Lots to Learn at Disneyland

There are about a gazillion educational opportunities to take advantage of while in Disneyland, and much of it can be done while having fun. Kids may not even notice that they are learning. The obvious ones are things like budgeting money for souvenirs, telling time, and counting change. For the pre-school crowd, color and shape recognition are simple to do while standing in line or grabbing a snack. For older children, the history of Walt Disney or Disneyland itself, and history of various inventions, such as the steam engine can be started on various attractions and supplemented by books and information available in Disneyland, bookstores and on the Internet. All ages can partake in a little art and music appreciation.

This weekend a new idea came to me - that of social observation. Yes, people watching. A specific idea came to me as I was talking with our six-year-old son.

"Mom, next time we go to Disneyland, I think I will be ready to go on Splash Mountain again, and that big space ride that is like a box that moves."

"Star Tours?"

"Yes....and (everything except the Haunted Mansion)"



When his was four, he was traumatized by the elevator ride into the attraction when everything goes dark and the person is seen hanging above the riders' heads. What scared him was that the elevator was full of teens and everyone screamed when it went dark.

I explained how he is older now and knows what's coming so it shouldn't be scary the next time around. I could see he was considering my words.

"You know what?" I said, "Next time you will know what is coming, but some people won't. You can watch them and see if they get scared."

"Yeah!" This got him. He seemed delighted with the idea that he might catch others being scared while he stayed cool and calm.

So, maybe watching the reactions of others - fear, delight, impatience, etc. may be another skill to be honed while in Disneyland. We shall see!

What's New?- Toy Story Mania

Wow - what a slacker, right? First post in over one month! Well, guess that is what happens when a student is out of school for the summer :) I have been busy working at my regular job and dreaming of our next Disneyland vacation, but not actually going on anything resembling a vacation. Hey - budgets are tight all around, and when you are a student with a family to support....well, you get the idea. We will be doing some fun local things in August and saving our money for a big Disneyland bash sometime in the next year. Maybe after the bar exam? (Although I have heard that "brain dead" will be my state of mind for at least a couple of weeks afterwards.)

So, what's new at the Disneyland Resort? Toy Story Mania opened to the public in Disney's California Adventure on Tuesday, June 24th.



The reviews on this attraction, which is an interactive ride through carnival games with Woody and Friends, are really great. This is similar to the Buzz Lightyear attraction in Disneyland where you help Buzz defeat the Evil Emporer Zurg by shooting at targets. I have read a few reviews calling the attraction "addictive" as riders want to play over and over again to beat their friend's and own personal best scores.

Lines are reported to be fairly long - I've seen reports of 45 minutes to over 2 hours - so if you are planning on going, sounds like first thing in the morning and the end of the day are your best bets. There is no FastPass hooked up at this time.

For an in depth review of Toy Story Mania, check out this article. This sounds like a "Do Not Miss" attraction to me! I can't wait to experience it for myself!

Random Disneyland Fun

In case you haven't checked out the deals being offered by the Disneyland Resort, there is currently a great offer of a 5-day package for the price of a 3-day package. Vacations must be booked by April 21 and travel completed by April 28. Check out the link above for more details.

Want a little random Disneyland fun? If you'd like to "remember the magic," here is a link to a video of part of the Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage attraction. This is undoubtedly a home video, and of questionable legality to film and post, but the quality is good, and the intentions are good. So, enjoy! (If you haven't been on this attraction, you may not want to view this "spoiler" since a video can never compare to the real thing.)

OK, last tidbit for today. If you are spending a few days in the Anaheim area, you may want to spend a day at Knott's Berry Farm. This is a fun theme park featuring areas like the Old West, The Boardwalk, Wild Water Wilderness and Camp Snoopy. There are LOTS of thrill rides, including one of the world's longest and tallest wooden roller coaster, and some fun family shows. If you are traveling with young kids, Camp Snoopy will be the area they can enjoy, but be aware that much of the rest of the park is filled with rides they will not be able to go on. Still, there should be plenty to keep you busy for a good portion of a day.

Knott's Berry Farm now has its own resort hotel, so you could plan on staying there, or just purchase tickets and the bus ride as an add-on to your Disneyland vacation package. If you go to Knott's Berry Farm knowing it is not Disneyland, and appreciating it for it's own unique features, you'll have a great time. Oh, and be sure to get one of their world famous chicken dinners from Mrs. Knott's Chicken Dinner Restaurant, and don't forget to spread some boysenberry jam on your biscuit. Boysenberries are the trademark of the Knott's family - and you can be sure their pies, preserves and other berry products are top notch!

Disney's California Adventure Seeks New Adventures

Hey - more Disney equals more fun! This is certainly not a place to find late-breaking Disney news, but in case you haven't heard, Disney's California Adventure is in for a BIG remodel. This is already a fun park, but in part because it is not as crowded as Disneyland. Will the big changes bring much bigger crowds and eliminate some of the more laid back feel, or will it result in an overall better park? Check out the article on the improvements in the OC Register.

The new attractions sound fun to me. Guess that means many more trips to the Disneyland Resort as each new attraction is unveiled!

Disneyland's Haunted Mansion

Delightfully frightful! You know you wish you were there now, descending in the Stretching room; anticipating your ride on the Doombuggy; awaiting greeting by your Ghost Host. For a little taste of the haunted magic, you may want to check out http://www.grimghosts.com/dl/ , which provides a photo-narrative of the entire attraction, plus bonus features such as the history of, and Walt Disney's inspirations for, The Haunted Mansion. A fun way to spend some "Disney Dreamin'" time.

Thought of the Day

As you sit in your office, or your car, or your home with the hot sun streaming in on you, here's an image to dwell upon:

You are seated in a log, and have just slowly, painstakingly climbed the final hill of Splash Mountain. Poor Bre'r Rabbit appears to be done for...As you crest the hill, you can see across all of Disneyland when suddenly - -

AHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!


You plummet with breakneck speed down the mountain and into the refreshing mist at the bottom of the briar patch. (Did you take a breath in time to scream or was it too late?)

Soon the happy sounds of "Zip-a-Dee-Do-Dah" reach you.

You know you're smiling.

The Haunted Mansion Might be Scary

Last summer we took our four-year-old into the Haunted Mansion for the first time. I carried him in, as he was a tiny bit nervous. As the stretching room was going down and about to reach the end, I told him it was about to get dark, and I held him close. We seemed to have survived the blackout and screaming well, and the rest of the ride was fun. Fast-forward to a couple days later when Moms are hoping for a return trip through the Mansion. No Way! This continued on our next trip 2 months later. It wasn't the Grim Grinning Ghosts that scared him, it was the dark (and the screams). We even got as far as "next to get into the elevator" when our boy totally freaked out about going inside and we had to take him out screaming like we'd been torturing him. It was sad, and maddening all at the same time.

I heard there used to be a way to by-pass the elevator for wheelchair-users and freaked out kids, but no more. I'm told some Cast Members will allow a little one to hold the CM's flashlight to help ease fears, but I wouldn't want to count on that, just in case.

Sometimes, it is hard to remember what it must be like for young child experiencing Disneyland for the first time. Mostly, it is magical, but also, it can be overwhelming, and what might not frighten a child under ordinary circumstances might scare them when they are tired or taking in a whole range of new experiences. Remember your patience, parents! The kids will be big soon enough :)