Here you will find some suggestions when it comes to watching Disneyland's parades, fireworks and shows. Let me start by listing a few events I recently watched and are happening right now. At California Adventure there is the Pixar Play Parade at 5:15 and The World of Color at 9:45. Disneyland currently has Mickey's Soundsational Parade at 4:30, Paint the Night Parade at 8:30 and 10:30 and Disneyland Forever fireworks at 9:10. These are the show times for the 3 days I was there make sure you check the times on your specific day just to be 100% sure. This also isn't every event going on these are just the ones I can speak about from my own experience. My trip was during spring break which is a very busy time so take that into account when considering your own wait times.
Pixar Play Parade-This parade features characters from the movies Cars, Toy Story, Incredibles, Monsters Inc., Nemo and other Pixar movies. It was a fun and energetic parade that I think people of all ages would like. There is no need to go hours early to get a seat. I suggest going maybe 30 minutes to an hour early and sitting along the street in Hollywood Land. I went only about 5 minutes before it started and got a spot right on the curb. It seems most people sit closer to Pacific Wharf and in front of Ariels Undersea Adventure. Hollywood Land was fairly empty and very easy to get a good spot.
World of Color- This is my favorite thing to watch at CAA. This show uses water, lights, fire, projections and music to walk us through some classic Disney films and even gives us some Disney history. The show had recently been done and now includes Neil Patrick Harris as a host. The rides along the pier are involved in the show which makes it even better but that means you need to hit these rides during the day since they don't open again. This magical show is one of those things that just makes your heart happy! You are able to get Fast Passes for this show but you may want to consider other options. On my last visit I thought I was being smart by getting a fast pass so I didn't have to go so early and wait for hours to see the show however I wasn't impressed with my choice. A fast pass will put you down in the front and center which at first seems too good to be true. Here's why it is too good to be true,first of all it's a wet zone. I don't mind a little water but it being almost 10:00 at night along with a cool breeze made me very cold. Problem two was that they give so many fast passes and the section isn't that big. People push up and get in front of you whether or not you were standing there for 30 minutes prior. Since there are so many people it makes it hard to move and if you're not right in front you can't see good. I have some better suggestions if that doesn't sound ideal to you. My first thought is to instead watch the show from the bridge. Those people didn't even have to wait long, they had a good view and they looked a lot more spaced out and comfortable than I felt. Another option especially if you have already seen the show is to sit on the opposite side over on the pier and watch the show from the back. Sure some things won't look the same but it's still an ok view and you get the same magical feeling. I found this out a few years ago and it's a nice way to beat the crowd and still enjoy a great show.
Mickey's Soundsational Parade- Because this parade is at 4:30 at Disneyland you can expect it to be crowded. This is the time of day people need a rest and most people would agree watching a Disney parade can give you quite the pick me up. For this one you need to get there at least 30 minutes early for a curb spot but I would suggest going even earlier. Because I went during spring break my wait times might differ from yours. Trust me when I say this, if you are going during a peak park time you will need to go early to things to find a good spot. Its just the reality of Disneyland. I personally don't mind going early to things. I don't even mind going an hour or more early to find a spot. I find it is the perfect time to grab a quick snack, rest your feet and reorganize for the rest of your day. The parade itself is your basic Disney parade. It has all the main Disney characters and some upbeat music. Not really much more I can say about this specific parade. If you have little ones it is a great way for them to see several characters at once. So I say if you have nothing else on your agenda this could be something to check out.
Paint the Night Parade-I absolutely love this parade!!! It's a light parade at Disneyland. Do I really need to say more!? It has catchy upbeat music that is sure to make anyone feel carefree and happy. They go all out with the floats and the costumes to make it even more magical. When I was there they offered this parade at 8:30 and at 10:30. I have experienced both times and let me tell you this, go at 10:30. At 8:30 it is jam packed crowded. People started sitting really early for this one and that is valuable ride time they wasted. And hey hey think about this, if all those people are watching the parade at 8:30 you can be riding the bigger rides with little to no wait. How about them apples!? Now let me tell you about 10:30. Picture this-nice empty curbs, not nearly as many strollers blocking everything because a lot of people with kids have left, you go maybe 15 minutes early and get a perfect spot! That's what happened for me anyways. I had no intention of even watching this parade on our first night. We had done World of Color at CAA and had just hopped back over to Disneyland and I noticed the ropes which means a parade was starting soon. Instead of trying to navigate through the blocks they put up we decided to just stay. I was over towards the entrance of the park and the very start of Main Street USA and literally just walked into the perfect spot where there was maybe a few other people sitting down. What made it even better was for the 10:30 showtime the parade starts right there so after we watched it we were able to get a jump start on getting back in line for the rides. BONUS! Really try and plan for this parade though guys it is definitely worth it!!!
