I Love...Disneyland! {Day 5}

Today is the last day of the Disneyland portion of my I Love series. I hope you have enjoyed it as much as I have!

Here are a few of my happy spots, or times when I am the most happy while I'm in the park.

Christmastime

I have only experienced Christmastime at Disneyland one time...and it was the best! Christmas is my favorite holiday, and seeing my happy place all decked out in Christmas decorations was so fun. There's actually "snow" in Disneyland in the evenings during the fireworks, and they have a special Christmas parade. They also decorate It's a Small World for Christmas, as well as The Haunted Mansion (though that happens in the fall before Halloween and continues through the Christmas season) - it becomes the Nightmare Before Christmas. One of my goals in life is to be in Disneyland on Christmas Day...and I really do hope I can make that a reality someday!

Disneyland Railroad

The railroad makes me happy for a couple of different reasons. 1) It's a nice way to unwind or get a little rest from walking. 2) I'm a people watcher and it's a fun way to watch people as you're going by. 3) I love the dioramas of the Grand Canyon and Primeval World. It's such a peaceful experience and one we enjoy more than once on a trip (often more than once a day!).

The Emporium Shop

This place is very nostalgic for me. I love the window displays, as well as the little animatronic set ups near the ceiling. It's one of my favorite places to browse or shop for souvenirs. It makes me happy every time I'm there.

Enjoying the park with loved ones

This definitely makes me happy. My husband and I have gone on four anniversary trips to Disneyland now, as well as two trips with my family, two trips with friends, and one quick day trip when my best friend graduated college. I've also been on one other trip with friends, and multiple trips with my family (one of those also with friends). I imagine I probably would still have fun by myself in Disneyland...but it's so much fun to experience with the people you care about most. And since not everyone likes doing the exact same things, being able to go with a group of people makes it easier for everyone to do the things they enjoy, as long as you're willing to split up sometimes. My poor hubby doesn't go on some of his favorite rides when it's just us because he doesn't like to leave me alone, even though I tell him just to go on them (he also enjoys those rides more if he has people with him, which I understand). Disneyland is just too fun of a place, and being able to experience it through someone else's eyes is so great.

(The top left was the family/friend trip, the top right was the second trip Josh went on with my family - my sister and I are making fishy faces, the bottom left is the first trip I went on with just friends - Josh was there but we weren't dating at the time, and the bottom right is the trip I went on with friends - it was a sisters trip!)

If you have never experienced Disneyland before, or even if you've experienced it many times, I hope you've been able to see some of the amazing pieces that make up my favorite place ever! It was really fun for me to go through all of my pictures and find ones that we've taken on various trips to use for these posts. It makes me really excited to go again someday!

Missed the rest of the series? You can find the posts here, here, here, and here.

I Love...Disneyland! {Day 4}

Today, I am continuing my I Love series with my favorite shows to see at Disneyland.

It's Tough to be a Bug

This is one of my favorite things to do at DCA. It's a really fun little show...and you get to be an honorary bug with "bug eyes", which makes for a great picture. I don't want to spoil it if you've never experienced it before...but just be ready to be surprised!

Fireworks

I have always been a huge fan of fireworks. Apparently, my parents took me to a baseball game when I was six months old and they thought I was gonna be scared by the fireworks. But, all I did was laugh and squeal with delight. I love fireworks so much...the louder, the better. Disneyland's fireworks are my favorite, especially the way they've been doing them the last few years. They do little sequences from many of the rides, past and present. I've never experienced a better fireworks show in my life.

Captain EO

I am a big fan of Michael Jackson from the 80's. I love Thriller and Billie Jean and The Way You Make Me Feel. Disneyland had a show in the late 80s-early 90s starring Michael Jackson called Captain EO. I remember seeing it the first couple of times we went to Disneyland. I was so excited when they brought it back as a tribute to Michael Jackson after his death. It is a fun 3D show with a couple of original songs by Michael Jackson. I don't know how long they will keep the show there, but we love to see it every time we go.

Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln

This show, and the building it's in, house some of my greatest memories. After my first couple of trips to Disneyland, I went back after a couple of years had gone by. And as soon as I walked into that building, it was like I had never left. It was the greatest feeling in the world. There's something about the smell of that building that makes me so happy. It's something I like to experience on every trip...because when I'm in there, I know I'm really in Disneyland. Besides that, Lincoln is my favorite president, which makes the whole experience that much better.

World of Color

I have only seen this show once live (I watched some videos on YouTube before I saw it in person), but let me tell you, it is so worth it. We got fast passes when we saw it so we could get better viewing, which is also worth it. We even stood there an hour early in the pouring rain with ponchos on, waiting for it to start (and of course the rain stopped when the show started), and it was still worth it. It's about 25 minutes long, and it is simply amazing. The way they project things on the water, and use the water as effects...it's just so incredible. If you've never seen it, I definitely recommend it. I can't wait to see it again on my next trip.

Tomorrow I will finish up the Disneyland portion of this series with the moments I am most happy when I'm there.

Missed the last three posts? You can read them here, here, and here.

I Love...Disneyland {Day 3}

We continue our series on the things I love...with this week's focus being Disneyland! Today, we're talking about the places I love to eat there!

Royal Street Veranda

It is not often that my hubby and I will visit Disneyland and not get clam chowder/gumbo in sourdough bowls. The Royal Street Veranda is located in New Orleans square, right around the corner from my favorite ride. These bowls are one of the cheaper meal options at Disneyland, especially if you share a drink.

 (She gets clam chowder, he gets gumbo)

The Golden Horseshoe and Stage Door Cafe

This two are kitty corner to each other and sell some of the same food items. The Stage Door Cafe is a walk up service, while the Golden Horseshoe has more of a restaurant feel. They serve  things like chicken strips and corn dogs, fish and chips, and funnel cakes. The chicken strips are our favorite, and you get to pick your own dipping sauce for them. I like to get mine with apple slices instead of fries so I don't feel like I'm eating too many calories all in one sitting.

(The hubby sitting in front of the Stage Door Cafe)

Redd Rockett's Pizza Port

This place has a lot of options if you're looking for something in the pizza/pasta area. It's cafeteria style, so you go up to the counter and grab your dish(es) and pay for it at the front register. They have yummy pizza flavors, really good pastas and salads, and bread with dipping sauce. It's a little more pricey than some of the other places we typically go to, but the food is really good.

Bengal Barbecue

This place is a new favorite. We just ate there for the first time on our last trip. They have yummy kabobs in quite a few different options (including an all-veggie one). We ordered three each and my hubby said he could have eaten three more...so they aren't very filling for everyone...but I was perfectly happy with the amount I had. And they are pretty inexpensive if you only get a few.

Blue Bayou

This is our treat place. We have been there four times now and it's been an amazing experience every time. We like to request waterfront seating so we are closer to the boats that go by in Pirates of the Caribbean. I like to get the Surf and Turf, which happens to be the most delicious meal I've ever had. I love it! Josh likes to try different things when we go. Be prepared to spend around $100 for two people for dinner. Since we typically go to Disneyland for our anniversary, it's how we specifically celebrate our special day.

Rancho del Zocalo Restaurante

This place has the best Mexican food ever! It's so yummy and I love the ambiance of the place. Burritos, tacos, and enchiladas...oh my! Such a fun place, especially if you want to sit and take a little break for a bit.


For a yummy snack, we have a few favorites as well:

Frozen lemonade, hot chocolate and churro stands

You can find these places throughout the park. Some of them used to be a little different in price (like maybe a 50 cent difference) and we would always go to the cheapest one we could find. Frozen lemonade is my favorite when it's warm out, and churros are good any time of the day...even for breakfast. Of course, hot chocolate is best on those cold nights. On our last trip, I think we got a hot chocolate every single night...just to keep our hands warm!

