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Dinner tonight with some very special family!

How to Get to Disneyland in the 1950's

Take a look at this great vintage Disneyland billboard! Beautiful in all its retro glory! The park was an out of the box success, as Walt Disney had spent a year or so promoting it with the money men and the general public. Orange County took on an all new importance as home to Walt's first kingdom, forever changing the landscape and the prices to live there!

The photo comes from this Private Los Angeles Tours post.

Happy New Year (Hawaiian Time)

Hawaii is known for its laid back pace and "Hawaiian time". This tongue in cheek phrase refers to locals always arriving to parties, graduations, birthdays, etc a little after the actual start time. This delay could range anywhere from 20 minutes to 2 hours. It's my way of segueing into this rather admittedly late post marking the first photographic shoot for 2017. Even that is not totally honest. I had hoped to get out New Year's Day to Sandy Beach, but it was pushed back until the 2nd. It was a state holiday, so it still felt a bit "new yearish". 

I dutifully set the alarm for 5:00 am and after that inevitable battle between wanting to stay in bed and shooting sunrise, I downed a cup of coffee, got in my car, and headed to the east side of Oahu.

Sitting in a dark lot, parked near a seedy looking white van always makes me question the sanity of these early morning shoots. But as the sun slowly begins to peek over the horizon, the thrill of setting up for a shot, knowing that I have a short window to photograph the "golden hour" always makes it worthwhile. 

After getting the shots I needed, I switched out lenses in case I found some people who wouldn't mind me taking their photo. I was lucky and found a bunch of cool folks who were gracious and kind enough to pose for me. Hawaii's diverse mix of races and cultures is always a strong reminder of the incredible creativity of our God. I can't imagine a day where photographing this island's landscapes and people would grow old or stale! May the good Lord bless everyone in 2017!

                     (Photographs copyright 2017 Len Yokoyama)

Home to the Magic

Admittedly, this is a difficult thing to say, he said tongue totally in cheek! I have never seen the front gates or the outside of the Walt Disney Company. 

Thanks to "Forever Anna" on the WDWMagic discussion boards, now you can see it too. The building above is a pretty famous one. Built during the 20 year reign of Michael Eisner, it was a time from creativity was at an all-time high as far as park expansion. We all know Robert Iger is more interested in purchasing intellectual property vs. development of them. It hasn't been an unsuccessful decision, but it is a very different one that what the focus of Walt Disney himself and the company he founded for decades.

So, there you have it. Now you've seen the "Home to the Magic".

(Photographs copyright "Forever Anna".)

Shanghai'd in China

Have Disney park fans been Shanghai'd in Mainland China? I think so. Roaring Rapids is closed indefinitely, food is over priced for the market, and there are too few truly people-pleasing attractions aside from an award winning Pirates of the Caribbean and a much too short Tron Light Cycles Power Run. 

Park capacity continues to be an issue. There have not been any new attractions announced to help with that issue, but I would anticipate that the Chinese government is hot on Disney's wheels to make sure something happens soon. Perhaps the proposed and needed expansion of the Hong Kong Disneyland resort will up the ante. 

In reality, the investors may be the only real winners here. Disney has used the park to open the Mainland China market to other possibilities- and it says quite a lot that the government ruled in favor of Disney over a locally grown rip-off of the Cars franchise. But that does not help park fans who are victims of over-crowding, broken attractions, and overpriced food. At least this time, Disney doesn't have to contend with overbuilding hotels on the property which bled the Parisian resort to the very brink.
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Like the concept art? It's a pretty rare piece- along with a couple others posted recently...

(Art copyright The Walt Disney Company.)

Chris Pratt Talks About Jesus

Chris Pratt puts it pretty bluntly: A man came up to him and said, "Jesus told me to talk to you". And so begins the story he recalls of how he was - in his own words - "saved". It's a pretty interesting read and tells the tale of a man who does his own thing, not being swayed by Hollywood or by the church in America.

The full story is here. Go there- really!

Message in a Bottle for an Island of Lost Souls

Mixing titles for The Police and Blondie here. It was one of those hard nights or should I say mornings. It was late. I was exhausted. But there was no way I was going to be going to sleep anytime soon. Sleep finally came, but it was interrupted quickly.

I sat there in bed next to my wonderful wife thinking "There has to be more to life than this!" And there is. American Christianity pales in comparison to what we read about in the New Testament. We're so full of ourselves, we've forgotten Jesus called us to die to ourselves so that we may live. Lord, have mercy on me!

