Disneyland Mickey's Halloween Party Tips

Its that time of year again! Halloween time at the Disneyland resort! I went around this time and had a blast. If you're a fan of fall or Halloween, this is one of the best times to go to Disneyland. Not only is Disneyland in September less busy, its still quite warm.

Halloween Parties at Disneyland usually start mid to late September, and if you can I highly recommend making a Halloween Party one of your days in Disneyland.

Halloween Party entry is basically the same as a park entry ticket. Halloween Parties start at 7 p.m., at which time regular park guests must leave Disneyland (they may still visit California Adventure park) Halloween Party guests also gain early entry to the park, allowing you to start your day around 4 p.m.

Halloween costumes are encouraged during these parties and even adults are allowed to dress as Disney characters! They just have one condition- you don't do autographs or pose for photos as if you were the character. They also ask you not bring anything sharp or wear masks that would make it difficult to breathe. Basically use your brains! Its still California- it's going to be hot out! And there are children in the park, so dress appropriately.

There are several things that are exciting about Mickey's Halloween Party. First of all, there are meet and greets with villains and other Halloween characters. If you want to meet Jack and Sally, I either recommend starting with this or doing it at another time- ie not during the Halloween Party. Their line will be constantly long during the party.

Villains also do meet and greets in the Main St. Square right near the entrance to Disneyland, and I suggest getting the jump on these as well if its something you want to do.

Trick or Treat lines are the next cool thing about the party. It doesn't take long to fill your complimentary treak or treat bag from these lines. They have both healthy treats and normal candies, pretzels, etc. I got a huge mix and variety of candy and treats and I only went through about three treat lines. It doesn't take long to fill your bag, so I'd save going to get treats until later at night.

The Halloween Party is also a great time to get on some rides that tend to be busier- with the exception of Haunted Mansion of course, this one is still quite busy during the party. So get on a bunch of rides during the party!

You can find various entertainment around the park during the party as well, but by far the best entertainment is the Halloween fireworks! This past year, Zero flew over the castle and there was plenty of fire, and some fireworks I had never seen before. The fireworks alone are more than worth going to the Halloween party.

So, all in all, this is my recommended plan of action for the Halloween party:
1. Start with any character meet and greets you want to do.
2. Ride the rides that tend to be busier on regular park hours
3. Save trick or treating for close to the end- it won't take long to get plenty of candy!
4. Make sure not to miss the Halloween fireworks. They are a real treat.

Best Photo Spots in California Adventure

Hi and welcome to the companion list of the best photo spots in Disneyland, and today we are covering California Adventure park.

1- In front of Carthay Circle Restaurant
a short walk down Buena Vista St. when you first enter Disneyland will find you at the Carthay Circle Restaurant. This is a great piece of Disney history as its design and name are based on the movie theatre where Snow White was first shown, the true start of Disney films.

2- Walt and Mickey Statue on Buena Vista St.
I love this statue, where Walt looks like he's just arrived in Cali, Mickey and his suitcase in tow and his coat over his shoulder.

3- In front of the Hyperion
The Hyperion is a huge theatre where they used to perform the Aladdin show for many years. It is now home to a Frozen stage show, which I haven't had the opportunity to see for myself. We won't get into the debate about the show changing, as I know there are people that both love and hate Frozen now making its way into so many places in the parks.

4- At the end of Buena Vista St.
Here, right next to the Hyperion, you will find an illusion painting that makes it look as if the street continues for a long distance, making it a good photo op!

5- On Route 66 in Cars Land
If you can, take this photo at night! The bright neon of this street at night is incredible- it feels like you have stepped right into the Cars movie.

6- The walkway next to Radiator Springs Racers
they did an awesome job recreating the landscape of this ride and there are plenty of awesome photo spots along this walking path.

7- Cove Bar at Paradise Pier
If you're wanting the best view of Paradise Pier in your backdrop, snag yourself a seat at the Cove Bar. Not to mention, they have some of the best food and drink this side of the park. (did somebody say cocktails?!)

8- World of Color Viewing area
This area will get you a great photo of Mickey's fun wheel during the day! Not to mention there isn't a lot of foot traffic on these boardwalks, ensuring you can get an uninterrupted photo.

9- Entrance to Paradise Pier
At the start of the boardwalk there's a great photo op- as there is a sign for Paradise Pier! At night, its even lit nicely, making it a good photo spot both day and night.

10- Under the replica San Fran bridge
this one's hard to miss- as you will see it right as you come into the park!

11- Bridge entrance to Pacific Wharf
This is another great spot thats well lit at night- great for a photo both day and night!

12-In front of the Bear at Grizzly River Run
Pretty self exploratory- great shot to take in front of a huge wooden bear statue! A great way to get a "before" shot before getting on Grizzly River Run.

13-In front of Ariel's Undersea Adventure
The building for this ride is gorgeous! You can get a good photo under the giant dome or in front of the beautiful glass windows on the side.

14- The exit of the Art of Animation building
this is a cute little photo op because the wall reads "... and they all lived happily ever after" a very sweet and very Disney sentiment.

15- Inside the main room of the Art of Animation building
This room is breathtaking, showing a panoramic of images and video from different classic Disney films, accompanied by a song from the film. It changes about every minute or two and besides photos its the perfect place to relax and take a break.

Photos you need to take in Disneyland

Hey all! I'm back with some more info on Disneyland, and today I'm covering good spots to get your photo taken in the park. We will cover some of the biggest ones as well as some lesser known areas.

