Look Out Disneyland Here we Come 7A

Our long time friend standing proud
to welcome us home.

I have a life long friend.  He has a special place in our family.  His name is Mickey Mouse.  I joined his club, The Mickey Mouse Club, when I was a kid.  I watched the show every day after school.  It was both entertaining and presented you with knowledge.  My mom insisted we went to Disneyland in 1955.  We returned every year to see the changes, the evolution and the 'Disney Plussing'. As the years went by and I grew up I learned that my mother was a big Mickey Mouse fan.  She too grew up with Disney only in the theater.  She was born in 1928, the same year as Mickey. Because of this she felt a special kinship. We are going go visit this friend really soon. We are heading for the Disneyland Hotel for a weeks stay.  If you have read any previous posts, you will know we are collectors of Disney memorabilia.  Not just collectors but maniacal collectors.  When we leave for our vacation we have  a prominent Disney presence.  Matter of fact we have to raid the Harry Potter room (the cupboard under the stairs) for Disney items that we take on every trip. Over the years, we have gathered many items that we carry with us on Disney trips and also on other trips.  

So many snacks so little time

The case we use the most on our adventures is what we call the 100 Year Bag.  It was purchased from the Disney Catalog by my mother.  The bag was a commemorative of a 100 years of Disney Magic.  This is not a shoulder bag, it is like a carry-on sized bag.  We use it to carry all our snacks for all our trips.  It holds bags of chips and jars of salsa.  Boxes of crackers for my wife can be put in one of the many pouches.  It holds hot peppers and hot gairdiniera pickled vegetables all for dear old dad. Is it full yet? No, we have plenty of room for granola bars and candy for the twins. My mom got this bag for us when she ordered many Disney items monthly from the Disney Catalog.  She ordered so much she had her own private shopper with Disney.  She was considered a Best Guest. 

Bless you mom you gave us so much!

When we first begin to get ready to go to Disneyland, we gather up things that we need for our visit when we get there.  For dad and mom that means backpacks.  When the twins were babies and toddlers, the carrying of a backpack was easier.  It could hang on the stroller.  Later, we needed to carry it backpack style.  In 2001 when Disney California opened, we found a backpack we loved. It had adequate pouches to drive security people crazy.  It has water bottle pouches on both side. Plenty of space for sweaters when the weather changes. This portable home had one drawback, it could carry so much it could get heavy.  To compensate it had a lumbar waist belt to help distribute the weight on your hips. 

An oldie but a goody

The next backpack does not have as much space or as many spots for carrying stuff.  It is more compact.  This means you'll have to go back to the hotel for your coats and sweaters.  It doesn't have zipper pouches or dedicated spots for water bottles, but it is lighter. We also have the matching carry bag which is good to bring to the pool.  Since we like spending time at the pool when we spend summer days at the Disney Resort Hotels, we need an extra bag.

I love the Mickey representation

Been to the many pools of the Disneyland Resort.

At the Disney swimming pools they provide everything you might need except a suit.  Their towels are large and lush.  When the children were young and not strong swimmers, we were happy to find that Disney supplied floatation vests.  This allowed my children to enjoy the many Disney pools. The first was the Olympic sized pool at the Disneyland Hotel that was removed when the expansion and rededication of the area for Downtown Disney happened. They have enjoyed the Redwood Pool and the slide and the Mariposa pool at the Grand Californian Hotel.  Not to be left out the old Peter Pan pool at the Disneyland Hotel because of these flotation vests.  Now they can swim.  Like the Treasure of Sierra Madre, if you asked my twins it they needed a towel they would in unison, "Towels! We don't need no stinking towels!"  That is because they had always brought their favorite Disney character towels.  A Princess or Arial for my daughter and a Buzz Lightyear for my son were most often chosen.  Of course, they had to have a bag. They left their first bag at home and it was replaced in December of 2002.  The new bags hit the store marked with the date of 2003.  We had to get one.

The twin's pool bag.  Thank you Nonna.