Disneyland Forever Fireworks Show- Oh my heart! Guys really you NEED to see this show and not only see it but get a good spot front and center so you can get the best view of everything. This isn't just a fireworks show. They put so much into this show and I actually felt sad for the people who haven't ever seen it. It's that good! During the show I looked around me and saw adults and kids mesmerized by this awesome piece of magic which was just so cool to see. I can't speak for the other viewing spots people recommend but in my opinion you must get right in front of the castle to experience this show to the max. They put projections up on the castle, use music and narration and even make it snow during the Frozen section. You will want to cry because it just makes you that happy. Here is a plan of attack to make sure you get a good spot. So Paint the Night starts at 8:30 and as soon as it is over the fireworks show begins. Go to the circle where there is the statue of Walt and Mickey and stand to the left of the circle (if you are looking towards the castle). The parade route goes to the right of the circle so it is super crowded over there but since you can't see the parade from the left side it doesn't get as crowded. Just to clarify you won't be able to use this spot for fireworks and parade but like I said you should try to watch the 10:30 parade anyways. You will need to go pretty early though I suggest maybe an hour at the least to get up front. If you are sitting down until showtime try and take up more space than you actually need because when you stand up to watch people WILL try and shove you. It's an annoying fact of Disneyland and yet there is not avoiding it. So many rude people who think they can show up last minute and push you out of your hard earned spot and it sucks. Be prepared and if they push don't be afraid to push back! Use those strollers and don't let anyone move your things out of their way. I don't want to talk anymore about this actual show because you have to go and experience it for yourself. I will say this, for me it beat World of Color. And I LOVE World of Color! Basically I am saying, if you do anything your entire trip to Disneyland make it this Fireworks show.
And that is what I can offer up about Parades and shows at Disneyland. If you have any questions or anything you think I should add that would be useful to others, please don't hesitate to tell me!!!
Tuesday, March 29, 2016
Sunday, March 20, 2016
General Disney Questions
As I read some other Disney blogs I found conflicting information about the basic questions of Disneyland and CA Adventure. As someone who just returned from Disneyland yesterday, I thought it would be convenient (especially for first timers) to find accurate answers all in one place so here it goes.
Frequently Asked Questions About Disneyland:
Q-Is Disney's California Adventure worth spending time at?
A- YES! I was surprised at how much I read saying it isn't worth the money or time to check out CA Adventure. Many people say it doesn't offer the magic you find at Disneyland. I strongly disagree. It is filled with the Disney Magic through and through. Some upsides? It is way less crowded than Disneyland, it has good rides for adults and older kids including California Screaming, Soaring Over California and Tower of Terror to name a few and the World of Color show makes your heart just plain happy. The food here is also great and if your little one likes Cars, of course you can't skip Carsland. On my last visit we were able to do everything in CAA before 3:00 and that includes some ride repeats and a sit down lunch. We hopped on over to Disney and immediately felt an increase in wait times and crowds. We completed a few rides there and made it back to a refreshingly lighter crowd in CAA just in time for the Pixar Play Parade.
Q-Can I take snacks into the park?
A-Yes you can. On the Disneyland website it tells you food can be eaten in the picnic area outside the park but isn't permitted inside. Other Disney bloggers will also tell you food isn't allowed in but trust me on this friends, as long as you don't bring in alcohol or glass you are good to go on the snack front. When they checked my bag at the front they saw my huge bags of food in my backpack and said nothing at all. Believe me, even if you plan to purchase food in the park you will at least want a few of your own snacks.
Q-Will a backpack be a problem?
A-Not at all. As I looked into this before my latest trip just to see if things had changed since my last visit in 2014, I found conflicting answers. Some people said full size backpacks hindered them riding things and others said they packed a bag to the seams and had no issues. I was nervous and almost decided to bring a mini backpack but didn't want to have to carry my jacket all day. I went ahead with the full size backpack that was stuffed pretty tight and I didn't have one issue whatsoever. I would just tuck it by my feet or hold it in my lap if it didn't fit in the provided ride compartment. Indiana Jones offers a nice hook to hang it on and Soarin Over California workers will let you set a bag to the side of your row should it be too bulky for the net. So please don't hesitate to bring the things you need.