1- the classic, in front of Sleeping Beauty Castle
The only problem is, it can be hard to get this photo depending on the time of day. There's always a lot of people crowded around here trying to get this opportunity. For a fresh take, try taking the photo closer to the bridge and from a lower angle, or even go back into the garden where the Walt and Mickey statue is- it will be less crowded here and you may even get more of the castle in your shot!

2-On Main ST, USA
Try getting this photo at either the busiest or least busy time of day! Other people won't ruin the shot, it will just show how this truly is the happiest place on earth. Get yourself in the middle of main st to pose.

3- The fire hall on Main ST
When you first enter the park and go through the tunnel, you will be at the tail end of main st in a plaza. On the west side you will see the fire hall- the location of Walt's private apartment! He used to turn the light on in the top window so that workers of the park would know when he was visiting.  This is an excellent opportunity to take a photo- since Walt's passing, they always leave he light on in his apartment- symbolizing that he is with the park in spirit.

4- the flowers at the entrance to Disneyland
This is another classic- here you will see the flowers have been grown into a design, which is usually the shape of Mickey's head! Its a great photo opportunity, but I recommend doing this later in the day so you aren't trying to wait in line or beat a crowd of people to the punch. This is actually also a great place to find a couple of characters to take photos with- Mostly Disney Princesses. This is the place I actually found Ariel and had one of the best interactions with her.

5- Finding Nemo lagoon
This lagoon is so pretty- and if you love Finding Nemo, you can get a shot of yourself with the seagulls from the movie. You will also have plenty of time to take this photo if you're waiting in line- this ride can have long wait times during the day!

6- Entrance to Tomorrowland
Here at the entrance to Tomorrowland, there is a rather large ride called the Astro Orbiter, which is complete with a sign for Tomorrowland!

7-The Sword in the Stone- in front of King Arthur's Carousel
A few times a day, there is an event involving the sword in the stone- otherwise, its a great place to take a photo, and try your hand at removing the sword! You can also get a shot of the carousel in the background.

This photo is a young me on my first visit to Disneyland- still one of my favorite photos from the trip!

8-At any of the Disneyland Railroad stations
You usually have to wait for the train anyway- so take some time to stop and pose in front of the station!

9- Toontown Entrance
Since the entrance to Toontown is under a tunnel, this is a great spot to get some photos taken . Above the tunnel there is a sign for Toontown as well as a population counter that's a little wacky!

10- Mickey and Minnie's homes
If you're having trouble getting a photo with Mickey or Minnie, go through the tour of their homes in Toontown and if you're lucky Mickey or Minnie will be waiting at the end to take a photo with you! The line can sometimes be long, which also leaves you plenty of chances to take photos inside their homes.

11- Around the gag shop
Toontown is full of silly photo opportunities, such as bending jail bars, weights stuck in the ground, and gas pumps that are actually fish tanks! Take a minute to wander around here and take a silly photo or two- it's never to busy to get a few in.

12- Eating a Dole Whip
a Dole Whip is without a doubt a quintessential element of any Disney trip. Dole Wips + Tiki Room= Happiest day ever! You can get a Dole Whip while waiting for the Tiki Room- this area is full of Tiki statues and will make for a great photo.

13- The Rivers of America in New Orleans Square
The front paths closest to Rivers of America usually aren't too crowded- and if you catch this right you can also get the Mark Twain Riverboat or the Pirate ship in the background!

14- The stairs in New Orleans Square
Tucked away in the shops of New Orleans Square, there is a set of stairs! You can't ascend them all the way, but you can get a nice photo here as well as a break from some of the crowds. The odd time you may also find Tiana here.

15- Club 33
Club 33 is more well known than it used to be. If you don't know what Club 33 is, its an exclusive restaurant inside Disneyland, where only members of Club 33 can eat. Members include mostly the wealthy or families that have had a membership for a long long time- the waiting list is quite long to get in the club and the club fees per year are quite hefty. Regardless, you can find the entrance to Club 33 hiding in plain sight next to the Blue Bayou Restaurant.

These are some of the best photo spots in Disneyland- be sure to look out for my guide for California Adventure as well as a future guide to finding Characters for photos.

Disneyland Diamond celebration and ride tips

If there's one thing to know, it's that any crowd forecasts or ride closure expectancy calendars will not necessarily be accurate for this year at the Disneyland Park.They planned refurbs to take place before the 60th celebration was underway to ensure that maximum rides could remain open for the remainder of the year. Therefore, you can safely go any time of year and assume that the rides will be open.

Of course, there are often ride closures during the day. What you have to remember is that these rides are on all day, almost every single day. There is bound to be some mechanical issues or a problem every now and then. What I recommend in this case is that if the line is short, stand in line for a little while. When we went to Disneyland in June 2 years ago, Splash Mountain's line was constantly a few hours long. Which makes sense because of the weather. However, one day, the line was unusually short. So, we overheard that the ride was closed down. I told my husband that we should wait in line as it probably would not be long, as I could hear that they were already doing testing within the ride. And to our surprise, within ten minutes the ride was functional and there were only about 20 people ahead of us in line!

And of course, I always recommend getting fast passes for the busiest rides of the day. Matterhorn doesn't have fast pass option, so I always recommend making a beeline for that ride first thing in the morning. Finding Nemo also doesn't have a fastpass, so I always make that my second ride of the day to ensure shortest lines for both.

