Welcome to Ask The Duchess Vol. 5, 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’s going to happen to the Disneyland Railroad with Star Wars Land coming? (Submitted by Carl)
The short answer to this question is…nobody really knows. What we do know is that the Railroad is not going away, that there won’t be a new stop, and that the majority of the route is not going to change. However, there is no official word as to how the train will navigate the new land. My guess? The train will go through a tunnel so that it can’t be seen from Star Wars Land. Maybe you’ll be able to see a glimpse through a window (like with Splash Mountain), but I think the two will be separated.
2. Which ride gets you more wet: Grizzly River Run or Splash Mountain? (Submitted by Daniela)
Grizzly River Run, every time. I’ve managed to escape Splash Mountain with just wet feet a few times, but I promise you will not be that lucky on Grizzly. Believe me when I say you will be SOAKED through and through. It’s still incredibly fun, but you have to go in knowing you will not leave dry. With Splash Mountain, it’s more of a gamble; sometimes you get drenched, and sometimes you can avoid getting wet.
3. I know holidays are never an ideal time to visit the park, but my family might have to so that we can be together. Is there a holiday that’s worse than others to visit the park? (Submitted by Kathryn)
I completely understand your dilemma. Visiting the park during the holidays means it will be more crowded, but that doesn’t mean it won’t be fun; you just have to make heavy use of fast pass and the single rider lines, and prioritize the rides you really want to visit. The three worst holidays to visit are Christmas weekend, the 4th of July, and Thanksgiving weekend. Given how bad the crowds are during those times (an hour or more wait for every single ride), you’re not getting much value for your money.
4. Are both Disneyland and California Adventure alcohol-free? (Submitted by Anonymous)
No! Disneyland is a dry park, but California Adventure isn’t at all. In fact, it’s very common for people to walk around carrying a cup of beer or wine. You can’t bring outside drinks into the park or bring drinks onto rides, but there are tons of places in California Adventure where you can buy alcohol.
5. Do any rides have a specific car/boat you should try to get on? (Submitted by Damien)
Generally speaking, no. I’ve heard a million times that one of the teacups spins faster than the others, but that’s really just a myth. Most of the rides have vehicles with unique names or decoration, so a lot of frequent park visitors have a favorite. But ultimately, they all operate the same way, and there isn’t anything special about particular vehicles in each ride. There is one huge exception to this rule though: Luigi’s Rollickin’ Roadsters. Every Roadster “dances” differently, so each vehicle provides a unique experience.