While readers here at Le Blog have seen me report extensively on visits to the Universal, Busch Gardens, and Walt Disney World theme parks, the first theme park I can remember attending is Walt’s original in Anaheim, California. When I was a kid living in San Diego with my family, the above sign was our cue for excitement because we were finally at Disneyland!
While the sign was changed back in 1989, I am happy to report with similar excitement that after about a 40 year gap, I will be returning to Disneyland with family in June of 2015! There have been a multitude of changes over that time span, in fact, including a whole second park to anticipate.
Portions of my family will be on the west coast next summer for an extended trip that will include a marathon and cruise in Alaska and then a few days in Anaheim. The whole shebang would’ve been a bit outside my budget, but I just could not resist the chance to expand my Disney parks experience.
Because I was about 4 or 5 years old last time I was in Disneyland, there were attractions which are not new to the park which will still be new to me. As a preschooler I wanted nothing to do with a coaster like the Matterhorn Mountain. It was the very first tubular track coaster ever built, making it a Coaster Landmark. A little research online reveals that there was no Abominable Snowman figure in the attraction until 1978, which is strange, because I feel like I remember talk of him being part of why I didn’t want to ride. Maybe it was one of those fan legends that the imagineers decided was a good idea. I can’t imagine he’s as impressive as even B-mode Yeti in Expedition Everest.
I was a real scaredy-cat as a kid. Even this static tunnel shaped like Monstro the Whale gave me a little pause. The little boats of this gentle attraction mostly featuring tiny models of famous Disney buildings float into his open mouth, which was a little concerning. I rode this, but not without some cajoling. Some early experimentation with a touring plan has the Storybook Land Canal Boats as our first ride of the day, which is kind of surprising. I would have predicted one of the mountains or the Indiana Jones ride for this distinction. I’m going to have to trust those who know what they’re talking about, I guess.
Although Disney’s Haunted Mansion has become my absolute favorite theme park attraction, this is another ride I was too chicken to experience as a youngster. On my first visit to Disneyland the Mansion had only been open for three years, but the idea of willingly going into a big house to see ghosts did not appeal to me. This coming trip will be thrilling in part because I’ll get to see the original version of this masterpiece with my own two eyes. Many folks prefer the Florida version, but I’ll have personal experience to back up whichever conclusion I come to.
The family favorite during my years in California was unquestionably the Wind in the Willows-themed Mr Toad’s Wild Ride. For those who have never experienced it, this is a quick-moving dark ride featuring the reckless driving of its title character through the town, his own mansion, and eventually into an oncoming train. The attraction’s finale takes you straight to hell, boys. I can’t imagine this ride ever being built nowadays, and the Florida 2-track version was removed in favor of Winnie the Pooh back in 1998. Aside from what some people might deem “questionable” themes, the ride’s effects are decidedly cartoony, two-dimensional, and unimpressive. Thankfully, Disneyland’s locals-focused approach has so far favored keeping this relic of my memory and I’ll get to board for another wild ride in June!
Another Fantasyland dark ride I recall enjoying is the Alice in Wonderland attraction which received an upgrade/refurbishment earlier this year which has enjoyed positive notices for maintaining the charm of the original ride while making real improvements to it. Sitting inside a hollowed-out caterpillar and facing the likes of the Cheshire Cat and Queen of Hearts apparently didn’t bother me. Neither did Pirates of the Caribbean for that matter, since I clearly remember tumbling down the watery drop which is one of the primary differences between the Disneyland and Disney World versions of that ride. It’s odd sometimes what will bother a kid and what they’ll be fine with.
Pinocchio’s Daring Journey was actually not installed in Disneyland until several years after my last visit there, as a part of the extensive 1983 overhaul to Fantasyland. From what I understand it is a pretty traditional dark ride, making it a good partner to other attractions in that part of the park like Peter Pan’s Flight, Alice in Wonderland, and Mr Toad’s Wild Ride. Fan reaction has been mixed.
Reaction has been far more positive to the Adventureland addition, Indiana Jones Adventure, which has become one of the most popular attractions in the park. It has a reputation for a great combination of thrills and theming and for having one of the most enjoyable queues you’ll ever see. The ride system is very similar to that of Dinosaur in Animal Kingdom, which has a much more mediocre reputation. I’m sure this is one of the rides that guests who are there at the park’s opening in the morning rush to get to. My current touring plan suggests that I grab a Fastpass for it before heading to lunch.