If you're a big fan of Indiana Jones, I highly recommend getting a fast pass for this ride. It routinely has some of the longest wait times in all of Disneyland Park. Another good option is to try and get in line during a parade or other show when the lines are destined to be short. Of course, other big fast pass musts are Radiator Springs Racers, Space Mountain, and Tower of Terror. And during the hot months, add Splash Mountain and Grizzly River Run to that list.

In hot seasons, I recommend avoiding waiting in line too long in Jungle Cruise. It is an all outdoor queue, and can get extremely hot when packed full of people. Same goes for Toy Story's midway Mania. If you can, I would ride these in the early morning or evening when the heat is not as severe outside. In fact, riding jungle cruise during the fireworks can be an awesome experience!

If you're looking for a quick way to cool down, I can always suggest Pirates. It's refreshing and relaxing and even if the line is long it usually moves quite quickly. Same goes for the Haunted Mansions. These rides are designed to take a large amount of people better than any ride.

The best rule of thumb is that if there are some rides you absolutely want to do that day, then get up and get to the park as early as you possibly can.

During the 60th anniversary, it's going to be a little more tough to predict how busy it will be. But you can bet that any long weekend and the Christmas season will be busier than ever, so avoid these times at all costs. September is generally a low season month and it is another reason I chose to go at this time. I have only experienced Disney at high volume times so I will be interested to see the difference. If you are debating between Christmas and Summer, I vote summer. While it can be quite hot, the lines are significantly shorter than in the Christmas/New Year's window. Any time this year will be special because of the Diamond Celebration,

Planning a Disneyland trip: 2015 edition

Hello all! It's that time again where Disneyland has been on my mind. I'm not sure if i'm ever going to get enough of a fix that I wouldn't want to try and go at least once a year, but we will see what next year holds!

For now, we decided that this year we would make our way to Disneyland in September. I purposefully picked a time when I knew the decorations would already be up, as my husband hasn't been during any holiday season before, and I haven't seen it during Halloween time (my favorite season and holiday) While we now have to wait 6 months until the trip, it will be worth it!

Since I have been booking these trips on my own, I have always booked through Disneyland's website. I find it the easiest to get the full trip booked through them and not have to worry that I might have missed something. Another added benefit to booking through Disneyland directly is that you only need to put down a deposit at the time of booking and then you are allowed to continue making payments up until 30 days before your travel date! You also receive a pin, lanyard, and luggage tag for each person in your party (last time we went, we got cars themed merch as Cars land had just opened.) as well as some coupons and discount cards, such as a discount card for the parks, voucher for one free 5x7 memory photo (which can be a ride photo if you wish!) and an ESPN Zone game card.

We thought about staying in one of the three Disney hotels again, but I decided if I could find a good hotel very close to Disney that we would save our money and stay elsewhere. I decided to stay at Best Western Park Plus Inn. It was well over 1,000 cheaper and with breakfast and free wifi, I couldn't pass up the deal. It is an extremely short walk to the park as it is THE hotel that is LITERALLY right across from the gates. The room doesn't matter to me so much, as I'm there for the time in the parks!

This time our trip is going to special, however, as we have family coming with us! I'm very excited to get the chance to share this special place with my husband's family. We booked our package, however, and an hour later his mother decided she wanted to join and share a room with us! That presented a little problem, as she couldn't book through Disney as she would then have to pay for a separate room! So, with a little sleuthing, I found out how you can add another member to your party, and this is how we did so. (My husband's sister and her partner will be booking their own room, so they will still be able to book their own package on the Disneyland website.)

First, have them book the same flight through the flight provider's website or a third party website if you prefer. Of course this step only applies if they are travelling from the same place or want to travel at the same time. Next, you can order Disneyland Express tickets online at graylineanaheim.com as they are the ones that provide the service to disney and good neighbor hotels! It is $48.00 for a round trip for one person, which is reasonable. Of course, you will only need this step if you weren't planning on renting a car.

And finally, up to that person's discretion, they can order Disneyland tickets online or purchase them from the hotel once they arrive. Most good neighbor hotels sell park tickets at their front desk. I only recommend ordering directly from DISNEYLAND'S website or from a good neighbor hotel in person. Never trust places like ebay or craigslist or someone on the street in Anaheim. You never know if those tickets will actually be valid or previously used.

Once their flight is confirmed, you can either contact Disney or the hotel itself to let them know that you're adding one person to your room. Some additional fees might apply, but I believe that will be up to the hotel to say. Our room already included enough sleeping space for up to 4 people, so it didn't need to be upgraded or changed.

This year is also going to be different because beginning in May is the 60th anniversary celebration of Disneyland Park! I was there for the 50th and I have to say it was very special. They had signage all over the parks saying '50' and I imagine it will be similar for the 60th. I don't recommend visiting before may, because currently the closed ride and experience list is quite long while they prepare for the 60th celebration. There will also be three new shows during this time.

Decor: The Carthay Circle Restaurant and Sleeping beauty castle will 'glisten and gleam' with it's own diamond medallion featuring the letter D." The entire resort will sparkle with Diamond celebration decor and banners in blue.

1. World of Color will re-open with a special new show for the Diamond Celebration. (I will probably cry, as world of color made me cry last time too) Called World Of Color- Celebrate! The Wonderful World of Walt Disney.

2. In Disneyland park, there will be a new parade called "Paint the Night" A state of the art parade featuring over 1.5 million LED lights! The photos featured Tink, Sulley, and Mack from Cars.

