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…
Main Street USA’s City Hall is a busy place. They can help you with basically any possible question you may have, or get you a special pin to celebrate all kinds of occasions. But as you leave City Hall, you may notice a small table to the left of the doorway. What’s remarkable about this […] Read more…
Source: Disney Mouse Links February 2001 – September 2010 LOCATION Paradise Pier – Catch A Flave overlooked the bay and California Screamin’s launch point, on the far side of the land. Today, this space houses Paradise Pier Ice Cream Company. EXPERIENCE Details: Service Type – quick service Seating – nearby benches Entertainment – none Catch A Flav […] Read more…
Tomorrowland is a tricky land to capture in photos. My pics tend to either be completely overwhelmed by crowds, or look too grey and industrial. But if you’re patient and a little creative, you can capture some really beautiful spots across the land. Tomorrowland is much more than Space Mountain, Star Tours, and the Astro […] Read more…
Source: The Disney Blog June 1957 – September 1961 BACKGROUND From the beginning, Walt and his Imagineers knew Disneyland would grow. They envisioned a resort, rather than a single park, much like we have today. So within two years of the park’s opening, Disneyland debuted an adjacent “land” outside of the park gates: Holidayland. This open […] Read more…
Welcome to Ask The Duchess Vol. 20, 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 is the difference between Casey Jr. and the Canal Boats, just the vehicles? (submitted by Deanna) Yes and no. They cover similar ground, […] Read more…
Happy July! Is it just me, or is this year flying by? Seems like 5 minutes ago I was admiring the first spring flowers in Disneyland, and now the park is in full summer glow. June brought more Disney drama, some excitement on the Rivers of America, and some upgrades, both new and rumored. Let’s […] Read more…
At Disneyland, 4th of July celebrations actually last about a week. Now through July 3, the resort is hosting special celebrations to drum up excitement for Independence Day. Disney encourages visitors to wear red, white, and blue to the park, and both Disneyland and California Adventure have special performances happening throughout the day. Photo: Disney […] Read more…
Source: Disney Pal May 1998 – January 2010 LOCATION Tomorrowland – Honey I Shrunk The Audience! used the Tomorrowland theater, located beneath Space Mountain. Today, this theater space routinely changes between Star Wars film clips, Disney movie trailers, and limited-time releases, including the return of Captian EO. BACKGROUND Honey, I Shrunk The Audience! began in […] Read more…
This week, Disneyland rolled out a brand new upgrade to fast pass: digital scanning! This is the first step in preparing for the MaxPass system, which will be arriving in the park sometime in the near future. Paper tickets are not going away. Instead, when you scan your ticket or annual pass, you’ll get a […] Read more…
Tomorrowland has the most active skyline of any land in the park; around every corner you’ll see flying rockets, a mountain, towering tracks, and lots of geometric architecture. But you may notice one structure flying high above the rest: the Moonliner! This rocket is a 2/3 replica of the original Tomorrowland Moonliner, which stood at […] Read more…
Source: Passporter February 2001 – June 2009 LOCATION Paradise Pier – Souvenir 66 was the old-fashioned souvenir shop along the waterfront, across from the Golden Zephyr. Today, the structure remains, but has been rethemed as Seaside Souvenirs. EXPERIENCE Details: Merchandise – Assorted Disney collectibles, including pins, toys, hats, books, etc. Unique Features – Lighthouse roof, […] Read more…
One of my favorite lands to photograph has to be Fantasyland; every angle is gorgeous, with mountains, turrets, flowers, trees, and gold detailing in any direction you look. Between racing from attraction to attraction, I always stop to snap some pictures as I explore this beautiful section of the park. Here’s a little tribute to […] Read more…
Source: Matterhorn 1959 July 1955 – January 1997 LOCATION Main Street USA – Carnation Ice Cream Parlor occupied prime real estate on Main Street, at the corner intersection where the road opens up into two alleyways. Today, this space is used by the Carnation Café. EXPERIENCE Details: Service Type – table service Seating – indoor […] Read more…