Q-How picky are they when it comes to the height requirements?
A-In my experience with young kids they take the height requirement pretty serious. My niece was barely too short for several of the rides and for some reason we tried a million times anyway. Poor thing was in tears every time we measured her and were told not quite by the cast member. It was literally less than a pinky size difference between the top of her head and the measuring stick but still no luck. We got a big fat no every time. My advice is know your child's height in advanced and don't even waste time trying to get them on rides they aren't tall enough for. Oh and keep in mind hair does not count. Ridiculous I know but we hoped a high bun paired with thick tennis shoes would help us cheat the measuring system (it didn't). I do feel like I should mention a friend of mine said when they went a few years back she took her 5 year old son on everything and even when he was too short they would let him go anyways. Not sure why they would have done that but she swears he did every single ride they did. Just wanted to throw that out there...
Q-What should I bring with me?
A- This is another one you will find several of online. Keep in mind I don't have to pack for any other human but myself so my suggestions don't include what you might want to bring for your kiddos.
Here is what I found absolutely necessary-
-hand sanitizer
-antibacterial wipes (for the tables especially)
-sunscreen
-snacks
-water bottle(there are water fountains at every turn with fairly cold water to refill it).
- jacket if your going when it gets chilly at night
-sunglasses
-ziplock bags(used for many things)
-large plastic shopping bag (this was handy to have to put my entire backpack in on water rides. Other people suggest ponchos I found this to be much easier if you are only worried about your stuff getting wet and not yourself)
-rubber flip flops like the cheap 99 cent ones at Wal Mart (Confession: I used to laugh at ppl who changed their tennis shoes for rubber flip flops on water rides but now that I am old I think it's genius. They weigh nothing and take up basically no room in your backpack. A quick change of shoes for Grizzly River or Splash Mountain can prevent you from walking around in soggy shoes and socks for the rest of the day. Clothes will dry but wet socks and shoes? Forget about it!! If you don't want to bring flip flops I suggest at least an extra pair of dry socks to change into).
-blanket or other item to spread out on the ground for parades. Definitely necessary to save your spot.
-portable charger
-baby wipes These really came in handy for wiping hands after sunscreen application and ice crea, eating.
-band aids
-lanyard with plastic pouch for tickets and fast passes
If you can think of any questions I didn't answer let me know and I will be glad to add them to this post! If you want more Disney info. look at the tips and tricks post I added and hopefully something there can help a fellow Disney lover out ;).
Frequently Asked Questions About Disneyland:
Q-Is Disney's California Adventure worth spending time at?
A- YES! I was surprised at how much I read saying it isn't worth the money or time to check out CA Adventure. Many people say it doesn't offer the magic you find at Disneyland. I strongly disagree. It is filled with the Disney Magic through and through. Some upsides? It is way less crowded than Disneyland, it has good rides for adults and older kids including California Screaming, Soaring Over California and Tower of Terror to name a few and the World of Color show makes your heart just plain happy. The food here is also great and if your little one likes Cars, of course you can't skip Carsland. On my last visit we were able to do everything in CAA before 3:00 and that includes some ride repeats and a sit down lunch. We hopped on over to Disney and immediately felt an increase in wait times and crowds. We completed a few rides there and made it back to a refreshingly lighter crowd in CAA just in time for the Pixar Play Parade.
Q-Can I take snacks into the park?
A-Yes you can. On the Disneyland website it tells you food can be eaten in the picnic area outside the park but isn't permitted inside. Other Disney bloggers will also tell you food isn't allowed in but trust me on this friends, as long as you don't bring in alcohol or glass you are good to go on the snack front. When they checked my bag at the front they saw my huge bags of food in my backpack and said nothing at all. Believe me, even if you plan to purchase food in the park you will at least want a few of your own snacks.
Q-Will a backpack be a problem?
A-Not at all. As I looked into this before my latest trip just to see if things had changed since my last visit in 2014, I found conflicting answers. Some people said full size backpacks hindered them riding things and others said they packed a bag to the seams and had no issues. I was nervous and almost decided to bring a mini backpack but didn't want to have to carry my jacket all day. I went ahead with the full size backpack that was stuffed pretty tight and I didn't have one issue whatsoever. I would just tuck it by my feet or hold it in my lap if it didn't fit in the provided ride compartment. Indiana Jones offers a nice hook to hang it on and Soarin Over California workers will let you set a bag to the side of your row should it be too bulky for the net. So please don't hesitate to bring the things you need.
