Photo Friday: Anaheim, California

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Since school is out and summer is here, you’re no doubt gearing up for a vacation overseas to Europe in time for Olympic madness, or maybe a jaunt to the islands for some R&R at the finest of Honolulu hotels or possibly—and most likely, if you have kids—a visit to Disney World (or Land). Thus, I thought it apt to share with you my own trip to Toontown last year.

I have been to Disney World approximately a bazillion and a half times. Approximately (maybe more). I have only been to Disneyland once, but Land or World, Toontown never fails to draw me in.

It’s like living inside your very own cartoon—or being a character in Who Framed Roger Rabbit, one—and I love the whimsy of it all, from the “downtown” shops to the local gas station to the residential neighborhoods.

Plus, you never know what “celebrities” you’ll run into while roaming around!

I went with my Norwegian friend Ellen, who had never been to Disney at all (I know!) and so we thought it a fitting feat for her 30th birthday. I was happy that she embraced her youth as I do and didn’t think me silly. It would have been pretty embarrassing had I been the only one who wanted to prowl around Mickey’s home!

Mickey and Minnie’s houses were by far my favorite part of the Toontown. Everything from their sleeping quarters—separate, of course; don’t be silly, these righteous mice don’t live in sin—to their kitchens were downright adorable.

(Even Mickey has a gas stove. That’s one of the problems we’ve run into while house-hunting in Tennessee; along with acreage, a garage and hardwood floors, a gas stove is at the top of SVV’s list of requirements.)

You know how everyone has a “dream home” for when they “grow up?” Mickey’s very well might be mine. SVV, what do you think about that?

*****

If Disney is out and, instead, Hawaii is in the cards for your summer travel, consider a stay at the Modern Honolulu.

COMMENTS
  • June 8, 2012

    Gas stove, bent doorways and Pluto? Count me in.

    • June 8, 2012
      Kristin

      Ella and Pluto would complement each other well.

  • June 8, 2012

    Great pictures capturing the essence of toon town…i love how you’ve given it the attention to detail as if it were a ‘real’ town.

    • June 8, 2012
      Kristin

      Wait…it’s not?!

      πŸ˜‰

  • June 8, 2012

    I want you along as my photographer the next time we go to Disney World! You captured the whimsy of Toon Town perfectly – I have never been able to do that!

    • June 8, 2012
      Kristin

      Done! I would welcome any excuse to go back to the parks. I guess I’ll always be a (big) kid at heart… =)

  • June 8, 2012

    The real question should be how you were able to have ToonTown all to yourself. Where are all the other people, besides yourself? We will be at Disneyland this week, and I will see if I manage to get even one photo without someone else’s kids running through the frame. πŸ™‚

    • June 8, 2012
      Kristin

      True! I meant to comment on that actually: We were there the Sunday and Monday of MLK weekend–70s and beautiful in January–and it was surprisingly not packed. In fact, other than the Toy Story ride, we never had to wait in line for more than 20 minutes for any attraction! Our week for our timeshare in Orlando is the end of June, so I’m used to 90-minute waits being the norm.

  • June 8, 2012

    I have been to DisneyLAND 8 zillion times and DisneyWORLD only once, but love them both too. And there’s nothing more fun than taking someone for THEIR VERY FIRST TIME to Disney. I love that.

    • June 10, 2012
      Kristin

      Agreed! I will love Disney until the day I die. Though someone just informed me that World took out Toontown, and that makes me very sad! Can’t wait to go back to Land for the new Cars attraction!

  • June 8, 2012

    HA – exact opposite for us – visited D-Land in California daily when lived 6
    miles away but only have been to Disneyworld ONCE!! Always main street
    is my favorite place to walk in the whole world – makes me very happy! W.C.C.

    • June 10, 2012
      Kristin

      Lucky duck! We had season passes to World when I was a child, as my parents’ condo is in Lake Buena Vista just a couple miles from the park, but we had to drive ELEVEN hours every time we wanted to go down!

  • June 9, 2012

    The houses are my favorite part, too! Great pics and how fun to share in someone’s first Disney visit.