Back about forty years ago, I bought a camera strap for my 35mm camera.  It was sturdy 1 1/2" strap.  This made it very comfortable because it was wide.  It had an elastic inner storage which held three film canisters for 35mm film.  I used it for a year or so.  The only thing I hated was the length.  Standard for the time when around your neck it located the camera in the middle of your chest.  The next year when I returned to Disneyland, I went to the Kodak Corner to purchase another identical strap.  I figured I would hook them together and wear the camera Bandelero style.  However, they did not carry the black and white, they were now red and black. so I bought it anyway. Those straps were the pinnacle of form fits function.  It has lasted 40 years and has been on three 35mm SLR's and three digital cameras.

1000 of pictures & 1000 of compliments.

Who goes anywhere without a computer.  So many places offering WiFi.  Disneyland Hotel offered in-room computer connection early on.  Back then it was supplied to your room via ethernet cable.  We have always carried a computer to stay in touch with sports scores, world news, and emails from friends.  Now we have iPhones, iPads, and four computers.  I have one of each of these items. I needed a case to carry them.  A very good friend gave me the best computer case ever.  Not only because it has space for the computer, iPad, and power cords, it is a Mickey case.  I carry this case with double pride.  First, the person who gave me this is as big a Mickey fan as me, and it reminds me of Mickey Mouse and Disneyland everywhere I go.  So many people comment on this carrying case.

Too cool for school, thanks Mrs A.

Does anyone remember the Fly n' Buy?  Yes, you got it.  This shopping area was located in Condor Flats in Disney California Adventure.  In 2001, I purchased the most obvious symbol of a a tourist, a fanny pack.  I bought this because it held Fast Passes, batteries, insulin, and Park Hopper or Annual Pass.  When the the twins were young, I carried all their Disney related items too.

Best fannypack ever!

Too bad I didn't leave some money in it.

The Harry Potter room has yielded those items essential for another trip to the Disney Resort.  We will be there next week at this time.  Have you ever, when you planned your trip, wondered what will be the first thing that you will do?  Well the next post, we will explore what the different individuals in our family want to do first at Disneyland or Disney's California Adventure.  Until then peace and we'll see you in the parks.

Look Out Disney We Have Cookie Jars Two

Grab a Latte and a Cookie, We Got a Place to Put Them
What should it be cookie jars or pins. I was having difficulties on choosing between the two for my next blog post.   I did both in the recent past so I had to figure what might be the best. If I went with the most the blog that garnered the most hits, it would be pins. There is a lot of interest in the pins and I have many pins blog ideas. But cookie jars are important to me.
Since I have to photograph both, I chose cookie jars. Mickey cookie jars is where I started my collection. However, I branched out to other Disney characters. Some are classic Disney characters like Donald Duck and Goofy.  

This one's for you Princess.

Donald Duck was born in 1934.  He has always had a bit of a temper.  He played a major role during World War II in films against the Nazis.  He was also used on aircraft nose art.  I enjoyed the role that Donald played in the video game Kingdom Hearts.  When my son was young, we would play that game all the time.  My favorite saying he uses is, "Aw phooey" Donald is a true movie star.  Here Donald is seen with a few reels of his many films.  

Where are his pants?

There are many other characters in the Disney universe. One of many is the characters of Winnie the Pooh, a children's novel by A. A. Milne.  My favorite from Winnie the Pooh characters is Tigger. How can you miss?  He is upbeat and peppy.  He even spells his name with style, "T-i-double guh-err," Tigger.  He has a cool theme song. "Tiggers are wonderful things.  Their heads are made of rubber, their tails are made of springs." When I grew to like Tigger, he was voiced by the legendary Paul Winchell.  Paul was a ventriloquist.  He gave voice to Knucklehead Smiff and Jerry Mahoney.  His voice acting of the original Tigger gave Tigger subtle mispronunciations.  Tigger says villyun instead of villain and ridicurus over ridiculous.  However, the statement that Tigger always uses that was way ahead of his time was TTFN, ta ta for now.  Whenever I see anyone clipping or making acronyms when texting, I think to myself, 'way to go Tigger you started it all for us.'

His tail is made of springs

Ready to bounce

My daughter is going off to college and as I was photographing these cookie jars to prepare the blog I said, "You know I should sell some of these cookie jars to help with college tuition." 
She quickly replied, "Go head but I'm taking the Tinker Bell one with me."  Her Disney character preference has morphed from her early liking of the Princesses to the love of Tinker Bell.  As a teen ager, Tinker Bell is ideal.  She has a certain attitude that is easily identified with.  Tink, as she is known for short, started out as a character in J. M. Barrie's Peter Pan.  We all clapped to save her life.  Tink is the keeper of the fairy dust, that magical glittering substance that allows a person to fly. So, I will send Tink to University California Santa Barbara so Tink will be around to help my daughter soar.  

