Anaheim Journals

War Tactics on How to Survive the Happiest Place

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A March 2007 trip to Anaheim by onesundaymorning

Bakery Photo - La Brea Bakery Restaurant, Anaheim, California More Photos
Quote: A brief trip to California Adventure and Disneyland.

War Tactics on How to Survive the Happiest Place

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Overview

walt Photo - Anaheim, California
Quote:
Sleeping Beauty’s Castle is the center of the park. The design was inspired by Castle Neuschwanstein in Germany that was used by King Ludwig II. The castle is surrounded by a moat with swans and ducks swimming in the water. If you walk around the pathways you can find a small grotto with a statue of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. The castle has been at the park since its opening in 1955 and was one of the original 17 attractions. If you take a look at the map, you can see that the castle is the "hub" of the park, with paths leading off to the other lands. This has become a popular way to set up parks now that Disney created. During the late afternoon there is usually a parade. If you aren...Read More

Alpine Inn

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Hotel

Desk Photo - Alpine Inn, Anaheim, California
Quote:
When every other hotel room in Anaheim was going for well over $140 a night, I found this little gem for only $60 a night. I was expecting the worst; cement for beds and Mickey’s rodent "friends" to be staying with us, but I was surprise how great this place turned out. It’s not the Ritz or the Plaza, but it’s clean. The outside is cute...really. It looks like a gingerbread house with ice cycles hanging from it. The rooms are a decent size, the bathroom is small, and water pressure is a foreign concept, but the best are decent and rooms are extremely clean. Bring a pillow, because the ones they provide had former lives as rocks. There is also a really clean and very yellow pool outside. If you need...Read More

Member Rating 4 out of 5 on April 1, 2007

Alpine Inn
715 W. Katella Ave.
Anaheim, California 92802
(800) 772-4422

Downtown Disney

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Attraction

Jazz men Photo - Downtown Disney, Anaheim, California
Quote:
Downtown Disney is a great place to eat and shop, however there is one store that stands out form the rest: World of Disney. This is a massive store dedicated to everything Disney. Although they don’t carry everything that you can find in the park they do carry a majority. The list of items that they have is endless: shirts, T-shirts, hats, pins, beads, jewelry, toys, pictures frames, mugs, jackets, movies, toys, slippers, and more. The store is divided up so each section has a theme. For example one section is set up like Pirates of the Caribbean, another is dedicated to Peter Pan. I did my entire gift shopping here and even got my Mickey Ears before I went into the park. Besides the World...Read More

Member Rating 4 out of 5 on April 8, 2007

Downtown Disney
1565 S. Disneyland Drive
Anaheim, California
714/769-4262

Where to eat

La Brea Bakery Restaurant

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Restaurant

Bakery Photo - La Brea Bakery Restaurant, Anaheim, California
Quote:
During the busy days in the park an hour line for food is the last thing that anyone wants to see. A quick detour out of the park provided the relief that was needed to get away from the other park goers and provided some quiet time. The Whitewater Snacks in the Grand Californian was a pleasant surprise too. The exit into the hotel was near the Grizzly River Rapids (make sure to get a hand stamp for reentry). There was also an entrance from Downtown Disney. Just go through the lobby and head toward the pool. Whitewater Snacks was just around the corner from the Napa Rose. My friend Alison and I stopped by after several Disney vets recommended this place to me and were pleased by how quiet ...Read More

Member Rating 3 out of 5 on April 1, 2007

La Brea Bakery Restaurant
1556 Disneyland Drive
Anaheim, CA 92802
(714) 490-0233

Rainforest Cafe

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Restaurant

Jungle Photo - Rainforest Cafe, Anaheim, California
Quote:
The Rainforest cafe is a wonderful place to eat; however it was one of those places where I would only eat once just to see it. My friend and I made reservations in advance, which I highly recommend. When we arrived the wait was over and hour, but we got seated in about 5 minutes. Much like Disney, the people who run the Rainforest know how to make a penny. When you enter you are told to follow the "footprints" that winds though a nice sized gift shop, before you pass under a fish tank and head up the stairs. The atmosphere is amazing. The ceilings are covered with vines and had various oversized butterflies, snakes, and lizards hanging from them. In the dining area this theme continues wit...Read More

