I Am A Theme Park Expert Who Took An Actual Disneyland Family Vacation For The First Time In Years
I 've been a theme park fan all my life, to the point that today, writing about them has become my actual job. I 'm not afraid to call myself a theme park expert. I 've learned a lot about how they work, from the behind-the-scenes attraction design to the operational aspects of major parks like Disney World and Universal Studios. And yet, even I can occasionally learn something new.
You ...
I Can Not Stand The Haunted Mansion But Here Is Why I Never Skip Haunted Mansion Holiday
Haunted Mansion Holiday is the only good version of this “spooky” attraction, and I 'm tired of pretending it 's not.
Disneyland Park 's Haunted Mansion is a staple, an attraction so popular that it 's amassed a huge fanbase. But personally? I don 't like the ride. In fact, I think the best version of Haunted Mansion is the annual Haunted Mansion Holiday overlay.
Since it ...
I Flew The Millennium Falcon Ride Operator Describes Experience On Star Wars Galaxys Edge Attraction
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Disneyland ride operator Mark Diwas is one of the few people -both real and fictional - who can say they've flown the Millennium Falcon, the iconic starship from the "Star Wars" films that will be a marquee attraction in the Anaheim theme park's new Galaxy's Edge themed land. "If you think about it, it's only been Han Solo, Chewie, Lando, Rey and now me," said Diwas, 36, of Fullerton. "So that's ...
I Found Secret Book Reserved For One Guest Per Day
There are two kinds of Disneyland fans: the ones who ride some rides, have some fun and go home, and the ones who go so often that they 're looking for something more. Some of those people get obsessive about collecting merch or sampling every new food item. Some of those people dig deep into obscure historical tidbits about the park. And some of them push themselves to find unusual, little-known ...
I Got My First Period At Disneyland When I Was Nine
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Every lady knows the emotional weight of that memory -- when, in a not-so-metaphorical typhoon of confusion, you discover that peculiar splotch in your panties and your world breaks in half. Now, take that thrilling adolescent recollection you have, and imagine it set to the saccharine soundtrack of Disneyland's Main Street parade. Bam! You have my life. Also, can we talk about how I was nine ...
I Have Questions About The Mickeys Toontown Update
We recently got the news that Mickey 's Toontown in Disneyland is getting a reimagining to go along with the opening of Mickey & Minnie 's Runaway Railway. When the news first broke, I was delighted and surprised; delighted because the land could use a bit of fixing up, and surprised because I always assumed that Mickey 's Toontown would be bulldozed and become a New Fantasyland-type expansion before it ...
I have the hots for a 50-year-old
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In fact, I've been enamoured - maybe even slightly obsessed - ever since I met her when I was eight and she was ... um ... well, a lot older. I'm not going to try and continue this pervy bit of deception any longer than that, because it will take you all of two seconds to realize that I'm not talking about a woman (though my much crushed-upon seventh-grade math teacher would be approaching 50 now, ...
I Love You, Baby, But The Season's Over Part 1
Winter Quarters October 20, 1955 At age 17, I graduated from Dorchester High School in Boston in and soon ran away from home to join my older brother, Tony, who was a flying trapeze artist with the Gil Gray Circus, traveling throughout the Mid-west and South. I had started with the show in mid July, playing 25 dates in 77 days, traveling through seven states: Nebraska, Texas, New Mexico, ...
I Love You, Baby, But The Season's Over Part 2
The Mickey Mouse Club Circus Opened Friday, November 25th 1955 Well, here it was opening day at Disneyland! This was no longer the mud show with the misnomer of The Show Beautiful. This was the Mickey Mouse Club Circus everything perfect to the last detail. Every piece of rigging was shining, every costume clean and bright, each animal and person groomed to perfection. The Ringmaster ...
I Paid 300 Dollar An Hour For The Vip Experience And It Made Me Realize How Wealth Has Transformed The American Dream
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I've never tired of returning to my old stomping grounds at Disneyland every couple of years or so. On a recent visit, the weather was scorching, and the lines were murderously long. Signs posted above the entrance to each ride estimated the misery: "Approximate Standby Wait Time 150 Minutes." No one seemed overtly upset by this. Having paid hundreds of dollars to access the park, the guests had no ...
