More Disney Park Music on iTunes, Along With Remastered McDuck

Two recent digital releases on iTunes and Amazon MP3 give Disney music collectors a reason to rejoice--even if the timing on our first recommendation seems a bit...out of season.

It's A Small World Holiday

The bright, jingly soundtrack to Disneyland's popular It's a Small World Christmas overlay is available for the first time since its original appearance on the now out-of-print A Musical History of Disneyland. Including the Clock Parade intro, it runs about fifteen minutes, thus giving you a nice virtual ride-through and leaving the Small World/Jingle Bells medley forever stuck in your mind. Bwa-ha-ha! Reasonably Priced at $3.99

 

Ducktales Remastered - Official Game Soundtrack

First, a word about the game: If you're a fan of Scrooge McDuck, great games or both, Ducktales Remastered (available for download on just about every recent game console) is a wonderful, beautifully crafted adventure you shouldn't miss. Based on the popular 1989 Nintendo game (in turn based on the TV series), it's been reborn with stunning animation, the show's original voice cast and a fantastic reworking of its legendary score.

Now, on to the album: From the high-energy rendition of the opening theme to the haunting piano rendition of the game's Moon track, this album is a fantastic audio ride, and it includes the original 8-bit renditions of the score to boot! Forty-seven tracks for $9.99 -- Highly recommended.

Celebrate Christmas in May...in Duckberg! Happy listening!

Attraction-Based Movies We'd Like To See (or Not)

With varying degrees of success or failure, Pirates of the Caribbean, The Haunted Mansion and The Country Bears have all had their turn as motion pictures. There's a Jungle Cruise film brewing, a much-anticipated Mansion reboot in the works, and a Big Thunder TV pilot heading our way.

Is there any ride, show or parade that can't be translated into a movie or TV production?

We think not! Here, for your consideration, Mouse Troop present four pitches for motion pictures based on four park attractions that are crying out for the big screen treatment! Let's start with a sure-fire comedy blockbuster based on a beloved classic that's traveled from Disneyland to Walt Disney World's Magic Kingdom...

CAROUSEL OF PROGRESS

In the 1890's, an average American family visits the Chicago World's Fair. After an accidental gift bag swap on the way toward the exit, "Father" brings home what he believes to be a box of "Hoochie Coochie" stereo slides, but it turns out to be an experimental contraption called the Tech-Evolver, which causes the family's household appliances and tools to become more and more advanced with each passing day. At first, the family's delighted at the conveniences bestowed upon them, but--while the household parrot sarcastically squawks, "Progress!"--things soon get out of hand. The appliances become sentient and attempt to enslave the town's citizens. In the end, Rover and Uncle Orville save the day and everyone agrees that--with proper foresight--there's still a Great Big Beautiful Tomorrow.

Small World Zoology: The Hippo

Continuing our look at Small World's awesome stylized menagerie, we have the unforgettable Hippo with its glowing eyes and lazily bobbing head. Since Day One, this creature has provided one of the most fun encounters on the musical trip around the globe.

To the right, you can see two of Small World's semi-controversial recent additions, Simba and Pumbaa (eating a grub). I actually like the addition of the Disney characters; they add another level of fun to the ride (character-spotting) without taking the spotlight away from the original cast...much.

As I mentioned in Part One of this little series, the animals provide most of the fun and humor on It's a Small World. I really think many of the folks who claim to be "creeped out" by all the singing child dolls simply aren't paying enough attention to the ride's charming and hilarious wildlife.

Small World Zoology: The Giraffes

These wonderful giraffes are charming enough in a still photo. In person, bobbing their heads to and fro, they're one of my favorite sights in Disneyland. I love their flower-patterned fur, slightly dazed expressions and pom-pom ossicones (yes, that's what they're called. Thanks, Google!)

It's a Small World has become the butt of many jokes and snarky comments. Even by Disney standards, it can seem overly saccharine and a bit eerie to some folks. To those guests, I say, "Pay more attention to the animals!" That's where you find the ride's humor and best designs. If you don't like the smug singing child dolls, don't look at 'em. Small World bursts at the seams with delightful stylized wildlife, and that's the element that makes this ride such a joy for me.

We'll feature more of Small World's animal stars from time to time in the coming weeks. When it came to picking a kick-off species to get things started, all thoughts went immediately to the giraffe herd.

We can tell these are all female giraffes, because apparently only females get the tufts of fur atop their ossicones. Males go bald there. See what you learn at Mouse Troop?

Strange Things 5: More Great Offbeat Disney Tunes

Welcome back to Strange Things, an ongoing search for offbeat, unusual Disney tunes. The rules: the tracks should be obscure, rarely played, or performed in unexpected ways -- and available on iTunes or Amazon MP3. Today we've got Groucho Marx, pirates and more!

Let's start off with one of the best overlooked Disney songs ever, and a seasonal gem:

Track:   ONCE UPON A WINTERTIME
Album: Christine Davis & Family - Love Came Down.

I was surprised to find that this wonderful holiday song from Melody Time (the sequence with the young lovers, the horse-drawn sleigh and the cracking river ice) is only represented by a single recording on iTunes. Fortunately, it's a good one.

I'm not a big fan of electronic effects in ballads, but it works very well here. Mark Davis's relaxed vocals keep the song's folksy charm intact throughout this modern interpretation of a classic. Well done.

Next up: one of my all-time favorite finds on iTunes:

Small World Topiaries Standing Guard

The topiary garden of It's a Small World remains one of Disneyland's most perfect, unforgettable creations. This whimsical realm of living sculptures has been a park treasure since 1966.

Disney is apparently developing a movie about an alternate fantasy version of Disneyland. If some of these guys don't come to life in the film, I'll be ticked.

I've posted about this fellow before, and I can't help sneaking another shot in. He's one of my very favorite things in all of the resort. My family's unofficially dubbed him Small World's Security Moose.

Disneyland Annual Passholders Receive a Free Book

Disneyland Annual Passholders have been finding a nice surprise freebie in the mail this week: A Celebration of a Wish Come True, an 80-page 8 1/2 x 11 1/4 souvenir book commemorating the resort's amazing summer of 2012.

Our Amazing, Tiny Castle

Sleeping Beauty Castle appears to be struggling to make itself seen over Disneyland's Plaza treetops -- and those aren't exactly giant sequoias.

It's time we embrace the nearly-huggable modest height of SBC. Not only is it charming, but there's not an inch of wasted space; that structure houses five dark rides and a walk-through attraction. It's the workhorse of make-believe palaces.

Florida's castle is grand. California's is flat-out adorable. Both are awesome.

The Happiest Moose in Disneyland

This cheery fellow gives a hearty send-off to world travelers launching from the docks at It's A Small World. It's amazing enough that Disney's Topiary Engineers can create such great living sculptures, but they really go the extra mile; look at the personality in this guy, all suggested through stance and simple shapes.

How many moose are in Disneyland Park, anyway? Off hand, I can think of eight. How about you?