The things we love, the things we do, the places we go and what brings us home.
Some of the sweetest pictures I look back on are those quick snapshots I took of my family while waiting in line at the Disney Parks. It’s a great way to kill some time. If you would rather not wait in long lines (I hear ya) check out my post on How to Avoid Long Lines in Disneyland and The New Disney World Fastpass+ Experience
This post is written by my 12 year old son. He has a fascination with all things Disney especially the Haunted Mansion ride.
Hello, and welcome to my first post.
Now, today I was rummaging through my Grandmother’s old hope chest and I found her scrapbook. Inside I found some pieces of Disneyland history from 1957. She kept everything lets start where I started, Tom Sawyer’s island
This is a map of Tom Sawyer's island before it became Pirates Lair. it used to have 2 landings Tom’s landing and Huck’s landing. Tom’s landing is the only way onto the island now through the dock near The Haunted Mansion. There was also another landing Hucks landing which led to the Indian village (Yes you could go back there once upon a time.)
This was it then. There where live “Indians” performing to an audience. But, then came the pirates and now the Indians are all secretive.
Now look at them, not one of them will welcome you to their home. Stuck in the same routine (well they are audio animatronics of course.) The pirates are to blame turning this island into their lair!
The building in the background was the old mill and yes it doubles as a stage for Fantasmic. You can see the old “Rafts to Tom Sawyer’s Island” sign behind the Pirates Lair sign. Almost as temporary looking as Haunted Mansion Holiday.
Actually, it may have begun that way. Remember that big pirate party when Jack Sparrow was introduced to The Pirates of the Caribbean ride at Disneyland? That was the time when Pirate Island appeared and Tom Sawyer’s Island vanished.
The décor always did look temporary. anyways back to history.
This was the back of the pamphlet that told you what you could do on the island take as long as you need, as for me I am done with Tom Sawyer Island.
Let’s move on to the ticket guide. As you all know, in Disneyland’s early history they used a ticket system A, B, C, D, and, E. This was the ticket book guide my Grandmother received in 1957. Now, as you will see this does not talk about lettered tickets. That is because at this time they didn’t have lettered ticket rides. “Dumbo” and “The Jungle Cruise” cost the same.
Disneyland for four dollars How nice.
Now, thus far I have offered some interesting things but nothing show stopping. What would you say if told you that I had a picture of the 1957 map of Disneyland?
Well isn't that nice. But, that’s not all if you look now you get an aerial photo of 1963 Disneyland for free! 
Nice parking lots. Those would one day become “Disney’s California Adventures Park”, later renamed to “Disney California Adventure”. That huge construction is believed to be “Pirates of the Caribbean” and “New Orleans” if you look a little further up you can see the façade of The Haunted Mansion. now lets look at a newer aerial.
Now all that ugly parking is a theme park how nice. When Disney was in its youth they gave out corsages to people. My Grandmother received one and pressed it between the pages of her scrapbook.
It was orange with big green petals.
Now, if you wanted to see a ticket today, you came to the right place
This is a Mark Twain Riverboat ticket those stains are from tape that once held it into her scrapbook. No idea how she kept it. Now, if you’re wondering did they hand out Autopia Drivers Licenses?
and
Yes my Grandmother’s name was Connie Leah Wheeler. It used to look a lot like a real license. Notice that it is called the Richfield Autopia. Richfield must have sponsored them at that time. That’s all that I have for now. But, check back soon for some 1960’s photos of Disneyland from my Grandmother’s honeymoon.
Can you see the tail fin sculpted into the mountain? On our first trip to Carsland in Disneyland Resort we felt as if we had walked right into Radiator Springs. There are so many details to take in. In my post on 10 Things to Know For Your First Trip to Carsland I let talk about some of my favorites. For some good tips on how to avoid the long line and wait times for this great ride check out my other post on Avoiding Long Lines at Disneyland Resort
There are a lot of choices out there for guests visiting Disneyland Resort and where they will lodge. For a first time guest it can be confusing when trying to determine the right place for your family. Cost vs. location vs. facilities. vs. ya da ya da ya da to much information to sort through! I thought I would try and break it down into 10 different categories to consider when making your final decision.
