places such as the main entrance, monorail station, and elevators with new carpet installed in May 2010. During evening hours, a band plays on the second floor balcony for about 3 hours alternating with a pianist.</p> Imagineering My Way florida piano disney resort lobby canon10d orangecounty waltdisneyworld luxury grandfloridian waltdisney topaz wdi imagineering watg Disney's Polynesian Resort Panoramic http://www.flickr.com/photos/imagineeringmyway/6738014463/ <p><a href="http://www.flickr.com/people/imagineeringmyway/">Imagineering My Way</a> posted a photo:</p> <p><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/imagineeringmyway/6738014463/" title="Disney's Polynesian Resort Panoramic"><img src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7167/6738014463_e6675fe045_m.jpg" width="240" height="46" alt="Disney's Polynesian Resort Panoramic" /></a></p> <p>Disney's Polynesian Resort (formerly the Polynesian Village) is a Disney owned and operated AAA Four-Diamond Award–winning resort located at the Walt Disney World Resort. It began operation on October 1, 1971 as one of Walt Disney World Resort's first two on-site hotels. The resort has a South Seas theme, and originally opened with 492 rooms. It was designed by Welton Becket and Associates and constructed by US Steel Realty Development. The resort is owned and operated by Walt Disney Parks and Resorts.<br /> Since its opening in 1971, the resort has seen two major expansions; the first in 1978, with the addition of a longhouse, the Tangaroa Terrace restaurant/support facility, and a secondary pool. A second expansion took place in 1985, with the construction of two additional longhouses. In that same year, the resort adopted its current name over former Polynesian Village titles. The resort now has a collective 847 rooms and suites, most recently renovated in 2006.<br /> <br /> Disney's Polynesian Resort is situated on the southern shore of the man-made Seven Seas Lagoon, south of the Magic Kingdom and adjacent to other Walt Disney World complexes, with the Transportation and Ticket Center to the east and Disney's Grand Floridian Resort & Spa to the west. The resort is on the Magic Kingdom monorail loop, providing transportation to the Magic Kingdom and Epcot (via transfer), and is part of the route for Disney's Magic Kingdom Resorts Water Launch service. Other Walt Disney World Resort theme parks and attractions are served by Disney Transport buses.<br /> <br /> The Great Ceremonial House features a large "tropical rainforest" in its atrium with waterfalls.<br /> The resort is organized around a central building named the Great Ceremonial House, itself designed after a Tahitian royal assembly lodge. The Great Ceremonial House houses guest services and most of the resort's dining and merchandise locations. The Great Ceremonial House also features a large tropical rain forest in its atrium, with over 75 species of plant life and several waterfalls. No rooms are contained in this building, instead several lodges, longhouses, house all guest rooms and are spread out amongst resort property.<br /> <br /> As of 2008, Disney's Polynesian Resort is certified green lodging property with the state of Florida.</p> Sat, 21 Jan 2012 12:55:34 -0800 2012-01-21T12:45:53-08:00 nobody@flickr.com (Imagineering My Way) tag:flickr.com,2004:/photo/6738014463 Disney's Polynesian Resort Panoramic <p>Disney's Polynesian Resort (formerly the Polynesian Village) is a Disney owned and operated AAA Four-Diamond Award–winning resort located at the Walt Disney World Resort. It began operation on October 1, 1971 as one of Walt Disney World Resort's first two on-site hotels. The resort has a South Seas theme, and originally opened with 492 rooms. It was designed by Welton Becket and Associates and constructed by US Steel Realty Development. The resort is owned and operated by Walt Disney Parks and Resorts.<br /> Since its opening in 1971, the resort has seen two major expansions; the first in 1978, with the addition of a longhouse, the Tangaroa Terrace restaurant/support facility, and a secondary pool. A second expansion took place in 1985, with the construction of two additional longhouses. In that same year, the resort adopted its current name over former Polynesian Village titles. The resort now has a collective 847 rooms and suites, most recently renovated in 2006.