3. At Disneyland park, there will also be a speical fireworks show for the occasion coined 'Disneyland Forever' (hello, Disneyland and fireworks go together, there is no way they would miss the chance to make a crazy cool fireworks show to celebrate!) It will feature pyrotechnics, projections, and 'other effects'. But they do say it will be using the largest projection mapping technology. The photo features concept art of projections on main street buildings, so I imagine the best place to view will be from somewhere on main st.!

The Disney Parks Blog also promises that there will plenty of specialty foods and merchandise during this celebration. I would say if you are debating when to take a trip to Disneyland, it should be between now and this time next year!

Disneyland vs. Walt Disney World

Hello all, taking a break from my updates on travel to Walt Disney World to bring you an ultimate comparison list between Disneyland and Walt Disney World! I hope this list will not be biased as to my opinion, and I also hope this list helps you choose which park is best for your next visit.

Without further ado, we will start with some general points about each resort:

when using Disney Resort shuttle:
1. WDW includes the fee of the resort shuttle in your package, at Disneyland, you have to pay for this service (it is worth it either way, as I could never hope to navigate California on my own)

2. Travel time from Orlando International airport is significantly shorter than travel from Los Angeles International (LAX is the cheapest to fly into if you are from Canada, in my experience)  That said, I recommend trying to arrive in LA when rush hour traffic is not present.

general resort pros and cons:
3. WDW has tons of on site park hotels set for each and every budget, while Disneyland only offers three, and all are on the high end (at least 200 dollars a night) But there are also many good neighbor hotels very close to Disneyland resort and you are still able to walk to Disney from many of these options.

4. The weather at Disneyland is much more mild than in Florida. Disneyland is much more comfortable during the summer months, as they do not have daily rain as WDW will.

5. There is more travel time involved in a WDW trip. There are almost no hotels within walking distance of a park, and they will not be within walking distance of each park. We never went back to the room or freshen up to have a nap because it felt too tedious to wait and take another 15 minute bus ride. With Disneyland, we could take a five minute walk back to our hotel.

6.WDW offers an amazing, all encompassing Dining Plan. Disneyland now only offers pre bought vouchers for Character meals. If you're not a big eater, however, I wouldn't say you even need the dining plan. each meal includes entree, drink, and dessert, and my husband and I struggled to eat that much food three times a day, and we really felt like we were wasting money when we turned down dessert at more than half of our meals or weren't able to finish our food.

7.FAST PASSES!!! Disneyland allows you to have one fastpass at a time, and to get said fast pass, you have to physically go to the ride and get your fastpass, to return an hour or so from that point. In Walt Disney World, however, there is a new thing called magic bands! Magic bands are amazing and Disneyland should really look at implementing it's technology as well. Magic bands allow you to use their app or website to pre book THREE fast passes for your day, and keep track of them on the app as well. Not only that, but they hold your park entry, dining reservations, dining credits, and you can even make charges to your room/credit card with the band! This makes your day so much easier as all you really need is a device that can use wifi and your magic band and you are set for the day, no need to worry about forgetting to get fast passes or your park tickets.



Park differences:
1. Disneyland is more compact, with more rides and attractions in a smaller space. This makes it a little easier to get around and you don't have to go to four different parks just to get to all your favorite rides.

2. That said, places such as Epcot, Disney's Hollywood Studios, and Animal Kingdom did not have much for exciting rides. On average, they have about 2-3 rides that you won't want to miss.

3.The themes of each WDW park are very well done and it feels like you are in a whole new place each time. Especially Animal Kingdom, where you can see tons of wonderful animals as well as different areas reflecting places such as asia, africa, and the like.

4. The castles: Disneyland's castle is the Sleeping Beauty castle. It is pink and the centerpiece for the entire park. It is significantly shorter than the Matterhorn, which is slightly to the right and behind it. WDW's castle is Cinderella castle. This castle is white and is significantly larger than Sleeping Beauty's. It is a wonderful thing to behold, and there isn't really anything in the skyline that is bigger than it.

5. Toon Town and Cars Land: These are two major areas of the the Disneyland parks that are great for kids. If your kids love cars, they are sure to love it. The recreation is amazing and walking down route 66 feels like you just stepped into Cars the movie. As for Toon Town, it is an amazing place to find the main characters of Disney if you don't book any character meals. This is a very unique place in Disneyland and I love it for it's quirkiness, and of course Daisy's Diner pizza.



Ride differences:

If you've only been to one of the parks, you might not know that each of the park's rides are slightly different. Some are the same, such as Peter Pans' Flight, Snow White, and all the main Fantasyland rides.  But now i'm going to tell you my opinion on which park has the better ride of each one that I noticed a difference in:

1. Pirates of the Caribbean
This one is hands down the most important to me. It is my favorite ride and I could never get tired of it. Disneyland wins this battle hands down. Not only does the Blue Bayou restaurant overlook the start of the ride, which is really cool, but this version has way more drops than WDW's counterpart, which really only has one compared to Disneyland's 3!

2. The Haunted Mansion
This is my second favorite ride. In this instance, WDW's version of the Haunted Mansion wins. The queue for the WDW haunted mansion is immerse, with many activities to do while you wait for your turn on the ride. Once inside, the elevator ride is much the same, though I hear in Disneyland you actually descend, whereas in Disney World the ceiling goes up and you stay in place. There are quite a few more rooms in the Haunted Mansion in WDW, including the library, the staircase room, and the attic. I loved each of these rooms so much and I hope that one day they make their way into Disneyland.