Member Rating 4 out of 5 on April 1, 2007

Rainforest Cafe
1515 South Disneyland Drive
Anaheim, California 92807
(714) 772-0413

White Water Snacks

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Restaurant

Nachos Photo - White Water Snacks, Anaheim, California
Quote:
One of Disney’s best-kept secrets, Whitewater Snacks in the Grand Californian, was a surprise. Located near the entrance to Disney California Adventure from the hotel (From the hotel look for the signs for Napa Rose. Whitewater Snacks is past the private park entrance next to one of the pool entrances. If entering from the park go through the turn style near Grizzly River Rapids and turn left once past the entrance; however remember that if you aren’t a guest in the hotel you need to renter the park from the main entrance not through the private entrance you left the park from). The “great Californian outdoors” theme of the hotel is carried throughout the making it feels as if you are sitting in ...Read More

Member Rating 5 out of 5 on April 5, 2007

White Water Snacks
Disney's Grand Californian Hotel
Anaheim, California
(714) 781-3463

Hungry Bear

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Restaurant | "The Hungry Bear"

Hungry Bear Photo - Hungry Bear, Anaheim, California
Quote:
The Hungry Bear was one of the places that were recommended to me by the experts at www.laughingplace.com. And I was more then happy that I took their advice. It is located in an out of the way place in Critter Country behind Splash Mountain. The great part of this place is that it is in an out of the way of the hustle and bustle of the crowd, so they weren’t very busy. Alison and I made our way over there when it started raining in the park. I’m not sure if it was the location, the fact that Splash Mountain was closed, or the rain, but it was so deserted that it took about 5 minutes to order and get my food. The average that I usually spend in line is 45 mi...Read More

Member Rating 4 out of 5 on April 5, 2007

Hungry Bear
Disneyland
Anaheim, California

Pacific Wharf Cafe

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Restaurant

seating Photo - Pacific Wharf Cafe, Anaheim, California
Quote:
Fashioned after the famous Fishermen's Wharf in San Francisco and Monterey's Cannery Row, Disney created Pacific Wharf. Located on the Pacific Wharf are the majority of the restaurants in the park. Here Alison and I ate at the Pacific Wharf Café and was amazed at how good it was. For $9 I got a delicious sourdough bead bowl filled with broccoli and cheese soup. The Café Bread bowls aren't the only things on the menu. They offer a sandwiches (turkey and roast beef), a variety of soups (Monterey Clam Chowder, Broccoli and Cheese, Santa Rosa Corn Chowder, and Vegetarian Chili), and salads (Newport Nicoise, Sonoma Chicken and Apple Salad, and San Francisco Shrimp Louie). Their deserts are even more tempti...Read More

Member Rating 4 out of 5 on April 7, 2007

Pacific Wharf Cafe
Disney's California Adventure
Anaheim, California 92803
714/781-3463

Disneyland

Fantasyland/Disneyland Park

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Attraction | "Disneyland-Fantasyland"

Peter Pan Photo - Fantasyland/Disneyland Park, Anaheim, California
Quote:
Fantasyland is one of my favorite places in the park. Although it offers a lot of kid rides they are all worth a visit. Get here early, because it is always packed. Kids come a little after park opening and stay until closing. Dumbo is one of the most famous rides in the park. The lines are always long and the ride only lasts for a couple of minutes. My suggestion is to go on this after the fireworks. Fantasyland closes down and if you stand next to the Dumbo ride you’ll be one of the first on when the rides open. It’s a Small World is beautiful. There is no other way to other way to put this. It’s sister ride in Disney World doesn’t even come close. The queue is wonderful. Outside there ar...Read More