<br /> <br /> Disney's Polynesian Resort is situated on the southern shore of the man-made Seven Seas Lagoon, south of the Magic Kingdom and adjacent to other Walt Disney World complexes, with the Transportation and Ticket Center to the east and Disney's Grand Floridian Resort & Spa to the west. The resort is on the Magic Kingdom monorail loop, providing transportation to the Magic Kingdom and Epcot (via transfer), and is part of the route for Disney's Magic Kingdom Resorts Water Launch service. Other Walt Disney World Resort theme parks and attractions are served by Disney Transport buses.<br /> <br /> The Great Ceremonial House features a large "tropical rainforest" in its atrium with waterfalls.<br /> The resort is organized around a central building named the Great Ceremonial House, itself designed after a Tahitian royal assembly lodge. The Great Ceremonial House houses guest services and most of the resort's dining and merchandise locations. The Great Ceremonial House also features a large tropical rain forest in its atrium, with over 75 species of plant life and several waterfalls. No rooms are contained in this building, instead several lodges, longhouses, house all guest rooms and are spread out amongst resort property.<br /> <br /> As of 2008, Disney's Polynesian Resort is certified green lodging property with the state of Florida.</p> Imagineering My Way blue sky water pool guests clouds hotel sand florida hula ussteel tiki longhouse waltdisney roydisney wdi imagineering polynesianresort weltonbecketandassociates tangaroaterrace Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage http://www.flickr.com/photos/imagineeringmyway/6734601797/ <p><a href="http://www.flickr.com/people/imagineeringmyway/">Imagineering My Way</a> posted a photo:</p> <p><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/imagineeringmyway/6734601797/" title="Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage"><img src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7002/6734601797_be6fee5790_m.jpg" width="240" height="135" alt="Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage" /></a></p> <p>Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage is an attraction located in the Tomorrowland area of Disneyland Park in Anaheim, California, which opened on June 11, 2007. Based on the characters and settings of the 2003 Disney/Pixar film, Finding Nemo, the attraction is a re-theming of the classic Submarine Voyage attraction, which closed in 1998.<br /> <br /> The original Submarine Voyage thru Liquid Space attraction was built as part of the "new" Tomorrowland in 1959, and closed on September 9, 1998. At that time, Disneyland's president, Paul Pressler, promised the press and Disneyland fans that the attraction would re-open with a new theme by 2003.[citation needed] One of the first attempts to resurrect the subs was banked on the success of the 2001 Disney animated film, Atlantis: The Lost Empire. However, when Atlantis flopped at the box office, an "Atlantis" themed photo spot was placed in front of the lagoon and plans of re-theming the based on the film were shelved.<br /> However, the attraction remained untouched. Later, the entire lagoon became a scenic viewpoint. The submarines were stored inside the show building without maintenance. Pressler left, and the attraction's announced 2003 return date passed without action.[citation needed] When Matt Ouimet became the President of Disneyland Resort in 2003, there was new activity in the Submarine Lagoon. Neptune, one of the original eight submarines in the fleet, was moored at the old Submarine Voyage station dock for inspection by Walt Disney Imagineering in 2004.<br /> The submarines were being tested to see if new animated show scenes would be visible from the portholes. Rumors spread quickly over the Internet, saying that an attraction based on the Disney/Pixar animated film Finding Nemo was going to finally replace Submarine Voyage. After months of speculation, on July 15, 2005, two days before the 50th Anniversary of Disneyland, the Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage was officially announced at the new Turtle Talk with Crush attraction at Disney California Adventure Park by Walt Disney Parks and Resorts President Jay Rasulo. The attraction was a huge success with fans when it opened, queue line times for boarding stretched to nearly four hours.