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Disneyland - 2007

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• 2012 - introducing the DCA Red Cars
• 2013 - a truncated trip
• Disneyland Books
• Return to Park Trains and Tourist Trains

We visited Disneyland in July, 2007. The temperatures were not as warm as they had been in 2006.

Disneyland locomotive 1, CK Holliday, rolls into New Orleans Square Station. July, 2007.

We saw and rode behind Disneyland Railroad locomotives 1, 2, 3, and 5. 1 (CK Holliday) and 2 (EP Ripley) are 4-4-0s, built in 1955 by Disney's WED Enterprises in the Burbank studios.

Disneyland locomotive 1, waits for a green signal at New Orleans Square Station. Note the two jump seats on the tender. July, 2007.

The steam dome, sand dome, and balloon stack of Disneyland locomotive 1 at New Orleans Square Station. July, 2007.

Disneyland locomotive 2, EP Ripley, crosses the Critter Country trestle. July, 2007.

Disneyland locomotive 2, EP Ripley, waits at Main Street Station. July, 2007.

The steam dome, sand dome, and balloon stack of Disneyland locomotive 2 at New Orleans Square Station. July, 2007.

The sign at the Tomorrowland train station. July, 2007.

Disneyland locomotive 2 arrives at Tomorrowland Station. July, 2007.

Car 405, which has a section for handicapped riders, leaves Tomorrowland Station. July, 2007.

3 (Fred Gurley) is a Baldwin locomotive, built in 1895 as an 0-4-4 and converted by Disney to a 2-4-4T in 1958. We did not see 4 (Ernest S Marsh), a Baldwin locomotive, built in 1925 as an 0-4-0, and converted by Disney to a 2-4-0 in 1959.

Disneyland locomotive 5, Ward Kimball, rolls into New Orleans Square Station. July, 2007.

Number 5, the Ward Kimball, premiered at Disneyland on 25-June-2005, but we did not see it in operation until this year. Ward Kimball, who passed away in 2002, was a Disney animator and railfan. He designed the gold Jiminy Crickets on the sides of the headlight. Number 5, a 2-4-4T, was built by Baldwin in 1902 as an 0-4-4T for a plantation railroad in Louisiana. This was Disneyland's first new locomotive since 1959. Disney acquired Number 5 in a trade with Cedar Point, an amusement park in Ohio, where it had operated as Number 1, the Maud L, from 1963 to the early 1990's. Cedar Point had added the leading pony truck. In return for Maud L, Cedar Point received the first Ward Kimball, a Davenport 2-4-4T which Disney had intended to operate on the Disneyland Railroad, but which proved to be too heavy for the bridge at Critter Country. The locomotive went to Walt Disney World in Florida, where it proved to be too light (!). The new Ward Kimball sat in storage until 2004, when restoration began at Boschan Boiler & Restorations.

Another view of Disneyland locomotive 5, Ward Kimball, rolling into New Orleans Square Station. July, 2007.

One more view of Disneyland locomotive 5, Ward Kimball, rolling into New Orleans Square Station. July, 2007.

The steam dome, sand dome, and cap stack of Disneyland locomotive 5 at New Orleans Square Station. July, 2007.

A detail view of the headlight Disneyland locomotive 5 at New Orleans Square Station, showing the outline of Jiminy Cricket, who was designed by animator Ward Kimball. July, 2007.

For some reason, the engineer of Disneyland locomotive 5 is taking water at New Orleans Square Station. Normally, the fireman would do it. July, 2007.

Disneyland locomotive 5 was pulling the train with private car Lilly Belle. July, 2007.

Disneyland locomotive 5, Ward Kimball, crosses the Critter Country trestle. July, 2007.

Disneyland Railroad water tank at New Orleans Square Station. July, 2007.

Disneyland Railroad locomotives blow down into this vent at New Orleans Square Station. The blow down operation uses steam to clear sediment from the boiler. July, 2007.

A new sign at New Orleans Square Station gives train frequency and safety instructions. July, 2007.

horse car 2 approaches the Plaza. July, 2007.

We saw and rode behind horse car Numbers 1 and 2. This year I noticed that one horse car would usually wait at the station while the other car left the Plaza and ran down Main Street. The car at the station would leave when the other car entered the loop. In the past, the cars would leave from each end at the same time and meet at the passing loop. I saw the cars do that a few times this year.

A sign at the station advertises horse car rides to the Plaza. July, 2007.

A new sign at the station gives safety information about the horse cars. The same sign hangs on a pole at the Plaza. The kids in the background are rehearsing for the flag retreat. July, 2007.

A sign at the Plaza advertises horse car rides to the Station. July, 2007.

A Belgian horse waits by the Station with horse car 1. July, 2007.

Another view of the Belgian horse with horse car 1. July, 2007.

horse car 2 approaches the switch at the throat of the loop in front of the Station. July, 2007.

