Anaheim Visitors Guide to Disneyland and California Adventure

Transcription

1 Anaheim Visitors Guide to Disneyland and California Adventure Introduction...2 Avoiding Long Lines...3 Arrive Early...3 Fast Pass Tips (Save 1 Hour)...4 Best Days to Visit Disneyland...7 So. California City Pass...7 Ticket Choices...8 Buying Discount Tickets...8 Annual Passes...9 Interesting Tip...9 Annual Pass Fact...9 Avoid Scams...9 Parking...10 Lion King...11 Disney Dining...12 Best Places to Eat in the Parks...12 Hotel Discounts and Time Saving Tips...13 Time Saving Tips (Save 1 Hour)...13 Kid Friendly Attractions...14 Not So Kid Friendly...15 A Kids Day Out Hands-on Activities...16 Best Sit Down Shows...17 Fun Facts...18

2 Introduction This ebook was written to help you maximize your vacation time by taking advantage of the experience of Disney travelers who have been visiting Disneyland for over 40 years. We hope that some of the things you learn will help you make the most of your family vacation as you plan your day and take advantage of the systems in place to help you have a great time at the Happiest Place on Earth. As you begin to plan your family vacation here are our top four suggestions for planning ahead and take an extended vacation. As you plan your family vacation to Southern California we suggest you think about the following to make sure you have an enjoyable trip. 1. Where will you stay? 2. What will you do? 3. How will you get around? 4. How to best use your time? 1. Get a Vacation Rental If you are traveling with kids a hotel room might limit your space. Staying in a Vacation Rental costs about the same price as a hotel room, gives you more space. If you have a large family this may prevent you from having to rent two hotel rooms and provides a more relaxing environment. Renting a condo on the beach during or after your Disneyland stay might even be a vacation from your vacation. View San Diego Vacation Rentals 2. Look at all So. California Attractions The Southern California CityPass allows you to visit Disneyland for 3 days and then you can go to Sea World, the San Diego Zoo and Universal Studios all at a discounted rate. Learn more about So. California City Pass Look at the bigger picture meaning don't make your vacation more work than fun. Usually after three days most people have had their fill of Disneyland and are ready for leisurely beach activities or other attractions. View Map of OC Beaches 3. Transportation Options Rental cars are convenient but if you re staying in the Anaheim Resort District you can take advantage of Anaheim Rapid Transit (ART Link). In addition Public transportation options along the coast from San Diego to Anaheim are the Coaster and Metrolink. These have improved to the point that you can now travel from Costal San Diego to Anaheim with one transfer in Oceanside. Anaheim Transportation Links

3 4. Read this Disney vacation guide ebook and visit the Anaheim Visitors Guide website for more information on planning your visit to Disneyland and Orange County California and finding discount hotels. Anaheim Visitors Guide There are many hotels and restaurants within walking distance of Disneyland. Many of the hotels offer shuttles to and from the park during certain operating hours, some farther hotels charge an extra fee for the shuttle. View the Hotels and Restaurants pages on the Anaheim Visitors Guide website to find where you may want to eat and stay. In addition you can find lots of other attractions including Orange County Beaches and Shopping. Anaheim Visitors Guide Avoiding Long Lines Here are some of our best tips for avoiding long lines on crowded days at Disneyland and California Adventure. By following these steps you will never have to wait in a 90 minute line for Splash Mountain. However if you do find your self in a long line remember that this can be quality time with your family. I try and make it fun by playing games with the kids such as Simon says and just talking. Arrive Early Arriving early is the only way to get on tons of rides before the crowds arrive. We were able to get on 12 rides in the first 7 hours from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. because we started collecting Fast Passes quickly before they ran out. We had one person take the tickets to the fast pass machine while we waited in line for our first ride. At first we were able to collect a new fast past every 30 minutes. As more and more people arrived we had to wait 1 hour and then 1.5 hours. By then we had enough Fast Passes for the four main rides, Splash Mountain, Indiana Jones, Space Mountain and Big Thunder Mountain. We were also able to get double Fast Passes because the Rodger Rabbit ride in Toon Town Fast Pass is not connected with the rest of the Disneyland system. If your staying in a hotel near Disneyland this is sure fired way to get in early and avoid the lines for the trams. If you stay in the castle hotel near the park you can watch the fireworks show from the hot tub. Soaking in the hot tub is great way to end the day.

