Adventureland Tropical Hideaway

I’m very excited about this portion of Adventureland being used again. It’s been used sporadically and for different purposes over the years and it’s amazing to have a future.

When I was young, coming to Disneyland with my family, I remember having reservations at Aladdin’s Oasis. It was a small stage show with actors coming out of the Cave of Wonders, included lunch in its exotic tiered outdoor patio and even had a magic lamp built into every table that when you rubbed, had smoke come out. 

In 2008, to coincide with the release of the Crystal Skull, they had a small, short lived, Indiana Jones Stunt Show.

The personal excitement for this new space comes mostly from it being located in Adventureland. The feeling of the area and theming of Adventureland totally embodies all that makes Disneyland so special. Looking forward to something more in this amazing land is truly exciting and I anticipate how totally reimagined this longtime abandoned area . Its also very sad as a longtime visitor to Disneyland to see a part of the park that was magical for me lay dormant for so many years.

Concept Artwork ©Disney

Based on the official information from Disney about what this space will offer, it’s going to be unique and fun to hang out. My favorite element is seating that overlooks Jungle Cruise and on a portion of the porch of the Tiki Room. 

On the surface, it’s just seating and snacks, but by expanding the land into a previously unused corner, it’s going to make a big difference for the better!

Best Ride Order of Toontown

Welcome to the next post in the series where I give you the rundown of a pretty perfect ride order of each Land. Check out parts one, two, three, and four for complete Land domination tips and tricks plus the reasoning behind every decision so you can make informed choices should anything happen.

And here we are! The last in the series tackling Disneyland proper: Toontown.

Oh, Toontown. You really are...something.

I’ll start off by being very honest, I don’t care much for Toontown. When Disney first introduced the concept of Galaxy’s Edge, I was hoping they’d raze Toontown to the ground and start anew, which, perhaps, is an unpopular opinion.

Alas, people lose their damn minds for Toontown. And I suppose this series wouldn’t be complete without a rundown of the washed out, useless stretch of land others so lovingly flock to.

I’ll stop being cynical now.

Like Critter Country, Toontown is a dead end, and it only has two rides. It does however host a bunch of other experiences, and the entire land is more interactive than any other at the resort. I’ll give you some sweet tips so you can enjoy and explore the land as a whole. Let’s get to it!

***PSA: This order works best if you’re at Toontown when it first opens.***

RIde Order

Toontown doesn’t operate like every other land in the park. It’s at the very northern tip of the park, just past Small World. It opens late, usually an hour or two after regular park open, so you can tackle another land first thing in the morning and still get to Toontown at its open. On the flip side, Toontown also closes early for fireworks, usually around 8:30 pm, since they launch the majority of the fireworks from there.

1. Beeline for Gadget’s Go Coaster, fastpass Roger Rabbit’s Cartoon Spin on the way or maxpass in line.

Since Roger Rabbit’s Cartoon Spin is at the opening of Toontown, it’s just as easy to grab a fastpass on your way to Gadget’s, which is at the very furthest edge of Toontown.

Depending on Gadget’s return time, explore. There’s lots to see!

2. Ride Roger, maxpass your next ride.

Duh, always maxpass your next ride. 

Annnnnd you did it! Whether or not you got to explore in between rides, there’s probably a lot more to see. One charming aspect to Toontown is the ability to tour the houses of the classic Disney characters.

Minnie and Mickey’s houses can stack up the wait since they’re a walkthrough and a character meet and greet. So if the wait is long, you can still explore the houses (recommended, they’re pretty cool), and then check the times guide to see when Mickey and Minnie appear for photo opportunities throughout the park (which is frequently).

Chip and Dale, Donald Duck, and Goofy also all have their own houses you can play in and explore, however they don’t offer character meet and greets.

Toontown is also super interactive. When exploring make sure to push every button, step on every bit of ground that looks different, and pull every lever. It’s a fun place to explore and create some magical moments without having to wait in lines.

If you’re in the mood for a sweet treat, Toontown is the only place in the entire Disneyland Resort that offers frozen yogurt, so be sure to check out Clarabelle’s.

Also! Right outside Toontown is the Fantasyland Theater. Make sure to catch a showing of Mickey and the Magical Map; we generally view on the tipsy side and I have to say I recommend a few drinks beforehand. The Fantasyland Theater also has some of our favorite snacks in the park (hellllllo bratwurst), so it’s definitely worth a visit.

Right next to the Fantasyland Theater you’ll find the Disneyland Railroad station, so duh now’s the time to hop on for a full circle tour.

And that’s it! We’ve covered the best ride orders for EVERY land in Disneyland. I’m so excited by this series, it’s been a really fun puzzle to piece together. I’ve got lots of ideas for more series but let me know if you’d want a guide series for California Adventure.

Happy riding!

Best Ride Order of Critter Country

Welcome back to the series where I give you the best (in my humble opinion) ride order of each land at the Disneyland Resort. In parts one, two, and three, we tackled the busiest lands with the most rides. In this post, I’m going to go a bit deeper into one of the smaller lands, the ever beloved Critter Country.

You know how in the last three posts I was like “hey every single person on the planet is going here in the morning”? Good news! Not one single person is going to Critter Country in the morning. No one is even going to Critter Country like an hour after park open. Sorry, Critter Country! I still love you.

And while we covered how you can incorporate Critter Country in the Adventureland post, we have some more tips to share. Because while the littlest land that dead-ends over the hill from the Haunted Mansion probably doesn’t need to be your first stop, it does tend to fill up mid-day and of course we can give you the rundown on what do and see (aka eat).

Ride Order

Critter Country is perfect to do after you’ve dominated one of the other lands (particularly Adventureland/Frontierland/New Orleans Square since they’re right next to each other) and you’re almost ready for lunch. Winnie the Pooh line should still be short, and fastpasses for Splash Mountain should still have a fairly quick return time.

Since most people come to Critter Country for Splash Mountain and it’s a dead end, the whole area dies down at night or when it’s cooler out. Once Galaxy’s Edge (Star Wars Land) opens, there will be a walkway that connects into Critter Country, so take advantage of the lack of people there for now.

1. Hop in line at Winnie the Pooh, maxpass Splash Mountain in line.

Never wait longer than five minutes for Winnie the Pooh. If the line is longer, come back at night when everyone is cleared out.

Poke around Pooh’s Corner and grab a treat, it’s law that you have to grab a treat after you ride Winnie the Pooh. I recommend the giant peppermint patty, the peanut butter sandwich, the rice krispy treat, and the oatmeal cookie.

