Top 10 Disneyland Experiences
Disneyland in California is the Original Park and brainchild of Walt Disney. It’s a place filled with wonder and fantasy along with two theme parks, a shopping and restaurant district, and multiple on site and good neighbor hotels. Having recently visited Disneyland for the first time in January, here are some of my favorite experiences.
1. Blue Bayou: If you are looking for a great themed restaurant in Disneyland Park, look no further than the Blue Bayou! Located in the New Orleans Square area of the park, this restaurant has the feel of a backyard deck on a Louisiana bayou complete with overhead lanterns and a nighttime sky. Best of all, this restaurant overlooks the Pirates of the Caribbean ride (which, spoiler alert, is also on this list!). If you are lucky enough to be seated along the deck railing, you get to watch riders as they embark on their journey into the ride. Not only is the atmosphere great, but also the food is out of this world! It’s Cajun comfort food at its best.
*Side note, this is a dark atmosphere restaurant. If you have trouble reading in the dark make sure to bring your glasses. Luckily, there are lights on the menus to help.
2. Theme Park View Rooms: For a true Disney fan like me, the only thing better than going to bed at night seeing the twinkling lights of the park out my room window, was waking up the next morning and seeing it in the day light! We stayed in a theme park view room at the Paradise Pier Hotel and we had a view of the Paradise Pier at California Adventure. At night, could watch the World of Color show taking place on the waters of the pier. There was even a channel on our TV that played the show music. Other hotels offer a similar experience. The Disneyland Hotel has rooms with a view of the Downtown Disney District as well as Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel and Spa has theme park and Downtown Disney District views. There are also select Good Neighbor hotels (hotels close to property and recommended by Disney) that have theme park view rooms that allow you to see the fireworks coming from Disneyland Park at night.
3. Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique: For the little ones in your group (boys and girls aged 3 to 12), this is a must do experience! They get transformed into their favorite princess or knight by Disney Fairy Godmothers. This experience takes place at the Fantasyland Royal Salon in Disneyland Park (behind Sleeping Beauty’s Castle). There are varying packages you can book depending on what you want done and how much you want to spend. It’s very important to note, that as soon as you book your Disneyland vacation, have your travel representative (me!) call to book your appointment at the Boutique. This experience books up far in advance and you wouldn’t want to disappoint your little princess or knight!
*Pro tip: To save money, purchase your own princess or knight costume before you leave home and bring it with you to the Boutique. The Fairy Godmothers will use that costume for your child. Your kids will be none the wiser and you’ve saved some money, as costumes in the parks are more expensive.
4. Pirates of the Caribbean: This is one of my favorite rides! It is an original ride to Disneyland Park, but has been revamped since the release of the Pirates of the Caribbean movies. Take a boat ride through the swashbuckling world of pirates and even see the infamous Captain Jack Sparrow! It’s great ride for the whole family and a good way to get out of the sun and cool down on a hot day. If you’re anything like me, as you approach the ride entrance and see the ship mast announcing the ride, you’ll be singing “Yo Ho, Yo Ho, a pirates life for me”! (If you sang that last part, which I know you did, this ride has to be your first stop at Disneyland Park!).
5. Downtown Disney District: You’ve had a fun and busy morning at the parks and now you want to sit back, grab some lunch, and maybe even a refreshing beverage or two, but where do you go? Downtown Disney District my friends! Access to the District from both parks lies outside the park entrances. For anyone staying at a Disneyland on site hotel, you walk through this area to reach your hotels. It’s filled with food service options (both table and quick service) and lots of shopping, music, and entertainment. There is no charge to access this area. Its many restaurants make great lunch and dinner options and even a great place to sit on a patio with a cocktail and people watch.
6. Fantasmic!:This nighttime show takes place on the waters around Tom Sawyer Island in Disneyland Park. Adventure into Mickey’s dreams (and nightmares) and watch as he battles scores of Disney villains to prove that good always wins over evil. In this show, you’ll see scenes from some of your favorite Disney movies along with Disney princesses and princes. It’s a classic Disney show that is entertaining for all ages. This show is standing room only (run time is about 30 minutes), but you can book a fast pass to be in a preferred viewing area. If you wish to sit, you can book the Fantasmic dinner package at select restaurants in the park, which gives you exclusive access to a seated area.
7. Animation Academy:
Learn to draw your favorite Disney character at the Animation Academy. This experience begins at 10am daily and runs every half hour. It is located in the Disney Animation Building in California Adventure Park. Different characters are assigned to different time slots. You can ask a cast member outside the attraction to show you the list for the day. Also located in this building is Turtle Talk with Crush, The Sorcerer’s Workshop, and the Animation Courtyard. Take the time to visit each experience, you won’t be sorry! This is also a great place to escape the hot sun for a break.
8. Soarin:Located in California Adventure Park, this ride simulates riding a hang glider and flying over well-known landmarks and landscapes around the world. Best of all, they actually pipe different scents into the attraction to simulate where you are in the world. It is an insanely cool ride experience and is not to be missed. It’s important to note that there is a height restriction on this ride. Guests must be 40 inches or 102 cms or taller to ride.
*Pro tip: This is a very popular ride and is sure to have a long line. To avoid this, either make this ride your first stop in the morning (getting there as the park opens as line lengths increase as the day goes on) or get a Fast Pass for it.
9. Guardians of the Galaxy – Mission Breakout: Also located in California Adventure Park, this refurbished ride (it was originally the Tower of Terror) has been taken over by the Guardians of the Galaxy. This ride takes you through The Collector’s Fortress (for those familiar with the first movie) and follows Rocket has he tries to break out his fellow Guardians. This is a fast ride, with sudden drops. It’s not for the faint of heart, but it’s super fun! Expect to be laughing and smiling as you rocket up and drop down quick (at least I did!). It’s important to note that there is a height restriction on this ride. Guests must be 40 inches or 102 cms or taller to ride.
*Pro tip: This is a very popular ride (the newest on at this park) and is sure to have a long line. To avoid this, either make this ride your first stop in the morning (getting there as the park opens as line lengths increase as the day goes on) or get a Fast Pass for it.
10. Sleeping Beauty’s Castle: This iconic castle, while not a ride, is a must do stop for anyone visiting Disneyland Park. Have someone snap your picture in front of it or even better, get your picture taken by a Disney Photo Pass Photographer so that everyone in your group can join in. You can walk through the center of the castle and see iconic scenes from the movie. Best of all, this castle lights up beautifully at night. It is the backdrop for the nighttime fireworks show and is lit up as a winter castle around the holidays. For any Disney fan, seeing that castle for the first time is the moment you dream about when planning your Disneyland Vacation.
Ready to start planning your trip to Disneyland? Contact me today at 1-866-899-8969 ext. 5127 or jwilcox@thedestinationexperts.comto get started!