Disneyland Top 10

[mgmgbook]

In no particular order...
1. Riding RSR
2. TSMM
3. Seeing the Christmas displays for the first time (we are going in December)
4. Riding BTMRR since its refurb
5. Trying TOT for the first time
6. Aladdin
7. Animation Academy (we always have fun there)
8. Blue Bayou for the first time
9. Riding the Matterhorn and hoping that it feels better than last time
10. Star Tours

(11. Hoping I win one of the weekly prizes so that I can stay in the Dream Suite!)

 

[Pyrotechnictigger]

Forgot to add, Club 33

 

[TakeMeToNeverland]

In no particular order...
1. Exploring the park with my husband this time (next trip = no kids)
2. The view down Main Street towards the castle...first thing in the morning when there are minimal people
3. The quiet stillness of the swamp, anticipating the first drop on the POTC
4. The sights and smells of Soarin' over California
5. The magic of the Peter Pan ride
6. Unleashing the competitive kid in me on Toy Story Mania
7. The wind blowing through my hair on Radiator Springs Racers
8. Riding Star Tours over and over again...getting to be the Rebel Spy!
9. The toy soldiers dance routine in DCA
10. Watching the Golden Horseshoe comedy show
Honorable mention: CHURROS!! Fantasmic! Fireworks! Parades!

It can't come soon enough!!

 

[Daisybelle]

Our next trip is a year away but I still love thinking about it!

1. Our traditional first ride of the trip: Pirates. Can't wait to smell the smell!
2. Going on Splash mountain over and over again. It's my favorite.
3. Staying at the Paradise Pier again. We love the bright, cheerfulness of it and long to be back!
4. Our early morning dash over to TSMM while everyone else goes to Radiator Springs. We love taking a couple rides through before others make it that far into the park.
5. Hearing the Monorail honk!
6. Mickey Beingets at night while we rest our feet.
7. Being with my Disney-loving daughter and having her to myself. She's grown now but still prefers to go just the two of us because 'we do it right'.
8. Seeing all the shows! We fell in love with Fantasmic on our last trip and I'm eager to see it again.
9. Sitting on 'our' porch on Main Street at the end of the night and people watching.
10. Having a week to play and be immersed in the magic and not have to cook a meal or make a bed.

 

[gmi3804]

Many manhattans are served with one giant piece of ice (almost always an ice sphere). This is how Carthay Circle serves their signature manhattan--only I believe they are now using a large ice diamond, which sounds pretty cool. Helps keep the drink cold without watering it down too much. Pretty common trend around the country from what I've experienced.

It's official: The Hipsters have taken over the world.

 

[SD33]

It's official: The Hipsters have taken over the world.

Yes, because any variation on a stirred, not shaken, ice-free manhattan--even a fun and celebratory one that pays homage to Disney's 60th Anniversary--means hipsters have somehow taken over the world. The truth is, Disney is simply capitalizing on recognizable trends in the food and beverage industry--mainly the fact that people actually care about classic cocktails again (which is, I think, a really good thing for those of us who like a well-made drink, which it sounds like you do too). This is also why a restaurant of Carthay Circle's caliber even exists inside of a theme park in the first place. So go easy on those hipsters

 

[CallieMar]

1. Pirates! It's always our first ride of the trip.
2. Trying the Monte Cristo for the first time
3. Paint the Night
4. New fireworks show
5. Corn Dogs!
6. Walking through Cars Land at night
7. Taking silly pictures on Tower of Terror
8. Mickey Beignets
9. Plaza Inn Fried Chicken (lol lots of food on this list...)
10. Knowing that we have enough trips planned out over the next year that we can take our time and really just soak it all in, like the shows and street performances.

