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.
Gas stove, bent doorways and Pluto? Count me in.
Ella and Pluto would complement each other well.
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.
Wait…it’s not?!
😉
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!
Done! I would welcome any excuse to go back to the parks. I guess I’ll always be a (big) kid at heart… =)
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. 🙂
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.
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.
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!
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.
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!
The houses are my favorite part, too! Great pics and how fun to share in someone’s first Disney visit.
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 =)
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 …. 🙁 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 😉
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 =)
I would certainly feel like a cartoon character walking around those streets! Looks like a fun place to spend the afternoon.
I think my dream job would be voicing a cartoon character in a Disney movie. Hey, a girl can dream, right?!
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.
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 =)
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!
I’ll meet you there sometime when we’re both in the LA area and will help you change your tune =)
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 🙂
As a tried-and-true Disney fan, I don’t understand this! I think you should check it out anyway 😉
So much sun in these pictures! Looks like you had a great time!
So much sun AND it was early January! Gotta love Southern California.
I am going to Disneyland Paris in a few weeks, and this just got me so excited!!
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 =)
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!
Sounds about like us: He cooks, I clean =)
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…..?
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 =)
Such cute pics, love your dress!
Thanks! It’s one of my Bonnaroo dresses I got at Target about six years ago. It has held up well =)
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!
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.
Is it weird to say I love the architecture?
Wonderful photos! You will have to go back soon and visit the new Cars Land!
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 =)
I like it! :))