Depending on how much time until your Splash Mountain fastpass return, go grab lunch at Hungry Bear, which is definitely a hidden gem restaurant in the parks. The fried chicken sandwich is incredible. They have onion rings (!!!!!) and funnel cake. FUNNEL CAKE! YOU GUYS. It looks like a subpar burger place in passing but it has some amazing views of the Rivers of America and the menu is so different from anywhere else in the park. Don’t sleep on Hungry Bear!

2. Ride Splash Mountain, maxpass another ride.

Always maxpass your next ride right when you scan in line, you know this by now. Quick ride tip: If you want to get wet, sit in the first few rows. If you want to avoid getting soaked, aim for rows four through six. You can always request preferred seating in Disneyland, they just might have you wait for the next log/ car/ doombuggy.

And that’s your ride order with a couple extra tips mixed in. But of course I have a couple more.

I’ve said above that Critter Country being a dead-end really dictates the crowd size, and you can totally use that to your advantage. We particularly love a Critter Country visit in the evening, when the rest of the park is bananas. It takes a trek to get there, but once you’re there, you can ride Winnie the Pooh in peace over and over and stretch out on a bench and not interact with another soul.

Another magical aspect of night time in Critter Country is getting a Fantasmic sneak peak. If you hang out on the walkway by the Hungry Bear bathrooms, you’ll get a good view of the Fantasmic actors loading and getting prepped to go on stage.

So we tend wait and watch them load in peace, then saunter around the bend at the beginning of Fantasmic and pop into the standby area across from Haunted Mansion. Most of Fantasmic requires fastpasses, but the fastpass viewing areas aren’t great, you have to get there early, and the system is utterly confusing. If you watch the loading and then drop into the standby area, they usually let you into the fancy all seated area typically reserved for the dining plan people, and there’s no wait time and no fuss. Highly recommended.

One more tip! When you’re walking away from Critter Country towards Haunted Mansion, there’s a fruit stand on the left. Just beyond the stand there are stairs. If you go up those stairs, it leads you to a hidden pathway free of people, with a great view of the Splash Mountain Drop. And it drops you right in front of Haunted Mansion without fighting through a crowd. Another one of my favorite spots in the whole resort.

And those are our favorite tips and ride order for Critter Country. Who knew such a little land could have so many hidden treasures. What’s your favorite thing to do in Critter Country?

Best Ride Order of Tomorrowland

Welcome back to round three in the series of complete Land success! 

It’s time for the e-ticket hub of Disneyland, Tomorrowland! Tomorrowland is always packed to the friggin brim, which can probably make it seem pretty scary from the outside looking in. Also it’s kind of scary on the inside, too.

The layout of Tomorrowland lends itself for an utter nightmare for people flow, it’s kind of long and skinny, with the middle usually taken up by strollers. It can also be painful because most people who aren’t going to Fantasyland, are making the mad dash for Tomorrowland. And unlike the other lands, where there’s ebb and flow to the day, Tomorrowland gets busy in the morning and stays busy right up until closing. Like Fantasyland, you might have to come back a couple times during the day. Am I pumping you full of excitement, yet? 

Good! Like everything else, there is a strategy and it can be dominated. Let me walk you through it.

Check out Part 1: Adventureland and Part 2: Fantasyland, and our guide to fastpass and maxpass.

***PSA: This schedule works best if you’re ready at the Tomorrowland entrance at rope drop (park open) with maxpass up and running on your phone.***

1. Make a bee-line for Astro Orbitors, maxpass Space Mountain.

Everyone heads to Space Mountain and Star Tours first so by now you should know I’m going to tell to do something different. Luckily Disneyland is aware of the madness of Tomorrowland and almost all of the rides have fastpass capabilities. Which means you should head for the rides that don’t have fastpasses first, AKA Astro Orbitors.

For the life of me I cannot figure out why Astro Orbitors has the line it does CONSTANTLY but let me tell you, this line don’t quit. It starts early and for some god foresaken reason it will persist until close. So go here first and maxpass Space Mountain while in line.

I recommend maxpassing Space first because fastpasses run out faster for that ride, and the return time will get way late into the night the longer you wait. If you maxpass first thing you have the chance for an earlier return time.

2. Check on Finding Nemo and ride if line is short.

This is the only other non-fast pass ride, and it fills up fast. If it’s full, not to worry, it clears out when the fireworks start so revisit around 9:30pm if you didn’t get on in the morning or you want to ride again.

3. Check on Autopia and ride if line is short.

I know there’s a bit of “checking” on rides, but Tomorrowland isn’t as predictable in the morning as Adventureland because it tends to be on the busier side. Autopia can be fastpassed, but if the line is short, go ahead and ride. If it’s longer, wait on grabbing a fastpass for this ride until after you’ve grabbed one for Star Tours. They tend to run out later in the day than Space and Star Tours, so it’s better to grab those first.

4. Ride Astro Blasters, check to see if you can fastpass Star Tours

It should still be a short line for Astro Blasters so hop on in. If it’s longer than ten minutes, there are lots of fastpasses throughout the day and it should be easy to grab one. And even though you haven't been on Space Mountain, yet, you might be able to fastpass again so make sure to check in on that, and if you can, snag one up.

5. If Space is ready to ride, jump in line and fastpass Star Tours if unable earlier.

After Space, you’ll probably be hungry, and your Star Tours fastpass might not be ready yet. Now’s a good time to grab breakfast at the Galactic Grill (only one of like four places in Disneyland that has breakfast, and you don’t need reservations!), check out the Star Wars Launch Pad (previously Innoventions), and catch a seat at the Path of the Jedi show (previously Captian EO). Also now’s a great time to shop, and that Tomorrowland shop is a good one. Kat and I generally spend too much money there.

6. Star tours

Your fastpass might not be ready until later, but if it’s ready go ride!

You did it! Time to celebrate by grabbing another fastpass while you’re in line. And also maybe a churro.

As you can see, things fill up wonky, and some of the above ride order might not work out.

It’s helpful to know that you *cannot fastpass* Astro Orbitors and Nemo Submarines. *Everything else in Tomorrowland is fastpassable.* Also keep in mind that Space Mountain and Star Tours run out of fastpasses early, so if the park is filling up, you should fastpass Space and Star Tours first, then Astro Blasters and Autopia.

Ride order

1. Astro Orbitors, fastpass Space Mountain

2. Nemo Submarines

3. Autopia

4. Astro Blasters, check to see if you can fastpass Star Tours, yet.

5. Space Mountain, if you were unable before, fastpass Star Tours now.

6. Star Tours, fastpass your next ride!

Fastpass order if park is madness

1. Space Mountain

2. Star Tours

3. Autopia

4. Astro Blasters

Have fun! Is there a different order that you and your pack do things? Let us know! 