4 Fast Pass Tips (Save 1 Hour) When you get to Disneyland the first thing you want to do is get a Fast Pass for the first major ride you want to go on. Fast Passes allow you to get in a special line at a designated time so you don t have to wait so long. If you plan it right you can optimize the number of Fast Passes you can acquire during the day by getting your next fast pass at the designated time. For the first part of the day you may feel that all you are doing is collecting Fast Passes and going on just a few rides but this will pay off during the second half when you start using them up quickly. Fast Pass Steps: 1. Find the Fast Pass ticket machines near the line for your ride. 2. Insert your Disneyland admission ticket with the bar code 3. Grab the Fast Pass that comes out and your admission ticket. 4. Look at the time printed on the Fast Pass. 5. Come back to the Fast Pass entrance after the time shown on your ticket. For example, if it s 10 a.m., the Fast Pass ticket might say "Return Anytime Between 12:30 PM and 1:30 PM". This means you can go on another ride and then come back anytime after 12:30 and get in the special shorter Fast Pass line. The Fast Pass ticket also tells you when you can get your next Fast Pass. 1. Again I can stress how important it is to ARRIVE EARLY! Fast Passes run out as the day goes on and if you get to Disneyland when the park opens you can get Fast Passes 30 minutes apart. Later in the afternoon the ride return times get later and later and eventually stop. Keep in mind that even if you do get a Fast Pass for some rides like Indian Jones, this only gets you through part of the line quickly. You may still have to wait like everyone else once the lines merge. 2. View the list of attractions below that give out Fast Passes. Start with the attraction you want to ride first and send one person over there with all your tickets to get the Fast Passes. I recommend that you start with Splash Mountain because you may not want to get wet later in the day when it's starting to cool off. Also Space Mountain Fast Passes run out fast so you may want to get those second. 3. If you have a stroller this can be used to your advantage. Stroller Passes are given out if the rider does not meet the height requirement or simply does not want to go on the ride at that moment. This is good. For example: on this ride if you have 3 people that can ride get 1 Fast Pass. Once that person enters the line also ask for a Stroller Pass. The other two riders now have their ticket (Stroller

5 Pass) that will get them in the Fast Pass line. Stroller Passes are a ¼ page color coded card for just that ride with instructions on how to return. 4. You can also take advantage of the Single Rider line, like on Toy Story Mania. In this case you don't need a Fast Pass. California Adventure Fast Passes are not connected to Disneyland so if you hop over there you can start over anytime. 5. Some rides only spit out Fast Passes once every 1-2 hours. Don't worry about the return times, every time I have been there they have always accepted a Fast Pass in the Return line no matter what time I go back as long as I arrived after the posted Return Time. 6. Keep track of the time, usually every two hours you can get a pass. But I'm sure that last week I got a Fast Pass on Buzz Lightyear Astro Blaster and then on Splash Mountain an hour later. At any rate once the time is near for your next fast pass send one person in your party over to the next ride to get the next pass. Again the earlier you start the more you will get. Disneyland rides with Fast Passes in order of popularity: Indiana Jones Adventure Splash Mountain Space Mountain Big Thunder Mountain Buz Lightyear Autopia California Adventure Fast Pass Rides Soarin' over California Grizzly River Run California Screamin' Tower of Terror Mulholland Madness California Adventure and Disneyland Fast Pass systems are not connected, but it may be too hard to go back and forth just for Fast Passes. Once everyone has entered both parks you can send one person with all of the tickets to a FastPas machine but remember the Fast Pass tickets will only work once everyone has entered that park. Make sure you have a cell phone to find your party again. Disneyland Fast Passes (Save 4 Hours) Make sure you get Fast Passes for these 4 rides in this order. 1. Splash Mountain - you will want to ride early in the afternoon while it's still warm in case you get wet. If you get this fast pass later in the day you may have a late p.m. start time and may have to wait 2 hours for your next Fast Pass depending on crowd conditions. I always ask to ride in the back of the boat and never get soaked. 2. Indiana Jones, should be your second Fast Pass but watch the clock as these run out fast. 3. Space Mountain. You can ride this anytime after your fast past return time and you can get your next one about 1.5 hours later, or sooner if you arrive early. 4. Big Thunder Mountain - this is not as popular as the other three rides so the Fast Passes don't run out as quickly.

