60 Disneyland Diamonds: 1996-2005

No fancy greeting this time. Just some links to the previous posts:

60 Diamonds Intro

60 Diamonds: 1956-1965

60 Diamonds: 1966-1975

60 Diamonds: 1978-1985

60 Diamonds: 1986-1995

And now, on with the next set!

1996: Fantasyland Theatre

I might be cheating again here, and for the same reason as the 1974 entry. Technically, the live performance venue in the northwest corner of Fantasyland has been there since 1985. But prior to 1996, it was called Videopolis, and its theatre aspect was hampered by the fact that its primary purpose was hosting concerts and dancing at night. When it became the Fantasyland Theatre full-time, the musical theatre acts could be much more lavish, with elaborate sets that wouldn't have been possible if they had to scoot back and make room for a rock band every night. Only two years after the change, we got the astoundingly fun Animazement, which used rotating set pieces to “transform” sketches of animated characters into live performers portraying them. And the shows just kept getting fancier from there, until the current offering, Mickey and the Magical Map, is one of the slickest things I've ever seen while sitting in bleacher seats. All that, and your feet get a rest too!

1997: Gibson Girl Ice Cream Parlor

You know what's better than ice cream? Ice cream served in a well-recreated period setting. Main Street has always been able to stay pretty close to its roots—with no big-budget attractions it never really has to compromise for the sake of a popular but theme-busting ride—and its eateries have a particular advantage in that many American “fun foods” such as hot dogs, soda, and yes, ice cream, were just coming into their own in the early 20^th Century. The attention to detail typical of Disneyland in general and Main Street in particular really shows in Gibson Girl, which includes a few actual Gibson Girl sketches in its décor—small, subtle, and definitely G-rated by contemporary standards, but still there and contributing to its carefree atmosphere.

1998: Redd Rockett's Pizza Port

Redd Rockett's gets kind of a bad rap among long-term Disneyland fans, who bemoan the fact that when Imagineering overhauled Tomorrowland in 1998, they replaced an actual attraction* with a restaurant and then had the audacity to decorate the restaurant with posters of extinct Tomorrowland attractions. But you can't say that move wasn't in tune with the general thrust of the makeover, which was the sort of “retro-future” thing that had worked pretty well with Discoveryland at Disneyland Paris. Also, they have salads there. If you're going to try to make me feel bad for liking a place where I can eat pizza, salad, or pizza salad while gazing at the old poster for Adventure Thru Inner Space, then you need to go think about your life choices.

1999: Tarzan's Treehouse

You probably think I'm really reaching by calling this one a Diamond. What does Tarzan's Treehouse offer apart from obnoxious, repetitive animal noises and statues of cartoon characters from a movie that the average parkgoer doesn't care about? Well, I'll tell you: It's better than nothing. And nothing is exactly what the alternative was. Disneyland's then-president Paul Pressler was all set to rip the Swiss Family Treehouse out in its entirety and replace it with...who even knows, vending carts, probably...but Imagineer Tony Baxter convinced him to have it re-themed to Tarzan instead. Without a big tree there, the Adventureland walkway would have an unobstructed view of New Orleans Square and beyond, which would spoil the illusion of being in a remote jungle. That's what Tarzan's Treehouse offers: immersion. Hail the Lord of the Jungle!

2000: Pin Trading

Disneyland has been selling enamel pins as long as I can remember; I still have one that must be from the mid-Eighties judging by Mickey's outfit. Since most of the designs on offer have been exclusive to the theme parks, I imagine guests have been collecting and trading pins for some time. It wasn't until the end of the 20^th Century that Disneyland got in on that act by setting up official Pin Trading stations, with pin-happy Cast Members on hand to offer guaranteed trades. Since then, pins have exploded in the park, to the point of being the core of several stores' inventory. New designs are released nigh-constantly, referencing movies, characters, rides, holidays and events, even pop culture trends like geek chic or steampunk. No matter what your specific interests are vis-à-vis Disney, you can probably find a pin for it. Or two or three. And a lanyard to wear them on. And a medallion to weigh down the lanyard so it hangs correctly. And some extra rubber pin backs just in case...

2001: Rancho del Zocalo Restaurante

There's been a Mexican restaurant in Frontierland practically as long as the park has been open, under various names and with various menus. Rancho del Zocalo is just the most recent incarnation...but it's also the only one I've ever eaten at. The food at Rancho is as tasty as any counter-service restaurant in Disneyland (I recommend the Crispy Chips con Limón), but the real reason to eat there is the ambiance. The Old Mexico-style décor includes faux-adobe walls and colorful star-shaped lanterns, and the patio features soft Spanish guitar playing in the background and offers a view of the adjacent El Zocalo area, one of the few spots in Disneyland that's there just for atmosphere. It's nice.

2002: Laughing Stock Co.