 

[dotfurio]

No order:
1. seeing the new parade
2. Alice in Wonderland at night
3. Peter Pan's Flight
4. appetizers and wine at Wine Country Trattoria
5. Small World -every time we go!
6. hoping to be in the winning car at RSR
7. working with DD to get more autographs for her book
8. Anna & Elsa boutique
9. Kitchen Sink sundae at Clarabelles
10. character breakfast - we've done Goofy's Kitchen and PCH Grill, and DH has taken DD to Ariel's (though I still want to experience that, too), now I can't decide if I want to do Storyteller's or Plaza Inn next

Almost forgot - every trip I have to pause and read this sign - kind of a reminder to myself to let go of my stresses/worries and just have fun

 

[paradesintherain]

Love this thread! I'm lucky enough to be visiting again in September after having just gone in June (which may seem not so lucky to the APs!)

1. Meeting all the characters, especially Captain America and Thor (I met them four days in a row last trip). I never liked meeting them as a kid and only recently did I start actively enjoying it. Had some great interactions with Peter Pan, Hook, Flik, etc last trip!
2. Blue Bayou package for Fantasmic. Fantasmic is my all-time favorite, and I just have to be front and center sitting on the ground.
3. Mad T Party. Had such a great time at it, and I thought it would be silly!
4. All my favorite rides: Tower of Terror, Mater's, RSR, Space Mountain, Big Thunder Mountain, Pirates, etc
5. Mickey Mouse shaped food, and all the Diamond Celebration packaging/designs
6. Just wandering around enjoying the atmosphere and admiring the details, particulary in the castle courtyard
7. Riding a Main Street Vehicle for the first ride of the trip
8. Attempting to ride the Lilly Belle
9. Watching Mickey and the Magical Map for the first time
10. Picking out the perfect souvenirs. Hoping to find the new Simba ornament!

oh, and honorable mention, wearing my Diamond Celebration Minnie ears every day

 

[wilsonarts]

In no particular order:

1. The first walk down Main Street
2. Seeing the changes to Peter Pan, our first ride
3. Riding RSR at night
4. 60th Parade, Fireworks and WoC
5. Monte Cristo sandwich
6. Seeing the lights come on in Cars Land for the 1st time
7. New Yeti in Matterhorn
8. Goofy's Kitchen. Haven't been in 12 years.
9. Riding my favorite rides - Indy, Splash, Big Thunder, Soarin'....
10. 60th anniversary souvenirs

 

[Canadian Harmony]

It's threads like this that make me so excited for our first trip as a family! I was there circa 2000 and missed SO much because it was down (Matterhorn) or being built (Tarzan's treehouse), or not even thought of yet (DCA). I'm so SO SO excited to go and experience the park through my kids' eyes and my DH's too as he's never been. Right now, I'm down to 5 things:

Rides
Food
Parades
Shows
The pool at PPH

I'm sure there'll be more as I look through these awesome lists.

 

[calilou]

This has been such a fun thread to read!! I'll have to come back and add mine before we leave next wednesday.

Simple question: What are the top 10 things you are looking forward to on your next Disneyland Trip? Get excited while helping newbies learn how we do Disney on the West Coast!

Here are mine in no particular order:

1. Using a fastpass to bypass the 60+ minute wait for Splash Mountain in the hottest part of the day. Man, it feels good walking past that line.
2. Big Thunder Mountain at Night. Such a completely different beast at night.
3. Seeing the look on my friend's face when he gets off Space Mountain for the first time. He's in his 20's, never been to Disneyland before, and can't comprehend the awesomeness that awaits.
4. Enjoying a rootbeer float on a warm evening while watching the brand new 60th Anniversary Fireworks.
5. The final drop of Grizzly River Rapids. You just never know who's going to really eat it.
6. Tower of Terror and all it entails. The queue, the build up as the tension mounts, the long ride to the top, followed by the frantic drops as the elevator malfunctions.
7. Enjoying a well-crafted Tiki drink at Trader Sam's on our first night while relaxing to live Hawaiian music.
8. Front rail. Wet zone. World of Color. If you haven't watched from the front, you are missing out. Takes the whole experience up about 50 notches. Worth the 90 minute wait.
9. Dinner and craft cocktails at Carthay Circle. Is it true they are putting diamond ice cubes in their manhattans? If so, to quote a hobit, "I'm getting one!"
10. Radiator Springs Racers. Maybe the greatest theme park ride ever created. Ride it once in the morning, first thing, then get a FP to ride it again at night.