Best Ride Order of Fantasyland

Welcome back to round two of The Order of Things! In this post, we’ll be tackling the ever coveted Fantasyland. 

Fantasyland is a tricky one to tackle because Fantasyland has the most attractions in any Land, and the only rides that have fastpasses are outside the main portion of Fantasyland, AKA Matterhorn and Small World. PLUS you’re not allowed to trample people anywhere in Disneyland so you have to go about getting on all the rides in an ethical way. Which can really throw a wrench in things.  

And Fantasyland fills up fast, probably because it's so kid friendly. It also might have something to do with the fact that you can ride most rides in Fantasyland with a cup of coffee in your hand which you definitely cannot do anywhere else in the park.

Something to keep in mind with Fantasyland is the entire Land kind of operates how a child would. Pretty chill and fun first thing, around 10ish it gets crazy town, it gets reaaaaaaallly cranky around midday, and it starts to chill out again later on into the evening. Beware though, they launch some fireworks for the show from Fantasyland (as well as Toon Town), so they close it down for a few hours every night. Which means there’s a second opportunity at a rope drop if that’s something you’re into.

In the rundown below, I’ll give you a pretty good starting point to get Fantasyland checked off your list. While Adventureland through New Orleans Square is easy to do in one fell swoop, Fantasyland might require a trip or two back throughout the day to fully ride everything. But of course, I’ll be giving you the secrets and some reasoning behind every choice so you can make informed decisions and pivot when need be. I believe in you! It’s gonna be so much fun LET’S GO RIDE THINGS.

***PSA: This schedule works best if you’re ready at the Fantasyland entrance at rope drop (park open).***
 

1. Alice in Wonderland

I bet you’re wondering why I’m not telling you to sprint to Peter Pan first thing. I one hundred and twenty five billion percent guarantee you that everyone waiting by Fantasyland at rope drop is going to run immediately to Peter Pan. There is no way you can beat all those people trust me. Unless you are Inspector Gadget and can mechanically elongate your legs to step over everyone mad dashing to Peter Pan then please, save yourself.

Save your sanity and your happiness. No matter how early you get there, no matter how fast you walk, there will be an at least 25 minute wait for Peter Pan. In that wait time, all the other ride lines will fill up and you’ll have wasted your entire morning. Which kind of frees you up if you think about it. If there’s ALWAYS an at least 25-45 minute wait, you might as well do anything else. Don’t worry, I got a tip for you but that’s under the Peter Pan section because I have to trick you all into reading everything somehow.

Alice in Wonderland, on the other hand, doesn’t have a line first thing! And it will have a line that rivals Peter Pan later-on in the morning lasting through the rest of the day. So first thing on your list is go walk on Alice in Wonderland and enjoy saving yourself from that dumb Peter Pan line.

2. Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride

Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride also fills up ala Alice and Peter Pan, but it takes a little bit longer. Make this your second stop after Alice and walk right on.

3. Dumbo

Not gonna lie, we don’t ride Dumbo, Storybook, or Casey Jr. every time, but they fill up pretty quickly as well. Jump to Dumbo before the Peter Pan line starts to head to other rides. It’s generally pretty open first thing and later at night.

4. Storybook Land

Storybook Land and Casey Jr. have stupid lines I’m just gonna say it. Even if you’re at the very front of Storybook Land there’s only like one or two boats and it takes a while to load BUT if you catch it early on in the morning, you can avoid waiting longer than necessary.

Storybook Land sometimes opens after the park, mid-morning, so if it’s still not open after Alice, Toad, and Dumbo, hop over to Casey Jr first and check back in after.

5. Casey Jr.

Casey Jr. line works a lot like Storybook Land, it moves slow and the ride is long, but early in the morning you should be fine.

6. Pinocchio

I don’t mean to wax poetic but Pinocchio and Snow White are wonderful oases of reasonable lines in a desert of Fantasyland insanity. They should still have reasonable lines once you’re done with the above list. And you can probably come back throughout the day and ride both multiple times.

However! There are some points where everything is busy and crazy, so if you see the line switchback more than once, skip and come back. There will always be opportunities to ride.

7. Snow White, fastpass Matterhorn

Read above! An oasis I tell you! It’s probably around now that you should grab a fastpass for Matterhorn. You could do maxpass, which you probably should have if you wanna keep crushing it throughout the day, but it’s not as necessary to have in Fantasyland as it is in Adventureland/ New Orleans Square/ Frontierland.

Also I don’t care what anyone says, Snow White is the scariest ride in the park.

8. Tea Cups

Tea cups line comes and goes, because of that, I have it closer to the bottom because now would be a good time to go around and check it out. If it’s short, go ride! Have fun! If it’s long, come back at night and ride under the lights, which is my personal favorite time to ride.

9. Carousel

Also goes in and out of being busy, so it shouldn’t be too challenging to ride at any given time, but once again, it’s absolute pure magic at night.

10. Small World

If your Matterhorn fastpass isn’t ready yet, check out Small World. If the line’s long, you can always grab a fastpass after Matterhorn, but it should still be pretty much close to walk-on at this point. It may seem like there are tons of rides in Fantasyland and it would take forever to get through all of them, but they were pretty much all made a real long time ago, and they go by fairly quickly, so believe me when I tell you that you’ll still be crushing it at this point.

11. Matterhorn

Never ever ever ever wait in stand-by for this ride. It wraps around the mountain and looks like hell. They just recently added fastpass to this ride so you should take advantage of that. Hooray!

12. Peter Pan

Why is Peter Pan last, you ask? Is it not magical? Is it not wonderful? Is it not the best? It is definitely magical and wonderful and the absolute best. But it has a super long line all the time. It cannot be beat. So my big tip is don’t spend park time waiting in line. I’m about to drop some knowledge on you. Park close times are the times when the lines close, not when you have to be out of the park. Meaning if the park closes at midnight, you just have to be in line at midnight. Meaning if you HAVE to wait, might as well wait after the park closes and not waste park time.

If you’re exhausted or don’t want to wait until close, honestly just ride any time during the day because it’ll be equally bad always. I’d just maybe wait until the sun isn’t shining directly on Fantasyland so you’re not roasting in line. And you can always bring a snack and drinks in line, there are trash cans at the end so get a few churros and tuck in.

And you’re done. You did it! You dominated Fantasyland!

Once again, crowd sizes and time of day can impact how crazy a Land is, but now you have the knowledge to make informed decisions and change it up when necessary.

If you’re hanging around Fantasyland, you might as well check out some of the hidden gems around you, and of course, grab a frozen apple juice across from Red Rose Tavern.