6 Some people that arrive after 10 a.m. (the time when California Adventure opens) start the day by going over to California Adventure and getting a Fast Pass for Soarin' over California or Bear Rapids since they are close to the park entrance. Then they head over to Disneyland and get more Fast Passes. Since the FastPass systems in both parks are not connected this works well if your Park Hoppin. In between Fast Pass rides you can get in line for The Matterhorn and other rides. California Adventure Fast Passes (Save 4 Hours) The four main rides you need to go on at California Adventure are. 1. Tower of Terror - this is one of the top 3 rides. 2. California Screamin' - a very fast looping roller coaster with 48" height restriction because of the loop. 3. Soarin' Over California. If you pick a fourth ride it should be Bear Rapids but make sure you want to get wet or bring a poncho. These four rides combined with the four from Disneyland mentioned above are the main attractions you should try and ride. Once you have your fast passes collected at Disneyland you will have some down time while you wait. This is a good time to go back over to California Adventure and use your first Fast Pass. It's probably the early afternoon by now and the hot part of the day so this is when you rest up and see some shows and plan on which night time shows you want to see and when. On crowded days make sure you get your hand stamped if you re Hopping between parks, even if you have an Annual Pass. If you plan ahead you can avoid waiting in long lines or even worse getting locked out. If you re going two or more days you will be tired the second day so you may not be able to get there as early, unless your staying in a hotel. I've even seen people use Fast Passes from the day before, by holding their thumb over the date and using them at night. ;) And don't forget to ask for a Stroller Pass (I believe they are also called a Stand-by Pass) if you have a young child or a child in a stroller even if they are tall enough to go on the ride. Single Rider Lines (Save 4 Hours) There are some rides that have Single Rider Lines; Splash Mountain, Indiana Jones, Screamin', Toy Story Mania. These allow you to avoid the lines in most cases and often you end up riding with someone from your group. Most rides have wheel chair access through a special entrance. Check with the park as to which lines have special access. Firework Shows (Save 1 Hour) Here are some tips for viewing the summer firework show. If you are planning on staying to watch the firework show be prepared to wait in a long line for the tram back to the parking lot. (Again another reason to stay in a nearby hotel.) Disneyland makes an effort to add extra shuttles on the north side of the West loading area for the Mickey and Friends parking structure. The extra shuttles start at 9:30. You can avoid waiting in line by walking back to the parking

7 structure. The walk only takes 10 minutes and you will get back way before your shuttle would have arrived. You can avoid the lines altogether by viewing the firework show from on top of 6th floor of the Mickey and Friends parking structure. This is actually a great place to see all of the fireworks up close and you can really feel the booming. We have done this and the kids actually like how the loud bangs and booms set off what seems like hundreds of car alarms. When the show is over you re the first one in your car and on the road. Of course if you re watching Fantasmic then you will need to be in the park. One of the best viewing areas for Fantasmic is on the bridge in front of Pirates of the Caribbean because your view is not blocked by other people. There are usually two shows every evening, three when the park is crowded. Check show times. Best Days to Visit Disneyland Based on reports the best days to visit Disneyland are Tues, Wed and Thurs. Saturdays are always the most crowded. There are several sites that offer traffic reports on what days and months have the most tourists, the week after Thanksgiving being one of the least crowded. During March and April various states have their Spring breaks staggered so this helps keep the crowds down, but it's still busy. The up side is during peak months all the rides are usually open and they have fireworks. During the off peak season some rides are closed for repair and there are fewer shows. In 2009 Disneyland has a promotion that allows you to enter free on your birthday. Birthday guest can be seen all over the park wearing their birthday buttons. So your birthday is definitely a good day to go. Pickup up your button at a ticket booth or Main Street City Hall. So. California City Pass If you get a California CityPass you don't have to use all the Disneyland days in a row. For example you can go to Disneyland on Wednesday and Thursday and the Beach on Friday, then Sea World on Saturday, the San Diego Zoo on Sunday, Universal Studios on Monday and then back to Disneyland on Tuesday. These are probably the best days to visit each of those parks, and all of them come with the Southern California CityPass. Read more about the Southern California CityPass

8 Time Saving Tip (Save 1 Hour) Weekends get very crowded especially after 5 p.m. when nearby residents get off work. Many people want to go to see a show or just get on one ride. Many people just go to have dinner at Disneyland or Downtown Disney. Entering the park through the monorail entrance at the Disneyland Hotel is one way to get into the park and by-pass the crowds. You will need your ticket or annual pass to get on the monorail which arrives every 10 minutes. You can avoid waking all the way to Tomorrowland if you take this ride. Ticket Choices Buy Tickets Online (Save 1 Hour) Buy tickets early online may not prevent you from having to stop by the ticket booth. Only if you have a ticket with a bar code will you be able to get in and not have to wait in long lines at the ticket booth. Buying Discount Tickets There are several ways to buy discount Disneyland tickets. You can buy the California CityPass which allows you to visit multiple parks at a discount price. You have to buy all of the tickets but you don t have to use them. If you do buy this pass you have 14 days to use them all or your loose them. Since the tickets are valid until they are removed anyone that has the booklet can get in to the parks listed below. You can also buy the CityPass at the Main Gate of Disneyland. The So. California CityPass includes all of the following tickets: Disneyland and California Adventure - 3 day hopper pass Sea World 1 day San Diego Zoo or Wild Animal Park 1 day Universal Studios 1 day Most visitors want to purchase a 3 day hopper pass at a discount. There are several ways to purchase Disneyland and California Adventure tickets. Always be careful when purchasing tickets on ebay and Craigslist, make sure you know or trust the person. 1. ebay - you can purchase electronic tickets online from a reputable vendor on ebay. Read the fine print and make sure you check the expiration date. You can also negotiate price especially if the expiration date is quickly approaching, but you re going to use them before they do expire. 2. Costco sells an annual Disneyland pass for $269. This is the 300 day annual passport and comes with a $50 Gift Card. You may still need to take to the ticket window. (info current as of Summer 2009) 3. Southern California CityPass. This has a 3 day Hopper Pass as well as other Southern California Attractions including San Diego Zoo, Sea World and Universal Studios all in one booklet. Find out more about So. California CityPass

