But before anything else, I simply must take a moment to continue a series of posts near and dear to my heart .... Disney restrooms.
Okay, I know I'm weird (trust me, everyone who saw me taking photos of restroom signs, especially those going into/coming out of the men's restroom, thought I was weird). But I think it's time someone recognized these restroom signs as yet another way Disney puts their magic touch on every last detail. I can't think of another amusement park that can turn a simple potty break into an entertaining experience.
My latest trip to the Disneyland Resort was a solo trip, so I guess it's fitting that most of the restroom signs I discovered this time around were more subdued and sophisticated. I saw these beauties at the Grand Californian Hotel, where I stayed for the first time. Like everything else at the hotel, these signs have a distinct Arts & Crafts flair. I love, love, love the mortise-and-tenon joints of the wooden frames!
These were at the Golden Vine Winery in Disney's California Adventure Park. The marbled background of the signs is reminiscent of the stucco walls of the buildings.
I have to admit, I was aghast when I saw these perfectly ordinary signs at the Disneyland Resort:
No, Disney, no, no, noooo! If I want to see these signs I can go to the nearest grocery store or gas station. Granted, this was in a far-off corner of the Disneyland Hotel, at the conference center, and I'm sure all the business executives are too busy conferencing in their conference rooms to notice such trivial things, but still.
Fortunately I found another restroom gem on my next potty break, near the Pacific Wharf Cafe at Disney's California Adventure. The whole area is reminiscent of Monterey's Cannery Row, so these signs are perfect.
From these signs, I guess it's plain to see who's the boss, huh?!
One last thing: when you come to think of it, designing clever restroom signs isn't as easy as it sounds. They have to be consistent with the location's theme. They have to be original. They have to put a smile on people's faces. And the male/female symbol distinction has to be obvious so that even people who don't speak English (or can't read) will know which door to enter. I'd love to meet the artist who creates these signs so I can bow to his genius -- and maybe get him/her to autograph a spare sign and give it to me as a souvenir. Yeah, in my dreams. But hey, this is the place where dreams come true.
You can see more of the Disney's restroom signs on these posts:
Restrooms at Disneyland
Restrooms on the Disney Wonder
Restrooms in Cars Land
Restroom signs at Disneyland Paris
To see all the signs I've photographed so far, visit my Disney Restroom Flickr page.
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