3. Jungle Cruise
ah, Jungle Cruise. Nothing like lame dad jokes to really make you laugh. I always enjoy when you get a cast memeber with a few jokes of their own- it really refreshes the trip. Much of each jungle cruise is the same- except for the fact that Disney World does not have the 'piranhas' like Disneyland, and Disney World also boasts and impressive ruins cave, complete with spiders, tigers, and treasures abouding. Disney World also happens to win this one for me, due to the addition of the ruins. However, I find smaller children might not appreciate this addition.

4. Finding Nemo
The WDW version of this ride is found in Epcot, named a little confusingly so I was not sure if it was actually there or not. It is connected to the aquarium, and once you make your way through the ride you end up in the aquarium itself. Most of the ride details are the same, but Disneyland takes the prize on this one. In Disneyland, you get into an actual submarine in a little lagoon and make your way around, viewing the events through your own little porthole. This is much more fun in my opinion.

5. Buzz Lightyear Astro Blasters vs. Buzz Lightyear's Space Ranger Spin:
I found it much more enjoyable in Disneyland. The gun was easier to fire and the way it was designed seemed to be much easier on the eyes than it's WDW counterpart. Though it has a different name, this ride is basically the same in each park.

6. Twilight Zone Tower of Terror:
Once again, very similar. The difference is in WDW you are moved forward in a hallway before you drop. That and they are programmed to drop a different number of times and from different heights each time, therefore your experience in WDW should never be the same twice. I have to say Disneyland wins this one for me because I didn't really like the feeling that we moved through a corridor before plummeting to our doom. It's a marvel how it works, but it makes me nervous!


7. Last but not least, the Train!
I'm talking about the train that takes you around the parks. WDW's is literally just about getting from point A to point B, and in Disneyland there's something to see in between every stop on the way! The best part: Dinosaurs! They have a HUGE dinosaur scene between Tomorrowland and Main ST. and it is well worth riding the train at least once. Disneyland wins this one, hands down.

I didn't notice a significant difference between Big Thunder Mountain, Splash Mountain, Ariel's Undersea Adventure, or Autopia, but feel free to correct me if I'm wrong.



Rides at One park that aren't at the other:

Disneyland exclusives:
1. Cars Land- all rides here are present in California Adventure.
2. Matterhorn Bobsleds
3. Monsters Inc. in California Adventure.
4. Alice In Wonderland
5. California Screamin' in California Adventure
6. Casey JR. Circus Train
7. Flik's Flyers in California Adventure
8. Gadget's Go Coaster in Toontown, also something you can't find in WDW
9. Golden Zypher in California Adventure
10. Goofy's Sky School in California Adventure
11. Heimlich's Chew Chew Train in California Adventure
12. Indiana Jones Adventure- arguably one of the best rides for adults.
13. Jumpin' Jellyfish in California Adventure
14. Mickey's Fun Wheel in California Adventure
15. Mr Toad's Wild Ride
16.Roger Rabbit's Car Toon Spin
17.Storybook Land Canal Boats: another amazing ride

Walt Disney World exclusives:
1.Advanced Training Lab- Epcot
2.The Barnstormer- Magic Kingdom
3.DINOSAUR- Animal Kingdom
4.Expidition Everest- Animal Kingdom
5.Gran Fiesta Tour- Epcot
6.The Great Movie Ride- Hollywood Studios
7.Kilimanjaro Safaris- Animal Kingdom
8.The Magic Carpets of Aladdin- Magic Kingdom
9.Mission: Space
10.Primeval Whirl- Animal Kingdom
11.Rock 'n' Rollercoaster- Hollywood Studios
12.Seven Dwarfs Mine Train- Magic Kingdom
13.Spaceship Earth- Epcot
14.Test Track- Epcot
15.PeopleMover- Magic Kingdom
16.Triceratop Spin- Animal Kingdom
17, If you're looking for Malestrom, it's gone. It's to be replaced with a Frozen themed ride!

I actually didn't expect these lists to turn out so close! But here we have them, with the aide of each park's website. I didn't include rides that are basically the same with different names. This isn't a total list of everything different, but I will certainly write a part two for people who want! So suck all this information in and really think about which park is best for you and your family/travel companions. While I loved both, Disneyland will always be #1 for me.

-Sarah

What to Pack for Disneyland - Winter or Summer

Having been to Disneyland park in both summer and winter, I can now say that you need quite a different packing list for each occasion. Winter in California is very moderate temperatures. I don't believe that it ever dropped below zero anytime we were there (but it did SNOW once!) but you want to come prepared, especially if you still want to risk a ride on Splash Mountain.

                                                          Winter in Disneyland can be quite nice!

Here are my tips for packing for a WINTER trip to Disneyland:

Now, winter can flip flop a lot in California. Some times, it was very cold and we needed hoodies, jeans, and sneakers; other days, it was so warm that we were wearing shorts and flip flops (still with hoodies in the AM) So here is a list that I recommend fulfilling to ensure all your bases are covered:

-one light hoodie
-one thicker, warmer hoodie
-tank top to wear under in case of weather changes
-jeans
-one pair of shorts or capris
-sneakers (regardless of weather, always the best option for lots of walking)
-sandals or flip flops (great as long as you don't wear them every day!)
-water bottle (I recommend no more than two unless you have a stroller for storage)
-a backpack to fit your needs
-autograph book and long pen (like the ones they sell in the park with Mickey's silhouette on the end- the longer the pen the better so costumed characters can grip it easier!)
- this isn't a packing item, but if you're celebrating a special occasion, be sure to notify someone so you can get a button to wear!)
-sunglasses
-I also recommend putting some of your spending money on a Disneyland gift card, which you can have delivered to your hotel room

These things plus your own essentials will make the perfect list for going to Disneyland in Winter.

