I find myself seeking out a Disneyland vacation more often than I care to admit. Disneyland is on the opposite side of the country from where I live and is not easy to get to. It’s smaller than the Disney park I am closer to (Disney World). And, as someone who has experienced Disney’s other offerings (Disney World, Disney’s Aulani and Disney Cruise Line), one may wonder why it’s Disneyland that my husband and I choose to continuously go back to. Well, it’s simple: Disneyland is underrated.
I know that sounds crazy, especially given how popular and well-known the Disney parks are. And I suppose that Disneyland itself isn’t “underrated”. However, there are several aspects of Disneyland that I have come to recognize are “underrated” and honestly, maybe even a little under appreciated. Here are just four of those things:
The History Behind Disneyland
Isn’t it incredible how Disneyland can be so innovative, yet so historical? They do a great job of always developing something new for us to experience, yet they keep our nostalgia alive through the stories we all grew up with. Though we all recognize the beautiful amalgamation between the old and the new that Disney seems to offer, a lot of people don’t recognize just how much of the “old” still exists in Disneyland.
There are several hidden and not-so-hidden historical artifacts lying around Disneyland Park that hold significance to the history of Disney. For example, on Main Street in Disneyland Park, above Penny Arcade is the date “1901”, which is Walt Disney’s birth year. Most Disney fans know that Walt Disney held an office above the firehouse in Main Street, but did you know that cast members keep the light on within that office in honor of him? Hidden items even appear in rides. On King Arthur’s Carrousel, you will find a horse named “Jingles”. Jingles was Walt’s favorite horse on the ride and has the head of Mary Poppin’s parrot umbrella attached. This horse was dedicated to Julie Andrews and has the initials “JA” and a silhouette of Mary Poppins on its saddle.
One could spend hours in the parks searching for the historical artifacts that remain in the parks. It is remarkable how Disney has been able to keep this for so long, and how so many of them go unnoticed by the thousands of visitors the park sees each day!
Disneyland Walkability
Picture this: It’s the morning of your first day in the parks. Everyone in your family is fed, dressed, and on their way to the main entrance of the park. As you approach the ticketing booth, it dawns on you that you forgot something. A phone charger, a medication, your child’s favorite toy…whatever it may be, in the race to get the park before it opens, you forgot it. Are you panicking? No way- you are so close to your hotel room that it’s not a big deal! Your significant other can run back to the room while you start to enter the park with the kids, or you all can go back and grab it later at your convenience. The parks proximity to the Disney hotels makes your vacation way less stressful than it would’ve been had you needed to get on a bus or in the car to get there. Your room is conveniently located nearby and accessible to you whenever you need to go back.
Even the parks proximity to each other is another huge and yet underrated part of Disneyland. Disneyland is big enough to keep you busy for multiple days, but small enough to accommodate any family’s needs. Have little kids? Perfect- you are close enough to the Disney hotels that you all can head back to your room for an afternoon nap or pool time. Have older children who are full of energy? Stay in the parks from opening to closing and waste no time from getting from DCA to DLR since they are just a short walk away from one another. The peace of mind you have in knowing it is easy to get to and from the parks provides more flexibility in your day, offering a calmer (and dare I say relaxing) approach to your vacation.
Rare Characters at Disneyland
Disney Characters are a part of the Disney parks that brings Disney stories alive. Yes, there are characters at every theme park. Disney World has several character-specific “meet and greet” locations itself. The fact that you can meet characters at Disneyland isn’t all that special. What IS special is the randomness in which you can run into a character, and who that character may be.
Characters tend to roam around their respective areas in Disneyland. They are constantly on the move. A Disney cast member is usually with the characters, but unlike Disney World, they usually don’t stand around and wait for a line to form for photos. I’ve seen princesses grab the hand of someone’s daughter and stroll around Fantasyland with her. I’ve seen Jack Sparrow run across New Orleans Square looking for rum. I’ve seen Loki and Captain America circle each other in Avengers Campus. I’ve even seen Mater and Lightning McQueen go for a drive together around Cars Land. The parks become even more immersive when you casually run into a favorite character, making the experience more realistic and unforgettable for your children.
Disneyland also sees many rare characters, some of which you may not find anywhere else. From Baymax from Big Hero Six to Oogie Boogie from The Nightmare Before Christmas, you never know who may run into while in the parks, and it even varies on the time of year that you are visiting! When I was last in Disneyland in December, I got off of the Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway ride in Toontown and quite literally physically bumped into Pete the Cat!
Disneyland Food
For those of you who maybe aren’t familiar with Disneyland, you may look at this category and think “Eww, park food? really?!” And, for those of you who are familiar with the Disney parks, who know how good the food is. So, you might think “Yeah, the food is awesome, but I wouldn’t say it is underrated.”
Disneyland is known to have great food. There are dining reservations for restaurants that ALWAYS fill at the 60-day out mark because everyone wants to dine at those locations. The food itself isn’t underrated. What IS underrated is how almost every single dining location- whether it’s a snack stand, a quick service location, or a table service location- has that specific food item. That one specific thing that makes visiting that location worth your while. The Cheesy Pretzel bread from Maurice’s treats. Beignets from the Mint Julep Stand. Black Caf Cold Brew from Docking Bay 7. Birria Ramen from Lucky Fortune Cookery. Lobster Nachos and secret menu drinks from Lamplight Lounge. Everywhere you go to eat or drink, each location has something truly special that keeps you coming back for more. The novelty of eating something so delicious, no matter where you are in the park, is underrated. For a theme park to have that kind of consistency across the board, enough specialty items to keep guests excited, and enough variety to keep everyone in your party happy and full- that is a true rarity, and something that Disneyland absolutely prides itself on.
While what may be considered as “underrated” can change over time, Disneyland has so many hidden gems and unique experiences that will always leave its guests wanting more. The underrated components of a Disneyland vacation are what makes visiting so special to me, and are what my fondest memories in the park are embedded in. Next time you are in Disneyland, be sure to make note of the things you consider as “underrated”- it just might give you a newfound appreciation for Disneyland and what it has to offer.
Author: Emily Crawford emily@theenchantedtraveler.com
Schedule your free vacation planning consultation with Emily: https://calendly.com/emily-777/consultation
