Cars Land

Cars Land is the newest land to be expanded at California Adventure since they opened in 2001. It's also the newest full sized land to be added to the Disneyland Parks since Mickey's Toon Town came along in 1988. Not including of course the entire California Adventure Park...

With Cars Land came a significant investment in new entertainment, shops and food offerings. Cars Land in and of itself can entertain you for almost an entire day. Especially if you factor in how long some of the lines can be!

So what other rides are there in Cars Land? There's Luigi's Flying Tires which are just right for those who don't want a thrill ride. These "tires" float on air and you use your own body to steer the tires. These tires are fairly slow moving and are kinda bouncy. There is also Mater's Junkyard Jamboree. You can hop into your favorite tractor, as they are all different, and do some Do-Si-Does around the Junkyard while Mater calls out the dance moves from inside his barn... Mater is busy so don't expect to see him come out to visit, he's got to keep the dance going! He and his buddy Lightning do come out for photos and conversations at times. They hang out along the main drag of Cars Land.

In addition to rides, Cars Land offers a few shops like Sarge's Surplus hut, the place to get your Radiator Springs t-shirts. Further into Cars Land you'll find Radiator Springs Curios. You can get your own Mickey Mouse Route 66 sign here among other cool items. What about some body art? Head on in to Ramone's House of Body Art for some cool tops and other great items to trick out your ride... (your body ride, not so much your car).  

I'm hungry! Do I have to head to Pacific Wharf to eat or can I grab something in Cars Land? Why yes come on down Route 66 to Flo's V8 Cafe for some tasty grub! Flo's is open for Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner. She's ready to serve you up a variety of grub, hot off the grill! If your not in the mood for a bigger meal now, head back up north on Route 66 to Filmores Taste In for some healthy snacks and Tasty Concoctions. You could also stop along the way at the Cozy Cone Motel for some cone-tastic ice cream treats and many other choices!

I hope you find this information fun, new and worthwhile.

Daniel is a self-proclaimed Disney Geek, Disney Vacation Planner and a Disneyland Specialist. When he’s not adding to the plethora of Disney Trivia in his head, you can find him on his Facebook Page and/or follow him on Twitter…

Radiator Springs Racers at Cars Land

Vroom, Whoosh, Screech, Vroom... When I think of Cars and specifically Radiator Springs Racers these are the sounds I hear in my head. It's okay if you don't hear the same things. You might want to get it looked into though. Amongst the many attractions you'll find in Cars Land, Radiator Springs Racers is by far the most popular. You'll need to have a plan in place to get on this ride!

It's not uncommon to be in line at Radiator Springs Racers for upwards of 2 1/2 hours on a slow day. Here's a tip though, get to the park early! When I say early, I mean before the park even opens. Head over to Buena Vista Street entrance 1/2 hour or more before park opening. You'll be able to get into the park around 30 minutes before official opening. Once in California Adventure send one person from your group to get the Fast Pass's at Radiator Springs Racers, while the rest of you hit up the new Starbucks. This is the most popular attraction in Cars Land and there are days when the entire allotment of Fast Passes are gone within the first hour or so of park opening. You'll be sorry if you wait. 

Another tip for parents, if you have any toddlers with you, make sure you have them measured first. The ride height is minimum 40". In addition to the ride height, know that the ride is fast, there are dips and hills and can be scary. If your children are anything like mine, they will expect to be the "winners" every time... That won't happen, so prep them starting now. There is no set car that will win every time so don't try to figure it out. It'd be easier to figure out how many drops, and how far they will go, there will be in Tower of Terror.

There are a few moments of stomach drops as you experience roller coaster like "flying" and "near misses" along the way. These can be scary for most younger kids, but generally if you like a ride such as Big Thunder Mountain Railroad you'll be just fine on Radiator Springs Racers.

One last bit of information on Radiator Springs Racers, much like its cousin, Fast Track, in Walt Disney World this ride will break down and break down often. Much of the long line can be attributed to those holding out hope for the ride to be fixed and returned to operation. Unfortunately, the ride hasn't gotten the bugs worked out completely so be prepared to entertain the kids and adults in your group for extended periods of time. 

Overall, take the time to enjoy Radiator Springs Racers and all of Cars Land. You'll find that there is plenty to do and if you can swing it to ride the Racers twice, hit it once at night and once in the day for completely different experiences. All of Cars Land at night is a completely magical transformation, what with all the neon and more. Don't miss out!

I hope you find this information fun, new and worthwhile.

