California Adventure - Sunshine Plaza

Sunshine Plaza is currently undergoing some massive refurbishments and will have changed significantly since my visit. For all the updated information visit the official Disneyland webpage at http://disneyland.disney.go.com or the Disney Parks Blog at http:// disneyparks.disney.go.com/blog/


Sunshine Plaza was the area you first walked into as you went through the turnstiles at California Adventure. Obviously, this has now changed, but I'll give you a little bit of background information anyway!

The "old" entrance to California Adventure

The postcard style design of Sunshine Plaza

The concept behind the architecture and decoration is that it is mean to evoke a sense of stepping into a California postcard. Guests walk under a miniature version of the Golden Gate Bridge which actually serves as part of the monorail line. Sunshine Plaza is also home to the replica of the California Zephyr - a train that houses this areas two counter service food outlets - Baker's Field Bakery and Burr-r-r Bank Ice Cream. The plaza is also home to the park's two largest souvenir outlets - Greetings from California and Engine Ears Toys.

Since my visit last year, this area has now begun its major transformation into Buena Vista Street. Disney Imagineers have replaced the front entrance turnstiles to evoke a 1920s feel. To my understanding, at the time of writing, the California Zephyr has been removed, as has the Golden Gate Bridge. These will be replaced by a recreation of the Carthay Circle Theatre (that housed the 1937 premiere of Snow White and the Seven Dwarves) an this will serve as the visual focal point for the park. The new Buena Vista Street is designed to represent the 1920s when Walt Disney first arrived in Los Angeles. Also to be included in the overhaul of the entrance to the park will be Red Trolley's that take guests from the entrance to outside of the Twilight Zone Tower of Terror ride. The Red Trolley's (that you may remember seeing in Who Framed Roger Rabbit) are being based on the iconic Red Trolley's produced by Pacific Electric many years ago.

I am so looking forward to going back and seeing the overhaul! The next post will focus on Paradise Pier - I can't wait to share the rides, attractions and entertainment with you! (2 of my all time favourite Disney attractions are located in Paradise Pier - and one attraction that I have vowed to never ride again! Stay tuned!)

Until next time, Have a Magical Day,

Love,
Michelle
xxx

California Adventure - Part I

Disney's California Adventure opened in 2001 and since its opening has added new attractions and had several refurbishments - and at present is adding a new area with new attractions that I can't wait to share details of in a further post. The opening of California Adventure turned the Disneyland area and the hotels surrounding into the Disneyland Resort. The 22 hectare theme park is built upon the area that the old Disneyland car park occupied. There is now a multi-storey car park available for resort guests that doubled the parking capacity previously available. 

Originally, there were plans for a version of EPCOT to be developed to be built where California Adventure now stands. These were scrapped and this allowed the idea and development of California Adventure to grow. The idea of the park is to celebrate California through different areas of the park - Sunshine Plaza, Hollywood Pictures Backlot, The Golden State, A Bug's Land and Paradise Pier. Throughout the following entries in this blog, I look forward to sharing with you (as we did in previous entries about Disneyland), a brief run down of each of the lands and the attractions, food and entertainment that stand out. 

Michael Eisner stated in his dedication of California Adventure in February 2001:- 

To all who believe in the power of dreams, welcome. Disney's California Adventure opens its golden gates to you. Here we pay tribute to the dreamers of the past: the native people, explorers, immigrants, aviators, entrepreneurs and entertainers who built the Golden State. And we salute a new generation of dreamers who are creating the wonders of tomorrow, from the silver screen to the computer screen, from the fertile farmlands to the far reaches of space. Disney's California Adventure celebrates the richness and the diversity of California... its land, its people, its spirit and, above all, the dreams that it continues to inspire.

So, our next few blogs will focus on the different areas of California Adventure. We'll start with Sunshine Plaza.

Until Next Time, Have a Magical Day.

Michelle

xx

Disneyland California - Tomorrowland (Part II)

Well, this is the final overview post of Disneyland California. We'll be back soon enough to visit some of the rides, shows and stores in more detail but I can tell you that the next posts will be about California Adventure.

