Mondays with Mickey, Issue 3: Disneyland

DISNEYLAND: THE ORIGINAL DISNEY PARK

As east coasters, we tend to overlook Disneyland because Disney World is so much closer. But if you’ve been to Disney World countless times and want to see another kind of Disney… consider Disneyland. There are many differences. First, remember Disneyland is in California and Disney World is in Florida (if you didn’t know that before, my Disney loving heart will look the other way)! Secondly, Disneyland was designed and built by Walt himself and opened on July 17, 1955. It was his vision to have a place where families could go and enjoy themselves with plenty of activities and fun to be shared by all. He even had an apartment on Main Street where he could sit by the window and watch guests enjoying the park. Thirdly, while Walt had a vision for Disney World in Florida he passed away on December 15, 1966 before it was constructed. Disney World opened on October 1, 1971. But for today, let’s look closer at Disneyland.

There is Disneyland Park and Disney California Adventure Park. In Disneyland, you will find many of the same traditional rides you have seen in Disney World but often with a different feel to them. These include classics like: Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, Dumbo, Haunted Mansion, Pirates of the Caribbean, Peter Pan, Winnie the Pooh, Space Mountain, the Teacups, It’s a Small World, etc. You’ll also find rides and attractions that are not found in Disney World such as Snow White’s Scary Adventures, Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride, Mickey’s Toontown, Matterhorn Bobsleds, Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage, and others!

There is also Disney California Adventure Park. It opened on February 8, 2001. I was at Disneyland a couple years before that and was able to see it being built from our hotel room, pretty cool! At California Adventure, you’ll find Ariel’s Undersea Adventure, Toy Story Mania, Turtle Talk with Crush and Soarin’. But there are also many other attractions that you won’t find at Disney World (just yet) such as Radiator Springs Racers, Mickey’s Fun Wheel ferris wheel, California Screamin’ wooden roller coaster, Grizzly River Run water rapids ride and the newest attraction: Guardians of the Galaxy – Mission: Breakout!

Here’s the link to my Disney information webpage where you can explore each of the DISNEYLAND AND CALIFORNIA ADVENTURE ATTRACTIONS.

There are different accommodations available. There is the Disneyland Resort Hotel which is where I stayed, just steps from the parks. Much like the Disney World Resort hotels – there are magical perks included such as extra magic hours at the parks. But there are also Disney approved Good Neighbor Hotels that are divided into 4 pricing categories. Here’s a link to explore the Good Neighbor Hotels. Packages can be created using any of those hotels to suit your needs. You can even add 2-night packages at other area hotels in L.A., Orange County, and San Diego and add tickets to attractions like Legoland, Sea World, and the San Diego Zoo.

Another thing to note about Disneyland is that they still use paper Fast Passes! You don’t have to plan your days in advance, down to what attraction you’ll do at what time. I miss that flexibility in Disney World. But probably the most magical thing about visiting Disneyland for me is that it is “Walt’s Park.” I like to look up from Main Street USA at his apartment window and imagine him sitting there looking down at us. It’s the best place to feel connected to Walt Disney and all that that he created for future generations to enjoy.

“It all started by a mouse.” – Walt Disney