A good place to store Pixie Dust

Blue eyes like my daughter

My favorite Disney character is Goofy.  Goofy is the anthropomorphic Disney dog.  Unlike Pluto, Goofy walks, talks, and drives a car.  He was always a bit clumsy.  But this tripping and falling led to the ever favorite Goofy Holler.  It is a distinctive yodel that is spelled out as, "yaaaaaaaa-hoo-hoo-hooey," first heard in The Art of Skiing in 1941.  Other catchphrases that makes Goofy endearing to me are "gwarsh" and "ah-hyuck".  Goofy like Donald plays a role in Kingdom Hearts.  He never picks up weapon only fights with is shield.  Goofy is an every man character.  In this cookie jar Goofy raids the refrigderator for a snack.  Lift this cookie jar's lid and you will hear, "Gwarsh, I forgot the cookies. Ah-hyuck."

"Soup or salad fries and biscuits extra olives donuts"

I think this will be a good bedtime snack

My fridge never looks this clean around the coils

My mother was a big fan of the Bad Girls. Those Disney villains who were needed in the morality plays that were the Disney stories.  On of her favorite as Cruella de Vil.  Cruella with her Bette Davis looks was a natural for my mom's generation.  Cruella was into fur before fur was so out of vogue.  In the 1960 movie, 101 Dalmatians, Cruella was most vile because she was not only into fur but the fur of puppies.  Everyone loves puppies. So Cruella was easily hated.  As a child watching her tear around in that big red car of hers in the snowy London outskirts, I secretly wished that I could drive like that.  Mom had an identical cookie jar which when she died we gave to my brother.  My mom always had Trader Joe's ginger cookies in her Cruella cookie jar.  My twins always knew that they could find a cookie in that car. 

License plate simply read "De Vil"

Why isn't this car right hand drive

Speed off with the puppies

Experiment 626 is a friend's of mine favorite Disney character.  Who is Experiment 626?  It is Stitch the lovable science fiction character from the movie Lilo & Stitch.  Stitch was an illegal genetic experiment created to cause havoc.  He escaped his outer space compound and came to Earth.  Landing in Hawaii, this nearly indestructible little monster is mistaken for a dog.  He is adopted by an Elvis Presley loving little girl named Lilo.  The antics of Stitch and the bounty hunters from outer space cause many misadventures.  I am happy that I have Stitch because he and Lilo developed into a blended family.  The Hawaiian term Ohana, meaning family not only blood relative but blended individuals.  I had friends who were close enough to be considered family members.  My mom also took in people who she called son or daughter.  This concept of Ohana is second nature to me.  I "adopt" people.  They are like family to me.  I have friends on-line that I have "adopted".  One of them likes Stitch.  So I'm happy I have him.  Luckily, the other likes Donald Duck and I have him too.  I wonder which cookie jar they are taken to college?  

The last place you would check for him to hide

Steve Jobs bought a small computer graphic company from George Lucas.  They called it Pixar.  Pixar made several movies that they sold to the Disney Corporation.  Those movies were highly successful.  Movies like Toy Story, Monsters Inc, Finding Nemo, and The Incredibles.  Soon Pixar was a valuable company not only in dollars but in creativity.  Disney needed to keep receiving movies to screen and sell.  So they bought Pixar for $7.4 Billion.  This sale made Steve Jobs the largest share holder in the Disney Corporation.  Now Pixar attractions  are appearing at both Disneyland and Disney California Adventure.  Cars Land will open on June 15, 2012. This also meant cookie jars were now going to be produced themed on the Pixar movies.  These cookie jars are like Pixar movies compared to the older Disney hand drawn cells.  The Pixar cookie jars are more three dimensional.
In 2003, Finding Nemo came out.  There were several endearing characters. It was about a father Clown Fish, Marlin searching for his lost son, Nemo.  A son who was captured by P. Sherman and taken to his dental office and placed with other tropical salt water fish in an aquarium.  These fish are depicted on a cookie jar. 

