Kenversations: Expanding Holiday Season at Disneyland Park - Mar 23, 2006

Kenversations: Expanding Holiday Season at Disneyland Park
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Deck the Halls is presented as a walk around Disneyland Park. It starts with the only content on the DVD shot in daylight – the carolers singing in front of the Main Street train station, captured with a steady pan. Next comes the Christmas tree lighting ceremony, just long enough to catch the moment of the lighting itself. From there, the video details the exterior of Small World, both with the normal nighttime holiday look, and with the façade projections and music that would usually accompany the pyro show, though this portion seems to have caught the cameraperson off-guard and is underway when the shot begins. Next comes New Orleans Square, with both stationary and walking shots, then a stationary shot of Sleeping Beauty Castle, and then the shops exteriors and Christmas tree on Main Street. Ten and a half minutes of video are featured in this section.

Christmas Fantasy Parade is captured with a steady, stationary shot, positioned along the parade route near the Bank of Main Street. It is a good angle to capture the parade as it travels from Town Square north to the Small World area. This selection is over twenty-one minutes.

Small World Holiday starts with a brief exterior shot before taking the audience on a ride-through that lasts twelve minutes. Fade transitions are used to avoid dizzying back-and-forth movements, as the show is presented on both sides of the audience's forward motion. This selection ends with an exterior shot of the attraction.

Haunted Mansion Holiday is short on the exterior show, but is extensive and creative in covering the interior show. The Corey Burton narration must gave been mixed in, as it is presented in its entirety and is clear. That, along with the timing and editing, makes this the highlight of the DVD. Most, if not all, of Leota's holiday incantation is presented, and the cast member in the stretching room appears to be the legendary Maynard. This selection lasts thirteen and a half minutes.

Each selection is conveniently, invisibly divided into chapters for easy fast-forwarding. With almost everything shot at night, the viewer is treated to the full benefit of the holiday lighting. Everything except the Haunted Mansion features ambient noise, so you get a feel for what it is really like to be there in person – except you don't have to fight the crowds, and you can pop your own popcorn for cheap.

This is one of those DVDs that are helpful when you don't want to concentrate on filming yourself, and would rather use your own camera to capture your family members on video, turning it off to enjoy the shows and attractions yourself. If you are a fan of the Christmas Fantasy Parade, or the holiday version of It's a Small World or the Haunted Mansion, or the holiday season in general at Disneyland Park this is a good DVD to have.

It's March, but the DVD took me to the holidays.

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-- Ken Pellman

Ken Pellman is a Public Information Officer, freelance writer, and media critic who lives with his wife in Anaheim, California. He is a Disneyland Annual Passholder and a Disney shareholder. Ken can be reached directly at Kenversations[at]flash[dot]net or at http://www.Pellman.net, where you can learn more about him.

The views, opinions and comments of Ken Pellman, and all of our columnists and reviewers, are not necessarily those of LaughingPlace.com or any of its employees or advertisers. All speculation and rumors about the future of the Walt Disney Company are just that - speculation and rumors - and should be treated as such.

--Posted March  23, 2006
Text ©2006 Ken Pellman, all rights reserved. Images ©2005 by various owners. Licensed to LaughingPlace.com.

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