{ This is NOT a sponsored post in any way. I love Disneyland and all things Disney and personally have my own annual passport so this post is simply sharing my favorite bits of Disneyland. I am not affiliated or associated with anyone from Disney. All opinions stated are  my own honest opinions, as always. }

This is the first of a series of “wanderlust” or travel type posts I’ll be doing for the Summer as a way to share the places I’ve been to and really love with you all.

I hope that, if you’re traveling to any of these places this Summer, these posts will help make the most of your experiences!

One thing that my boyfriend and I share a huge mutual love for is all things Disney, but more than that, Disneyland, and I think many Southern California natives share this same sentiment with us!

Disneyland is the happiest place on earth. 

No, really. It is.

I actually think one of the happiest moments in my adult life was my 20th birthday gift – an annual passport to Disneyland.

If you haven’t been to Disneyland, you really ought to and here’s why: 

1. Disneyland is the happiest place on earth.
2. Disneyland allows you to be a child for an entire day, no matter your age.
3. Disneyland has the best rides for all ages and is a great place to spend a vacation with your family.
4. Disneyland is not just an amusement park – It’s an adventure of the imagination and the senses.
5. Disneyland inspires hope, whimsy, and pure unadulterated joy from ALL of it’s patrons.
6. It is literally impossible to be angry, sad, or upset at Disneyland. EVER.
7. You can go on many adventures all within one park!

Now that you know a few reasons why Disneyland is amazing, here’s my unofficial guide to my favorite amusement park!

FAST PASSES

Just as a bit of a side note, since I’ll be mentioning these quite a bit in this post. A Fast Pass is a ticket that you can get for some rides (not all) at Disneyland, usually the more popular ones like Space Mountain and Indiana Jones have them. They have a few kiosks near that specific ride where you can go and insert your Disneyland park ticket and it will spit out a fast pass for that ride. The fast pass ticket gives you times at which you can return to get on the ride and wait in the significantly shorter “fast pass” line as opposed to the “stand by” line. The “stand by” line is just the normal line (or queue for UK) everyone can stand in and just wait to get on the ride. The “fast pass” line is for those who get the “fast pass” tickets and this drastically shortens the wait time, especially for the more popular rides.

One thing to note about fast passes is that you can only have one at a time so choose the ride you want to get on the most. It used to be that you could have fast passes for all rides all at once, but they stopped doing that so now you’ll have to get one at a time. I know it’s kind of confusing so if you want me to explain further, comment below and I’ll try my best to answer any questions you may have.

THE RIDES YOU HAVE TO GO ON

Rides at Disneyland are not the fastest, scariest, or the biggest you’ve ever seen, but they are the most fun you’ll ever have. They have a certain timelessness about them that can’t really be explained, only experienced firsthand. Here are the ones you must go on when you pay Disneyland a visit!

PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN {In Frontierland} :

Second to Space Mountain, this is my favorite ride at Disneyland. It has a lot of character. Everyone wants to be a pirate, right? This ride takes you on a boat ride through the world of plunderin’ gold and other piratey things, plus they’ve updated it now to reflect characters from the Pirates of the Caribbean films so Captains Jack Sparrow and Barbosa both make appearances. They feature some really awesome pirate music and the entire thing is a ton of fun.

SPACE MOUNTAIN {In Tomorrowland}: 

Space Mountain is pretty much my favorite ride at Disneyland and it’s really difficult to choose a favorite one because there are a lot of really fantastic rides. Space Mountain is kind of difficult to describe, but it’s basically like going on a roller coaster in space. Like, if you were inside a planetarium with stars and constellations all around you and you were on a roller coaster inside that, then that would be what this ride is like. It’s quite fast, but in a fun way. It’s not scary at all. The line is almost always ridiculously long so I recommend when you get into the park that you get a fast pass for Star Tours (that is always ridiculously long wait) and then go straight to Space Mountain because the later it gets, the longer the line and if it’s hot out, you’ll be waiting in line in the super bright sunlight. 

HAUNTED MANSION {In Frontierland}:

Although it has a spooky name, this ride is not scary at all. It’s actually really kind of dated looking, but that’s a big part of what makes it fun, in my opinion. It’s like riding through an old spooky “Haunted Mansion” and just sort of observing all the spookiness…erm, to spooky fun music. The ride is very slow so you can really take everything in and enjoy the awesome props they’ve put into this one. The line is actually one of the lesser busy ones and usually doesn’t take long to get into, even if you’re there on a busy day so you can go on this at any time – no need to get a fast pass.

