Gadget's Go Coaster & Toontown's Forgotten Inventor

Gadget's Go Coaster appears to have been cobbled together from Tinker Toys, bottle caps and acorns. It's a cheerful, speedy little adventure based on a forgotten character many Disneyland guests are completely unfamiliar with: the ingenious, orphaned mouse whose engineering skills proved invaluable to a Detective Agency called Chip N' Dale's Rescue Rangers.

Back in the 1990's, most children and animation fans recognized Gadget Hackwrench from the adventure series, and she remains the only Disney television cartoon star to be awarded her very own ride. Today, Gadget's weather vane seems to sum up her current place in the public consciousness: she's a mysterious silhouette with a backstory few remember.

Still, as guests virtually shrink to rodent size and make their way toward Gadget's workshop, they encounter dozens of clever details reflecting the young inventor's resourcefulness. Her plucky spirit lives on, and -- who knows -- maybe someday Disney will bring her back to assist Chip n' Dale in a new adventure.

Along with Monterey Jack...and Zipper...to foil Fat Cat once again...

Man, that really was a great show.

Strange Things 6: The "Yikes, It's December" Edition

It's the season for that strange annual occurrence when time seems to accelerate and the Holidays arrive before we have time to blink! Slow down and relax by loading your music player with Strange Things -- Disney tunes that are just a bit (or a lot) off the beaten track and out of the mainstream! All these picks are available on iTunes and Amazon MP3.

TRACK:  ALICE FANTASY
ALBUM: Chisako Takashima & 12 Violinists - Violinists in Wonderland

I dish out lots of praise in this column, but this really is the most joyful and best-arranged Alice in Wonderland medley I've ever heard. It's beautifully performed and includes the under-appreciated "Painting the Roses Red." The entire album, full of great Disney selections, is well worth considering.

Our next pick improbably links together Norway and a small American dog pound...

Monsters, Inc. at DCA

Monsters Inc. Mike & Sulley to the Rescue is an odd duck of a ride, but a fun experience. Its arrival at Disney California Adventure transformed the site of a short-lived, terrible, embarrassing opening day attraction (Superstar Limo) into a likable retelling of the Pixar film, Monster's, Inc.

As much a patch-job as an original attraction, the Monsters, Inc. dark ride inherited Superstar Limo's vehicles, track layout and flat cutout-style entry facade. Although the stylized front succeeds in helping guests find the ride in its tucked-back corner of DCA's Hollywood Land, I'm not a fan of the "temporary" vibe it creates. If future plans for this area of the park include keeping Monsters, Inc., I hope the Imagineers come up with a different approach for the exterior.

The logical transformation of the old limousines into Monstropolis taxi cabs resulted in a unique quirk for the resort: DCA and Disneyland each now have their own taxi-themed dark ride. Unlike Roger Rabbit's spinning, crazy whirl through a blacklight Toontown noir, however, the Monsters, Inc. dark ride is a slower, gentler journey through a fairly straightfoward narrative, following blue collar monsters Mike and Sulley as they try to return human toddler Boo to her bedroom closet's door. The on-ride "dangers" are very mild, and the film's scariest-looking character, Mr. Waternoose, isn't included at all.

As far as I know, it's also the only Disney dark ride that takes you through a factory restroom, resulting in a true "What the..." moment.