Ride Order

1. Alice

2. Mr. Toad

3. Dumbo

4. Storybook Land

5. Casey Jr.

6. Pinocchio

7. Snow White

8. Tea Cups (Fastpass Matterhorn)

9. Carousel

10. Small World (Fastpass if the line’s too long)

11. Matterhorn

12. Peter Pan

Is there another way you like to take on Fantasyland? Let us know!

Best Ride Order of Adventureland

Welcome to our new blog series, The Order of Things! In which we give you the breakdown of a pretty perfect schedule based on land (aka how we do it).

I’m pretty sure everyone has a routine once they’ve been to Disneyland a few times. We tend to generally start day one with Adventureland into New Orleans Square and Frontierland. On day two we’ll start with Fantasyland, and if we have a day three we’ll generally start of with either Carsland or what is now Pixar Pier.

But no matter what land we start off with, we always have a solid game plan that’s pretty much ingrained in our souls by this point. This is mainly because we’ve been doing this for a while and we know where the crowds tend to go and how to work around them so we’re getting on rides without rushing or waiting in long lines. And we want to share that goodness with you.

There may seem like there’s a lot of explanation for each portion of the schedule, but if you understand the way the lines tend to work throughout the day, you can make more informed decisions and mold the schedule to fit your needs better.

We’re going to be starting off with how to work your way through the left side of the park, Adventureland, Frontierland, and New Orleans Square. It might sound like a lot but they all bump into one another, and if you’re going to take on one, you might as well take on them all. Let’s get into it! 

***PSA: This schedule works best if you’re ready at the Adventureland entrance at rope drop (park open) and if you have maxpass ready on your phone.***


 

Get in line at Pirates, maxpass Indiana Jones while in line.

Indy line gets ridiculous fast, and everyone waiting by Adventureland in the morning is generally waiting to sprint to the Indy line. Use that time to get in line at Pirates before it fills up and reserve your fastpass for Indy on your way to your boat.

Pirates tends to get busier earlier these days, which is why I recommend jumping into that line first thing. We have a rule to never wait more than ten minutes for Pirates simply because you don’t have to! Pirates line is generally walk-on in the morning, stupid long in the afternoon, and clears up again generally after the second showing of Fantasmic. So if you see the line spilling outside the actual queue and wrapping onto the walkway that connects to Tarzan Treehouse, come back later, the line WILL get shorter I promise.

Once you’re off pirates, jump in line at Haunted Mansion.

Mansion line should still be short. If you have any doubts you can reverse the order and hop on to Mansion before Pirates. Whatever line you get in first, just make sure to still make that Indy maxpass reservation. You should also keep in mind that Mansion acts a lot like Pirates. Empty in the morning, insane late morning through the evening, and clears up after Fanstasmic. Unlike Pirates, Mansion has Fastpasses, and they generally have a lot unless it’s around the Holidays. It’s totally possible to walk on early or late, but if you’re itching for a Mansion ride mid-afternoon grab a fastpass.

Off Mansion, Indy should be ready (if not, check out Tarzan’s Treehouse), jump in Indy line, maxpass Big Thunder while in line.

I’m always hesitant to wait in the regular standby line for Big Thunder because it’s a deceiving line. It’s almost always longer than the stated wait time, and you can’t see the line from anywhere to actually gauge whether the stated time is correct or not. I basically have trust issues with that line, which is why I always fastpass/maxpass. And a lot of the times, there are so many fastpasses you can grab a fastpass reservation that’s five minutes from when you make it.

Off Indy, onto Jungle Cruise

Jungle Cruise can be an enigma of a line. We can’t seem to ever predict it. We ride mostly early in the morning because it tends to be walk on, and at night because it’s a fun night ride. Jungle Cruise line starts on the ground level, and when it’s super busy wraps to an upstairs queue and back down again. You’re generally safe if the entire line is on the ground level, if it wraps upstairs we always pass.

Off Jungle Cruise, if Big Thunder isn’t ready yet, go to Tiki Room.

You’re right next to Tiki Room so you might as well. You can also browse the shops in between Adventureland and Frontierland.

Thunder and DONE. Good job!

You did it! By this time you’re probably hungry. Go find some tasty food, you earned it! If you happen to have a protein bar on hand and want to tackle Critter Country as well, go ahead an grab a maxpass for Splash and hop in line for Winnie the Pooh. On the flip side, you can now go ride the canoes, the Mark Twain, the Columbia (if it's out), or hop on over to Pirate's Lair at Tom Sawyer's Island. All of which tend to stay pretty chill throughout the day, which also means their good break time things to do. 

If you decide to hit up Critter Country, tackle the offerings of Frontierland or take off on a completely different route, now’s a good time to look at grabbing a maxpass for another e-ticket ride like Space Mountain, Guardians of the Galaxy, Incredicoaster or Radiator Springs Racers since those tend to run out earlier on.

Keep in mind, this order doesn’t always work out perfect. Lines can be wonky, it can be super packed, but generally this works like...95 percent of the time for us. Since maxpass allows you to reserve fastpasses immediately after you scan in to your previous reservation, I always recommend reserving your fastpass as soon as you can AKA in line right after you’ve scanned in.

I hope this was insightful! It’s never going to be perfect, but knowing how we generally do things and understanding the nature of how the lines work throughout the day hopefully arms you with enough insight to make informed decisions and crush your Disney goals.

Keep an eye out for the next post in this series where I’ll be tackling Fantasyland! And let us know if you have a different game plan. I love hearing everyone’s different Disney ways and traditions.

Ride Order

Pirates (maxpass Indy)

Mansion (Tarzan's Treehouse after if there's still time until Indy, or ride Pirates again)

Indy (Maxpass Thunder)

Jungle Cruise (Tiki Room after if there's still time)

Big Thunder (Maxpass Splash or other e ticket ride)

Winnie the Pooh (or Canoes, or both).

Eat food and drink lots of water. 

P.S. If you have only one day, we have a post for that, too! Check it out!

Everything You Should Know About the New Pixar Pier

New things at the Disneyland Resort? Heck yes.

What was formally Disney California Adventure’s Paradise Pier, based on the coastal boardwalks of California like the Santa Monica Pier and Santa Cruz Boardwalk, is transforming into Pixar Pier. Now home to all things Pixar even though Disney already has Pixar themed rides and lands throughout both parks. Are we excited? Maybe! Are we gonna tell you what we know? Duh of course we are.

When it opens

Most of Pixar Pier is slated to open June 23, 2018 (like next week as I’m writing this). However, there are some rides that won’t roll out until around 2019 (Disney hasn’t given exact dates on those, yet).

