Family Time

Yes, everyone's here and a great time is being together! Sometimes the very best blessings are the simplest ones. Actually, they usually are- and make us grateful for the time. What are you grateful for?

Now Only A Memory

On our recent trip to California, I saw this beautiful painting hanging on the wall in a local shop. I knew it would be expensive, but I had no idea it would be three times what I make in a month! So, it will stay a nice mini-sized photograph in my memory.

(Painting by John Cosby.)

Those Rocking 1960's!

Take a look at this vintage / retro photograph from the 1960s! Those chicks rocking the hair piled higher than what seems possible, the skinny ties, and the trendy cocktails on the table. This is actually of photo of my folks and two of my aunts and their husbands. I post this in honor of my Dad's birthday...

That Thing You Do

Back to the beginning. Not quite the very beginning, but very close. Well, let's go at least back to the beginning where I really began to get connected to a local group of Jesus followers. In the city of Orange, at its very famous Orange Circle- the area was the physical centerpiece of the movie That Thing You Do- lies an old movie theater that was converted to a church. Back when the area was run down and the people on the street were falling apart, Pastor Joe Magliato brought Jesus and new life. Even in his 80's, he's still going strong. God bless him! As for me, I know God was faithful in a dark time. Oh, LORD, that thing you do as we trust in you...

A Return to Disneyland After Three Years

The last time we visited Disneyland, it was after the memorial service for my mother in law. That was three years ago. And this time, we went with our youngest daughter and her family, tagging onto their summer vacation. We came earlier and left later, so that enabled some additional time at favorite spots in Southern California. What I found at the Disneyland Resort surprised me! I haven't decided how I'll share my trip report- in days, by each park and themed area, or by one mega saga- but I can guarantee you, if you've read the Insights and Sounds blog at all, you might be surprised by what I write. Stay tuned.

(Photo copyright Mark Taft.)

Happy Birthday to the Photographer

It's quite the feat to get 19 people in one photo! But our photographer did this and a few other special tricks to make this come together. Was it worth it? I think it was. It's a moment in time never to be captured again.
 

Scenes From A Fire

I thank God for people like my son in law who goes out to fight fires! In Colorado, this season is particularly bad because of the lack of snow in the Winter and rain in the Spring.

What may look minor from afar is actually huge up close! He's out there now. Pray for his safety and the safety of the entire team under his command. 

Male Fail #6- Bad Bunny

Talented man that he is, Bad Bunny makes the next item on the list of our "Male Fails". Wearing a pink dress in an ad for Jacquemus. The Puerto Rican rapper born as Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio loses major points for doing so, even if the masses also applaud his Calvin Klein ads. Any way you slice it, Bad Bunny is a bad bunny...

The Hidden Greenhouses of Disneyland Paris aka EuroDisney

We Disney fans love our Hidden Mickeys! In fact, to find anything that is hidden while we are in the parks is a delight. At Disney Animal Kingdom's opening, there was the famous hidden trail which was actually found along the main path linking Asia and Africa. This sweet little area was designed by Joe Rohde and his Imagineering team. 

In another surprise, EuroDisney (Land aka Disneyland Paris) has a set of gorgeous victorian styled greenhouses set far away from the guests eye. The photo looks like a backstage area of where Fantasyland meets Adventureland, but I can assure they are not there. In fact, they are truly thousands of miles away in my home state, Colorado. "What?" you say.

Let me back up, each visit to Southern California, we travel to Roger's Gardens in Newport Beach. This beautiful place is home to a piece of Disneyland history. The famous Disneyland Bandstand rests inside the nursery. (See can see my post about it here.) It made me start to think.

In 2017, we found a portion of EuroDisney that was never installed and instead shipped to Denver, Colorado at our Denver Botanic Gardens.  Read the sign below:

The absolutely gorgeous solariums /greenhouses were initially ordered by the Walt Disney Company when the Imagineers planned to install them in the Company's French parc. 

Seven of these lovely structures were ordered and never installed, but this one in Denver is the only one available for public display. My cel phone photographs do not do justice to the detail. Today, during a visit, a wedding and reception was being held there, so I had to use old photographs to maintain some privacy for the newlyweds.

The green painted metalwork is strikingly similar to what is found on Paris' stunning Main Street U.S.A. Were they to be used in the gardens found right in front of the theme park? Maybe the hub? Were they not so simple bus stop structures designed to welcome guests in case of inclement weather? I have no idea. Yet they are beautiful, no doubt.

Interestingly, years before that visit, we had walked right by them one evening at Christmas while we were enjoying the garden's annual Blossoms of Light decor.  I never noticed the little metal sign. 

When it found it again, it was like a "kiss" from God- a time when you discover something unexpected and so out of the ordinary. It brought an instant smile to my face- and an immediate discussion of just how we might have to return to Paris and that beautiful Disney park.

(Photographs copyright Mark Taft.)

Happy Father's Day, Dad!

In our family, everyone who knows you Dad, knows you are a force to be reckoned with! Sure, you've mellowed just a bit, but your passion for the things you deem important is endless. I guess I'm a lot like you in this way.  

Surprisingly, I got the above text from my Dad, thanking us for his restaurant gift. I'm just so taken a back by it!

The World Cup and Our Thousand Dollars a Day Car Rental

Timestamped June 8, 2014: Sitting in a bar in the south of France in the middle of seemingly nowhere, watching the World Cup with the locals. What a great afternoon relaxing with a glass of wine and doing something very, very different than our normal travel routine. But that's exactly how this trip was- anything but normal and going as planned. 

