Disneyland Bucket List

[tayalltheway]

Hi! I'm working on a series of articles/a possible book that relates to getting the most out of Disneyland. One topic that I want to touch on is what I would consider a "Disneyland bucket list" (i.e. things that you can only accomplish at the Anaheim resort that are special or exciting in some way). My ideas so far range from small/easy-to-accomplish tasks—like riding the Mark Twain in the wheelhouse, riding in the Lily Belle train car, seeing a Disneyland cat, etc.—to much grander tasks that require connections or monetary investment—such as eating at Club 33, staying in the Dream Suite, visiting the Matterhorn basketball court, etc.

I'd love to hear from other DIS-ers about what's on your Disneyland bucket list. Think big, think small, think somewhere in between. Anything goes. Be aware that I plan to put some of the ideas that I get here into the piece I'm writing, so don't respond if you wouldn't want your idea included.

Thanks!

 

[Diszona]

Oddly, riding the sailing ship Columbia. It has been down for refurb every other trip we have done. Last week we planned on riding it but kept putting it off until we realized it was Saturday night and we had run out of time.

 

[darph nader]

Canoes.

 

[Angrose]

Dining waterside at Blue Bayou.

 

[whoever]

Here's what is left on mine:

Tender ride
Dream Suite
Canoes
Wheel House of the Twain
Waking up Jose
Casey Jr (I have yet to ride it)
Cockpit of the Monorail
Presidential Suite(s) at the Grand Californian
Napa 33 Chef's Counter (doing on this coming trip)
VIP tour
Waterside at the Bayou (Doing on this coming trip)
Half Court at the middle of Matterhorn
Carthay Premier Dining room
Carthay Buena Vista
Carthay Hyperion
F! Premium seating
Art of Craft Tour
Powerwalk DCA
Any of the Run Disney Marathons

Done:
Lillybelle
C33 (both before and after reno) (many thanks to my hosts!)
C33 Salon Noveau (special thanks to my host)
F! from Salon Noveau
F! from C33
1901 (special thanks to my host)
Carthay Tour (Can't recommend it enough)
Walt's apartment (via WIWF)
Being the first through the castle in the morning
Being first in line in the morning
All the special drinks from Trader Sam's
Lobster Nachos from Cove bar
WOC from the front AND back side
Dapper Days!!
Last log on Splash
Last raft on GRR

 

[rwhistler92]

I would like to go of all the tours offered by Disney
I would also like to get pictures with some harder to find characters
Celebrate all major holidays at Disneyland.

 

[Brancaneve]

I would like to go of all the tours offered by Disney I would also like to get pictures with some harder to find characters Celebrate all major holidays at Disneyland.

Me too! I can't wait to spend an entire year going on different tours. From Walk in Walt's Footsteps to the Christmas tour. Someday!

 

[ColdNeverBotheredMe]

I have mostly strange things....

-Get stuck on a dark ride and get walked out so I can see it with the lights on (preferably Indy, but I'd take any of them)
-See Space Mountain with lights on (my friend did this!)
-Sailing Ship Columbia (we did the Riverboat but now I just wanna do the ship, I don't know why)
-Turtle Talk with Crush. Everyone in my family wants to do this and says we're going to every trip but we just never get around to it...
-Ride Tower of Terror at night! (Surprising that I've never done this as it is my favorite ride...)
-And oh yeah... work there one day.

 

[Butterfly123]

I wasn't on Star Tours when my daughter was the Rebel Spy. I'd like to be on the ride when someone in my family is picked to be the Rebel Spy.

Lilly Belle

Walt's apartment

Dream Suite

Club 33

 

[mershell]

Your book sounds interesting.

I've never really thought much about a bucket list, but hold in my mind the top thing that's eluded me all my life.

Club 33.

I've been fortunate enough to do many awesome things at Disneyland, but that one most treasured of experiences remains out of reach. Need to play the lottery more

 

[lucysmom]

I hope to get to stay in the fairy tale suite. Maybe for our 25th.

 

[Nicolette11785]

Some of these are probably not even possible even with great connections or would be a once in a lifetime chance. But a girl can dream right?


Have my dream wedding and reception inside Disneyland after hours and ride in the Cinderella's Crystal Coach

Club 33

Have VIP seating with no waiting at all for all the entertainment (basically have a seat with my name on it)

Take a picture with every single character. Also to have a group shot with all the characters

Have a exclusive photo opp and character experience with my son at Disneyland and with the characters

Ride on a ride with Mickey

Be in Disneyland on a day with a light blanket covering snowfall (real snowfall) --- I don't think there has ever even been a sprinkle of snow in DL so this likely would never happen

Ride every single ride (this is almost accomplished)

Stay the night in the Dream Suite

Waterside at Blue Bayou

Participate in the parade or Fantasmic

Have a complete behind the scenes anywhere in DL

ToT at night

Have a DL vacation with my entire family

Stay in a Disney on site hotel (suite even better)

Be there for all the major holidays

Be the captain on the train

Getting stuck on a cool ride

Going on all the dark rides with the lights on


Can we read your article when you are finished?