Layout

The new Pixar Pier will be split into four “Neighborhoods”. Incredibles Park, Inside Out Headquarters, Toy Story Boardwalk, and Pixar Promenade. Each neighborhood will have its own rides, food, and theming. According to Disney, some of the rides in the Toy Story Boardwalk and Inside Out Headquarters seem to be slated to open in 2019.

Honestly, we’re a little confused as to why the whole thing wouldn’t just be...Pixar Pier. This will be the first time at the Disneyland Resort that a land has been broken down into more little lands. It’ll be interesting to see how it all pans out in-person.

The area that stretches from the Silly Symphony Swings, all the way over to Ariel’s Undersea Adventure, that currently also houses the Jumpin Jellyfish, and Goofy’s Sky School will stay as it is and be renamed “Paradise Park”.

Rides

Most of the rides will just be a re-theme of the existing rides.

One of the biggest re-themes slotted is the transformation of California Screamin’ into the Incredicoaster. I don’t know how I feel about all of Disneyland transforming into IP themes, but not gonna lie, Incredicoaster looks dope. It seems like they used up any previous dead space to tell a story, which is very much like Disney, and calls out to all the other themed coasters in Disneyland. Honestly, Screamin’ was a little left out of the fun theming. It didn’t get the memo, I guess.

The next theme change turns Mickey’s Fun Wheel into the Pixar Pal Around which gives me and Kat a good laugh any time either of us says it. Not much is happening with the Pal Around other than the cars will be Pixar themed now. The iconic Mickey face will stay plastered on the front, and Kat and I will still refuse to ride because it’s a terror filled death trap.

Midway Mania will stay the same, but right next door, King Triton’s Carousel is getting a Jessie themed update, which will turn all the currently existing sea creatures into animal friends based on the “Woody’s Roundup” clip in Toy Story 2. However, you’ll have to wait until 2019 to experience the unadulterated thrill.

Not too much is known about the new Inside Out ride, the only new ride to the land, which won’t open until 2019. From the concept pictures, it looks like it’ll be an Inside Out themed replica of Flik’s Flyers, currently in Bug’s Land. Which makes sense, because Bug’s Land will soon be closing to make way for a new Marvel themed land (please keep Heimlich’s Chew Chew we are BEGGING YOU). It would be pretty easy to move Flyers over to Pixar Pier and give it a re-theme.

Food

Ah, food. The most important thing. Disney nailed it with the food theming not gonna lie.

Already open, taking over the Soft Serve window in between Cove Bar and California Screamin, is the new Adorable Snowman Frosted Treats, which offer lemon soft serve and if that’s not the cutest thing I don’t know what is. Full on love that switch.

Next up, the Poultry Palace, which is shaped like a giant to-go box and I’m not hating it. Give me all the kitsch. If basic reason works out in my favor, I’d guess this will serve things like chicken tenders but it’s also very possible it’s another turkey leg stand.

Senor Buzz Churros, Angry Dogs, and Jack Jack’s cookies are all pretty self explanatory and I’ll eat all of it thank you very much. I’m actually very excited for a cookie stand? Hopefully they differ than the normal cookies you can find in almost every candy store. Don’t get me wrong, I love those cookies, but like...chewy fresh chocolate chip cookies would do something special for me you know.

There will also be Bing Bong’s Confectionery which looks like a giant magical candy store based on the bright beloved Inside Out character. Carbs and sugar, people. Keeps the day going.

Last, the long time fan favorite Cove Bar along with Ariel’s Grotto is sadly turning into the new “family friendly” (stop it) Lamplight Lounge. Both the downstairs and upstairs areas are being converted, downstairs a reservation only restaurant, and upstairs walk-in only bar area. All will be a new warehouse theme which is...kind of odd considering the rest of everything around it. Lobster nachos will still be a mainstay.

Games

The existing midway games will be getting rethemed all based on Pixar’s shorts. The one I’m most excited about is the La Luna Star Catcher, which is based on my favorite star-sweeping Pixar short of all time. We’ll also be getting Heimlich’s Candy Corn Toss, and Wall-E’s Space Spin. The Bullseye Stampede game will stay the same.

And that’s what we got so far! We’re super interested to see how all the changes look and feel in person. Anyone going for the opening?

                                                                                                                           Images: Walt Disney Company

A Guide to Ride Cameras

Okay first let me just say, I acknowledge that it is hilarious to see the horrible faces people make on theme park rides, especially if they are immortalized forever on official ride camera photos. But if you really want to strike a special pose (or just show off your best Toddlers-in-Tiaras smile), here’s a quick guide to all the ride cameras in Disneyland and DCA:

1. SPLASH MOUNTAIN

The ride camera for Splash Mountain goes off just after the huge drop - which means you’re going to have to hold your pose through the initial first few seconds of pure terror as you freefall down the waterfall. You’ll know it’s coming because the log you’re sitting in starts climbing an impossibly tall incline and the music turns super creepy and ominous.

2. SPACE MOUNTAIN

Once you get past the initial spinning-rotating-lights-tunnel, Space Mountain is basically one giant clockwise loop in the dark. The camera goes off right after the track suddenly takes a sharp left - changing direction from the loop you’ve been going in the majority of the ride. As soon as the track shifts direction, strike your pose - you’ll have about half a second before the camera flashes.

3. RADIATOR SPRINGS RACERS

Once you find yourself on the outside track and racing through Radiator Springs, pay attention to the scenery. The ride camera is under the only part of the track that has a rock overpass, after a few large bumps, and the camera flashes right before you go under the tunnel. Don’t be too hopeful for a great shot though, as your hair is probably going to be in your face no matter what.

4. CALIFORNIA SCREAMIN’ / INCREDICOASTER

California Screamin’ may be getting a new name and overlay, but odds are the ride camera isn’t going anywhere. The camera is at the end of the track, almost at the building you originally boarded the ride in. You’ll know it’s coming because you’re heading back to the origin of the ride, and you suddenly take a large dive to the left - the camera flashes when you’re in the left turn.

5. GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY: MISSION BREAKOUT

I can never for the life of me remember where this camera is, so I pretty much just pose every time. The camera for sure flashes right before a big drop, right after the doors of the elevator shaft open to reveal an expansive view of the park (though I can never remember when the doors-opening part is). So, as soon as those doors open, strike a pose ASAP!

6. STAR TOURS

So technically this isn’t a ride camera, but at some point they take a photo of the Rebel Spy to display mid-ride, and Kelsey and I are always terrified it’s going to be us so we try to move around as much as possible so that they can’t get a decent photo to display. The photo is chosen before you put your 3D glasses on, and I’m pretty sure the Spy is chosen personally by a Cast Member, so it’s always a surprise if you’re up on the screen!