Daniel is a self-proclaimed Disney Geek, Disney Vacation Planner and a Disneyland Specialist. When he’s not adding to the plethora of Disney Trivia in his head, you can find him on his Facebook Page and/or follow him on Twitter…

Plaza Inn Restaurant with Minnie and Friends

Character Dining - Minnie and Friends

There are few better ways to start your Disneyland experience then to join Minnie and her friends for breakfast. Much like I suggest Blue Bayou for dinner, I absolutely encourage you to spend a morning with some of your favorite characters. Plaza Inn is just the place to find them!!

This is another restaurant you will need to make a priority seating (reservation) appointment as soon as you know you're going. Minnie is ever so popular and we'd hate for you to miss out on seeing her and perhaps her closest friend Mickey. 

Along with Minnie are many characters you won't usually find in Disneyland. I've seen Captain Hook, Chip and Dale, Winnie the Pooh, Eeyore, and more. These friends of Minnie's aren't usually hanging around the park anywhere else, so here's your chance to see them! 

Like most character breakfasts, Plaza Inn offers a buffet with your choice of different breakfast items, from cold cereal to hot Mickey waffles, Omelette station, pastries and much more. 

I tend to schedule my Minnie and Friends breakfast near the later side of the serving times. This way I get more of a brunch and can save a bit of money by combining breakfast and lunch. It sometimes works, sometimes not. But we try regardless to save money were we can. Those souvenirs don't come free.

Included with your meal is a Photo opportunity. They take your picture prior to being seated and without any characters. Just a sign. I tend to skip purchasing this picture. But get lots of ones inside with all of our Disney friends.

Most days the weather is nice enough to eat out on the patio. Sit under one of the umbrella's and enjoy the sun on your back while you eat and spend time visiting with a multitude of characters. 

Make sure you have your autograph book out and ready to go. Everyone of the visitors to your table will hang out a bit, sign your book and take pictures with you. We tend to get a few pictures with each. A couple of my son only, then maybe one or two more with all of us. Sometimes these become great Christmas Card pictures.

When booking your next trip (with DisneyDaniel of course) to Disneyland, keep Plaza Inn on the list of places to eat!

I hope you find this information fun, new and worthwhile. Contact DisneyDaniel to day to book your first, next or best Vacation!

Daniel is a self-proclaimed Disney Geek, Disney Vacation Planner and a Disneyland Specialist. When he's not adding to the plethora of Disney Trivia in his head, you can find him on his Facebook Page and/or Follow him on Twitter

Paradise Pier Hotel

Paradise Pier

This is the one resort at Disneyland I haven't stayed at, yet. I've eaten at PCH Grill here and really enjoyed the Mickey and Friends breakfast buffet. I've spent time in the resort as well. Just haven't made it to a room to sleep... It'll happen soon enough.

With that said, I can certainly share some of the benefits of Paradise Pier! For starters it's the least expensive of the three (3) Disneyland Hotels. Least expensive being relative of course...

It's one of my favorite themes of the three as well. Bringing back the California beachfront boardwalk hotels. This resort is slightly closer to the parks then Disneyland Hotel too. Which I can assure you is important late at night when you're tired and carrying a kid or two back to your room. 

The coolest part of the hotel is the rooftop pool! Including a Californian' Streamin' Waterslide!! At night you can head up to the rooftop pool for an unobstructed view of the parks fireworks show. They even pipe in the music for you to enjoy the whole experience!!

In addition to the cool pool, the cool PCH Grill, the kids can go to a Beach Themed "special screening room" to watch Disney Movies and TV shows! Every time you see a TV or screen in a Disney resort you can be sure there will be a few kid's watching the classic cartoons. This screening room just takes that idea and enlarges it!

Right outside of your hotel you will find Downtown Disney. There is a plethora of great restaurants and shops available to you. Including the largest Disney store on the West Coast, World Of Disney! If you can't find your Disney item here, it's likely it doesn't exist anymore... Sorry for that spoiler...

The Paradise Pier hotel has been renovated fairly recently. The updated rooms still offer contemporary memories and signature Disney Service in a Boardwalk inspired room.

I hope you find this information fun, new and worthwhile.

Contact DisneyDaniel today to book your first, next or Best Disney Vacation!
Daniel is a self-proclaimed Disney Geek, Disney Vacation Planner and a Disney Specialist!

When he's not adding to the plethora of Disney trivia in his head, you can find DisneyDaniel on his Facebook Page and/or follow him on Twitter! 

Check out DisneyDaniels NEW Pinterest Page

email: daniel@destinationsinflorida.com

Disney World, Disney Cruise, Disneyland, Disney Hawaii, and Adventures by Disney Specialist

Universal Studios & Islands of Adventure Specialist

Orlando Travel Consultant

Southern California Travel Consultant

Destinations in Florida Travel is your PremEAR Disney World and Orlando Vacation Planners – Top 2009 Disney Destinations Sales Performer and 2010 & 2011 Universal Studios Travel Agency Partner of the Year

Glow With The Show!

