Inside The Red Car Trolley

DCA's Red Car Trolley plays a dual role: Equal parts attraction and street character. Today we're stepping inside one of these charmers for a look at the interior.

The trolleys have identical control panels in the front and back, as they do not loop around at each end of the trip: they simply reverse direction. According to the conductor on board, the trolleys draw a "small portion" of their power from the overhead wires.

What's a bit unexpected about the experience is how well the "act" works. You don't feel like you're on a theme park ride. You feel like you're on public transportation--if public transportation was incredibly clean, friendly, relaxed and full of Disney fans.

Some of the in-car advertising. Boy, that Hollywood Tower Hotel sure looks like a swell place!

These are all actual DCA destinations--and fun classic Disney tributes as well. The interior color scheme seems very relaxing, which pretty much sums up the whole Red Car experience. We'll have more trolley pics soon, with a look at the trip down DCA's Hollywood Blvd. In the meantime, have a great weekend!

Inside Mr. Toad's Wild Ride

It's time for Mouse Troop's first Toad-related post of 2013, and today we're actually climbing aboard one of those awesome motorcars; get ready for a trip through Mr. Toad's Wild Ride!

The entry hall tapestry pays tribute to the mural on the 1955 version's exterior. It details your upcoming trip from beginning to end.

The short interior queue gives us a glimpse of Toad's lifestyle. He certainly loves chandeliers...and carvings of himself.

 He looks so innocent...

We watch a few cars begin their journey by entering the library, knocking poor MacBadger off a ladder...

...and crashing out through the fireplace, sending sizzling embers across the floor.

As we climb aboard our motorcar, I must apologize for the upcoming murky, grainy on-ride photos. Between my slow reflexes, my iPhone's limitations and the ride's many abrupt turns, the results of this photo safari leave a lot to be desired. On the plus side, I think the shots manage to convey the look and black-light atmosphere of the ride...in a murky sort of way...

And...we're off! We encounter MacBadger, crash through the fireplace, escape a falling suit of armor and (as the black-light effects take over), rush down down a weasel-infested hall, disrupt Mole's dinner, and crash out of the mansion through a glass wall...

The local bobbies are not pleased to see us crashing through the countryside. We avoid a near head-on collision with another car (our own reflection) and pass Ratty's riverside home.

Pinocchio's Daring Journey in 1983

Pinocchio's Daring Journey opened in Disneyland as part of the massive Fantasyland remodel in 1983. Then and now, guests encounter a bit of foreshadowing as they enter the queue and pass this deceptive, cheerful poster for Stromboli's show.

The above image is from this past summer, but all the following photos are from my family's first trip to "New Fantasyland" in the summer of 1983.

Ride vehicles designed to look hand-carved by Geppetto begin the journey by entering Stromboli's Theater. Guests have about two seconds to watch Pinocchio on stage before veering to the right as "Something Goes Terribly Wrong."