Disney Destination #1: Disneyland

Disney Destination #1:

Disneyland! The park that started it all!

It's come to my attention that the general, non-Disney-obsessed population doesn't know everything about the different Disney destinations.  Seriously!  People are generally familiar with either Walt Disney World or Disneyland, although, "Is that the one in Florida?" is a question I hear often.  That's why I've decided to start a series of posts about all the different domestic Disney destinations.  It seems only fitting that we should start at Disneyland Resort, the first of all the parks, to open and the only one Walt Disney himself ever walked in. 

Disneyland was opened in 1955 with just the main park and the Disneyland Hotel.  It was after the success of Walt Disney World in Florida that the company bought the surrounding land and started to expand.  The resort now consists of Disneyland Park, Disney's California Adventure, The Disneyland Hotel, Disney's Paradise Pier Hotel, Disney's Grand Californian Hotel and Spa, and Downtown Disney.  Let's take a look at Disneyland Park first!

Disneyland Park was born of Walt Disney's dream to create a place where adults and children could have fun and come together.  It has certainly lived up to his vision, by melding the nostalgic charm of the past with the hopeful excitement of the future.  The park itself is situated around Sleeping Beauty Castle and divided into 8 lands.  The different lands are:

Main Street U.S.A-This is the area directly at the entrance of the park and is themed to look like a Midwestern city in the 1900's.  Main Street U.S.A consists of shopping, dining, theaters, and leads to the "Hub," just in front of the castle.

Adventureland- This land was created to feel like a remote jungle far from civilization.  The area contains Jungle Cruise, a classic opening day attraction, as well as Indiana Jones Adventure and The Enchanted Tiki Room.

New Orleans Square- You will immediately recognize the romantic French Quarter flair when you walk into this area!  Some of the parks most popular attractions, shopping, and dining are in this land, including The Haunted Mansion and Pirates of the Caribbean.

Frontierland- Frontierland harkens back to the Wild West in the day of pioneers.  Big Thunder Mountain Railroad is the headliner here, but the land includes other attractions and entertainment inspired by the American frontier.

Critter Country-Similar in theme to Frontierland, this area houses Splash Mountain and The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh.

Fantasyland- The land immediately through Sleeping Beauty's Castle is Fantasyland.  The name is apt, as it brings to life some favorite childhood characters in a charming and enchanting way.  This is probably what most people imagine when the think of Disney.  There are character meets, classic "dark" rides, and beautiful buildings that feel magical to both young and old!

Mickey's Toontown-  Toontown (of Rodger Rabbit fame) comes to life in this land.  You can visit Mickey, Minnie, Goofy, and Donald in their "homes."

Tomorrowland- Tomorrowland represents the ideas presented by "futurists" of the 1900's.  It is packed full of futuristic attractions, from Space Mountain to Star Tours.  It is amazing to see a future that never quite was mixed with the technology of today that has been added since park opening.

Disney's California Adventure Park is located directly across from Disneyland Park.  It was constructed as a celebration of California mixed with a little Disney magic.  The glamour of Hollywood and the beauty of the outdoors are showcased through the use of beloved characters.  California Adventure Park is also divided into 8 lands.  The 8 lands are:

Buena Vista Street-Utilizing the entry of the park to make the theme clearly understood, Buena Vista Street screams "Los Angeles in the early 1900's!".  

Pixar Pier- Formerly Paradise Pier, Pixar Pier is an overlay featuring Pixar characters.  The area is 

themed as a coastal boardwalk with carnival-like attractions, games, shopping, and unique snacks.  For a little more information about Pixar Pier, see my post on New and Upcoming Disney attractions. https://vacationsbykylie.blogspot.com/2018/07/so-much-new-to-do-at-disney.html

Paradise Gardens Park- Reminiscent of a coastal park, this area has many attractions and dining options.  It is also the home of the very popular nighttime show, World of Color.

Grizzly Peak- Paying homage to the beautiful California landscape, Grizzly Peak brings to mind a national park.  This area contains a river rapids ride, an obstacle-course playground, and the ever popular Soarin'.  Disney's Grand Californian Hotel and Spa has an exclusive entry only for guests directly into Grizzly Peak. 

Pacific Wharf- Resembling San Francisco's Fisherman's Wharf, this area is devoted to dining.

Hollywood Land- Inspired by the glamour of Hollywood, the attractions here feature characters from television and movie fame.  It houses the newly-opened Guardians of the Galaxy attraction, Monsters Inc. Mike and Sulley to the Rescue!, Frozen and Disney Jr. shows, and a chance to meet some popular TV characters.

a bugs land- Seen from the viewpoint of Flik, this land features family-friendly attractions and a fun 3-D show.  a bugs land will close in late 2018 to make way for the addition of Marvel Land.

Cars Land- Themed to the town of Radiator Springs from the Cars franchise, this area is incredibly immersive and huge!  It features 3 rides (Radiator Springs Racers, Luigi's Rollickin' Roadsters, and Mater's Junkyard Jamboree) and an extensive collection of shops and dining areas.  You will see everything you love from the movies here in Cars Land!  Halloween in Cars Land is extra adorable with car-themed decorations and the cars themselves dressed in costume!

I think that about does it for Disney Destination #1: Disneyland Resort!  Disneyland can't be beat for it's history and it's charm!  This is just a brief overview of the park and we will get into much more detail in future blog posts.  Feel free to contact me if you have any questions or are interested in taking a Disney trip!