Member Rating 4 out of 5 on April 6, 2007

Fantasyland/Disneyland Park
1313 South Harbor Blvd.
Anaheim, California
(714) 781-4000

Fantasyland/Disneyland Park

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Attraction | "Disneyland-Fantasyland Part 2"

Tree Photo - Fantasyland/Disneyland Park, Anaheim, California
Quote:
The Matterhorn is one of my favorite rides in the park. You sit in a bobsled and shoot though the Matterhorn Mountain trying to escape the Abominable Snowman. The bobsleds themselves carry up to eight people; however you see two per seat one in front of another. In other words pretty much on the lap on the person behind you. This is great if you have a small child, but they will sit like this if you are an adult as well. Make sure that you tell them way before you get on the ride that you want to go as a single rider. There are two lines for this ride; one that wraps around Fantasyland and one that face Tomorrowland. I prefer the Tommorowland route because it seems faster. It also seems mor...Read More

Member Rating 4 out of 5 on April 6, 2007

Fantasyland/Disneyland Park
1313 South Harbor Blvd.
Anaheim, California
(714) 781-4000

Disneyland Park

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Attraction | "Disneyland - Adventureland"

Tree Photo - Disneyland Park, Anaheim, California
Quote:
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...Read More

Member Rating 4 out of 5 on April 6, 2007

Disneyland Park
1313 South Harbor Blvd.
Anaheim, California 92802
(714) 781-4000

Disneyland Park

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Attraction | "Disneyland- Critter Country"

Pooh Photo - Disneyland Park, Anaheim, California
Quote:
Formally known at Bear Country, Critter Country has a tendency to become very busy in the afternoon, because of everyone is trying to ride Splash Mountain and the Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh. However, Critter Country was the quietest place in the park while I was there and usually stays that way until the afternoon. The easiest way to get there is to find New Orleans Square, walk past the Haunted Mansion and keep going. Once you see Splash Mountain you are there.The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh can be hard to find. If you can get to Splash Mountain follow the path past the Hungry Bear and you’ll end up at the Winnie the Pooh ride. It’s a great ride for kids, much like the kiddy ri...Read More

Member Rating 3 out of 5 on April 6, 2007

Disneyland Park
1313 South Harbor Blvd.
Anaheim, California 92802
(714) 781-4000

Frontierland/Disneyland Park

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Attraction | "Disneyland-Fronteirland"

Big Thunder Mountain Photo - Frontierland/Disneyland Park, Anaheim, California
Quote:
Big Thunder Mountain is one of those rides that you have to do at night, and is the only e-ticket ride in Frontierland. It’s faster, scarier, and much more of a thrill at night. If you want to ride at night grab a fastpass and come back later. The morning is also decent if you want a short line. If you get to the park early Fronteirland is almost empty at opening so this line can be as short as 15 minutes. The ride itself is a throw back to the gold-mining days. There is even a small town on the side of the tracks where you can hear people talking. You board the cars that soon become a runway train that twists and turns through tunnels, past Billy goats, and by water. Be careful, the caves have "ba...Read More

Member Rating 3 out of 5 on April 6, 2007

Frontierland/Disneyland Park
1313 South Harbor Blvd.
Anaheim, California
(714) 781-4000

Disneyland Park

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Attraction | "Disneyland-Main Street USA"

Main Street Photo - Disneyland Park, Anaheim, California
Quote:
Main Street USA is a throwback to the Walt Disney’s boyhood hometown. Along the streets you’ll find shops, bakeries, and restaurants. The first sight that you’ll see upon entering the park, even before you can see Sleeping Beauty’s castle is the Disneyland Railroad. Here you can get aboard a steam engine that will take you around to the various lands with in the park. You can also see a fire engine and a horse drawn streetcar going up and down Main Street. Guests of the park can take a trip on these from one end of Main Street to another. The shops contain almost any Disney souvenir that you could want among many items that you may have forgot to bring. The 20th Century Music Company sells ...Read More