Another view of horse car 2 approaching the switch at the throat of the loop in front of the Station. July, 2007.

horse car 1 turns into Main Street from the Station. July, 2007.

horse car 1 continues up Main Street from the Station. July, 2007.

horse car 2 at the Station. July, 2007.

Another view of horse car 2 at the Station. July, 2007.

horse car 2 leaves the loop at the Plaza and enters Main Street. July, 2007.

horse car 2 continues down Main Street towards the Station. July, 2007.

Horse King pulls horse car 1 around the loop at the Plaza. July, 2007.

An on-board view as horse King pulls horse car 1 around the loop at the Plaza. July, 2007.

Horse King waits with horse car 1 at the Station. July, 2007.

Another view of horse King waiting with horse car 1 at the Station. July, 2007.

The Mark Twain is nice and shiny after a thorough renovation during the winter. July, 2007.

The Mark Twain was out of service during most of the off-season for renovation. Apparently, they found a lot of dry rot.

Another view of the Mark Twain. July, 2007.

A late afternoon view of the Mark Twain. July, 2007.

This sign advertises rides aboard the Mark Twain. My daughter pointed out that Mickey Mouse is standing near the bow. July, 2007.

The big ballyhoo this year was for the new Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage. July, 2007.

The submarine ride, which had been closed since 1998, was replaced by the new Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage, which was the source of endless promotion in print and television ads. The result of all this ballyhoo was four-hour lines when the ride first opened. When the park opened, we saw hordes of people running for the ride when the park opened. Disney cast members spent much of their time asking people not to run.

This large sign at the Plaza lists wait times and operating statuses for various attractions. The Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage wait was only 90 minutes that afternoon. July, 2007.

The entrance of the new Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage, beneath the Tomorrowland monorail station. July, 2007.

We rode the attraction once, on an early admission morning. The subs are no longer Diesel-powered, so the distinctive smell is gone. Characters from the movie Finding Nemo were incorporated with features of the old attraction. There were several projections used, but they had one flaw. We sat in the last seats, by the stern, and noticed that the characters in the projections often disappeared before the sub had finished going by. It was worth riding once.

A parade of submarines sets sail during early admission on the new Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage. July, 2007.

Monorail Red was wrapped in yellow to promote the new Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage. July, 2007.

Monorails Purple and Red were operating while we were there. Monorail Red was wrapped in yellow to promote the new Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage. It was referred to at times as Monorail Nemo or the Nemorail.

The center of Monorail Red, wrapped yellow to promote the new Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage, as it entered the Downtown Disney Station. July, 2007.

A view from below of Monorail Red. July, 2007.

Monorail Red passes through Fantasyland. July, 2007.

Monorail Red passes parade-watchers near It's a Small World. July, 2007.

Monorail Purple waits at Tomorrowland Station. July, 2007.

A view of the track out of Downtown Disney Station from the nose of Monorail Purple. July, 2007.

We had our first ride in the nose compartment of a monorail. It was cool.

A view of the crowd waiting at the main gate from the nose of Monorail Purple. July, 2007.

A view of the switch leading to the carhouse from the nose of Monorail Purple. July, 2007.

A view of the approach to Tomorrowland Station from the nose of Monorail Purple. July, 2007.

Entering Tomorrowland Station, seen from the nose of Monorail Purple. The abandoned People Mover/Rocket Rods track is to the right. July, 2007.

A sign outside of the Downtown Disney Station advises that the monorails will be shut down during the fireworks. This was a new practice in 2007. July, 2007.

Both the monorails and the trains were shut down during the nightly fireworks. I suppose this was to limit liability, but I don't think it was a good idea. We were very unhappy to find the train stopped at New Orleans Square one night around 9. The crew said no would be allowed aboard until "about 10".

Two of these fake walking beam locomotives decorate the vicinity of Big Thunder Mountain. July, 2007.

I can't find an older picture of this tunnel between Big Thunder Mountain and the Rivers of America, but I think it used to have a trestle in front of it. This was apparently destroyed by a falling tree. July, 2007.

I had never taken a photograph in a restroom before, but I was fascinated to find this one and others like it in all the restrooms I visited this year. I thought I knew how to wash my hands... July, 2007.

In Toontown, the Jolley Trolley was still out of service. Car 1 was on static display on the passing loop. The fire truck and the handle on the detonator in front of the fireworks factory, which were missing last year, were both back.

Pirates were last year's major theme, with the opening of the remodeled Pirates of the Caribbean and the second movie based on the attraction. The third movie had opened this year. The ride broke down less frequently. Tom Sawyer's Island has been renamed Pirate's Lair on Tom Sawyer's Island. References to Tom Sawyer and Mark Twain are almost gone. A flier we received on the raft over included a quote about pirates from the book. Captain Jack Sparrow now poses for photos on the island.

My wife was sad to see that Fort Wilderness has been demolished, except for one wall and the new restrooms.

Shortly after our visit, I finished reading Neal Gabler's book Walt Disney/The Triumph of the American Imagination. The book is worth reading. I reviewed it on my blog: Book: Walt Disney/The Triumph of the American Imagination.