1. Disneyland Resort Hotels: The resort offers three hotels on their property for guest to choose from The Grand Californian, Disneyland Hotel, and Disney’s Paradise Pier. One of the primary benefits to staying in one of their exclusive hotels is the early admission to the parks utilizing the Extra Magic Hour perk. Guests at the resort hotels gain entrance one hour earlier than general guests into one of the parks. This extra hour can really pay off during the busy seasons allowing you to get on rides quickly that you would otherwise wait in long lines for (Guests of the Good Neighbor Hotels who book a vacation package with Disney will also receive an Extra Magic Morning.) The other benefit to staying on their property is the close proximity to the parks and Downtown Disney. Everything is within walking distance. They even have exclusive private access into the parks for Hotel guests to use. This means you don’t have to wait in the lines at the front of the park’s entrance. And of course the wonderful Disney Theming through out the hotel only makes your stay all the more magical. You might even spot a Disney Character roaming your halls. The hotels have their own gift shops that sell Disney merchandise so you are able to shop with less crowds. They also include their own restaurants and Character Dinning experiences.
2. Walking Distance: How close do you want to be to the parks? Is it important for you to be within walking distance? One of the things I like about being walking distance from the parks is how easy it is to go back to the hotel in the middle of the day for a break. This is a very nice treat on a warm Summer day when the park is very crowded. Being within walking distance also allows us a little more freedom when we need to split up because the baby is needing a nap and the older one wants to still ride rides. It means I don’t have to pay extra for the shuttle or live by the shuttle schedule. I also avoid paying the fees to park in the parking garage and don’t have to wait in the extremely long lines for the tram when I’m coming and leaving at peak times. We have enjoyed staying at the Howard Johnson on Harbor Blvd. directly across from the parks. They have an incredible pirate themed water play area for the kids to cool off in and a great pool for me to relax by on those hot Summer afternoons. You can also see the fireworks from some of the balconies. However, there are many hotels to choose from along Harbor Blvd. that are within walking distance and among the Disneyland regulars they could all name off their favorites for various reasons. Check out the Good Neighbor Hotels listed on the Disney Website you can use the filters on the left hand side to find one within walking distance from the parks.
3. Parking Fees: Here is something to consider when looking at hotels. Many hotels in the Disneyland area now charge a parking fee for you to park your car on the premises. This fee varies but can be as much as $15.00 per day. Couple that with the parking fee at the theme park which is $16.00 and that can really add up. I can remember how shocked and bummed we were one year when we scored a great deal on Priceline for a 5 star hotel near Disneyland only to find out our savings were swallowed up with an unexpected parking fee for our car.
4. Shuttles: Many of the hotels provide shuttles for their guests to the parks. Some are free and some charge a fee for this service. The Anaheim Resort Transit System also offers a shuttle between many of the hotels and the parks for a fee based on the number of days you wish to purchase. A one day pass is $5.00 per adult and $2.00 per child. When we compared the cost of paying for the shuttle vs. paying the parking fee in the theme park garage we found that it was cheaper for us to pay the parking fee. Make sure you look at what the cost are to use the shuttle for your family when booking your hotel.
5. RVs: We have taken our RV many times to Disneyland it is a great way to bring a little bit of the comforts of home with you and save a bit on lodging as well. One of the first times we brought our RV I also brought along our crock pot and I can remember how wonderful it smelled and felt to step into our trailer after a full day at the park with dinner ready to go. It was almost as good as maid service! There are actually several RV parks in the area to choose from. Those that are closest to the park are generally the older ones and have very small spaces for your RV. They typically are mostly pavement with very little or no grass in between spaces. We have stayed at a few of them and find that most of the time we are not able to open up our awning because they are so small, which makes dinning outside not quite as comfortable. In the Winter these places are just fine because we are not outside our RV much. In the Summer it is nice to have a little bit more space around you and in order to get that we have had to find RV parks a little further out from the resort. This website has a great list of RV parks in the area.