Member Rating 3 out of 5 on April 6, 2007

Disneyland Park
1313 South Harbor Blvd.
Anaheim, California 92802
(714) 781-4000

Disneyland Park

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Attraction | "Disneyland - Toon Town"

Freedom Photo - Disneyland Park, Anaheim, California
Quote:
What a fun and colorful place this is. Even if you aren’t at the park with kids I suggest that you stop by and see this place, look at the different signs for at good laugh. One of the great things about this place is that you can meet many of the characters here such as Mickey. Also many things in Toon Town can be poked, prodded, and make sounds. There is a set of dumb bells that are smashed into the ground that people can pretend to try and lift and wiggly bars that you can escape thought. This place is nothing but fun. Toon Town closes before the rest of the park so make sure that you get there early and check the times that the posted in the Entertainment Times Guide that you can get at...Read More

Member Rating 5 out of 5 on April 7, 2007

Disneyland Park
1313 South Harbor Blvd.
Anaheim, California 92802
(714) 781-4000

Disneyland Park

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Attraction | "Disneyland - New Orleans"

Haunted Mansion Photo - Disneyland Park, Anaheim, California
Quote:
New Orleans Square is one of the most beautiful areas in the park and houses some of the best and expensive restaurants in the park. There are a lot of nook and crannies to explore here making a place that you want to see in the light. I made the mistake of trying to do the rides there at night and couldn’t find anything. The Haunted Mansion is home to 999 spokes with room for one more. Once you enter this mansion you are taken into the foyer, which magically stretches reveling what happened to the people in the painting on the walls. From there you are taken to a car, which moves you through the house. Although a little corny, it’s a must see on every visit. From hitchhiking ghosts to zombies popp...Read More

Member Rating 3 out of 5 on April 7, 2007

Disneyland Park
1313 South Harbor Blvd.
Anaheim, California 92802
(714) 781-4000

Tomorrowland/Disneyland Park

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Attraction | "Disneyland- Tomorrowland"

Space Mountain Photo - Tomorrowland/Disneyland Park, Anaheim, California
Quote:
Tomorrowland is always one of the most exciting places in the park usually making in it one of the most crowded places in the park. My favorite, new ride in the park is Buzz Lightyear Astro Blasters’. The Evil Zurg is attacking the universe and you, as his new recruit, must help. You board a Space Cruiser and begin to blast away at Zurg and his army. In each of the cars there is a laser that you use. Point it at the battery packs and shoot. For each pack that you shoot you rack up more points. The joystick in the car allows you to move the car in any direction that you want so that you can aim better. At the end check your score, which is on the dashboard of the car. It will also tell you which level ...Read More

Member Rating 5 out of 5 on April 7, 2007

Tomorrowland/Disneyland Park
1313 South Harbor Blvd.
Anaheim, California
(714) 781-4000

California Adventure

Disney California Adventure Park

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Attraction | "Disney's California Adventures- Hollywood Backlot part 1"

Hollywood Photo - Disney California Adventure Park, Anaheim, California
Quote:
Living in Hollywood’s backward I wasn’t impressed with the Hollywood Backlot. It came across as a second rate version of Universal Studios or MGM Studios and didn't impress me as much as the real Hollywood. They had a less than grand version of the entrance into the Kodak Theater and the streets were named after famous Hollywood Avenues such as Wilshire and Hollywood and Highland. The Monster, Inc. Ride (Mike & Sulley to the Rescue) was another let down. This is a slow moving dark ride through Monstropolis. The outside is an attractive array of doors, but the second you enter the queue, it's nothing more then a rails to separate the line and a few posters. Once inside you board a Taxi that has ...Read More