7. BUZZ LIGHTYEAR ASTRO BLASTERS

Near the end of the ride, you’ll find yourself helping Buzz Lightyear take out the Evil Emperor Zurg himself. The room is huge, so it’s hard to miss. The camera goes off as you turn to face Zurg at the beginning of the room, so strike a pose pretty fast!

What To Do With One Day in Disneyland Park

Let me start by saying that in an ideal world, you will have a Park Hopper ticket valid for both Disney California Adventure and Disneyland Park, with Maxpass attached so that you can get Fastpasses whenever you want. But if you find yourself strapped for cash and holding a one-park-only ticket, here's our basically fool-proof way to best enjoy your trip to Disneyland (assuming the park hours are 8am-12midnight, but remember, park hours vary, so adjust this suggested schedule according to the daily times!):

6:00-7:30 AM

Aim to get to the resort area at least an hour before rope drop (when the park officially opens - hours can vary, according to the Calendar). You’ll want to use this time to park in the Mickey and Friends parking lot (all the other lots are the worst), get through security, and take the tram (unless the lines are horrible, then just walk - it’s about a 15 minute walk from the structure to the park gate).

We usually put a mobile Starbucks order in when we get on the tram for the Starbucks closest to the park entrance. That way when you offboard the tram, you can just swing by Starbucks (a few feet away) on your way to the entrance.

Be sure to get a locker first-thing before entering the park - they fill up fast, especially during peak times. We usually get a locker to the left of the main entrance to Disneyland, by the Information Booth. Lockers are great for storing souvenirs that you don’t want to carry all day, and keeping your coats out of your hands until it cools down at night.

7:30 - 8:00 AM

You’re allowed into Disneyland to mosey around Main Street before the park officially opens. If you’re early enough and you didn’t want to face the lines at the Starbucks in Downtown Disney, you can get coffee at the Starbucks on Main Street while you walk to your rope-drop position.

Strategy is key for the first few hours of your day - this is maximum ride time! Have a snack before the park opens so you won’t have to stop for breakfast and slow your whole day down. Making the decision for what land to start in is important.

The majority of the morning crowd of Disneyland heads for these locations:

Peter Pan’s Flight - The line is shortest first thing in the morning, but it will be up to 45 minutes in no time unless you’re the very first person there, so unless you’re feeling particularly lucky, try something else instead.
Space Mountain - Nearly everyone heads for Tomorrowland first, so do yourself a favor and get a FastPass for Space Mountain later.
Indiana Jones - Indiana Jones is one of those rides that has a really unpredictable line, and usually at some point (or several points) in the day, the line will be just as short as it is in the morning. And don’t get a FastPass first thing - the lines are so short that you’re likely to get a return time of about a half-hour later.

People rarely start at these locations:

Splash Mountain - especially if it’s cold, no one wants to ride this one first-thing. Of course, the price you pay for no line is being freezing all morning.
All of the rest of Fantasyland - If you start with Alice (the ride that usually has the second-longest line in Fantasyland), you can ride pretty much all of Fantasyland’s rides (minus Peter Pan) in the first hour.
Big Thunder Mountain Railroad - if you want to walk on, Big Thunder’s line doesn’t get bad until about an hour after park opening.

8:00 - 10:00 AM

Ride as many rides as you can. Do not stop for Fastpasses. Do not stop for snacks.

10:00 - 2:00 PM

Have breakfast / lunch as close to 11:00 as you can, as lunch crowds will make getting food at noon annoying, unless you have a reservation somewhere.

By noon, the park will be crowded. Lines will be stacking up. If the Pirates of the Caribbean line has wrapped around the ramp outside of the entrance, it’s a good sign that it’s time to get some Fastpasses and consider taking it easy for a while.

This is a good time to ride the rides that rarely have lines. Small World is a good ride to count on, unless it’s the Holidays. The Train rarely has too long of a wait, especially if you plan to board at New Orleans Square or Tomorrowland station. Jungle Cruise nearly always has a wait of 15 minutes (if you see the line on the second floor, skip this one). Winnie the Pooh is also a good stand-by, plus you can get a treat at the end!

Now’s also a good time to enjoy the more laid-back attractions: take a cruise on the Mark Twain, watch Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln, try the Sleeping Beauty Castle walkthrough, have a Dole Whip and watch the show at the Enchanted Tiki Room.

You can also single-rider some rides if you’re still feeling high-octane: Matterhorn rarely has a long single-rider line, and you can go for Indiana Jones if you want (though it’s not particularly hard to get a good wait time and go with your party on that one).

If you’re planning on seeing Fantasmic! Pick up a fastpass by noon - they don’t usually run out, but it’s good to have. Remember, Fantasmic fastpasses aren’t on the same system as the others, so it won’t hinder you from getting another Fastpass right away.

2:00 - 4:00 PM

Have a late lunch. If you’re overwhelmed, venture outside the park to Tortilla Jo’s or Trader Sam’s in the Disneyland Hotel. Take the monorail back to the park when you’re done - the entrance is right by the Disneyland Hotel, and the best view of the Park is on the trip back from the Hotel.

If you don’t have a reservation, good places for lunch are: The French Quarter, The Hungry Bear, possibly Cafe Orleans if you’re lucky enough to get in without a reservation, Rancho del Zocalo, The Plaza Inn (for fried chicken!).

Hopefully you’ll have a Fastpass or two lined up for this time by now. Ride your big ticket rides, and stroll through the shops throughout Disneyland.

This is also a great time to take a circle-tour of Disneyland on the train. Sit back and enjoy the full loop. If the crowds are still rough, ride on one of the many Main Street Transportation vehicles - the Omnibus is particularly fun if you have a seat on the top tier.

4:00 - 6:00 PM

Now is the perfect time for something like Mickey and the Magical Map, if you’re tired. It’s also the perfect time for some more caffeine, so hit up Starbucks like your life depends on it.

Have a snack to keep you going - you’re going to need your strength for Night Time at Disneyland. It just so happens that the snacks at the Troubadour Tavern by Mickey and the Magical Map are some of the heartiest and best in the park - try the Brat, the baked potato, the pretzel bites, and the sweet twist (whatever the flavor).

6:00 - 8:00 PM

Eat dinner. Hopefully you have a reservation. If not, try: Hungry Bear, Plaza Inn, Downtown Disney.

Between the hours of 4 and 8 are prime meltdown time. Make sure you’ve brought something like Advil, because your feet are probably killing you by now. Have some more caffeine if you need it, and have a snack even if you don’t think you’re hungry. Don’t be afraid to take it easy for a while! There’s a lot to do in Disneyland but being exhausted will really sour the experience.

