Welcome to Ask The Duchess – Vol. 76, 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. Why is Star Tours in Tomorrowland if Star Wars Land is a separate area? (submitted by […] Read more…
Blue skies and sunshine! Summertime is in full swing at the Disneyland Resort, but so is construction. With ride overhauls, restaurant overhauls, new hotel towers, new characters, and Halloween info trickling in, there’s a lot going on at the resort. Let’s dive into the recap. THE FINAL DROP INTO THE BRIAR PATCH On May 30, […] Read more…
Source: Disneyland Resort ? – present LOCATION Disneyland Hotel – Disney’s Fantasia Shop is located inside the Disneyland Hotel’s Fantasy tower. To find the shop, walk underneath the sorcerer hat toward the pool, keeping to the right. You’ll see the shop’s marquee straight ahead, next to the Coffee House. EXPERIENCE Details: Merchandise – MagicBand+ accessories, […] Read more…
Pixar Pier is one of those instances where Disneyland didn’t exactly design from the ground up. Instead, Paradise Pier broke apart, with the boardwalk area getting some new coloring and details – but the bones were there. That’s largely why so much of the concept art is remarkably accurate compared to most imagery we see […] Read more…
Some queues in Disneyland are brutally boring; weaving back and forth in close proximity with absolutely nothing to look at. Roger Rabbit’s Car Toon Spin is not one of them. Let’s take a walk through downtown Toontown. First, our tour takes us down the avenue. There are so many cute doorways with colorful front lights […] Read more…
Source: Mickey Mouse Park July 1955 – February 1960 LOCATION Tomorrowland – Space Station X-1 hovered near the entrance to Tomorrowland, on the left side if you were facing the land from Main Street. Today, this space is part of Buzz Lightyear Astro Blasters. BACKGROUND When Disneyland first opened, Walt didn’t quite have enough cash […] Read more…
Whenever I visit Disneyland, I try to squeeze in a little time by the Rivers of America waterfront. There aren’t a ton of seating areas right by the water, so you have to be a bit intentional about spending time here when you’re not racing to rides or watching Fantasmic!. But a few years ago, […] Read more…
With the weather heating up and the California rainy season finally coming to an end, I’ve got summer on the brain. I’m so ready for beach afternoons and mudslides! But springtime is pretty magical at Disneyland too, with flowers of every color blooming and warmth before the sweltering heat sets in. If you’ve got a […] Read more…
In Avengers Campus, WEB isn’t just the byproduct of Peter Parker’s suit. The Worldwide Engineering Brigade (W.E.B.) brings together young engineers to develop new technologies, hone their skills, and above all, make the world a safer place. But did you know that you can see the current WEB engineering team? To find it, head over […] Read more…
Welcome to Ask The Duchess – Vol. 75, 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. Which characters “live” in Toontown? (submitted by Nia) There’s no clear cut answer to this question. […] Read more…
April at the Disneyland Resort was…a lot. From a major show incident to new shows/events to construction starting & about to start, there weren’t a lot of dull moments in the Disneyland news cycle. Let’s jump right in. MAJOR PYROTECHNICS…BY ACCIDENT During the April 23 Fantasmic! show, things did not go according to plan. Near […] Read more…
For all of Disneyland’s history, live entertainment has been an important part of the guest experience. From the Pearly Band in Fantasyland to the 5 and Dime on Buena Vista Street, various musical groups perform every day, all over the resort. In the late 1960s, one popular group was called The Kids of the Kingdom. Source: […] Read more…
December 2021 – present LOCATION Downtown Disney – Lovepop is tucked neatly into Downtown Disney’s large circular courtyard. To find the shop, head toward the center of the district (no matter which side you’re coming from). You’ll see the store within the circle on the south side, next to Pele. EXPERIENCE Details: Merchandise – Greeting […] Read more…
January 2001 – present LOCATION Grand Californian – Napa Rose is the Grand Californian’s signature restaurant. If you’re coming from the hotels’ central atrium, follow the walkway past Acorn Gifts & Goods toward the pools. Keep going straight and you’ll see Napa Rose straight ahead, very close to the hotel’s private entrance to California Adventure. […] Read more…