2016, JULY 1: BATTLE OF THE BANDS (Or, PIRATES VERSUS GHOSTS)

When I think of Summer I think of War. War because I've always loved their song 'Summer' (HERE). I dig that line "Kids of all ages diggin' Disneyland". I grew up on the beach in "Dogtown", which you already knew if you read my last blog bit (HERE). But I also used to be a Disneyland junkie.

I purchased my first Disneyland annual pass in 1985 or '86 and it cost less than $100 at that time. Today a one-day admission ticket for an adult is $95 to $119, depending on the day you visit! That's called "Inflation" (you un'erstan' what causes that, right?) and it's called "Disney Greed".

I had an annual pass up until I moved to Arizona in late '92, and oftentimes I'd go to D-Land after getting off work at UCLA around 3 PM, just to spend the evening unwinding at "The Happiest Place On Earth".


However, I still have some of those old D-Land tickets. They're collectors' items now. Did you know that the expression "That's an E-Ticket!" originates with the best, most valuable ticket in an old Disneyland coupon book?

What does all this have to do with 'BATTLE OF THE BANDS' ('BOTB')? Well, we're going to Disneyland for this installment. I'm giving you a Day Pass at the discounted cheaper rate. Send a check or money order for $95 to:
STMcC
Rip-U-Off Vacations
P.O. Box 86
San Quentin State Prison, CA.

Anyone who's been to Disneyland or Disney World has probably gone on the (formerly) E-Ticket Rides 'THE PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN' and 'THE HAUNTED MANSION', both of them located in New Orleans Square.

THE PIRATES ride opened at Disneyland in 1967. These cute gals in cute little pirate outfits with eye-catching blouses... well, never mind. What happens is that you're assisted into a little boat by little pirates and it takes you past fighting pirates and carousing pirates and incarcerated pirates. There are lots of lions and tigers and bears - oh, my!

There's even a little pirate-wannabe dog:

The Countess and I used to go to Disneyland together all the time and the singing pirate below, in the red and white striped pants, we nicknamed him "Van Morrison"...

VAN  MORRISON  PIRATE  IN  THE  MIDDLE

THE  REAL  VAN  MORRISON  ON  THE  LEFT

Another favorite ride within rummy-stumbling distance of THE PIRATES is...

THE HAUNTED MANSION opened in 1969. At the end of this ride your "Doom Buggy" takes you past three hitchhiking ghosts. Right after you pass them, you go down a long hallway of mirrors and find in your reflection that one of the three ghosts has hitched a ride home with you.

The gaunt ghost in the middle looks an awful lot like an old guy who was also a regular at 'The Crest House' (HERE), a cocktail lounge in L.A. that The Countess and I used to frequent. So we nicknamed that patron "Mr. Doom". Mr. Doom always arrived and departed in a taxi cab. I 'spose that cab was his "Doom Buggy".

Mr. Doom, who must have become a ghost many years ago, ALWAYS sat on that last stool at the bar -- the vacant one next to the man in the light blue shirt [below]. The Countess and I always sat in the booth behind Mr. Doom's spot and closest to that famous, magical jukebox which contained so much "E-Ticket Music"! It was THAT  jukebox which made Glenn Miller's [Link-->] 'MOONLIGHT SERENADE' my #1 favorite musical recording, then, now, and forever...

'THE  CREST  HOUSE  LOUNGE':  HOME  OF  THE  COUNTESS,  STMcC,  AND  MR.  DOOM

Alright, let's get on it!...
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Vote for the E-Ticket Ride theme song you like better, and after that, you can even vote for the ride itself that you prefer...

