Disneyland from A to Z
A recent four-night stay at Disneyland proves that this rich, glorious theme park, celebrating its 50th anniversary from now until 2007, is best enjoyed as a planned excursion, not as a whim.
Begin with Birnbaum's, an indispensable annual paperback that's available for around twelve dollars. The goal-oriented guide should be read by every visitor to insure unit cohesion. It answers detailed questions, from using strollers to locating lost cars, and, besides a handy batch of coupons, Birnbaum's, working with Disneyland, provides a clear orientation for each member of the party.
Disneyland encompasses the original park, Disneyland, which opened on July 17, 1955, three hotels—the Grand Californian, Paradise Pier and the Disneyland Hotel—Downtown Disney (shops and movie theaters) and Disney's California Adventure, a smaller park which opened in 2001. Disney calls the whole property the Disneyland Resort. Simply Disneyland will do.
After years of day trips, it was time for a full-fledged Disneyland vacation. This guide is based on that visit, a prepaid package arranged by the Walt Disney Travel Company, with accommodations for four nights at the Grand Californian, admission to both parks for three days—an old Disney World pass was used for admission on a fourth day—coupons, early entry to Disneyland before the general public for one day, meals, and what was easily the trip's highlight: a three-hour walking tour called A Walk in Walt's Footsteps, a tribute to Walt Disney.
DISNEYLAND GUIDE A-Z
• Disneyland
• Disney's California Adventure
• Disneyland Hotels and Restaurants
• Downtown Disney
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Disneyland
A
Admission
Lines, lines, lines. Get there an hour before the park opens; it makes a huge difference.
Adventureland
Still exotic, though, with widespread cruising and Hawaiian vacations, the South Pacific tropical theme has lost some of its forbidden appeal. How about an attraction based on Disney's animated version of Rudyard Kipling's The Jungle Book? Or The Lion King?
Alice in Wonderland (Fantasyland)
Disney's animated interpretation of Lewis Carroll's book inspired this kiddie ride in a caterpillar through Wonderland, with the Queen of Hearts, Cheshire Cat and, of course, Tweedledum and Tweedledee. Emerge from the ride's interior for a great view of the Monorail.
B
Blue Bayou, The (New Orleans Square)
To get a table at this fine restaurant—the only one to accept reservations inside the park—make reservations weeks, or months, in advance. With excellent service, a Creole menu and dining on a terrace inside the Pirates of the Caribbean attraction, this is an integral part of Disney's theatrical experience.
Big Thunder Mountain Railroad (Frontierland)
An exhilarating, jerking and not-too-wild rollercoaster—a runaway mine train—that passes through an Old West mountain's abandoned mining town. Immensely popular with guests of all ages.
C
Carnation Café (Main Street)
Dining on Main Street is perfectly charming in this popular walk-up restaurant with good American food and the friendly hum of friends and families dining outside.
Castle Princess Shop (Fantasyland)
Those girls running around dressed like Ariel from The Little Mermaid or Princess Aurora from Sleeping Beauty or the boy dressed like Peter Pan may have popped into this wonderful shop inside Sleeping Beauty's Castle, where parents may choose from among a variety of costumes—and Disney's popular Princess merchandise.
Columbia Sailing Ship (Frontierland)
The replica of America's first ship to sail around the globe needs a fresh coat of paint on its mast, but its cannon still fires away at the enemy as it sails around Tom Sawyer Island. Remember to venture below deck to see how the sailors lived, ate and slept while at sea—go ahead and ring the ship's bell, too—since that is the whole point.
Crystal Arts (Main Street)
From engraved photo frames to unique ornaments to Cinderella's pumpkin coach, this privately-owned shop showcases its crystal Disney items in style. The engraving is free, prices are reasonable, and service is excellent. These proprietors love what they do.
D
Davy Crockett's Explorer Canoes (Critter Country)
The canoes are among Disneyland's only free flowing watercrafts and guests do the rowing, so this is a more authentic frontier attraction. Be warned: every day during the visit, Davy's Canoes were closed. At press time, open on Saturdays only, closing at 4 p.m. and don't count on Disneyland's Web site, which did not include the canoes on the Calendar roster.
Disney Clothiers, Ltd. (Main Street)
The store stocks almost every article of clothing related to Disney and Disneyland, from big, Mickey Mouse fleece sweatshirts to embroidered 50th anniversary designs.
Disney Gallery, The (New Orleans Square)
Conceived as Walt Disney's private apartment, the Gallery is a showroom for original artworks based on Disney characters and Disneyland attractions, framed animation cels, and art books. Guests on the Walk in Walt's Footsteps tour wind up having a boxed lunch on the Gallery's private terrace. Plan to spend time here.
Disneyana (Main Street)
This is the place to find those retro Disneyland designs, logos and prints. Other Main Street shops cater to individual preferences for magic, timepieces and jewelry.
Disneyland's Parade of Dreams (Main Street)
The 20-minute musical parade—which combines dancing, nostalgia and gymnastics—engages the audience in a joyful display. Even the hardest nuts may crack a smile. Quality entertainment.
Disneyland Railroad (Main Street)
See live dinosaurs—in a diorama inspired by Fantasia—the Grand Canyon, and half the park on a 20-minute steam engine train, constructed by Walt Disney in one-eighth scale. Departing from Disneyland's Main Street station with several stops.
E
Enchanted Tiki Room (Adventureland)
Jose continues to lead the Audio-Animatronic foreigners' quartet in this child's favorite where exotic birds and flowers and primitive tiki poles come alive to serenade guests in the South Pacific.
F
Fantasyland
Classic Disney dominates here at what was once the core of the Disneyland experience. Childlike, festive and fabulous—enjoy it in case the place is turned into Narnia.
Frontierland
Donkey rides and Tom Sawyer Island's relatively unrestricted Fort Wilderness have given way to a more subdued atmosphere. Frontierland has lost Walt Disney's reverence for American history, which imbued each visitor with a sense of America in its early days, when wild Indians and rugged nature posed great challenges to bold pioneers forging a new nation of law and liberty.
G
Golden Horseshoe Stage (Frontierland)
A live bluegrass show by Billy Hill and the Hillbillies is a silly, bawdy good time in this Western saloon, which Walt Disney had made after seeing Howard Keel and Doris Day in the raucous Calamity Jane.
H
Haunted Mansion, The (New Orleans Square)
Opened in 1969 as an old New Orleans manor, this ghostly house is a beloved Baby Boomer attraction for those who remember Walt Disney taking viewers on a tour during his television program.
I
Indiana Jones Adventure (Adventureland)
The lines are always long and once is likely to be enough for this thrill, based on the Steven Spielberg and George Lucas movie trilogy with an emphasis on the Raiders of the Lost Ark.
