Notes on Disneyland

By Evan — — Personal

Last weekend Sarah and I zipped down to LA to spend two days at Disneyland. Last time I was there, the Indiana Jones ride was brand new. My, how time flies…

  • People complain about the ticket prices, but honestly, they’re not bad. A single day ticket is $69, which is comparable to Great America at $55, and I think we can all stipulate that Disneyland is easily more than 25.4% cooler than Great America.
  • On the other hand, the food isn’t very good. And the Blue Bayou is up to $30 at lunch, and $50 at dinner, which is insane.
  • The best time of year to go to Disneyland is probably October. The weather’s cooler (but still warm), rain is still pretty unlikely, and the crowds are smaller.
  • The best time of day to be at Disneyland is 11pm-midnight.
  • Sign #1 that I’m no longer a teenager: It is now impossible to do Disneyland without taking a nap in the early afternoon.
  • Somehow in all my previous visits, I had missed the Tiki-tiki-tiki-tiki-tiki Room. I’ll have to ask my folks whether this was intentional.
  • Sarah: “This is how Buzz Lightyear works. First, you sit down in the car. Then, you try to shoot all the targets. Then, I kick your ass.” Final score: Evan – 14,000, Sarah, 450,000.
  • Little kids at Disneyland are even cuter than you would think they would be.
  • The “wildlife” that you see during the Mark Twain riverboat ride are looking a little dilapidated. Also, if you want to force the nap issue, there’s nothing like sitting on the front deck of the riverboat in full sun.
  • Space Mountain is nearly the same, but the beginning part (the space warp) is a little more 21st century. Well done.
  • I totally did not look at the Eye in the Indiana Jones ride, but we ended up flying through the cursed temple anyway. Man, I hate when people do that.
  • While we’re on the subject of Indiana Jones, a Public Service Announcement. Tickling the back of your boyfriend’s neck when the car is going through the tunnel of creepy-crawlies: NOT FUNNY.
  • The Haunted Mansion is all tricked out with Nightmare Before Christmas decorations. I like Nightmare Before Christmas, but the Haunted Mansion is definitely less scary.
  • Pirates of the Caribbean is not improved with multiple Johnny Depps.
  • Park employee: “So what ride did you all just come from?” Sarah: “The bathroom ride.” Park employee: “Ah, that’s one of our most popular rides.”
  • California Adventure is… actually pretty good!
  • But the main entrance is all decked out with candy corn and … there was no candy corn for sale. I don’t get it.
  • Sign #2 that I’m no longer a teenager: The California Screamin’ roller coaster looked too damn big and fast to ride. I haven’t actually been afraid of any roller coaster in over twenty years. This was a sad epiphany for me.
  • Nonetheless, one can admire California Screamin’ from afar — it’s pretty impressive how it can launch people almost immediately up to 55 mph. I hear it’s some kind of super-advanced maglev system. No word on whether the super-advanced brain-upload + clone backup facilities are up and running too, which frankly is the only way I’m ever getting on this thing.
  • Toy Story is better than Buzz Lightyear, and not just because I almost beat Sarah.
  • You’re much better off buying wine in Real California than Fake California.
  • Hidden gem of the park: Turtle Talk with Crush the Turtle.
  • Characters seen: not too many. Aladdin, Harvest Goofy, and Harvest Minnie (cute). But the best was saved for last: the Wicked Queen from Snow White! She’s no Maleficent, but she’ll do.

8 thoughts on “Notes on Disneyland”

  1. >> Final score: Evan – 14,000, Sarah, 450,000.

    Dude. I’ve never even met her, but your girlfriend just got 300% hotter. Keep that woman.

    >> Tickling the back of your boyfriend’s neck when the car is going through the tunnel of creepy-crawlies: NOT FUNNY.

    Hahaha!

    >> Harvest Goofy

    Not to be confused with Red Harvest Goofy or Blue Harvest Goofy.

    >> The best time of day to be at Disneyland is 11pm-midnight.

    This begs for an explanation. Well, as long as it’s PG.

  2. G explanation: 11pm-midnight is the best time of day because it’s nice and cool, and the park has cleared out to the point where you can hop on some great rides with no lines.

    PG explanation: You can get on Pirates of the Caribbean and have a boat all to yourself and your girlfriend, which means you can play kissy-face!

  3. I liked the Tiki room, but my kids were not thrilled.

    Only non ripoff food I found (did not look hard) was the corn dogs just past the end of main street, a little pricey, but big and good, made in front of you.

  5. Evan,

    I live near Euro Disney, Paris, and your list nearly applies perfectly here. Only thing is the characters who check their watch to see if it is lunch time, and walk away from children begging for autographs the moment the clock strikes noon. They must really like the sound of crying…

  6. David – yikes, that’s really disappointing. Maybe they’re just doing their part to make sure Euro Disney doesn’t knock Disneyland out of the running for “Happiest Place on Earth”….

  7. Re: Candy Corn at California Adventure – I believe it’s there because that’s where they do their Halloween Trick or Treat thing (after hours, additional price).

    I do agree CA Adventure is one of the best kept secrets of Disneyland. I hear it’ll be changing soon, though 🙁

    I also agree that Johnny Depp on PotC is lame.

  8. The changes to California Adventure don’t look so bad — they’re putting in a Cars land, with racing cars and everything. That’s pretty awesome, no?

    What I wasn’t clear on was — they might be knocking out the little tour of the mini sourdough factory. Or as Sarah and I refer to it, “The Bread Ride.”

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