Gill, Shark Bait, and Bubbles at Mt. Wanna-Hock-a-loogie

Deb looking for her sister Flo

Peach and Bloat

Jacques and Gurgle

In 2004, a second Pixar inspired cookie jar I bought is The Incredibles.  This super hero family is forced to live hidden away from the public because "supers" have fallen out of favor.  But destiny forces Mr. Incredible back into the super hero business.  He is captured on a clandestine mission which he has told no one about, not even his wife. Elastigirl attempts to rescue him but her children stowaway on her jet.  Her daughter Violet is also a "super".  Her powers are the ability to produce force fields and she is able to become invisible.  The son Dash is just that fast. This cookie jar has the entire family.

Bob Parr and family

Race you for a cookie

Today's final cookie jar comes from the Disney Channel. This one evolved from a live action drama.  When my twins were young they watched the Disney Channel often.  This teen sit-com was Lizzie McGuire.  She was a high school student with common problems.  However, integrated into some scenes Lizzie had a cartoon alter ego.  This cookie jar is a reflection of that cartoon.

Reprsented Lizzie's inner thoughts

Nobody has that many cookies nor counter space for that many cookie jars.  But that is the nature of collecting.  Jay Leno cannot drive all the cars he collects.  Collections are those little baubles that you enjoy.  Hope you enjoy what you collect as much as I enjoy Disney items.

This Week in Education Senior Trip

"But I want to go too."

Disney gives every grad a momento when entering.

If you read my blog you know that I am blessed with twins. A girl and a boy gave my wife and I an instant family. It has been an incredible journey.  We took them to Disneyland the first time when they were eighteen months. Anyone one would tell you they are Disneyland professionals. We did all things to acquaint them with Disneyland and its characters. We went to the theater to see all the new releases. They were loyal watchers of the Disney Channel. It isn't like I didn't enjoy any of that. Now for the first time it's happening, they are going without us. It is their trip to Disney's Grad Night. But this is not a trip to Grad Night only. They also go to Universal Studios and Six Flags Magic Mountain.    At Disneyland they get a Grad Night showing of Fantasmic. And the park stays open until 3:00 AM. However thats not late for two kids who just spent 24 hours at the One More Disney Celebration on Leap Day this year. If you haven't read the blogs for these yet check out posts on March 3rd, 5th and 11th . This will be a fun time for them. Neither my wife nor I got to go on this kind of trip. We both had jobs that we couldn't just up and take time off. I know while I mowed those rich kids lawns I was so jealous. Sweating in the hot sun while they got to do anything they wanted.  So I wanted to make sure my kids got to have things better.
This senior trip takes them from their school to Disneyland. They receive a park hopper ticket that allows them into both Disneyland and California Adventure. As I understand it this will be the first and only time this is supposed to happen. 

Wrist bands for safety.

"She's got a ticket to ride."

Disneyland is a controlled environment.  This is one of the benefits of this prepackaged trip.  We found this type of trip was excellent when they were in eighth grade on the Washington D.C. and New York trip.  Check the blog posts of the Time Machine Travelogue for information on that field trip.  As a dad I was, of course, missing them.  Thanks to cell phones it is easier to keep in touch.  My son is not the best texting messenger when it comes to my inquiries.  Now, we have driven this road once or twice a year for over ten years.  I thought he might have paid attention.  While he is traveling on the bus I texted. "Where are you?"  


He texted back, "On the road."  


After they arrived, I texted my son and asked, "What ride are you waiting for?"  


To this I got the best response of the trip, "The ride your daughter learned to drive on."  This made me laugh out loud.  He was going on Autotopia.  It fit with my theory that 90% of the people in California learned to drive on the Autotopia.  So, they were given a wrist band that identified them for staying in the park after it closed to the general public and they also got to attend a special performance of Fantasmic.  

 A new service that Disneyland offers is a photography card.  All photos taken are placed online and the card is used for identifying those pictures.  

Picture this

Also everyday and especially special occasions you want to ask for the events of the day.  If you notice anyone sweeping up or even ride operators, they have a pouch on their belt that has the event cards.  Just ask them for one they are happy to give you one.