Innoventions (Tomorrowland)
A stinker. Disneyland's Imagineers ought to bring the Carousel of Progress back to the Carrousel Theater and eliminate this revolving, anti-conceptual chaos. The whole point of the Carousel of Progress, which Innoventions replaced, was an application of an individual's idea—i.e., Thomas Edison's notion of electricity—to reality, demonstrating man's achievements through an Audio-Animatronic family's progression, complete with a happy song ("A Great, Big Beautiful Tomorrow") that embraced the future with optimism. Innoventions, with a wisecracking Tom Morrow robot, offers the opposite, with an onslaught of simultaneous displays, most of which are not ready for widespread use. Honda's Asimo robot, a separate presentation, is the closest descendant of the Carousel of Progress concept. The rotating floor is disorienting—especially to children, who are easily lost in this frightening place, the antithesis of what Disneyland's about.
It's a Small World (Fantasyland)
This 1965 addition was Disneyland's first attraction designed for nighttime appeal and, with a song that plays over in one's head by the Oscar-winning Sherman brothers—who wrote countless Disney musical scores—this boat ride into a children's world of global unity is contagious or grating, depending on one's view.
J
Jungle Cruise, The (Adventureland)
Piranhas are the newest part of this cruise through primitive Southeast Asian ruins, in a boat inspired by The African Queen starring Katharine Hepburn and Humphrey Bogart. With a comic guide—hokey jokes come with the territory—and cobras, lions and elephants, it's never the same ride twice—Walt Disney added comedy when he overheard a guest's remark that she'd already been on the Jungle Cruise. According to Birnbaum's, the attraction was created by the same person who made the shark in Jaws and the squid in Disney's 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea.
M
Mad Hatter Shop, The (Main Street)
Easy to miss when you first enter Main Street—it's on the right just past the Opera House—so stop early for a sun-protective hat or golden Mickey Mouse ears engraved with your name for free—the ears will set you back about ten dollars—and wear it all day in the park. Hats, caps and ears are on sale in shops throughout the park, too.
Main Street
While strolling along Main Street, which lures the guest into Disneyland, a boy, spotting one of Main Street's Belgian horse-drawn carriages, yanked on his mother's skirt, pointed and erupted: "Look, Mom! A real horse!" Try that with an Xbox. Take time walking down this famed avenue, modeled after Walt Disney's hometown of Marceline, Missouri, which paved the way for the modern shopping mall.
Main Street Cinema (Main Street)
Though not a real picture house, this undiscovered treasure is a great place to watch the original cartoons—on several screens—that were among Walt Disney's first successful ventures in motion pictures. Favorites—now on DVD—include Steamboat Willie and Plane Crazy, with a more devious Mickey Mouse than today's Mickey, tricking Minnie into what turns out to be a wild ride in the skies.
Mark Twain Riverboat (Frontierland)
The paddle wheel passes around Tom Sawyer Island and affords Disneyland's only view of Sleeping Beauty's Castle in the foreground of the Matterhorn—a great photo opportunity for those who ask admittance to ride with the captain—while winding down a river with moose, cottonwoods and an Indian chieftain.
Matterhorn Bobsleds (Fantasyland)
Yes, there is a basketball court inside the Matterhorn—where cast members play—and, no, it can't be seen from the bobsleds, which remain a rush through this replica of the Swiss mountain known as the Matterhorn. They used to run the Skyway buckets through that gaping hole in the middle of the mountain, and, since Disneyland recently brought mountain climbers back, maybe they'll bring back the Skyway, too.
Mickey's Toontown
This kiddie town has a post office and city hall in bright colors with more cartoon-like attractions. A visit to Minnie Mouse's house is fun for adults as she reads Mademouselle and has a state of the cartoon kitchen. Mickey has a house in town, too. Pluto has his doghouse there.
Mr. Toad's Wild Ride (Fantasyland)
Based on Disney's 1949 movie, The Adventures of Ichabod Crane, from Kenneth Grahame's novel The Wind in the Willows.
Monorail (Tomorrowland)
Ask to sit in the front with the operator for some of the best views of two and a half miles of Disneyland, Disney's California Adventure and the Grand Californian, where America's first monorail was originally slated to stop. Worth a dedicated ride by itself. Stops at Downtown Disney—a neat way to avoid the crowds when returning to the park—but not at California Adventure.
N
New Orleans Square
Brilliant movie set experience, with Mardi Gras decorations and a ship's mast in the background to give the illusion of a port city, and with jazz musicians—good performers—playing in the streets. The best of New Orleans without the sleaze—it gets better every time.
P
Peter Pan's Flight (Fantasyland)
Finding Neverland, Hook, Universal's live action Peter Pan and Disney's animated version, the name Wendy—J.M. Barrie books about the boy who wouldn't grow up certainly have left an undeniable imprint on the culture. This attraction, based on Disney's 1953 movie, takes flight on a pirate ship around London to Never Land and straight on 'til morning. You can fly!
Pinocchio's Daring Journey (Fantasyland)
Jiminy Cricket, Geppetto, the Blue Fairy—major characters, including the one that wants to be a real boy—from Disney's Pinocchio appear on this episodic ride.
Pirates of the Caribbean (New Orleans Square)
Hurry and hop into this fun-filled boat down the Louisiana bayou into old New Orleans with marauding pirates of the Caribbean Sea. They used to chase the wenches—not anymore—and behave like pirates, but the rest of the ride is unchanged. How long that will be the case is a question, with the enormous success of Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl and with two upcoming sequels. In any case, the last attraction Walt Disney personally supervised is an unforgettable blend of fireflies, grimy louts and one mangy-looking dog. Ask the operator to let you sit in the back row; rambunctious riders talk incessantly over the soundtrack.
Plaza Inn (Main Street)
Sprawling cafeteria style dining near where Main Street meets Tomorrowland. Try to get a table on the terrace for dinner—there are heat lamps—or inside in the corner at a window table. Salads, Italian food, veggie stew—Plaza Inn has a variety of dishes for every taste.
R
Roger Rabbit's Car Toon Spin (Mickey's Toontown)
Frantic ride for diehard fans of Who Framed Roger Rabbit.
S
Shootin' Exposition (Frontierland)
Fer fifty cents, it's ready, take aim, and faar! Tho' thar's no prize to win, thar's uh big fuss fer hittin' sumthin' with that infrared raifle in this 1850s mining town. Yee-haw!
Sleeping Beauty's Castle
Many visitors blow through here on the way to Fantasyland which is too bad, since taking time has its rewards, as was witnessed when Mary Poppins' Bert had children and parents alike spellbound on the Castle grounds during his performance. Besides, there's a certain magic to the famous symbol, redecorated for Disneyland's 50th anniversary. Built in order to promote the 1959 animated masterpiece, Sleeping Beauty, this hallowed castle is graced by swimming swans, a real drawbridge and 22 karat gold leaf trim.