Worshiping Jesus in Pakistan

These photographs are incredible! What you're seeing is a worship service in Pakistan, where people are worshiping Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God. The only perfect payment for my sin and for yours. The only way to heaven.

The First Orthodox Church in Pakistan.

This is what heaven will be like! People from every nation, even tribe, every culture all over the earth- believers from every corner- worshiping Him as the One True God and enjoying friendship together for eternity.

After this I looked, and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and before the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands.

(The vision of John of people worshiping Jesus)

Revelation 7:9

Honolulu City Lights (Because You Want More Christmas Photos)

I know the Christmas season has passed, but I wanted to share these photos of the Honolulu City Lights display with readers of Insights and Sounds (It's no secret that Christmas is my favorite time of the year, so maybe you should brace yourselves for holiday posts throughout the year...LOL!). Started in 1985 by then mayor Frank Fasi, this annual event has become a holiday tradition for many of the kama'ainas (locals). New scenes and figures are constantly being added, updated, or retired throughout the years.

My favorite is Santa and Mrs. Claus, with good ole' Saint Nick giving the classic 'shaka' sign (a strong indication of its Hawaiian roots). While it pales in comparison to any Disney scenario, or heavyweights like Rockefeller Center, it's uniquely our own and we gladly embrace it.

If you're ever in the islands during December, make sure to pay a visit to this Hawaiian celebration in downtown Honolulu. It's free to the public and open 24/7!

(Photographs copyright Len Yokoyama.)

Design Detail: Magic Kingdom's Splash Mountain

Disney theme park fans rightly rave about the amount of detail found in the parks. Until more recent years with Universal's Harry Potter expansion, this trademark seemed to be the domain of Walt's Imagineers. We fans hail the smallest pieces of design in Disneyland, the gorgeous Disneyland Paris, the astounding Animal Kingdom and the most hailed of all- Tokyo DisneySea. 

Today's sweet photograph comes from Cory Disbrow, a terrific fan and  MiceAge / Chat photographer that covers Walt Disney World. The resort 's Magic Kingdom is a place chockful of touches I am only beginning to see in my last trip, so I do not know if this one has been around for awhile or not.

A wanted poster for Splash Mountain's Brer Bear, found on a tree in the queue for the iconic Frontierland attraction. Never before noticed it! Did you? I've ridden the attraction dozens of times. It's one of my favorites in the park, but it's always been out of my sight.

Perhaps its the beautiful Fantasyland Forest that has made me look at the park with fresh eyes. The recent addition finally brought charm to what should have been filled with it from opening day. Yet, Fantasyland suffered from the lack of it, something akin to the first Imagineers not being able to give Disneyland's Tomorrowland its best due to the budget being blown. That expansion / enhancement, even though it did not bring a new "E Ticket" to that part of the park, did bring a beauty (and a beast!) never before seen. In effect, the new area made me look at the park in a new way. This is something great Imagineering work should always do.

Thank you, Imagineers, for stuffing the parks with all the eye candy! And thank you Cory, for being my eyes in Florida until I return myself someday soon.

(Photograph copyright Cory Disbrow.)

A Tale of Two Puppies

Aloha and Happy New Year from Hawaii!

As most readers know, Mark has kindly allowed me to post on his blog with stories and photos from my ongoing life. Since Mark gave you a general background on me, I'm going to avoid the obvious introduction post and delve right into current events (this will save you from having to read my biography and me from writing it).

This first entry actually appeared on my Facebook page, but I decided to repost it here:

                Sue gets ready to take home Sitka

"It was the best of times, it was the worst of times..."

Charles Dickens famous opening line from "A Tale of Two Cities" is an appropriate description for the story I'm about to tell. Some of my friends on FB will remember me posting a photo of my wife Sue and soon to be newest member of our household...Alyeska. This Siberian Husky puppy was still nursing with her mom so it would be a few weeks before we would actually take possession of her. This past weekend, I received a message from Karissa Struba​, owner of For The Love Of Pomskies​ with terribly sad and tragic news. Sweet Alyeska had passed away from causes unknown. Reading the words, I was in initial shock, not understanding what the message meant. After a minute or so passed, I came to realize that Alyeska was never coming home with us.

