Beware of Gloating Wildlife

Could this be the most blunt sign in Disneyland? Once you've hiked all the way to Critter Country to see Splash Mountain, odds are good you're going to find yourself tired, hot and thinking of snacks. There aren't a lot of dining options in this remote cul-de-sac, and as you head up the ramp to the Hungry Bear Restaurant, the first thing you see is this smug little tree muncher rubbing your predicament in your face, as if envisioning his share of the profits.

I  like the concept of the animals finding ways to profit from human visitors. Disney should install related carvings throughout Critter Country; A troupe of opportunity-seizing entrepreneurial  critters could be a great way to tie the whole area together.

DCA's Brother Bear Tribute

Can you name these two? Kenai and Koda, from the strange, moose-infested Disney animated film Brother Bear, stand watch near the entrance to DCA's Redwood Creek Challenge Trail. The outdoor play/adventure zone, full of rope bridges and rock climbs, has shifted its focus to Dug and Russell from Up, but this life-size statue still stands as a silent tribute to Disney's moderately successful and somewhat forgotten animated tale of the hunter who gets turned into a bear.

With the release of Pixar's Brave (I film I love), the Walt Disney Company made history by becoming the only studio on Earth to have released two animated films -- within a decade of each other -- about a human turning into a bear. Thankfully, both movies turned out pretty great.