Since things are so crowded at Disneyland I thought I would just report on anything new or remotely interesting right here at DCA. Tucked back in an obscure corner I found a delightful attraction called Monsters Ink. It must be fairly new because I don't remember it from my visit last summer, I think it was closed that day. This attraction seems to be based on an obscure Disney/Dreamworks movie titled "Superstar Limo". In this adventure you start out at the Hollywood exit on the Los Angeles freeway, the name has been cleverly disguised as "Monstropolis" which is simply an anagram for "Hollywood". Soon it becomes very obvious that something has gone terribly wrong, there are no movie stars in this place! It seems that Hollywood has been invaded by monsters! There seems to be two main characters involved, I wish I knew their names but I will simply call them "Big Blue" and "Eyeball". It seems that Big Blue and Eyeball have gotten themselves into a bit of trouble because they have kidnapped a little girl and are trying to turn her into a monster by stuffing her into a monster suit. Not to fear as there is a color changing monster that can climb up walls that comes to the little girls rescue. Finally it somehow all comes together and the last monster you see is Ms. Onionhead who will wish you a merry Christmas or Happy Holidays depending on your religious persuasion. (I never did figure out why it is called Monsters Ink, I think it had something to do with the fact that the original film was all hand drawn animation or that Big Blue seems to have spilled some ink all over himself.)
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Disneyland management is finally doing something about the massive holiday crowds visiting the park this season. The first thing I noticed was the red poles set up in front of ticket booths #1 - #12. These poles are set with only about 8" of space between them and you must squeeze through them in order to buy a ticket. All people who cannot squeeze through these poles, along with people with strollers, wheelchairs, and walkers are instructed to go to ticket booth #13. I was lucky enough to squeeze through the poles and enter the park but I did notice that the folks coming in from booth #13 were met with a tram and were given a ride to some unknown destination. At first I thought the poles were some sort of metal detection system but I soon figured out that Americans have "Supersized" themselves since 1955 and this was a great way of keeping the "oversized" people out of the park!
I was taken back by the fact that there were no costumed characters to greet the children entering the park, instead management has replaced them with simple cardboard cutouts "to save precious space" in the park. The kids still had fun getting their pictures taken beside them and kicking the cardboard characters in the shins. I guess some things will always stay the same.
It was quite an ordeal to get to the end of Main street, I got several dirty looks as I shoved my way through the crowd. At one point someone shouted, "Hey look! It's the InsidEar!". I was really embarrassed, I must of had about about a thousand people staring at me. I almost wish I hadn't shouted.
Another 20 minutes later I arrived at The Indiana Jones Adventure. The line was packed as usual but something seemed different but I didn't figure it out until too late. When the ride was over we were sent through some "emergency exit" doors leading South through a tunnel. At the end of the tunnel we had to pass through a one way revolving door and I found myself in DCA along with a record number of screaming children in strollers, handicapped people and just plain fat people. I guess the holiday crowd control plan was working!
The rumor mill is buzzing like a bee in a honey pot over the news that Matt Ouimet, current benevolent dictator of the Disneyland Resort, will be leaving Disneyland for greener pastures. Although Ouimet is very popular with the Disneyland faithful and has done wonderful things for the park, he hasn't stopped looking toward the future and the possibility of career growth.
It's no secret that Ouimet misses life in Florida, and a position as chief executive of the Walt Disney World resort recently opened up, but despite what some have said, Ouimet isn't going there. "Florida is so 'been there, done that' for me that I'll never go back," said Ouimet in a secret, unrecorded conversation that nobody can prove didn't happen. "Disney World is great, but it's not what I want. I'm looking for new thrills, new adventures."
This is why, in mid-2006, Ouimet will leave Disneyland and join the circus.
"I've always wanted to be in the circus," said Ouimet. "Greg [Emmer] tells me that there was even a circus at Disneyland at one time, and if there was room I'd bring it back. But that's neither here nor there -- I'm going to live my dream and become a hobo clown. I'm learning that neat routine where you pretend to sweep up a spotlight with a broom, and as soon as I've got it down, I'm out of here."
Given the great job Ouimet has done cleaning up Disneyland, we can only assume that he'll do just as well cleaning up that spotlight.
Good luck, Matt!