STAR TOUR {In Tomorrowland}:

This is a newly renovated ride and features characters from Star Wars in it. It’s completely “virtual simulation” so you don’t actually go anywhere; you’re in a room with seating of about 20 ish people (like a plane sort of) and the seats move back and forth and react to what happens on the screen. This ride is VERY popular and you will need to get a fast pass for it VERY early on in your day or just get in the “stand by” line (queue) for this straightaway when you get into the park otherwise, you won’t be getting on it. It’s very busy and crowded and the wait can be up to 2 hours long, depending on how busy the park is that day. The ride is totally worth it, though, because it features Star Wars characters and a really cool space flight simulation of sorts. The really cool thing about it is that there are over 200 different scenarios you can experience on the ride so you can literally ride it 200 times and never experience the same thing. I don’t recommend this ride to anyone who gets motion sickness easily as the seats do quite a bit of jostling around, but it’s not overwhelming, and the ride is only a few minutes long so it’s up to your own judgment.

INDIANA JONES {In Adventureland}:

This is another personal favorite of mine. It’s also another pretty popular one so I recommend trying to get on this one early in the day as the wait for this tends to get really long or the ride breaks down. You can get a “fast pass” for this one and, if you’re trying to get on it in the afternoon, I recommend it because the line (queue) is in nearly direct sunlight at the beginning and it’s pretty hot if you go in the Summer. It’s definitely worth waiting, however you do it (stand by or fast pass), because it’s really fun to go on! It’s basically a reproduction of the Indiana Jones films (the older ones, not the newest one) and you ride an old jeep through an underground lair of sorts with really fun music, pyrotechnic effects, animatronics, and other bits. It really feels like being on a fun “Indiana Jones” adventure.

Other awesome rides include Thunder Railroad, Splash Mountain (great for really hot days), The Matterhorn (one of the oldest rides at Disneyland), Alice in Wonderland, Alice In Wonderland’s Mad Hatter Tea Cups, Peter Pan, Roger Rabbit in Toon Town and many many more. 

INNOVENTIONS:

This is not really a ride, but it’s still really awesome to see and they update the displays frequently. This is basically a walk through exhibit of sorts in Tomorrowland that is a couple of levels. They have a lot of futuristic technology on display as well as current smart phones, video game systems, and others that you can pick up and check out or play. They have a live robot show that is really cool to see, a display of futuristic looking kitchens and living rooms to walk through, and a closer look at the animations of Disney characters as well. You can also check out Disney songs and even record yourself singing them. I think this is a fun place to cool off from the outside and relax a bit, in between rides, and see something really interesting. Aside from the displays that are always showcased, they also have more current Disney items there like the photo shown above as they are currently displaying all of the Iron Man suits from Iron Man 3. This changes a lot and I remember back when Tron came out they had the Tron Cycle there so it may be something totally different when you come visit!

THE BEST PLACES TO EAT 

This is a big one! There are a TON of awesome places to eat at Disneyland. One thing to be said about the food is that it can get pretty expensive so, if you prefer not to spend on food, I recommend bringing a cooler full of sandwiches and drinks and leaving it in your car ( It’s not allowed in the park ), but you can go out to your car to eat lunch – just be sure to have one of the attendants at the gates stamp your hand so you can be re-admitted!

If you do plan on eating the delicious food at Disneyland, read on!

BLUE BAYOU RESTAURANT:

If you can get in to enjoy this food, definitely do because it is some of the best food! You have to make reservations to eat at the Blue Bayou which you can do by calling in the day before or that morning. Otherwise, you can also go to the Blue Bayou in the morning when you first get into the park and place your reservation for the evening at that time. This restaurant is in Frontierland and is actually inside of the Pirates of the Caribbean ride so it looks like it’s constantly late evening in New Orleans inside the restaurant which is SO COOL! Aside from the ambiance, the food is DIVINE. The meals are about $20-$40 each, depending on what you order, but it is totally worth it! Most meals are inspired by traditional New Orleans type food – Jambalaya, Seafood, etc. The service is pretty impeccable and while I wouldn’t eat there every single time I visit Disneyland, it is definitely worth doing at least once.

TURKEY LEGS:

This is what my boyfriend and I eat when we are being cheap, but in spite of that, these are one of the best and most delicious snacks at Disneyland! They’re slow cooked so the meat rolls of the bone easily and the flavor is brilliant. They cost a massive $9 each, but that’s kind of cheap in Disneyland prices, and if you like turkey legs and meat, this will be one of the best you have ever tried. The main little vendors that carry these turkey legs are in the center square that’s right out of Main Street before you go into the different “lands” on the left hand side.