Tomorrowland has quite a bit to offer in the form of shopping, eating and other attractions so here is a brief overview of what you can expect.

Innoventions is inside the "Carousel of Progress" building. The Carousel of Progress was a previous Tomorrowland attraction. Innoventions features an interactive 'dream home' exhibit, providing guests with an opportunity to explore current and possible future technologies that are intuitive and interactive that may be used in homes in the not-too-distant future. When you enter Innoventions, you will be greeted by Tom Morrow- the robotic Mayor of Tomorrowland. It is a thoroughly enjoyable exhibit but doesn't quite pack the punch of other attractions in Tomorrowland.

Young ones will enjoy the Jedi Training Academy. A show that picks about 16 audience members to participate in Jedi Training. The trainees are dressed in Jedi Robes and loaned training Light Sabers before being trained in defensive and combat techniques. Each Jedi-trainee will face off against either Darth Maul or Darth Vader until they, along with the Storm Troopers retreat. It's a great show that is really popular on weekends. It is often on several times a day. Make sure you check the showing times when you arrive at the park.

The Tomorrowland Terrace is a restaurant that is more famous for its hydraulic stage than for its food. The stage rises out of the ground and this particular stage is currently home to the Jedi Training Academy Show. The food here is standard counter service options of burgers, fries, sandwiches, rolls and some dessert options. Other Tomorrowland food options come from Redd Rockett's Pizza Port and The Spirit of Refreshment. The Pizza Port also serves a variety of pasta dishes and is a great place to find a table and have a little sit down.

Shopping in Tomorrowland comes in the form of three different stores. The Little Green Men Store Command is themed around the Green Army Men of Toy Story fame. Inside the store you will find a variety of Toy Story toys, clothing and collectables. I love the theme of this store - it's my favourite of Tomorrowland. Star Trader is themed around Star Wars and features predominantly Star Wars toys, clothes and other souvenirs. Tomorrowlanding features a variety of different souvenirs and has one of the biggest Disney Pin collections in the whole park (I will blog about Disney pin trading in a future blog).

That's it from Tomorrowland and for Disneyland California, for now. I'll blog about more things in detail once we have finished our overviews of both Disneyland Resort and Walt Disney World.

Until next time, Have a Magical Day.

Love,
Michelle
xxx

Disneyland California - Tomorrowland (Part I)

Well here we are, the last land on our Disneyland California adventure. Of course, we'll eventually come back and visit some rides, attractions and shows in more detail but for now, this is our final stop.

Walt Disney was notorious for thinking about the future and really wanted to keep people informed about science and technology advancements. Tomorrowland was a way of incorporating his love of all things 'future' into his dream theme park. Tomorrowland opened in 1955 and was one of the original lands of the park - however, in California, Tomorrowland is now in it's 3rd generation. The Disney Imagineers have always wanted to keep Tomorrowland from becoming dated -  however with how fast technological advances are being made, it is often hard for them to keep up.

In the queue for Buzz Lightyear's Astro Blasters

Young and old will really enjoy Buzz Lightyear's Astro Blasters. We first came across the attraction at Tokyo Disneyland and found that the California version to be just as enjoyable. This attraction features both a ride and shooting gallery component and you receive a score. The story is that you have been recruited by Star Command and you are helping Buzz Lightyear to defeat him. The queue area is filled with colourful depictions on the wall and an oversized fully animated Buzz and a giant etch-a-sketch! The scaling of this is to make you feel as though you are 'toy' sized. You board your 2-seater ride vehicle from a moving walkway and are positioned with a laser gun in front of you. Also, in between you and your ride buddy is a joystick - your vehicle is able to spin 360 degrees! You have a dashboard that displays your score. The aim of the ride is to shoot your laser pointer at the hundreds of targets that are around the ride - different coloured and shaped targets equate to different point values! (From memory: roung targets are 100 points, square targets are 1000 points, diamond targets are 5000 points and triangle targets are 10000 points) The ride also has a feature that if the ride has to stop due to mechanical difficulties or to let a disabled passenger on, the laser guns and targets are still active enabling riders to gain 'bonus points'. This ride is one of our favourites, but it seems to be a favourite with everyone else too!! It is a fastpass attraction, however, if you are willing to ride first thing in the morning or during the night time entertainment, you will get on the ride much quicker.

Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage and the Monorail track

The Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage is a truly unique experience. Young and old will appreciate everything about the ride - except the queue which is always long and at my last visit did not have fastpass. The Submarine Voyage originally opened in 1959 as part of the second stage of Tomorrowland. The ride was reopened in 2005 and has been re-themed to capitalise on the success of the Finding Nemo film. Guests enter the queue area - which is referred to as the Nautical Exploration and Marine Observation (NEMO) Research Centre before boarding one of the 8 yellow submarines. Guests are required to climb down a narrow spiral staircase to get into the submarine. There are 40 observation portholes on each submarine. Guests are able to view a lively underwater environment featuring coral, seaweed and one of the first characters they see is Darla, the fish-killing niece of the dentist in Finding Nemo. The story of the ride is that you are setting out to seek an active, underwater volcano. The Captain of the sub states that the vessel needs to dive in order to avoid a storm overhead. Bubbles appear over the porthole and you pass into a cavern. It is in this cavern that the majority of the ride takes place, however, I won't spoil the details for you except to say that yes, all your favourite characters from the film make an appearance and that you won't be disappointed. Eventually, you come back to the coral and vibrant colours of the reef and come to dock to disembark. Each ride takes about 15 minutes where you are enclosed in the submarine. An alternate experience is available for those with phobias or disabilities - ask about this at the Town Hall on entry into the park. Australian travellers will find some interesting points about the ride. The boarding area is meant to represent an Australian harbour, however, I have never seen one like this anywhere in my travels around our country. Also, the narration of the Captain's voice is a rather melodramatic Australian accent that you are bound to have a chuckle at!

Space Mountain by Day

Space Mountain is one of Disneyland's biggest draw cards. The white-domed building is famous for its unique architecture and the unique ride contained within it. The steel rollercoaster within the iconic building isn't overly fast or overly scary but provides its adrenalin rush by utilising a synchronised soundtrack and the added advantage of being a rollercoaster in the dark! Guests board the ride from the 'launch' platform. We timed the boarding of guests and noted that they can get people off the ride and boarded in 20 seconds. It worked out to be a rather large amount of guests per minute and with an average wait time of 30 minutes all day that works out to be A LOT of riders. This is a fastpass attraction and it definitely won't disappoint!

Space Mountain by night

The Astro Orbitors ride is definitely a ride to take if you want a little cuddle time or if you have a child with you as two adults only JUST fit inside the rocket (wait until I am able to tell you a story about the Magic Kingdom equivalent of this ride, very funny!). Similar to the Dumbo ride in Fantasyland, you circle a central structure and control your altitude with a lever. A fun ride for all, I remember riding the older version of this ride with my Dad way back on my first visit in 1993.

The Saturn V structure is next to the Astro Orbitors

Autopia is a mild but fun ride that has consistently long queues. The original version of the ride debuted in 1955 and remains today in a larger capacity. Sponsored by Chevron, guests board one of three types of car. Dusty is an off-road style car, Sparky is a sports car and Suzy is a VW Beetle style car. You drive on a 'track' and similar to bumper cars you only have the one pedal and the steering wheel. The track is a metal guard rail in the middle and it is quite a challenge to drive these cars without hitting the guard rail. Disney attempt to enforce a no-bump policy but their is always some twat who enjoys running up the back of the car in front, near the end of the ride while you wait to disembark and give you hot-rod to the next in line. I really enjoy this ride - it's a two seat per vehicle ride and it pretty relaxed. The ride lasts close to four minutes and the track has some cute scenery. If you're lucky in queue, the Disneyland Cast Member may give you a special drivers license. It's a unique souvenir that is often reserved for children but if you ask, they are more than happy to give you one!

The Disneyland Monorail currently has two stations - one inside the park, located in Tomorrowland and one outside the park located adjacent to the Rainforest Cafe in Downtown Disney. It's a fun way to see some scenery of both Disneyland and Disney's California Adventure and you are seated in air-conditioned comfort. A little tip: avoid the monorail during peak times of opening, evening and lunch time. Try and ride during the afternoon parade time. Also, if you ask the attendant nicely, you may be able to ride in the often unused rear car- which is lots and lots of fun!

