Name your top 5 must-do's at each park

[jammyjam25]

Glad to see Heimlich's Chew Chew Train has made it onto other people's top 5 list and it's not just me!

 

[SilentFeline]

DL:
1. Space Mountain
2. Haunted Mansion
3. Pirates of the Caribbean
4. Enchanted Tiki Room
5. Indiana Jones Adventure

DCA:
1. Radiator Springs Racers at night
2. Toy Story Midway Mania
3. California Screamin'
4. Pacific Wharf Cafe
5. Soarin' (I'm not particularly fond of this ride because of my intense fear of heights, but I go on this once every trip for my husband)

 

[arcadiandj]

No fair, only 5 lol. I want ten. But here's my 5

DL
Pirates
Indy
Haunted Mansion Holiday (regular HM just misses the cut)
PTN (right now cause it's so new but F! is a close call)
Tigger Tail or Choclate Pineapple Spear from Pooh's Corner

CA
Viva Navidad (landslide winner)
Soarin'
Tower
Sample chocolate from Ghirrardelli
Frozen Lemonade (I know it's generic but that park gets hot!)

I love Viva Navidad too!

 

[Girimama33]

I've never heard of this before. I've seen the build a Light Saber section. What does the build a droid entail? How is the cost?

It is located in Star Trader. Walk past the BYO Light Saber, and go into the larger room of the store. The BYO droid station is located on the far right. Cost is about $10. I just made one today with Oswald ears.

 

[jina]

DL
1. BTMR
2. Pirates
3. Storybook Canal Boats
4. Haunted Mansion
5. Dole Whip

DCA
1. Animation Academy class
2. RSR (FP)
3. Carthay Circle WOC meal w/ WOC
4. Goofy's Sky School
5. Mickey's Fun Wheel, Swinging!

 

[arcadiandj]

This is hard!

DL:
Pirates
HM - Regular version!!!
All the small dark rides in FL (The smell of them is the best!!)
Indy
BTMRR

CA:
Tower of Terror
Soarin
TSMM
RSR
Mater's Junkyard Jamboree

Strong reaction to your post! What is it with the smell of the dark rides? I notice that smell on most all of the rides with a covered portion and wonder what it is. I used to attribute it to the old rides but notice it on RSR also. Is it the machinery?

 

[wdwfan22]

Strong reaction to your post! What is it with the smell of the dark rides? I notice that smell on most all of the rides with a covered portion and wonder what it is. I used to attribute it to the old rides but notice it on RSR also. Is it the machinery?

I don't know what it is. I smell it on newer dark rides, like Monsters Inc., Little Mermaid. But the older rides I think are better. I smell the whole time I'm on Alice, Mr. Toad, Peter, etc. And it makes me smile. My favorite thing in all of Disneyland!!

 

[Satchmo128]

Disneyland:
- Big Thunder Mountain Railroad
- The Blue Bayou Restaurant
- Eating a corn dog from the little red wagon off main street
- Indiana Jones
- Haunted Mansion with Nightmare Before Christmas overlay

California Adventure:
- California Screamin'
- Radiator Springs Racers
- Aladdin Musical
- Soarin'
- Animation Academy

 

[cijay]

I haven't been to DCA since the renovations so I'm going to lump them together but some of the DCAs may not be there anymore.

Grizzly Rapids and Splash mountain. Wear cotton clothing that doesn't get uncomfortably heavy and dries quicker. When the sun goes down, it gets chilly and you will get cold. If you ride the water rides from 10AM to about 3-ish you will be dry at sundown. (Ignore this if you plan on nipping home and changing clothes after water rides).

Space Mountain, the ride is worth the long line. Ride it a few times so you can get familiar with where they take the picture so you can put your most freaked-out face on for the picture you may buy.

Depending on how long you're there for, watch the parades. The rides will always be there, the parades are magical and won't be there forever. On the other hand - once you have seen them (or if parades really ain't your thang) it's an ideal time to go on the rides. Likewise with the fireworks. If you don't care about the fireworks - hit the rides.

Only buy park-exclusive souvenirs there. If it's something you can buy at a Disney store in your area, leave it 'til after you come home. I guarantee you will give it a second thought and say 'meh - I don't need it'.

Turkey leg. Last I remember it was in Fantasyland. It'll definitely do both of you for supper one of the nights.

Tower of Terror! 'Nuff said.

 

[OneThree]

I haven't been to DCA since the refurb/Cars Land stuff but for DL:

1. Pirates of the Caribbean
2. Big Thunder Mountain
3. Space Mountain
4. Indiana Jones
5. Enchanted Tiki Room(don't judge me. Its a sentimental thing from my childhood! )

 

[Nonsuch]

...What is it with the smell of the dark rides? I notice that smell on most all of the rides with a covered portion and wonder what it is. I used to attribute it to the old rides but notice it on RSR also. Is it the machinery?