     Our brief time spent with Alyeska

The next hardest thing was telling my wife. Like me, Sue was initially in disbelief, but the grief and tears came very soon and sudden. As hard as it was for us, we knew it was worse for Rissa and her family. After a couple of days passed to deal with the emotional loss and pain, we made contact with each other and Rissa offered us a refund on our deposit or the opportunity to take home Alyeska's sister (the last remaining pup from the litter). What's funny is that Sue was initially drawn to Sitka (which we ended up naming her), but  as she began to squirm and bite her toes, we began to have doubts. All pups are biters as they begin teething, so that's not a problem. The squirming and Rissa's acknowledgement that Sitka was a bit more "independent" made us opt for the more mellow Alyeska. Before driving out to Ewa Beach, I asked Sue that we not make a decision when visiting Rissa, that we wait to get home so we could talk and pray on this decision. Sue had been honest and told me her mind was made up...that the puppy needed a home. Nonetheless, she agreed to wait. Once at Rissa's beautiful home, it was obvious that Sitka was coming home with her. To see the smile and happiness on my wife's face was all anyone could ask and hope for. As it so happens, Sitka is turning out to be a sweetheart, very affectionate, and open to intense belly rubs.

It's been said that a dog is but a chapter in a person's life, while for the dog, the person is the entire book. We were able to spend maybe 45 minutes with Alyeska...a small chapter in her life. Now she's writing a whole book of joy and happiness in heaven. As for us, we're beginning a new chapter with her sister Sitka. Looking forward to an amazing tale for sure!

                 "What kind of trouble can I get into next...hmmmm"

              "I call this brown tasty stuff...brown tasty stuff!"

(Photographs copyright Len Yokoyama.)

First Days

The first day of preschool- noted for future reference...

Goodbye Twilight Zone Tower of Terror

Today, January 2nd,  marks the last day of operation  for the excellent Twilight Zone Tower of Terror at Disney California Adventure. That is as we know it. Yes, the above concept art for the thrilling and beloved attraction is as underwhelming as was the experience for anyone who first knew the original and best incarnation found at Walt Disney World. But make no mistake, even this second generation, truncated attraction is an Imagineering classic. It was the last piece of Bargain Basement Imagineering before the decision was made to revamp the park and save California Adventure from itself. (Check out a look at California Adventure 1.0 from its concept art here.)

Like it or not, Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy version is on the way. Hopefully, it is the beginning of an incredibly themed land at the park. 

(Art copyright The Walt Disney Company.)

New Faces, New Places

Happy New Year!

As I mentioned yesterday, I have some very exciting news to share. My friend and frequent blog author Len Yokoyama will become a more regular contributor.  Len's great eye as a photographer and sharp wit as a writer make quite the addition, providing fresh insight into our world. I am thankful he has agreed to join me in this adventure.

It is certainly a testament to God's goodness that Len and I have become friends. I trust Len wholeheartedly. His passion for life, for Jesus, and for sharing his heart make him an excellent choice in expanding the focus of the Insights blog. Just his photographs from his home state of Hawaii will be worth watching for!

As for me, 2017 is a busy, busy year. I may not be around as often as I have been in the previous nine years, but I think I still have some stories to tell and concept art to share- including all of those 200+ unfinished posts I mentioned yesterday. 

This is what the Lord says— he who made a way through the sea, a path through the mighty waters, “Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland.

Isaiah 43: 16, 18-19

May God Bless You richly this year as you seek Him!

(Photograph copyright Len Yokoyama.)

This Could Be the End

Happy End of Year 2016, and Hello 2017! It was not either the best of times or the worst of times. Like most years, it was a very varied mixture of both. Personally, professionally, and in my volunteer life.

You may have noticed I have not done my annual best of the year type post or my expectations and hopes for the new one. Why? 2017 will be the year to complete my 10th year of writing this blog. Will I continue beyond that? I don't know. The absolute truth is, I'm really out of inspiration when it comes to writing. And I'm tired. Pretty bored with many things Disney. 

Sure, there are great stories to be told. For example my 50th year anniversary of Disneyland's Pirates of the Caribbean mega-post begs for completion. So does my piece on California's unbuilt and amazing Westcot - with some pretty rare artwork to go along with the words. (Along with over 200 new pieces I've started but never finished writing!)

I do have one new slice of news to share tomorrow. It should make many of you very happy. I'm very excited, and you'll read it and understand why the blog is still going to be around. Next year's articles will not be as frequent, perhaps it will be something in between regular posting and closing the blog. How's that for commitment? Either way, change is coming. Thanks for reading all these years. May God Bless You and Draw You to Himself in fresh ways. Stay tuned.

(Art copyright The Walt Disney Company.)