Christmas Eve 2014 At Disneyland

"A merry Christmas to everybody! A happy New Year to all the world!" -- Charles Dickens

Post-Parade Activities (Page Three)

Christmas Eve 2014 at Disneyland with family and friends

Christmas is a time for cherishing those who bring so many blessings to our lives. May your heart feel that love this Christmas and throughout the New Year ahead.

Christmas Eve 2014 at Disneyland with family and friends
Let's take the train to Main Street

Christmas Eve 2014 at Disneyland with family and friends
We waited at the Toon Town Station

Christmas Eve 2014 at Disneyland with family and friends
We are next

Christmas Eve 2014 at Disneyland with family and friends
Hey... It's a steam locomotive and often needs water

Christmas Eve 2014 at Disneyland with family and friends
Here it comes and Paul has the iPhone ready (Courtesy of Bob)

Christmas Eve 2014 at Disneyland with family and friends
Here it comes

Did You Know? - As of 2007, each Disneyland Railroad locomotive has been converted to burn B98 biodiesel which burns cleaner than traditional coal, wood, or heavy "Bunker C" oil normally used on oil burning steam locomotives. Disneyland then began recycling its own cooking oil into biodiesel, further reducing fuel costs.

The locomotives are fueled by biodiesel blended primarily from used cooking oils drained from Disneyland kitchen fryers then filtered and blended with enough soy based fuel to supply operation, giving credence to guests being able to smell french fries in the tunnels.

Christmas Eve 2014 at Disneyland with family and friends
Closer and closer

Did You Know? - The Disneyland Railroad (DLRR), originally the Santa Fe & Disneyland Railroad (SF & DLRR), is a 3 ft (914 mm) narrow gauge railroad at Disneyland, Anaheim, California, United States, that was inaugurated on the park's live television preview on July 17, 1955.

This live steam railway was constructed for $240,000; the two original locomotives cost $40,000 each.

Riders use it as transportation to other areas of the park or simply for the experience of the "Grand Circle Tour". The Main Street railroad station is situated at the entrance of Disneyland.

Amazing! We Were Invited To Go On The Lillybelle Car

Christmas Eve 2014 at Disneyland with family and friends
Sitting down carefully

Did You Know? - Presidential Parlor Car: The Lilly Belle

In 1974 the Retlaw (Walter spelled backwards) 1 was retired and placed in storage within the Disneyland roundhouse. Disneyland Transportation Superintendent Ken Kohler realized the need to have a special train car where VIP guests and associates could be given tours of the park in a private, secure setting.

Retlaw's president, Bill Cottrell agreed with Kohler and within two years the observation car 'Grand Canyon' was carefully transformed into the Disneyland Railroad Presidential Parlor Car.

Lillian Disney was highly influential with the design of the interior and thus the coach was named for her, the 'Lilly Belle'.

Numerous family photos and select memorabilia were placed within the car and little has changed from that day. Most of the memorabilia has been removed, but the car retains all of it's charm and wonderful ambiance.

One of the Lilly Belle's first guest was Japanese Emperor Hirohito and his wife, Empress Nagako.

Christmas Eve 2014 at Disneyland with family and friends
What a pleasant surprise

Christmas Eve 2014 at Disneyland with family and friends
It is always pulled by the C. K. Holiday locomotive

Christmas Eve 2014 at Disneyland with family and friends
We were treated to the ride by Adrian

Christmas Eve 2014 at Disneyland with family and friends
He has been on the train for two years... Nice representative of Disney

Christmas Eve 2014 at Disneyland with family and friends
We are really enjoying the ride

Christmas Eve 2014 at Disneyland with family and friends
Jan and Brian looking very presidential

Did You Know? - No. #106 Lilly Belle is not a presidential coach; but its first official passenger was Japanese Emperor Hirohito. It is usually added at the end of a holiday train.

On rainy days the car is uncoupled to remain in the carbarn to avoid guests spoiling the carpet with their wet shoes, as well as to avoid spoiling the paintwork.

Members of Club 33 are permitted to ride unescorted aboard the Lilly Belle with their guests at any time, other guests must be escorted by a Disneyland cast member. During the Year of a Million Dreams promotion, random guests were chosen to experience a Grand Circle journey from Main Street aboard the Lilly Belle.

Patient guests could inquire with the Main Street stationmaster about experiencing a journey aboard the Lilly Belle, there were up to 4 Lilly Belle excursions each operating day. In March 2014, the coach was restricted to Club 33 members, VIP tours, and celebrities. No reason was given.