8:00 - 11:00 PM

Time for a nighttime spectacular or two!! Line up for Fantasmic! On the Rivers of America at least half an hour before the entry starts on your Fastpass. You can view the fireworks and projections from Rivers of America after Fantasmic! If you see the first show.

Pro tip: crowds are always less for the second showing of Nighttime shows, because the majority of guests leave after the fireworks.

11:00 - 12:00 AM

Now’s your last chance to ride whatever you feel like you’ve missed. Remember, as long as you’re in line when the park closes, you can still ride whatever you’re lined up for - so make sure you’re using your time down to the last second!

The Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage usually has its’ shortest wait time first thing in the morning or at night - the problem with riding it at night is that it’ll put you right to sleep.

Other lines that are particularly short at night are: Splash Mountain (again with the freezing thing), Fantasyland, the train, Autopia.

The best time to get on Peter Pan’s Flight is either first thing in the morning (if you’re at the park super early) or at 11:59 at night, because if you’re going to wait 45 minutes for a non-thrill ride, you might as well make it 45 minutes that you couldn’t use to do anything else.

Random Pointers:

Plan on Fastpassing:

Indiana Jones
Space Mountain
Star Tours
Haunted Mansion (during Summer or Holidays)
Small World (during the Holidays)
Big Thunder (possibly)

Single Rider:

Matterhorn
Indiana Jones (possibly)

Do Not Get in Line if the Line is Longer than 15 Minutes:

Pirates of the Caribbean
Jungle Cruise
Winnie the Pooh
Any Fantasyland Ride
Small World
Any Ride You Can Fastpass

Food You Should Eat (Without a Reservation):

Dole Whip
Churro
Cookies from Any Treat Counter
Gumbo in a Breadbowl
Mickey Pretzel
Plaza Inn Fried Chicken
Hungry Bear Crispy Chicken Sandwich
Maurice’s Twists
Bengal Barbecue
Mickey Beignets
Corndog

Food You Should Eat (With a Reservation):

Blue Bayou
Carnation Cafe
Plaza Inn Breakfast (Character Meet and Greet / Breakfast Buffet)
Cafe Orleans

Remember, you’re in Disneyland to have fun! Give yourself time to experience the Disney Magic, whether it’s watching the Dapper Dans perform on Main Street, or spying Peter Pan and Captain Hook parading through Fantasyland. Take some time to rest and relax and don’t push yourself too much - you’ll have a much better time if you come at your trip with a little bit of strategy and a lot of flexibility. And don’t forget our Rules of Disneyland!

10 Hidden Gems in Fantasyland

Fantasyland is easily one of the most magical places in Disneyland and unfortunately, that means it’s frequently crowded with people all trying to experience that magic. In the rush to get to a ride before a huge line creeps up you could easily miss one of these hidden gems:

Rapunzel’s Tower

This might be my favorite hidden gem in the entire park. Rapunzel’s statue, at the center of Fantasy Faire, is a great place to take a break and rest your feet while watching a (bad) performance at the Royal Theatre - but when the sun goes down, the magic really comes out: the statue lights up and plays music.

I cannot for the life of me figure out the timing of this thing, and it doesn’t happen during Swing Dancing nights (which is almost always the one night we have on our Disneyland trip), but my best guess is that it happens every 15 minutes or so. If you’re lucky enough to witness it, it’s truly magical!

The Evil Queen

Keep your eyes on the window above the Snow White queue entrance to get an occasional glimpse of the Evil Queen, gazing with disdain at the passers-by.

The Poison Apple

Speaking of the Evil Queen, next time you’re entering the Snow White queue, give the bronze Poison Apple at the entrance a touch - you might just get a reaction from the Evil Queen herself.

Snow White’s Wishing Well

Snow White’s wishing well is located on a less-traveled path on the side of Sleeping Beauty’s Castle. Toss a coin into the fountain and listen to hear Snow White sing. Perch there for a few minutes, and you might get to enjoy a small water and light show at the grotto across the water. It’s also a hotspot for Character meet-and-greets, if that’s your thing.

Yeti Footprints

As you walk the perimeter of the Matterhorn, keep an eye out for a cast of a footprint believed to belong to Harold the Yeti himself.

Golden Spike at the Center of Disneyland

Rumor has it that this spike in the ground marks the center of Disneyland - but unfortunately, it’s just a rumor. Really, it was just placed there to make sure Main Street was lined up perfectly to Sleeping Beauty’s castle. It’s actually not even a spike at all, just a gold cap in the ground - and there are a few of them throughout the park. But even if there is no huge significance to the “gold spike” of Disneyland, it’s a fun gem to spot.

Castle Walkthrough Special Surprises

As you’re enjoying the Sleeping Beauty Castle walkthrough, be sure to touch and pull on every door handle and latch you can. There are several bits of Disney magic that are only activated that way.

Sword in the Stone

They say that if you are successful in pulling the sword from the stone in front of King Arthur’s Carousel, you’ll be crowned king or queen. The sword DOES come out of the stone on occasion, though it hardly ever actually does - but you never know if it will work for you.

Monstro

The entrance to Storybookland is through Monstro the Whale’s giant and terrifying mouth - but he’s holding a few more secrets. If you watch him long enough, you’ll notice Monstro’s giant eye blinking, and you might even get to see him blow up a jet of mist (which totally terrified me the first time I saw it).

Tinkerbell’s Fountain

At the entrance to Pixie Hollow, there is a fountain featuring Tinker Bell and her pixie friends. At night, every so often, you can enjoy a small light and water show at the fountain - imagine the tiniest World of Color.

10 Hidden Gems in Adventureland

Adventureland is always a sea of hustle and bustle - sometimes you’re lucky just to get through the walkway down to the Pirates of the Caribbean line (and let’s not talk about the disaster that is the area right in front of the Indiana Jones queue). Because there is always so much hullabaloo, it’s easy to miss these hidden gems - but next time you’re in Adventureland, keep your eyes peeled!

The Little Man of Disneyland’s Door

In 1955, a Golden book was published about a leprechaun, Patrick Begorra, who lived in a tree in a grove in Anaheim. He meets Mickey Mouse and his friends, who let him know that the trees will need to be moved to make way for Disneyland. Naturally, Patrick isn’t too happy about the situation, but Mickey and friends show him all of the amazing plans for Disneyland and eventually Patrick agrees to let them build the park - as long as he can stay in a tree house tucked out of the way.

In Adventureland, you can find Patrick Begorra’s door of his house, hidden away in a tree next to the Indiana Jones ride. It took us many, many trips to Disneyland before we finally happened to see the door - making this about as hidden as a hidden gem can get. 

