I got (was forced) to sit in on a crazy Disney presentation on customer service once at a Librarian conference and I learned all sorts of things about the details of art in Disneyland and -world. The lamps are just one detail, there are so many little tile murals here and there that almost no one notices. And everything has mickey heads in it. For instance there's a mostly upside-down Mickey head in the center of the bottom of the lit-up lamp pictured above.

My kids and I did something very similar during our frequent trips to Walt Disney World when we lived in Florida, but we looked for the alphabet. http://tinyurl.com/disneyAZ

Disneyland/world used to have the largest all kerosene lamp lighting in the world... before they pussed out, switched to electric and handed the crown over the rightful bad asses at Burning Man.

Lamp Lighters FTW!

There's a lady at my company with a Disneyland fixation. I'm consistently perplexed and mildly creeped out by why apparently well-adjusted adults gravitate to the "magic" of Disney.

I know we all have our interests that don't make sense to others, but just speaking for myself, none of mine involve an elaborate marketing tool that's made to titillate children.

I'm not a Disney fanatic (I've only been to the parks 3 times) but what surprised and pleased me was the beautiful landscaping, architecture, and decoration throughout, and thought it such a shame that most tourists walked right past details that were so gorgeous.

I don't quite get the Disney thing either. And my slight repulsion by all things Disney probably says as much about me as it does about those folks who really love Disney.

Why don't I like Disney? I don't like the way he treated his animators. I was put off by the constant self promotion. Things like "Mickey Mouse, America's most-beloved cartoon character", only he never was.

I never cared for the cartoons, they were too bland and sanitized. Mickey didn't seem to have a personality. But they wouldn't have rubbed me the wrong way if they hadn't been relentlessly promoted as the best and most popular cartoons. I guess that's just the corporate equivalent of one of those self affirmations, like a wannabe prom queen looking in the mirror and saying "I am the most popular girl at school over and over."

A business which promotes itself as a culture and also defines "wholesome" and promotes itself as such, the parks not only are unsatisfying to me, they creep me out. They're the kind of places that have me constantly looking for an exit. Because there is a subtext that if you don't fit in with this kind of wholesome, there is something wrong with you.

I'll take half the blame. They are just theme parks after all. But I'm laying half the blame on the Disney scene.

To its credit, DisneyCo has promoted some amazing design over the years. The handling of crowds in the parks is quite impressive. They can pretty much be credited for bringing back grand resort architecture, and that is a pretty cool thing. But there's plenty sleazy about Disney too.

I just don't understand the passion people have for the parks. I guess I should be happy about it. Disney probably keeps our national parks from being overcrowded. Of course there might not be any overlap. It may be an entirely different demographic: those who prefer their wonder natural as opposed to those who like artificial wonder.

Thank you, the Disney legal team is on its way to sue you for copyright infringement...

"I'm consistently perplexed and mildly creeped out by why apparently well-adjusted adults gravitate to the "magic" of Disney."

@JFLEX - Clearly you have never celebrated New Year's Eve nine times in an eleven day span.

I don't especially have a passion or obsession for the Disney parks (I've been there twice). However, I must admit I've had a wonderful time in Disney World (except the It's A Small World ride- I was in a foetal position, rocking back and forth). I did enjoy the feeling of fantasy and magic, and I did find that the Disney parks were admirably well organized and clean compared to other theme parks I've been too. Yes, I did get a few pangs of 'giddy'; but I'm very much a big kid.

My enjoyment probably was largely fueled by the fact that I do have great admiration for Walt Disney's work (at least the early, true 'Disney' years). He had a vision, never let go of it and built an empire from a very modest, even dour, background. He was one of the very first in America to take animation seriously and view it as more that just funny shorts. Many, even in his own studio, thought making Snow White a full-lenght film was completely foolish. A couple years later, they were looking at an Academy Award. He might have had bad sides as well, but he made a priceless contribution to animation. Snow White, the drama in Bambi, the drunk-dream sequence in Dumbo; all groundbreaking for their time and place.

I do agree that today, the magic has worn off; mostly because there is a sole business man at the head of Disney without an ounce of art. They've been spewing mostly generic features, relying more on sing-along than plot. They've closed down the hand drawn animation studio. I wish they'd be more concerned about breaking grounds for animation than purchasing networks, but, as I said, I am a big kid.

But at least, Disney World gave me good memories; and I was lucky enough to have visited the hand-drawn animation studio before it closed down.

Not only do I get the whole Disney thing I have 2 GB of Disneyland light fixture photos on flash from my trip two months ago!

I guess the "magic" that I feel at Disney World (the only resort I've been to) is how much concern and effort they put into EVERYTHING. The amount of work, effort, and detail that goes into the upkeep and presentation of the parks and hotels is astounding. And the service is impeccable.

Now, none of that is unheard of for other resorts in the world, but it's pretty unheard of for an amusement park, or for a hotel aimed at families. The fact that they manage to do all that they do in their 4 parks, 22 resorts and hotels, and the Downtown Disney area is really quite a feat, and certainly requires some bit of magic.

That, and they offer a chance at luxury service that the average visitor will probably not get to experience anywhere else.

Now, the direction of the animation department, corporate policies, and the character of the owners are different stories, but when I'm in the park I really don't think about them too often.

@ Jake Von Slatt #10:

Not only do I get the whole Disney thing I have 2 GB of Disneyland light fixture photos on flash from my trip two months ago!

Oo, we should start a Flickr group...!

There is always something new to enjoy about Disney. :)

Some people don't "get" Disney, some of us can identify a disturbing number of these lamps from memory...If you're the second type come join us at Walt Disney World For Grownups

My family loves Disney and we are going next week. I read somewhere during our last visit about the hidden Mickey heads and began to notice. I think it's cool and I am looking forward to taking pictures of all of the details. Thanks for the tip.