Snow White Grotto (Fantasyland)
A respite from the crowds near Sleeping Beauty's Castle, this enchanted water spot features the voice of Snow White singing a tune from Walt Disney's 1937 animated classic, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.
Snow White's Scary Adventures (Fantasyland)
Another kiddie ride lives up to its name, and it's fun, too, with an underrated trip through a menacing forest, a dungeon and the darkness—while the witch tempts with her poisoned apple.
Space Mountain (Tomorrowland)
What Walt Disney envisioned as a rollercoaster ride through complete darkness broke down during a recent visit but was up and running a few days later, complete with a new disco soundtrack that made this rider swear it off until the creepy space sounds return. The added audio detracts from the sensation of flying through black space. Head in first thing in the morning or late at night for the shortest lines. Opened at Disneyland in 1977.
Storybook Land Canal Boats (Fantasyland)
Fantasyland's most imaginative attraction. With a guide on a soothing boat ride into the mouth of the whale from Pinocchio, this fascinating tour of flawless miniature reproductions from Disney classics is a wondrous experience to be enjoyed several times over. The house from Disney's cartoon, the Three Little Pigs—the Alice in Wonderland village—and memorable settings from Disney's animated pictures Cinderella, Aladdin and The Little Mermaid—are an inviting opportunity to peer into the world of a favorite movie.
T
Tarzan's Treehouse (Adventureland)
No match for the Swiss Family Robinson treehouse, which occupied this habitat for over 35 years. Who could forget the Swiss Family Robinson's movie dad, John Mills, escorting his wife and daughter, Hayley (The Parent Trap, Pollyanna) through the shipwrecked family's home away from home for Disneyland's television viewers when the 70-foot tree opened? With rope bridges and human living quarters, this attraction, based on Disney's animated movie, Tarzan, lacks the magic of a family's life in a treehouse and, worse, the Imagineers apparently decided—or were told—to add life-sized replicas of the animated characters from the movie, which breaks the wall and makes one acutely aware that this is not real.
Tom Sawyer Island (Frontierland)
This frontier island is among the few places where a child can indulge his creativity and knowledge of history—by pretending to protect Fort Wilderness against hostile Indians or by crawling into Injun Joe's caves. With tree houses, bridges and boulders and an old mill, Tom Sawyer Island remains a childhood favorite, if only Disneyland would re-open Fort Wilderness, stock the fort with guns again (they used to) and let young pioneers recreate the wild American frontier our forefathers fought for and settled. That said, there's nothing to stop a guest from playfully launching an Indian ambush on a passing Mark Twain Riverboat.
Tomorrowland
Gone are the clean lines and designs, replaced by a muted Jules Verne style that's less exciting than a brand new rocket ship. Here's hoping Disneyland's most promising land regains its previous stature as a larger than life destination fully showcasing man's ability to think, create and produce.
20th Century Music Company (Main Street)
Classic Disney tunes and original recordings are available from a large catalog of soundtracks and collections that can be burned onto a compact disc in this tiny shop. Collectible Disney Treasures DVDs, including titles unavailable from Disney's Web site, are also on sale and the cashier is generally knowledgeable about rare items, so feel free to ask.
W
Walk in Walt's Footsteps, A Tour (Main Street)
For about 50 dollars, a guest can have a three-hour guided tour of Disneyland—among a range of tour choices—and this one celebrates the individual solely responsible for inventing Disneyland. Start at Main Street's City Hall, learn about Walt Disney's apartments, the piped in scents along the avenue, the secrets of Sleeping Beauty's Castle, landscaping, production design and scale, obscure motion picture tie-ins and much more. The informative tour—capped at a manageable group size—includes a peek at the private membership Club 33's anteroom, lunch at the Disney Gallery in New Orleans Square, and a private showing at the Enchanted Tiki Room. Each tour guest also receives a Disney pin in this outstanding tour, which is not recommended for children.
Winnie the Pooh and the Blustery Day, The Many Adventures of (Critter Country)
Day-Glo paint on this new kiddie ride doesn't make much of an impression, but fans of Tigger, Eyeore, Owl, Piglet, the A.A. Milne books and Disney's Heffalump movies are sure to be pleased by this ride through the Hundred Acre Wood. Curiously, in over three minutes, there's no sign of Christopher Robin, whom Disney reportedly plans to reconfigure as a girl in another Pooh incarnation.
DISNEYLAND GUIDE A-Z
• Introduction
• Disney's California Adventure
• Disneyland Hotels and Restaurants
• Downtown Disney
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Disney's California Adventure
The trick with this much-maligned park is reality-based expectations. It's neither an amusement park with stomach-turning rides, nor is it supposed to be kiddieland. With a boardwalk, a winery and a movie backlot, Disney's California Adventure salutes the mythology of California.
Lacking a consistent theme, the results are mixed, though not as lame as some critics claim. Blending its Golden State, Hollywood Pictures Backlot and Paradise Pier, the 55-acre park is the opposite of Disneyland's clearly drawn dividing lines between lands. The place could use a stronger sense of purpose, perhaps focusing on varied chapters in California history—the Gold Rush, the Golden Age of Hollywood, the Golden Gate Bridge—with an emphasis on educational exhibits and attractions. Absent are sufficient tributes to Silicon Valley's business geniuses like Steve Jobs and Hollywood's classic moviemakers, including Walt Disney. How about attractions exploring Pixar's process, or the Disney business philosophy? This park is a good place to showcase the Capitalist ideal that fuels California's adventurism. Meanwhile, it remains enjoyably light leisure—with one glaring exception…
Animation Academy (Hollywood Pictures Backlot)
An absolute treat whatever the level of drawing skill, for kids and adults alike, perfect for family bonding—and guests might be surprised to learn who among the flock has the talent for drawing Goofy, Donald Duck or Mickey Mouse. Light comedy accompanies the Disney animation instructor's generous tutorial in one of those experiences the kids will appreciate for years.
Block Party Bash
A spirited, heavily Toy Story-themed parade with a pop music sensibility, dancing and partying.
California Screamin' (Paradise Pier)
An exciting rollercoaster that loops around the site's famous Mickey Mouse logo on the fastest ride in Disneyland.
Challenge Trail, Redwood Creek (Golden State)
Part playground, part obstacle course, part hiking trail with educational spots along the way, the trail does present a challenge, and it's invigorating, healthy fun.