9 4. Vacation Package. You can sometimes purchase your tickets as part of a vacation package through the hotel you are staying at. Check online for Disney Vacation Packages Annual Passes If you have an annual pass check the blockout dates online before you go, especially if you have the SoCal Select version which is the most limited. I have seen many people get rejected on Friday Aug. 22nd which is odd block out date at the end of summer for SoCal Select only. If you are going to buy an annual pass there are several options, all of which went up in price as of Aug Remember you can upgrade you tickets stubs to an annual pass before you leave on the last day your tickets are used. For Southern California residents you have two types of annual passes, SoCal Select and So. California the main difference is So. California allows you to go on Sundays. Check the Disney website for prices and plans. Which ever plan you get make sure one person buys the parking pass for about $60. At $12 each visit for parking this will pay for its self in 5 visits. Note: if you want to upgrade your existing annual pass it does not reset the day you bought it, meaning you will pay the difference but will not get any extra days. You can not add the upgrade to a payment plan meaning you have to pay the difference in full at the time of upgrade. Interesting Tip If you forget your annual pass you can get a temporary replacement or Courtesy Visit Certificate for that day from Guest Services window with photo identification. The replacement ticket can not be used for getting Fast Passes as it does not have a bar code. In order to get Fast Passes that day you need to ask for a special Fast Pass Card from the ride attendant at the Fast Pass station. You then use that card for collecting Fast Pass tickets. I found it interesting that you could potentially ask for a new Fast Pass Card at each of the rides. Annual Pass Fact Once you have your receipt for your new annual pass they tell you to go through the Main gate on your next visit to get your Picture taken at the Bank for your Annual Pass card. Look at the blockout dates for your plan. You should be able to get in with your new receipt on a blockout date to get your picture taken, at least that's how it worked for me, twice. This may allow you to get in on a Saturday if you get the So California resident pass. Avoid Scams When Buying tickets on ebay or Craigslist be sure you can trust the person so you don't end up disappointed at the gate if your ticket is invalid. Honest people should be transparent meaning they have nothing to hide. I have had several good transactions with ebay and Craigslist and try to follow these steps. If you want a guarantee you will have a good time buy your ticket from Disneyland.

10 Craigslist It s best not to buy tickets off of Craigslist but if you must here are some tips. 1. Get to know the person via s and phone calls. 2. Don't send payment through the mail, ever. 3. Meet the person at their house if possible, not at some 7-11 parking lot. Take someone with you when purchasing tickets. 4. Even if you meet the person at work make sure you have their name and cell phone. Ask to see their business card. If they won't give information don't buy. 5. Get their story. Ask them when they first used the tickets and what park they went to make sure they are not expired. 6. Anytime someone says "Trust Me" DON T. A picture of the tickets in a posted advertisement does not mean they are valid. ebay ebay tickets may be a little bit safer as ticket brokers like travel agents buy blocks of tickets and sell them at discounts. On ebay you can see their user rating and determine a level of trust. 1. If you can see their ratings still ask questions about ticket delivery until you feel comfortable. 2. If you re just trying to save money split a 2 day hopper pass with friends that can go on a separate day that week. 3. If you re considering upgrading your ticket be aware that they ask the following questions at the ticket booth. What was the first day the ticket was used? What park did you go to first? What time did you enter the park? How many tickets did you buy? Parking To turn your Disneyland ticket (park hopper, 2fer or any other type) into an Annual Pass. Go to an open ticket booth on the West side of the entrance and they will credit you at face value, but you have to upgrade to the next highest Annual Pass level (i.e. you can't get a $139 pass in exchange for a $149 ticket). They have started monthly payment plans which makes it easy. Make sure you add parking for around $60 to at least one Annual Pass. If you go 5 times in a year it will pay for it's self. Remember your parking pass also has the same blockout dates as your Annual Pass so you can not park for free on blockout dates and go to DownTown Disney with your Disney parking pass.

