Disneyland is the “Original” and I believe you can feel that the moment you step onto the property. For this self professed “East Coast Girl”, there is something truly “magical” about walking into the park that started it all!
I’ve been to Walt Disney World in Florida close to 20 times in my life, but this was truly a treat. You can really feel Walt Disney in the parks, and you can even take a walk through a mini-museum and see the bench where Walt sat and dreamed up the concept for Disneyland while his daughters rode a carousel.
Differences From Sister Park
While very much like its sister park in Florida, Disneyland has some attractions that are special just for the West Coast parks. The Matterhorn, probably the most famous “mountain” in Disneyland, stands tall and prominent as you enter Disneyland Park. While the Pixar Pal-A-Round Ferris Wheel is the staple attraction over at California Adventure Park. Both are must do’s on a Disneyland visit (those who are less adventurous may have to take one for the team.. haha). Be sure to check out Cars Land and take a ride on the Radiator Springs Racers.
Some of the Same
Although Pirates of the Caribbean and It’s a Small World are popular at Disney World, they are slightly different in Disneyland, which makes them stand out (or even better, in my opinion).
Avengers Campus
Avengers Campus is another area that you can only find at the Disneyland Resort. If you are a SuperHero fan like me, this is a MUST do. Check out Spider-man Web Slingers or Guardians of the Galaxy Mission Breakout (my personal favorite). Check out a fantastic show, or grab a really cool (and gigantic) bite to eat at Pym’s lab. I think the late Stan Lee would certainly be proud.
Shows
Let’s talk shows… Fireworks are amazing, and don’t even get me started about Fantasmic at Disneyland. (ok.. too late.. you got me started. haha) Oh my! I have to admit, I wasn’t overly excited about seeing Fantasmic, since I’ve seen the Disney World version about a dozen times in my life… but… I didn’t want to cause resistance with my colleagues so I reluctantly agreed. Wow! Amazing! What a show! Don’t miss this one! Better yet, participate in the Dinner Show Packages and get preferred seating for this one! World of Color is another show, exclusive to Disneyland; so beautiful, and well.. colorful, as the name would imply.
Edible Offerings
And food.. Mmm.. food is so very good in Disneyland. Whether it’s a dinner, such as the Monte Crisco sandwich at Blue Bayou, or a quick snack of lobster nachos, cheesy corn dog, or the infamous Mickey Mouse rice crispy treat covered in chocolate and mini M&Ms.. There are no boundaries when it comes to amazing food!
With three amazing resort hotels within walking distance to the parks, Downtown Disney, and 2 parks adjacent to each other, a Disneyland Vacation is so laid back and should be on every Disney fans bucket list.
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Thanks to Embrace the Journey Travel Planner, Tracy Devlin, for writing this blog post for us. You can learn more about Tracy here.