Disco ball Mickey

When we were there for the One More Disney Day on Leap Day, my daughter saw the Grad Night Mickey Ears mortar board graduation hat.  The clerk at the hat shop told her that it would be best to buy the hat and have it monogrammed then because on Grad Night they sometimes sell out.  So she did and it was a good thing because the wait would have taken away from rides and fun time.  My son won this cute little penguin at Six Flags Magic Mountain and Mr. Penguini has agreed to model the Mickey Ear hat.  So they partied with their friends a until 3:00 AM.  They went to back to the hotel and started off early the next morning for Universal Studios.

Waddles when he walks for graduation

Universal Studios has several rides based on their movies.  I looked at my copy of the itinerary and I figured where they were so I texted my daughter, "How is Universal Studios?"  

Ride the movies Optimus Prime.

She texted back that she and two other girls, "We just went to the House of Horrors."


I texted back, "Was it scary?"


She answered, "omg yes!!!!"  I thought it might be like a wax museum, but it was like a Halloween fright house with Chuckie and the Texas Chain Saw Massacre.  


They have just added the newest ride based on the movie Transformers.  Both my twins said it was a cool 3-D ride. Mr Penguini show us the flyer.

What could a Decepticon do to you

Later that evening they went to the Medieval Times for dinner.  This is a dinner theater based on the era of Chivalry.  It has all the trappings of the period.  Jousting and sword fighting is part of the display.  Dinner includes Dragon Blood Soup, tomato bisque; Roast Dragon, roasted chicken, and other colorfully named foods.  The girls were given Damsel Headbands and Veils to complete the princess ensemble.  The boys were given princely crowns.  Mr. Pinguini report to the runway please. 

Hit that runway Penguini.

A real fashion horse, uh, I mean penguin.

After they ate and finished at Medieval Times, it was back to the hotel.  The next morning they were off for one more Southern California theme park, Six Flags Magic Mountain.  Are you tired yet?  Well, high school seniors have a ton of energy and they were ready for the long lines of some of the most intense roller coasters in America.  This was the previous home of Mr. Penguini before my son obtained his service contract in a game of chance, shooting hoops.  

Working for a new agent, my son.

The end of the school year is here.  That is great thing.  Everyone says, "You teachers got it easy.  You don't have to work in the summer."  First that is not our fault, we don't make the calendar.  Also we don't get paid for two months.  We have to be industrious like ants and save, and not frivolous like grasshoppers.  I will still have This Week in Education in the summer to show you how we live in that time off.  

Look Out Disney We Have Cookie Jars

Cookies Homemade or From Your Favorite Bakery, Store Them Here

A collection you can use everyday

There is this thing called a pack rat.  It is a small animal with a strange habit.  It collects things and takes them home to its nest.  So, they have tons of collected items filling up their living space.  Imagine bits of woolly string, colorful feathers, and shiny metal object dragged dutifully back home to enhance the home or serve as a status symbol.  How proud the little pack rat must feel after collecting treasures that please him and his mate.  Humans must have a little pack rat in them.  Evolving over time to look different humans still retained a bit of the pack rat in them.  Like the pack rat, we humans collect and covet specific items in our lives and in our homes.  Disney knows this human trait and provides a variety of things to appeal to every collector.  Some people are tempted by snow globes.  They’re snow globes of every character in a myriad of settings.  For this pack rat snow globes were impractical.

They are definitely a put on the shelf and admire them item.  If you have small children it has to be a high shelve.  You need to get them down and shake them to get that snowy effect.  Another impracticable collectible to me is Disney figurines.  These are delicate three-dimensional representations of your favorite Disney characters.  As with snow globes the inclusion of every character assures that you’ll find the corresponding Disney loving individual.  I have a friend that collects antennae balls.  However, she is a Mickey Mouse only girl.  For her it's Mickey is the best and the rest are the rest.  My daughter, as I said with pins, loved the Princesses early in life and migrated to Tinker Bell, as she got older.  My son was a big Buzz Lightyear guy.  My mom, the sponsor, was the Disney Bad Girl villain fan and Mickey Mouse soul mate.  She was born in the same year.  Me, I’m Goofy.  Everyone would agree with you, but I really enjoy that Goofy spirit and the character himself.  Trying everything and always on the edge of near disaster.  That’s me, but I’m also practical.  Therefore I gravitated toward a collectible object that I could both admire and use, Disney cookie jars.

