How Casey Jr. Sums Up the Disney Difference

An afternoon in Fantasyland wouldn't be complete without the sight of Casey Jr. chugging by on his way to the chain lift that'll help him up the "I Think I Can" hill.

This miniature railroad, one of the park's oldest rides, beautifully represents a key design philosophy that sets Disneyland apart from other theme parks: It's so much better than "good enough."

Back when Disneyland was first being constructed, it would have been far less draining to the park's tight budget to create Casey Jr. as a basic little railroad ride with a simple oval course. Fortunately, Walt had a grander vision for his little train.

Casey follows a winding, ingeniously laid out multi-level course that includes rocky passes, bridges you travel across and under, and a long, thrillingly dark climactic tunnel. You can almost picture Walt scribbling a checklist of every element he wanted included in the layout. The above-mentioned chain lift pulls the train to the track's highest point as Casey (of course) chugs "I think I can, I think I can," and the entire adventure gives you an elevated view of Storybook Land that complements the water-level vantage point of the Canal Boats.

What a fantastic little masterpiece. If, by chance, you've never taken a ride on Casey Jr., please don't miss it on your next trip to the park. It's not just a great old ride. It's a great ride, period.

A Tribute to Monstro, Fantasyland's Biggest Villain

Welcome to Whale Poetry Thursday! What better subject than the wondrous and despicable Monstro, who stars in two Fantasyland attractions: Storybook Land Canal Boats and Pinocchio's Daring Journey. The Disney Hipsters have the realm of park Haikus perfected, so all I can do is pay homage to Lewis Carroll and Isaac Watts...

How doth the massive angry whale
Improve the flower beds
And swallow elder toymakers
N' little woodenheads.

How scarily he lunges forth
By Daring Journey's track

And grosses out canal tours
With his epic layers of plaque.

Three Classic Disneyland Experiences Many Guests Overlook

When touring Disneyland, it's important -- between E-ticket adventures -- to take in the calmer, more beautiful aspects of the park. Rushing through is like fast-forwarding through a movie to catch only the action scenes; the big picture gets lost in the shuffle. Our recommendation? If time permits, always try to work these three classic experiences into a visit:

1) Spend Time On the River

Whether you hop aboard the Mark Twain, set sail on the Columbia, or give your arms a workout on the Davy Crockett Canoes, make sure to take a lap around the Rivers of America. You'll enjoy several minutes of pure relaxation (unless you're in the canoes) while voyaging through some of the park's most beautiful environments, seemingly miles away from the crowds.

The Greatest Little Train on Earth

Here he comes, pulling into the station, the original Casey Jr. Circus Train, surely the most overlooked ride at Disneyland. Casey was my childhood favorite, and it warms my heart to see the old fellow still whisking guests off on his grand scenic tour of Storybook Land.

Note the great little effect achieved simply by setting Casey's eyeballs inside of metal cones: he seems to be staring straight at you no matter where you're standing on the platform!

The Storybook Land canal winds along by the opposite side of the tracks. Surely, no guest would be such a colossal knucklehead that they'd cross the tracks, jump a hedge and fall in, right?

If those life preservers have ever actually been used, I don't want to know about it. I just don't want...to...know...

Monstro the Frequent Snacker

People often use the word "charming" to describe Disneyland, but what we need is a word that means, "charming in often weird and unexpected ways." Fantasyland's Monstro fits that description perfectly. This behemoth, after nearly bringing a tragic end to the story of Pinocchio, found a new career swallowing boatloads of happy park-goers.

No matter how hard the big lug tries to look fierce, however, he just can't escape the fact that he's surrounded by beautiful, serene landscaping. As the "gateway to enchantment" for the Storybook Land Canal Boats, Monstro adds another fun, quirky puzzle piece to the one-of-a-kind atmosphere of Disneyland's Fantasyland. He looks surreal and yet so perfectly at home.

I can tell you, when I rode the Canal Boats as a small child, I always held my breath 'till we'd motored safely past the teeth.