BENGAL BBQ:

This is a healthier choice for those who are looking for more balanced meals, though still really great. Located right inside Adventureland, they sell meat and grilled veggie kabobs as well as tropical themed dishes, and drinks. Right next to it, they also have a slushy type drink bar that’s tropical jungle theme as well, though I don’t go there much.

CAFE ORLEANS:

This is another lovely restaurant in Frontierland that’s really good. It’s more affordable than Blue Bayou and still has similar food options with a few more dishes as well. It’s almost like an old style cafeteria, in my opinion, but the food is pretty decent. I personally don’t go here too much because it’s always packed with people. If you want to avoid the tourism rush, try another place.

REDD ROCKETT’s PIZZA PORT:

This is another favorite place to eat, though it’s kind of overpriced for what they give you. They serve a variety of mostly pizza, pasta and salads at exorbitant prizes, but everything tastes pretty good. It looks like a buffet when you walk in, but don’t be fooled, every item is individually priced from your drink to your salad to your entree so check the prices! This one is located right next to Space Mountain and is pretty popular, but it’s a more affordable option for those who want a place to sit down and eat as opposed to snacking on vendor cart food.

STAGE DOOR CAFE:

This is one of the cheapest places you can eat, but it’s very fast food. It’s located inside Frontierland and it’s not as busy as some of the other places, but you can literally go up and order and then sit down in the tables area and eat. Meals per person are around $10-$12 and they have limited options of chicken strips, french fries and soft drinks and I think maybe some hot dogs or burgers, but if you’re on a budget, it might be worth checking out.

TROPICAL IMPORTS {Healthy Snacks!}:

This isn’t a place to eat so much as it is a good place to get a healthy snack. They offer packaged fruit, various nuts, juices and bottled water and it’s one of the few vendors that actually offers it so if you have dietary restrictions or want to eat healthy, this is a great place to grab some snacks. It’s right to the left of Indiana Jones in Adventureland.

MAIN STREET SHOPPING

There are a TON of options in Main Street (where you first walk into the park) so I’m not going to focus on specific shops because there are too many to name. They all have much of the same merchandise and souvenirs so just have a look through them. Instead, I’m just going to highlight some of my favorite things about Main Street in terms of items, goodies, etc.

THE CANDY, ICE CREAM, & OTHER GOODIES:

First up, Main Street has some pretty extravagant candies and baked goods. They have candy apples in all manner of toppings from basic caramel apples to chocolate apples with sprinkles and more. They have rice krispies, handmade chocolates, and massive packaged lollipops. They even have a small sugar free section as well as flavored popcorns and things. One of my favorites on Main Street is the Gibson Girl Ice Cream Parlor which smells incredible and the ice cream is really great as well. They have a nice selection of flavors and it feels very old fashioned. It’s a great place to get a cone if you love ice cream.

MERCHANDISE & OTHER SOUVENIRS:

There are so many places to buy souvenirs and things in Disneyland. You will pretty much be constantly surrounded by things to buy. One thing I think it somewhat worth buying are the Minnie Mouse Ear Headbands and the Mouse Ear Hats which come in all manner of designs. The hats can be custom embroidered with your name on them and the headbands come in many themes from mardis gras to traditional to purple sequins. Most of these are on display in Frontierland near Pirates of the Caribbean, but they have them in various places around the park. Another worthy souvenir is a t-shirt or sweatshirt, in my opinion, with the Disneyland logo as they’re a fun way to remember your visit. They have tons of candy and things, but these are more lasting souvenirs.

DOWNTOWN DISNEY

The last thing I wanted to mention is Downtown Disney. This is another place in itself that’s basically a shopping area right next to Disneyland. There are many shops, including clothing shops and a Sephora, as well as food vendors and it’s worth a look if you really want to enjoy some shopping, otherwise stick to Disneyland. This is a fun place to browse if you just want to get in some shopping, but it’s not a part of the park; they just have some souvenir shops in this area with Disney related merchandise as well as other conventional shops.

So those are some of my favorite things about Disneyland! I hope this unofficial guide helps you if you’re planning a visit soon!

Please let me know in the comments if you want more “travel” type posts like this one for the places I’ve been to (and will go to in future) in my area and others such as hotels, spas, and other vacation spots and I can do more for you all in the future! 

What did you think of this “travel” wanderlust type post?

I’d love to know your thoughts!

♥ Tianna