6. Free Meals: Who doesn’t love a free meal? One of the things I always look for when booking a hotel is those that offer a free breakfast in the morning. Many of the economy hotels in the area offer some sort of complimentary breakfast. It can vary from just being fruit and Danishes to a full scale hot meal. One of my favorite complimentary breakfasts is the one offered by Embassy Suites Anaheim North. They serve omelets cooked to order along with bacon, sausage, and pancakes. Their breakfast beats most sit down restaurants in the area and when you can find a good deal for this hotel using one of the many discount travel sites this can be a very good value. One year when we were on the shuttle headed back to our hotel I overheard a gentlemen next to me talking about the free dinner the hotel he was staying at was serving that night. I bravely interrupted the conversation to find out about this place. It was the Homewood Suites by Hilton! Needles to say on our next visit we stayed here. They do indeed offer a free dinner to guests Monday thru Thursday evenings. What a great way to save money. Not only do they offer dinner but they also have a full kitchen in their suites so you can cook your own dinner on the nights they don’t offer it. Many of the hotels will offer Manager’s Specials two or three nights during the week that might include drinks, snacks, or even meals.
7. Dinning Options: The great thing about Disneyland Resort is that it is surround by the city of Anaheim and there is never food very far away. However, it is good to consider what dinning options are near by and convenient for a quick breakfast, lunch or dinner and at what types of price points. Although I love to stay at the Disneyland Resort Hotels one of the draw backs I find is there are not enough quick service dinning places near by for breakfast. Your nearest dinning options are on the Hotel property, Downtown Disney, or inside the park. Since most of the restaurants in Downtown Disney aren’t open for breakfast my options are even more limited and the resort hotel doesn’t serve complimentary breakfast. My preferred location for a hotel is somewhere on Harbor Blvd. most of the affordable dinning options are on that side of the Disneyland Resort property. If I am staying within walking distance I will have a good choice of restaurants to choose from as I walk to the Main Gate each morning. Another great thing to remember is that the Monorail is a short ride to Downtown Disney. We have easily hopped on to it in Tomorrowland and got off in Downtown Disney for lunch and diner. One of our favorite places to go is Earl Of Sandwich. They are generally pretty quick very tasty and a good value. Using the Monorail makes this a very easy place to eat.
8. Number Of People In Your Party: My family consist of four, my husband, myself and two children. Generally we don’t have to think about the size of the hotel room we rent as long as we have two beds. However, I realize that many families don’t come that size some are much larger and a room that only sleeps four is not going to cut it. I found a great list for hotels near Disneyland that will accommodate families of all sizes and price ranges.
9. Staying Further Away From The Park: There have been many times where we decided to go to Disneyland at the last minute but only if we could scrape up enough loose change to do so, literally. In order to make our change go further instead of staying close by and only being able to afford the equivalent of a one star motel we chose to Priceline our stay and ended up staying at a four star Sheraton about 10 miles away. It was worth it to us to have a nicer room and give up staying so close by. Sometimes the trade off of staying further out can be worth it if you are dealing with limited budget dollars like we were.
10. Traveling With A Car Or No Car: Most of the time we drive to Disneyland. It’s about a six to seven hour drive for us and we like the convenience of having our car. A couple of years ago we scored some great prices on plane tickets for us all to fly to Disneyland. We were excited to experience the transportation from the Airport to the Resort in Disneyland. We were very familiar with Walt Disney World’s complimentary transportation from the airport and around their parks and property. We love how easy it is to get around once you land at the Orlando airport and step onto the shuttle to your hotel. First of all unlike the Magical Express in WDW where they claim your bags for you and take them straight to your hotel we had to claim our own luggage and haul it to our bus stop. The shuttle ride cost us about $60.00 per person round trip to travel from the airport to our hotel. Which is about $240.00 more than ZERO dollars in WDW. We also had to make a transfer at one of the hotel stops along the way to reach our destination. We didn’t do a ton of research ahead of time to find the cheapest most efficient way to get from the airport to our hotel. So, there may be some other alternatives out there. For the rest of the trip we found we did not need our car and really didn’t miss having it.
I hope this list gives you some things to think about and a better understanding of where you think your family will be most comfortable for your trip to Disneyland Resort. For some other great tips in Disneyland Check out these links.
