April 2016 – October 2017 LOCATION Downtown Disney – Chapel Hats was a smaller shop in Downtown Disney’s central circle, which surrounded the Uva Bar. If you were coming from the hotels, you’x find Chapel Hats on your left, just beyond Build-A-Bear Worshop. EXPERIENCE Details: Merchandise – Hats, hair accessories, and weather accessories Unique Features […] Read more…
Disneyland always throws a good party. So when the 50th anniversary arrived, guests couldn’t wait to see the park pull out all the stops. This massive celebration, known as the “Happiest Homecoming On Earth”, set a precedent for over-the-top anniversaries in the park, a tradition carried on for the Diamond Jubilee in 2015. PREPARING THE […] Read more…
Confession time: I am TERRIBLE at Midway Mania. Or at least, I was…until I started learning some little tricks to help build up my score. Midway Mania isn’t just about being the fastest. There are certain moves to make and targets to shoot that will help you fly past your opponent. So what can you […] Read more…
I love reading about Disneyland’s history. It’s so fascinating to learn not just what appeared when, but why the park developed the way it did, and the thinking behind each choice. So when a family friend recommended I read The Disneyland Story, I couldn’t wait to pick it up! PREMISE The Disneyland Story is all […] Read more…
Source: Pendleton July 1955 – April 1990 LOCATION Frontierland – Pendleton Woolen Mills Dry Goods Store (what a mouthful!) had a central location in Frontierland. The shop’s massive storefront, complete with a porch, stood between the Golden Horseshoe and the corner Frontier Arcade, later another shop. Today, the storefronts in Frontierland’s square connect into a […] Read more…
What sets Disneyland apart from other amusement parks is its storytelling; each attraction takes riders into a new world, with a plot, major characters, and lots of detail. And while most attractions have a pretty obvious premise, there are some with backstories so subtle, they often go unnoticed. Here are some of Disneyland’s most subtle […] Read more…
Welcome to Ask The Duchess Vol. 21, 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. I am a frequent Disney World visitor but have never been to Disneyland. I have heard that churros are everywhere – which would be […] Read more…
Happy July! Here in California we’ve been experiencing one heat wave after another, but that hasn’t seemed to slow down Disneyland news and happenings in the slightest. We had another month of news, celebrations, and unfortunately, the loss of a Disney legend. Let’s take a look back on this month at the Disneyland Resort. DISNEYLAND […] Read more…
January 2001 – present LOCATION Downtown Disney – La Brea Express is part of the larger La Brea Bakery, at the end of Downtown Disney. If you head toward the park gates, you’ll see La Brea on your right; it’s the last building before you hit the esplanade between Disneyland and California Adventure. EXPERIENCE Details: […] Read more…
Pacific Wharf is one of those lands no one talks about. It’s just a couple of restaurants between Cars Land and Paradise Park, right? Wrong! Pacific Wharf brings Monterey’s Cannery Row and San Francisco’s Fisherman Wharf into California Adventure. The land’s beautiful details and sweeping waterfront make it one of the most scenic lands in […] Read more…
Have you ever noticed two cannons in Main Street USA’s square? These are the famous Town Square Cannons, on the street since 1955. These are real 19th century cannons, once in the possession of the French army. They were never fired in battle, and have now been sealed for permanent use as monuments. When designing […] Read more…
This may seem like an insane post to write in the middle of July, but in the world of Disney…Halloween buzz starts long before fall! Disneyland just announced the lineup for Halloween this year, which includes the coveted Mickey’s Halloween Party, brand new overlays, and all kinds of magical fun. MICKEY’S HALLOWEEN PARTY Mickey’s Halloween […] Read more…
Disney promised that Day 2 would be huge for Disney Parks, and they weren’t joking. The majority of annoucements involved Walt Disney World, but Disneyland got its own share of news…and drama. Here’s what happened on the Disneyland side of D23 – Day 2. CROWDS CONTINUE Good things and bad things came with the crowds […] Read more…
If you follow Disney on any form of social media, you’ve probably seen “D23” EVERYWHERE. D23 is Disney’s bi-annual convention, where they announce the biggest news of the year. This includes parks, animation, live action movies, Pixar, Marvel, cruise line, you name it. But since this blog is focused on Disneyland specifically, I’m going to […] Read more…