Coaster Community

Disneyland Overview

This was another themed paradise.  As we journeyed through the park it felt like we were stepping into different worlds.  It’s hard to pick a favorite section since they were all so magnificent.  The park is made up of 7 themed areas and when you enter the park you’ll first encounter Main Street, U.S.A.  This area doesn’t have any rides but is home to a lot of shops and the name does as good of a job describing the theme as I can.

Next up is Tomorrowland.  As you can probably guess this is a futuristic area with a handful of rides, the most popular being Space Mountain.  After leaving Tomorrowland you’ll bump right into Fantasyland.  The famous castle is smack dab in the middle of the park and makes up the entrance to Fantasyland.  It’s an impressive castle but it’s unquestionably smaller in person.  This section really made me feel like a kid again and it featured a lot of rides that I had been hearing about every since I was a little fellar.

In the back of the park was Mickey’s Toontown.  There weren’t any rides of interest back there so we avoided it.  We did not however avoid Frontierland, which is home to Big Thunder Mountain Railroad.  We made quick work of Frontierland and then headed for New Orleans Square.  Tucked away behind New Orleans Square was Critter Country and this was another section that we didn’t have time for.  While in New Orleans Square we hit a couple of classics, The Haunted Mansion and Pirates of the Caribbean.  Both were a lot of fun and I can see why they’ve stayed popular over the decades.  The final parcel of land was Adventureland and it’s where we found our favorite ride in the park, Indiana Jones^TM Adventure.

Our lone trip to Disneyland was for New Years Eve and even though it was a great experience I’m not sure that I would recommend it.  The crowds were unreal even at 1am in the morning.  The weather was also about as cold as I have ever experienced in Southern California.  The first part of the evening was spent at Disney’s California Adventure and we thought that we dodged a crowd bullet when we saw the amount of people over there.  As soon as we walked into Disneyland we realized that we were tricked into a false sense of crowd security.

The park does offer a fast pass system and we used it on several rides.  As soon as we got done with one we quickly moved on to another.

With all of this in mind I still can’t imagine someone visiting Disneyland and not having a great time.

Coasters

Big Thunder Mountain Railroad: 5 out of 10
It’s a coaster/mine train that gives riders an out of control experience.  There’s dips, turns, tunnels and a large mountain for the trains to circle.  The theming is nice but don’t expect a lot of intensity.

Matterhorn Bobsleds: 3 out of 10
Another big mountain but this time with small bobsled cars.  Riders zoom in and out of the mountain on their way down and you even get to stumble upon a yeti and yeti’s rule!

Non-Coasters

Indiana Jones™ Adventure: 10 out of 10
We got really lucky and got in line for this one right at midnight while everyone else was watching fireworks.  The line wound up being nonexistent and we got right on.  This is hands down one of the best rides around and riding as the New Year came made it even more special.  Riders are loaded in giant jeeps that take everyone on a thrilling adventure.  There are sharp turns and constant interaction with the surroundings.

Haunted Mansion: 8 out of 10
Since it was New Years Eve the Haunted Mansion was still decorated with the Nightmare Before Christmas scenery.  This isn’t a thrill ride but it’s a lot of fun.

Pirates of the Caribbean: 8 out of 10
This is another ride lacking in thrill but loaded with fun.  A boat full of people travel through an animatronics world laden with jolly pirates all while telling a story.

Jungle Cruise: 5 out of 10
Here’s another boat ride but this one takes you through a jungle and includes narration from a costumed employee.  You’ll meet several creatures on this journey.

Mr. Toad's Wild Ride: 4 out of 10
The wife loves this ride from her childhood so it was on the list of must rides even though we were strapped for time.  It’s a cool little ride that places you on a motorcycle.  The track takes you through the streets of London all while using the scenery to tell a story.

Alice in Wonderland: 4 out of 10
This ride didn’t have a line so we jumped onboard and enjoyed our stroll on a giant caterpillar.  If you like wacky mazes with vibrant colors then you’ll love it while on a giant caterpillar even more.

Autopia: 4 out of 10
Imagine a go-cart track that’s themed to everyday traffic.  It was a little disappointing in my opinion.  If I wanted to see billboards and overpasses I would leave the park and drive back to the hotel room.

Star Tours: 3 out of 10
I expected more out of a Star Wars ride.  It’s a flight simulator that takes it’s passengers on a wild ride that includes a battle with the dark side and for some reason I couldn’t get into it.  I’m sure that the kids will love it though.