Q-How picky are they when it comes to the height requirements?
A-In my experience with young kids they take the height requirement pretty serious. My niece was barely too short for several of the rides and for some reason we tried a million times anyway. Poor thing was in tears every time we measured her and were told not quite by the cast member. It was literally less than a pinky size difference between the top of her head and the measuring stick but still no luck. We got a big fat no every time. My advice is know your child's height in advanced and don't even waste time trying to get them on rides they aren't tall enough for. Oh and keep in mind hair does not count. Ridiculous I know but we hoped a high bun paired with thick tennis shoes would help us cheat the measuring system (it didn't). I do feel like I should mention a friend of mine said when they went a few years back she took her 5 year old son on everything and even when he was too short they would let him go anyways. Not sure why they would have done that but she swears he did every single ride they did. Just wanted to throw that out there...
Q-What should I bring with me?
A- This is another one you will find several of online. Keep in mind I don't have to pack for any other human but myself so my suggestions don't include what you might want to bring for your kiddos.
Here is what I found absolutely necessary-
-hand sanitizer
-antibacterial wipes (for the tables especially)
-sunscreen
-snacks
-water bottle(there are water fountains at every turn with fairly cold water to refill it).
- jacket if your going when it gets chilly at night
-sunglasses
-ziplock bags(used for many things)
-large plastic shopping bag (this was handy to have to put my entire backpack in on water rides. Other people suggest ponchos I found this to be much easier if you are only worried about your stuff getting wet and not yourself)
-rubber flip flops like the cheap 99 cent ones at Wal Mart (Confession: I used to laugh at ppl who changed their tennis shoes for rubber flip flops on water rides but now that I am old I think it's genius. They weigh nothing and take up basically no room in your backpack. A quick change of shoes for Grizzly River or Splash Mountain can prevent you from walking around in soggy shoes and socks for the rest of the day. Clothes will dry but wet socks and shoes? Forget about it!! If you don't want to bring flip flops I suggest at least an extra pair of dry socks to change into).
-blanket or other item to spread out on the ground for parades. Definitely necessary to save your spot.
-portable charger
-baby wipes These really came in handy for wiping hands after sunscreen application and ice crea, eating.
-band aids
-lanyard with plastic pouch for tickets and fast passes
If you can think of any questions I didn't answer let me know and I will be glad to add them to this post! If you want more Disney info. look at the tips and tricks post I added and hopefully something there can help a fellow Disney lover out ;).
What's this all about?
Hey Guys,
So I know the are about a million and one Disney blogs out there because I have probably read most or all of them. I'm stating right up front I don't claim to be better at Disneyland than any of those other bloggers nor am I saying I am the master expert of Disneyland. I am just another die hard Disneyland fan that wants to share my tips and tricks to help you make the most of your visit to The Happiest Place On Earth. I have been to Disneyland several times in my life. Since I grew up in AZ Disneyland was our go to vacation simply because of the close proximity. I visited a ton growing up and have also gone several times as an adult. Sometimes I go with huge groups with people of all ages, I have been with smaller groups that had several young kids and have also visited with just a few other adults. No matter what your group consists of you can make it a trip where everyone has a great time! Before I visit each time I like to read the tips and tricks others have to offer to see if there are any new ideas out there. Throughout my blog you will find tips and tricks I use to have a successful Disneyland vacation. I hope this can help you and your family plan your perfect day in the park :).
So I know the are about a million and one Disney blogs out there because I have probably read most or all of them. I'm stating right up front I don't claim to be better at Disneyland than any of those other bloggers nor am I saying I am the master expert of Disneyland. I am just another die hard Disneyland fan that wants to share my tips and tricks to help you make the most of your visit to The Happiest Place On Earth. I have been to Disneyland several times in my life. Since I grew up in AZ Disneyland was our go to vacation simply because of the close proximity. I visited a ton growing up and have also gone several times as an adult. Sometimes I go with huge groups with people of all ages, I have been with smaller groups that had several young kids and have also visited with just a few other adults. No matter what your group consists of you can make it a trip where everyone has a great time! Before I visit each time I like to read the tips and tricks others have to offer to see if there are any new ideas out there. Throughout my blog you will find tips and tricks I use to have a successful Disneyland vacation. I hope this can help you and your family plan your perfect day in the park :).
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