We started in Geneva, Switzerland before ending up in France. Then the unexpected (why was I surprised?) happened when the French air traffic controllers decided to strike, leaving us stranded and unable to fly back to Geneva for our return home. What could we do? Only one thing. Rent the last car at the airport for $1000- yes, one thousand dollars- and drive to Geneva to catch our flight. How is that for price gauging? Now, we laugh, but back then...

Gotta love all those World Cup athletes and the way they train so hard. I used to be more in shape than I am, but now I take solace in these words: "For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come" (1 Timothy 4:8). Honestly though, that's no excuse for my laziness!
 

Just for My Records

 A great photo of our son taken in 2023. Still as handsome as ever!

The Hidden Monster in Monsters Unchained: The Frankenstein Experiment in Lights On Mode

June 2026 Update: Here's the cleanest, clearest photo ever of the hidden monster in Epic Universe's incredible Monsters dark ride. What makes this image from UTPTVids so special? 

Well, just one look at it, and you'll see it is because it comes from a full ride through of the attraction with the lights on. You can watch it above.

Look deeply but look quickly! There's a hidden monster that is very difficult to see at Epic Universe's incredible Monsters Unchained: The Frankenstein Experiment attraction. It's not the above photo but the one below. This little discovery in Dark Universe is all you need to impress your friends! You might think it's the funny and cruel Ygor, but it is not. Nor is it Victoria Frankenstein- although I think that may be up for debate.

Who is he? None other than Quasimodo, the Hunchback himself. Up in the bell at the very beginning of the ride portion of this fantastic attraction. 

You've got to slow down the speed, but you can see him for a few seconds at the 8:40 ish mark. Open this in another tab and watch for yourself. Thanks to LMG Vids for capturing him in enough light!

Earlier Update: 

Here's a newer version from "SeeWDW!" at the 31 second mark.

View it here.

Vintage Disneyland Tahitian Terrace

I cannot resist the lure of the islands! It seems I am not alone in this either. From tiki bars across the States to the authentic thing in Hawaii, people just love the chance to escape even if for a few hours. 

Walt Disney was one smart man- and he was quick to realize the allure. At Disneyland, the incredible Tahitian Terrace was my very first experience. Tucked back in the corner between the Jungle Cruise and the Enchanted Tiki Room was a very special restaurant. Cuisine was highlighted by teriyaki everything and pineapple- lots of it. Yum! The food was great, but the performances were just plain mesmerizing and fun. Even this black and white photo cannot kill its charm.

When Walt Disney World opened in 1971, the lovely Luau Cove and its all star revue at the Disney's Polynesian Village was a must-do experience. We were fortunate to go to the show one last time before the Cove disappeared forever to make room for the Disney Vacation Club Expansion. Ah, those innocent days of Disney when to stay at the island themed resort was actually affordable! Now, a brief break at Trader Sam's Grog Grotto will have to scratch the itch.

(Photographer unknown.)

Beach Getaway

Snapped this photo years ago while in California. It just seemed so iconic, so SoCal! I can almost feel the ocean breeze and the sound of seagulls. The full size version sits as my desktop photo right now. 

(Photograph copyright Mark Taft.)

The Extraordinary Le Château de la Belle au Bois Dormant

 One of the most beautiful photos of Disneyland Paris' stunning castle, Le Château de la Belle au Bois Dormant left in the largest size possible! Makes for a perfect screensaver or desktop photo. Whoever the photographer was- Walt Elias somebody- deserves an award for this exquisite piece of art!

How does this castle rank compared to those in other Disney parks? Take a look at the ranking here.

Olivia Newton-John Back to Basics Again

Hopelessly Devoted to You makes up only a single slice of the hits of Olivia Newton-John. Benson Boone's mega single Magical Mystical steals Olivia's Physical record for its backbone. Her Back to Basics: The Essential Collection 1971–1992 was filled with all the hits you'd expect plus four new selections that recall her past. I Want to Be Wanted summons Hopelessly Devoted; I Need Love brings a sultry dance number with its rather blunt sexual lyrics; Not Gonna Be the One recalls her country tunes but with a fresh take; and lastly, Deeper Than A River is smart enough to have been a big hit. Unfortunately, her breast cancer returned and a supporting tour was cancelled. If you liked my earlier post last month that "cleaned up" Olivia, you're sure to like this photograph as well. 

The Unexpected Disneyland Trip

 When we lived in Northern California, I would have never expected a trip to Disneyland would be part of my workday, but it was exactly what happened. As a sale rep for AT&T, I was given large accounts in Southern California, so every quarter or so, I would fly down to the O.C., meet some customers and return home by the end of the week. One afternoon, my sales manager (in the Minnie ears in the upper left hand corner), suggested we plan a team building exercise for two days. She chose to celebrate a year of wild success by taking us all to Disneyland. What a kick! It was certainly unexpected!

Disney's Country Bears and Pixar's Cars Take Over Colorado

Count this Colorado man very surprised to see Disney characters in Audio-Animatronic form outside of one of the theme parks. And not just a Country Bear Musical Jamboree bear but a "Car" as well! They both had as much motion and expression in their eyes as any of the characters in the parks. Surprising? Absolutely! Where was this whole thing? We were in Scheels Sporting Goods store in Colorado Springs, Colorado- and this was their shooting gallery. Just goes to show Disney inspiration is everywhere!

 

An Unexpected Travel Interruption Yields Delight

Due to the Lufthansa airlines strike in Germany, my recent tour group encountered an unexpected benefit: a several hour stop in Windsor, U.K. for an afternoon pub break. It goes to show that even the best of intentions can result in disaster and then redemption if we make the most of a difficult situation!

(Photograph copyright Mark Taft.)