Just as Alice stepped through the looking glass to explore the world on the other side, Mark and I boarded a plane that took us to Disneyland, the original “Happiest Place on Earth.” In preparation for the trip, we read many books and talked to others who had made the journey. The prevailing suggestion, nay warning, from my fellow Disney fans was “don’t be disappointed! Disneyland is so small!” Now, I know that Disneyland is much smaller than its counterpart in Florida, but I have to say that I was anything but disappointed with my trip to California’s original Magic Kingdom
After a very long flight and then layover, then another flight, and then a shuttle ride, we finally made it to Disneyland. I was so excited to see the place where Walt walked, a place in which you can feel Walt’s presence in all of the little details. On our first day, we only had a few hours, so we visited DCA. This park is full of construction walls, and it was quite difficult to navigate through all of that construction, but overall, this park was small and just a little disappointing. There really wasn’t that much to do there. However, we thoroughly enjoyed The Little Mermaid Ride, and I loved the ambiance of the Paradise Pier area. After strolling around the park, we had dinner reservations at the Wine Country Trattoria, which was delicious. Seating was outside, which would have been lovely, but it was very cold and windy that night. We opted to eat at this restaurant because we wanted to take advantage of the World of Color Dining Package.
After dining, we decided to head over to ElecTRONica, which was a lot of fun. I enjoy the TRON movies, and I really like the soundtrack and the look of TRON Legacy, so this was a must-see for me. Sadly, we did not get to see Laserman, because his performance conflicted with World of Color. I really want to see him on a future trip though. We also rode the Mike and Sully Monsters Inc. Ride, which was a cute dark ride. Eventually, we made our way back over to the World of Color area to find out where we would be standing. We had a great view of the lagoon, and we didn’t even have to wait very long for the show to start.
Now, I read a lot of Disney sites, and I know that World of Color is much loved, and I have even read where someone said it was just “life changing.” Sorry to disappoint, but this show did not do it for me. There is no original story line, and it basically is water and lights as well as Disney animated films projected on water screens. I want original story: something interesting that makes me care and cheer for a hero. I want large musical numbers with that “feel good” cliché Disney song. I like that sort of thing: think Wishes or Spectromagic. World of Color was just not my cup of tea. The technology behind the dancing water fountains is something that is very cool, and I enjoyed seeing the show; however, I will not be running back to see it again.
After a night at DCA, we returned to our hotel to await the big reveal of Disneyland. The next morning, we awoke early, boarded our shuttle, and then we quickly arrived at the Magic Kingdom. This was a very surreal experience because I have watched the People and Places: Disneyland show so many times. I know what Disneyland circa 1957 looks like, but I really had no idea what a modern Disneyland would be like. When we walked through the tunnel, it was so odd because we have been through the same tunnel in Disney World hundreds of times. When you look to the right, there is Exposition Hall, now the Town Square Theater, but in Disneyland, there is Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln. The colors on Main Street are very different from Disney World as well. There are more Earth tones, and the colors seem more muted in CA. Also, the stores in Disneyland have a great deal of detail. They are highly themed, and they are an attraction unto themselves. Disney World’s Main Street has less of a small town feel than that of Disneyland. After first walking in, you can’t help but notice the huge difference in size of Sleeping Beauty Castle and that of Cinderella Castle. I have to admit, that while Sleeping Beauty Castle is charming, there is not sight as beautiful as the spires of Cinderella Castle.
One thing that really struck me about Disneyland was the close proximity of all of the lands to one another. In just a few steps, you could be in Adventureland or Frontierland. We enjoyed being able to keep walking to a minimum as we explored the park. We had two full days in Disneyland, so we had to move quickly and efficiently. We did not want to miss anything.
Overall, Disneyland has a beautiful Fantasyland. I could not wait to visit Mr. Toad or Casey Jr. or the Storybookland Canal boats. Those were my favorite three rides from Fantasyland. I also enjoyed Small World with its Christmas overlay. Everything in Disneyland was just a little bit smaller than Disney World, but the attention to detail was definitely evident in everything from the landscapes to the delicately painted murals inside the Mr. Toad ride. Casey Jr. was great fun, and we sat in the caboose. We also saw the unused area that was supposed to be for the now defunct Light Magic Parade. Fantasyland was significantly better in Disneyland than in Disney World. However, I think that will change a bit when New Fantasyland opens in Florida later this year.
As for the rest of the park, we enjoyed the far superior Pirates of the Caribbean ride, and we also liked rowing the Davy Crockett Explorer Canoes around the Rivers of America. The Haunted Mansion Holiday was so detailed and so much fun; I wish the East Coast visitors could get to see this type of attention to detail.
On the whole, Disneyland was excellent; it was charming. Is it small? Yes. Is it still full of magic and many things to do? Yes. Will I go there again? Yes. Will I opt to go there instead of Florida? No. I say “no” to that last question because I like the variety that Disney World offers. I can go to EPCOT. I can explore resort hotels; I can go to the Animal Kingdom. I can’t do those things in Disneyland. Also, the Disney World Resort offers more of a feel of escapism that Disneyland simply cannot offer. The CA park is in the middle of the city, and Disney World is literally its own World. I am far from done writing about all of the wonders that I experienced in Disneyland. Check back for more about dining, Fantasmic, crowds, merchandise, and much more. Until then, have a magical day, and keep moving forward!
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