Looking to mix it up a little!

[kyra's mommy]

Hi All!


Well believe it or not my spoiled family is bored of Disneyland. We live in Arizona and we go 3-4 times a year. I love Disneyland and have been going, OMG for the last 32 years- man I am getting old. I can't believe I have been going anywhere for that long LOL. We get our hotels through Priceline for about $40, we do annual passes and we fly free so we are able to go alot. I have no issues with going all the time. I love it there. It's my happy place when I am stressed. Okay so obviously I need to get to the point...

I need some ideas. I know about the hidden Mickeys and thought I can make a game of looking for them with a daily prize for who finds the most Mickeys. Any other ideas?

 

[LavenderPeach]

How about taking one of the tours? It's an extra expense but if you're saving money in other ways maybe you have extra to spend on something like that. Probably not a great idea if you have little kids though.

 

[kyra's mommy]

I have a six year old and a 1 year old. That's sounds really fun though, maybe Daddy can take the 1 year old for awhile and I'll take our little girl. Good suggestion.

 

[Sherry E]

Hi All!


Well believe it or not my spoiled family is bored of Disneyland. We live in Arizona and we go 3-4 times a year. I love Disneyland and have been going, OMG for the last 32 years- man I am getting old. I can't believe I have been going anywhere for that long LOL. We get our hotels through Priceline for about $40, we do annual passes and we fly free so we are able to go alot. I have no issues with going all the time. I love it there. It's my happy place when I am stressed. Okay so obviously I need to get to the point...

I need some ideas. I know about the hidden Mickeys and thought I can make a game of looking for them with a daily prize for who finds the most Mickeys. Any other ideas?

You could make a game out of 'finding' all sorts of things there. Find Hidden Mickeys (and they will never find all of them so that game can continue for a looooonnnnnggggg time), find all the pressed penny machines (on their own; no help from a list), find all the cute bathroom signs in both parks, find all the special weather vanes in DL, identify all the edible plants (fruits or veggies or herbs) in the planters around Tomorrowland, spot as many PhotoPass photographers as you can, find all the bronze or other types of statues around both parks, find a pin from each land, etc. You can make up all kinds of variations of that theme. If you are feeling daring, you can even 'lose' yourself somewhere in DLR and have them 'find' you based on your clues!

 

[kyra's mommy]

Oh that was impressive. I am loving those ideas!!

 

[Sherry E]

Good! It's a start anyway...

 

[Peace.love.mickey]

So who exactly is bored? The adults or the 1 and 6 YO? If it is the adults, I think I would break up and have a savenger hunt for a bit...so who can take the most pics....who can find CM from every continent....

What do you usually do there?

 

[kyra's mommy]

Both my DH and six year old DD are bored. The six year old wants to go somewhere new like Disneyworld or another So. California park. I get what she's saying but we just can't afford to go somewhere else right now. With food included we can go for a week for about $700 to Disneyland. For a family of four that's a great deal. I think so anyway.

We usually hit the all the major rides, we shop, we eat and we walk alot. We haven't done anything unusual yet. I have been going for so long that I think inside my own box, I just do what I've always done. So, since this board is filled with the most creative and interesting Disney lovers I thought I'd see what other people do.

 

[pixiewings71]

Bored with Disneyland? What does that phrase mean? I am not familiar with it in any way. LOL

We do the Hidden Mickey hunt, I want to do a scavenger hunt sometime but I have to put it together and haven't done it yet. I would love to do a tour or two. hmmmmmmm not sure what else. Maybe take a day and do another park? Knotts is close, Sea World in San Diego, or just go to the beach to break it up.

 

[got2travel]

On one trip we had a day of firsts. We looked for experiences we usually didn't want to slow down for. Like Billy Hill and the Hillbillies (although once we finally did it the first time, we now make more time for it). We ate a restaurants we hadn't tried yet.

Another trip we took time to wait for the special experiences: riding in the front of the monorail, riding in the tender on the trains, riding with the pilot on the Mark Twain, waking up Jose in the Tiki Room. Usually if there was someone ahead of us, we'd just go ahead and ride the regular way. But for one trip, we waited as long as it took so we could get a turn.

