What is your FAVORITE thing about Disney Land?

[PrincessMommyLM]

We are heading to Disney Land for the very first time in October. I am very excited, but there is also a part of me that kind of wishes we were just going back to WDW since we loved it sooooo much.

So, in the spirit of positive thinking and looking forward to the ORIGINAL Disney park... What is your FAVORITE thing at DLR (especially if it is something UNIQUE to DLR!)?

 

[DizNee Luver]

Just walking thru the gates & walking down Main Street, knowing that Walt used to walk down the same street is surreal. The park is a lot smaller than WDW, so you can walk from Disneyland to California Adventure & Downtown Disney & go back & forth all day long.

The Enchanted Tiki Room is different than the one at WDW....its one of our family's favorite places to go.

We love the feel of the park & how it is totally surrounded by busy streets & businesses but you don't realize it once inside the park. You step out of reality & into a fun dream!!!

I hope you enjoy your trip & feel the magic that is Disneyland!!

 

[Sherry E]

Have you checked out our Halloween at DL superthread already? Lots of good info and pictures of Halloween decorations, attractions, merchandise, etc. - which is what you will be seeing when you go in October. Anyway, here's the link:

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2408927

I am not sure what my favorite thing about DL (or DLR) is in general - that will require some thought - but you will be getting the Halloween version of DLR, rather than the normal version, so I think my favorite thing about Halloweentime at DLR is the Haunted Mansion Holiday overlay. I like all the artfully carved pumpkins on Main Street and at the Halloween Round-Up, too.

 

[mystic_path]

How the park teases every single one of your senses. The sites, tastes, smells, sounds, and just the fact that everyone in the park is super happy and you can feel that high. Your head literally does a complete circle of a spin trying to take it all in, and it wont.

It wont be until after your relaxing back in your hotel room, or back at home where you will start craving to hear a particular song, see a particular ride or attraction, or remember the smell of the water and the churros, or remember how you felt your entire trip like you were 12 years and you didnt have any care what so ever in the world. You forget about work, home problems and just enjoy your time to be alive. But it will be the little things you notice on your travels through the park but dont have time to stop and really absorb that will want you wanting more.

I would have to say the Enchanged Tiki room is the original show. That you will want to take in. We have New Orleans Square which WDW doenst have, and that is one major area of the DL park that you will want to check out. Its just beautiful.

Disneyland also has the Finding Nemo Sub ride, and also the new Dream House of the Future in Tomorrowland. Definitely worth checking out.

 

[disneyfaninaz]

The touches that make Disneyland unique. It's a Small World, the Matterhorn, the Enchanged Tiki Room and the intimacy of the park. Plus, it just holds so many wonderful childhood memories for me. I also like that when you walk through the tunnel, under the railroad, that the outside world just seems to cease to exist. You just enter the World of Disney!

 

[darph nader]

It's away from home. Love being at DL,hate the drive to and fro.

 

[nana50]

Just walking through the "train tunnels" into disneyland brings me such a wonderful feeling. I can feel Walt inall the little touches. I love knowing that my mom went on POC and the first time I took my children. It is Main Street for sure. I also love the Matterhorn. Before Anaheim was so built up, that was the landmark we looked for to know we were almost there.

 

[2wildchildzmom]

I have to agree that knowing Walt put his touches on this park makes it special. The intimacy of having everything there either in DL or just a walk away to DCA.

 

[Raine88]

Honestly...just the way it makes me feel being there. There's no one specific thing, ride, show, food, w/e. I can't stop smiling and laughing, and my DH is the same way. Seeing him so happy and carefree, and feeling the same way myself.

 

[PrincessMommyLM]

Wow! Thanks so much everyone! I am loving hearing all of the different perspectives!

And, yes, I have really enjoyed looking at the Halloween thread!

 

[mrswh]

I love both WDW and DLR, but you can't beat having DLR, DCA and DTD all in one place! We have never been able to park hop at WDW - with two small children, it's just too much time and effort trying to get out of one park and into another. I LOVE that in CA we can go back and forth all day, and even stop in DTD, with very little travel time. Plus, you can hold fast passes from both parks at once, which is fantastic when the parks are crowded.

Which brings me to the other great thing . . . the food. You can hop out to DTD for lunch and eat something that actually resembles real food rather than turkey legs and hot dogs. DCA actually has a few decent places to eat as well . . . much better than the options at DLR or MK.

No matter how much you love WDW, you still have love in your heart for DLR - I promise!

 

[mommy2allyandaveri]

How the park teases every single one of your senses. The sites, tastes, smells, sounds, and just the fact that everyone in the park is super happy and you can feel that high. Your head literally does a complete circle of a spin trying to take it all in, and it wont.

