Waitin' at the Buzz Stop: More Fun With Ride Shutdowns

Ride shut-downs caused by technical issues don't happen frequently at Disneyland Resort, but when such a thing occurs (as it did during our recent ride on Buzz Lightyear's Astro Blasters), fans don't waste the opportunity; this is when the cameras come out.

The downside of a ride shut-down, of course, is that the story-telling and immersion are pretty much shattered. The fun, however, doesn't necessarily stop...

Because a situation like this provides a rare chance to look around at the ride system's workings, the prop construction and the many elements you're not normally supposed to see. For a theme park fan, this is actually a moment to be savored!

Alice in Safety Land

The Alice in Wonderland ride's awful-looking safety railings and camouflage tarps have been uglifying the attraction's exterior since their unfortunate installment in 2010. The good -- very good -- news is that the fences are due to be replaced by a (hopefully) classier-looking alternative sometime in 2013.

This used to be a bright, open, whimsical fantasy garden with a graceful vine-path winding about overhead.

It's sad to realize most first-time visitors assume the fencing and tarps have always been there.

For 2010 reactions and a video of how gross the railings look on-ride, click Here.

To see how amazing this ride looked without the fencing, click Here.

Can't wait for remodel, which is also rumored to include several upgrades to the ride's interior! At least one of our crew is rooting for the Walrus and the Carpenter to get a scene this time.

Alice in Wonderland remains one of Disneyland's best rides. Fingers crossed that the exterior will soon look more like its wonderful, spectacular old self!