Autopia Restoration

The most popular post on my blog is the one featuring the classic Disneyland opening day attraction Autopia.   Autopia has been an attraction that has faced the test of time has has been the must ride attraction for many kids and adults. Since Autopia has been around now for 57 years it has needed many updates on the vehicles as they sooner or later start to become outdated. But what happens to the old Autopia cars the Disney doesn't use anymore? Well many of things can happen to those vehicles. For instance Disney can give them to employees who want one, but there are so many cars that most of them just get sent to the landfill or the recycling yard. It is a sad but true story as most of us Disney lovers would cry to hear a fate like that as most of us would love to have one of those cars to drive around our back yard, but the actual chances of a regular person being able to own an Autopia car is just about impossible. Except for a person whose name is Shaun. One day while I was looking through my email I spotted an email address that I've never seen before but the subject bar said Original Autopia Mark VI. I was immediately interested and what I was surprised to see was that this guy actually found an Autopia car (I don't know exactly where or how, but it looks like at a house that would be found on the show American Pickers). He is now currently restoring it, because it has seen way too much weather and very little love where it previously was, and it is turning out very nice. He has sent me pictures of his car and I was so moved and amazed by this I had to share it with the other Disneygeeks out there. Below are pictures of the car when he first found it.

It looked pretty rough didn't it? Well look where he currently is on his restoration job below.

That is quite a beautiful car and it would make any Disney fan jealous so keep up the good work Shaun.

(Photo above is from the amazing blog GORILLAS DON'T BLOG)

Now I am going to give a brief history on the Mark VI Autopia car. Autopia as you may not know is an opening day attraction at Disneyland, opening July 17, 1955. Autopia is located in Tomorrowland above The Submarine Voyage and right next to The Disneyland Railroad. Autopia is the most changed attraction in all of Disney history and if you want to learn more about the attraction please visit my Autopia post here http://thinkdisney.blogspot.com/2010/05/autopia.html. Now the Mark VI cars were introduced to the track in 1964 and were a huge design change from the previous Mark I, II, III, IV, and V cars that basically kept the same look. Also the Mark VI car was the fist car to run along the famous and infamous central guide that was installed in 1965 and still remains there today in every incarnation of the ride around the world. Below are pictures of the Mark VI car in Disneyland.

Buena Vista Street Update!

This June Disney California Adventure Park guest will finally be able to walk down Buena Vista Street which is a replica of what Walt Disney saw when he first came to Los Angeles in 1923. Everyone is excited to see this new land completed and to be able to ride the vintage streetcars to The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror. Below is a awesome video showing a little info on the beautiful murals that guest will see at tthe base of the Carthay Circle Theatre.

A Muppet's Fantasy

Disney released a cool video of a interview with Pepe the King Prawn aboard the Disney Fantasy Cruise Ship. The interview is about the  Midship Detective Agency game on the ship staring no other but The Muppets.

And if you haven't already, buy Disney's "The Muppets" on Blu Ray, DVD, Itunes, or Amazon. It truly is a great movie! Rotten Tomatoes gives the film a 96% rating, which is the highest of any Muppet film. It also is the first Muppet film to receive an Academy Award for Best Original Song "Man or Muppet"

Disneyland Paris is Now 20!

Today marks the 20th birthday/anniversary of Disneyland Paris which opened way back on April 12, 1992. It is amazing that 20 years went by so fast, especially since I am the same age as the park. Happy Birthday Disneyland Paris Resort, and have a great many years to come!

Below is a series of really awesome videos celebrating the 20 strong years of the resort made by parksmania.

Plus the 20th anniversary opening ceremony.

The Muppets

"Hello Here" I am planning on doing a longer post based on the Muppet*Vision 3D attraction located in Disney's Hollywood Studios and in Disney California Adventure. You should see this post in the coming weeks.

Blue Sky Cellar Cars Land

Disney just released not to long ago a video of "The Road to Cars Land" update that they did in the Blue Sky Cellar at the end of February in Disney California Adventure. Take a look and be amazed! Cars Land will be opening June 15, 2012.

Walt Disney World Avengers Monorail

Disney recently released a video showing off the new skin on the Walt Disney World Monorails promoting the new film Avengers. Avengers will be based off the comic book series of the same name by Marvel Comics, which is owned by The Walt Disney Company. This is the first glimpse of Disney incorporating the Marvel name into it's theme parks (which we will see more in the future). The film is expected to come to theatres May 4.

Some New DCA Red Car Trolley Photos!

Disney has just release some really awesome photos of the new Red Car Trolley attraction that will be winding its way down Hollywood Pictures Backlot (which will soon become Hollywood Land) and the new Buena Vista Street in Disney California Adventure Park. The photos were taken by the Disneyland Chief Photographer Paul Hiffmeyer, and the attraction is set to open on June 15 with the rest of Buena Vista Street.

Get ready for a Mad T Party!

Move over Electronica because Wonderland will now be taking over Disney California Adventure starting June 15.

The Mad T Party is going to be the new night time experience that will take over the Hollywood Pictures Backlot section of DCA, and man does it look hoppin. Here are some sketches of the new costumes we will see as we take a trip down the rabbit hole.

Some Unique Points

Disney has been making a series of videos called Unique Points and they are fantastic. Here are three of there videos which feature The Main Street Omnibus, The E. P. Ripley, and The Mark Twain Riverboat.

Some Beautiful Posters of The New Barnstormer

So there was a soft opening for the new Storybook Circus section of Fantasyland in the Magic Kingdom park in Walt Disney World. The section was met with great reviews by guest. The older Goofy's Barnstormer attraction that used to be in Mickey's Toontown Fair has now received a face lift to fit into the circus theme so now it is The Barnstormer featuring Goofy as the Great Goffini. Disney has just released the new attraction posters that will be seen in Storybook Circus and man they look great. If you are a big Disney fan you will be able to recognize some scenes in these posters from various Goofy cartoons.

Plus here is a awesome video from "Inside The Magic" giving a tour of the new Storybook Circus section of Fantasyland.

Some new videos of Cars Land at DCA

Disney has release some new videos of Cars Land. The first one is of Flo's V8 Cafe where it shows a time lapsed camera of the installation of the 27 foot tall neon sign. The second video gives a sneak peek of the new E Ticket attraction Radiator Springs Racers.