Here is my SUMMER Disneyland packing list:
-one pair of jeans
-a few pairs of shorts or capris
-at least one sundress or skirt (if you are a girl)
-SUNSCREEN (OR you will burn. I forgot sunscreen for half of one day and I got a wicked sunburn.)
-sunglasses; it's bright out there!
-tank tops and t-shirts
-lots of hair ties for anyone with frizzy or long hair
-a rain coat in case there is rain forecasted for when you plan to be there. preferably a cheap poncho or something of the like so you can carry it in the backpack.
-sneakers (regardless of weather, always the best option for lots of walking)
-sandals or flip flops (great as long as you don't wear them every day!)
-water bottle (I recommend no more than two unless you have a stroller for storage)
-a backpack to fit your needs
-autograph book and long pen (like the ones they sell in the park with Mickey's silhouette on the end- the longer the pen the better so costumed characters can grip it easier!)
- this isn't a packing item, but if you're celebrating a special occasion, be sure to notify someone so you can get a button to wear!)
-sunglasses
-I also recommend putting some of your spending money on a Disneyland gift card, which you can have delivered to your hotel room.


I hope you find these lists somewhat insightful and let me know if there is anything you would add!
(and yes, I know these lists are not made for families with children!)

Planning our first trip to DisneyWorld

Welcome all!

I have been to Disneyland three times, and since Disney World is currently having a 30% off hotels during summer, we decided to book a trip to Disney World in Orlando! It's quite a long ways for us, and unfortunately both our flights there and home have layovers, but it saved us heaps of money on a trip that would normally have cost twice as much.

Ever since our Honeymoon in Disneyland last June, going back has been on our minds. But neither of us have been to Disney World, and everyone says it's worth going at least once to experience it. I know it is quite a lot bigger and will be a daunting task, so we gave ourselves an extra day if there is a particular park we find we need to visit twice. We will also be visiting the Wizarding World of Harry Potter, as I am one of the biggest Harry Potter fans there is. (Not going to lie, I am looking forward to this the most.)

We are hopeful that the seven dwarves mine cart ride will be open the time we get there so we can give a full report on the experience and the finally completed new Fantasyland. (So exciting!) We will also be trying to focus a major part of our day in Animal Kingdom on the Dinoland U.S.A (my husband LOVES dinosaurs.)

We weighed the options between going to Disneyland and going to Disneyworld and going to Disneyworld was almost the same cost, except it also includes food! That meant that even though we will have painful flights and long days, it will be very worth it. In my opinion, the option for 30% off a hotel in Disney World is worth even more than the free dining they tend to offer once a year during particular low seasons.

As people native to Alberta, I'm sure going to Florida in the middle of summer is going to be very hard on us, so i'm going to be sure that we each have a water bottle, and stay hydrated. We have a mini- backback that we took to Disneyland that we might use again, though my husband said he wouldn't mind carrying a larger backpack this time around (more room for our autograph book and his pins!)

We are going to be staying at Disney World's Carribean Beach resort, which i found to be reasonably priced and more central of a hotel to all the parks compared to the other moderate resorts. At the time of booking, I found that there was not significant enough of a price difference between the value (ie; All Star Music, All Star Movies, etc.) and the moderate resorts for me to take the lower price option. Plus, going to a moderate versus value hotel fills me with the hope that there will be a few less children hanging around. That and from what I can assume about transporting to each park is that having a closer hotel will be much nicer.

That said, I'm still working out the logistics for planning to get to Universal Orlando, but as soon as that is booked I will be doing a post on all the different options, the one we decided to go with, and why.

Travelling to Disneyland- Food tips for Disneyland Park (and some Cali Adventure)

A great place to eat in Adventureland is Bengal Barbeque. It always gets great reviews and I can see why. The prices are fair and the meat will be great fuel for your day. (Try the bacon-wrapped Asparagus!) I recommend visiting Bengal BBQ at lunch or dinner, whichever time you tend to eat a smaller meal will be the better time to visit. Don't miss a trip to the dole cart and the Tiki room! It's a good place to get a break, sit in a cool dark place, and rest your feet. You can't have a Disneyland experience without a delicious Dole Whip! (unless you hate pineapple, of course.)

                                                         Husband's first Dole Whip!

If you're looking for a nice cold treat and you're sick of eating Mickey ice cream, go for a frozen banana. They are a healthier alternative and stay cold for a lot longer. We both enjoyed frozen bananas while watching Mickey's Magical map (which is a good show to see any time of day.) Frozen bananas are coated in chocolate and nuts, so beware if you have any allergies. You can find many carts around Disney that sell these frozen treats.

If you're looking for a quick and reasonably priced lunch, grab a corn dog. But not just any corn dog! There is a cart located next to the Plaza Inn, on the very end of main street. They batter them fresh and it is hands down one of the best corn dogs I've ever had.

Another great quick and reasonable lunch can be found at Daisy's Diner in ToonTown. They serve personal pizza with appleslices, and last time I ate there I believe it cost 8 dollars. The pizza is so delicious that my mom, brother and I ate there almost every day on our first trip to Disneyland!

If you don't have breakfast booked and you want something quick to eat so that you don't miss the short AM lines, hit up Tomorrowland Terrace. They have lots of choices for a quick breakfast there,but the breakfast burrito was our personal favorite. (and very filling for a moderate price!)