Member Rating 2 out of 5 on April 7, 2007

Disney California Adventure Park
1600 Disneyland Drive
Anaheim, California 92802
(714) 781-4565

Disney California Adventure Park

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Attraction | "Disney's California Adventures-Hollywood Backlot part 2"

Sketch Photo - Disney California Adventure Park, Anaheim, California
Quote:
Disney Animation was one of my favorite parks of the park. There are several things to see and do here. First we went to see Turtle Talk with Crush. This is an interactive show with Crush from Finding Nemo. You enter a movie theater setting where kids can sit on the floor down front. In a few minutes Crush appears to speak to all of the "humans in the human tank". Crush will ask questions, play, and answer any questions you want to ask him. He talks to the children, but adults don’t think you got away free. Crush loves to talk to adults. Each show is different and worth a stop. Drawn to Animation is another great place in the Disney Animation building. You enter a theater where you meet a D...Read More

Member Rating 5 out of 5 on April 7, 2007

Disney California Adventure Park
1600 Disneyland Drive
Anaheim, California 92802
(714) 781-4565

Disney California Adventure Park

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Attraction | "Disney's California Adventures-Paradise Pier"

Parade Pier Photo - Disney California Adventure Park, Anaheim, California
Quote:
This is one of the most beautiful parts of the park. Regardless of what time of the day you are there you are guaranteed a great picture. This area of the park is reminiscent of the Santa Monica pier. Complete with a rollercoaster, board walk games, and a bay. By far my favorite ride in the park is California Screamin’. Get a fastpass or two early in the day because they run out quick for this ride. The ride starts out sitting on Paradise Bay when the count down begins. Then you blast off across the bay to the sound of the Red Hot Chili Peppers. This is by far the best rollercoaster in Disneyland. The drops are extreme and the loop (which is shaped like Mickey’s ears) is amazing. They do take seati...Read More

Member Rating 3 out of 5 on April 7, 2007

Disney California Adventure Park
1600 Disneyland Drive
Anaheim, California 92802
(714) 781-4565

Disney California Adventure Park

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Attraction | "Disney's California Adventures - The Golden State"

grizzly River Run Photo - Disney California Adventure Park, Anaheim, California
Quote:
Located in the Condor Flats is one of the parks most popular attractions, Soarin' Over California. Alison and I were allowed into the park early thinking that only the shops were opened, but were surprised that Soarin' was also opened and quickly got on the ride. Once inside they have you sit on a hand glider(really just a row of seat that isn't attached to the ground) that takes you up to a giant IMAX screen. Seriously, you are only feet away. The ride makes you feel like you are actually flying though various places in California. During the flight you see the Golden Gate Bridge, the ocean, and Downtown Los Angeles ending up in Disneyland. The hand glider moves with the movie making it feel as if...Read More

Member Rating 4 out of 5 on April 7, 2007

Disney California Adventure Park
1600 Disneyland Drive
Anaheim, California 92802
(714) 781-4565

Disney California Adventure Park

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Attraction | "Disney's California Adventures- A Bug's Land"

clovers Photo - Disney California Adventure Park, Anaheim, California
Quote:
"A Bug’s Land" like many things in the park is specifically for kids. This part of the park is cute. It is meant to look like you are the size of a bug. The entrance is made out of cardboard boxes and many of the rides are meant to look like they were made out of things that humans threw away. This land has a lot of kid’s rides like the Flik’s Flyers, which is a hot air balloon rides that lifts you off the ground similar to the Dumbo ride. Francis’ Ladybug boogie is much like the teacup ride. Your ladybug car spins as it twirls around. There is Heimlich's Chew Chew Train, which is like a train that goes through a land of giant fruit. Princess Dot Puddle Park is fun to watch. This is a great way to ...Read More

Member Rating 2 out of 5 on April 7, 2007

Disney California Adventure Park
1600 Disneyland Drive
Anaheim, California 92802
(714) 781-4565