I don't know about the Manhattans specifically, but the Carthay Circle martinis are being served with a BEAUTIFUL diamond ice cube instead of the sphere now. It's awesome!

 

[carrierael77]

1. New 60th stuff
2. Hoping to get an avengers dooney
3. Earl of sandwich
4. Funny ride photos
5. The feeling of leaving all my stress behind me
6. Space mountain again, and again, and again
7. Night time at both parks. It is just intoxicating
8. Tower of terror where I laugh and cry at the same time
9. The happiness on my son's face.
10. The food!

 

[kylie71]

I have been going since 1971 ( I was 4... )
I still get excited!

1. First walk into the Esplanade
2. Hearing the whistle, when they scan your ticket ( I also have that as my text tone )
3. Walking under the tunnel, always left side, and taking a picture of the dedication plaque every single trip!
4. The sights and sounds and smells of Mainstreet USA, brings a tear or 2 to my eyes.
5. Always ride Pirates first, always!
6. Beignets

7. The NEW California Adventure/Buena Vista Street, Disney hit a home run here, Finally!
8. Soarin' ( nuff said )
9. Cars Land/RSR LOVE IT!
10. GC and DLH for cocktails after a long fun day

Fun thread!

--Lori

 

[zanzibar138]

I love this idea!

1. Spending time with my parents - they live on the other side of the country and we don't get to see them very often
2. Running my first ever half marathon with DH and my parents by my side
3. Goofing off with DH during the 5k, getting heaps of photos
4. Disneybounding as Mulan in the finale after the half, with my medal for the 'crest of the emperor'
5. Walking down Main Street for the first time and seeing the castle in all its 60th anniversary glory
6. The new parade and fireworks (although I'm not looking forward to the crowds )
7. Meeting Dug while Disneybounding as Russell
8. Enjoying the more adult offerings at Trader Sam's and the Mad Tea Party with DH
9. Finally taking DH on Splash Mountain
10. Mini churros from the Cozy Cone

 

[jaymesmom617]

Love this thread! I'm lucky enough to be visiting again in September after having just gone in June (which may seem not so lucky to the APs!)

I feel the same way! I went in the spring with my family and now I am going again in the fall with my girlfriends!
My top 10: (for this trip with friends)
-Waiting for the gates to open the first day we arrive. I get so excited!
-Seeing the steps on my watch go higher and higher! It means more treats for me!
-Knowing where all the bathrooms are at any moment. Seriously, it rocks!
-Too many treats! Peanut butter squares, turtle fudge, beignets, 24 layer cake at Steakhouse 55, ice cream....
-Riding Peter Pan and Matterhorn after refurb
-Seeing 60th anniversary parade, fireworks, world of color, Castle
-Watching the lights go up at RS
-Two words: HATBOX GHOST!
-Riding ToT so many times someone pukes! 15 times!
-Disneybounding as a group

 

[bcwife76]

1. Walking down main street for the first time 'honey, we're HOME!'
2. RSR and having all four of us be able to ride at the same time (since my youngest is now tall enough!)
3. Pirates pirates pirates!!
4. Refurb'd Peter Pan!
5. Finally trying a Dole Whip
6. Paint the Night
7. Seeing how many character interactions we can have this time
8. Buying new ears!
9. 60th anniversary merch!
10. Character breakfast at Plaza Inn or Surfs Up!

 

[DumboBoy]

What a fun thread!

1) Spotting the Matterhorn from the I-5 as we arrive in Anaheim
2) Walking to Main Street and seeing the trolly car singers perform
3) Seeing Walt and Mickey statue by the Castle
4) Seeing my wife act like a kid in the Dole Whip line
5) Riding on Dumbo, not because my son wants to, but for myself!!!!!
6) Remenicing about America Sings characters while riding Splash Mountain
7) Emercing in the eye-popping detail of Cars Land
8) Scoring more points than my 4 year old on Toy Story Mania
9) My son singing loud on its a small world
10) Frozen Banana!