Wow,
Have I got some tips for you - Sit back this will take a while.
Ahem...Here goes, if you have any more questions or want me to check something out for you, I'd be happy to....in fact, here is my e-mail
cstevenson@socal.rr.com just ask anything.
On to the tips! Woohoo!
Disneyland Tips:
-Go counterclockwise. As is true at the Magic Kingdom in WDW, many folks stay right (my goodness people, are we a nation of "drivers" or what?!?)...so instead of choosing to go to Tomorrowland head over to Adventureland, and start there.
-See the Tiki Room - at the peak of the day when lines are longest. It'll be good to see the original after all those times "under new management". Also, check out Tarzan's Treehouse, the Disney Gallery, and Tom Sawyer's Island during hot and crowded afternoons in July.
-Schedules aren't perfected, but Critter country, and Fantasmic should both be reopened when you arrive, so you shouldn't have a problem with that. (I miss my country bears...Dang Hrmph Pooh)(@$#$&)
-YOU MUST SEE BELIEVE!!! Believe is so great...a wonderful fireworks "spectacular" too bad you won't be here for the Holiday one (or holiday Haunted Mansion, or Holiday Small World)
New Orleans Tips:
-They are right, you should eat at the Bayou. I usually make a ressie for 3:45 on a Thursday. Why? 3:45 is the latest lunch of the day, so you will save a few bucks, and Thursday is typically the best special plate of the week. (you can't guarantee this, because sometimes they change it around, for 3 weeks straight it will be Thursday and then it will skip one and be a Saturday, so it's odd) What is this great special, you ask? Beef Tenderloins, Crab Cakes, and Scalloped potatoes...MMMMMmmmm!
-If you decide to try for the Fantasmic Desert bar, make sure you ask at your hotel when you check in. Us "normal" folks have to do it early in the morning on the day we want to do it, but I have heard tall tales of hotel guests being able to "priority seat" this elusive event.
-If you want a quick dinner in New Orleans Square, be sure to pick up a bread boule (their spelling) of Clam Chowder, Gumbo, or Spicy Chicken and Rice Soup and find a quiet chair. The quiet chairs are hidden. Take your grup and go up the stairs that lead to the Disney Gallery. Go through the Gallery to the courtyard. There are a few tables, and chairs, and a lovely fountain. If the place is quiet, you may have a Gallery CM come out and entertain you.
-Pirates is quite different than the WDW one, but you'll see the stroller patrol taking their wee ones in usually between noon - six. Before or after those times, the lines lighten a lot. You can fastpass it, but it usually isn't necessary.
-The Haunted Mansion has fastpass, but you usually don't need it. The lines get much shorter at night.
Tomorrowland Tips:
-If you eat at Pizza Port, think about getting the Kid's spagetti, it is very very filling and only costs $5. (I eat this and feel happy, while my nonlistening family get other pasta and have so much extra that gets wasted.)
-Innoventions is good when the day gets hot.
-Fastpasses are available for Space Mountain, Star Tours, and the Autopia.
Fantasyland:
Alice in Wonderland/Matterhorn/Peter Pan/StorybookLand Canal boats and Mr. Toads wild ride are the most crowded...so try those during parades or fireworks.
-MATTERHORN-They have pretty much eliminated the dual lines for Matterhorn on busy days. Now they typically have one that starts in the (sometimes reaches all the way back to where the phantom boats/boat ride used to be) and it feeds into the middle. The left side is a faster ride, while the right one is longer. Yes the water at the end of the matterhorn has a purpose...it acts as a natural braking system, helping to slow down the cars. And yes, the Matterhorn does have a Basketball court inside it...well half of one at least. As this is the grandaddy of all steel coasters, it is my favorite "big kid ride" in the park.
-Small World/Believe - A good tactic for both seeing a good view of Believe and then riding small world with no wait is to watch the fireworks in front of the small world promenade instead of in front of the castle (true you have to spin around when you think believe is over, so that you can see tink, and then spin back for the finale), but you get a better experience, I think, when you can stretch out instead of being pinned down. Plus there are no trees to obstruct your view. Then when it is over, walk over to Small World...Voila, no wait. We do this all the time during X-mas when both of them are holiday and small world can have upwards of an hour and a half line.
-Casey Jr. - Ride it at night, just before the park closes for a faster ride...the operators actually run it, and will give you a quick romp through the miniature world of storybookland if there aren't frightened kids, but you should still go on either it or the boats to see it during the day.
Critter Country - Or rather Splash Mountain Land now that the bears are gone:
Get a fastpass first thing in the day. You're going in July, believe me,you'll need to be cooled off when 2:00 pm rolls around.
Also, go on the explorer canoes earlier in the day, as you won't want to get more sweaty in the afternoon.
Main Street - GO IN THE NEW GREAT MOMENTS WITH MR. LINCOLN!!! You'll love it. Besides, it looks like you need a little trim.