I was always a fan of Disney's 3D film Honey I Shrunk the Audience that used to show in the theatre in Tomorrowland. It has recently been replaced by a limited season of Captain EO starring Michael Jackson. Everything about the film makes it a must-see attraction. Captain EO was the brain-child of George Lucas and was directed by Francis Ford Coppola. As well as starring the fabulous Michael Jackson, you will also see the famous faces of Anjelica Huston and Dick Shawn! The story, soundtrack, special effects, costumes and characters are so enjoyable that on every visit to a Disney park in recent years we have made sure to see it more than once! They make sure they play the soundtrack loud like they would have done when it was originally shown - and the distorted bass sound may upset some little ears! But, if you haven't seen this before and it is still being shown during your visit, make sure you go! It's a little piece of history!

Star Wars fans will not be disappointed by Star Tours, a motion simulator ride that is set in the Star Wars Universe. The ride story is that you are a space tourist taking a tour with 'Star Tours.' I haven't been to Disneyland since the new version of Star Tours has opened but I believe the new one is incredible - the old one was amazing too! In the queue, you will see various audio-animatronic figures including R2-D2 and C3PO. The queue area is one of the most detailed in the park and you won't mind waiting in the (always lengthy) queue as you will be thoroughly entertained. The new ride has various plot lines and apparently has so many combinations that you are rarely going to get the same story line twice! I can't wait to go back and ride so I can fill you all in o the details.

That's it for the rides - stay tuned for the next post when I fill you in on the shopping and non-ride attractions in Tomorrowland.

Until next time, Have a Magical Day.

Love
Michelle
xxx

Disneyland California - Mickey's Toontown

On the visit that inspired my love of Disney and it's theme parks, September 1993, a brand new area had been opened at Disneyland. Mickey's Toontown is roughly based on the fictional area of the same name in the 1988 Disney classic, Who Framed Roger Rabbit. The buildings in Toontown are colourful and stylised and represent everything 'cartoon.'

This land is always amazingly crowded as it caters to families with younger children and those who are young at heart. There are no big thrill rides in this area - rather a cleverly put together land that is completely interactive and leaves you smiling constantly.


The biggest 'attractions' in Toontown are Mickey and Minnie's houses. Mickey's house is a walkthrough attraction and when you finally reach his living room, you'll join a queue and meet the famous Mouse. I love the houses as they encapsulate everything that is cartoon and fun. When we first went to Disneyland in 1993, you met Mickey Mouse on Main Street with all the other wandering characters. As much as I dislike saying it, this walkthrough and meet and greet doesn't live up to my expectations. However, there is a way around queuing to meet the famous Mouse. If you are a guest at one of the Disneyland resort hotels, you will receive a booklet on check-in with some coupons inside. One of these is for a Magic Morning in Toontown. Whilst the rest of the park opens at 9 - Toontown normally opens at 10. For that one hour, guests of the resort hotels are let inside Toontown, are treated to a special show, are given one of a kind buttons to wear and get to meet the characters themselves! We were lucky enough to be in the park early, right on nine and got to meet Mickey before the show. We avoided the queue and still got in that special cuddle. But Mickey isn't the only character available to resort guests in the Magic Morning - Goofy, Donald, Pluto and Minnie are all in attendance too! Minnie's house is much the same as Mickey's house - but with a girly spin. Little ones will love walking through these attractions - and if you choose to queue to meet the characters - it will definitely be worth it for the smile on the little ones face!

Hanging out with The Mouse!

Other walkthrough attractions in Toontown include Donald's Boat and the Chip 'n Dale Treehouse. Although these are designed for youngsters - the young at heart will have equally as much fun. Donald's Boat has a variety of hands-on activities that you can participate in - Andrew's favourite is pulling the rope to sound the horn. The Chip 'n Dale Treehouse is much like the Tarzan's Treehouse attraction in Adventureland. However, this walkthrough, self-paced attraction is designed for the younger guest so watch out for your head and your shins!