I Rode Space Mountain And Every Other Singlerider Attraction Here Is How I Rank Em
Most of the time when you go to theme parks, you do so with friends and family. When not solo, you always have somebody to eat with, to talk to while in line for attractions, and to otherwise share the experience. However, there are many of us, myself included, who end up at Disneyland alone and who still want to experience the rides. Yes, this makes waiting in long lines quite dull a lot of the ...
I Smoked Pot With Cinderella Ex-Employees Reveal What It Is Like To Work At Disneyland
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It is often referred to as the happiest place on earth, but these Disney Resort employees might argue that isn't always the case. In a new thread on secret sharing app Whisper, people claiming to be Disneyland employees have been revealing behind-the-scenes secrets of the world's best loved theme park. Making use of the app's anonymity the employees, both past and present, spared no detail of the ...
I Spent A Day At Universal And Disneyland And Found The Latter Is Not Great For A Short Trip
I frequently visit both Universal Studios Hollywood and Disneyland in Southern California. I decided to rate them on different categories, such as dining, entertainment, and attractions. After visiting both, I think that it's nearly impossible to properly experience Disneyland in a day. To make things fair, I planned similar days at Universal and Disneyland. ...
I Tested Disneyland Hacks For Families Heres How They Worked Out
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Going to Disneyland is one thing. Going to Disneyland with kids is entirely different. Instead of rides and food the focus shifts to meeting characters and finding the best spot for a quiet nap. Disneyland hacks are practically a requirement to make the day a success. So even though I consider myself a semi-pro when it comes to the park (annual pass holder, got engaged in front of Sleeping Beauty's ...
I Tried 60 Dollar Tomorrowland Skyline Lounge Experience Was It Worth It
In the last few months, Disneyland has brought back more nighttime entertainment than it 's offered since before the pandemic, regularly running shows like Main Street Electrical Parade, World of Color, Disneyland Forever fireworks and, as of May 28, Fantasmic. But while any visitor can enjoy these family-friendly experiences, the park is also offering more expensive, hard-to-get versions: dining packages ...
I Tried A Massive Amount Of Food Here Are The Top 5 Items I Cannot Wait To Eat Again
Hi, everybody! It 's Kaitlyn here at East Idaho News. Besides Taylor Swift 's newest album, “Midnights,” coming out last weekend, the second most exciting thing to happen in my life was a Halloween trip to Disneyland! I have always been a huge fan of the spooky season. Around Sept. 1, I start to crave caramel apples, love the feeling of leaves crunching underneath my boots, and ...
I Was A Disneyland Grad Night Chaperone
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Disneyland. Like many another native of Los Angeles, I have a vexed relationship with The Happiest Place on Earth.¹ A childhood spent in pure enchantment during every trip to Disneyland gave way to an adulthood plagued with guilty doubts about that special Disney brand of child consumerism and corporate greed. My love of fine graphic design dates, I think, to an appreciation of the gorgeous layout and ...
I Was A Real Life Mermaid
Did you know there used to be live mermaids at Disneyland in the late 1950s and 1960s? It's true! In this excerpt from Chris Strodder's book The Disneyland Book of Lists, one of these former Disneyland mermaids shares her tale. When the new Submarine Voyage launched in mid-1959, eight costumed mermaids splashed around in Tomorrowland's lagoon as part of the celebratory festivities. ...
I Was A Real-Life Disneyland Mermaid
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Did you know there used to be live mermaids at Disneyland in the late '50s and '60s? It's true! In this excerpt from Chris Strodder's book The Disneyland Book of Lists, one of these former Disneyland mermaids shares her tale. When the new Submarine Voyage launched in mid-1959, eight costumed mermaids splashed around in Tomorrowland's lagoon as part of the celebratory festivities. Six years later, ...
I Was A VIP Tour Guide Here Are 5 Things I Saw People Regret When They Visited The Parks
While working at Disneyland as a VIP tour guide, I noticed that plenty of guests regret how they spend their time in the parks. Here are five of the most common regrets I saw guests have while visiting Disneyland. Overdressing for a long day in the park Seeing people dressed in Disney-themed attire is one of my favorite things. In fact, I love coordinating my outfits ...
I Was A VIP Tour Guide Here Are 5 Things I Saw People Regret When They Visited
I worked as a VIP tour guide at Disneyland and have seen guests regret how they spend their time.
