Welcome to Ask The Duchess – Vol. 81, 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 are your favorite topics to blog about, and least favorite? (submitted by Jonathan) My favorites […] Read more…
Happy November! And…happy official holiday season for many. Disneyland kicks off its official season on the 10th, but honestly…the decor is all up now. Let’s take a look back at the last of the fall happenings before we fully switch gears into winter wonderland mode. DOWNTOWN DISNEY’S NEW EATS This month, Disney announced a LOT […] Read more…
Happy trunk or treat! (Or if you’re not in Cars Land at the moment, happy Halloween!) The candy supply is running low, Oogie Boogie’s tired, and the castle rooftop is ready for snow. But today, let’s savor the last moments of this year’s Halloween season with a quick look back at some spooky decor throughout […] Read more…
Stroll the Haunted Mansion grounds, and you’ll notice a little detail on the front lawn. This strange pedestal is the Haunted Mansion sundial, with a message engraved for visiting mortals. The sundial reads: GROW OLD ALONG WITH ME – THE BEST IS YET TO BE Source: Disneyland Today So, if you decide not to join […] Read more…
As I was organizing some folders on my computer recently, I realized it has been a while since I shared some snapshots! To refresh your memory (or for anyone who’s new here), from time to time I like to share photos I’ve taken that won’t necessarily fit into a blog post; I just think they’re […] Read more…
I tend to get a lot of emails & DMs with questions about parking at the Disneyland Resort, and I totally get it…how do you know where to go, or which transit vehicles take you to what structures? Luckily, the west coast resort is much smaller and simpler to navigate than Walt Disney World, but […] Read more…
Sometimes the most important details in Disneyland are the ones you never think twice about. Easy example: landscape architecture. Do you notice the subtle changes in trees from land to land? Probably not. But these kinds of design elements shape the storytelling and help distinguish each land. Today, let’s talk about the woman behind this […] Read more…
When you imagine a Disney employee – what job do you picture? An animator? A parks employee? A Disney store salesperson? While those are all definitely cast member positions, there are actually a ton of different departments and roles within Disney, many you’ve probably never heard of. Thus, One Day at Disney, a series designed to […] Read more…
When designing an out-of-this-world land, Imagineers have to have out-of-this-world imaginations, with concept art to match. But as I was looking through Galaxy’s Edge concept art, I was amazed to discover that most of it is remarkably close to the final product, especially compared to other lands at the resort. While sometimes scale is a little […] Read more…
Welcome to Ask The Duchess – Vol. 80, 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. As a first time Disneyland visitor, I’m trying to weigh prioritizing California Adventure over Disneyland because […] Read more…
Now that it’s October, Disneyland is in the home stretch of one of my favorite seasons of the year. In “normal life” I really don’t care that much about Halloween, but the park knows how to get even indifferent Halloween fans like me into the spirit. Bright fall colors, pumpkins, TONS of villains roaming the […] Read more…
I don’t think it’s much of a surprise to most that the Disneyland Hotel looks dramatically different than it did in 1955. But did you know that it once had its own marina? Source: OC Register From 1970 – 1988, the hotel had a decently sized waterway complete with remote control boats. The marina also […] Read more…
For some, visiting Disneyland is a bravery test. Not everyone loves the thrill and intensity of the “bigger” rides, and it’s especially tough when you’re the only one in your group feeling the pressure. In those cases, you might have a minute of bravery getting in line…and then have immediate regrets. If that’s the case […] Read more…
I don’t know about you, but I’ve been hearing there are a lot of interesting things going on at the Worldwide Engineering Brigade (WEB). They’re having an open house today at their Avengers Campus location…should we stop by? Our tour of the facility starts in the courtyard. This whole building houses a program funded by […] Read more…