</p> Fri, 20 Jan 2012 22:34:30 -0800 2012-01-20T21:14:59-08:00 nobody@flickr.com (Imagineering My Way) tag:flickr.com,2004:/photo/6734601797 Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage <p>Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage is an attraction located in the Tomorrowland area of Disneyland Park in Anaheim, California, which opened on June 11, 2007. Based on the characters and settings of the 2003 Disney/Pixar film, Finding Nemo, the attraction is a re-theming of the classic Submarine Voyage attraction, which closed in 1998.<br /> <br /> The original Submarine Voyage thru Liquid Space attraction was built as part of the "new" Tomorrowland in 1959, and closed on September 9, 1998. At that time, Disneyland's president, Paul Pressler, promised the press and Disneyland fans that the attraction would re-open with a new theme by 2003.[citation needed] One of the first attempts to resurrect the subs was banked on the success of the 2001 Disney animated film, Atlantis: The Lost Empire. However, when Atlantis flopped at the box office, an "Atlantis" themed photo spot was placed in front of the lagoon and plans of re-theming the based on the film were shelved.<br /> However, the attraction remained untouched. Later, the entire lagoon became a scenic viewpoint. The submarines were stored inside the show building without maintenance. Pressler left, and the attraction's announced 2003 return date passed without action.[citation needed] When Matt Ouimet became the President of Disneyland Resort in 2003, there was new activity in the Submarine Lagoon. Neptune, one of the original eight submarines in the fleet, was moored at the old Submarine Voyage station dock for inspection by Walt Disney Imagineering in 2004.<br /> The submarines were being tested to see if new animated show scenes would be visible from the portholes. Rumors spread quickly over the Internet, saying that an attraction based on the Disney/Pixar animated film Finding Nemo was going to finally replace Submarine Voyage. After months of speculation, on July 15, 2005, two days before the 50th Anniversary of Disneyland, the Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage was officially announced at the new Turtle Talk with Crush attraction at Disney California Adventure Park by Walt Disney Parks and Resorts President Jay Rasulo. The attraction was a huge success with fans when it opened, queue line times for boarding stretched to nearly four hours.</p> Imagineering My Way blue water yellow nemo disneyland resort scot pixar orangecounty anaheim tomorrowland themepark attractions subs waltdisney seaguls wdi imagineering topazlabs canon5dmarkii Grizzly River Run's Mill HDR http://www.flickr.com/photos/imagineeringmyway/6734600137/ <p><a href="http://www.flickr.com/people/imagineeringmyway/">Imagineering My Way</a> posted a photo:</p> <p><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/imagineeringmyway/6734600137/" title="Grizzly River Run's Mill HDR"><img src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7032/6734600137_e32c05a468_m.jpg" width="240" height="160" alt="Grizzly River Run's Mill HDR" /></a></p> <p>Grizzly River Run is a river rafting ride at Disney California Adventure Park at the Disneyland Resort in Anaheim, California. It is similar to Kali River Rapids in Disney's Animal Kingdom and the Shipwreck Rapids ride in SeaWorld. The attraction's name comes from Grizzly Peak, the bear shaped mountain that the rapids flow around. It was built by Intamin.<br /> The raft trip around Grizzly Peak begins with the rafts being lifted up a wooden conveyor that runs under leaking pipes that spray water on the riders. Upon reaching the top of the conveyor, the rafts are dropped into the water to descend the peak, passing through a cave and bumping against a log jam. The climax of the ride drops the rafts down into a geyser field. The final drop has a unique element in that the rafts are spun as they begin their descent.<br /> As with all flume-type rides, there must be a location to store or drain the water in the upper sections of the flumes when the pumps are shut down. The original plan was to create a large, underground basin beneath Grizzly Peak to hold water. This would have required costly excavation and construction. Upon looking at the final layout of California Adventure, it was noticed that the Pacific Wharf area of the park had a water element meant to simulate a tidal basin. The tidal basin is located across a walkway from Grizzly River Run and became the catch basin for water from the raft ride. The rise and fall of water in the tidal basin serves the dual purpose of providing a location to store water and being a scenic element that simulates a rising and falling tide.