Calling all pint-sized Jedi. Calling all wannabe princesses. Disneyland has the adventures you are looking for!
No kidding! Now more than ever there are some great attractions that sing out to everyone in the family. Disneyland in Anaheim, California, is in the middle of celebrating it’s 60th anniversary celebration and will end the diamond celebration after the summer. But newly refreshed or reinvented or recently released productions will attract new and seasoned Disney guests to the main streets of both Disneyland and Disney’s California Adventure.
OLAF DREAMS OF SUMMER IN ‘FROZEN – LIVE AT THE HYPERION’ — A new theatrical interpretation for the stage based on Disney’s animated blockbuster film, Frozen is now playing at the Hyperion Theater at Disney California Adventure Park. The show immerses audiences in the emotional journey of Anna and Elsa with all of the excitement of live theater, including elaborate costumes and sets, stunning special effects and show-stopping production numbers. (Scott Brinegar/Disneyland Resort)
Let it Go Aladdin, there’s a new girl in town
After thirteen years the Hyperion Stage at Disney’s California Adventure has said, “So long” to Aladdin and now has Anna and Elsa building a snowman three times a day for up to 2000 guests at a time. It’s a huge production with a cast and crew of 200, bringing six musical scores to life on the stage that now boasts a huge special effects. When the snow drifts from the ceiling children laugh with delight. Of course when Elsa sings “Let it Go” the applause meter tips off the scale. Just like in the movie, Olaf and Sven add delightful comic relief.
LUIGI’S ROLLICKIN’ ROADSTERS – Disney California Adventure park, this all-new attraction at Casa Della Tires in Cars Land features miniature Italian roadsters (Luigi’s cousins) moving to upbeat music as they perform the traditional dances of their hometown village. Guests are able to ride along with Luigi’s cousins as they glide and spin. Each dancing car has its own high-spirited personality and signature dance moves so guests enjoy a different ride experience depending on which car they board. (Paul Hiffmeyer/Disneyland Resort)
Luigi says-a “Everybody dance-a!”
Luigi from the Disney Pixar movie, “Cars” invited his cousins from “Carsoli Italy” to come over for an Italian Folk dance-off as part of the Luigi’s Rollickin’ Roadsters in Cars Land. Only open for a few months, this attraction is catching on with everyone. Kids love the dance and parents love the silly songs and engineering feat. The tiny roadsters are clever. Using GPS as a guiding system they dance to the beat of six songs like “Mambo Italiano” and “The Tire-antella” sung by a very cheery Luigi. But here is the interesting thing, you never know what dance it will be. There are no tracks on the dance floor to give away the rollicking good time. Depending on the car you choose to sit in, you may end up owning the dance floor doing a mini tango with just another car or a solo pirouette. What looks like a silly ride will have you laughing along with Luigi as he singa-the songa.
Disneyland California Adventure Soar Photo Courtesy Disneyland Resort
Fasten your seatbelt to Soar
Soarin’ Over California has made its last flights over the vineyards of Napa and through Yosemite Valley. Yup, gone is the forest scent and that golf ball with the hidden Mickey Mouse emblem that scared everyone as it whizzed by. A new flight path has you soaring over the Great Wall of China, gliding over the peaks in Switzerland and inches above herds in Africa before safely landing back to Disneyland. Expect to have all your senses tingling with the added Disney magic.
Go Far Far Away
Star Wars fanatics be prepared to be dazzled. In a few years Disney will cut the ribbon on an entirely new land dedicated to Star Wars. The curtain is drawn so no one can see the galactic world being built but until then, Tomorrowland has incorporated more of the Star Wars brand in its attractions. Star Tours – The Adventure Continues still has 3PO and R2D2 guiding you through space with random unpredicted outcomes on every launch but more of the new Star Wars characters make appearances. Space Mountain has been reimagined as HyperSpace Mountain with enhanced Starfighter battles accompanied by a thrilling soundtrack. By the looks of the lines that wrap the building, it is impressing
all star fleet commanders.
Disneyland Jedi Training Courtesy Disneyland Resort
Junior Jedi unite!
Pint-sized Jedi’s will love the reimagined Jedi Training: Trials of the Temple. Now Darth Vader and the Seventh Sister Inquisitor join in on the daily shows. If your jedi is between the ages of 4 and 12, get to the park early and register at the kiosk near the Star Wars Launch Bay. This is one of those once-in-a-life time events that will endear you forever. Fighting Darth Vader! Wow!
To make your visit to the Magic Kingdom more magical take advantage of this tips.
- Make sure your children meet the height requirements so that the trip of a lifetime doesn’t go flat because your youngest had to sit out on all the wild rides.
- Use the Fast Pass system. You’ll see the booths near the popular attractions. Put your day ticket in the slot. Take it and another ticket with you that says what time to come back later. You have a few hours to take in other attractions and then come back to use the priority lane to go to the front of the line.
- Teachers will hate me for this tip. Take the kids to Disneyland…but take them after school has resumed. Missing a couple days of school to avoid the summer crowd beats standing in hour-long lines for a six-minute attraction.
- Plan ahead how many days you will spend at the parks. Using Park Hopper passes cuts the costs.
- Spend time at the pool. Let the kids decompress and regroup and return for the evening entertainment including those incredible fireworks, World of Color and parades.
- Are you a Costco member? Check their site for Southern California CityPass that combines Disneyland tickets with other attractions in San Diego.
- By staying at a Disney Resort hotel or at one of the Good Neighbour Hotels you can use Magic Morning passes to get a jump on the lines on selected attractions.
- Watch for deals on the Canadian Disney site specifically for Canadian travellers www.Disney.ca.
Your hotel room will have a fridge, buy yogurt or cereal and skip buying breakfast at fastfood joints. Speaking of food – share. Many of the portions are really big – three meals in Disneyland will easily feed a family of four. - Staying at on-site Disney hotels makes it easy to not rent a car, since walking to and from the parks is quite convenient. You can also check the value priced hotels nearby as some offer shuttle service to the park. It all adds up to make the exchange rate less painful.
