A Quick Guide to Disneyland Park
Do you know what would make you happy? It’s visiting The Happiest Place on Earth.
Before you head to Anaheim, California, you should know a few things, though. Here’s a quick guide to Disneyland Park.
The World’s Oldest Theme Park
In 1955, an estimated 90 million people watched a debacle unfold.
As I describe in my book, Disney Demystified Vol. 1, Disneyland’s grand opening…went poorly.
The park wasn’t quite ready for prime time, as the pavement hadn’t even dried yet.
Despite all the opening day struggles, the park captivated viewers around the world.
Photo: Disney
These would-be tourists quickly recognized something new and unprecedented. Disneyland Park utilized beloved Disney characters in exciting ways.
Snow White and Peter Pan provided the basis for entire attractions. Guests could live out Snow White’s adventures or soar through the air at Neverland.
Photo:Los Angeles Examiner/USC Libraries/Corbis via Getty Images
For the first time ever, Disney fans could experience scenes from the movies.
The idea seemed impossible at the time, but that tied into one of Walt Disney’s favorite quotes.
Photo: Disney
He loved to say, “It’s kinda fun to do the impossible.” And that’s what Disneyland is.
This park somehow combines all of the things people love about Disney in one place.
Image: DesigningDisney.com
You can hug Mickey and Minnie Mouse, watch Walt Disney speak, and then hop on a thrill ride.
Later, you can take in a show, scarf down some churros, and pretend you’re a Star Wars hero.
Photo: Disney
Disneyland Park hosts the most theme park attractions of any park in the world.
You’ll never run out of fun things to do, no matter how often you visit. That’s the magic of the Happiest Place on Earth! So, let’s discuss all the fun activities you can do.
All the Lands You Can Imagine
Disney
When Walt Disney envisioned a theme park, he wanted to transport guests to faraway lands.
Crucially, he didn’t worry about whether those lands existed.
CenTOONial Park
As an illustrator, he was used to inventing things. So, Walt Disney divided Disneyland into sections called themed lands.
Here are the immersive realms you can explore at The Happiest Place on Earth:
- Adventureland
- Bayou Country
- Fantasyland
- Frontierland
- Main Street, U.S.A.
- Mickey’s Toontown
- New Orleans Square
- Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge
- Tomorrowland
Sleeping Beauty Castle
Anything is possible at Disneyland due to the remarkable theming at each land. A single ride at Adventureland will carry you across the rivers of the world.
At New Orleans Square, you can relish a pirate’s life for a little while. Each themed land immerses you in not just a premise but an entire ecosystem.
This statement has been true since the beginning, but it’s more accurate than ever today.
Disney introduced Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge in 2019, redefining theme park realism.
Photo: Richard Harbaugh
Guests can live out their own Star Wars adventures here while visiting the secluded planet of Batuu.
At Mickey’s Toontown, Imagineers recently designed the space to make it more welcoming.
Mickey’s Toontown
Every land at Disneyland will cause you to forget about all the others. As soon as you set foot in Tomorrowland, you’ll fixate on the future.
Conversely, when you roam around Frontierland, you’ll embrace the past. The logical disconnect may sound ridiculous on paper, but Disneyland will play tricks with your mind.
The Most Entertaining and Exclusive Attractions
Photo: Disney
Disneyland shares many similarities with Magic Kingdom, its younger sibling.
However, Imagineers have worked hard to protect what’s sacred about the original park.
Photo: Yesterland
At Disneyland, you’ll encounter several exclusive attractions. For example, Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride hasn’t been seen at Magic Kingdom since the 1990s.
Meanwhile, that park never even tried to duplicate the marvel of Matterhorn Bobsleds. Walt Disney directed his team to build an entire artificial mountain as a park landmark.
Photo: D23
More recently, Indiana Jones Adventure became one of the park’s most popular exclusives.
Others like Snow White’s Enchanted Wish offer modern takes on classic Disney stories.
Photo: SF Gate
As you explore Disneyland, you’ll encounter all these unique rides and shows.
Some of them don’t need to be exclusive to the park to qualify as magical, though.
Photo: Disney
For example, the Disneyland version of Pirates of the Caribbean is the best.
Walt Disney spent his last days on Earth perfecting this ride. It’s his posthumous love letter to Disney fans.
Pirates of the Caribbean
Honestly, you’ll find hints of Disney’s genius around every corner at this park. The Hollywood icon spent much of the last decade of his life wandering around the park.
In the 60 years since Disney died, his Cast Members have paid tribute to his legacy. Many of the attractions here honor the park’s founder and namesake.
Photo: Disney
One even stars him. Walt Disney – A Magic Life celebrates Disney’s life.
Imagineers created an Audio-Animatronic of Uncle Walt just for this show.
Photo: Disney
Of course, while you’re at Disneyland Park, there are a few other rides you shouldn’t miss.
Those include Haunted Mansion, Jungle Cruise, Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway, and Space Mountain. I’m barely scratching the surface here, as the park features 60+ attractions.
Dining at Disneyland
Park officials put plenty of thought into perfecting Disneyland. You’ll find unique touches here that augment the rides and shows.
For example, you can dine inside the Pirates of the Caribbean building! Yes, guests at the Blue Bayou Restaurant can enjoy a delicious meal while watching the boats sail by.
Photo: Disney
Right down the street, you can walk into The Princess and the Frog by dining at Tiana’s Palace.
This place is literally the restaurant of Tiana’s dreams from the film!
Tiana!
For fans of Walt Disney himself, the Plaza Inn and Carnation Café are the best dining spots. You can order Walt’s Chili at the latter restaurant. It’s the same recipe Walt loved in the 1950s.
For its part, Plaza Inn became one of Uncle Walt’s favorite restaurants at the park. He frequently ate here, and you can walk in his footsteps by doing the same!
For the sake of authenticity, you should order Chicken, just like Walt did.
Other classic Disneyland dining options include:
- Bengal Barbecue
- The Golden Horseshoe
- Hungry Bear Barbecue Jamboree
- Rancho del Zocalo Restaurante
- River Belle Terrace
I could tell you fascinating anecdotes about each of them, but I’ll cut it to two. Cast Members at Rancho del Zocalo once accidentally created Doritos!
And The Golden Horseshoe was once such a big deal that this happened:
Yes, that’s a cowboy named Walt hosting an ABC broadcast of the restaurant’s 10,000th performance.
Reiterating the point, you’re walking through history wherever you go at Disneyland.
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Feature Photo: Disney