Toontown - Go in the evening, and by all means NEVER use the bathroom there. I'll give bathroom tips a bit later. Gadget's go coaster is fun, but it is just like Goofy's Barnstormer, so I would skip it in favor of Rodger Rabbit's Cartoon Spin. Let me know if you get Benny the cab...I always get Lenny (his brother?
)
Frontierland.
Mark Twain: Ride on the top level so you can hear the narration.
Big Thunder:Get a fastpass if the line is over 40 min. Also, try not to go during main mealtimes if you get queasy easy. Since the Westward Ho! McDonalds' Fry Wagon is open during meal times, you may walk off the ride, right into the aroma and sight of food.
Columbia: Ride the columbia and go downstairs to see the replica of how ye ole sailors worked and lived.
Tom Sawyer's Island: Go in the afternoon and have a snack in the shade. Note: They used to sell food on the island, but no longer, but they do have bathrooms and trash cans, so feel free to bring over your own. Then go for a run through Injun Joe's Cave.
Adventureland:
See Tarzan's Treehouse, when it's not too busy...bang on some pots at the end.
Jungle Cruise: Try to go once during the day to see everything, then again at night. The skippers get tired, and a bit funnier at night. They just seem more eccentric, and have more of a good time.
Indiana Jones: The line does have tons of details, but you whiz by them now that fastpass is open for this ride. Fastpass an regular lines join at the entrance of the temple, so even if the sign says 40 minutes, try to gauge yourself, and if you've never been, try to go through the line on the outside. If you're hungry and doing this in the afternoon, grab a bengal skewer and snack in line (or bring over yummy fritters with apples from new orleans).
Tiki Room: Must see, especially in the afternoon. (I know you won't be "too cool" to sing along!)
Bathrooms:
Good Main Street Bathrooms:
Between the carnation cafe and the rear of the emporium (left side of the street)
-Clean, uncrowded, but a bit small.
Right side of the street just past the Plaza inn, as you head towards tomorrowland.
-Clean, uncrowded, always cool, medium size.
Ok MS bathrooms:
To the right just as you enter the park...behind the bank.
Bad MS bathrooms:
To the left as you enter the park...just in front of the fire station.
-Especially as you enter or leave the park...it's just used so much that it is hard to keep clean.
Good Adventureland Bathrooms:
INSIDE the tiki room - well not really, but sort of. Go through the turnstile to the waiting area for the tiki room, and head up the stairs...make a left and you'll see the bathroom with a funky painting on the front.
-ALWAYS clean, nobody knows it's there...amaze other folks in the queue who think that you have special potty privileges.
Ok Adventureland Bathrooms:
Right in front of you as you enter adventureland.
-They check it often, and it is one of the largest bathrooms in the park, so even though it is't immaculate, it is always there when you need it.
Good New Orleans Bathrooms:
Actually excellent - the one in the blue bayou is clean, well maintained, and very elegant.
Club 33 bathroom? Dunno, never been.
Ok New Orleans Bathrooms:
Around the back near the train depot and the rear of French Market.
-Again, alot of folks don't know it's there, but still, it manages to get crowded, as it is the only open one in this land.
Good Critter Country Bathrooms:
Below Hungry bear. - Very large, Very Clean, only one mirror, though. (only one in Critter country)
Great Frontierland Bathrooms:
Between Rancho Del Zocalo and the carnation dance floor on Main Street (back walkway). Clean, nicely appointed...heavy front door, often more petit folks need a hand opening it up.
Ok Frontierland Bathrooms:
On Tom Sawyer's Island.
One of the original structures on the side of the island was converted to a bathroom in the 80's. It isn't spectacular, but again, it is there when you need it.
Great Fantasyland Bathrooms:
Next to the Fantasyland Theatre, just beware of it after a show lets out.
Clean, many stalls, always has paper products, they even decorate it at Christmas.
Ok Fantasyland Bathrooms:
Between Village Haus and Big thunder along the back trail between Fantasyland and Frontierland.
-Sometimes crowded, and clean, but sometimes has papers on the floor.
On the path from Main Street that runs past Ariel's Grotto and takes you between Tomorrowland and Fantasyland. Has 2 entrances and says "Prince or Princess" above the door.
-Sometimes crowded, and weird design...this is the only one bathroom in Disneyland where I've actually lost someone.
Tomorrowland:
Great Bathroom:
Between autopia and innoventions next to the Tomorrowland train depot. No one ever seems to know it's there.
Ok Bathroom:
Next to the exit for Space Mountain:
Always cold, often crowded, sometimes door latches don't work properly.
Well, I think that's all of it, then again, that is only DISNEYLAND! I haven't even started on DCA/Knotts/Universal (not worth it)/Magic Mountain (only if you're a daredevil)/Medieval Times/Wild Bills, and dozens of other things, so again, I reiterate, if you have any question, e-mail me, and I'll get back to you with an answer asap.
All my best wishes
~Tina
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When you walk in the front of Disneyland be prepared for everything to look so small. It never botheres me until after I started going to WDW in 1996. The buildings on Main St. are smaller and the castle is really small looking compared to the MK. The whole park is smaller but there is alot crammed into smaller spaces. My advice is to see everything.
that matters!