Many people missed out on less busy park days because of light rain.
A few guests didn't dress for function, and one man I saw even had shoes delivered to the park.
While working at Disneyland as a VIP tour guide, I noticed that plenty of guests regret how they ...
I Was On The Haunted Mansion During A Ride Malfunction And It Was The Best Experience I Have Ever Had
There are people who like Haunted Mansion, and then there are people who, if they spend a day at Disneyland without a visit (or three) to the park 's “999 happy haunts,” leave feeling like the day was a total failure. Given that I wrote the previous sentence, it probably isn 't hard for you to decide which category I fall into. The attraction isn 't just my favorite ride in the park, it 's my favorite ride ...
I Went To Disneyland By Myself Even Though I Hate Rides And Crowds Here Are 11 Of My Favorite Things I Did
When I embarked on a five-week trip across California, I had no intention of hitting up Disneyland. But when I booked a beach resort close to the theme park, it felt like too good of an opportunity to pass up. Even though park reservations were sold out, I managed to snag a last-minute ticket by repeatedly checking the website the morning of. I hate rides and crowds, but I ...
I Went To Disneyland By Myself For The Holidays And Felt Everything But Alone
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Other than going back to Florida, the one place that makes me feel at home for the holidays is Disneyland. It really is the best time to go to the most magical place on Earth. There are lights everywhere, festive foods to enjoy, and your favorite characters are dressed in their holiday best. I love Christmastime at the parks. Most of my friends with annual passes are blocked out this time of year, so I ...
I Went To Disneyland Opening Weekend Here Is What It Was Like
Standing at the Disneyland gates at 8:30 on Friday morning, we heard a sound in the distance. A sound no one had heard in more than 400 days: a long, friendly whistle, followed by the chugging of a steam train engine. A rousing cheer erupted from the thousands of people waiting in line. The Disneyland railroad emerged from the trees and pulled into the Main Street Station. Some ...
I Went To The Oogie Boogie Bash Halloween Party Is The 179 Dollars Ticket Worth It
“Hello my dears,” Cruella said, flipping her dalmatian coat dramatically behind her as she walked across the stage. I was walking closer and closer to her, stopping every so often to collect another handful of candy as I approached. “Aren 't I just amazing, stunning, perfect really?” I mean, except for the whole puppy murder thing, yes. But she wasn 't the only villain I 'd talk to at ...
I Wish I Could Use My Disneyland Fastpass Anywhere
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I had a thought recently, which was strange because, at the time, I was busy pushing children and senior citizens out of my way. No, that's not true. The word "pushing," implies that it was intentional. As far as I can remember, I didn't mean to mow down that family. I even righted the baby carriage before running off. But the point was "... something. Right, I had this idea, as I raced to Space ...
IATSE Gets Disney Pyrotechnics Contract Negotiations Begin Later This Month
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The Intl. Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees has unionized the employees of the pyrotechnics department at Disneyland. IATSE announced Monday it had won the majority of votes in an election to represent the 30 employees in the unit. It noted that Disney has accepted the result. The union said negotiations on a contract will probably begin later this month. The unit's comprised of individuals ...
Iconic Adventureland Sign Returns Just Ahead Of Star Wars Galaxys Edge Debut
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Disneyland 's iconic Adventureland sign returned after a month-long renovation project that saw the Anaheim theme park widen the notoriously crowded entryway to the tropical land as part of park-wide effort to improve pedestrian traffic flow. The renovated Adventureland sign that returned Wednesday reuses portions of the entry marquee, Disneyland officials said. Disneyland ...
Iconic Ride Was Supposed To Have Two Floors
Disneyland is filled with different and unique attractions, perfect for any family. From Peter Pan 's Flight to Jungle Cruise, the theme parks offer magical experiences for all Guests. But have you ever wondered how Disney Imagineers come up with ideas for attractions? Well, they go through a very long, thought-out process until they reach the end result. And sometimes, that end result does ...
Id Rather Wait In Line Than Use Virtual Queue
Innovation has driven some amazing new experiences over the past generation at Disneyland and leading theme parks around the world. From ride systems to Audio Animatronics to projection show effects, innovation in technology has helped to create experiences that feel more immersive and engaging than ever before. But in business and operations, I am much less enamored of what innovation has ...