Golden Dreams
A distortion of California's history hosted by Whoopi Goldberg as a mythical goddess. This 20-minute movie is multiculturalist tripe, crediting California's progress to any race, tribe or accident of nature. The film equates the Black Panthers at the 1968 Olympics and mentally retarded athletes with Walt Disney and other productive geniuses. A politically correct nightmare.
Hollywood Boulevard (Hollywood Pictures Backlot)
Enter the Hollywood Pictures Backlot and stroll slowly along this movie set boulevard, with its gorgeous reproductions of Los Angeles city architecture, including Art Deco facades and humorous window displays mocking L.A. The only thing missing is another five blocks with information about the real buildings. Magnificent.
Monsters, Inc. Mike and Sulley to the Rescue! (Hollywood Pictures Backlot)
The park's newest attraction offers a few minutes in Disney/Pixar's hit Monsters, Inc.'s story, with Boo lost in Monstropolis and the lead characters trying to find the right closet door to help her return to her bedroom.
Mulholland Madness (Paradise Pier)
A low-key, jolly rollercoaster that mocks L.A.'s nonstop traffic. A quick, fun jolt.
Off the Page (Hollywood Pictures Backlot)
The best place for merchandise at Disney's California Adventure, with scads of books, posters, prints, cels, CDs and DVDs. Added bonus: an animator often sits at her desk inside the store and draws an animated character from one of Disney's classic films.
Rushin' River Outfitters (Golden State)
Tons of quality fleece tops and more in a large clothing store at California Adventure.
Soarin' Over California (Golden State)
Spectacular every time. Ask the operator to be buckled into the first row if you dare on this entrancing hang-gliding flight simulator that soars over Los Angeles freeways at night, the desert, the Bay Area and California's waters and mountains. A sweeping score, introduced during the pre-boarding period in an airport hangar with walls lined by photographs of heroic aviators and the airplanes they flew with boards explaining each accomplishment or aircraft. With the wind in one's face while Lake Tahoe skiers navigate the slopes at Heavenly, this glorious tribute to man's flying spirit will literally sweep you off your feet. A cinematic adventure.
Sorcerer's Workshop, The (Hollywood Pictures Backlot)
An interactive area in the Disney Animation complex where guests take a personality quiz to see which Disney character they most resemble and examine motion picture special effects, from voiceovers to illustrations.
Sun Wheel (Paradise Pier)
Not quite an old-fashioned Ferris wheel, this gigantic spinner lifts up and rocks back and forth—non-rocking cars are also available—with breathtaking views of Disneyland.
DISNEYLAND GUIDE A-Z
• Introduction
• Disneyland
• Disneyland Hotels and Restaurants
• Downtown Disney
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Disneyland Hotels and Restaurants
Grand Californian, The
There is one reason to stay at this pricey hotel: convenience to Disneyland‹the hotel is located inside Disney's California Adventure with a private entrance to that park for hotel guests. Other than that, problems pile up. The front desk clerk tried to switch rooms upon check-in from the more expensive room‹which was prepaid‹to a cheaper room, without offering to lower the price. When she was corrected, she stepped away and came back ten minutes later, begrudgingly providing the paid-for room. By itself, the tight room is not worth the steep price (between $260 and $400 per night), and it comes equipped with preachy environmentalist handouts strategically placed throughout the room designed to discourage each guest from every imaginable human activity. The eco-notes are a nuisance. The mountain lodge lobby is beautiful—a daytime architectural tour conflicts with prime Disneyland time—but the hotel is not exclusive. Every family from Idaho to Indiana drops in, oohs and aahs, eats at the restaurants and lets their kids run wild—even at ten o'clock at night when an Irish coffee by the fire would hit the spot. The Grand Californian ought to admit guests only or lower the prices. At these rates, you don't want to hear a non-guest bellowing on a cell phone: "Yeah, I'm in the lobby now and it's great! Man, we should stay here sometime!" The Grand Californian also lacks luxury service. The front desk doesn't mail postcards, the business center doesn't either (even when asked to charge the room) and that leaves a stamp vending machine in the middle of busy foot traffic. For prices this high, it's not exactly a grand hotel. Come for the location only.
Napa Rose
Dinner at the Grand Californian's fine dining restaurant was a dud. Though reservations had been made, it took ten minutes to see a waiter, who didn't speak good English, hurried the ordering and, when asked a question, disappeared for 20 minutes. Asked about his absence when he returned, he replied that he's the best waiter on the floor. In other words, tough luck. He finally served the food and wine, which were exquisite, but also a hassle.
Storytellers Café, The
The best thing going at the Grand Californian with excellent food, service and cleanliness. The reasonably priced menu in a relaxed atmosphere among waiters and waitresses—and a cast of entertaining characters such as Chip and Dale, who sit down to play with adults as well as children—make this bright, Western-themed restaurant a must stop for breakfast, lunch or dinner. A superior experience every time. Reservations recommended.
White Water Snacks
The Grand Californian's secret hideaway, nestled off the beaten path, offering less expensive cafeteria-style fare.
Disneyland Hotel, The
Warm, friendly and full of life, with enthusiastic service at the hotel's popular character breakfasts, where the kids can have scrambled eggs and bacon with Goofy.
Paradise Pier Hotel
A brief stop at this mid-range hotel was unimpressive. There was no doorman and barely any staff in the lobby, and it felt like an airport hotel: cold, sterile, decidedly un-Disney.
DISNEYLAND GUIDE A-Z
• Introduction
• Disneyland
• Disney's California Adventure
• Downtown Disney
{page}
Downtown Disney
AMC Movie Theatres
A top-notch movie theater with 12 screens in stadium seating tucked in the heart of Downtown Disney. If only they'd play old Disney pictures.
Compass Books and Café
Good coffee and a complete assortment of Disney books and New York Times bestsellers. Expect to pay full price and don't expect Compass to honor discounts; the store refused to accept a valid coupon in the Birnbaum's guide. The cashier claimed it didn't scan in the café's computer.
Department 56
Incredible Christmas shop with ornaments—Disney and non-Disney—collectibles, toy trains, and miniatures. Terrific displays.
Illuminations
The elegant candle franchise houses a larger than usual store in Downtown Disney, complete with the latest scented and seasonal candles, accessories, trimmers, lighters and decorative items.
Marceline's Confectionary
Delicious candies and chocolates, named after the town in Missouri where Walt Disney grew up. A true confectionary with a wide variety of sweets.
World of Disney
Room after room of Disney merchandise, from home office accessories and Mickey Mouse writing instruments to toys, games and puzzles. Among the Disney stuff: stuffed characters, coffees, candies, plates, ornaments, clothes, hats and caps, animation cels, framed pictures, DVDs, books, magnets, pins and postcards.
