March 1967 – present LOCATION New Orleans Square – The Blue Bayou is truly a restaurant hidden in plain sight; it’s inside Pirates of the Caribbean! To find the entrance to the restaurant, head down Royal Street (the street to the right of the Pirates entrance). You’ll see an ornate waiting room and a check-in […] Read more…
Time in the park goes by so quickly, doesn’t it? The good news is, Disneyland offers extra magic in the form of extra park hours! There are two different bonus hour offerings at the Resort: Extra Magic Hour, and Magic Morning. Extra Magic Hour Guests of one of the three Disneyland Resort Hotels (Disneyland Hotel, […] Read more…
Welcome to Ask The Duchess Vol. 13, a monthly Q&A post covering a variety of resort-related topics. Ask The Duchess answers questions submitted by readers. If you have a question you’d like answered, send me a message here! 1. What time does guest relations close? (Submitted by Angelina) The guest relations buildings are open as long as the park is open! If you […] Read more…
November marks a huge shift at the Disneyland Resort. On October 31st, Halloween rules the kingdom. But on November 1st, BAM! Holiday time. Overlays, construction, and news aplenty this month. Let’s get started! HOLIDAY OVERLAYS Now that Disneyland is in full holiday mode, most of the park is shining in green and red (more pictures […] Read more…
With Star Wars Land construction changing much of the park’s landscape, Disneyland’s Railroad will be closed until the new land’s debut. But this closure isn’t all bad; guests now have a unique opportunity to get up close and personal with the train! Let’s go behind the scenes at the Disneyland Railroad. Stop by the New […] Read more…
Now that Thanksgiving has ended and we’re all recovering from our food comas, it’s time to shift our attention to the holidays. Whether you celebrate Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, Ramadan, or another holiday, you’re probably thinking about doing a little shopping. And why not add a little Disneyland magic to your gifts? The following is my list of […] Read more…
Once the Halloween season wraps up in Disneyland, the park goes into full holiday mode. Snow, wreaths, garlands, and ornaments flood the park, and the Dapper Dans bust out their best renditions of winter classics. So what exactly can you expect from a wintertime trip to the Disneyland Resort? LAND CHANGES In Disneyland, Main Street […] Read more…
Now that the holiday season is in full swing at Disneyland, the spirit seems to be rubbing off on California Adventure. For the first time, the resort’s newer park is hosting a winter celebration, for Christmas (& Navidad), Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, and Diwali. The festival has taken over most of Pacific Wharf and Paradise Pier. Stop by […] Read more…
Disneyland tends to keep storytelling elements distinctly separated by land. You’d be hard pressed to find any cowboys outside of Frontierland, or rockets beyond the borders of Tomorrowland. But there is one exception to this rule…an out-of-place hidden gem: Mrs. Potts and Chip. Welcome to Adventureland, a land celebrating the world’s most exotic and remote jungles. Let’s take […] Read more…
One of the most common questions I’m asked is, “what’s in my park bag?” My answer is: not much. I don’t have kids and I generally visit with groups of friends, so I don’t have to worry about bottles or medication or other things larger families might need to bring. But I do pack differently depending on […] Read more…
Disney has always been creative with attraction technology. With holograms, animatronics, tubular coasters, and the Pepper’s Ghost Illusion, there are countless tricks and moving parts that make rides and shows so magical. One of Disney’s own patented technologies created a whole new type of attraction, with forced sight lines and more room for equipment without the […] Read more…
January 2001 – present LOCATION Downtown Disney – Sephora is one of the larger stores in the Downtown Disney district. You can find it on the southern side, next to the Grand Californian entrance off the strip. EXPERIENCE Details: Merchandise – cosmetics & beauty accessories Price Range – most individual products are under $50, with […] Read more…
There’s been so much drama in the news this week, thanks to the United States’ presidential election. I have no intention of going political on this blog, so I’m not going to comment on it. But with all the heightened emotions happening right now, I’ve found myself taking a step back and trying to be […] Read more…
I have to admit…I’m a sucker for a Disney tee. And when I can’t find one that has a particular image or style I’m looking for, I make my own! And you can too, with this super simple DIY project. What you’ll need: Computer & printer A photo transfer kit (I used Transfermations for dark material) […] Read more…