Friday 27 June Disneyland Main Park
Today was an early start. I was up and on the move by 7.00am. First stop was the grab and go breakfast at Desert Inn and Suites where I just got some pastries. Then down the street to Tropicana Hotel for coffee. There is a self service coffee machine for lattes and cappuccinos at the back of the shop. The large coffee, which would be Starbucks Grande size costs only $2.50, which is amazing.
Then coffee in hand it was finally across the street and Disney security bag check. By the time I got to the Esplanade the gates were open and people were scanning in.
My plan this morning was to check The Emporium for the interactive Disney 70 Key. So as it was only 7.30am I found a bench at the top of Main Street and had my coffee and pastries. It was so nice just to sit and people watch, and enjoy the early morning atmosphere.
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I was sitting near the photo op area, so when I had finished my coffee, I decided to get a photo. As I had the Lightening Lane add on, all the photopass photos are included.
After the photo it was just 8am and the shops opened. I went over to The Emporium and asked a CM and I was told that unfortunately the Interactive Keys were all sold out and would not be back in stock until July, for the official birthday date.
So now as the park was officially open, I went straight to Fantasyland and Peter Pan. The line was a bit longer than I liked but I decided as I was fresh and it was early and not too hot I would just stick with it. In the end it was 30 minutes, not too bad.
Then I went to Alice In Wonderland, Mad Tea Cups , Storybook Land Canal Boats and then the carousel. As it was early the wait times for everything was really low.
The carousel was a walk on, so I decide to try to get on Jingles. For those who don't know, Jingles is one of the original horses who is the lead horse of the carousel. She has different decorations than the other horses and in 2008 she was dedicated to Julie Andrews. As I waited for the carousel to stop I found Jingles and watched where she would stop. When we were allowed on I went straight to Jingles but someone else was already on her. I asked the castmember were people allowed to stay on for a second rotation. He smiled and said do you want to ride Jingles. I said yes, so he told me to sit in the carriage for this rotation and then get on Jingles when the carousel stopped and the person got off. So thats what I did.
After my ride on Jingles I went to Snow White. By now it was 10am and I was getting a bit hungry. So after leaving Snow White ride I did a mobile order for Red Rose Taverne, which was ready by the time I walked there.
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Bonjour Breakfast
Scrambled Eggs served with Taverne Potato Bites, Bacon and Sausage and a fountain cola
I stayed for a while and checked out the App as I wasnt in a rush.
Refreshed, next up was Galaxys Edge. Millennium Falcon had a low wait time, 15 minutes so I did standby. The line was empty in front of me so I walked slow and took some photos along the way. I still didnt get pilot though, it really depends on the party in front of you in the line. You need to be the first or second person the CM pulls from the line.
By now the sun was out and it was getting hot , so I spent some time in Black Spire shops. I really love the whole theming of Galaxys Edge and I would love to buy so much but having very limited space in my carry on due to the airline restrictions, I have to be very selective with what I buy.
I walked from Galaxys Edge into New Orleans Square and as I walked I checked the App. Pirates had a lightening lane time opening up soon so I booked it. By the time I got to the ride the window had opened so I scanned my magic band and went on Pirates. The standby line seemed long to me, so that was a nope. After Pirates I had a look around the shops. They changed things since 2024. Madame Leotas is a new Haunted Mansion shop. The Pirates shop is still the same, but the section where Haunted Mansion merch used to be is now a bar.
I had a Fantasmic Dining Package Reservation at Rancho del Zocalo for 2pm, so I made my way from New Orleans Square over to the restaurant.
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I found a table at the back of the restaurant which shares a fence with Big Thunder Mountain so I had a great view of the carriages on the last bend as the came back into the station.
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Potato Tacos with Radish Slaw
Rice,
Corn Esquite,
Refried Beans,
Cortadillo Cake,
Fountain Cola
Cold Brew Café De Olla Coffee which I paid extra for. I wanted to taste the coffee as I had never had it but it was a one and done for me. The cold brew coffee has Horchata Cream and Flan Custard. Its a spiced cinnamon flavour which I found too overpowering.
After my lunch I made my way back to Main Street and walked through the shops to get some things. I had decided this year I would take an afternoon break at my hotel, which is something I have never done. I took a nap and freshed and was heading back to the park by 5.00pm.
The security lines were much longer now than in the morning, which was new to me, but I was soon back on Main Street. I had booked Indiana Jones
Lightning Lane earlier so I made my way to Adventureland.
While I loved Indiana Jones ride, I find that as a solo, the cms always seem to put me in the back row of a vehicle. And yes thats where I was put. Its all so frantic in the ride loading area and I should have asked for a different row. The last row is way to bumpy for me and I didnt really enjoy the ride this time.
After being shaken about in Indiana Jones, I looked at the time and it was about 6.30pm so I went to Stage Door Cafe for some food to eat at Fanatsmic. I decided to retry the Strawberry Funnel Cake. They dont have to go boxes at Stage Door Cafe, so I went into The Golden Horse Shoe and asked for a to go box. I sat at a table and transfered the funnel cake into the to go box for later.
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Then I made my way over to the Fantasmic Dining Package viewing area.
I knew I was early but that was my plan as I wanted to be at the railings in the viewing area.
The 3 viewing areas line up in the same area near Harbour Galley.
The Rancho del Zocalo people line up at the Harbour Gally fence beside these guys, the nesting pelicans.
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Cafe Orleans people line up in the middle of the walkway and Riverbelle people line up at the redbrick wall.
I was there approx 7pm just as the Fanstmic cms were starting to gather. This is the process
The cms will start arriving and hanging about
The lead will arrive and brief the cms
They stop people walking through
They mark out the ground with tape, diving the walking into the 3 viewing areas
They put poles into the ground and set up the rope barriers
The cms are very reluctant to tell people about the pre line up lines. But if you know where the pre line for your viewing section will be, and just stand there, the cms dont move you on.
Once they have everything set up they then organize the pre line up line. As I was already standing in the correct place, I was the first person in the Rancho del Zocalo line. There were also people standing at the red wall and they were the first people in the Riverbelle line.
The pre line up lines gather fast, as many people just hang about the area.
Then at about 7.45pm they started walking each line in turn to the viewing areas.
They start with Riverbelle, the Cafe Orleans and then Rancho del Zocalo. This is when you need the Fantasmic ticket you were given at your restaurant.
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By 8.00pm the viewing areas were crowded. I bring a blanket and I place it right next to the tape dividing the Cafe Orleans section from Rancho del Zocalo at the railings. So the people beside me paid double what I did for exactly the same experience.
Once I was settled I had my funnel cake. I didnt eat it all but it was nice. I dont think I would order it again though.
After Fantasmic I stayed to watch the fireworks which is so cool with the Fantasmic fountains as a back drop for the animations.
Its such a mad chaotic exit after the fireworks, with everyone trying to leave the viewing areas and the standby people for the 2nd Fantsmic show trying to get a spot and so many people just trying to walk through the general area.
I wanted to try to get across to to Tomorrowland but as I got to Jolly Holiday Bakery, Paint The Night Parade was about to start and there were just too many people all around.
I decided to slow walk through the shops and head back to my hotel.
Tomorrow would be another early morning for another rope drop.
I was finally checking in to my hotel in Glendale, Holiday Inn and Suites.