10 Ways To Avoid Long Lines At Disneyland Resort
10 Things To Know For A Better First Visit To Carsland
My Top Five Things To Experience At Disneyland Resort During The Christmas Season
It’s that time of year again and one of my favorite things at Disney is the Halloween Parties. With the fall décor, parades, fireworks, dance parties, and extra villainous characters it is a treat to enjoy.
Although the party has what seems to be a steep price tag for only an evening’s worth of entertainment we were pleased to find out our tickets got us into the park at 4:00pm even though the party officially starts at 7:00pm. So, for about the half the price of a full day ticket we can spend about a half of a day in the park. Another thing to keep in mind when buying tickets is not to wait until the last minute to purchase them. The ticket prices are usually higher when bought the day of the event rather than when bought in advance, and there is a good chance the event will be sold out.
Because this is a ticketed only event, you can take advantage of the thinner crowds once they begin to usher everyone not part of the party out the gates at 7:00pm. This makes it the optimum time to ride some of the big, popular rides without the long wait. For the thinnest crowds possible it is best to go on a weeknight. Once 7pm hits the park begins to transform with special decorations added and the Trick or Treat stations are quickly set up. I was surprised at how fast the atmosphere changed.
At first glance, the Trick or Treat lines and character meet lines can appear very long but from our experience, they moved quickly. The Trick or Treat stations gave out handfuls of candy and so we really only needed to do one of the stations before our Trick or Treat bags were overflowing with goodies.
Ultimately, it is night filled with meeting characters rarely seen in the parks. You will see Snow White with all 7 of the dwarfs, all of the Pooh Characters posing for pictures together, ghostly characters in front of the Haunted Mansion to interact with and entertain as you wait, and of course the many villains of Disney. For the first time in 2013, Jack Skellington and Sally from “Nightmare Before Christmas” will be posing together in the town square.
One of the highlights of the night is the “Boo To You Parade” it opens with the Headless Horseman riding by and features The Villains of Disney. My personal favorite is The Grave Diggers they appear as an army wielding their shovels. Our kids loved this parade so much that they were willing to watch it twice that night. Don’t forget to catch the special firework show “Hallowishes” in front of the castle with “The Villains Mix and Mingle” Show directly after.
Whether you choose to come in costume or not is a personal choice but if you do make sure that it is comfortable and easy to wear. My kids quickly shed their costume hats and boots for much more comfortable crocs and sandals guess who got to hold the discards? Are you kidding! We got a locker.
On the West Coast in Disneyland Resort, the party is called “Mickey’s Halloween Party” and it takes place within Disneyland. There is not quite as much going on as the party in Disney World but it is still fun and has many great character opportunities, a firework show called “Halloween Screams” and a “Mickey’s Costume Cavalcade” parade as well. Halloween time is truly is one of our favorite times to go to Disney.
We couldn't wait for our first trip to see the new CarsLand in Disney California Adventure. Even though we had traveled all day and were wiped out the first thing we did after check-in was head straight for the park to check it out. Our first impression left us feeling like we had walked right into the movie. Once there we excitedly went directly to the Radiator Springs Racers ride and found that the line was 3 hours long for standby, and the fast passes were all gone for the day. So, we bit the bullet and got in line. We waited and, waited and, waited. In order to pass the time we played word games and checked out the new decor in the queue line which isn't all that exciting. We also said that the next day we would have a better plan for getting on this ride. Here are the things you need to know to make sure you don't have to wait in the standby line if you don't want to.
