Create Your Own Ultimate Disney Christmas Playlist

Disney didn't release a new character Christmas album this year, but 2012's Jingle Bell Fun was so entertaining, it deserves another winter in the spotlight. Plus, this is a great year to revisit Disney Christmas albums from the past and add some gems to your music player.

Looking over what's available to purchase digitally from iTunes and Amazon MP3, it's easy to create a fantastic Disney Christmas playlist. Here are Mouse Troop's picks for the best of the best, but we encourage you to sample all the available tracks and make your own personal Disney Musical Winter Holiday Extravaganza!

The Swinging Gondolas. One of These Days...

One of these days I'm going to ride a swinging gondola on Mickey's Fun Wheel. And then I'm going to get my head examined.

This is one of the few things at Disneyland Resort I've not yet experienced. Every time I approach the Wheel at DCA's Paradise Pier, I think, "This is it. I'm going to do it." And then I keep right on walking. I prefer to observe the cabins' rocking motions from afar while eating a corn dog.

Seriously, those things are actually equipped with motion-sickness bags. I can handle Tower of Terror and California Screamin' with no problem, but--as someone who gets queasy from repeated rocking and swinging movements--the thought of being locked into an airborne swinging cage for nearly ten minutes fills me with dread.

One of these day, though, I have to give it a shot. Next trip, for sure! Maybe.

Waitin' at the Buzz Stop: More Fun With Ride Shutdowns

Ride shut-downs caused by technical issues don't happen frequently at Disneyland Resort, but when such a thing occurs (as it did during our recent ride on Buzz Lightyear's Astro Blasters), fans don't waste the opportunity; this is when the cameras come out.

The downside of a ride shut-down, of course, is that the story-telling and immersion are pretty much shattered. The fun, however, doesn't necessarily stop...

Because a situation like this provides a rare chance to look around at the ride system's workings, the prop construction and the many elements you're not normally supposed to see. For a theme park fan, this is actually a moment to be savored!

WDW 1993: More Wonders of Life

No, this isn't Universal's latest Halloween Haunt, it's another look back at 1993 Walt Disney World. Today we've returned once more to Wonders of Life. The eclectic, wonderful pavilion had something for everyone, and everyone seemed to love the Sensory Fun House.

The game seen above, where you reached into a hole and tried to identify an object by touch alone, was the sort of exhibit you can find in many museums and zoos, but Disney had the brilliant idea to make the back of the box open to spectators, turning it into a true "What the --" moment for guests who didn't know what they were looking at. This kind of simple, well-executed fun (also seen in the Forced Perspective Room) never gets old.

Too Early For New Disney Christmas Music? Nah!

It's not even Halloween yet, and I'm posting about Christmas; what am I, Target? Okay, I'm fairly certain I'm not the only Disney fan who starts updating their Holiday playlists early as the new Christmas albums start appearing, right?  Anyone?

Disney Christmas albums are often hit & miss. This one's good -- Really, really good. Starting with the best cover art I've ever seen on a Disney Christmas release, Disney Jingle Bell Fun hits all the right...er....notes by balancing sentiment, humor and great performances into one satisfying album.

Keeping the pattern of past Disney Christmas albums, this one's half character-performed songs and half more "mainstream" contributions -- this time by Randy Crenshaw and Hailey Markman. Crenshaw and Markman's tracks are top-notch, but -- let's be honest -- we wanna hear the characters sing.

This time, around, the Fab Five Plus Daisy are in fine form, bringing comic charm to:

Santa Claus is Coming to Town (Goofy does a guitar solo & Donald forgot to buy Daisy anything)
Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer (Goofy & Donald doing the call-and-response version)
Let it Snow! Let it Snow! Let it Snow! (Donald & Daisy)
It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas (Mickey & Minnie)

But the surprise, awesome shocker of this collection is the piano-lounge crooner version of "Toyland" sung by Goofy, completely in character, completely serious, and so touching and perfect that his "shooby-dooby-doos" halfway through don't sound ridiculous. Bill Farmer deserves a standing ovation and a Grammy Award for this one.

I definitely recommend Disney Jingle Bell Fun -- Possibly the best Disney Christmas album yet.