 

[kyra's mommy]

What is the tender on the trains? How do you wake up the Tiki bird? So cool!

 

[MommyWithDreams]

On one trip we had a day of firsts. We looked for experiences we usually didn't want to slow down for. Like Billy Hill and the Hillbillies (although once we finally did it the first time, we now make more time for it). We ate a restaurants we hadn't tried yet.

Another trip we took time to wait for the special experiences: riding in the front of the monorail, riding in the tender on the trains, riding with the pilot on the Mark Twain, waking up Jose in the Tiki Room. Usually if there was someone ahead of us, we'd just go ahead and ride the regular way. But for one trip, we waited as long as it took so we could get a turn.

Oh you just reminded me of some things we can try for this trip!!! Thank you

 

[got2travel]

What is the tender on the trains? How do you wake up the Tiki bird? So cool!

On the trains, you ride behind the engineers. Only 2 people can fit there and you can only board at the Main Street station. They can't always take on passengers, especially if they have to take on water at New Orleans Square. It can get very hot up there, remember these are real, working steam trains. But I loved talking to the engineers. Most have been there forever and have some great stories to tell.

At the Tiki Room, just ask the cast member that opens the doors. They'll have you join them when they are making the usual announcements. Then when its time to wake Jose and start the show, you'll get a stick to tap his perch with and say "Wake up Jose". This is something you are allowed to do, but if no one asks, the cast member just does it themselves.

 

[cmwade77]

If you board the train at Main Street and (I forget the name of it, sorry), the caboose that is really fancy is out, you can ask to ride in it, depending on staffing levels you might be able to do so. Be sure to go to tom Sawyer's Island and explore the caves, if you haven't been since the Pirates overlay you are in for a treat. Ask to ride in the front of the Monorail. Check out the resorts. Visit the attractions that you always skip over (we all have some of those, don't we?)

Buy the Imagineering Field Guide to Disneyland, it is pocket sized and has a lot of cool things in it, it is available at just about any bookstore, Amazon and at Disneyland (for cover price). Talks about the design behind Disneyland, provides little known facts, etc.

Pay attention to the details, see if you can figure out the story that each land tells. Pay attention to even the ground and notice how it changes from one land to the next, how things transition.

The other option is always Disney World, it is actually a lot more affordable than most people think. Hotels are much cheaper than at Disneyland (both on and off site when compared with on or off site accordingly). Also, remember if you see a free Dining offer for Disneyworld that it makes it more affordable as well. Don't get me wrong, I love Disneyland, but when we looked at bringing my family out here or going to Disneyworld, Disneyworld was much, much cheaper. Just our experience of course and your mileage will vary.

You could also look at Universal Studios for a day, I know there used to be a free shuttle between Disneyland, Knott's and Universal, I am not sure if that still operates or not, but thinking about it, I probably should find out as it would be far cheaper for us to drive to Disneyland and take the shuttle up to Universal if it is.

 

[fairycat]

On one trip we had a day of firsts. We looked for experiences we usually didn't want to slow down for. Like Billy Hill and the Hillbillies (although once we finally did it the first time, we now make more time for it). We ate a restaurants we hadn't tried yet.

Another trip we took time to wait for the special experiences: riding in the front of the monorail, riding in the tender on the trains, riding with the pilot on the Mark Twain, waking up Jose in the Tiki Room. Usually if there was someone ahead of us, we'd just go ahead and ride the regular way. But for one trip, we waited as long as it took so we could get a turn.

I have done two trips of firsts and we had so much fun! We also added stuff we hadn't done in years on a few trips. Even things that we thought were dull became fun! Like Storybook Canal, we all said it had been 20 years since we had been on it and it would be anothr 20 years before we did it again (I have done it again in less then that time though), and even you have the right weather the canoes can be a lot of fun if you make them fun!

I so want to do some of the things on your list, I am adding them for future trips!