11 The DownTown Disney parking lot does have 3 hours parking validation or if you don't want to pay for parking you can also park at the Anaheim Garden Walk one block east of the park where the first 2 hours are free, $3 an hour after that. That should give you enough time to get in a couple rides. You can always try to get your parking ticket validated too. Lion King If you enter the park from Disney Way (east side entrance) the Lion King lot may be full and you may be directed over to the Mickey and Friends parking structure. Keep this in mind if you arriving late as you may want to head directly over to the Mickey and Friends parking structure at the address listed below. When entering the tram at the parking lot try and sit towards the front of the tram this way the crowd will be behind you as you exit and walk towards the security check point into the park. The when entering the park look for ticket and entrance lines that are shorter or moving faster. Note: There is a 15 minute parking lot for drop-off and pick-ups on the east side of the park just off of Harbor Blvd and a block north of Disney Way. After a certain hour (9 pm I believe) they do not monitor the lot, so you can park longer than 15 minutes if necessary. Mickey and Friends (Save 1 Hour) If your arriving in the late morning enter the parking structure just off Ball Rd. (North bound I-5 Exit Harbor Blvd. Ball Road exit) rather than via Disney Way as the freeway signs direct, this will prevent you from waiting in two lines, the first one being at the entrance to Disneyland Resort and the second the line to get in the parking structure. Keep in mind this structure holds 10,252 cars. (Parking structure address is 1313 S Disneyland Dr. Anaheim, CA 92802). Write down where you parked your car in the parking structure. You can keep your parking pass with you. We usually make up a saying like Goofy got 1 A for Goofy Level, Section A, Aisle 1. If you have a stroller use the elevators on the south side of the parking structure. Press the UP button if you are waiting a long time (these elevators are fast) and then once inside select the ground floor. It may open on the way down but you will get on quicker. Walk over to the tram and wait in the lines at the front or back of the tram if you don't want to collapse your stroller. The front car has the wheel chair access so this may make take longer, but if it's available you can also use it for strollers. If you re traveling with kids plan extra time to get the stroller aboard the front or back of the tram. If you don't want to unload your stroller because you have a sleeping child at the end of the day you can also walk back to the parking structure, the sidewalk follows the tram route and it only take 10 minutes. Ask for directions when your there. For parents with strollers you may want to consider dropping of one person with the stroller at the 15 minute parking then sync up with cell phones once you have parked in the parking structure. This will make it easier to get on the escalator

12 and take the tram. If you don t have two cell phones make sure you have a designated meeting place. The parking structure opens one hour before the park opens and you can wait in line for the toll booth to open. Parking prices start at $12 a car and motor homes are more. If you arrive early you will NOT be in the covered parking structure but outside closer to the trams. It s good to have your parking paid for in advance as part of your annual pass. Remember to plan an extra 30 minutes to get to the main gate if you are parking in the Mickey and Friends parking structure. If you arrive on a crowded night drive all the way to the far left entrance lane. There sometimes the parking attendants will have you park in the driveway lane, if you do not pass trough the toll booth where they take payment you get to park for free. This usually happens between 7-8 p.m. on a summer or weekend night. Disney Dining See the Anaheim Visitors Guide website for a list of DownTown Disney and Disneyland restaurants and select a restaurant before hand. Make sure you can get a reservation in advance or designate someone to go there and make the reservation. Many restaurants in Disneyland allow Annual Pass holders to call ahead and make reservations in advance. Annual pass holders can call (714) 781- DINE (3463) for priority seating at some restaurants such as Blue Bayou, Café Orleans and Carnation Café. Ask for a Disneyland annual passport Benefits & Information guide or visit Disneyland.com/ap for more information. The main restaurants in Downtown Disney accept reservations for larger parties. These are Rainforest Café, ESPN Zone, House of Blues and Tortilla Jo s which has ton of interactive ride-on video games, a sports restaurant with dozens of huge video screens and a sports lounge. Cost for the games is based on a point system with each game costing from 6-10 points. You need to buy a card to swipe and fill up with points. Other popular stores are Build a Bear, Lego store and of course the Disney store. Anaheim GardenWalk is just one block east of Disneyland Resort. This new lifestyle center is full of great restaurants like California Pizza Kitchen, Bubba Gumps, PF Changs and more. Visit the Anaheim Visitors Guide for a complete list. Best Places to Eat in the Parks Disneyland has improved their food services considerably. If you go to California Adventure you can see how they make sourdough bread bowls right on the premises and fresh tortillas with free samples. The bread bowls with soup are a favorite in New Orleans Square as are some of the following restaurants. Disneyland Fine Dining; French Market Restaurant, Blue Bayou Restaurant, Carnation Café.