Mickey Ears with IR Technology!

This has to be one of the coolest new things to come along at Disneyland in awhile. I am one of those geeky people who tend to buy a new pair of ears every time I visit a Disney Park.

I'm also what you'd call an early adaptor of technology. This combination seems to have set me up to be unable to resist the temptation of the Mickey "Glow with the Show" Ears... 

Check this video to see what I mean:

Not surprisingly I've already made plans that I will be purchasing a pair right after I get my Radiator Springs Racer FastPasses... 

Just one more reason I can't wait until April! 

And one more reason you should visit Disneyland soon! Contact me for the most magical vacation planning available!

I hope you find this information fun, new and worthwhile.

Daniel Mullarkey

Daniel@destinationsinflorida.com

Disney World, Disney Cruise, Disneyland, Disney Hawaii, and Adventures by Disney Specialist

Universal Studios & Islands of Adventure Specialist

Orlando Travel Consultant

Southern California Travel Consultant

Destinations in Florida Travel is your PremEAR Disney World and Orlando Vacation Planners – Top 2009 Disney Destinations Sales Performer and 2010 & 2011 Universal Studios Travel Agency Partner of the Year

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More Disneyland Secrets!

Secrets of Main Street, USA

You may recall that recently I wrote a piece called "Disneyland Secret Rooms" in which I highlighted some of the off limit areas of Disneyland. I left that post with some hints of other secrets at Disneyland. Well I've made you wait long enough...  "Here we gooooo...."

When you first enter the park the ground is red brick. Walt wanted you to feel like you were entering on a red carpet, being treated like royalty. Also he added the tunnels to walk through so that once you came through them you would feel you were entering a completely new world. I'd say he hit it right with the tunnels. Thankfully he was talked out of walking through curtains... Imagine the disarray that would have caused.

This one may be well known... When you are standing at the end of Main Street, USA and looking towards the castle, Disney Imagineers used "Forced Perspective" to make the castle appear larger than it is. Essentially it's a trick where the buildings get smaller the further down the street you go... Forcing the Castle to appear larger. Disney has used this same "trick" in every theme park they've created. 

Speaking of Main Street, USA, did you know the names on the windows above the shops are real people? Most of them are Imagineers who were essential to fulfilling Walt's Disneyland Dreams. You'll see UB Iwerks up there as well. UB was the first one to join Walt Disney at his new animation studio after he left Universal... UB Iwerks is also the co-creator of Mortimer Mouse... Now affectionately known as Mickey! Many many more Imagineers and other key Disney people are immortalized on these window panes as their own proprietors of which ever shop they now "own". UB Iwerks shop is above the Main Street Bakery and he has a Stereoscopic Camera Shop.

Those Imagineers and Walt sure did come up with some amazing tricks to get us visitors to do the right thing. For instance the only place in the park that has a black street is Main Street... Why? Black gets hotter than any other color which in turn makes you want to move towards the castle and not create a bottleneck along Main Street... 

Have you noticed that if you stand on the sidewalks of Main Street the trees block your view of the castle? And vice versa if you're on the street? Here's why! It was decided if you were on the sidewalk the best way to get you into the stores was to block the view of the castle and surrounding park... Just as if you're standing in the street, the trees block the stores and will not distract you from moving along towards the castle. No wonder they are called IMAGINEERS!

Here's one most people don't consider but will have a "D'uh!" moment when you read this. You never hear the sounds of Anaheim which is right outside the gates. Guess what else you don't get from Anaheim...???  The smell. Yup Disneyland has what are called Smellitzer's around the park. They shoot a plume of scent some 200 feet in the air at just the right second and then fans suck it back out so as to not take away from the next smell. You never knew it happened, but you also aren't smelling car exhaust or any other city smells. Most people know the instance of the citrus smell when Soarin Over California? That's one you could hardly miss, but many more exist through out the park to give all your senses access to the magic! How bout some fresh baked cookies on Main Street, USA? Yeah you probably thought they were being baked right then...  

One last tidbit about Main Street USA for you. The Gas Lamps along the street were 150 years old when purchased in 1955 and mostly come from Baltimore, MD. They were being sold for scrap at the time and were purchased for $1 per pound. Disneyland used to have a cast member dress up as a 19th Century lamplighter and light the lamps at dusk everyday... Now they stay lit day and night.

I hope you find this information fun, new and worthwhile.

Daniel Mullarkey

Daniel@destinationsinflorida.com

Disney World, Disney Cruise, Disneyland, Disney Hawaii, and Adventures by Disney Specialist

Universal Studios & Islands of Adventure Specialist

Orlando Travel Consultant

Southern California Travel Consultant

Destinations in Florida Travel is your PremEAR Disney World and Orlando Vacation Planners – Top 2009 Disney Destinations Sales Performer and 2010 & 2011 Universal Studios Travel Agency Partner of the Year

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Disneyland Event Schedule

What's Happening?? When's it Happening??

