Disneyland California - Frontierland (part I)

Before I start writing about Frontierland - I'd just like to give you a quick reminder to find me on facebook by the Disneyland Dreaming page - make sure you hit like! OR if you prefer twitter you can find me @auDisneyDreamer - hope to find you on there soon!

Frontierland is themed to the Old West in 19th Century America. Home to some of Disneyland's most famous rides, Frontierland was also one of the five original themed lands when the park opened in 1955. In this post we will have a brief look at the attractions of Frontierland - Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, Frontierland Shooting Exposition, Pirate's Lair and the Mark Twain Riverboat.

Big Thunder Mountain Railroad

The runaway Mine Cart

Some of the scenery of the Mountain

Hold on to your hats because Big Thunder Mountain Railroad is going to get your adrenaline pumping and it will most definitely put a smile on your face. Big Thunder Mountain originally opened in September 1979 and is an indoor/outdoor rollercoaster through some rather rugged terrain. The back story of the ride is that once upon a time gold was found in Big Thunder and of course the town became popular and was thriving. An earthquake struck the town and the town was abandoned. Some time later, the old mine trains of the town were found to be running on the tracks - on their own! The Big Thunder Mountain Mining Camp was established to enable tourists to ride these runaway trains. During the three and half minute ride, guests will travel in their mine car through the abandoned town and into the rocky terrain of Big Thunder Mountain. During the rollercoaster ride, guests will climb three hills and take sweeping turns and twists through the mountain. There are some wonderful views of the park from the top of the hills - but they won't last long. The ride itself has it's own picturesque scenery which guests are sure to love. The ride has a safety bar restraint which comes across your lap and their are some height restrictions for this ride. Guests in a wheelchair must be able to get in and out of the cars to be able to ride.

The Frontierland Shootin' Arcade is a infra-red light shooting gallery. Originally, the guns in the shooting gallery shot lead pellets when the attraction opened in 1971 but due to dangers and cos associated with this, Walt Disney Enterprises moved to the infra-red technology. There are 97 targets in the shooting gallery that are animated when shot. The scene inside the shooting gallery include a jail, hotel, bank and cemetery.

The Columbia

Frontierland, NewOrleans' Square, Critter County all surround the Rivers Of America. A river that is home to the attractions of the Mark Twain River Boat, The Columbia Ship, Canoe Tours and the Pirate's Lair on Tom Sawyers Island. During peak periods, both the Mark Twain River Boat and Columbia (a pirate ship) sail a round trip of the Rivers of America. The Mark Twain River Boat is a paddle steamer style boat. It is also used in the night time show, Fantasmic (that I will discuss in a post in the near future). The Columbia (pictured) is a sail boat - and when it is used in Fantasmic you will see it as Captain Hook's ship, complete with a crew of pirates and Peter Pan fighting Hook himself! It takes between 20-30 minutes to cruise around the Island, but you will get to see some scenery that you cannot see from anywhere else in the park. It is a great ride for the whole family to partake in and their are provisions for those with disabilities and in wheelchairs (and those with prams) to make this accessible. However, the canoes that you can board near the rafts that take you to Tom Sawyer's Island are only accessible to those who are able to board via walking. The canoes are just like those you saw in Pocahontas - you will board them and paddle your heart out the whole way around the Island - it takes longer than the River Boat or the Columbia but it really is enjoyable and will be a great way to rid little ones of any excess energy they may be carrying.

Some of Tom Sawyer's Island

To travel to Tom Sawyers Island and the Pirate's Lair you need to board a raft. The rafts leave frequently to and from the Island with more rafts travelling in peak periods than in off-peak periods. The Island is great to explore with bridges, caverns, tunnels and the wreck of a sailing vessel. This Island was formally known only as Tom Sawyer's Island but now incorporates the "Pirate's Lair" - a tie in with the amazingly popular Disney franchise, Pirates of the Caribbean. You will enjoy some wonderful photo opportunities on the Island - allow yourself an hour, maybe more to spend out here. If you are travelling with children, this will be one of the highlights for them - particularly adventurous young pirates!!

In the next post, we will look at the food, entertainment and other attractions in Adventureland! I hope you've had a great weekend!!

Until the next post, Have a Magical Day!

Love,
Michelle
xxx