Adventureland was the first place that my friend, Alison, and I came upon. It’s hard to miss with its African masks and torches covering the archway. The Enchanted Tiki room is just before the entrance to Adventureland. The queue area outside the Tiki Room is a good place to rest during your day and let the more rambunctious people in the party to run around and take pictures of the various gods and goddesses outside. You can also grab a snack from the Tiki bar, but don’t worry this is one attraction that you can eat on.

The Tiki juice bar is by far my most favorite place to go when I’m in the park. It is a small stand located just before Adventure Land next to the Tiki room. They offer the best pineapple flavored ice cream or whips as they call it. Prices are reasonable for pineapple whips or juice it’s $2.75 and for their amazing floats it’s $4.75.

When the show starts the gods and goddesses outside come to life one by one before you are allowed into the building. Inside you are introduced to a cast of 225 singing birds, flowers, Tiki poles, and statues. Yes you read that right. I was sitting next to a Tiki pole and nearly jumped out of my seat when it begins signing and blinking its eyes. Come on, who expects the walls to talk? This is great to do in the afternoon for several reasons. First the lines are shorter then. It’s also a great way to get out of the sun. The show runs every 20 minutes and the time for the next show is posted outside.

Indiana Jones is a great ride that never gets old. The queue winds through the ancient ruins of the Temple of the Forbidden eyes, before you enter a car that takes you further into the temple. Attached to the back of the seat in front of you is a bag where you can stick valuables. I highly suggest sticking any ‘loose’ items (bags, sunglasses, hats…) in there, and hold on for a very bumpy ride. The car takes off over a rickety bridge, past fire, and past a giant snake. Throughout the ride Indiana Jones pops up in various locations. This is a ride that I highly suggest you grab a fastpass for.

The Jungle Cruise is an old classic prep dating all of the rides in Adventureland. It is a slow moving boat ride though the Amazon rainforest and the Congo. Seeing everything from hippos to headhunters. Although it’s not the most exciting ride in the park the tour guides make it worth at least a trip. They point out everything from angry hippos to the illusive backside of water. My tip, if you want to take pictures do it during the day; however night are better in my opinion because it makes the trip seem more real.

Disneyland is known for their high-quality entertainment. Where else do you see grown men and women stop in their tracks to gape at a colorful parade float passing by? Adults fight over whose space you’re standing in, and will sit for hours to save a seat for Disneyland’s shows.

So for Disneyland’s 50th Anniversary, Disneyland Entertainment introduced Walt Disney’s Parade of Dreams. After a few nondescript parades, which failed to capture the attention and devotion of guests, the Parade of Dreams seemed to draw from past successes, such as the wildly popular Lion King Parade, and the traditional formula of animated feature-themed float units.

Like the Lion King Parade, the Parade of Dreams stops at certain areas along the parade route and performers put on a mini show, complete with aerial acrobats, trampolines, bungee cords and rhythmic gymnastic props. The Alice In Wonderland unit features a trampoline that doubles as the Mad Tea Party table. The Pinocchio unit displays an extending puppet pole, which grows during the mini show times to allow bungee cord jumpers to really extend their talents. And on the Lion King unit, guests see ropes hanging from the highest points on the float, which allow rope aerial performers to spin above the ground. The parade stops at two places along the route: one on Main Street and one along Small World Mall. Set to the song, "Welcome" of Disney’s animated feature "Brother Bear," which failed to meet expectations at the box office, the parade also seems to lack something.

Considering that Disneyland’s 50th Anniversary inspired perhaps their best ever fireworks show, you would think that the parade would also evoke a warm guest reaction. However, the Parade of Dreams does not seem to inhabit that special place in my heart, like the Main Street Electrical Parade or the Lion King Parade did. The best places to watch the parade are around Town Square, close to the Main Street Railroad Station, and even better, along Small World Mall, which has some tiered viewing areas.

Nevertheless, the Parade of Dream’s colorful floats, interesting show elements and plentiful characters entertain young children and the parade makes for an amusing time. Perhaps it is because I expect more from Disneyland Entertainment but I feel that the Parade of Dreams does not quite hit the mark for a legendary parade. My advice for families with teens is to skip the 15 minute parade and hit the rides that would normally have longer lines.

Why do I like this attraction? Only Disneyland Paris has a version of this boat ride so Storybookland is not too well known. The misleadingly fierce giant Monstro the Whale guarding the gateway is a landmark. But I enjoy the fairytale-like quality the attraction possesses and how it stirs awake the inner child.

Recently, I experienced Storybookland through my year old daughter’s eyes. She gazed at the miniaturized scenes, pointed and ogled at the seemingly giant duck nestled in the tiny London Park, and rocked to the melodies she heard from each vignette.

Storybookland begins at the loading dock, when guests step into a small canal boat. The skipper pilots the slowly moving vessel through a huge open mouth belonging to Monstro the Whale. Despite his large teeth, the skipper assures passengers that no harm will come to them as Monstro sneezed his tail off and created the entrance to Storybookland.

A dramatic scene change is necessary to transport guests to the miniaturized world of Storybookland. Tiny houses and to scale trees grace the small hills and parks lining the waterways. Above the houses and buildings chugs Casey Jr. Circus Train and its passengers.