Fill Mickey's Jar

My collection of cookie jars fit into many categories.  First there is, of course, Mickey Mouse cookie jars.  Then there are some of the other Disney characters.  Also there are cookie jars that were made for Pixar movies and even 
Disney Channel programs.  Finally there are cookie jars for holidays.  In this posting I am going focus on the Mickey Mouse cookie jars.   
This Mickey Mouse cookie jar is the most functional.  It had a good nice big capacity for lots of yummy cookies.  Fill it with homemade oatmeal raisin cookies for me.  If you are getting store bought cookies, you should dump in some blond Oreos.  There is a trend lately in Disney clothes of the worn look.  This cookie jar has this intentional scuffed up look.  


As a child of the Fifties, I watched the Mickey Mouse Club everyday.  This was an example of corporate synergy.  They created an audience for the daily afternoon television show who became the eventual visitors to Disneyland.  When I watched the Disney Channel with my twins, I saw that same synergy at a higher level.  But the seed was planted with the Mickey Mouse Club.  Cartoons, guests, and children singing and dancing.  It is all comfortable.
The Disney cookie jar that commemorates this trail blazing television show is a three dimensional representation of the show's opening.  The song and the carrying on their leader Mickey Mouse.

"Whose the leader of the club. whose made for you and me?"

"M-i-c-k-e-y  M-o-u-s-e, Mickey Mouse, Mickey Mouse"

"Forever let us hold our banner high, high, high, high"                                                                                                                                     

"Mickey Mouse - Donald Duck - Mickey Mouse - Donald Duck"

What movie do you think is in the can?

So there you have it Mickey Mouse the television star.  But Mickey was not always just a television icon.  Before he moved into television, he was a movie star.  He made several movies and was known worldwide.  Starting with his debut on November 18, 1928 in Steamboat Willie, Mickey has played a variety of roles.  He played Bob Cratchit in Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol.  He made buddy films with his best buddies Donald Duck and Goofy.  A man and his dog has always been a Hollywood favorite genre.  With his longest romantic interest Minnie Mouse, Mickey has starred in love stories.  So who is the real Mickey Mouse.  The answer is the Reel Mickey Mouse.  We are now so use to seeing DVD's and not to long ago movies on the VHS format.  In the past films were developed on celluloid film and wound on a reel and stored in a metal can.  This is reflected in in this Disney cookie jar.

Mickey is such a laid back guy.  Have you ever wondered what Mickey does when he wants to kick back and watch television when he is at home?  Is he a recliner kind of guy?  Does he sprawl out comfortably on the floor.  Does he always sit around in his iconic yellow shoes, red pants, and white gloves?  These cookie jars might give the answer to these inquiries.

Watching the Disney Channel I think

Maybe Minnie is on the tube

Looks great in pastel

Mickey lounging at home is one thing but what else does do my cookie jars reflect about Mickey's home life.  I'm sure he mows his lawn and cleans his rain gutters.  I have a Disney cookie jar that shows him, Minnie Mouse, and his dog, Pluto slaving over a hot stove baking sweet treats.  Let's peek in and see what's cooking.

Get your cookies direct from the oven

Watch the dog! He's eyeing the cake

Mickey and Minnie sure are cookin' as they say.  They have been together for going on their eighty-fourth year together.  They seem as happy now as they were back then. This you can clearly see in their cooperation in the kitchen.  But how close are they really.  Mickey and Minnie cuddled up together enjoying each others' company.  Locked in a sweet embrace clearly demonstrating their affection.  I have a Disney cookie jar that illustrates their love.  

That's just a chip on Mickey's ear.  Minnie didn't nibble on it.

"I'm a little teapot..."

Don't they make a cute couple and a good place to put those shortbread cookies sold by the Girl Scouts.  The say that clothes make make the man.  With Mickey Mouse the yellow shoes and red pants is what make Mickey, Mickey.  This outfit is so simple and impressive all you need are the clothes and the ears.

Mickey's short pants

So everyone who is a collector finds what works for them for me it's cookie jars.  Next time we look at cookie jars we'll investigate Disney holiday cookie jars.  Good bye for now so grab a cookie and we will see you at Disneyland.