Ariel (She’s real!) and King Triton (Hot Merman!), of course, is my favorite electrical float. Photo by M.C.
Get your happy on and go to Disneyland this summer. Disneyland is 60 years old and I think they have out done themselves. Disney’s Paint The Night electrical parade is magical. Think Pasadena Rose Parade but with lights.
Belle from Beauty and the Beast. I’m a sucker for a story with a man-beast for a hero! Photo by M.C.
The first parade starts at 8:50pm from It’s A Small World and ends on Main Street. So stand on the platform near It’s A Small World that way you will also be in between the Disneyland Forever fireworks at 9:30pm. The fireworks are in two places: one behind the castle and one maybe behind Toon Town and they are the best Disneyland fireworks I’ve seen. They even fire up the volcano in the Matterhorn Bobsleds for a Finding Nemo theme. The electrical parade starts again at 11pm from Main Street and ends near It’s A Small World.
‘Cause we just can’t get enough of Frozen! Photo by M.C.
The music is fun and some people march behind the parade dancing.
Mickey Mouse in his Fantasia outfit. This one has moving circles like a kaleidoscope. It’s amazing! Photo by M.C.
If you haven’t been to Disneyland in years this is the time to go. Disneyland’s blog suggests extending Paint The Night past the summer. There is too much work that went into it to just show it for the summer. Hopefully, Paint The Night becomes a mainstay.
Disneyland was so busy during the holidays that a flyer with tips was passed out at the parking lot on how to best enjoy the park. The shows were the biggest suggestion. We saw shows I’ve never seen and I found out a new one is coming January 11, 2015!
The Enchanted Tiki Room feels like a room with tiki furniture and tropical plants. You sit down for a sing-along. A cast member will ask you to wake up Jose, one of the birds. He comes alive with a Mexican accent to sing with other birds from around the world. Then the flowers sing a song and then the tikis sing a song. It’s entertaining and a good place to get away from weather or crowds. The show isn’t a must see, but it’s worth visiting.
The Golden Horseshoe. Photo by M.C.
Around the corner is The Golden Horseshoe where they serve fish and chips so it’s easy to forget there is a show in there. It is really funny. The Mayor wants the Sheriff to marry is ugly daughter who is a man dressed as a woman. They bring in audience members to play the banker and the town drunk.
Belle in The Royal Theatre. Photo by M.C.
The Royal Theatre presents the tale of Belle with the help of Renaissance Vaudevillians. Mr. Smythe and Mr. Jones are funny as they pretend to be the other characters of Beauty and the Beast, but it gets a bit too silly for me. There is a sing-along with the movies theme song. I’m happy they are going to change this show. It is going to be FROZEN! Fake smile. I’m not a fan, but it’s something different. I still want to see the show. It comes down to the singing and acting. If the performances are good then it will be worth seeing. On January 11, 2015 look for the new Frozen show at The Royal Theatre, but wait a while for the lines to calm down. California Adventure has FrozenFun in Hollywood Land which I haven’t seen. It promises dancing with a DJ, snow and a sing-along. I believe they moved Elsa and Anna here from Fantasyland. It sounds like the Mad T Party section has been taken over by Frozen.
The best show is Mickey and the Magical Map at Fantasyland Theatre. The choreography, dancing and singing are what would be expected from Disney. Mickey tells you to use your imagination then takes you through songs from different animated Disney movies. The lady who sings as Pocahontas is my favorite. Tiana, from The Princess and the Frog appeared once. I’m not sure if that is a new permanent change. Stitch from Lilo and Stitch is part of a dance that is very Disneyesque. The crowd goes wild for this show, almost like they know the performers. If you go to see any show this would be the one to see.
Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln. Photo by M.C.
My second favorite show at Disneyland is Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln. Before you walk all the way through there are photos with Disneyland secrets. The show is partly the Gettysburg Address with an amazing animatronic Lincoln. There is a bit of art, history and technology mix together.
Main Street Cinema is a small theatre we always pass. There are six small screens in a circle showing old black and white Mickey Mouse cartoons. There isn’t any seating, but there is a middle platform where parents sat on the floor with their baby and rested. It’s quiet in there too away from the crowd. Otherwise, skip this one.
Now that the holidays have passed crowds should go back to comfortable levels. Still, avoid Friday nights. There are lots of new hotels going up around Disneyland which I have mentioned in the past. Last year 34.4 million people came through LAX. I’m sure a few million of those people went to Disneyland. It’s only going to get busier with so many new attractions coming. If you haven’t been in a while, now is a good time to visit. And you can come through the John Wayne airport in Santa Ana which is close to Anaheim (Not in LA. It’s the OC.)
Pack a backpack with snacks. Don’t overload the stroller. Some guy did that and ticked off the bus driver. All strollers must be collapsed for the bus ride. Another thing I learned over the holidays at Disneyland is that the behind the scenes isn’t that interesting. We were directed to walk behind the buildings of Main Street to escape the crowd for the holiday parade. Not that magical. Very clean though.
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