    • June 10, 2012
      Kristin

      That’s going to be my new life goal: Introducing all my “non-believer” friends to Disney and being their escorts for the first time. Thanks for planting that seed of an idea =)

  • June 9, 2012

    Love all your photographs as usual! I was SO bummed when I read that they closed ToonTown in Disney World earlier this year. I read that they’re constructing some sort of Dumbo inspired area in it’s place …. πŸ™ We have a goal to to take Mayhem to DisneyWorld in early December this year and I can’t believe she won’t be able to check out Mickey and Minnie’s houses. Oh well, progress, right???
    PS- Maybe you can find out if one of those houses is for sale and bring it up to TN πŸ˜‰

    • June 10, 2012
      Kristin

      That just makes me sad–I haven’t been to World since 2009, so I had no idea! Maybe the Dumbo land will be awesome, though. Just start her watching the movie now =)

  • June 10, 2012

    I would certainly feel like a cartoon character walking around those streets! Looks like a fun place to spend the afternoon.

    • June 10, 2012
      Kristin

      I think my dream job would be voicing a cartoon character in a Disney movie. Hey, a girl can dream, right?!

  • June 10, 2012

    My kids get mad when I try and take them to ToonTown nowadays. They’re just too cool for that place. Obviously I need to wait until they’re in their early 20’s like you for them to start enjoying it again.

    • June 10, 2012
      Kristin

      Ha! I’m 29 and I still love every part of Disney–then again, I have since I was a kid, so maybe it’s just something you’re born with =)

  • June 10, 2012

    Disney (land or world) is not my kind of place, but Mickey’s house looks AWESOME! It’s actually making me rethink whether I should change my mind!

    • June 12, 2012
      Kristin

      I’ll meet you there sometime when we’re both in the LA area and will help you change your tune =)

  • June 11, 2012

    I never been in Disneyland and never had desire to visit it, but Toontown is something…may be I will need to change my opinion and take a visit there πŸ™‚

    • June 12, 2012
      Kristin

      As a tried-and-true Disney fan, I don’t understand this! I think you should check it out anyway πŸ˜‰

  • June 11, 2012

    So much sun in these pictures! Looks like you had a great time!

    • June 12, 2012
      Kristin

      So much sun AND it was early January! Gotta love Southern California.

  • June 11, 2012

    I am going to Disneyland Paris in a few weeks, and this just got me so excited!!

    • June 12, 2012
      Kristin

      Oooh can I come with you? I’ve never been to any of the international Disneys, and you don’t know how hard it was to skip the parks in Hong Kong and Tokyo when I was there last November! If we’d had more than just three days in each place, I totally would have sacrificed an afternoon =)

  • June 11, 2012

    In our house, a gas stove is more important than a dishwasher. Of course D’s the cook and I don’t mind cleaning, but still. I completely understand where SVV is coming from!

    • June 12, 2012
      Kristin

      Sounds about like us: He cooks, I clean =)

  • June 11, 2012

    I’ve only been to Disneyland once (when I was like 7) and have never been to Toontown. I never really got into Disney movies, though, so I think this would sort of go over my head…..?

    • June 12, 2012
      Kristin

      There’s absolutely nothing about Toontown that would be over your head, trust me! It’s all Mickey, Minnie, Goofy, Daisy, Donald and Pluto–nothing to do with the princess movies, et al (those are in other lands). And I will pretend you did not just make that startling confession, too =)

  • June 11, 2012

    Such cute pics, love your dress!

    • June 12, 2012
      Kristin

      Thanks! It’s one of my Bonnaroo dresses I got at Target about six years ago. It has held up well =)

  • June 13, 2012

    I am 110% pro celebrating turning 30 with fun and youthful activities. For Andrew’s 30th, we went to Orlando and did the Wonderful Wizarding World of Harry Potter. It was amazing!

    • June 14, 2012
      Kristin

      And just like that, you’ve given me a top contender for where I’ll spend my 30th birthday in February. When WWoHP first opened, my mom, sis and I drove 11 hours (each way) just for the weekend to sample the butterbeer! YUM.

  • June 15, 2012

    Is it weird to say I love the architecture?

  • June 19, 2012

    Wonderful photos! You will have to go back soon and visit the new Cars Land!

    • June 19, 2012
      Kristin

      I am dying to! I’ve read all the media about it in the week since it opened and am trying to figure out an “excuse” to just show up in Anaheim once more =)

  • June 30, 2012

    I like it! :))

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