If I had a nickel for every time...  oh never mind. Let's just say that I get asked a lot about Disneyland events and when are they happening... It gets overwhelming to me to try and keep all these things in my head, so I'm putting them here for my own sanity. And well you get to know too! It's a win win as they say...

I'm starting with the annual biggies for you and then we can touch a little on the lesser ones and even perhaps discuss unofficial events.

January: 

• New Years for sure! Special Entertainment and extended hours.
• Tail end of the Holiday Celebration! You can still catch the lights, the decorations and the entertainment for a short time into January every year. Plus you can do it with fewer lines! 
• Three Kings Day - Big Thunder Ranch Arena - Showcasing Western and Mexican Heritage
• Tinkerbell 1/2 Marathopn Weekend - Lots of great prizes and prices for participants

February:

• New Orleans Bayou Bash
• Mardi Gras
• President's Day Weekend - Busiest Weekend of the Winter 
• Lunar New Year
• True Love Week - I wonder which week that is...
• Valentine's Day - Mickey and Minnie sitting in a tree...

March:

• St. Patrick's Day - Luck o' the Irish lads
• SIGNin' in the Street - Celebration of the creativity in the deaf community
• Easter Sunday - Nothing special planned but it's a holiday none the less

April:

• Disney's California Food and Wine Festival! Get your food and drink on!
• Spring Break! Parks are getting busier

May:

• Cinco de Mayo - Ole!
• Mother's Day - Flowers for all Mom's and special dining options
• Disneyland Grad Nights
• AIDS Walk Orange County - Walk through both parks before they open to support HIV/ AIDS organizations
• Beginning of SUMMER! Bring your bathing suits!

June:

• Summer continues through Early September - Crowds are getting heavier now - Nights are getting longer
• More Disneyland Grad Nights

July:

• Celebrate America - July 4th
• Orange County Fair
• Summer Continues on - Expect heavy crowds but longer park hours

August:

• Yup - SUMMER!
• D23 Expo
• Disneyland Half Marathon Weekend

September: 

• Summer is winding down - kids going back to school...
• Halloween Time starts

October:

• Halloween decorations are up, Haunted Mansion is converted and Space Mountain Ghost Galaxy is running!
• Haunted House Building workshop at Jazz Kitchen in Downtown Disney
• CHOC (Children's Hospital of Orange County) Disneyland Resort Walk - 5K
• Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party on select nights - Separate Ticket required

November:

• Last few days of Halloween decorations, rides and Special Fireworks
• Thanksgiving Day - Variety of Dining choices
• Christmas Season has arrived and decorations have gone up!

December:

• Christmas Time!
• Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party
• Candlelight Processional
• TUBAChristmas in Downtown Disney - Exactly what it sounds like - Tubas on parade

Unofficial Days at Disneyland:

• Gay Days - Changes yearly
• Dapper Days - Unofficial but always fun - Put on your Sunday Best for an evening and stroll the park - Generally occurs in February
• Taste of Downtown Disney - Changes yearly
• Bats Day in the Fun Park - Goth gathering at the parks - Around May
• Festival of the Whales at Dana Point - Street Fair - Around March

I hope this gets you started on helping to plan your visits. If you love food and wine, you now know to head down in April to get in on that! If you prefer the magic of Christmas, well you can figure out when to go...

I also get asked a lot about the best time to visit Disneyland. Well on a weekly basis Tuesday through Thursday are always the slowest days of the week. I can't really tell people what's the right time for them. If you travel during the time from January through May then it's slower periods (except President's Day Weekend). With parks being slower they are also reduced hours and have fewer of the special entertainment throughout the parks. 

If you want to spend upwards of 16 hours in the park, see every parade and every entertainment option, your best bet is to go in the Summer. You'll maybe hate the lines but you'll love all the extra entertainment options available. 

I promise to write more soon and include an updated chart that even shows rankings of slowest to busiest weeks at Disneyland (1 to 52).

I hope you find this information helpful and fun.

To find out more about me please visit my profile page: DisneyDan

Daniel Mullarkey

Daniel@destinationsinflorida.com

Disney World, Disney Cruise, Disneyland, Disney Hawaii, and Adventures by Disney Specialist

Universal Studios & Islands of Adventure Specialist

Orlando Travel Consultant

Southern California Travel Consultant

Destinations in Florida Travel is your PremEAR Disney World and Orlando Vacation Planners – Top 2009 Disney Destinations Sales Performer and 2010 & 2011 Universal Studios Travel Agency Partner of the Year

Follow Me on Facebook

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