Gibson Girl Ice Cream

This place makes the best sundaes! They are seriously amazing and so big. I usually never finish mine. But I can't resist getting them. We haven't gotten them on the last couple of trips, either because it was closed for refurbishment or because it was too cold. But on the warmer days, it's the absolute best treat in the park.

The Lucky Fortune Cookie

This place is not our favorite to actually eat at (we've tried it twice and been disappointed both times), but they have edamame...and that happens to be one of our favorite snacks! If you are craving something healthy and a little different from the norm, I definitely suggest getting some edamame.

Tropical Imports

Even though there are many fruit carts around the park now, this is one of the first places I really remember seeing a lot of fresh produce at. My goal on this last trip was to eat a little healthier (even though I didn't do a very good job), and it's going to be my goal on my next trips. These carts and locations have apples and bananas and oranges and even hummus!

Fiddler, Fifer, and Practical Cafe

This is a new favorite of mine because they sell Starbucks! And not only do they sell Starbucks, they accept Starbucks gift cards and you can use your Disney Visa or Annual Pass to get a discount! It has a very old-fashioned feel and has some of the greatest drinks I've ever tasted. They also had Pumpkin Spice and many of the other seasonal drinks when we went on our last trip, which makes it even better!

And that about sums it up! Next time, we will be talking about my favorite shows to catch at the Disneyland resort.

Missed the last two posts? You can check them out here and here.

I Love...Disneyland! {Day 2}

We continue our series on the things I love...Disneyland being my choice for this week.

Today I'm going to share with you some of my favorite spots to take pictures.

Disneyland front lawn

One of the things that most people do on their trip to Disneyland is take a picture in front of the Disneyland front lawn, or the Mickey flowers, as they are sometimes referred to. There have only been a handful of trips to Disneyland that I've been on that I haven't taken a picture in front of these flowers. I love how they change sometimes, according to what the park is celebrating.

 (The picture in the upper left is from my very first trip to Disneyland!)

Buena Vista Street

This is a new favorite spot for me. Since Buena Vista street has been open less than a year, I only got to discover it's beauty for the first time on our last trip. It literally makes you feel like you've stepped back in time. The shops are adorable, the storefronts are amazing, and the costumes of those working in the area are so fun. Carthay Circle Theater and the fountain in front of it are two amazing iconic landmarks to this beautiful area.

Cars Land

I'm a sucker for city lights in the evenings, and I love neon signs. One of the things I was most looking forward to about seeing Cars Land for the first time was taking pictures of the area at night. It seriously is so much more magical at night. It's a beautiful sight during the day, but at night, it just comes alive. There are also many great spots to stop and have your picture taken. In front of the Cars Land postcard, in the middle of the street, in front of the Radiator Springs statue at the end of the road, and in front of Flo's V8 Cafe, especially at night.

Off the Page

If you've never stepped into this building, you are seriously missing out. Next to the gift shop is this whole room full of different sized screens that play scenes from various Disney movies. It's breathtaking. There's a spot in there where the wall says "Once Upon a Time" on one side and on the other "...and they lived happily ever after". It's a really fun place to stop and take a couple of silly pictures. Plus, if you venture into the building further, you'll stumble into the Beast's Library, where you can find out what Disney character you are most like...and take pictures in front of the beautiful fire place in there.

The Founder's Statue

This statue is such an iconic part of Disneyland. DCA has a statue of a much younger Walt and Mickey arriving in California, whereas the one in Disneyland showcases the aged relationship the two of them have with each other. Both are great spots to take pictures in front of/with.

Mad Tea Party

Not only does the Mad Tea Party have an empty tea cup outside of the ride that you can sit and take pictures in, but it's just so fun to take pictures in the tea cups before the ride starts. I love the colorful backdrop of the other tea cups, as well as the lanterns hanging above. It's a great ride and picture spot.

Mickey's Toontown

My husband and I don't venture over to Toontown very often when we go to Disneyland, because most of the rides and attractions are geared more toward little kids. However, there are so many fun spots over there to take pictures! We spent a good amount of time there on our last trip, taking pictures of and with all of the fun scenery.