It's available on iTunes (http://itunes.apple.com/us/album/disney-jingle-bell-fun/id562275405?uo=4),  Amazon Mp3 and CD.

WDW 1993: World of Motion

In this installment of WDW 1993, we're back in Epcot for a look at World of Motion, one of four grand, high-capacity omnimover-style attractions operating in Future World back then -- and that's not even counting the Living Seas' seacabs!

Our group loved World of Motion's humorous approach to edutainment. In the tradition of classic Disney cartoon shorts, a mock-serious narrator (Gary Owens this time) gave a calm, jovial tour through the history of transportation, completely unaware of the chaos breaking out in the scenes he was describing.

World of Motion was a shutterbug tourist's dream, and so there are many photos on the internet of this attraction's inhabitants. My paltry collection can't compare to the amazing wealth of shots found in Disney Tourist Blog's tribute, so be sure to check it out if you haven't already. The above scene is certainly well-documented, but the world can't have enough chickens, so here's my shot of the ruckus.

Another view reveals one of my favorite gags: Manhole Guy With Vegetable on Head.

World of Motion was an incredibly good-natured adventure the whole family truly could experience together. It also had the catchy theme song, "It's Fun to be Free." Long before our trip, I'd memorized that song via the great original Music of Disneyland, Walt Disney World and Epcot Center CD (odd title, considering Epcot is part of WDW). Based on the song alone, World of Motion was a "Must-See" on that first trip, and it did not disappoint.

More WDW 1993 coming soon.

Screamin', Swingin' and Waiting for Corn Dogs

You trek from Cars Land to Corn Dog Castle, only to remember your favorite Paradise Pier food stand doesn't open until 11:00. What do you do? You take pictures! This end of California Screamin' doesn't get much photo-love, but that banked, swoopy twist is one of the best parts of the ride.

This early in the morning, nearly everyone's in Cars Land, leaving Paradise Pier full of wide open walkways and very short lines. In true Anaheim weather fashion, those clouds will soon give way to blue skies and bright sunshine -- just in time for corn dogs!

A Bug's Land at Night

There's one area of Disney California Adventure I visit least: Flik's Fun Fair in A Bug's Land. Originally created to solve the early DCA's lack of attractions suitable for small children, it contains a handful of nicely-themed kiddy rides.

Most DCA visitors use Flik's Fun Fair for one purpose: it's a shortcut between Tower of Terror and Cars Land. Speaking of Cars Land, I often wonder if Flik's Fun Fair should be leveled to make room for more Cars adventures...perhaps a Finn McMissile coaster?

But then...I walk through the insect world at night...

Have you tried this? Stroll slowly through Fliks' Fun Fair after dark, when the place is more quiet. Listen to the sound of chirping crickets and stare up at the beautifully lit giant clovers and  grass blades towering overhead. It's amazing, beautiful and relaxing.

Then I think of Disneyland's Storybook Land, another beautiful area many adults ignore -- and one I love dearly. I'd hate to see its two wonderful rides (Casey Jr. and the Canal Boats) replaced.

A Bug's Land does contain some true Disney magic. Just remember, as you're hurrying between Radiator Springs and Hollywood Land, to stop for a moment as you enter the clover forest. Look up and enjoy.

Paradise Pier at Night

I love standing under a summer night sky, watching the spectacular lights of Paradise Pier while waiting for World of Color to begin. In those moments, I realize how well this section of Disney California Adventure works. Paradise Pier had some theming problems back when it first opened, but now it's a triumph; it's everybody's dream of the perfect old-fashioned waterfront amusement park brought to spectacular life.

There's just one change I'd love to see: as great as World of Color is, I think it's a shame they need to halt the operation of the roller coaster while the show's in progress. Imagine the thrill of rocketing around California Screamin's track while huge columns of water and fire erupt on the nearby lagoon!

My solution: I'd love to see the next World of Color show designed to incorporate  the ride's roaring trains -- and the screams of its riders -- into a bold, upbeat music-scape celebrating the never-ending-summer theme of Paradise Pier. Coaster fans would get an incredible new experience and World of Color fans would get an energetic new show. Everyone wins!