July 1955 – present BACKGROUND Modeled after Walt Disney’s hometown of Marceline, Missouri, Main Street USA is park guests’ first glimpse of Disneyland. Imagineers wanted guests to be immediately taken away from their normal lives and into a completely different place and time, thus the old-timey feel of the land. Main Street USA is set […] Read more…
June 1959 – present LOCATION Fantasyland – When facing the castle from Main Street USA, follow the path on the right-hand side and you will see Matterhorn Mountain. BACKGROUND When the park first opened, the ground that had been hollowed out for the castle moat was piled to the right of the castle. This area […] Read more…
July 1955 – present LOCATION Fantasyland – When entering through the Castle, you will find it on the right, just after the archway leading to Tomorrowland. BACKGROUND At first, Walt Disney envisioned a ride in which guests flew through Neverland as if they were Peter. Confused guests didn’t understand why Peter wasn’t found anywhere in […] Read more…
May 1966 – present LOCATION Fantasyland – At the very back, right before the path to Toontown. If you take the path to the right of the castle, you will reach It’s A Small World after passing the Storybook Land Canal Boats. BACKGROUND It’s A Small World was originally conceived of as a celebratory exhibit […] Read more…
The worst kept secret of Disneyland veterans is the Fast Pass. These are incredible time-savers and both free and easy to use, so it amazes me that most park guests don’t take advantage of them. I recommend that even on lightly-attended park days, visitors use as many fast passes as possible…there’s really no reason not […] Read more…
Disneyland has tons of rides for kids and adults of all ages, but getting your money’s worth from the park seems difficult if your kids are hesitant about braving the coasters. When I was little, I was afraid of EVERYTHING: roller coasters, dark rides, you name it! For me, it was the tamer the better. […] Read more…
July 1955 – present BACKGROUND Without a doubt, Fantasyland is the most famous and heavily visited area in Disneyland. Walt Disney envisioned Fantasyland as a place for children to become part of the stories they loved, and was supposedly his favorite area in the park. Fantasyland is styled as a medieval Bavarian village, but stays […] Read more…
June 2010 – present LOCATION Paradise Park – On the water overlooking Mickey’s Fun Wheel and California Screamin’. To view World of Color, head to your designated fast pass tier, or ask a cast member for assistance. BACKGROUND When California Adventure began its major expansion from 2007-2012, Imagineers wanted to create a show somewhat like Fantasmic! […] Read more…
June 1958 – present LOCATION Fantasyland — Alice In Wonderland is nestled in between the Matterhorn Bobsleds, the Storybook Land Canal Boats, and the Mad Tea Party. If you are standing facing the front of the castle, take the path to Fantasyland on the right and you should see the ride on your left. BACKGROUND […] Read more…
July 1966 – present BACKGROUND New Orleans Square was not one of the original lands in Disneyland, but its conceptualization began almost immediately after Opening Day in 1955. Imagineers envisioned an old timey square for park guests to relax in, with restaurants, shops, and waterfront views of the Rivers of America, and in 1966, New […] Read more…
July 1955 – present LOCATION Fantasyland – When entering from the castle, you will find it on the right hand side, just beyond Peter Pan’s Flight. BACKGROUND This ride is one of the few rides remaining that was in full operation on Opening Day in 1955. Based on the characters from the 1908 story The […] Read more…
July 1955 – present BACKGROUND Frontierland was dedicated on Opening Day in 1955 as a land to memorialize and celebrate the past. Originally, the land had no attractions and served as an open space for guests to take rides on wagons and pack mules, or to wander a number of walking trails. A small mine train […] Read more…
November 1988 – present BACKGROUND Critter Country has been Disneyland’s problem child since 1956. In the beginning, it wasn’t Critter Country at all – the space was an extension of Frontierland called Indian Village, and housed Native American shows and attractions, including dances and canoeing. But the land wasn’t very popular among park guests, and Disney […] Read more…
July 1955 – present BACKGROUND Adventureland opened as one of the original lands in 1955. With the tremendous success of his Asian and African nature documentaries, Walt envisioned a land that would combine elements of the world’s jungles and rainforests, offering park guests the chance to immerse themselves in the exotic worlds they admired on […] Read more…