Forever Magical
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The whole Operation: Mickey Package
Click here for a much larger version of this picture

When Disneyland announced Operation: M.I.C.K.E.Y. I was intrigued by the logo artwork. It was an image from a screensaver I downloaded from Disney.com. I really enjoyed the screensaver. It features Mickey Mouse in a James Bond style adventure, jumping out of airplanes, peering from behind trash cans with binoculars and keeping in touch with other agents through his secret agent walkie talkie. When I looked back at the Pin Seminar that Kim Petersen wrote about I realized that several of the Mission pins to be included in this set were those same images. I knew I had to have this set. Doobie and I already had plans to stay at the Paradise Pier Hotel that weekend so we made a weekend of it.

An image from the screensaver - (c) Disney

The fun began on Saturday night. We joined some friends for dinner at the new PCH Grill. I say new because they have rolled out a new menu, new tables and the waiters now wear Hawaiian shirts instead of white long-sleeved shirts with ties. The chips are freshly made and have a zesty lemon twist to them. We started out with an order of guacamole and an order of the spinach and artichoke dip. I love their spicy guacamole. Fish tacos were the order of the day…as three people at the table ordered them and devoured them. I had the chicken ravioli which comes with fresh corn niblets in the sauce covering the ravioli. It added a little crunch.

After cleaning our plates it was off to the room in the Paradise Pier Hotel to await the Electrical Parade down below in California Adventure. We had decided to bring along our Playstation and enjoyed playing the Jungle Book: Rhythm and Groove until showtime. We were also able to catch the Disneyland fireworks as the hotel pipes in the music for their hotel guests out by the pool area. Great view! I especially enjoy the way the fireworks reflect off the front of the Sierra tower.

The fireworks reflecting on the Disneyland Hotel's Sierra Tower

Then it was back to the room for more Playstation dancing and the second Electrical Parade. It is so much fun to watch the units travel along the parade route, exit out the large gates by Pizza Ooh Mow Mow, pick up speed as they head towards the parade building, then turn off and disappear into the parade building back stage. One of the drawbacks to viewing it from Paradise Pier is the music. The Baroque Hoedown is the underlying melody of the parade and then each unit has its own variation. When you listen at the hotel - the play the music through the television in the room - you only get that initial tune so it can get really repetitive for the 20 plus minutes as the parade passes below.

Views of Disney's Electrical Parade from the Paradise Pier Hotel

Views of Disney's Electrical Parade from the Paradi