</p> Fri, 20 Jan 2012 22:33:49 -0800 2012-01-20T19:00:25-08:00 nobody@flickr.com (Imagineering My Way) tag:flickr.com,2004:/photo/6734600137 Grizzly River Run's Mill HDR <p>Grizzly River Run is a river rafting ride at Disney California Adventure Park at the Disneyland Resort in Anaheim, California. It is similar to Kali River Rapids in Disney's Animal Kingdom and the Shipwreck Rapids ride in SeaWorld. The attraction's name comes from Grizzly Peak, the bear shaped mountain that the rapids flow around. It was built by Intamin.<br /> The raft trip around Grizzly Peak begins with the rafts being lifted up a wooden conveyor that runs under leaking pipes that spray water on the riders. Upon reaching the top of the conveyor, the rafts are dropped into the water to descend the peak, passing through a cave and bumping against a log jam. The climax of the ride drops the rafts down into a geyser field. The final drop has a unique element in that the rafts are spun as they begin their descent.<br /> As with all flume-type rides, there must be a location to store or drain the water in the upper sections of the flumes when the pumps are shut down. The original plan was to create a large, underground basin beneath Grizzly Peak to hold water. This would have required costly excavation and construction. Upon looking at the final layout of California Adventure, it was noticed that the Pacific Wharf area of the park had a water element meant to simulate a tidal basin. The tidal basin is located across a walkway from Grizzly River Run and became the catch basin for water from the raft ride. The rise and fall of water in the tidal basin serves the dual purpose of providing a location to store water and being a scenic element that simulates a rising and falling tide.</p> Imagineering My Way california wood blue trees winter green mill water leaves grizzly orangecounty anaheim dca hdr disneyscaliforniaadventure wdi imagineering disnayland januaryday watdisney canon5dmarkii Grizzly River Run Falls HDR http://www.flickr.com/photos/imagineeringmyway/6734598403/ <p><a href="http://www.flickr.com/people/imagineeringmyway/">Imagineering My Way</a> posted a photo:</p> <p><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/imagineeringmyway/6734598403/" title="Grizzly River Run Falls HDR"><img src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7162/6734598403_1ea1b1c291_m.jpg" width="240" height="160" alt="Grizzly River Run Falls HDR" /></a></p> <p>Grizzly River Run is a river rafting ride at Disney California Adventure Park at the Disneyland Resort in Anaheim, California. It is similar to Kali River Rapids in Disney's Animal Kingdom and the Shipwreck Rapids ride in SeaWorld. The attraction's name comes from Grizzly Peak, the bear shaped mountain that the rapids flow around. It was built by Intamin.<br /> <br /> The raft trip around Grizzly Peak begins with the rafts being lifted up a wooden conveyor that runs under leaking pipes that spray water on the riders. Upon reaching the top of the conveyor, the rafts are dropped into the water to descend the peak, passing through a cave and bumping against a log jam. The climax of the ride drops the rafts down into a geyser field. The final drop has a unique element in that the rafts are spun as they begin their descent.<br /> <br /> As with all flume-type rides, there must be a location to store or drain the water in the upper sections of the flumes when the pumps are shut down. The original plan was to create a large, underground basin beneath Grizzly Peak to hold water. This would have required costly excavation and construction. Upon looking at the final layout of California Adventure, it was noticed that the Pacific Wharf area of the park had a water element meant to simulate a tidal basin. The tidal basin is located across a walkway from Grizzly River Run and became the catch basin for water from the raft ride. The rise and fall of water in the tidal basin serves the dual purpose of providing a location to store water and being a scenic element that simulates a rising and falling tide.</p> Fri, 20 Jan 2012 22:33:09 -0800 2012-01-20T20:56:32-08:00 nobody@flickr.com (Imagineering My Way) tag:flickr.com,2004:/photo/6734598403 Grizzly River Run Falls HDR <p>Grizzly River Run is a river rafting ride at Disney California Adventure Park at the Disneyland Resort in Anaheim, California. It is similar to Kali River Rapids in Disney's Animal Kingdom and the Shipwreck Rapids ride in SeaWorld. The attraction's name comes from Grizzly Peak, the bear shaped mountain that the rapids flow around. It was built by Intamin.