And on completely the other end of the Frontierland scale, there are these...folks. Disneyland is probably the last place you would expect to find a comedy show involving a drag act, but then the same year, Disney Animation gave us a crossdressing alien, so maybe somebody slipped something into the water. These days Laughing Stock mostly performs inside the Golden Horseshoe, but they've been known to put on their show outside, in front of the building, where people just wandering the area can stumble across them. The best moments at Disneyland, to me, are those that instill a feeling of surprise and discovery. I can easily forgive lowbrow humor when it comes packaged like that.

2003: The Many Adventures of Winnie-the-Pooh

I include this on the list not because I especially love the ride—I would much rather have the Country Bear Jamboree back, actually—but because that whole area of Critter Country is a great example of what I have begun to call “cluster theming.” More than a simple ride/gift shop combo, less than a “mini-land,” cluster theming involves grouping one or more attractions together with one or more secondary features (shops, eateries, etc.) and giving all of them the same sub-theme within the larger theme of the land. There's a lot of it in Fantasyland. Granted, the actual motive behind this practice is usually to get people all excited about something via a ride and then immediately point them at some money-spending opportunities related to that very thing...but you can still get some quality placemaking that way. However you might feel about the Pooh Bear ride itself, it has good backup in the form of the adjacent Pooh Corner shop, character meet-and-greet spot, and the landscaping and design elements that unite them.

And the line is usually really short.

2004: Castle Heraldry Shoppe

Remember in last week's 1991 entry, when I mentioned that a few remnants of the Disney Villains were still present in the retail location that used to belong entirely to them? Even if lingering outposts of devilment aren't your thing, you should still go there, because it's honestly one of the best shops in the park. Even if it plays to the layman's understanding of heraldry, which is mostly way off the mark (but that's a topic for another post, maybe even another blog), it's still a taste of genuine history and courtly culture in a part of Disneyland that usually filters anything remotely to do with kingdoms and castles through several layers of animated Princess fairy tales. This is less Rapunzel and more Ren Faire, is what I'm saying. You won't find any Princess merch here—apart from the aforementioned traces of Villainy, you won't find any character merch at all, which is almost unheard of in a Disney park. What you will find are achievements of arms rendered as high-quality prints or embroidered designs and mounted in ornate wooden frames, with the understanding that you can have the same done with your own “family crest” (ugh...I may actually have to make that post at some point) for a truly elegant personalized souvenir.

You know what else you'll find? Swords. Actual bladed weapons...to go with all those colorful shields, I suppose. Most of them are replicas of famous swords and daggers from fantasy films, but they're still functional enough that they're displayed behind glass and even if you buy one, the Cast Member who rings you up isn't going to just hand it to you right there in Disneyland. (They'll ship it to you.)

And finally, the shop has all kinds of great details to examine while you browse, or wait for the other member(s) of your party who are browsing, or try to identify what movie the current snippet of Villain music came from. The outside window display alone is worth a gander of a few minutes or more. You may not be able to budget for the merchandise in the Heraldry Shoppe, but you should be able to justify budgeting some of your day to check it out.

2005: Buzz Lightyear Astro-Blasters

I actually have mixed feelings about this ride. Buzz Lightyear being a “space toy” doesn't mean he slots into the Tomorrowland theme without at least a bit of painful cramming, and even if he did, I resent the degree to which Pixar characters are spreading throughout Disneyland. And yet...it's a genuinely fun ride and makes good use of its toy motifs. It's easy to see this as one of Andy's kitchen-sink playtimes—toys appearing on the ride include not just robots and alien things but wind-up dinosaurs and jointed snakes. You can't claim it doesn't draw you into the story when you're literally shooting a literal laser at the ride's villains, and the prospect of beating your own high score greatly increases the replay value. It's a ride that rewards scrutiny and experimentation, a ride that responds directly to the actions of the rider, a ride that encourages you to make pew-pew noises and show off your vocal impersonation of Tim Allen.

What the hell, I'll take it.

Yeah, I can see it too. This is probably the most lackluster batch of Diamonds I've covered so far. Industrial-grade, really. Honestly? It's the result of my commitment to focusing on Disneyland itself, not anything else at the resort, with this blog in general and with the 60 Diamonds feature in particular. Once the 21^st Century arrived, suddenly there was a second park and a shopping and dining district for the decision-makers and Imagineers to focus on, and the park that started it all was left with a few token projects here and there. Every previous decade I've covered has included at least one thing I can heartily rave about; this time around, my own responses to my chosen Diamonds range from “This is a thing I like enough to stop by during most visits” to” “I can think of something nice to say about it.”

Never fear. Things will pick up somewhat for the finale next week. And then...wow...and then 60 Diamonds will be over. This has been a huge, research-intensive project and I'm not quite sure where to go from there. Oh, I have material. A few more finished articles just waiting for a post date, some half-finished ones, a list of ideas...but it's no longer obvious what I need to work on next. It's a wide open sandbox of a blog.

Ah, well. Till next time!

* Not that anyone ever went on Mission to Mars anymore. Seriously, the very last time I sat through that thing, the theater was empty except for my party.

** Prior to my Annual Pass days, which began in 2001, I brought food to the park instead of buying meals there.