Christmas Eve 2014 at Disneyland with family and friends
A real treat!

Christmas Eve 2014 at Disneyland with family and friends
Thank you Lillian and Walt

Christmas Eve 2014 at Disneyland with family and friends
We were the last car on the train

Christmas Eve 2014 at Disneyland with family and friends
Inside the diorama

Did You Know? - The 1958 addition of the Grand Canyon diorama painted by artist Delmer J. Yoakum necessitated a change in the rolling stock as well; instead of facing forward, the new flatcars' benches now faced right so that the passengers could better enjoy the scenes.

The diorama, which includes taxidermic animals (the only ones in the park) in lifelike poses, is the longest in the world. Painted on a single piece of seamless canvas and representing the view from the canyon's south rim, the rear of the diorama measures 306 feet (93 m) long, 34 feet (10 m) high and is covered with 300 gallons (1,100 L) of paint in 14 colors.

Animals that are included in the diorama include mule deer, mountain lion, desert bighorn sheep, golden eagle, wild turkeys, striped skunk and porcupine.

A 96-year-old Hopi chief, Chief Nevangnewa, blessed the trains on the diorama's opening day. The cost was US$367,000, and it took 80,000 labor hours to construct. The main theme of Ferde Grofé's "On The Trail," the third movement from his Grand Canyon Suite, is piped in through the train's sound system as it enters the diorama.

Christmas Eve 2014 at Disneyland with family and friends   Christmas Eve 2014 at Disneyland with family and friends   Christmas Eve 2014 at Disneyland with family and friends

Christmas Eve 2014 at Disneyland with family and friends
It was exciting to ride the car

Christmas Eve 2014 at Disneyland with family and friends
The stained glass did a job but still... We were there

Christmas Eve 2014 at Disneyland with family and friends
On the back of the train

May your heart and home be filled with all of the joys the season brings. Merry Christmas and a wonderful New Year!

Christmas Eve 2014 at Disneyland with family and friends

Christmas Eve 2014 at Disneyland with family and friends
We had a front row seat

Christmas Eve 2014 at Disneyland with family and friends
Where is the blue?

Christmas Eve 2014 at Disneyland with family and friends
How do they do it??

Christmas Eve 2014 at Disneyland with family and friends
Looking sharp (Courtesy of Bob)

Christmas Eve 2014 at Disneyland with family and friends
The Dapper Dan's arrive

Did You Know? - While the group usually performs as a quartet, they actually have up to twelve singers at each park, plus occasional substitutes. This allows them to have multiple quartets performing separately or to combine and form a larger ensemble. Membership has changed over the years as various singers have retired or died and new ones have been brought in to succeed them. Several of the Dapper Dans are members of the Barbershop Harmony Society.

Christmas Eve 2014 at Disneyland with family and friends
Great sounds

Christmas Eve 2014 at Disneyland with family and friends
It is an impressive ceremony

Christmas Eve 2014 at Disneyland with family and friends
With military precision

Christmas Eve 2014 at Disneyland with family and friends
Bob had an interesting perspective (Courtesy of Bob)

Christmas Eve 2014 at Disneyland with family and friends
Doing it right

Christmas Eve 2014 at Disneyland with family and friends
A love song to America... "America The Beautiful"

Christmas Eve 2014 at Disneyland with family and friends
"OK Mom and Dad... Time to eat?"

Christmas Eve 2014 at Disneyland with family and friends
It is 4:30... Time to head for Catal

Christmas Eve 2014 at Disneyland with family and friends
See you again about 8:00 for fireworks (Courtesy of Bob)

Christmas Eve 2014 at Disneyland with family and friends

Christmas Eve 2014 at Disneyland with family and friends
Ol' Faithful

Christmas Eve 2014 at Disneyland with family and friends
It is a merry place indeed

Christmas is not a time nor season, but a state of mind. To cherish peace and kindness, to be plenteous in mercy, is to have the real spirit of Christmas.

Christmas Eve 2014 at Disneyland with family and friends
We have arrived

Christmas Eve 2014 at Disneyland with family and friends
Table for eight... Under the heaters... Where is Greg?

Christmas Eve 2014 at Disneyland with family and friends
The man of the hour

Christmas Eve 2014 at Disneyland with family and friends
Greg had his knee replace six days earlier!

