Disneyland's Rancho del Zocalo Restaurante is one beautiful eatery with its lanterns, lush bougainvillea and tile work. Honestly, it's one of my favorite meal time getaways when the park is busy. I can sit on the patio and watch Frontierland's guests on their way to Big Thunder Mountain Railroad and the Golden Horseshoe.

In the long ago, the restaurant was called Casa de Fritos. I bet you can guess who sponsored the place.

The buildings of Casa de Fritos backed up right next to the town of Rainbow Ridge, part of the Mine Train Thru Nature's Wonderland, the charming predecessor to Big Thunder. When the land also had the Pack Mules, the place was full of energy. It was the same on the Rivers of America. The Mike Fink Keel Boats and the Canoes shared the space with the Sailing Ship Columbia and the majestic Mark Twain.

These pieces of concept art were part of a display at Main Street's Disney Gallery. Photographs came to me courtesy Mint Crocodile and his terrific Magic Eye blog. I'm so appreciative of his weekly updates. You should check it out.

(Art copyright the Walt Disney Company.)

September 21, 2012

Rancho del Zocalo Shines

One of my favorite places to eat at Disneyland is the Rancho del Zocalo. The food is pretty good for a theme park, but its the rich environment that makes it a winner in my heart. The lavish attention to detail and Old World charm make me feel millions of miles away from this present time- something Disney parks are known and loved for their ability to do.

When I viewed this evening photo by Paul Hiffmeyer on the official Disney Parks Blog, I knew I needed to capture it for myself. Stunning!