Speaking of food, one of several eateries I’ve read good reviews for is Rancho del Zocalo, located in Frontierland and featuring Mexican cuisine, which I’m generally a fan of. It has been described as “counter service plus” due to middling prices, good food, and excellent theming. Other enticing restaurants in the original park include the very popular Blue Bayou, which shares space with the Pirates of the Caribbean ride, the less detailed, but more affordable Cafe Orleans, the Plaza Inn, which reportedly serves fantastic fried chicken, and the fan favorite Carnation Cafe. I don’t anticipate having the opportunity to try out the exclusive Club 33, which requires a membership.
That’s a lot so far, but I haven’t even covered the new California Adventure park. When it first opened in 2001 reviews were rather tepid and the park was widely considered to be an enormous failure.
Two of the opening day attractions which are still in the park and remain popular are the California Screamin’ roller coaster and big ferris wheel pictured above. What was once the Sun Wheel was re-themed in 2009 as Mickey’s Fun Wheel. It features two kinds of carriages, one type which is a traditional swinging style, and another which also slides in and out on a track as the wheel turns. Sounds like fun to me. The prominent featuring of the ferris wheel also calls to mind the fact that Walt Disney’s Father actually worked on a crew that helped build the Columbian Exposition in Chicago in 1892, where the very first ferris wheel ever built was the icon of that World’s Fair.
As part of an enormous expansion and update to the park, the entrance to California Adventure was re-themed to resemble Los Angeles as it might have appeared to Walt Disney when he first arrived by train in 1923. This theme is topped off by the inclusion of a recreation of the Carthay Circle Theater, where his Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs premiered in 1937. This landmark has been made into a highly-rated restaurant, and our initial plans suggest we may have lunch here in order to get ahold of ideal seating for another of California Adventure’s most popular attractions, the multimedia nighttime spectacular “World of Color.”
The lagoon situated in front of Mickey’s Fun Wheel transforms into a palette of dancing fountains and lights, similar to parts of Fantasmic!, with many Disney fans claiming World of Color as superior. It is one of the experiences I am getting on a plane to California to have. Based on what I have read, if we get our seats through the package with lunch at the Carthay Circle restaurant, we’ll be centrally located and seated close enough to see everything, but far enough away that we won’t get wet. That sounds ideal.
Though these items have helped improved the park and make it more well-rounded and popular, the primary reason California Adventure has become a big success since its 2012 reboot is Cars Land. An entire land dedicated to the very popular Pixar film about talking vehicles was built in the rear portion of the park to impressive effect. An enormous forced-perspective mountain range and multiple rides, including Radiator Springs Racers were installed. Racers has become the ride everyone dashes to get to first thing in the morning and the one which most quickly runs out of Fastpasses (oh yeah, there’s no Fastpass+ or magic bands at Disneyland, a fact my sister-in-law will be very happy about). While Cars is one of my least favorite Pixar films, I’ve seen online video of this attraction and truly cannot wait to experience it for myself. The theming and technology involved, including huge audio-animatronic cars look amazing.
One spot I’m really looking forward to that is outside the parks is Trader Sam’s, a highly themed bar located in the Disneyland Hotel which is family friendly until 8pm, then becomes 21+ only. Disney fans can find a practically unending number of references inside to favorites like the Enchanted Tiki Room, the Jungle Cruise, the Adventurer’s Club, and more. The place comes alive with specialized effects anytime certain drinks are ordered and features a unique bar menu that you cannot find at any other Disney drinking establishment. That may change soon, because rumor has it that the refurbishment in the Polynesian Resort in Florida will include its own Trader Sam’s. The bar seats only 47 customers, so I may have to wait to get my spot, but this is a unique place which I am willing to wait to see, and one of the things I will be disappointed about if I fail to experience.
Plans for this trip have only just been confirmed and I am in that first stage of joyful planning, as is obvious by the presence of this post. But I’ve got more than seven months before my plane takes off. You’ll probably hear a thing or two about it before then.
