Day 3
I had the most amazing trip to Disneyland last week! Here’s my review, hopefully it will help you with some tips, tricks, and advice for your trip! I don’t always reveal some of my best tips until you book with me, so be sure to contact me to book your next trip, and you’ll get in on some of my best secrets! Here is the review from my third day at the Disneyland parks.
I arrived to California Adventure about 9:30 again, and Alison had already entered the park and had her coffee. It seemed like this day was going to be more crowded, but we were prepared with the Disney Genie. We purchased the extra Lightning Lane Pass for Radiator Springs Racers for $12. On our way, we got some cute photo pass pictures!
We had time before our Radiator Springs Racers Lightning Lane, so we had a quick ride on Mater’s Jingle Jamboree. It is like a more fun version of a scrambler ride. Lots of laughs ensued. Then we were off to the Racers. If you have ever ridden on Test Track at Walt Disney World, this is a similar concept, but all Cars themed. It was so adorable and fun!
It was time for some food! We decided on some cones from the Cozy Cone. Alison got the Chili Con Queso (beef chili, cheddar cheese, and corn chips in a bread cone) and I got the Bacon Mac ‘n’ Cheese (creamy mac n cheese mixed with roasted bacon in a bread cone). They were both delicious, but we were both partial to the Chili Con Queso.
We decided to head to Paradise Pier next. We wanted to brave the Incredicoaster (for which we’d gotten a lightning lane pass for)! It was so fun, and we loved how they carried the story through the whole ride, even with it being a coaster.
And of course, what’s a trip to visit the Incredibles without a Jack Jack Cookie Num Num? We sat on the pier to enjoy the cookie and watch the coaster take off over and over.
We moved along from Paradise Pier, got some Joffrey’s coffee, and rode The Little Mermaid. Although most rides have variances from Disneyland to Disney World, this one was exactly the same. But it’s always been one I love. After the ride, we explored along the Paradise Gardens Park area. Just our luck, the 3 Caballeros were out greeting guests! They are so silly!
Next up was time for some more food! The Festival of Holidays was happening, and there were so many snacks and drinks to be had! Disneyland usually does what they call the Sip and Savor Pass for their festivals. This is always a great deal! For their current offering, we got a pass good for 8 snacks and/or drinks (non alcoholic) for the price of $56. Most snacks are $7-8, so it saves you some money. I don’t recommend using for dessert type items, because they are closer to $5-6 and you may not get your money’s worth that way. The other nice thing about the pass is you don’t have to use them all in one day. It is good the whole festival season, so you can save some of your credits for another day if you’d like.
We met up with the other agents and did some photos before heading off to Avengers Campus. Our next Lightning Lane was for Guardians of the Galaxy: Mission Breakout! As soon as you step into Avengers Campus, you are totally immersed, similar to Batuu (the Star Wars area in both Disneyland and Hollywood Studios at Disney World).
The pre-show for Mission Breakout was great, and the ride was an absolute blast! I laughed with glee the whole time!
Our next Lightning Lane was the extra purchase for Webslingers. That ride was fun, and it was definitely a workout for the arms, but I don’t feel it was on the same level as Rise of the Resistance, the newer Star Wars ride. It’s impressive that it somehow can keep score for each of 4 people the whole time without some extra blaster or attachement. You are literally flinging your arms and your arms alone, just like Spiderman would. But overall, it compares equally to many of the 3D virtual reality rides at Universal Studios. If it is your first time riding it, it is well worth the extra cost of the Lightning Lane Plus, but personally I would probably not pay the extra for it again.
After a bit of window shopping, we decided we would gather a few more snacks from nearby festival booths, and prepare to enjoy the Dr. Strange show. This didn’t exactly go as planned. We got all the snacks we wanted, and went back to Avengers Campus.
We had heard the Dr. Strange show was really good, and were excited to see it. Where it went wrong was this: we sat and waited outside the stage area for the show. What we didn’t realize is that there was a line to get into the show that went around the corner. Waaaaaayyyyy around the corner, it was so long. It’s a small stage space and by the time the line got in, there was no room for us to join. Luckily for us, the spot we chose to eat was perfect. All of a sudden, Loki and Black Widow were there for a meet and greet. They were very interactive and so fun to watch!
After a little more shopping, it was time to park hop over to Disneyland to finish out our evening. Because the parks are SO close to each other, park hopping is a breeze!
We went on a ride on the train around the whole park, and then got off in New Orleans Square, where we rode Haunted Mansion (with lightning lane), Winnie the Pooh, and Thunder Mountain (also with lightning lane). We then headed to Main Street where Alison got one of the famous corn dogs from The Red Wagon. We sat down behind The Red Wagon and enjoyed the FIreworks show from a different perspective. Disney’s nightime shows are just amazing. I have to say though, it didn’t make me cry like the show at Disney World. It was just a Christmas show right now, though, not the normal spectacular.
This is where Alison and I parted ways. She had to catch a red eye at LAX, and I had other plans to end my evening. It was such a blessing to have her to hang out with during our trip, she was a joy to be around and we had a great time together. I was sad to say goodbye.
I then braved crossing the post fireworks crowd to get to Adventureland. I was Blue Bayou bound! Another agent, Jaime, had been lucky enough to get a last minute reservation for 6 at one of Disneyland Resorts most popular restaraunts. The other agents declined because it wasn’t until 9:20 pm. But there was NO WAY I was going to turn down the Blue Bayou. When I was young and we visited Disneyland, my family always ate at the Blue Bayou. It was a lovely childhood memory, and it’s such an amazing atmosphere. This restaraunt is set right in the middle of the Pirates of the Caribbean ride!
I was disappointed to learn they didn’t have the Monte Cristo that night, so I settled on the Jambalaya instead. Jaime got the filet and lobster tail combo. Our food was delicious, and I was just so happy to be there. Because it was so late, the restaraunt had already started to empty out, and we got some great photos. I could not have had a better ending to my magical trip.
After dinner, we headed back to Main Street together, and stopped in the candy shop. Here we parted ways, and I made my way out of the park alone, soaking in every last bit that I could. It was so lovely and magical. The whole trip was just amazing.
I cannot recommend a trip to Disneyland enough. For solo trips, for couples, for families. There is something for everyone. It’s in a great location, and makes it easy to have a break day and do something else. You can easily visit the beach, or Los Angeles, Universal, or the zoo, just to list a few options. The weather is almost always perfect, and it’s easy to take breaks in the middle of the day without wasting a lot of time because everything is so close. You can easily do both parks in 2 days, but if you don’t want to rush and just take your time soaking it in leisurely, my recommendation is 3 days. And because the parks are so close to each other, I would always recommend the park hopper.
If you want to create an amazing vacation like this for yourself or your family, contact me or fill out one of my forms. I’d be happy to help you make these memories for you and your loved ones!
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