DISNEYLAND GUIDE A-Z
• Introduction
• Disneyland
• Disney's California Adventure
• Disneyland Hotels and Restaurants
RELATED ARTICLES
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• Scott Holleran: Fifty Years and Five Days of Disneyland
Begin with Birnbaum's, an indispensable annual paperback that's available for around twelve dollars. The goal-oriented guide should be read by every visitor to insure unit cohesion. It answers detailed questions, from using strollers to locating lost cars, and, besides a handy batch of coupons, Birnbaum's, working with Disneyland, provides a clear orientation for each member of the party.
Disneyland encompasses the original park, Disneyland, which opened on July 17, 1955, three hotels—the Grand Californian, Paradise Pier and the Disneyland Hotel—Downtown Disney (shops and movie theaters) and Disney's California Adventure, a smaller park which opened in 2001. Disney calls the whole property the Disneyland Resort. Simply Disneyland will do.
After years of day trips, it was time for a full-fledged Disneyland vacation. This guide is based on that visit, a prepaid package arranged by the Walt Disney Travel Company, with accommodations for four nights at the Grand Californian, admission to both parks for three days—an old Disney World pass was used for admission on a fourth day—coupons, early entry to Disneyland before the general public for one day, meals, and what was easily the trip's highlight: a three-hour walking tour called A Walk in Walt's Footsteps, a tribute to Walt Disney.
DISNEYLAND GUIDE A-Z
• Disneyland
• Disney's California Adventure
• Disneyland Hotels and Restaurants
• Downtown Disney
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Disneyland
A
Admission
Lines, lines, lines. Get there an hour before the park opens; it makes a huge difference.
Adventureland
Still exotic, though, with widespread cruising and Hawaiian vacations, the South Pacific tropical theme has lost some of its forbidden appeal. How about an attraction based on Disney's animated version of Rudyard Kipling's The Jungle Book? Or The Lion King?
Alice in Wonderland (Fantasyland)
Disney's animated interpretation of Lewis Carroll's book inspired this kiddie ride in a caterpillar through Wonderland, with the Queen of Hearts, Cheshire Cat and, of course, Tweedledum and Tweedledee. Emerge from the ride's interior for a great view of the Monorail.
B
Blue Bayou, The (New Orleans Square)
To get a table at this fine restaurant—the only one to accept reservations inside the park—make reservations weeks, or months, in advance. With excellent service, a Creole menu and dining on a terrace inside the Pirates of the Caribbean attraction, this is an integral part of Disney's theatrical experience.
Big Thunder Mountain Railroad (Frontierland)
An exhilarating, jerking and not-too-wild rollercoaster—a runaway mine train—that passes through an Old West mountain's abandoned mining town. Immensely popular with guests of all ages.
C
Carnation Café (Main Street)
Dining on Main Street is perfectly charming in this popular walk-up restaurant with good American food and the friendly hum of friends and families dining outside.
Castle Princess Shop (Fantasyland)
Those girls running around dressed like Ariel from The Little Mermaid or Princess Aurora from Sleeping Beauty or the boy dressed like Peter Pan may have popped into this wonderful shop inside Sleeping Beauty's Castle, where parents may choose from among a variety of costumes—and Disney's popular Princess merchandise.
Columbia Sailing Ship (Frontierland)
The replica of America's first ship to sail around the globe needs a fresh coat of paint on its mast, but its cannon still fires away at the enemy as it sails around Tom Sawyer Island. Remember to venture below deck to see how the sailors lived, ate and slept while at sea—go ahead and ring the ship's bell, too—since that is the whole point.
Crystal Arts (Main Street)
From engraved photo frames to unique ornaments to Cinderella's pumpkin coach, this privately-owned shop showcases its crystal Disney items in style. The engraving is free, prices are reasonable, and service is excellent. These proprietors love what they do.
D
Davy Crockett's Explorer Canoes (Critter Country)
The canoes are among Disneyland's only free flowing watercrafts and guests do the rowing, so this is a more authentic frontier attraction. Be warned: every day during the visit, Davy's Canoes were closed. At press time, open on Saturdays only, closing at 4 p.m. and don't count on Disneyland's Web site, which did not include the canoes on the Calendar roster.
Disney Clothiers, Ltd. (Main Street)
The store stocks almost every article of clothing related to Disney and Disneyland, from big, Mickey Mouse fleece sweatshirts to embroidered 50th anniversary designs.
Disney Gallery, The (New Orleans Square)
Conceived as Walt Disney's private apartment, the Gallery is a showroom for original artworks based on Disney characters and Disneyland attractions, framed animation cels, and art books. Guests on the Walk in Walt's Footsteps tour wind up having a boxed lunch on the Gallery's private terrace. Plan to spend time here.
Disneyana (Main Street)
This is the place to find those retro Disneyland designs, logos and prints. Other Main Street shops cater to individual preferences for magic, timepieces and jewelry.
Disneyland's Parade of Dreams (Main Street)
The 20-minute musical parade—which combines dancing, nostalgia and gymnastics—engages the audience in a joyful display. Even the hardest nuts may crack a smile. Quality entertainment.
Disneyland Railroad (Main Street)
See live dinosaurs—in a diorama inspired by Fantasia—the Grand Canyon, and half the park on a 20-minute steam engine train, constructed by Walt Disney in one-eighth scale. Departing from Disneyland's Main Street station with several stops.
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Enchanted Tiki Room (Adventureland)
Jose continues to lead the Audio-Animatronic foreigners' quartet in this child's favorite where exotic birds and flowers and primitive tiki poles come alive to serenade guests in the South Pacific.
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Fantasyland
Classic Disney dominates here at what was once the core of the Disneyland experience. Childlike, festive and fabulous—enjoy it in case the place is turned into Narnia.
Frontierland
Donkey rides and Tom Sawyer Island's relatively unrestricted Fort Wilderness have given way to a more subdued atmosphere. Frontierland has lost Walt Disney's reverence for American history, which imbued each visitor with a sense of America in its early days, when wild Indians and rugged nature posed great challenges to bold pioneers forging a new nation of law and liberty.
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Golden Horseshoe Stage (Frontierland)
A live bluegrass show by Billy Hill and the Hillbillies is a silly, bawdy good time in this Western saloon, which Walt Disney had made after seeing Howard Keel and Doris Day in the raucous Calamity Jane.
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Haunted Mansion, The (New Orleans Square)
Opened in 1969 as an old New Orleans manor, this ghostly house is a beloved Baby Boomer attraction for those who remember Walt Disney taking viewers on a tour during his television program.
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Indiana Jones Adventure (Adventureland)
The lines are always long and once is likely to be enough for this thrill, based on the Steven Spielberg and George Lucas movie trilogy with an emphasis on the Raiders of the Lost Ark.
