This, park fans, is where it all began. Sure there were amusement parks before Walt Disney mortgaged the farm in the 1950s to develop his dream, but nothing compared to the grandeur, the scope, the sheer audacity of Disneyland. It uses a "hub and spoke" layout to connect the iconic Sleeping Beauty's Castle at its center with the themed lands: Fantasyland, Tomorrowland, Mickey's Toontown, Adventureland, Fronteirland, New Orleans Square, Critter Country and Main Street, USA. To walk the same streets that Walt himself walked and ride the attractions he helped design imbues Disneyland with a special, enchanting charm. It is the prototype theme park and it retains its magic even in these more jaded times.
Highlights
Yes, there are some spectacular attractions here. But the timeless lure of say, hopping aboard Dumbo -- essentially a pedestrian kiddie ride -- shows that nearly everything at Disneyland is a highlight. Winnowing the list down to the E-Ticket attractions:
- Pirates of the Caribbean dark boat ride
- The Haunted Mansion dark ride
- Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage
- it's a small world
- Indiana Jones Adventure trackless dark ride
- Space Mountain indoor coaster
- Splash Mountain themed log flume
- Fantasmic! multimedia presentation
- Honey, I Shrunk the Audience 3-D film
- Star Tours simulator
- Believe: There's Magic in the Stars fireworks
Dining
The Blue Bayou is wonderful. Otherwise, the dining is not particularly great inside Disneyland Park.
- Blue Bayou- It's always twilight in the lobby of the Pirates of the Caribbean attraction and your table will overlook calm waters as the ride's boats slowly pass by.
- French Market Restaurant- Another good New Orleans Square dining spot.
- Cafe Orleans- Decent buffet
Tips
- Grab a spot for Disneyland's parades at least 30 minutes before they start or you'll be stuck three rows behind mouse-eared guests.
- Check Disneyland's Fastpass attractions and learn how to make the most of the Fastpass program.
- Prime viewing spots for Fantasmic! (along the Rivers of America in Frontierland) are limited. Stake yours out at least 45 minutes before the show begins.
Are you looking for hotel accommodations? Compare rates for Disney's Grand Californian Hotel at About.com's booking partner, Kayak.
New for 2008:
- Year of a Million Dreams, Part II throughout the resort.
- See photos of the Disneyland Dream Suite and more at the Disneyland Resort 2008 Preview Photo Gallery.
- Disneyland Dream Suite Exclusive Photo Gallery
- Yo Ho, Yo Ho, the Pirates' Ride for Her- Contest winner joins the classic Disneyland ride, Pirates of the Caribbean.
Yo Ho, Yo Ho, the Pirates Ride for Me
Check out the seminal Pirates of the Caribbean E-Ticket attraction, including a review, some below-deck insights from Disney Imagineering legend Marty Sklar, a 16-photo gallery--even the lyrics to the rousing "Yo Ho" song. Drink up, me 'earties!
They're Dying to Meet You at the Haunted Mansion
An overnight sensation (that was actually many years in the making), the classic Haunted Mansion ride has remained enormously popular; casual and ardent fans alike typically pair it with Pirates of the Caribbean as the archetypal Disney attractions. Here is my full review, plus links to behind-the-screams secrets revealed, Museum of the Weird facts about the ride, a Haunted Mansion Photo Gallery, a history of the attraction from Disney legend Marty Sklar--even the lyrics to "Grim Grinning Ghosts," the Haunted Mansion theme song.
Jonesing for Disneyland's Indy Ride
An E-Ticket tour de force, Indiana Jones Adventure immerses guests into the world of the popular movie series through the use of Disney's innovative Enhanced Motion Vehicles, highly elaborate sets, and a stunning array of effects. Rather than retell one of the Indiana Jones films, it creates a new story and casts riders in leading roles. It is one of Imagineering's crowning achievements.
Nemo Subs for Mermaids in Disneyland's New/Old Submarine Voyage
When the Submarine Voyage, a classic ride that was one of Disneyland's signature attractions, closed in 1998, it left a literal and figurative void at the park. It took an enormously popular lost clownfish for Disney to find the inspiration and budget to bring the subs back. With its new Finding Nemo overlay, the ride is perfectly positioned to appeal to today's Pixar-lated kids as well as their nostalgia-fueled parents. The combination of deft storytelling and Imagineering magic makes the Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage an alluring, sea-worthy E-ticket attraction for Disneyland's next 50 years.
Peeking into the Mouse Hole
Discover how the Disney Imagineers develop the Disney theme parks and attractions.
