My Take and Thoughts on Disneyland

Disneyland is aptly dubbed “The Happiest Place on Earth” and now I can see why. The entire mood of the park is optimism, happiness, and everything is right with the world. There’s nothing wrong with that, but it’s a fantasy land you can visit to get away from your troubles, that’s for sure. I enjoyed not only the rides, but the eateries and shops and “exhibits” they have, if you will. I will try to go through each part of the park and give my thoughts on it.

First off, you have Main Street, U.S.A. It is the location for many shops, eateries, city hall, and more. This is where Amanda and I did most of our shopping and this road is almost always packed with visitors. At the beginning of the street (or end, if you are leaving the park) there is a courtyard where we watched a ceremony with the marching band. Definitely a must see.

Going clockwise you then have Adventureland to the left which Amanda and I unfortunately didn’t really visit but walked through. There was the Indiana Jones ride I wanted to go on as well as the Enchanted Tiki Room, but we just didn’t have enough time. Next time we visit we’ll make Adventureland a must.

Next is the New Orleans Square which we visited both days. On the first day we went on the Pirates of the Caribbean ride, one of the better overall rides in the park. You ride in a boat and see certain scenes and very realistic pirates fighting over gold and doing what pirates do. On our second day we went into the Haunted Mansion, which actually becomes a ride (and surprisingly not THAT scary). Then we stopped at the Blue Bayou for lunch, and I must forewarn anyone reading this: It is a pricy place that recommends getting a reservation for. Each menu item is around $30. However, the appeal is the darkness of the restaurant and being able to see a part of the Pirates of the Caribbean ride off to the side.

Then there is Critter Country which Amanda and I only visited for Splash Mountain which we rode on our first day. A long 45 minute wait preceded it, but it was worth it. Also here, you can meet Winnie the Pooh and some of his friends (Tigger, Eeyore) so it’s definitely a place to visit for any Pooh fans.

After Critter Country is Frontierland which is enjoyable for kids and adults. On our second day Amanda and I took the raft and visited Tom Sawyer Island, which is a must visit at some point for anyone visiting the park. We didn’t do much else in Frontierland except catch the train and circled the park, which is another thing everyone must do at some point. It also helps you get from one end of the park to another.

At the very north end of the park is a fairly newer part called “Mickey’s Toontown”. Amanda and I had lunch here on our first day and visited Mickey’s House. Mickey’s Toontown is the place to go to see all the characters such as Mickey, Minnie, Goofy, and Pluto. There isn't much in terms of rides here, but it’s still a place to explore and see all that they have.

In the very heart of Disneyland is Fantasyland which has mainly kiddie rides but a couple others adults can appreciate as well. It has “It’s a Small World” which is appreciated by all ages as well as the “Mad Tea Party” where the famous teacups are. This area also has a lot of things younger girls will appreciate such as Alice in Wonderland, Snow White’s Scary Adventures, and the Disney Princess Fantasy Faire. There is also the Matterhorn bobsleds, but unfortunately when Amanda and I visited, the ride was out of order.

On the east side of the park is my favorite section, Tomorrowland. This section features Space Mountain, a ride Amanda and I enjoyed on our second day. Space Mountain is, well, wild. That’s the best word to describe it. It will whip you back and forth and you won’t even know which way you’re about to turn. Definitely not for those who get sick easily. There is also the Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage which again, another long wait, but totally worth it. You ride in a submarine and watch certain “scenes” from Finding Nemo, changed a bit for the attraction. Finally, there is Star Tours—The Adventures Continue, where you wait in line for eternity, but then you get to go on this ride with 3D glasses. You are put on a Star Wars spacecraft and you navigate battle scenes and a random planet (we got the ice planet Hoth). This ride actually left me feeling queasy because it does jerk you and whip you a bit. But definitely a must for any Star Wars fan like myself.

Disneyland is definitely a place I want to visit again. I saw a ton of children (tons of people, actually), and the park is really well maintained and 95% of the employees seem really happy to work there. The park is so well done, so expansive and so big that you experience and see something different every time you visit the park. Concessions are a bit pricy (3 dollars for a soda), tickets themselves are pricy, but it is totally worth it. They are usually open from 8am to midnight so you can definitely get your money’s worth because their tickets last all day. I actually hope to go back there fairly soon, like in the next 2-3 years, because Disneyland is just a place you have to visit more than once.