It wont be until after your relaxing back in your hotel room, or back at home where you will start craving to hear a particular song, see a particular ride or attraction, or remember the smell of the water and the churros, or remember how you felt your entire trip like you were 12 years and you didnt have any care what so ever in the world. You forget about work, home problems and just enjoy your time to be alive. But it will be the little things you notice on your travels through the park but dont have time to stop and really absorb that will want you wanting more.

I would have to say the Enchanged Tiki room is the original show. That you will want to take in. We have New Orleans Square which WDW doenst have, and that is one major area of the DL park that you will want to check out. Its just beautiful.

I couldn't have said it better myself! For me it isn't about 1 favorite thing, it is the whole package!

 

[DisneyLovin]

How the park teases every single one of your senses. The sites, tastes, smells, sounds, and just the fact that everyone in the park is super happy and you can feel that high. Your head literally does a complete circle of a spin trying to take it all in, and it wont.

It wont be until after your relaxing back in your hotel room, or back at home where you will start craving to hear a particular song, see a particular ride or attraction, or remember the smell of the water and the churros, or remember how you felt your entire trip like you were 12 years and you didnt have any care what so ever in the world. You forget about work, home problems and just enjoy your time to be alive. But it will be the little things you notice on your travels through the park but dont have time to stop and really absorb that will want you wanting more.

I would have to say the Enchanged Tiki room is the original show. That you will want to take in. We have New Orleans Square which WDW doenst have, and that is one major area of the DL park that you will want to check out. Its just beautiful.

Disneyland also has the Finding Nemo Sub ride, and also the new Dream House of the Future in Tomorrowland. Definitely worth checking out.

Exactly it. I love the environment and atmosphere. I know exactly what you mean about being at home and just wanting to see a sight. For me I get home and I'll be craving a Dole Whip and just be wanting to sit down somewhere and take in the atmosphere and the happy mood.

 

[robinb]

I love that Disneyland is so compact and rich in theming. Everywhere you look there are layers and layers of extras to make the environment complete.

 

[Jolly Ole Bert]

I agree with everything the pp's said about the feel, substance, and magic of truely being in Walt's Park.

Another detail which stands out for me is Pirates. The POTC ride at DL has so much more than the version at WDW. I love the beginning when you're riding through the bayou, passing the banjo player on the porch, and all the sounds to go with the theme. Truely an escape from reality.

 

[wvnative]

I love that it's the one place that puts my teenager and me on the same level. We both love Disney and when we're at DLR, there's no arguing, no eye rolls and she never plays the embarassed teenager card.

Once they scan our tickets and we're on our way through the tunnel, the rest of the world just goes away. No stressers, no real time restrictions and I don't feel guilty feeding her a sundae for lunch. lol

Of course, no trip is ever complete without a spin in a purple teacup but that's a story in and of itself. It's also the reason that we will be making two trips this year. We were cheated out of Alice altogether this last trip.

 

[bnbheartdisney]

I just love the ambiance of Disneyland... and California Adventure. I love the different feelings that I get in each land; as well as the smells and the music playing in the background!

 

[pdxJolene]

Honestly...just the way it makes me feel being there. There's no one specific thing, ride, show, food, w/e. I can't stop smiling and laughing

Thats what I was going to say too, I couldn't pick just one thing... Its everything that makes it so special. It just makes me forget about "real life"
and I get to be a kid again! Plus planning for it is great too!

 

[jimreuter]

Some of the entertainment is unique to Disneyland resort. Farley the Fiddler, Billy Hill and the Hillbillies, The Bootstrappers Pirate Band (all at Disneyland), and The Miner 49ers at DCA are all unique to DLR, and well worth 20 or 30 minutes of your time. Farley in particular provides special moments for people old and young that they never forget. His schedule is not published in the handouts, but he plays on the front porch of the Davy Crockett Pioneer Mercantile at the entrance to Frontierland 11:00, 12:00, 1:00, 2:30, 3:30, 4:30, and 5:30, usually Mon-Fri although occasionally he's off on a Tues or Wed and is there Saturday instead.

 

[3BoysRDisneyFreaks]

OP I can totally relate to how you are feeling. After 7 trips to WDW in 5 years, we are hitting DL for the first time this summer.

I too am sad about not visiting WDW this year, but we had a gift of free airfare to California and with 6 people, that is something to not waste.

While I am excited to be going, it took awhile for my family to follow suit. DH is finally on board and the kids are too.

We will be together at a Disney park and that is what matters.

I have been trying to point out the differences in the parks to the kids to pump them up and so far it has helped.

I am secrectly hoping that we can somehow manage a quick trip to WDW in the fall because Halloween at WDW is our favorite time to go.