<br /> <br /> The raft trip around Grizzly Peak begins with the rafts being lifted up a wooden conveyor that runs under leaking pipes that spray water on the riders. Upon reaching the top of the conveyor, the rafts are dropped into the water to descend the peak, passing through a cave and bumping against a log jam. The climax of the ride drops the rafts down into a geyser field. The final drop has a unique element in that the rafts are spun as they begin their descent.<br /> <br /> As with all flume-type rides, there must be a location to store or drain the water in the upper sections of the flumes when the pumps are shut down. The original plan was to create a large, underground basin beneath Grizzly Peak to hold water. This would have required costly excavation and construction. Upon looking at the final layout of California Adventure, it was noticed that the Pacific Wharf area of the park had a water element meant to simulate a tidal basin. The tidal basin is located across a walkway from Grizzly River Run and became the catch basin for water from the raft ride. The rise and fall of water in the tidal basin serves the dual purpose of providing a location to store water and being a scenic element that simulates a rising and falling tide.</p> Imagineering My Way california wood blue trees winter green mill water leaves grizzly orangecounty anaheim dca hdr disneyscaliforniaadventure wdi imagineering disnayland januaryday watdisney canon5dmarkii Carthay Circle Theatre at Disney's California Adventure http://www.flickr.com/photos/imagineeringmyway/6734532291/ <p><a href="http://www.flickr.com/people/imagineeringmyway/">Imagineering My Way</a> posted a photo:</p> <p><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/imagineeringmyway/6734532291/" title="Carthay Circle Theatre at Disney's California Adventure"><img src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7166/6734532291_be8b6d27b6_m.jpg" width="240" height="135" alt="Carthay Circle Theatre at Disney's California Adventure" /></a></p> <p>The Carthay is taking shape.<br /> <br /> The Carthay Circle Theatre was one of the most famous movie palaces of Hollywood's Golden Age. It opened at 6316 San Vicente Boulevard in 1926 and was considered developer J. Harvey McCarthy's most successful monument, a stroke of shrewd thinking that made a famous name of the newly developed Carthay residential district in the Mid-Wilshire district of Los Angeles, California.</p> Fri, 20 Jan 2012 22:10:00 -0800 2012-01-20T14:18:36-08:00 nobody@flickr.com (Imagineering My Way) tag:flickr.com,2004:/photo/6734532291 Carthay Circle Theatre at Disney's California Adventure <p>The Carthay is taking shape.<br /> <br /> The Carthay Circle Theatre was one of the most famous movie palaces of Hollywood's Golden Age. It opened at 6316 San Vicente Boulevard in 1926 and was considered developer J. Harvey McCarthy's most successful monument, a stroke of shrewd thinking that made a famous name of the newly developed Carthay residential district in the Mid-Wilshire district of Los Angeles, California.</p> Imagineering My Way california losangeles construction disneyland january landmark disney pixar orangecounty anaheim snowwhite dca dl themepark californiaadventure expansion waltdisney wdi imagineering carsland canon5dmarkii Carsland is taking shape http://www.flickr.com/photos/imagineeringmyway/6734531305/ <p><a href="http://www.flickr.com/people/imagineeringmyway/">Imagineering My Way</a> posted a photo:</p> <p><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/imagineeringmyway/6734531305/" title="Carsland is taking shape"><img src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7159/6734531305_5267d32719_m.jpg" width="240" height="135" alt="Carsland is taking shape" /></a></p> Fri, 20 Jan 2012 22:09:39 -0800 2012-01-20T14:39:26-08:00 nobody@flickr.com (Imagineering My Way) tag:flickr.com,2004:/photo/6734531305 Carsland is taking shape Imagineering My Way california construction disneyland january disney pixar orangecounty anaheim dca dl themepark californiaadventure expansion waltdisney wdi imagineering carsland canon5dmarkii Carthay Circle Theatre at Disney's California Adventure http://www.flickr.com/photos/imagineeringmyway/6734529335/ <p><a href="http://www.flickr.com/people/imagineeringmyway/">Imagineering My Way</a> posted a photo:</p> <p><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/imagineeringmyway/6734529335/" title="Carthay Circle Theatre at Disney's California Adventure"><img src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7035/6734529335_507ab72a16_m.jpg" width="240" height="135" alt="Carthay Circle Theatre at Disney's California Adventure" /></a></p> <p>As seen from Bug's Land.