13 Disneyland Fast Food; Redd Rockets Pizza, Tomorrowland Terrace, The Golden Horseshoe, Hungary Bear, Bengal Barbecue California Adventure Find Dining; Pacific Warf Café, Cocina Cucamonga Mexican Grill California Adventure Fast Food; Burger Invasion, Pizza Oom Mow Mow If you re on a budget you can always bring food with you. Every time the Disney people at the security check point tables have seen trail mix, sandwiches and water bottles in our back pack they have let it go. Just don t bring a hard sided Hotel Discounts and Time Saving Tips Here are tips and tricks to help you save time and money on hotels so you can have an enjoyable family day at the Disneyland Resort. Search for discounts on Disney Vacation Packages Find discounts hotels in San Diego California Search for discount vacation rentals Time Saving Tips (Save 1 Hour) 1. Staying at a nearby hotel will help you GET TO THE PARK EARLY. Use Travelocity to book a last minute hotel and Disneyland ticket combination. Travelocity Discount Hotels Getting to the park early will allow you to get on many rides before the crowds begin. Allow you to park up close and avoid long lines as it may take minutes to park in the late morning and afternoon. Arriving early will help you get through the ticket lines. 2. Prepare and pack the car the night before. Have water and snacks, jackets and everything ready. Be prepared for the heat and to be on your feet all day. Review a map of Disneyland the day before to plan what attractions you want to visit first. Planning to go on rides in a counter clock wise circular path will help you save time. 3. Buy your tickets online before and not at the ticket booth at the gate. Make sure you can receive them before you leave. This will save you one hour of standing in line at the ticket booth. 4. Bring some food and water into the park with you. This will help you save time and money. This is best transported in a stroller. Remember you will have to pass the security check point so no hard coolers, no glass containers or objects that would cause a problem. You can rent lockers on the west side (the side near Downtown Disney) before the security check point.

14 You can also rent lockers inside before you go in Disneyland or California Adventure. 5. Plan to get Fast Passes for the more popular rides first. If you get there early enough you can get on a couple popular rides before the lines get long. Rides that offer Fast Passes are the most popular and have the longest lines. See our post on 6. If you are staying for several days and have a Hopper Pass you may want to go over to California Adventure during the busy times at Disneyland 1-6 p.m. If you re riding Grizzly Rapids and Splash Mountain give yourself daylight hours to dry off, or remember to bring a poncho. 7. When you walk in to the park get the Entertainment Times Guide or check online for schedules show times the day before. Fantasmic and other shows may only be playing on weekends and during the summer. Some shows at California Adventure such as Aladdin may also have long lines so prepared to get there early. If you have seen a show on a previous day this is a good time to get in line for a popular ride such as Indiana Jones. 8. Check the Entertainment Times Guide which shows where Disney Characters will be so you can plan on being in the right spot for that Kodak moment. Upon entering the park you can request the current schedule for that day along with a park map. 9. If you have the option to get early entry with your hotel package you may want to take advantage of that. Mostly planning ahead and being prepared will help you have a great day. 10. Remember California Adventure has shorter operating hours usually 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. 11. Most of all relax on your vacation. Remember your there to have fun and enjoy your time with your family and friends. Kid Friendly Attractions Here is our list of the top 10 attractions in both Disneyland and California Adventure that are kid friendly. See our list of Not Kid Friendly attractions in the following section. 1. Fantasyland - pretty much all of the rides in Fantasyland are kid friendly. Snow White can be a bit scary at times during the ride. Dumbo and Peter Pan are the most popular. The castle has been re-done to add more special affects. 2. Tiki Room - Kids love anything with music. Young kids think the birds are real and that it's really raining. 3. Aladdin Show - In the Hyperion Theater in CA the Aladdin show is very funny and kid friendly

15 4. Crush the Turtle - Located in the Animation building in the Hollywood section of California Adventure, kids love interacting with Crush the Turtle in real time. This is always funny and fun for kids and adults too. 5. Small World - Since it has been updated it's a lot of fun to see in you can find the new characters in each section. 6. Toy Story Mania - this is easy for kids of all ages to play. The line is usually 45 minutes or more so be prepared to wait. 7. Buzz Lightyear Astro Blaster - its fun but it's hard for younger kids to hit the targets with the laser to gain points. Never the less it's just a great ride. 8. Autopia - kids love to drive, they may not be able to reach the gas peddle but they can steer. 9. Nemo's Submarine Voyage - this is the new submarine ride with very cool special effects inside and outside the sub. 10. Monsters Inc. - this ride is fun for all ages. Takes you on a taxi ride through Monstropolis. At the end Roz ask personalized questions, which adds a fun an interactive element. Young children usually find the following attractions a bit scary. Our recommendation is that if you want your child to enjoy the day don't start off with one these attractions, build them up to it or go on these last. If you take them on an easy roller coaster such as Chip and Dale, then Thunder Mountain they may be ready for Space Mountain or the Matterhorn later in the day. Not So Kid Friendly Young kids usually 6 and under may NOT like these rides especially if this is their first time as they have scary elements. See the following section Kids Day Out to help you plan a day with a young child. Indiana Jones - fire and snakes Haunted Mansion jumping ghosts Space Mountain - flashing lights and darkness Splash Mountain - big drop Matterhorn - abominable snowmen Pirates of the Caribbean - dark drops and scary skeletons (I have seen young kids hold on to the chains at the entrance Screaming No, No, No! while parents try to pull them into the ride.) A Kids Day Out If you re going to Disneyland and California Adventure with a 5-7 year old I recommend letting them choose the rides. We did this and it was one of the best Disney trips we have taken. We decided to let the child pick the agenda so here is how it went. After this trip I realized that the best part about going to Disneyland is going with a child and watching their shear enjoyment.