Eeyore Sign in Indiana Jones

Before Indiana Jones Adventure: Temple of the Forbidden Eye was built, the land it’s situated on was home to a parking lot. The name of the parking lot was - you guessed it - the Eeyore Parking Lot. Behind the projector in the safety video room, there’s a sign featuring Winnie the Pooh’s grumpiest friend, which is just visible in the dim light.

Indiana Jones Props

Speaking of Indiana Jones, did you know that both the mine cart and the Mercedes truck in the queue (most visible as you’re exiting the ride) are actual props used in Raiders of the Lost Ark and Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom?

Indiana Jones Queue

While we’re still on the topic of Indiana Jones, while you’re inside the Temple in the queue, pay attention to the signs asking you not to pull on the bamboo and or the rope - and do the exact opposite.

Mrs. Potts And Chip

As you wander through Tarzan’s Treehouse, you may see a familiar face (or lack of one, really). The tea set on the ground floor features none other than Mrs. Potts and Chip from Beauty and the Beast - minus the enchanted facial features.

Swisskapolka

While you’re searching for Mrs. Potts at Tarzan’s Treehouse, pay close attention to the gramophone at the base of the tree. It’s playing the Swisskapolka, a song from the Disney film Swiss Family Robinson, which was the inspiration for the original Swiss Family Treehouse before it was re-themed to the Tarzan's Treehouse of today.

Adventureland Radio

The next time you’re walking by Jungle Cruise, stop and listen to the loudspeakers. Adventureland has its’ own radio station - perfectly themed to match the vintage environment. Some of our favorite excerpts include updates on recent lost Jungle Cruise voyages and ads for new-and-improved mosquito netting.

We Buy and Sell the Rare and Exotic... Sign

Set up on a back wall of the seating area for Bengal Barbecue is a sign that reads “We Buy & Sell the Rare & Exotic...at our other store” This sign, up until Summer 2017, was featured prominently on the Tropical Imports facade across the walkway.

Jungle Cruise Offboarding Dock

The next time you ride Jungle Cruise, take a look at the end of the dock as you depart your boat - often, there are funny messages written on sign-boards, props you might not expect to see, or other easy-to-miss hidden gems. While you’re there, you might as well ask a Cast Member for a Jungle Cruise map.

Shrunken Ned

Now that a good portion of the Adventureland shops have been remade into Bengal Barbecue seating, it’s easy to walk by Shrunken Ned, the Head Shrink of the Jungle and fortune-telling machine. For a quarter and a quick scan of your palm, Shrunken Ned will give you some useful advice and a printed fortune (one of Disneyland’s cheapest and most unique souvenirs).

The New Route of The Disneyland Railroad

We love The Disneyland Railroad because it's an original park classic, nothing beats a slow steam powered nap around the park and the smell is just as iconic Disneyland as Pirates. 

The Disneyland Railroad has a deep history, held a very special place in Walt's heart, and like most of the rest of the park, it continues to evolve.But there's some awesome new changes that bring fun new charm to the ride, great props and elements they brought back, and at this time, a view of the construction and hope for the future of Star Wars Land. 

We're gonna take a peek into a super brief history and how it's evolved, and show you some of our favorite and not so favorite updates. (Sorry new narrator, just not the same). 

The exciting new left turn!

A Brief History

The Disneyland Railroad was born from Disney's deep rooted passion for trains. Walt was fond of trains from a young age, in fact, one of his childhood jobs was selling newspapers and snacks on trains in Missouri. He loved this so much despite rarely making a profit.

When Disneyland was conceived and built, the railroad was so special to Walt that it was owned by a separate company, Retlaw. That's Walter spelled backward. Walt seemed to be killer at using word jumbles as company names. This separation allowed him to handpick cast members, pay special attention to attraction operation and even design their paychecks in a unique way.

Early changes to the Railroad

In 1955, when the park opened, the Disneyland Railroad offered two unique grand circle tours of the Magic Kingdom. From Main Street Station you boarded the Passenger Train and from the Frontierland Station, the Western Freight train.  This is the same New Orleans station you see today, but this area wasn't called New Orleans Square until 1966.

Each train steamed around Disneyland with no stops in between and had unique train cars that followed the Passenger and Freight Train theme. it's a Small World and the entire area surrounding it, the Fantasyland Theater and Toontown didn't exist yet. so the Disneyland Railroad tracked a much tighter route, behind Casey Jr., Midget Autopia, and the Motorboat Cruise.

In 1956, the Fantasyland Depot opened, approximately where the path now leads you to Small World and leading up to the opening of Small World in 1966, the track was rerouted to where you see it today.

The New, New Route

Galaxy's Edge, commonly known as Star Wars Land is a massive construction project that took a little bite out of The Rivers of America and required the railroad to slide a little south. This is the most major change to the route since Small World was added and they did a great job. You'd never know the train ride got shorter and the added elements are delightful.

The two most apparent changes are the bridge that takes you over a waterfall, visible from the Rivers of America, and the brand new left turn which realigns the tracks with the path to Toontown Depot.  

Bridge and Waterfall along the Northwest side of the Rivers of America

Under the tracks, as seen from the Mark Twain. Beavers gnawing away!

Keep your eye out for the relocated Indiana dog house. 

One change we're not so keen on, the new narrator. Just not the same charm. 

And there you go! Have you tried out that new left turn yet? 

The Rules of Disneyland

When you start going to Disneyland a lot (a lot) you tend to establish a set of rules, a mission statement, or pedagogy of sorts you abide by. I'm sure there's a lot of good ones. These, however, are the best ones. They were imparted upon us from our Disney mentors, and we're passing them along to you. You're welcome. 

 

1. Keep up or get left behind.

We're not turning back to make sure everyone's together. That's what cell phones are for. 

Jkjkjkjk (kind of). 

We're pretty lucky our pack is full of seasoned Disneyland veterans and know the lay of the land. The trick is to establish end points before you head anywhere so if someone gets lost in a sea of slow walkers we all know where we're going ahead of time. It keeps us from stopping dead in the middle of a crowd and gets us to where we need to go. Trust us on this one. 

2. Ride first apologize later.

Imagine this: you're separated from your crew. You're on your way to meet up with them. You pass by Pirates and there's NO LINE. So tempting. You regretfully move toward your meet up spot. STOP. Turn around. Get on that ride. Worried your crew will be mad? Who cares, you ride first apologize later. If you got a good group of people, they'll understand. They'll even support you. It's the way of Disneyland. 

3. There's no crying in Disneyland.

Unless they're tears of joy about that fresh churro in your hand, take your crying somewhere else.