Sleeping Beauty's Castle

I love Sleeping Beauty's Castle. Even though it's not a real castle filled with real bedrooms that people actually live in, it's just so beautiful. I love taking pictures of it and having my picture taken in front of it. It's such a beautiful iconic part of Disneyland.

Wherever the characters are

When I was little, my sister and I would spend so much time trying to track down all of the characters so we could get their autographs and take our pictures with them. When I got a little older, taking pictures with characters seemed so lame. Now, it's kind of fun again! I really enjoy being able to capture that memory. Though my husband and I will not wait in a super long line to do so, I still really enjoy getting my picture taken with the characters.

Stay tuned to hear about some of my favorite places to eat!

If you missed yesterday's post, you can check it out here.

I Love...Disneyland! {Day 1}

With everything going on right now, I really need something a little light-hearted to pursue.

So, I've decided to do a little series on some things that I love...starting with my most favorite place ever...Disneyland!

All week, I will be posting about my favorite rides, my favorite spots to take pictures, my favorite places to eat, my favorite shows to catch there, as well as the moments where I feel the most happy when I'm there.

Today I am starting with my favorite rides.

Astro Blasters

This ride has been a favorite of mine since the year it opened. I love the fact that it's interactive and that you actually get points by playing along! My husband and I are very competitive with this one...but he almost always beats me...by a lot. There are special places and areas that you can shoot at to get more points (which he seems to get every time), but I have a much harder time finding them. I also love the fact that they take a picture of you on the ride...but you don't have to pay for it! Being in Tomorrowland and all, you get to email the picture to yourself. It's so fun!

(I think our scores were wrong in the picture on the right. I don't think I've ever beat Josh on this ride)

Finding Nemo Submarine

I really enjoy this ride. There used to be a different submarine ride in its place, but it closed quite a few years ago. I only remember going on it once as a child. They left the space unoccupied for years, and if you rode on the Monorail, you could see a lot of the structures and "plants" were still in the water. I always hoped they would bring back the ride and they finally did...with a Finding Nemo theme! It is so fun because they use modern technology alongside the physical structures and sea life in the water. You actually feel like you are deep in the ocean and you get to watch parts of the movie as well! It's a really fun experience (they also have a wheelchair experience that allows for those who can't make it into the submarine to enjoy the ride as well, which I think is awesome).

Indiana Jones

This ride is so fun. It's a little jerky and crazy at times, but you really feel like you are in an out of control vehicle. You are taken on a journey through the Temple of the Forbidden Eye, which includes encounters with skeletons, snakes, and rats! It's probably a little on the scary side for younger kids, but it is definitely one of the best rides at Disneyland. The line is always very long, so we almost always get fast passes for it.

It's a Small World

This is one I like to do once per trip. The song does get stuck in your head for quite a while after, but I love the nostalgia and experience of the ride. In the past few years, they have updated the boats, as well as added some Disney characters into the ride. Some of them you have to really look for, but they are there! My husband really enjoys taking pictures in this ride, even though it's hard to do without a flash because you're moving the whole time.

Jungle Cruise

This ride is one I've always loved. The captains in every boat tell jokes throughout your entire trip. Oftentimes, they tell different jokes in each of the spots, which makes it even more fun. It's always a blast to see other people's reactions to their jokes and to the ride as a whole. I love that even though this is a simple ride, it really is enjoyable every single time we've gone on it.

Peter Pan's Flight

I have only been on this ride maybe a handful of times. The line is always super long...but it's one of my absolute favorites. I love the story of Peter Pan. I also love the movie Finding Neverland about J.M. Barrie, who wrote the story of Peter Pan. And, I love that this ride makes you feel like you're flying, because the ship is attached to the ceiling instead of the ground, like most of the other rides in Disneyland. It's a very short ride, but it always brings a smile to my face.