16 Started at California Adventure 1. Monsters Inc. 2. Bugs Life Show 3. Playhouse Disney 4. High School Musical 3 Parade Moved on over to Disneyland 1. Cinderella's Castle 2. King Arthur's Carousel 3. Dumbo 4. Pixie Hollow 5. Splash Mountain 6. Winnie Pooh Ride 7. Train Ride 8. Main Street Theater followed by a "Apple Pie" caramel apple from Blue Ribbon Bakery on Main Street. 10 Hands-on Activities Here is a list of some of the favorite activities kids love to do at Disneyland and California. Of all these activities the Animation Academy was by far the most interesting. Kids love doing this again and again as it s different every time. 1. Disney's Animation Academy: Located in California Adventure you and your kids can learn to draw Disney Characters in a studios setting. This is something they can do over and over with a different character each time. Younger kids (6 and under) may have a harder time keeping up. 2. Jedi Training Academy: Kids are trained as Jedi. Very popular you may need to arrive early to be apart of the show. 3. Canoes: during the summer the canoes around Tom Sawyer Island are open. This takes about 15 minutes to paddle around the lake. Kids 5 and under will wear a life jacket. 4. Innoventions: There are lots of hands on activities (free computer games) that kids love to play.

17 5. Pirate Island: formerly Tom Sawyer Island this attraction has been upgraded with lots of hands on activities for the kids. 6. Toon Town: Lots of hands-on things down on the east end by the Rodger Rabbit ride. Also there is also Donald s boat next to Gagets go coaster that kids can explore. 7. Playhouse Disney: Everyone sits on the floor but during the show kids can get up and dance around. Good fun for kids 6 and under. 8. Turtle Talk with Crush: Kids sit on the floor and Crush asks the kids questions. Very entertaining for kids and parents. 9. Redwood Creek Challenge Trail: Lots to do and explore in this playground across from Bear Rapids in California Adventure 10. S.S. Rustworthy: There are enough Water cannons, Bell-ringing, Leverpulling and Wheel-turning activities to ensure that your child has a fun time. Best Sit Down Shows Let's face it after a few hour of walking around at Disneyland your ready to sit down in a cool place and relax. Starting with most entertaining and popular here is a list of some of the best sit down shows where you can take a break for 15 to 30 minutes. Disneyland 1. Golden Horseshoe Saloon - Billy Hill and the Hillbillies (check show times to make sure you see this show and not one of the others.) 2. Jedi Training Academy (kids get to fight Darth Vader with light sabers outside in the Tomorrowland Terrace) 3. Innoventions ASIMO demonstration, free video games 4. Mark Twain River Boat (not a show but you get to sit down) 5. Honey, I Shrunk the Audience (3D show) 6. Enchanted Tiki Room California Adventure 1. Aladdin Show (check schedule online) 2. Disney's Animation Studios A. Turtle Talk with Crush (very funny interactive show) B. Animation Academy (Kids and Adults love drawing Disney characters) 3. Muppet Vision 3D 4. Bug's Life 3D Other attractions that let you take a break are the train ride, Columbia boat ride, and of course the restaurants. cooler or a ton of food. Its fun to have a picnic out at the tables on Pirate Island or at one of the many empty tables at Hungry Bear Restaurant.

18 Fun Facts The Matterhorn has two lines, one that wraps around the Tomorrowland side of the mountain, and the other that wraps around the Fantasyland side. The Tomorrowland side track feels like a faster ride, while the Fantasyland track feels slower. The Fantasyland side line of the Matterhorn gets you two views of the Abominable Snowman, while on the Tomorrowland side you pass him once. The Morse code that is being tapped out at the second train station is the speech Walt Disney gave at the opening ceremonies. In that speech he said that it would always cost 10 cents to get in to Disneyland and the rides would always be 5 cents. That speech can be found at the main entrance by the flag pole. The Monorail operator can let a few people ride with him/her in the front Monorail cabin. Ask the operator as soon as you begin to pass through the turn stile. Sometimes the Mark Twain river boat operator will also let you up into the wheelhouse, blow the whistle and steer the Mark Twain. Ask the operator as soon as you arrive. If you dine at the Blue Bayou in New Orleans Square call ahead to request priority seating and ask specifically for a table by the water. Many people eat dinner between 4:00 and 6:00 p.m. This is one of the best times to go on attractions, due to the shorter lines. Also during a fireworks show is a good time to catch short lines There is a ride board located just a bit southwest of the castle. It contains information on ride wait times and closures due to mechanical issues. Check the ride boards before you walk all the way to one corner of the park and to find the attraction closed. Indiana Jones and Splash Mountain are always having mechanical issues but they usually only last a few minutes. Use the train to conserve your energy but remember you can not take strollers on board.