1. Radiator Springs Racers: This ride is awesome and, anyone over 40 inches can ride. There are a couple of options if you don't want to wait in the standby line. The easiest option is to wait in the Single Rider line. This line is generally about the same wait time as the Fast Pass line. The ride sits 3 passengers to the front seat and 3 passengers in the backseat. This leaves a lot of open seats for them to fill with single riders. My kids were 8 & 11 at the time, plenty old enough for them to sit by themselves and enjoy the ride. You still wait together as a party in the line and only get separated at the platform. In many cases you may even end up in the same vehicle. We did this option several times and think it is the best way to ride with out a Fast Pass. Your next option is the Fast Pass. These require some real planning to get because they run out of them quickly. To ensure that you get a Fast Pass it is best to get to the park when it opens so that you can go directly to the Fast Pass line. If you were fortunate enough to get an Extra Magic Hour in California Adventure with your hotel package this would be a great way to get to the very front of line. I’ve written more about the benefits of booking a package with Extra Magic hours in my article on Choosing The Right Place to Stay in Disneyland Resort. The Fast Passes are distributed at the front of Bugsland and the line will wrap back to the front and down Buena Vista Street. Don't be intimidated by the length of the line, as long as you are there by the opening of the park you will get a Fast Pass. Only one person has to wait in the line to get the passes but, in order to get a Fast Pass for every person in your party they must be inside the park. Here’s more information on How to Avoid Long Lines in Disneyland Resort
2. Luigi's Flying Tires: As you enter Casa Della Tires you see the display of European tires and hear the voice of Luigi in the background. The ride is surprisingly enjoyable as you use your body by leaning and shifting your weight to direct the tire. Watch out for others as you bump and and get bumped on the Air pressured platform. Disney fans may recognize this attraction as a remake of the old Flying Saucer Ride from the early sixties.
3. Mater's Junk Yard Jamboree: This is along the lines of a tilt a whirl or tea cup ride so avoid this if you don't particularly care for those type of rides. If you are familiar with any of Mater's Tall Tales episodes you may spot some items in the queue line from these stories. A bit of trivia is that Larry The Cable Guy recorded the original sets of music for the ride along with the background musicians Billy Hill and The Hillbillies from Disneyland's Frontierland fame. Listen for the blooper reel that was created from outtakes during the recording session.
4. Sally's Cozy Cone: Sally has transformed her iconic motel into a snack shack for the new CarsLand. You can get treats like Pop - Cone, Ice Cream Cone, Chili-Cone-Queso. It is also the spot where you can meet your favorite Cars Characters such as Lightning McQueen, Tow Mater, and Sally.
5. Receive a free Cars pin: At Ramone's House Of Body Art (the souvenir shop) you can receive a free Cars pin by answering a trivia question about the Cars Pixar Movies. Just approach a Cast Member and ask about the pin, they will gladly give you a question to answer.
6. Check out the Neon: One of the special Disney touches is when dusk rolls around and the neon lights begin to light up. Station yourself along Route 66 and watch them come on one by one with the background music "Life Could Be A Dream" from the scene in Cars where they cruise the newly paved strip with the neon lit up. Only Disney can integrate a movie/theme park experience so well.
8. Flo's V8 Cafe: Our family enjoyed this restaurant for breakfast one morning. They served a classic diner inspired breakfast with eggs, bacon, and potatoes. Although it is a quick service establishment it does serve meals with dishes and silverware giving it a much nicer feel. There is seating both inside and out and has some of the best viewing of Radiator Springs Racers while you dine. On the inside you will find the walls decorated with memorabilia of Floe's life as a singer back in the day.
7. Read the road signs in front of the Radiator Springs Race Track: The signs are styled after the old Burma Shaving Cream adds from the fifties and have a message to read both coming and going from the area. This part of the park is generally less crowded too, which makes it a nice break from the crowds.
9. Fillmore's Taste -in: This snack vender sells items to keep you refueled. From chips and soda to fresh fruit and water. We also found it quite fun to walk around Fillmore's psychedelic dome and let the kids pose for pictures with the different hippie background decor.
10. Shortcuts in and out of the area: Finally, as much traffic as this land gets you're gonna want to know how to get around more easily. There are two back entrances into the CarsLand area. One connects you with Bugsland and then Buena Vista Street through a shortcut located by Hollywood Tower Hotel. This is the quickest way get to CarsLand from the park's entrance. The other shortcut connects you to the food court in the Pacific Warf area by way of the path that travels past the front of the Radiator Springs race track. This is generally a less crowded path and much easier to navigate. As you travel through these areas to get in out of CarsLand make sure you try some of our Top Disney Treats. Such as the Ghirardelli Soda Fountain and Trolley Treats on Buena Vista Street. If your lucky enough to go during the Christmas Season check our Top 5 Things To Experience At Disneyland During The Christmas Season. Have a wonderful first visit to CarsLand.