<br /> <br /> The Carthay Circle Theatre was one of the most famous movie palaces of Hollywood's Golden Age. It opened at 6316 San Vicente Boulevard in 1926 and was considered developer J. Harvey McCarthy's most successful monument, a stroke of shrewd thinking that made a famous name of the newly developed Carthay residential district in the Mid-Wilshire district of Los Angeles, California.</p> Fri, 20 Jan 2012 22:09:00 -0800 2012-01-20T14:37:06-08:00 nobody@flickr.com (Imagineering My Way) tag:flickr.com,2004:/photo/6734529335 Carthay Circle Theatre at Disney's California Adventure <p>As seen from Bug's Land.<br /> <br /> The Carthay Circle Theatre was one of the most famous movie palaces of Hollywood's Golden Age. It opened at 6316 San Vicente Boulevard in 1926 and was considered developer J. Harvey McCarthy's most successful monument, a stroke of shrewd thinking that made a famous name of the newly developed Carthay residential district in the Mid-Wilshire district of Los Angeles, California.</p> Imagineering My Way theater disneyland bugs dca waltdisney disneyscaliforniaadventure wdi imagineering carthaycircletheatre Disney's Animal Kingdom's Warthog http://www.flickr.com/photos/imagineeringmyway/6342168281/ <p><a href="http://www.flickr.com/people/imagineeringmyway/">Imagineering My Way</a> posted a photo:</p> <p><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/imagineeringmyway/6342168281/" title="Disney's Animal Kingdom's Warthog"><img src="http://farm7.staticflickr.com/6118/6342168281_6aa65b6c36_m.jpg" width="240" height="160" alt="Disney's Animal Kingdom's Warthog" /></a></p> <p>The Warthog or Common Warthog (Phacochoerus africanus) is a wild member of the pig family that lives in grassland, savanna, and woodland in Sub-Saharan Africa. In the past it was commonly treated as a subspecies of P. aethiopicus, but today that scientific name is restricted to the Desert Warthog of northern Kenya, Somalia, and eastern Ethiopia.<br /> <br /> The common name comes from the four large wart-like protrusions found on the head of the warthog, which serve the purpose of defence when males fight as well as a fat reserve.<br /> <br /> Warthogs range in size from 0.91 to 1.5 m (3.0 to 4.9 ft) in length and 50 to 75 kg (110 to 170 lb) in weight. A warthog is identifiable by the two pairs of tusks protruding from the mouth and curving upwards. The lower pair, which is far shorter than the upper pair, becomes razor sharp by rubbing against the upper pair every time the mouth is opened and closed. The upper canine teeth can grow to 23 cm (9.1 in), and are of a squashed circle shape in cross section, almost rectangular, being about 4.5 cm (1.8 in) deep and 2.5 cm (0.98 in) wide. The tusk will curve 90 degrees or more from the root,[citation needed] and the tusk will not lie flat on a table, as it curves somewhat backwards as it grows. The tusks are used for digging, for combat with other hogs, and in defence against predators—the lower set can inflict severe wounds.<br /> <br /> Warthog ivory is taken from the constantly growing canine teeth. The tusks, more often the upper set, are worked much in the way of elephant tusks with all designs scaled down. Tusks are carved predominantly for the tourist trade in East and Southern Africa.[citation needed]<br /> <br /> The head of the warthog is large with a mane that goes down the spine to the middle of the back. There is sparse hair covering the body. Color is usually black or brown. Tails are long and end with a tuft of hair. Common warthogs do not have subcutaneous fat and the coat is sparse, making them suceptible to extreme environmental temperatures.<br /> <br /> The male is called a boar, the female a sow, and the young piglets.</p> Sun, 13 Nov 2011 18:42:47 -0800 2005-08-20T21:05:30-08:00 nobody@flickr.com (Imagineering My Way) tag:flickr.com,2004:/photo/6342168281 Disney's Animal Kingdom's Warthog <p>The Warthog or Common Warthog (Phacochoerus africanus) is a wild member of the pig family that lives in grassland, savanna, and woodland in Sub-Saharan Africa. In the past it was commonly treated as a subspecies of P. aethiopicus, but today that scientific name is restricted to the Desert Warthog of northern Kenya, Somalia, and eastern Ethiopia.