 

[Sherwin]

Bored with Disneyland? What does that phrase mean? I am not familiar with it in any way. LOL

What is this strange language you speak?

I agree with Sherry, anything kind of scavenger hunt can be really fun. If everyone has their own camera, have them take pictures of certain things as part of the game for accountability.

 

[Sherry E]

What is this strange language you speak?

I agree with Sherry, anything kind of scavenger hunt can be really fun. If everyone has their own camera, have them take pictures of certain things as part of the game for accountability.

Anything kind of based in hunting for things would be fun, like what I mentioned in my first post. You could also split up and make a mission to have everybody take as many pictures of as many restaurant signs as possible - which will keep you busy all day long. Or the same idea but with shop/store signs. Or take as many attraction/ride signs as possible, and see if you guys can do it somehow without duplicating each other's pictures. Then compare at the end of the day and figure out some way to reward the person with the most photos. Something like that. These are just very rough ideas - you can find ways to fine tune them!

 

[pixiewings71]

On the trains, you ride behind the engineers. Only 2 people can fit there and you can only board at the Main Street station. They can't always take on passengers, especially if they have to take on water at New Orleans Square. It can get very hot up there, remember these are real, working steam trains. But I loved talking to the engineers. Most have been there forever and have some great stories to tell.

At the Tiki Room, just ask the cast member that opens the doors. They'll have you join them when they are making the usual announcements. Then when its time to wake Jose and start the show, you'll get a stick to tap his perch with and say "Wake up Jose". This is something you are allowed to do, but if no one asks, the cast member just does it themselves.

Huh, everytime we've done the Tiki Room (and we usually do it at least once per trip) the CM has everyone say "Wake Up Jose!" and he wakes up, no stick needed.

If you board the train at Main Street and (I forget the name of it, sorry), the caboose that is really fancy is out, you can ask to ride in it, depending on staffing levels you might be able to do so. Be sure to go to tom Sawyer's Island and explore the caves, if you haven't been since the Pirates overlay you are in for a treat. Ask to ride in the front of the Monorail. Check out the resorts. Visit the attractions that you always skip over (we all have some of those, don't we?)

Buy the Imagineering Field Guide to Disneyland, it is pocket sized and has a lot of cool things in it, it is available at just about any bookstore, Amazon and at Disneyland (for cover price). Talks about the design behind Disneyland, provides little known facts, etc.

Pay attention to the details, see if you can figure out the story that each land tells. Pay attention to even the ground and notice how it changes from one land to the next, how things transition.

The other option is always Disney World, it is actually a lot more affordable than most people think. Hotels are much cheaper than at Disneyland (both on and off site when compared with on or off site accordingly). Also, remember if you see a free Dining offer for Disneyworld that it makes it more affordable as well. Don't get me wrong, I love Disneyland, but when we looked at bringing my family out here or going to Disneyworld, Disneyworld was much, much cheaper. Just our experience of course and your mileage will vary.

You could also look at Universal Studios for a day, I know there used to be a free shuttle between Disneyland, Knott's and Universal, I am not sure if that still operates or not, but thinking about it, I probably should find out as it would be far cheaper for us to drive to Disneyland and take the shuttle up to Universal if it is.

The Lily Belle, it's named after Walt's wife and I've seen it, it's gorgeous inside. One day we will ride it.

 

[got2travel]

Huh, everytime we've done the Tiki Room (and we usually do it at least once per trip) the CM has everyone say "Wake Up Jose!" and he wakes up, no stick needed.



The Lily Belle, it's named after Walt's wife and I've seen it, it's gorgeous inside. One day we will ride it.

Depends on the cast member I guess. I've seen it both ways, where his perch is tapped and where everyone just yells. Still a special experience if you can be the one person that wakes up Jose.

The best place to be able to ride in the Lily Belle is at Main Street. They won't let you in if there is not an extra cast member to ride in there with you. And your best chance of an extra cast member is at Main Street.

 

[kyra's mommy]

I am so excited! Thanks for all the great ideas and feel free to keep them coming! I would love to see the Lily Belle!