Innoventions (Tomorrowland)
A stinker. Disneyland's Imagineers ought to bring the Carousel of Progress back to the Carrousel Theater and eliminate this revolving, anti-conceptual chaos. The whole point of the Carousel of Progress, which Innoventions replaced, was an application of an individual's idea—i.e., Thomas Edison's notion of electricity—to reality, demonstrating man's achievements through an Audio-Animatronic family's progression, complete with a happy song ("A Great, Big Beautiful Tomorrow") that embraced the future with optimism. Innoventions, with a wisecracking Tom Morrow robot, offers the opposite, with an onslaught of simultaneous displays, most of which are not ready for widespread use. Honda's Asimo robot, a separate presentation, is the closest descendant of the Carousel of Progress concept. The rotating floor is disorienting—especially to children, who are easily lost in this frightening place, the antithesis of what Disneyland's about.
It's a Small World (Fantasyland)
This 1965 addition was Disneyland's first attraction designed for nighttime appeal and, with a song that plays over in one's head by the Oscar-winning Sherman brothers—who wrote countless Disney musical scores—this boat ride into a children's world of global unity is contagious or grating, depending on one's view.
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Jungle Cruise, The (Adventureland)
Piranhas are the newest part of this cruise through primitive Southeast Asian ruins, in a boat inspired by The African Queen starring Katharine Hepburn and Humphrey Bogart. With a comic guide—hokey jokes come with the territory—and cobras, lions and elephants, it's never the same ride twice—Walt Disney added comedy when he overheard a guest's remark that she'd already been on the Jungle Cruise. According to Birnbaum's, the attraction was created by the same person who made the shark in Jaws and the squid in Disney's 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea.
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Mad Hatter Shop, The (Main Street)
Easy to miss when you first enter Main Street—it's on the right just past the Opera House—so stop early for a sun-protective hat or golden Mickey Mouse ears engraved with your name for free—the ears will set you back about ten dollars—and wear it all day in the park. Hats, caps and ears are on sale in shops throughout the park, too.
Main Street
While strolling along Main Street, which lures the guest into Disneyland, a boy, spotting one of Main Street's Belgian horse-drawn carriages, yanked on his mother's skirt, pointed and erupted: "Look, Mom! A real horse!" Try that with an Xbox. Take time walking down this famed avenue, modeled after Walt Disney's hometown of Marceline, Missouri, which paved the way for the modern shopping mall.
Main Street Cinema (Main Street)
Though not a real picture house, this undiscovered treasure is a great place to watch the original cartoons—on several screens—that were among Walt Disney's first successful ventures in motion pictures. Favorites—now on DVD—include Steamboat Willie and Plane Crazy, with a more devious Mickey Mouse than today's Mickey, tricking Minnie into what turns out to be a wild ride in the skies.
Mark Twain Riverboat (Frontierland)
The paddle wheel passes around Tom Sawyer Island and affords Disneyland's only view of Sleeping Beauty's Castle in the foreground of the Matterhorn—a great photo opportunity for those who ask admittance to ride with the captain—while winding down a river with moose, cottonwoods and an Indian chieftain.
Matterhorn Bobsleds (Fantasyland)
Yes, there is a basketball court inside the Matterhorn—where cast members play—and, no, it can't be seen from the bobsleds, which remain a rush through this replica of the Swiss mountain known as the Matterhorn. They used to run the Skyway buckets through that gaping hole in the middle of the mountain, and, since Disneyland recently brought mountain climbers back, maybe they'll bring back the Skyway, too.
Mickey's Toontown
This kiddie town has a post office and city hall in bright colors with more cartoon-like attractions. A visit to Minnie Mouse's house is fun for adults as she reads Mademouselle and has a state of the cartoon kitchen. Mickey has a house in town, too. Pluto has his doghouse there.
Mr. Toad's Wild Ride (Fantasyland)
Based on Disney's 1949 movie, The Adventures of Ichabod Crane, from Kenneth Grahame's novel The Wind in the Willows.
Monorail (Tomorrowland)
Ask to sit in the front with the operator for some of the best views of two and a half miles of Disneyland, Disney's California Adventure and the Grand Californian, where America's first monorail was originally slated to stop. Worth a dedicated ride by itself. Stops at Downtown Disney—a neat way to avoid the crowds when returning to the park—but not at California Adventure.
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New Orleans Square
Brilliant movie set experience, with Mardi Gras decorations and a ship's mast in the background to give the illusion of a port city, and with jazz musicians—good performers—playing in the streets. The best of New Orleans without the sleaze—it gets better every time.
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Peter Pan's Flight (Fantasyland)
Finding Neverland, Hook, Universal's live action Peter Pan and Disney's animated version, the name Wendy—J.M. Barrie books about the boy who wouldn't grow up certainly have left an undeniable imprint on the culture. This attraction, based on Disney's 1953 movie, takes flight on a pirate ship around London to Never Land and straight on 'til morning. You can fly!
Pinocchio's Daring Journey (Fantasyland)
Jiminy Cricket, Geppetto, the Blue Fairy—major characters, including the one that wants to be a real boy—from Disney's Pinocchio appear on this episodic ride.
Pirates of the Caribbean (New Orleans Square)
Hurry and hop into this fun-filled boat down the Louisiana bayou into old New Orleans with marauding pirates of the Caribbean Sea. They used to chase the wenches—not anymore—and behave like pirates, but the rest of the ride is unchanged. How long that will be the case is a question, with the enormous success of Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl and with two upcoming sequels. In any case, the last attraction Walt Disney personally supervised is an unforgettable blend of fireflies, grimy louts and one mangy-looking dog. Ask the operator to let you sit in the back row; rambunctious riders talk incessantly over the soundtrack.
Plaza Inn (Main Street)
Sprawling cafeteria style dining near where Main Street meets Tomorrowland. Try to get a table on the terrace for dinner—there are heat lamps—or inside in the corner at a window table. Salads, Italian food, veggie stew—Plaza Inn has a variety of dishes for every taste.
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Roger Rabbit's Car Toon Spin (Mickey's Toontown)
Frantic ride for diehard fans of Who Framed Roger Rabbit.
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Shootin' Exposition (Frontierland)
Fer fifty cents, it's ready, take aim, and faar! Tho' thar's no prize to win, thar's uh big fuss fer hittin' sumthin' with that infrared raifle in this 1850s mining town. Yee-haw!
Sleeping Beauty's Castle
Many visitors blow through here on the way to Fantasyland which is too bad, since taking time has its rewards, as was witnessed when Mary Poppins' Bert had children and parents alike spellbound on the Castle grounds during his performance. Besides, there's a certain magic to the famous symbol, redecorated for Disneyland's 50th anniversary. Built in order to promote the 1959 animated masterpiece, Sleeping Beauty, this hallowed castle is graced by swimming swans, a real drawbridge and 22 karat gold leaf trim.