<br /> <br /> The common name comes from the four large wart-like protrusions found on the head of the warthog, which serve the purpose of defence when males fight as well as a fat reserve.<br /> <br /> Warthogs range in size from 0.91 to 1.5 m (3.0 to 4.9 ft) in length and 50 to 75 kg (110 to 170 lb) in weight. A warthog is identifiable by the two pairs of tusks protruding from the mouth and curving upwards. The lower pair, which is far shorter than the upper pair, becomes razor sharp by rubbing against the upper pair every time the mouth is opened and closed. The upper canine teeth can grow to 23 cm (9.1 in), and are of a squashed circle shape in cross section, almost rectangular, being about 4.5 cm (1.8 in) deep and 2.5 cm (0.98 in) wide. The tusk will curve 90 degrees or more from the root,[citation needed] and the tusk will not lie flat on a table, as it curves somewhat backwards as it grows. The tusks are used for digging, for combat with other hogs, and in defence against predators—the lower set can inflict severe wounds.<br /> <br /> Warthog ivory is taken from the constantly growing canine teeth. The tusks, more often the upper set, are worked much in the way of elephant tusks with all designs scaled down. Tusks are carved predominantly for the tourist trade in East and Southern Africa.[citation needed]<br /> <br /> The head of the warthog is large with a mane that goes down the spine to the middle of the back. There is sparse hair covering the body. Color is usually black or brown. Tails are long and end with a tuft of hair. Common warthogs do not have subcutaneous fat and the coat is sparse, making them suceptible to extreme environmental temperatures.<br /> <br /> The male is called a boar, the female a sow, and the young piglets.</p> Imagineering My Way africa grass animal daylight orlando florida disney safari waltdisneyworld warthog tusk wdi imagineering Epcot's Mexico Pavilion - San Angel Inn http://www.flickr.com/photos/imagineeringmyway/5989230508/ <p><a href="http://www.flickr.com/people/imagineeringmyway/">Imagineering My Way</a> posted a photo:</p> <p><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/imagineeringmyway/5989230508/" title="Epcot's Mexico Pavilion - San Angel Inn"><img src="http://farm7.staticflickr.com/6146/5989230508_41a53c12e6_m.jpg" width="240" height="135" alt="Epcot's Mexico Pavilion - San Angel Inn" /></a></p> <p>From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia<br /> <br /> The Mexico pavilion resembles a Mesoamerican pyramid. The nightly fireworks show "IllumiNations: Reflections of Earth" is controlled from a small office atop the building. The office's window is barely visible from street level, but can be seen at an angle.<br /> <br /> Visitors enter through a display of Mexican artwork, the "Animales Fantasticos" art collection. The main room is the home to a twilight-lit Mexican marketplace, Plaza de los Amigos. At the edge of the plaza, a restaurant, San Angel Inn, overlooks an indoor lagoon. To the side of the plaza, a boarding area leads to a boat ride, Gran Fiesta Tour Starring The Three Caballeros.</p> Fri, 29 Jul 2011 16:58:29 -0700 2011-07-25T14:11:07-08:00 nobody@flickr.com (Imagineering My Way) tag:flickr.com,2004:/photo/5989230508 Epcot's Mexico Pavilion - San Angel Inn <p>From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia<br /> <br /> The Mexico pavilion resembles a Mesoamerican pyramid. The nightly fireworks show "IllumiNations: Reflections of Earth" is controlled from a small office atop the building. The office's window is barely visible from street level, but can be seen at an angle.<br /> <br /> Visitors enter through a display of Mexican artwork, the "Animales Fantasticos" art collection. The main room is the home to a twilight-lit Mexican marketplace, Plaza de los Amigos. At the edge of the plaza, a restaurant, San Angel Inn, overlooks an indoor lagoon. To the side of the plaza, a boarding area leads to a boat ride, Gran Fiesta Tour Starring The Three Caballeros.</p> Imagineering My Way family blue vacation people food water fountain stone night shopping tile fun volcano orlando epcot candles pyramid wine wed indoor canon10d restuarant waltdisneyworld canoneos themepark waiters mesoamerican waltdisney wdi lakebuenavista imagineering threecaballeros sanangelinn topazlabs mexicanmexico disneyphotochallengewinner topazadjust plazadelosamigos