Pirates of the Caribbean

This one is, hands down, my very favorite ride in Disneyland. I remember going to Disneyland  as a kid with my family and riding this ride over and over again when it was either hot outside, or when Fantasmic was going on, because there was no line and we didn't even have to get off the boat (I don't think that happens very often anymore). They updated the ride to include characters and references to the Pirates of the Caribbean movies about seven years ago. While I loved the ride before, I still love it just as much now. We timed it the last time we went on it and it's about 15 minutes from the time you get on the boat until you get off. And it's worth every second of those 15 minutes.

(The Disney Gallery used to be located above Pirates of the Caribbean. Now, that spot houses the Disney Dream Suite...which I would love to stay in someday)

Radiator Springs Racers

This ride was brand new to us when we went on our last trip. It just opened last summer, along with the rest of Cars Land, in Disney California Adventure. It is, by far, one of the best attractions Disney has done (at least, at Disneyland. I've never been anywhere else to test that). I love that you get to take a ride through Radiator Springs and experience it a little more up close...and then you get to race one of the other cars! It's seriously a blast. There are two different ways your car can go before the race...and I got to experience both. It always has a huge line, but getting a fast pass first thing in the morning is the best way to guarantee getting on it.

Soarin' Over California

This ride is also in Disney California Adventure and has been there since that park opened. It is a huge favorite of mine. I almost always wear flip flops when we are at Disneyland and I always take them off when we go on this ride. They bring you up in the air so you feel like you're on a hang glider. The screen in front of you takes you through different areas of California. It is so fun! They haven't updated the movie since the park opened, so you see Sleeping Beauty's Castle at the end with it's former paint color. I just love the feeling of being in the air and being able to kick my feet and enjoy this ride.

(The queue for this ride has lots of pictures and information on the men and women who made flying what it is today)

Space Mountain

This is one I never went on as a kid. I was pretty freaked out by roller coasters and would not give them a chance. When I finally went on this one, I fell in love! It's a dark ride, so you literally don't see much of anything but the "stars" around you. It's one of my favorite rides in the park, and we usually get a fast pass for this one. This one also takes your picture at the end, and since we've been on it so many times, we know when it's coming...so we like to make silly faces or pose funny. It's a blast!

Star Tours

This ride used to freak me out as a kid. I seriously thought I was going to die. Since it's a simulator ride, the seats do move a little, but what you're seeing on the screen in front of you makes you feel like you're moving even more...and like you're going to crash into things! They just updated this ride a couple of years ago. Before when you went on it, it did the exact same thing every time you rode. Now, it includes planets and places from the newer (Episodes 1-3) movies, and you don't get the same experience every time! It's also in 3D now, so it feels even more so like you're going to crash into things! You go three different places on each journey and it's so fun! We have been on that ride maybe six times now, and it has never been exactly the same any of those times. We have seen a couple of the same places, but it's always a different sequence. This is one that we like to go on a lot, just to see all the different combinations there could be!

The Haunted Mansion

This ride used to scare me when I was little as well. My sister and I would cry and close our eyes throughout the entire ride. When we went back when I was in jr. high, it was a totally different story. This ride is definitely spooky...and things jump out at you at times...but it's also so fun. It's all indoors and very well air-conditioned, so it's a great one to ride on multiple times on a hot day. It's fun to watch people's reactions during the "stretching" room part at the very beginning of the attraction...especially people that have never been on it before! My husband and I always like to guess at the end which hitch-hiking ghost we will get. This last trip, we got the same one every single time we rode on it on the same day...creepy!

Toy Story Midway Mania

This ride in DCA is newer, but is one of my favorites. It's also an interactive ride and one they can change the games on it pretty easily. The very first time we went on it, two of the games were different than what they have now (they updated it after Toy Story 3 came out). It's so fun! You wear 3D glasses and get to shoot darts at balloons, throw balls at plates to break them, and throw pies. It's seriously worth the long wait every single time.

(The score on the right is mine! I have won against my husband a couple of times now on this ride)

There are, of course, many other rides at the Disneyland resort, but these are some of my favorites.

Stay tuned for my favorite spots to take pictures!