Snow White Grotto (Fantasyland)
A respite from the crowds near Sleeping Beauty's Castle, this enchanted water spot features the voice of Snow White singing a tune from Walt Disney's 1937 animated classic, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.
Snow White's Scary Adventures (Fantasyland)
Another kiddie ride lives up to its name, and it's fun, too, with an underrated trip through a menacing forest, a dungeon and the darkness—while the witch tempts with her poisoned apple.
Space Mountain (Tomorrowland)
What Walt Disney envisioned as a rollercoaster ride through complete darkness broke down during a recent visit but was up and running a few days later, complete with a new disco soundtrack that made this rider swear it off until the creepy space sounds return. The added audio detracts from the sensation of flying through black space. Head in first thing in the morning or late at night for the shortest lines. Opened at Disneyland in 1977.
Storybook Land Canal Boats (Fantasyland)
Fantasyland's most imaginative attraction. With a guide on a soothing boat ride into the mouth of the whale from Pinocchio, this fascinating tour of flawless miniature reproductions from Disney classics is a wondrous experience to be enjoyed several times over. The house from Disney's cartoon, the Three Little Pigs—the Alice in Wonderland village—and memorable settings from Disney's animated pictures Cinderella, Aladdin and The Little Mermaid—are an inviting opportunity to peer into the world of a favorite movie.
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Tarzan's Treehouse (Adventureland)
No match for the Swiss Family Robinson treehouse, which occupied this habitat for over 35 years. Who could forget the Swiss Family Robinson's movie dad, John Mills, escorting his wife and daughter, Hayley (The Parent Trap, Pollyanna) through the shipwrecked family's home away from home for Disneyland's television viewers when the 70-foot tree opened? With rope bridges and human living quarters, this attraction, based on Disney's animated movie, Tarzan, lacks the magic of a family's life in a treehouse and, worse, the Imagineers apparently decided—or were told—to add life-sized replicas of the animated characters from the movie, which breaks the wall and makes one acutely aware that this is not real.
Tom Sawyer Island (Frontierland)
This frontier island is among the few places where a child can indulge his creativity and knowledge of history—by pretending to protect Fort Wilderness against hostile Indians or by crawling into Injun Joe's caves. With tree houses, bridges and boulders and an old mill, Tom Sawyer Island remains a childhood favorite, if only Disneyland would re-open Fort Wilderness, stock the fort with guns again (they used to) and let young pioneers recreate the wild American frontier our forefathers fought for and settled. That said, there's nothing to stop a guest from playfully launching an Indian ambush on a passing Mark Twain Riverboat.
Tomorrowland
Gone are the clean lines and designs, replaced by a muted Jules Verne style that's less exciting than a brand new rocket ship. Here's hoping Disneyland's most promising land regains its previous stature as a larger than life destination fully showcasing man's ability to think, create and produce.
20th Century Music Company (Main Street)
Classic Disney tunes and original recordings are available from a large catalog of soundtracks and collections that can be burned onto a compact disc in this tiny shop. Collectible Disney Treasures DVDs, including titles unavailable from Disney's Web site, are also on sale and the cashier is generally knowledgeable about rare items, so feel free to ask.
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Walk in Walt's Footsteps, A Tour (Main Street)
For about 50 dollars, a guest can have a three-hour guided tour of Disneyland—among a range of tour choices—and this one celebrates the individual solely responsible for inventing Disneyland. Start at Main Street's City Hall, learn about Walt Disney's apartments, the piped in scents along the avenue, the secrets of Sleeping Beauty's Castle, landscaping, production design and scale, obscure motion picture tie-ins and much more. The informative tour—capped at a manageable group size—includes a peek at the private membership Club 33's anteroom, lunch at the Disney Gallery in New Orleans Square, and a private showing at the Enchanted Tiki Room. Each tour guest also receives a Disney pin in this outstanding tour, which is not recommended for children.
Winnie the Pooh and the Blustery Day, The Many Adventures of (Critter Country)
Day-Glo paint on this new kiddie ride doesn't make much of an impression, but fans of Tigger, Eyeore, Owl, Piglet, the A.A. Milne books and Disney's Heffalump movies are sure to be pleased by this ride through the Hundred Acre Wood. Curiously, in over three minutes, there's no sign of Christopher Robin, whom Disney reportedly plans to reconfigure as a girl in another Pooh incarnation.
DISNEYLAND GUIDE A-Z
• Introduction
• Disney's California Adventure
• Disneyland Hotels and Restaurants
• Downtown Disney
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Disney's California Adventure
The trick with this much-maligned park is reality-based expectations. It's neither an amusement park with stomach-turning rides, nor is it supposed to be kiddieland. With a boardwalk, a winery and a movie backlot, Disney's California Adventure salutes the mythology of California.
Lacking a consistent theme, the results are mixed, though not as lame as some critics claim. Blending its Golden State, Hollywood Pictures Backlot and Paradise Pier, the 55-acre park is the opposite of Disneyland's clearly drawn dividing lines between lands. The place could use a stronger sense of purpose, perhaps focusing on varied chapters in California history—the Gold Rush, the Golden Age of Hollywood, the Golden Gate Bridge—with an emphasis on educational exhibits and attractions. Absent are sufficient tributes to Silicon Valley's business geniuses like Steve Jobs and Hollywood's classic moviemakers, including Walt Disney. How about attractions exploring Pixar's process, or the Disney business philosophy? This park is a good place to showcase the Capitalist ideal that fuels California's adventurism. Meanwhile, it remains enjoyably light leisure—with one glaring exception…
Animation Academy (Hollywood Pictures Backlot)
An absolute treat whatever the level of drawing skill, for kids and adults alike, perfect for family bonding—and guests might be surprised to learn who among the flock has the talent for drawing Goofy, Donald Duck or Mickey Mouse. Light comedy accompanies the Disney animation instructor's generous tutorial in one of those experiences the kids will appreciate for years.
Block Party Bash
A spirited, heavily Toy Story-themed parade with a pop music sensibility, dancing and partying.
California Screamin' (Paradise Pier)
An exciting rollercoaster that loops around the site's famous Mickey Mouse logo on the fastest ride in Disneyland.
Challenge Trail, Redwood Creek (Golden State)
Part playground, part obstacle course, part hiking trail with educational spots along the way, the trail does present a challenge, and it's invigorating, healthy fun.
Golden Dreams
A distortion of California's history hosted by Whoopi Goldberg as a mythical goddess. This 20-minute movie is multiculturalist tripe, crediting California's progress to any race, tribe or accident of nature. The film equates the Black Panthers at the 1968 Olympics and mentally retarded athletes with Walt Disney and other productive geniuses. A politically correct nightmare.
