Lego Maleficent at Night

Evening at Disneyland Resort's Downtown Disney means live music, great food and a life-or-death struggle atop the Lego Store. I've posted about Lego Maleficent before, but the amazing sculpture is even better after dark. I can't get over how perfect the color and lighting is on that creature.

Lego remains one of the most perfect products on Earth, and Maleficent is one of Disney's most perfect creations. The powerful combination of the two can make passerby stop, stare and forget about the passage of time as they're overcome with a perfect storm of awe and delight.

Note to Disney: Sleeping Beauty dark ride. Please.

Mr. Toad's Wild Weather Vane

Mr. Toad's Wild Ride is one of my favorite attractions at Disneyland. The weather vane high atop Toad Hall gets my vote for the single best little detail in all of the resort.

With one simple silhouette, the artist perfectly captures the spirit of the ride, the character, the Disney film (The Adventures of Ichabod & Mr. Toad) and even the source material, The Wind in the Willows. Most of the tale's riverbank citizens resent the intrusion of noisy machines into their peaceful lives, but J. Thadeus Toad eagerly grabs hold of new thrills and takes off, merrily on his way with no thought of consequences.

Either this vane wistfully represents the passing of a simpler era...

Or it's just a great prop on the only ride that turns a train collision and trip to hell into a jolly good time.