Let’s have a grand welcome to Larry Delceg! Our newest member of the DLNT crew! He’s going to be helping get us all our photo reports.

This photo report covers DCA, Downtown Disney, and Disneyland. Larry provides images of parades in both parks, updates on the progress in DCA, and colorful shots from our favorite rides and attractions.

The Animation Academy is now displaying a schedule for drawing classes. If a park guest would like to learn how to create a specific Disney character, the time for each lesson is now conveniently displayed on an ‘A Frame’ at the entry.

The Red Car Trolley system will debut on June 15th and the overhead catenary has now been installed above the length of the tracks. High voltage electricity will travel through this catenary to be collected by a pantograph mounted on the roof of each Red Car, providing electricity to the traction motor. This technology not only powered the Trolley system of Los Angeles a century ago, but is also used today to power 200+ mph high speed bullet trains such as France’s TGV.

Overhead catenary in Hollywood Land

Merely a skeleton a year ago, the exterior of the Cathey Circle Theatre is now completed and visible for park guests to admire.

This professional painter was seen skillfully spraying a building on Buena Vista street above the DCA entrance turnstiles. This photo was taken moments before ‘the said photographer’ was ‘busted’ by a cast member and instructed that photos of visible construction workers were not permitted. The next day, the painting of the building and the trim was competed.

With a prolific daily schedule in Condor Flats, ‘Minnie’s Fly Girls’ are already performing a new routine.

The new Downtown Disney Lego Store is now on display for park guests and Anaheim residents to enjoy. An enormous model of a dragon most likely named ‘Murphy’ adorns the exterior – a new ‘must see’ stop for any Disneyland visitor.

Replicas of Buzz and Woody are among the impressive models displayed on the exterior of the new Lego store.

Although beautiful on the inside, the southern exterior wall of the Hyperion Theatre has always been thematically lacking. Currently being remedied, a new wall is under construction which will create an indoor lobby for the stairway and escalators. There is little doubt that the new wall will be themed with exceptional artistry and craftsmanship comparable to other new DCA renovations.

Since the opening of DCA, the front entry of Taste Pilots Grill has proudly displayed a replica of the rocket-jet ‘ X-1’ built by Bell Aircraft. Chuck Yeager made history when he piloted this experimental aircraft “Glamorous Glennis” and broke the sound barrier in 1947. In recognition of this accomplishment, Condor Flats was built to represent the proving ground at Edwards Air force Base and California’s significant contributions to aviation. The replica of the X-1 has recently been removed to be consistent with DCA’s new theme – an era before the sound barrier was broken. It will be interesting to see if a 1930’s vintage aircraft will be installed to replace it.

Fans of ‘Turtle Time with Crush’ know that the only seating in the pre-show vestibule has been the floor. Recently several ‘totally awesome’ couches have been added. These new couches are similar in design to the new couches located in the Animation Academy’s central foyer. Although still inadequate in quantity, this addition is clearly appreciated by Crush’s visitors. Dude!

Appearing periodically in front of the Hyperion Theatre, Monsters Inc. Mayhem is a live performance street show which provides the opportunity for DCA guests to meet their favorite monsters as well as provide electricity for Monstropolis.

An especially abundant quantity of wildlife can be found in Disneyland this spring.

May flowers are now in full bloom.

Soundsational pre-parade

One of the best Disneyland parades ever, Soundsational is scheduled to continue throughout this spring and summer.

Phenomenal attention to detail can be seen in the craftsmanship of the costumes created for Soundsational.

Hertz for Toddlers

Snowy Oasis in May

Silly Symphony of Swings is one vantage point to catch a quick overview of the current state of construction underway at DCA. However, it is easy to be distracted by the fact that “I can fly!”

Future in the Forest

Lift off!

California Scream’in is the only attraction in DCA which provides a view of construction underway… while inverted.

SR-91 at rush hour…

The ‘Finding Nemo’ submarine ‘Explorer’ was seen penetrating the back side of water and descending into the lagoon below. All passengers survived.

‘Wildest Ride in the Wilderness’ near dusk

Egress of the Mark Twain during ‘Fantasmic’, moments before traveling off stage – into the darkness of the west side of the Rivers of America.

A peaceful and quiet view from the ‘Mickey & Friends’ parking structure – as cast members prepare the parks for another day.

Thanks for reading!

John Lastrapes Jr.