Did You Know? - Knee replacement, or knee arthroplasty, is a surgical procedure to replace the weight-bearing surfaces of the knee joint to relieve pain and disability. It is most commonly performed for osteoarthritis, and also for other knee diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis and psoriatic arthritis. In patients with severe deformity from advanced rheumatoid arthritis, trauma, or long-standing osteoarthritis, the surgery may be more complicated and carry higher risk. Osteoporosis does not typically cause knee pain, deformity, or inflammation and is not a reason to perform knee replacement.

Knee replacement surgery can be performed as a partial or a total knee replacement. In general, the surgery consists of replacing the diseased or damaged joint surfaces of the knee with metal and plastic components shaped to allow continued motion of the knee.

The operation typically involves substantial postoperative pain, and includes vigorous physical rehabilitation. The recovery period may be 6 weeks or longer and may involve the use of mobility aids (e.g. walking frames, canes, crutches) to enable the patient's return to preoperative mobility.

Christmas Eve 2014 at Disneyland with family and friends
Time for some bubbly

Christmas Eve 2014 at Disneyland with family and friends
Greg tries some pain killer ... It's called a Gin Martini

Christmas Eve 2014 at Disneyland with family and friends
Do we hear a wee bit of Shakespeare emanating from his mouth??

Christmas Eve 2014 at Disneyland with family and friends
Pondering is underway

Christmas Eve 2014 at Disneyland with family and friends

Christmas Eve 2014 at Disneyland with family and friends
"We are ready"

Christmas Eve 2014 at Disneyland with family and friends
Bob and Greg

Christmas Eve 2014 at Disneyland with family and friends
Laid back... Still thinking about where the car is

Christmas Eve 2014 at Disneyland with family and friends
Paul must be smuggling bowling balls in his sweatshirt

Christmas Eve 2014 at Disneyland with family and friends
Yummy

Christmas Eve 2014 at Disneyland with family and friends
Good night sweet prince

Christmas Eve 2014 at Disneyland with family and friends
"I might as well finish my wine"

Christmas Eve 2014 at Disneyland with family and friends
"They really haul off cars when parked in strange hotels??"

Christmas Eve 2014 at Disneyland with family and friends
Needed.... It is Christmas Eve

Christmas Eve 2014 at Disneyland with family and friends
Relaxing... About time for fireworks

Christmas Eve 2014 at Disneyland with family and friends
Back to Disneyland

Christmas Eve 2014 at Disneyland with family and friends

Christmas Eve 2014 at Disneyland with family and friends
Let's ride the train again

Christmas Eve 2014 at Disneyland with family and friends
People are still coming into the park

Christmas Eve 2014 at Disneyland with family and friends
Tomorrowland passes by

Christmas Eve 2014 at Disneyland with family and friends
We decided to sit on the top of the train station

Christmas Eve 2014 at Disneyland with family and friends

Christmas Eve 2014 at Disneyland with family and friends
It's dark

Christmas Eve 2014 at Disneyland with family and friends
It's light

Christmas Eve 2014 at Disneyland with family and friends
Magnificent

Christmas Eve 2014 at Disneyland with family and friends
Lights up the entire sky

Christmas Eve 2014 at Disneyland with family and friends
The sounds are synchronized with the fireworks

Christmas Eve 2014 at Disneyland with family and friends
Well... After all... It is Christmas

Christmas Eve 2014 at Disneyland with family and friends
Ka-Boom

Christmas Eve 2014 at Disneyland with family and friends   Christmas Eve 2014 at Disneyland with family and friends

Christmas Eve 2014 at Disneyland with family and friends
It's almost Christmas

Christmas Eve 2014 at Disneyland with family and friends
Finale is underway

Christmas Eve 2014 at Disneyland with family and friends
Amazing

Christmas Eve 2014 at Disneyland with family and friends Looks like WWIII

Christmas Eve 2014 at Disneyland with family and friends
Reaching the stars

Christmas Eve 2014 at Disneyland with family and friends
The tree is back on... the show is over

Christmas Eve 2014 at Disneyland with family and friends

Christmas Eve 2014 at Disneyland with family and friends
"Up we go... Floor #2 get ready!"

Christmas Eve 2014 at Disneyland with family and friends
A few hearty souls remain

Christmas Eve 2014 at Disneyland with family and friends
Working hard

Christmas Eve 2014 at Disneyland with family and friends
The Catal tree is beautiful

Christmas Eve 2014 at Disneyland with family and friends
Valerie provided treats to the "Regulars"

Christmas Eve 2014 at Disneyland with family and friends

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