I took my first visit to Disneyland when I was only one. I visited most years with either my parents or my grandparents. I went there almost every year until 2016 when I became an Annual Passholder at Disney World. For spring break this year, I decided it was time to go back to my Disney roots and take the trip out to California.
For me, California is a quick two hour direct flight, preferably into the Orange County Airport. Once our plane landed, It took us less than an hour to check in to the hotel and get on our first ride at Disneyland. The hotel we stayed at is located directly across the street from the entrance. It took five minutes to walk from our hotel room door to the entrance of Disneyland. A trip to the Disneyland Resort can be incredibly convenient since both parks and Downtown Disney are all within walking distance of each other and many hotels.
The moment you step onto Main Street U.S.A. you can sense Walt’s Disney magic everywhere. When you look at the window above the fire station, you can still see the lamp light on in his memory. This was Walt’s apartment. Walt used to look out the window and watch all of the happy faces as they entered the park. That is what makes Disneyland so special. You can feel Walt’s touch everywhere. He rode the rides and brought his family there. It may be smaller than Disney World, but it makes up for it in quality.
On this trip, my son and I ate lunch at the Blue Bayou. This is probably in my top 3 of all restaurants between Disneyland and Disney World. You can’t beat the ambiance. The romantic feel of the bayou and the view of the boats going by as they enter the Pirates of the Caribbean ride is so serene. The food is also tasty, especially the famous Monte Cristo sandwich! The Blue Bayou is also one of the restaurants that offers a Fantasmic dining package. The dining package is a fixed price for adults and children and includes a starter, an entree, and a dessert. As a surprise, we also received comfy mats to sit on for the Fantasmic show.
As part of the Mickey’s 90th birthday celebration this year, there are special meal offerings, snacks, and merchandise. Eli and I shared a Mickey Mouse shake in California Adventure and it was absolutely delicious and adorable! This is also one of the best times of year to catch Mickey’s Soundsational Parade and Mickey’s Mix Magic nighttime show. As always, Disney entertainment offerings will not disappoint!
This trip was also my first experience with MaxPass. I thought I had the FastPass system at Disneyland down pat but using the MaxPass was a game changer. MaxPass allows you to make FastPass reservations right from your phone as soon as you enter the park. Plus, you can continue to make other FastPasses from your phone everytime your window opens again, which was about every 90 minutes. If you don’t use MaxPass, you have to run around the park to each separate FastPass distribution machine to get your FastPasses for the day. MaxPass will save you a significant amount of time during your trip. At one point, I had four FastPasses that I was able to get within just a few hours - something you’re not able to do at Disney World. Continuously checking the app and paying close attention to the time will allow you to make the most of your FastPasses and considerably cut down your wait times.
So, if you haven’t been to Disneyland, or if it’s been awhile, get your ears on a take the trip! Visit the park that started it all for Mickey’s birthday celebration and give a nod to Walt as you walk by the fire station. To start planning your trip, contact your On The Road Travel Agent. You can also connect with us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
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