Disneyland, Why it's a Must Do for Disney Fans
Disneyland was always one of the places that was on my bucket list, but pretty far down on it. If you read our blog at all you know I LOVE Disney World, we do Disney World at least once a year, how can Disneyland be better? Well hopefully this will outline some of the reasons that my thoughts have changed and now I believe Disneyland is a must do for any Disney Fan.
So let’s start with objections I hear in relation to Disneyland.
It’s so much smaller than Disney World: While this is a factual statement the value the theming, the attention to detail that we have all come and love at Disney World is still there. It is smaller, but with that, the smaller resort gives you an all around more intimate feeling. Words that come to mind now when I think Disneyland is charming, nostalgic (you will probably here me talk about this a lot), beautiful, and relaxing (yes I went there and just stay with me and I will explain myself a little more).
There are only two parks: While again this is a factual statement, when you are looking at Disneyland you can spend a good 3-4 days in the park, this makes a great shorter trip where at the end you leave feeling like you have done and seen all or most of what you wanted to. If you want to extend your vacation and make it a full on vacation Disneyland is very different than Disney World in that they partner with some of the outside guys (Universal Studios isn’t a dirty word in Disneyland) in fact they offer add on options to your package. I know lots of my clients want to visit Disney AND Universal and at Disney World this is a separate thing all together, not the case here.
There are not many resort options: On Disneyland resort property there are three Disney hotels; Paradise Pier, Disneyland Hotel, and Grand California. Each one offers a different atmosphere, and story. Disneyland Hotel and Grand California are the ONLY Four Diamond rated hotels in Anaheim County. Outside of that there are numerous good neighbor hotels that Disney Partners with to make sure each guests needs are met.
Now let’s talk about some of the fun stuff and why Disneyland may be my new favorite, okay maybe not favorite but it is pretty even with Disney World now.
When you stay on resort property, everything is right there. No running to try to make the early morning bus to make it to rope drop, or hoping you don’t run up to the bus stop just as the bus is pulling away (please don’t tell me I am the only one that this has happened to), or standing in lines to get on the bus after Wishes. What about downtown Disney? Yep it is right there also. So the layout is like a strip on one end you have Disneyland hotel you walk out of Disneyland Hotel and right into downtown Disney. Paradise Pier is right there by Downtown Disney and Disneyland hotel also, then the Grand Californian (which has a private entrance into California Adventure). At then other end of the downtown Disney strip you will come to the entrances to BOTH Disneyland Park and California Adventure park, they are directly across from each other. I LOVE THIS. I love to be in control of things. If I want to be at the park at rope drop I just have to figure out how long I want to take to walk over (It is about a 6 minute walk). When the park closes and I want to do some shopping or listen to some music I can take my time and go at my own pace.
Some of the same rides we have come to love at Disney World are also in Disneyland with the addition to some other great ones like Radiator Racers in Car’s Land, California Screamin’, and Indiana Jones (the ride) just to name a few.
Besides rides there are things that Disneyland offers, such at Sorcerers workshop which features three rooms, one you can create your own animation strip and watch it come to life in a zoetrope, in the Beasts Library figure out which Disney character you are most like, and in the third my favorite Ursula’s Grotto you can put your voice into a Disney character, you choose between acting and singing then what you want scene you want to do and well you will just have to go try it out. Another great show that Disney World does not have is World of Color, which is a great production using music, light and water.
My absolutely FAVORITE thing that Disney World does not offer that Disneyland has is “A Walk in Walt’s Disneyland Footsteps,” although this is a separate charge for this tour it is well worth it, going back to that nostalgic, the classic, the beginning. You will see what Walt saw, and get to go into some of his thought process with Disneyland. You may even get to tour his apartment or the Dream Suite he planned for himself, but never got to see it finished. This is a very unique tour that can only be done in Disneyland since it is the only park he ever actually set foot in. If you are planning Disneyland I would highly recommend planning this tour as well.
There is a whole lot more I can and will say in future posts about Disneyland, but for now I want to leave you with, if you live closer to the East Coast and feel like Disney World is so great why would I ever need to visit Disneyland, you are missing some great magical and unique experiences.
If you are thinking about a trip to Disneyland make sure you contact one of the amazing agents at 101 Dream Vacations.