El CapiTOON, Joining the Neighborhood

The last time I visited Disneyland to take photos of Mickey's Toontown and Mickey & Minnie's Runaway Railway, the ride and access to the area were still restricted by virtual queue, so I couldn't just go at the end of the night, wait until everyone had left the area, and snapped empty park shots like normal.  Nevertheless, when I road the ride a second time--strategically timed to occur in the early evening--I brought my camera and tripod to take nighttime photos anyway, even if people would be in the way.  

With the construction walls blocking the rest of Toontown still up, I needed to frame my shots carefully to give the illusion of completeness, and these two photos end up providing a nice angle of the El CapiTOON Theater in context with adjacent Mickey's Toontown structures, showing how beautifully it's integrated into the neighborhood.  The new structure was cut into the original Toontown architecture to serve as the iconic entrance to Disneyland's latest ride, but it looks like it's always been there--a testament to the Imagineering talents and thoughtfulness.  Once the rest of the land opens, I'll be able to take more contextual photos without worrying about construction elements interjecting into the scene.  But for now, enjoy this pair of shots!

The El CapiTOON Theater looks splendid next to the Toontown Post Office.

The updated hilly backgrounds have more depth and texture than the old backdrop!