Welcome to Ask The Duchess – Vol. 109, 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. Do I need to pay admission to visit Downtown Disney? (submitted by Raina)
Nope! You will have to go through security to visit, but it’s completely free and doesn’t require any type of ticket to enter.
2. When people talk about the “esplanade”, what does that mean? (submitted by Chad WDW)
The esplanade is the huge open courtyard between the park gates to Disneyland and California Adventure. From the esplanade, you can reach Harbor Blvd to the east, Downtown Disney to the west, Disneyland to the north, and California Adventure to the south.
3. I’m not sure if my daughter is ready for roller coasters. How do I gauge that? (submitted by Ayla)
This one is tricky to answer, because nobody knows your child better than you do. Here are some tricks a friend of mine used when she was in your shoes:
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- Watch some ride POV videos on YouTube with her. While it’s not exactly a realistic feeling of the ride, she may already have enough info from that to know she’s not ready.
- Work your way up. Don’t go from zero to the Incredicoaster. Start with the Go Coaster, then move up to Goofy’s Sky School, then try Radiator Springs Racers…you get the idea.
- Most importantly: let her lead, and don’t pressure her. Some people just aren’t roller coaster people, and that’s perfectly okay. And if she gets almost all the way and chickens out in line at the last second, don’t make her feel bad. She did her best!
4. Not really a question, but I hate how the gift shops are more and more all just selling the same 10 shirts. I like when different areas have difference merch. (submitted by Catherine)
I completely agree with you!
5. What ride at the resort do you feel like has the biggest “wow” factor the first time you ride? (submitted by Joshuen)
Rise of the Resistance, and nobody else comes close. I highly, highly recommend going on for the first time with as little information as possible.