Goofy's Playhouse is designed for children 2-5 years of age. It encompasses Goofy's "backyard" and has crawl-throughs, climb-ons and slides of all shapes and sizes. Children will happily spend an eternity exploring and playing here and the inside of Goofy's house is sure to entertain young and old. When visiting this area, pay attention to the detail that the Disney Imagineers have put into designing this area. Everything from the cleverly disguised fire-extinguisher inside Goofy's House to the "crops" Goofy is growing in his garden. As a little bit of trivia, prior to becoming the Playhouse, Goofy's house was named "Goofy's Bounce House" the entire inside of the house was a jumping castle. It is one of my fondest memories of Disneyland. I'm sad that it went, but I am happy that children have an equally enjoyable activity in the form of the Playhouse.

Gadget's Go-Coaster is a roller coaster based on Gadget Hackwrench from the animated television series Chip 'n Dale Rescue Rangers (admit it, you're singing that catchy theme song in your head!). This is the only ride remaining at Disneyland to be based on a Disney Afternoon telelvision series and interestingly enough it opened 3 years after the cartoon was cancelled. The concept of the "Go-Coaster" is that it was built by Gadget and the coaster trains reflect this by looking as if they are built with acorns and scavenged parts. The coaster is designed for children and whilst sitting side by side would be comfortable for most children, it was a definite squeeze for Andrew and I. The coaster travels through Gadget's salvaged items that include a spool of thread, a soup tin and a comb and the coaster also travels over a small lake. Toward the end of the ride, cartoon type frogs will squirt water at guests (I am yet to get wet by them!). The caster is great fun, but often has a little bit of a queue. Whilst the wait time will not rival that of bigger attractions it is best to ride during the early morning or later in the evening.

Roger Rabbit's Cartoon Spin is one ride you won't mind queuing for as the area that you queue in has quite a bit to look at. In saying that, this is a fastpass attraction and the standby queue is outside, in the sun. So ride early morning or late at evening if you can. The queue winds past offices with voices and shadows, past doorways and you eventually end up in a car garage. You'll enjoy looking at all the different things in the line. Make sure you have a look at the number plates hanging on the wall in the queue line. It took me a little while to figure out but they are code-like for various Disney things or slogans. Whilst I won't spoil the fun for you, my favourite is CAP 10 HK (Captain Hook). The ride itself is like a cross between a Fantasyland Dark Ride and the Mad Tea Party. The steering wheel of the yellow taxi cab you board functions similarly to that of the centre disk of the teacup on the Mad Tea Party Attraction. The ride ventures through various scenes of the Who Framed Roger Rabbit movie and the first scene of the ride features cans of "DIP" that are actual props from the movie. The ride may not be suitable for those who are prone to motion sickness or children who dislike the dark. The ride, although you can control the amount it spins will still spin a little without you even touching the steering wheel.

In Toontown you will encounter four main food outlets. These are Daisy's Diner, Pluto's Dog House, Clarabelle's Frozen Yoghurt and Toon Up Treats. Whilst most places in Toontown stock your usual hot dogs, chips, burgers and drinks, Clarabelle's Frozen Yoghurt offers sandwiches and subs for under $10 and frozen treats for $4-5. It's a nice alternative to the other options if you are wanting some variety.

The only shopping available in Toontown is at the Gag Factory and Toontown Five and Dime. Inside the store, a gag contraption hangs overhead. Suspended gloves travel on a track, pick up a 'gag' from inside the gag machine and drop them off at an undisclosed location. It always captures my attention and I've watched many children stop in their tracks to watch it. Inside this store you can purchase the usual picture frames, keychains, clothing and other common Disney souvenirs. However, within this store you won't find any Princess merchandise - it is mainly related to Mickey Mouse and his friends and the occasional Roger Rabbit piece. Also in this store is a station where you can make your own charm bracelet - it's a nice touch!

Getting ready to blow up the fireworks factory!