If you're looking for a quiet, out of the way location to eat a quick dinner, try The Hungry Bear Restaurant. They make really decent burgers, but the best part is that their sitting is located in Critter Country; right in the back corners of Rivers of America, where you can watch ducks swim as you eat. You can even catch a glance of them preparing boats for the Fantasmic! show.

Cars Land recently opened in California Adventure, and if you like this movie, I suggest you go check it out! It looks exactly like Route 66 from the movie! The best part is the Cozy Cone motel, where you can get all sorts of food in cones! They have chili, popcorn, and our favorite, Churro Bites. If you like churros but want a unique experience with them, this is the place to go. You get a hearty helping of bite sized churros along with delectable dipping chocolate. (Which is how churros are meant to be enjoyed.) Another great thing they offer here that you can't get anywhere else is Ramones "Pear O'Dice" Soda. As you can imagine from the description, this soda is meant to be pear flavored, yet it is bright purple. My favorite color! I highly recommend this drink, as we went to Cars Land three times through our visit just so we could have a taste of this drink.

                                                         Ramones "Pear O'Dice" Soda!

Another great thing to mention is that eating early will almost always benefit you. We tried to grab dinner around 4:30 anytime that we didn't have reservations. Restaurants, even quick service ones, can get busy quickly after 5:00. As for lunch, the best time to eat will probably be around 11 am, or 1:30- 2 pm. We are early eaters, so we always stuck to earlier meals!

Travelling to Disneyland- Dining Tips and planning time wisely in Cali Adventure

We purchased the dining plan that was available for Disneyland last year- which included one snack, and two quick service meals per day for the four days you spend in the park. It also included three character dining vouchers.

The character dining vouchers were most valuable for us. We purchased our Vacation package about three months before our actual departure date- so I got to planning right away.

I decided most, if not all of our first day should be spent in Disneyland park, as my husband had never been there. I planned our meals based on where I hoped we would be each day. The first night we arrived, we had no dining plans and didn't want to use a park ticket- so we visited Downtown Disney for dinner. We decided to go to Uva, and we sat outside since the weather was amazing.

Dinner drinks at Uva!

I had the greek option, and my husband had their salmon burger- which he couldn't stop talking about! It was all very delicious and a great way to start our first evening in Disney! We took it easy and simply wandered Downtown Disney for a few hours- visiting all the shops and even buying some sparkly Minnie Mouse ears for me.

The next day, we headed for Disneyland park. Even though we had early entry with Magic Morning, we still had to wait in a short line. I insisted we rush straight to the Matterhorn- as I knew lines were always long and this was our best chance to get on without delay! He had a hurried view of Main Street and Sleeping Beauty castle before riding Matterhorn and Finding Nemo! Then we finally stopped at the Tomorrowland main commissary for a breakfast burrito. I had never had one, but I have to say it was delicious! Decently priced and very filling. Our dinner was at Ariel's Grotto, however, so we headed over to the other park in the evening to make our reservation.

This is the only character dining experience I DO NOT recommend. The food was very mediocre, even compared to the quick breakfast burrito we had at the beginning of our day! The waitress almost didn't serve us alcohol (we had valid ID- but I suppose she had never seen an ID from AB before, and told us that next time we should bring our Passports into the park! - um, what?! no way!! I would NOT risk losing my passport just so someone can believe that my MARRIED husband and I are old enough to order a sangria and cider.) Dinner service was slow- and without the vouchers it would have been way to expensive to even consider compared to the food quality. BUT; if the main Princesses are on your MUST SEE list, then this is the perfect place to see them. We were seated outside so it wasn't nearly as noisy (and near the cool water, which was lovely) but we were some of the last to see the Princesses! I have to say, my husband was pretty happy to see Belle, and I was glad to meet Ariel when we first came into the restaurant.

The downside of meeting Ariel before you sit is that it makes waiting for your table a long process- we showed up half an hr early as requested and weren't seated until half an hr after our reservation- that's an hour wait!

Dessert at Ariel's Grotto was the only thing worth photographing- Lava Cake!

Now, we went in mid-June, which is usually considered busy season, but our bus driver told us that the shuttles were unusually empty the past few days, and I could tell in the park. I have only ever been to Disney around Christmas- and the crowds were definitely crazier than they were during our honeymoon.

The next day we had breakfast at the Grand Californian Hotel- and met characters such as Koda, Chip n' Dale, and other outdoor animals! (I hadn't seen brother bear at this point, so I had no clue who Koda was!) 

The food was OUTSTANDING. Even months after we were pining for their shredded hashbrowns. I would eat there just for the food, not to mention the atmosphere. Our sever was very friendly and attentive, and it was a buffet, serve yourself setting. It was a great way to start a day we planned to mostly spend in California Adventure.

Here's where I want to mention that I highly recommend starting off your day with fast passes- specifically for hot new attractions such as Radiator Springs Racers- this ride was so popular that fast passes for an entire day would be gone within the first hour of the park opening- madness! (Needless to say, we weren't willing to wait three hours to get on this ride, so we didn't experience it.)

But I also recommend getting a fast pass for Hollywood Tower of Terror (another missed due to very long wait times) and the roller coaster. These rides tend to have the longest wait, as well as Grizzly River Rapids (in the summer of course.) Planning to get these fast passes will ensure you can get on all the best rides.

Don't overlook Toy Story- Midway Mania! It is one of the most fun rides in California Adventure, and to my knowledge they don't offer fast passes, but it's worth a wait.

Ariel's Undersea Adventure- a new addition to California adventure!

