How Casey Jr. Sums Up the Disney Difference

An afternoon in Fantasyland wouldn't be complete without the sight of Casey Jr. chugging by on his way to the chain lift that'll help him up the "I Think I Can" hill.

This miniature railroad, one of the park's oldest rides, beautifully represents a key design philosophy that sets Disneyland apart from other theme parks: It's so much better than "good enough."

Back when Disneyland was first being constructed, it would have been far less draining to the park's tight budget to create Casey Jr. as a basic little railroad ride with a simple oval course. Fortunately, Walt had a grander vision for his little train.

Casey follows a winding, ingeniously laid out multi-level course that includes rocky passes, bridges you travel across and under, and a long, thrillingly dark climactic tunnel. You can almost picture Walt scribbling a checklist of every element he wanted included in the layout. The above-mentioned chain lift pulls the train to the track's highest point as Casey (of course) chugs "I think I can, I think I can," and the entire adventure gives you an elevated view of Storybook Land that complements the water-level vantage point of the Canal Boats.

What a fantastic little masterpiece. If, by chance, you've never taken a ride on Casey Jr., please don't miss it on your next trip to the park. It's not just a great old ride. It's a great ride, period.

Primeval Walrus (with Fish Heads & Crumbs)

The grand locomotive Fred Gurley has returned safely to Main Street Station after another thrilling trip through the prehistoric Primeval World. No other railroad on Earth takes you on a tour of the Old South, the Old West, the World of Tomorrow, the Grand Canyon and the Age of Dinosaurs -- and gets you back to Main Street in time for the afternoon parade!

Aston Walrus looks forward to park train trips as a chance to relax and reflect. But he lives in a comic strip, so things rarely work out that way...

Real World PeopleMovers: SFO's Airtrain

Theme park fans do things most people don't -- like staying an extra hour at an airport just to ride its people mover a few more times.

Sunday in the Park With Casey

One Casey Jr. circus train takes on passengers at the station while, in the distance, its twin has just crested the "I think I can" chain-lift hill.

That's another Disneyland first; I can't think of any other non-coaster miniature railroads that include a chain-lift hill. Naturally, Casey chants, "I think I can" as he climbs.

I love the patchwork quilt made of succulent plants back there. Trivia time: What Disney cartoon does that patchwork garden represent?

TIme Machine: The Wrecked Nature's Wonderland Mine Train

In 2007, when this shot was taken, a trip around Disneyland's Rivers of America included a view of this wonderful old Mine Train from the park's early years.

As a tribute to the Mine Train Through Nature's Wonderland (removed to make way for Big Thunder), this beautiful old MTTNW locomotive was set up  as though wrecked in a rockslide along one of the original ride's stretches of railroad track.

Little mechanized marmots (a species of ground squirrel) would pop up among the rocks in the mine cars, referencing a gag from the old ride.

The mine train tribute was removed during the recent refurbishment of Rivers of America, as new scenery was put in place to truly turn the river into a tour of America's greatest waterways.

The Greatest Little Train on Earth

Here he comes, pulling into the station, the original Casey Jr. Circus Train, surely the most overlooked ride at Disneyland. Casey was my childhood favorite, and it warms my heart to see the old fellow still whisking guests off on his grand scenic tour of Storybook Land.

Note the great little effect achieved simply by setting Casey's eyeballs inside of metal cones: he seems to be staring straight at you no matter where you're standing on the platform!

The Storybook Land canal winds along by the opposite side of the tracks. Surely, no guest would be such a colossal knucklehead that they'd cross the tracks, jump a hedge and fall in, right?

If those life preservers have ever actually been used, I don't want to know about it. I just don't want...to...know...

Weirdest Classic in Fantasyland: Mr. Toad's Wild Ride

When most people think of Disneyland's Fantasyland, they think of Sleeping Beauty Castle, Teacups and Dumbo. Plunging into hell after being killed by an oncoming train probably doesn't enter their minds. To a true fan, however, no trip to Disneyland is complete without a spin through Fantasyland's weirdest attraction, Mr. Toad's Wild Ride. If you've never rampaged through moonlit London aboard one of Toad's out-of-control motorcars, be sure to check out this gem on your next trip. Like all of the classic Disneyland dark rides, it keeps getting tweaked and improved. I love the recently enhanced "crashing through the fireplace" effects.

Disney's got an animated Mr. Toad's Wild Ride film in production, and they're boasting it's based on the ride. The odd thing is, the ride's already based on Disney's own film,  "The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad," which is based on Kenneth Grahame's classic novel, "The Wind in the Willows."

So, soon we'll have a movie based on a ride based on a movie based on a book. Crumpets, anyone?