19 Try riding the Jungle Cruise early or at the end of the day; the line most likely will be shorter unless Indiana Jones is broken down, then everyone goes over to the Jungle Cruse. Make sure the line does not wrap around inside the building first. If it's your birthday, go to City Hall and get an anniversary button, (City hall is next to the fire station and the first building on your left as you enter Main Street) Above the Fire station is Walt s apartment. He used this space to rest while working at Disneyland. Above the buildings in New Orleans Square are other apartments where Walt s family would stay. The Disney gallery was originally planned to be an apartment for Walt, but he died before it was started. During a fireworks shows, stand in front of the Castle, near or on the large compass in the cement not down a walkway or behind trees that may block your view. The main fireworks are lit over the back lot behind the park. Get a schedule of shows and parades. For major shows lots of people line up 1-2 hours prior to the start time. If you re planning on going to California Adventure during a parade you will have to wait as you may find yourself trapped on Main St. by a huge parade crowd After the Buzz Lightyear ride your can your photo to a friend for free. Just remember that you are also sending your game score good or bad. On the map they had out at the front gate. The area that shows all the green trees between Space Mountain and Main Street is really the employee cafeteria and break area. When Disneyland was originally designed that area was going to be a colonial Boston village. Star Tours has real movie artifacts from the movie Star Wars. Some of the robots you can see as you walk through were originally from America Sings, the singing chicken show from the 1970 s that was playing where Innoventions is now. The singing chickens from America Sings are now in Splash Mountain. You can see how some of the chicken s hands look like they are holding guitars. It s a Small World river has recently been updated for the first time in 50 years with a new non-leaking canal. In addition they have also added new Disney characters to each of the theme locations you pass through. It s fun to see if you can find all of the Disney characters. Sleeping Beauty s Castle has a new walk through experience that has been updated with special effects. Finding Nemo and the Sleeping Beauty Castle both have an Alternate Experiences for people that can t make it up and down stairs. These are interesting to watch. It s interesting that of all the attractions on the Disneyland map only Honey I Shrunk the Audience is listed as Frightening for Children. Indiana Jones has Snakes, Fire balls, Bats, Rats, extreme darkness and bugs crawling on the wall.

20 The armor shop next to Sleeping Beauty s Castle sells real knives and swords. But if you buy them you can NOT take them home, they only ship them to your address. You can hold them with a staff member standing by. The Tiki Juice Bar is the only place outside of Hawaii where you can get a Dole Whip. You can take your pineapple drink into the Tiki room show. The original Astor Oriber rocket ride is now a clock in Tomorrow Land that spins and plays music every fifteen minutes. The original rockets can be seen in the Buzz Lightyear gift shop along with side panels from the People Mover ride. If you re looking for a good place to cool off the Starcade in Tormorrow land is the coldest place in the park. Three old missing rides. Across from the entrance to the Matterhorn you can see the drained pond where the boat rides use to be along with the loading dock. The skyway landing cottage can be seen up on the hill just pass Casey Jr. Circus Train. The People Mover track is still in place through out Tomorrow land. There is a small basket ball court inside the top of the Matterhorn. The second story windows on Main Street USA have names of the original staff that helped design and create Disneyland. For example above the bank on main street it says: Wilson Martin, he was the art director and designer on Sleeping Beauty Castle, Monorail and Pirates of the Caribbean. Walt Disney borrowed on his life insurance and sold his vacation home to get part of the money to buy the orange grove that is now Disneyland. Disneyland received its one-millionth guest on Sept. 8th When the park first opened there were only 18 original attractions; King Arthur s Carousel, Mad tea Party, Canal Boats of the World, Peter Pan s Flight, Mr. Toads Wild Ride, Snow White s Scary Adventure, Rocket to the Moon, Circarama, Phantom Boats, Autopia, Jungle Cruise, Stage Coach, Mule Pack, Mark Twain Steamboat, Horse Drawn Street Cars (2), Fire Wagon, Surrys and the Disneyland Railroad. Can you name all eight lands in Disneyland. Hint, the first one is at the entrance. Adventureland, Critter Country, New Orleans Square, Fantasyland, Frontierland, Main Street U.S.A., Mickey s Toontown, Tomorrowland. Visit the Anaheim Visitors Guide website for more information on Hotels, Dining, Shopping and Anaheim area attractions.