Special Exp or Hidden Activity

[AussieCaribou]

Hi Everyone,

So my DH and I were talking about Disneyland and what you can do there. He said that he would like to do something special (as if going to Disneyland isn't special enough?). So I started to research things. I have listed what I found below. But do you know of any other experiences like this at Disneyland, California Adventure or the DL resort? Or do you have any nice photo ops (besides the characters of course)?

Coke Counter: Musical Chairs with the Mad Hatter
New Orleans Square: the jazz bands sometimes have beads
Mark Twain: The pilot's house
Jungle Cruise: You can ask for a map at the end of the ride
Tiki Room: You can be picked to wake up Jose
Merry-go-Round: ride on Jingles

Thank you so much.

Regards,
AussieCaribou

 

[MrsPinup]

How fun for you two! Just FYI - they usually pick a kid for the tiki room.
Other things: free tortillas at the tortilla factory in DCA, you can ask for a death certificate at the haunted mansion, if you have the iphone, there is an app called Wishing Star and it is a fun scavenger hunt to do around the park.

 

[HydroGuy]

We always have fund looking for hidden Mickeys. Get a book or look at websites to guide you.

 

[shishigirl]

...Mark Twain: The pilot's house
Jungle Cruise: You can ask for a map at the end of the ride...

...you can ask for a death certificate at the haunted mansion...

Sweet! What is the pilots house and what exactly is the death certificate?! These are soo going on my to do list! Thanks you guys!

 

[spacemermaid]

If it's your birthday or anniversary, or if it's your first visit to Disneyland, you can stop by City Hall on Main Street & they'll give you free celebration pins to wear.

Not free, but very special: I'm assuming it's just you two on the trip...you should have a meal at the Blue Bayou; it's very romantic (and inside the POTC ride, as well)

 

[AussieCaribou]

Oh Doh! Forgot to say that we are taking our DD. She's 11 and will have just graduated from year 6 (our school year is calendar over here in Australia). Going to DL is her gift for making it through Primary School.

DH and I have thought about BB for lunch or dinner one day with her. I figure she would love it. PotC are hugely popular in our house.

The pilot's house is up top on the Mark Twain. You have to ask if you can go up there. And they can't always let you. But if you can get there, do. After your trek around the rivers, you get to sign the visitors' book and you get a pilot's lic.

 

[Disney Dreams]

Yay for planning special thing at DLR!

I would say: Ride the Lily Belle

- Dreams

P.S. (whispers quietly to AussieCaribou: Top of Mark Twain is referred to as "The Wheelhouse."

 

[Belle Ella]

My suggestion is definitely riding the Lilly Belle!

I've tried the Wheelhouse on the Mark Twain before, but when I asked last year they said that due to some safety issues they weren't allowing guests up there anymore. I'm not sure if that's changed since last September though.

 

[I'm mikey]

you can ask to ride on the tender of the steam engine of the Disneyland railroad.

 

[ScooterL]

I've tried the Wheelhouse on the Mark Twain before, but when I asked last year they said that due to some safety issues they weren't allowing guests up there anymore. I'm not sure if that's changed since last September though.

Interesting...I was invited to ride up there last November - I didn't even ask! So maybe it depends on who the pilot is at the time? The guy I rode with seemed like he really enjoyed having guests in the wheelhouse with him, but maybe some of them don't.

 

[Jrsy Boy]

You can also ask to ride in the nose of the monorail, along with the "pilot." They didn't have any of their pilots licenses last time we rode, but we got them when we rode in WDW, so make sure you ask.

 

[Lissame]

You're not always able to do this, but if you get to the parks early enough so that you're in front of the line, you may get chosen to "open the park". There's one specific CM who has done the selection of the family(ies) the last couple of times we've gone, we got chosen to do this for the first time this past trip.

 

[AussieCaribou]

Um...How does one get to ride in the Lilly Belle and the tender of the train? All three of us are huge train fans!

I think I can remember being very little and riding in the tender with my grandpa. But that was so long ago and he was friends with someone on the railroad, so I figured we would never be able to do that nowadays.

Thanks for all the great ideas everyone. Please keep 'em coming!

~ Aussie Caribou

 

[AussieCaribou]

OMG Getting to open Disneyland?!? NO WAY! You are so lucky!

So, you have to get there before the gates open...which will be some horrible hour...but even for a shot at being 'that family' I would get up before dawn.

What did you get to do? What happened?

~ Aussie Caribou

 

[Belle Ella]

Riding the tender and the Lilly Belle works roughly the same way, just ask one of the conductors working there if there is a chance for you to ride and they'll try and work a time to get you on board with a CM and more likely than not in my eperience they'll give you a time to come back. Keep in mind you'll need to make the entire circuit around the Park. I've never been on the tender but I've done the Lilly Belle twice now and am hoping to go for a 3rd time in September. My advice is to ask as early as you can though -- I always ask as soon as the Main St. station opens and they look at their schedules to find a time that works. They also have tender tickets available as a little keepsake. I wish I had taken photos of those, but I keep forgetting. I did add both of my experiences (one not so pleasant, one perfect) to my TR (here and here if you are interested).

Ah, and before I forget, it's worth mentioning that the Lilly Belle has no AC so outside of cracked windows there isn't much air circulation in there and it can get HOT in the middle of the day.

 

[Kayla's Mom]

OMG Getting to open Disneyland?!? NO WAY! You are so lucky!

So, you have to get there before the gates open...which will be some horrible hour...but even for a shot at being 'that family' I would get up before dawn.

What did you get to do? What happened?

~ Aussie Caribou

We did this a few years back. We got there probably about 30-45 minutes before park opening. There were a few other families there. We were second in line behind another group. One of the security members started talking with DD who was 4 at the time. He had us come over to start a new line at the gate and then asked DD if she wanted to open Disneyland.

He took us in the gates a few minutes prior to opening and we and another family did the countdown from 10. They took a picture for us with our camera and gave us Honarary Citizen stickers. It was a fun experience.

 

[MrsPinup]

Sweet! What is the pilots house and what exactly is the death certificate?! These are soo going on my to do list! Thanks you guys!

I was told about the dc before my last trip and forgot to ask so I have not seen it. When we go next month I will not forgot

 

[I'm mikey]

Sweet! What is the pilots house and what exactly is the death certificate?! These are soo going on my to do list! Thanks you guys!

the pilots house is at the top of the mark twain river boat, its the place the mark twain is "driven" from.

death certificates may or maynot be available at the haunted mansion. we've asked for them a couple times, but told they're out.