'YO HO (A PIRATE'S LIFE FOR ME)' 

from PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uTelUxYo1WA

'GRIM GRINNING GHOSTS'
from THE HAUNTED MANSION

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0zAPDOYtmj8


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NOTE TO CANADIAN BOTBers:

Debbie found a working video for the song 'GRIM GRINNING GHOSTS'. You can use the link below:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3oZ2FS3NjVA -- 'Grim Grinning Ghosts'

Unfortunately, the video she found for The Pirate's song is from the Disney movie, not the Disneyland attraction. Below are more videos I've found for the song 'Yo Ho (A Pirate's Life For Me)'. Hopefully at least one of these will work for you Canadian participants:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sy-CW0X9V7o 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3A19q7rysLs

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vZ_iu7i7sp0
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Now that you've decided on the theme song, perhaps you wanna vote for one of the two rides? Originally, I conceived this as a Two-Way Battle, in which I would request separate official votes for both song and ride. But then I considered the time investment: you'd need to watch a 15-min and a 12-min video.

Also, although both of these "low-light" videos are pretty exceptional, I felt that many of the wonderful details in 'THE HAUNTED MANSION' do not come across nearly as well in video, so that ride would have been at a distinct disadvantage in a 'BOTR' ('Battle Of The Rides'), unless the voter had experienced the rides in reality and knows them very well.

For example, shortly after entering your "Doom Buggy" in 'The Haunted Mansion', you travel down a hallway with doors on either side. The wooden doors appear to be breathing -- expanding and contracting -- but this is not apparent in the video. Also, the talking Madame Leota in the crystal ball can barely even be discerned in the video.


Madame Leota:

Likewise, you don't get a clear view of "The Hat Box Ghost" weirdness in the full-ride video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MtCXB709l-A

Nevertheless, if you'd like to also cast a voluntary vote for "The Pirates" ride or "The Ghosts" ride, based on the videos below, or based upon your own personal firsthand experience riding them at Disneyland or Disney World, or any other D-Place, I would LOVE to see how you vote. And I will announce the winner of the 'Voluntary E-Ticket Ride Battle' at the same time I announce the 'BOTB' Theme Song winner on July 7th.

'The Pirates Of The Caribbean' 
VIDEO  OF  THE  RIDE   
Click the URL link below 
for a big image in a new window:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1S27oOuros0

'The Haunted Mansion' 
VIDEO  OF  THE  RIDE 
Click the URL link below 
for a big image in a new window:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H709rKA489k

So? Which song do you like better?  Which ride do you like better?

Alright now, “you know the gig”... I welcome you (whoever you are) to vote for your favorite of these songs in the comment section below. And feel free to tell us WHY you chose one song over the other. 

After voting here, I suggest - actually I insist - you pop over to the blogs of the other 'BATTLE OF THE BANDS' participants to see which songs they have chosen and vote there also.

Voice Your Vote...

@ ‘TOSSING IT OUT’ by clicking HERE.
@ ‘YOUR DAILY DOSE’ by clicking HERE.
@ 'MIKE'S RAMBLINGS' by clicking HERE.
@ 'CURIOUS AS A CATHY' by clicking HERE.
@ 'THE SOUND OF ONE HAND TYPING' by clicking HERE.
@ 'DCRELIEF - BATTLE OF THE BANDS' by clicking HERE.
@ 'THE DOGLADY'S DEN' by clicking HERE.
@ 'CHERDO ON THE FLIPSIDE' by clicking HERE. 
@ 'ANGELS BARK' by clicking HERE.
@ 'JINGLE JANGLE JUNGLE' by clicking HERE.
@ 'JANIE JUNEBUG, RIGHTING & EDITING' by clicking HERE.
@ 'J.A. SCOTT' by clicking HERE.
@ 'QUIET LAUGHTER' by clicking HERE. 
@ 'REINVINTAGED' by clicking HERE. 
@ 'EVIL POP TART' by clicking HERE. 

As I've done in the past, I will continue to return to my 'BOTB' blog bits on the 7th and 21st of each month to post my own votes and announce the winners in the comment sections.

~ Stephen T. McCarthy

FUN FACT POSTSCRIPT: I have always had the hots for Tinkerbell, but I have NO IDEA WHY!!