Guests glide past scenes from Alice in Wonderland, The Three Little Pigs, Peter Pan, Aladdin, Snow White & The Seven Dwarfs, Cinderella, Pinocchio, The Old Mill, The Wind In The Willows, Lullabye Land, and The Little Mermaid. Albeit a tamer attraction, this quiet and relaxing voyage appeals to younger children and the young at heart.

A few words of warning, however. Keep fingers away from the edge of the boat as they can and do get wedged against the dock. Avoid touching the water. The water comes from the same source as that in the Rivers of America in Frontierland, and has an extremely high bacteria count. When disembarking, everyone must stand up all at once so as to minimize boat rocking and stabilize the vessel. Storybookland Canal Boats closes for the parades because it sits along the parade route, and does not operate during the fireworks shows.

Once in a while, a young child can sit on the bow of the boat and be "honorary skipper" for the duration of the ride. She gets an up close, front seat view of the detailed houses in Storybookland. And if she looks really closely, she can see the toys inside Gepetto’s Workshop.

The Buzz Lightyear Space Ranger Spin debuted in November 1998 at the Magic Kingdom in Walt Disney World. Since then, Buzz Lightyear attractions have popped up in almost every other Disney theme park around the world. Disneyland is no exception as Buzz Lightyear’s Astro Blasters opened in March 2005.

This entertaining dark ride moves slowly through a toy-dominated world. Walt Disney Imagineering based this attraction on Pixar’s "Toy Story," resurrecting Buzz Lightyear, Emperor Zurg, and the three-eyed aliens. As you wind through the queue, Buzz briefs you on the situation of how Emperor Zurg has stolen all the world’s batteries. To help conquer this nefarious villain, you, a new space cadet recruit, must take your laser gun mounted on the ride vehicle, and blast the targets scattered throughout the ride. Only then can the Space Rangers defeat Zurg.

Aim for targets shaped in squares, circles, diamonds and triangles. The point values increase in that order as you shoot the targets. A display on the ride vehicle shows how your points accumulate. Two guns per vehicle allow you to ride with another person. A joystick in between the two display screens allows you to turn the vehicle around and aim in different directions.

Children afraid of dark places may be frightened in this attraction. However, we have found most kids aged 5 and up love this ride and will repeat over and over. The best time to ride is early in the morning or late in the evening. Fortunately, you can always get a FastPass for Buzz Lightyear’s Astro Blasters and enjoy something else while you wait.

Quite possibly, the best part of this attraction sits at the end of the ride, as you exit the queue. Walt Disney Parks & Resorts Online created a photo capture system which allows guests to email their scores home. In an instance rarely found at a Disney theme park, guests receive a free souvenir. Prove to friends that your laser gun prowess eclipses that of all others.

Disneyland’s Buzz Lightyear attraction differs slightly from Walt Disney World’s version. The Disneyland version allows guests to pull the gun off of the console to make it easier to aim. However, the Disneyland guns require guests to repeatedly pull the trigger, unlike the Walt Disney World version, where one can hold the trigger down for a steady stream of laser ammunition.

Yes, the song can annoy. But it’s reportedly the second most recognized song worldwide, behind "Happy Birthday." Yes, it can be tame without dips, flumes, and monsters popping out. But it will entertain the most timid toddler. Yes, it has been at Disneyland for a long time. But remember that Disney made this in 1964 and it still entertains today as the "happiest cruise that ever set sail."

Disneyland’s It’s A Small World is the original from the 1964 World’s Fair and features a recognizable facade. Every fifteen minutes, the clock chimes and presents a mini parade of dolls of the world. Panels with toy soldiers open to reveal the time.

Nowhere else in Disneyland does the Horticulture Department’s prowess with topiaries shine as much as they do at Small World mall (the area leading to Small World). The sea serpent to the right of the queue, and the clever animal shrubs surrounding the load area, promote a sense of fun and familiarity.

Kid-friendly pops into mind when thinking of this classic. As a mother of a toddler, I can safely say that I do not worry about nightmares or tears when our daughter rides through the doll-infested attraction. She points, oohs and aahs, claps, and babbles her way through the 15 minute boat ride. One word of caution inside, the air-conditioning is often cranked all the way up so if you worry about drafts, make sure you take a light sweater. And the shock from being inside a darkened ride to emerge into bright sunlight can wreak havoc on eyes. Keep your sunglasses with you.

While I have to admit, It’s A Small World sometimes strikes me as rather humdrum, when the Christmas decorations adorn Disneyland, the attraction transforms into A Small World Holiday. This injects fresh, new life into the ride and will get Scrooge himself into the Christmas spirit. Warning, the queue for A Small World Holiday will frighten you if you are not prepared. In some years past, Disneyland has erected Fastpass kiosks to help with the wait. However, you need to get your Fastpass early in the day as the tickets will run out sometime in the afternoon.

Should you ever encounter long lines at Small World, note that there are two lines leading up to the loading area. As a rule of thumb, the left line is usually shorter at most attractions in Disneyland but for some reason, the Small World right side is typically shorter. I have no scientific reason for this.

As an added bonus, during the holiday season, when the clock chimes in the evenings, a light show synchronized to music plays. The Disneyland Entertainment division has also made the most of Small World’s unique building by projecting enhancements on the facade during the holiday fireworks shows.

So you might think you are sick of It’s A Small World, but give it a chance. You may rediscover something magical about Walt Disney’s classic.