What else can Toontown offer you? Well, I mentioned above that the land is mostly interactive - what I didn't mention is that it offers some fantastic photo opportunities. The Fireworks factory has an explosives box that you can press the handle on and sound effects, lights and smoke come out the top of the building. When you open the door to the electricity station a large noise, strobe lighting and smoke come out. There are ample interactive things to do around Toontown (it's just a matter of finding them!!). The other must-see in Toontown are the cars, Mickey and Goofy's cars are just in the street - climb on in and have your photo taken!

Mickey's Car at the Toontown Gas Station

Goofy's Parking job...

I've rolled this land into one post - it's the smallest land in the park but packs a punch! Looking forward to sharing Tomorrowland with you next!

Until next time, Have a Magical Day.

Love,
Michelle
xxx

Disneyland California - New Orleans Square (part II)

This is probably my most favourite area in the park to eat and drink. I think the scenery is most picturesque and the food is AMAZING! Let's take a stroll through the restaurants, food outlets and stores of New Orleans Square.

The Blue Bayou is my ultimate favourite food outlet. Set in New Orleans Square, the restauarant has a particularly unique backdrop - the Pirates of the Caribbean ride. Don't worry though - you won't be getting the songs stuck in your head. Rather, the restaurant over looks the very start of the ride, where boat loads of riders drift quietly past, 'fireflies' are buzzing around and the banjo music quietly plays. Guests dine in a terrace style area and dine by candle light with paper lanterns hanging overhead. If the restaurant is quiet enough - you will hearthe faint, distant screams of riders going down their first drop on the ride. Make sure you watch the sky too - you might even see a shooting star. It is recommended when dining here that you book at least one day in advance. We booked several days in advance, made sure to mention it was a special occasion (our honeymoon) and when we showed up, we had a table, by the water with a few little treats on it. We felt very spoilt. The food is some of the best in any Disney park I have ever been too. Themed around 'Southern American' cuisine, there is something to please everyone - despite only ten or so options being on the menu. A word of advice - come on an empty stomach. The appetisers (entrees) are HUGE and the entrees (mains) are even bigger. And despite paying a 'theme park' premium to eat here, the food, atmosphere and wait-staff make the experience totally worth it. The Blue Bayou is open for lunch and Dinner - however, I have only dined here for dinner. All the meals we saw, and were able to smell excited our senses. We enjoyed gumbo and soup to start and enjoyed a Cajun-Spiced Salmon and Pepper Roasted Prime Rib for mains. Dessert was exquisite - but I won't spoil the dessert menu for you! (you can have a little look at our shared dessert below!) You must go here!! IT IS AMAZING!

Dining by candlelight and lantern at the Blue Bayou

A special dessert our waiter organised as we were on our Honeymoon!

There are several other food outlets in New Orleans Square. These outlets include the French Market Restaurant, Mint Julep Bar, Cafe Orleans and the Royal Street Veranda. Each restaurant keeps with the 'Southern American' theme and the food, for the most part, won't disappoint you. Although parents may be craving a little alcohol to take the edge off a long day with the kids, the Mint Julep Bar serves only the non-alcoholic version of the famous drink. However, the bar also offers some satisfying sit-down meal options that will be sure to please. My other MUST eat at Disneyland is a Clam Chowder Bread Bowl. You can find this at the Royal Street Veranda - neatly tucked away near the Pirates of the Carribbean ride. You'll know that you are at the right place by the queue. At about $8 (USD) you get a rather large bread roll filled with clam chowder (or gumbo, or even a vegetarian alternative) and some crackers. It's absolutely delcious! We ate ours sitting on a ledge looking out at the Rivers of America - and ended up having a perfect view of the Princess Tiana's Mardi Gras Celebration! Amazing!!

Make sure you try the Clam Chowder - it's a bargain at under $10!

Shopping in New Orleans Square is probably some of the best within any Disney Park. Others may disagree, but I just love the eclectic range of goods you can find here! Crystal D'Orleans is definitely a shop to keep little fingers away from. It sells amazingly beautiful custom made crystal pieces ranging from paperweights to chandeliers. I always love looking here because every day I see something different.  If you are a fan of Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas you must take a look at Port Royal for some scary souvenirs. Those who are more interested in Captain Jack Sparrow and his motley crew should take a look inside Pieces of Eight where you will find hats, treasure and clothing inspired firstly, by the ride and then by the famous movie franchise.