Protip- on a hot day, don't be afraid to visit this ride multiple times- it's nice and cool because it's supposed to simulate being under the sea, and the wait time is never long thanks to it's design (constantly moving clamshells, just like in Haunted Mansion!) Not to mention the animatronics will wow you over and over!

My favorite night spent in California Adventure- my husband surprised me with a reservation at Wine Country Trattoria- which come with preferred front row World of Color fast passes! The food was divine- and while we paid with our own money for this meal, the $120 we spent was well worth it for the Filet Mingon and Lamb Shank we had! (Also, the server here didn't have an issue with our Government issued ID, THANKFULLY!)

Filet Mingon

Lamb Shank

If you only have time to see one show in Disneyland/California Adventure, World of Color has to be it. It was the most amazing experience i have ever had in my entire life. The strides that Disney has taken in technology are amazing, and it's definitely showcased here! Set to music from some of their most popular movies, thousands of water fountains shoot out beams of colored water, and they even project scenes from famous movies onto the water! My favorite had to be the addition of fire during a rendition of "He's a Pirate" from POTC! It still brings tears to my eyes to think of this show.

Travelling to Disneyland for a Honeymoon- Staying on Disney Property

Hello to all out there in the great big internet!

I love to travel and haven't been able to do too much of it, until now. This is a blog I want to use not only to document my life, but also my travel and travel tips.

My husband and I visited Disneyland last June for our Honeymoon. We decided we couldn't wait very long and went two days after our wedding.

Our wedding was in Canmore, AB, Canada. We live in Calgary, which is about an hour away. (I will write another post detailing my wedding, planning, and estimated costs!)

So, we stayed in Canmore one more night after the night of our wedding, then checked out with what friends stayed behind, and made the journey back to Calgary. We trusted our possessions that we weren't taking with us to my husband's sister, and she dropped us off at my mothers'. We were on a tight schedule, so as soon as we got back into Calgary we headed straight for the airport. (I had made MR. and Mrs. shirts that said "Just Married" on the back in Disney writing. It made the long day of travelling a little easier!

We got to the airport about two hours before our flight, just in case. We were flying on a Monday, and I wasn't overly concerned about large volumes of people taking flights. We got through customs within an hour (They didn't have many officers working at customs, so this part took the longest.) It's always a little tense when you're going to a new country, as they always try to make you feel uncomfortable. But we simply explained that we were going to Disneyland for our Honeymoon and the officer was a lot more cheerful :)

While waiting for our flight, we decided to get some sushi at the only airport restaurant we could access from international flights. Surprisingly, it was delicious!

This was the first time my husband was going to Disneyland, and only the second time he had been on a plane and left the country! So he was very nervous as airports are still a mystery to him, as well as the process of checking bags and going through customs. I had been to Disneyland twice before, and I have taken planes more times than I can count in my life (first time was at 2 weeks old!)

I was giddier than a schoolgirl, as I knew how amazing Disneyland was. The second I found out that my father was giving us our dream honeymoon as a wedding gift, I became obsessed with planning our trip.

We booked through the Disney Travel CO. ( disneyland.disney.go.com ) Which offers bookings from cities in Canada and the U.S. This came with a few extras, including the shuttle to and from the airport being free, cute CARS themed luggage tags, and a lanyard and pin each (which definitely fueled my husband's eagerness to collect pins!) I found that prices on travel websites were not significantly different enough for me to book elsewhere.

We booked a hotel on Disney property, at the Paradise Pier hotel. We also purchased the dining plan offered at Disneyland, as my father wanted to cover our food costs. I'm going to spend a little time talking about our hotel, and then about the Disneyland dining plan (which has changed since we went.)

This was my first time staying on Disney property while going to Disneyland. It may cost a bit more, but in my opinion it was worth it. You get alternating magic mornings at both parks EACH DAY- rather than just one if you book at a good neighbor hotel. Also, if you need a nap or simply need to shower and change because of how warm it is that day- you're only a short walk away. Paradise Pier is the cheapest of all the hotels on Disney property- and I expected it to always be busy and have kids running through the hallway- much to our surprise it was lovely and quiet, and we had an amazing view of California Adventure and World of Color!

 a nighttime view from our room!

It also seemed to me that to match the beach theme of Paradise Pier that they kept the hotel a litter warmer and more humid inside- it was an interesting touch and it's great for your lungs! The bed was very comfortable and I loved the scent of the complimentary shampoo, conditioner, and body wash that I took all the little samples home!

Since we were staying on Disney Property, my husband was also able to surprise me with a Chocolate Lover's gift basket! It was amazing and adorable! Disney hotels offer all sorts of room surprises that you can custom make- or choose from a pre-selected basket, that will be in your room on any of the days that you are in the hotel. You can find their options for In-Room Celebrations Here.

-I believe the one my Husband ordered for me was called "Cheers for Chocolate" and includes a little plush Mickey, three chocolate bars, chocolate covered jelly bellies, an assorted box of chocolates, milk chocolate covered pretzels, milk chocolate malt balls, and chocolate covered nuts. (now replaced by caramels). These are an unnecessary expense, but can really surprise a loved one and make their visit extra special.

My last tip for staying in a Disney hotel is that you shouldn't be afraid to mention if you are celebrating something! Often they might give you something special or a button to show everyone what you are celebrating! Wearing the "Just Married" Buttons will get you a lot of attention and a lot of congratulations! I swear that we got over 200 words of Congrats in the time we were in Disney! We felt very special!