Lazing Around Town Square

Inbetween booking my forthcoming WDW holiday (September can't come quick enough!) and surfing around the many Disney blogs I've been catching up on (my Daily Disney Fixes to the right have been updated - check out all the fellow bloggers!), I want to spend some time looking around Parc Disneyland's Town Square. Unfortunately (or fortunately, whichever way you look at it) I've spent the last day-and-a-half off work with a bit of an illness - this, however, has allowed me to really dig deep into my photo collection to try and find some of the best shots for you all!

As you can see from the scan of the Town Square portion of the map, City Hall is on the left next to the Storybook Store as you enter Main Street USA and the Main Street Transportation Co., along with Bixby Brothers (from an earlier post) on the right.

Walking around the Town Square, you really feel like you've left rural France and entered a turn of the century American town. It's one of those places that I just love to walk around and explore.

Take this, for example, the depth and detail of the Ribbon & Bows shop, next to Bixby Brothers. There's plenty to see, just by looking at this one building. I know that pale people are a group that society generally forget about, but here you can find Dr. Johnson's Pink Pills for Pale People! I know I purchased some while I was there (well, I am Scottish - we don't get a lot of sun here...). And if you're looking for a barber's shop, but don't fancy Dapper Dan's, you can head to Harmony Barbers. They do give the closest shaves on Main Street, after all...

Oh and window lovers, you're in for a treat - another window! The photo, unfortunately, isn't great quality, but it shows "Degelmann, Janier, Kanally Efficiency Experts". This window is - as far as I can see - dedicated to Thor Degelmann (who was EuroDisney's Personnel Director) and David Kanally (Director of Disney University in Paris for 4 years). I can't seem to find who Janier is, though, but I'm guessing he helped with the Cast Members of the park - perhaps in the training or the hiring.

Turning round from Ribbons & Bows, you can find Town Square Photography, for all your camera needs, and just off the right of the picture is the entrance to Discovery Arcade. Parc Disneyland has two Arcades on either side of Main Street USA, behind the shops - Liberty Arcade and Discovery Arcade. These Arcades provide shortcuts - great when a parade is on and you want to leave the park early! - and some shelter, with plenty of chairs and tables inside for a rest. As you may be able to guess, Liberty Arcade has an exhibition commemorating the Statue of Liberty, including a small movie on the historical monument; while Discovery Arcade highlights the 'golden age of invention', commemorating some of the great inventors of our time.

Behind all this and across Town Square itself is the beautiful entrance to the Disneyland Railroad, the Main Street Station. Just as enchanting in nighttime as it is during the day. And the view from it is marvellous - especially during the Christmas Festivities.