It might be caused by slight arcing on the electrical contacts on the track (or the electric motors on the vehicles). RSR has several electrical contacts under the "road", like an old toy slot car on steroids

 

[pindecisive]

1) POTC
2) Haunted Mansion
3) Dole Whip
4) Indiana Jones
5) The Castle/Fairytale area

 

[brianerickson]

Land:

1. Space Mountain
2. Haunted Mansion
3. It's a Small World
4. Indiana Jones
5. Pirates/Big Thunder (Don't ask me to choose!)

Honorable mention: All of the dark rides in Fantasyland, Astro Blasters, Splash Mountain (duh!)

DCA:

1. Tower of Terror
2. Toy Story Midway Mania
3. Soarin' Over California
4. Goofy's Sky School
5. Ariel's Undersea Adventure

Honorable Mentions: Radiator Spring Racers (it'd be higher on the list if it wasn't such a pain to get on), Monsters Inc., It's Tough to Be a Bug

 

[riostoker]

We just got back from our first trip on Saturday, so now I can play!!

DL:
1. Storybook Canal Boats
2. Big Thunder Ranch BBQ sad:that it is closing)
3. Paint the Night
4. Corn dogs
5. Star Tours? Alice? Indy? not sure of my 5th

DCA
1. RSR at night
2. Tower of Terror
3. Toy Story Mania
4. Soarin'
5. Snacks at the Cozy Cone Motel in Carsland at night (particularly the churro bites!!)

 

[arcadiandj]

It might be caused by slight arcing on the electrical contacts on the track (or the electric motors on the vehicles). RSR has several electrical contacts under the "road", like an old toy slot car on steroids

I wonder. I had thought it was just an old enclosed building/machinery smell, but certainly, RSR is not old. So perhaps you are right. In any case, it is certainly a special link to the rides

 

[NiceOneSimba]

Disneyland

1. Alice in Wonderland. My favorite ride ever.
2. Space Mountain
3. Dole Whip, from the inside counter, eaten while watching a show at the Tiki Room.
4. Pirates
5. It used to be the fried green tomato sandwich, but no more. So maybe Star Tours. Or churros. Or a Monte Cristo, pommes frites and Mickey beignets at Cafe Orleans. Or Fried Chicken at Plaza Inn. Or Paint the Night. I can't decide.


DCA

1. RSR
2. Soarin'
3. Ariel (because it's my DD's favorite)
4. Paradise Garden Grill for skewers. So yummy!
5. TSMM was added on this trip, as I finally decided to wait in the line. It's so much fun!

 

[ludari]

I have a lot of sentimental reasons for my top Disneyland picks because they remind me of when my parents used to take me.
DLR
Haunted Mansion, Pirates of the Caribbean, Small World, Space Mountain & Matterhorn

DCA
RSR, Toy Story, Tower of Terror, Rockin' RC, Mater.

 

[RedAngie]

Not necessarily in order.

DL
1. Haunted Mansion (especially so with the holiday overlay)
2. Indiana Jones
3. Big Thunder Mountain Railroad
4. Pirates of the Caribbean
5. Tiki Birds (don't laugh, not a joke. I really enjoy it.)

CA
1. Tower of Terror
2. Radiator Springs
3. Soarin'
4. Toy Story Mania
5. Mickey's Terror Wheel (in the sliding cars, of course)

 

[longtimedisneylurker]

In no particular order

Disneyland
Big Thunder Mountain Railroad
Star Tours
Alice in Wonderland
Mr. Toad
Haunted Mansion
I think Paint the Night will become a must-do for me. I have only had one trip to DL since it started, but I managed to watch it twice and loved it.

DCA
Radiator Springs Racers
Toy Story Midway Mania
Aladdin show at the Hyperion
Ice cream - either the fresh dipped ice cream bar at Clarabelle's on Buena Vista Street or a sundae at Ghirardelli
Shopping - I enjoy the shopping more overall in DCA than at DL
Honorable mention for my favorite seasonal item Viva Navidad. That show is just so fun with so much energy.

 

[ChloroformSdxn]

According to my 4 year old:
DL:
1. Thunder Mountain Railroad
2. Seeing the ducks in the pond
3. Thunder Mountain Railroad
4. Splash Mountain
5. Thunder Mountain Railroad

DCA:
1. RSR
2. Corndogs
3. RSR
4. RSR
5. RSR