Hollywood Boulevard (Hollywood Pictures Backlot)
Enter the Hollywood Pictures Backlot and stroll slowly along this movie set boulevard, with its gorgeous reproductions of Los Angeles city architecture, including Art Deco facades and humorous window displays mocking L.A. The only thing missing is another five blocks with information about the real buildings. Magnificent.
Monsters, Inc. Mike and Sulley to the Rescue! (Hollywood Pictures Backlot)
The park's newest attraction offers a few minutes in Disney/Pixar's hit Monsters, Inc.'s story, with Boo lost in Monstropolis and the lead characters trying to find the right closet door to help her return to her bedroom.
Mulholland Madness (Paradise Pier)
A low-key, jolly rollercoaster that mocks L.A.'s nonstop traffic. A quick, fun jolt.
Off the Page (Hollywood Pictures Backlot)
The best place for merchandise at Disney's California Adventure, with scads of books, posters, prints, cels, CDs and DVDs. Added bonus: an animator often sits at her desk inside the store and draws an animated character from one of Disney's classic films.
Rushin' River Outfitters (Golden State)
Tons of quality fleece tops and more in a large clothing store at California Adventure.
Soarin' Over California (Golden State)
Spectacular every time. Ask the operator to be buckled into the first row if you dare on this entrancing hang-gliding flight simulator that soars over Los Angeles freeways at night, the desert, the Bay Area and California's waters and mountains. A sweeping score, introduced during the pre-boarding period in an airport hangar with walls lined by photographs of heroic aviators and the airplanes they flew with boards explaining each accomplishment or aircraft. With the wind in one's face while Lake Tahoe skiers navigate the slopes at Heavenly, this glorious tribute to man's flying spirit will literally sweep you off your feet. A cinematic adventure.
Sorcerer's Workshop, The (Hollywood Pictures Backlot)
An interactive area in the Disney Animation complex where guests take a personality quiz to see which Disney character they most resemble and examine motion picture special effects, from voiceovers to illustrations.
Sun Wheel (Paradise Pier)
Not quite an old-fashioned Ferris wheel, this gigantic spinner lifts up and rocks back and forth—non-rocking cars are also available—with breathtaking views of Disneyland.
DISNEYLAND GUIDE A-Z
• Introduction
• Disneyland
• Disneyland Hotels and Restaurants
• Downtown Disney
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Disneyland Hotels and Restaurants
Grand Californian, The
There is one reason to stay at this pricey hotel: convenience to Disneyland‹the hotel is located inside Disney's California Adventure with a private entrance to that park for hotel guests. Other than that, problems pile up. The front desk clerk tried to switch rooms upon check-in from the more expensive room‹which was prepaid‹to a cheaper room, without offering to lower the price. When she was corrected, she stepped away and came back ten minutes later, begrudgingly providing the paid-for room. By itself, the tight room is not worth the steep price (between $260 and $400 per night), and it comes equipped with preachy environmentalist handouts strategically placed throughout the room designed to discourage each guest from every imaginable human activity. The eco-notes are a nuisance. The mountain lodge lobby is beautiful—a daytime architectural tour conflicts with prime Disneyland time—but the hotel is not exclusive. Every family from Idaho to Indiana drops in, oohs and aahs, eats at the restaurants and lets their kids run wild—even at ten o'clock at night when an Irish coffee by the fire would hit the spot. The Grand Californian ought to admit guests only or lower the prices. At these rates, you don't want to hear a non-guest bellowing on a cell phone: "Yeah, I'm in the lobby now and it's great! Man, we should stay here sometime!" The Grand Californian also lacks luxury service. The front desk doesn't mail postcards, the business center doesn't either (even when asked to charge the room) and that leaves a stamp vending machine in the middle of busy foot traffic. For prices this high, it's not exactly a grand hotel. Come for the location only.
Napa Rose
Dinner at the Grand Californian's fine dining restaurant was a dud. Though reservations had been made, it took ten minutes to see a waiter, who didn't speak good English, hurried the ordering and, when asked a question, disappeared for 20 minutes. Asked about his absence when he returned, he replied that he's the best waiter on the floor. In other words, tough luck. He finally served the food and wine, which were exquisite, but also a hassle.
Storytellers Café, The
The best thing going at the Grand Californian with excellent food, service and cleanliness. The reasonably priced menu in a relaxed atmosphere among waiters and waitresses—and a cast of entertaining characters such as Chip and Dale, who sit down to play with adults as well as children—make this bright, Western-themed restaurant a must stop for breakfast, lunch or dinner. A superior experience every time. Reservations recommended.
White Water Snacks
The Grand Californian's secret hideaway, nestled off the beaten path, offering less expensive cafeteria-style fare.
Disneyland Hotel, The
Warm, friendly and full of life, with enthusiastic service at the hotel's popular character breakfasts, where the kids can have scrambled eggs and bacon with Goofy.
Paradise Pier Hotel
A brief stop at this mid-range hotel was unimpressive. There was no doorman and barely any staff in the lobby, and it felt like an airport hotel: cold, sterile, decidedly un-Disney.
DISNEYLAND GUIDE A-Z
• Introduction
• Disneyland
• Disney's California Adventure
• Downtown Disney
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Downtown Disney
AMC Movie Theatres
A top-notch movie theater with 12 screens in stadium seating tucked in the heart of Downtown Disney. If only they'd play old Disney pictures.
Compass Books and Café
Good coffee and a complete assortment of Disney books and New York Times bestsellers. Expect to pay full price and don't expect Compass to honor discounts; the store refused to accept a valid coupon in the Birnbaum's guide. The cashier claimed it didn't scan in the café's computer.
Department 56
Incredible Christmas shop with ornaments—Disney and non-Disney—collectibles, toy trains, and miniatures. Terrific displays.
Illuminations
The elegant candle franchise houses a larger than usual store in Downtown Disney, complete with the latest scented and seasonal candles, accessories, trimmers, lighters and decorative items.
Marceline's Confectionary
Delicious candies and chocolates, named after the town in Missouri where Walt Disney grew up. A true confectionary with a wide variety of sweets.
World of Disney
Room after room of Disney merchandise, from home office accessories and Mickey Mouse writing instruments to toys, games and puzzles. Among the Disney stuff: stuffed characters, coffees, candies, plates, ornaments, clothes, hats and caps, animation cels, framed pictures, DVDs, books, magnets, pins and postcards.
DISNEYLAND GUIDE A-Z
• Introduction
• Disneyland
• Disney's California Adventure
• Disneyland Hotels and Restaurants
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