 

[GenGen22]

NYE at DL (already marked off my list)
Christmas time at DL (done)
Stay at a DL resort hotel especially the GF!!
Eat at Ariels Grotto character meal (huge Ariel fans)
Go to Mickeys Halloween Party and/or see DL at Halloween time (Mickey Pumpkins) ( going in 2 weeks Yes!!!)

 

[Phoenixrising]

Honestly I don't have alot on my list, simply as I make a point on my rare solo trips to DL to do alot of the stuff I want to accomplish. My bucket list of which I intend to complete most of it on my next solo trip in 2017:

Stay at the Disneyland hotel--all of our family and solo trips have been on a tight budget, so for once I want to splurge and stay at a Disney hotel.

Holiday tour at DL-- I didn't do this last year and have decided from the reviews off the Christmastime Superthread I intend to do this on my next solo trip.

Fantasmic desert package: Another thing I'm contemplating for my next solo trip.

And lastly the Walk in the footsteps tour: I'm seriously thinking about doing this tour during my next solo trip.

 

[Rubygoose]

Things that you can only accomplish at the Anaheim resort that are special or exciting in some way.

Here's some that we've done:
Get a map from the Jungle Cruise
Ride in the front of the monorail (we've done this twice!)
Participate in Jedi Training Academy (DD has done this 3 times, DS has done it once)
Get stuck on and walked off of a ride - once on Splash at a 45 degree incline, once on Monster's Inc.
Eat a Mickey Beignet
Eat the Monte Cristo Sandwich
Walk a character to their location
Kiss a princess or a fairy (DS has kissed Belle and Tinkerbell!)

Some we haven't done:
Screamer of the day at Monster's Inc
Ride Jingles
Get a photo with Mickey in all of his outfits - we still need a photo with Steam Boat Willie!

 

[Dot2Vegas]

Our Disneyland bucket list includes:

Dinner at Club 33
Ride the Lily Belle
Be the last people out of the park one night
Be the first people into the park one day
Dinner at Blue Bayou
Stay in each of the on property resorts
See inside Walt's apartment
Musical chairs with Alice
Ride every single ride (we have a few that we have not done because we don't want to or timing never works for us)
Try the fried chicken at the Plaza Inn

 

[llump41]

My done list:
Piloting the Mark Twain-the view from up there is AWESOME
Ride in front of the Monorail-FYI its harder to do in the summer

My to do list:
Ride the Lille Belle
Club 33- I just found out I have an in so this is very doable
Dessert F! or even better a Dream Suite view
Skipper a JRC- probably doubtful but I can hope

 

[Natara]

Mine's quite eclectic:

1. Stay in the Dream Suite
2. Do the VIP tour
3. Tour the parks with an Imagineer
4. Visit Club 33
5. Get to be the Rebel Spy on Star Tours (still has never happened -- argh!)
6. Get to stay in one of the signature suites (I got to tour Mickey's penthouse at the DLH and it's amazing, of course)
7. Try the new DCA tour
8. See a real Disneyland ghost (I just know the resort is haunted)
9. Visit the parks on Christmas Eve/Christmas Day
10. Stay in one or both of the parks (preferably DL, though) for a full 24 hours (I doubt I have the stamina, admittedly, but it still sounds exciting)
11. Swim in one of the hotel pools (despite staying on-property plenty of times, I still haven't done this)
12. Ride California Screamin' (never been on it because roller coasters with loops freak me out a bit)
13. Ride the new BTMRR (I haven't been on it in years, since it closed for the revamp)
14. Visit 1901
15. Walk straight on RSR with no wait
16. Get to view WOC while sitting down, preferably in a very comfortable chair in a private-viewing area (how great would that be?)
17. Get the parks completely to myself (lowest on my list since I know this will never, ever happen -- but again, how great would that be?)

I'm sure there's more, but I can't recall what else. I have a very full bucket list.

 

[tayalltheway]

All these responses have been great, and several of them were things I hadn't thought of, so thanks! Anyone else care to weigh in?

 

[AZMermaid]

1. Adventures By Disney Backstage Magic Tour of the park
2. Dream Suite
3. Club 33
4. This is the most do-able. My son was a colicky baby from heck. He cried ALL THE TIME until he was like 4 months old and then was still a pretty fussy guy until about 6 months. I would just take each day one at a time. I would sit and rock and rock him and think, "One day you will be a little boy and I will ride with you on the Matterhorn." It was down our first trip he was tall enough and I know they have reconfigured the seats since that initial dream, but in February, I will be riding with my laid-back, go with the flow, super easy 4.5 year old boy!