Welcome to Ask The Duchess Vol. 16, 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. How does buying a ticket work? Where do I go, what do I need? (submitted by Angela)
You have two options when it comes to buying tickets: you can purchase them online ahead of time, or get to the esplanade and buy one from a ticket kiosk. I would STRONGLY recommend buying ahead. The tickets will be the exact same price, so all you’re doing is saving yourself waiting in an extra line when you’re ready to hit the parks.
You can purchase your tickets on the official site here, or through the Disneyland app. If you purchase through the app, make sure to have it up and ready on your phone for scanning. If you purchase on your computer, print out the ticket page. In either case, go directly to the gates. You don’t have to wait in line at a ticket kiosk.
2. How long does it take to drive from Disneyland to Universal Studios? (submitted by Carlos)
It depends on so many factors. Unfortunately, you have to drive straight through LA to get there, which is notoriously unpredictable. Without traffic (if you leave really early in the morning or really late at night), it should take about an hour. But if you leave midday, during rush hour, or if there happens to be construction or an event in town, it could be double that time.
3. Which park is older: Disneyland or Walt Disney World? (submitted by Annika)
Disneyland! It’s the original Disney park. Disneyland opened in 1955, and Walt Disney World opened in 1971. Walt was involved in the initial designs of Disney World, but he sadly died before it was completed.
4. Do you ever play “Heads Up” when you’re in line? (submitted by Mitchie)
I love that game! But I don’t play it in line, only because it drains my phone’s battery really fast. I do see people playing it all the time, though.
5. What do you think Walt would think about Disneyland today? (submitted by Nina)
Honestly, I have no idea. Nobody does, and anyone that tells you different is being unfair. How can we speculate the opinion of someone who died 50 years ago? But I do think he’d be so happy to know his park is still growing, since he famously said that “Disneyland will never be complete.”
The only thing I disagree with is your answer to “What do you think Walt would think about Disneyland today?”
Walt’s brother Roy once said that “it’s not hard to make decisions when you know what your values are.”
We don’t still have the privilege of Walt being here, but we do know his values.
And I truly believe that, overall (and based on his own words and actions while he was still alive), Walt would be very happy with Disneyland today…but he would also have some major complaints about certain things. I believe that his happiness would outweigh his frustration, but there are DEFINITELY things that he would want changed.
Interesting thoughts, Ahnsael. What do you think he would have been unhappy with?
The first thing that comes to mind is that I think the evolution of Tomorrowland, from a land based on science and hope for the future, to an IP playground based mostly on fictional conflict, would be a sore spot for him.
I also doubt that he’d want an outside company running Tokyo Disneyland (as fantastic of a job as the Oriental Land Company has done over there, sometimes out-Disney-ing Disney). I’d include Disneyland Paris as well, but Disney last month started making moves to regain control over that resort).
At the same time, I remember the first time I rode Indiana Jones and the Temple of the Forbidden Eye in Adventureland during cast member previews, and my first thought when I disembarked was “Walt would have LOVED this.”
As I mentioned, I think that overall Walt would be very happy with the park and its continued growth. As you pointed out, he did say that Disneyland would never be complete as long as there is imagination left in the world. And they haven’t forgotten that it all started with a mouse (after it started with Oswald, and after it started with the Alice comedies — they didn’t lead directly to Disneyland as well as Mickey did, but they DID lead to the “Mouse that runs the House”).
One thing I won’t even venture to guess is how he would respond to the current cost to enter. It’s a tough balancing act; you want Disneyland to be accessible to everyone, but it’s expensive to run a park like Disneyland. Also, if the price was still down where it was 10 years ago, they’d be turning people away every single day. So when it comes to admission costs and annual increases, as frustrating as they are for some visitors (and understandably so), the economic and crowd-size realities may have been enough to get him on board.
And of course, this is all just my own opinion on the subject. I have many friends who agree with you 100%, that none of us can truly know how Walt would have reacted to things today (in fact, there’s one in particular who will probably yell at me if he sees this page and my comment). I just wanted to throw out an alternative viewpoint on the subject, but I certainly can’t be certain that I’m right. It’s just as likely that I’m completely wrong, that Walt’s values would have evolved (for better or for worse),
Thank you for sharing! You definitely raise some interesting points. I think my biggest question would also be how he’d feel about the cost. I can see the conflict between accessibility and the reality of cost, and how it’s such a moneymaker for the larger company. And the outside company point is a good one too – I know he was very unhappy about the fact that the original “sponsored” attractions in the park were not Disney controlled.
Again, thank you for your thoughts! It’s always wonderful to hear different perspectives.