I'm sad to be leaving New Orleans Square now - but we are heading to our two final Disneyland stops next. Firstly to Toontown and then to Tomorrowland. It's going to be an exciting ride from here.

Once again - remember to find us on Facebook. Just search for Disneyland Dreaming and like the page! I'm looking forward to answering your questions!

Until next time, Have a Magical Day.

Love,
Michelle
xxx

Disneyland California - New Orleans Square (part I)

New Orleans Square is themed around 19th century New Orleans. A similarly themed area can be find in Tokyo Disneyland. Interestingly, New Orleans Square is not actually a square - rather a collection of streets  that twist and turn around shops, restaurants and the original Pirate's of the Caribbean building. Attractions in New Orleans Square include the Pirates of the Caribbean, Haunted Mansion and Princess Tiana's Mardi Gras Celebration. There are also a great range of shops and restaurants in the land, that we'll explore futher in New Orlean's Square (part II that will follow this post).

If you haven't caught at least one of the Pirates of the Caribbean movies, you are definitely in the minority. This was the very last attraction that Walt Disney himself participated in designing. It opened in spring 1967 just three months after his death. Guests board boats amongst glittering fireflies in a quaint bayou. As you set sail, on your right you will see the Blue Bayou restaurant (see the second part of the New Orleans Square blog for info about this). You pass quiet houseboats and on the verandah of one is an old man, rocking gently back and forth. There is the quiet strumming of a banjo playing famous tunes like "Oh! Susanna" and "Camptown Races." I won't tell you exactly what happens next except that you will pass many famous scenes from the movies - except that the ride was built long before the first movie!!! Let it be known, my favourite part of this 15 minute ride is cruising along between a pirate ship and a fortress with "cannon balls" splashing in the water, lighting and air effects simulating a fight! You'll just adore this ride - young children may be a little frightened, but a little forewarning that it is "just pretend" will probably help you along. Generally, the during busy periods, this ride has excessive queues and will be quietest early mornings and late evenings - especially during the evening parade times and Fantasmic! showings. However, during quieter days, the queues will rarely be longer than 15 minutes.

The Haunted Mansion has been another family favourite ride since 1967. Many people will be familiar with the Haunted Mansion movie starring Eddie Murphy that was released not too long ago, and like Pirates of the Caribbean, the film was based on the ride. Guests enter the queuing area through a pair of beautiful gates and queue along side beautiful gardens and some rather funny tombstones (make sure you read them, they are so funny!). Guests enter the mansion and stand in a portrait gallery - and the portraits start to stretch. Is the floor lowering or the ceiling raising? I'm not going to tell you, but it's a pretty cool effect regardless. What happens next in this room is something you have to be there for - I don't want to ruin the surprise. A wall opens and you exit the portrait gallery to board your 'doom buggy.' The 'doom buggy' will take 2 adults or 2 adults and a small child through the Haunted Mansion where you will see some amazing special effects, awesome audio-animatronics and will be singing the tunes of the Haunted Mansion for the rest of the day. I'd love to give you more details but I really don't want to spoil what I think is the most visually spectacular attraction at Disneyland! Although you would anticipate the ride to be quite scary - it isn't too bad and will mainly leave you smiling from ear to ear. You would be wise to warn small children about potentially 'scary' things - but all in all they will probably enjoy everything once you are beyond the portrait gallery!

Princess Tiana's Mardi Gras Celebration is a street parade and party featuring characters from "The Princess and the Frog." There is a small marching band that set up overlooking the Rivers of America and Princess Tiana, the band and some dancers parade down from the back of New Orleans Square. The show lasts 15 minutes or so and the Princess often stays to sign autographs and for photos after the show! Check the show times - as it's great to see!

Stay tuned for the shops and restaurants in New Orleans Square! The Blue Bayou is a not-to-be-missed restaurant and I'll give you some details in the next post!

Until next time, Have a Magical Day.

Love,
Michelle
xx