First Impressions

Wow…to begin with, the weather was gorgeous: crystal clear blue skies, a mild breeze, and chilly nights. We stayed at the Park Inn instead of our usual, The Sheraton Anaheim, to avoid the cursed shuttles. It was so nice to be able to walk to the resort and not have to worry about catching the shuttle.

Disneyland was breathtaking. Hundreds of lights dazzled Main Street, and the huge, fantastic tree settled in front of Main Street was delicious eye candy. After our shock and amazement, it was time to travel to New Orleans Square, where I was even more impressed.

New Orleans had to be my favorite part of this entire trip. It had decked the halls with dangling lights, feather boas, and Mardi gras beads. Then I beheld the Haunted Mansion – but not the one I have seen for over 15 years. Being a Nightmare Before Christmas enthusiast, I was ecstatic about this ride. We passed by the 60 minute line (thank God for fast passes!) and observed the side of the mansion lit up with jack-o-lanterns. Everything about the ride was changed, even the portrait chamber sequence. After riding it 3 times, I almost found myself liking it more than the real Haunted Mansion!

After New Orleans Square, it was time to see another sparkling ride changed for the holidays. Small World was stunning, inside and out. Even Critter Country was delightful and Toon Town had holly, wreaths, and a lopsided tree. My sister and I took a picture with Goofy, dressed up as Santa Claus, which was much fun. To sum these feelings up, the only word I can think of when I try to express Disneyland during the holiday season is…wow.

Lines, Crowds, and Strollers. Oh My!

Yes, I admit that this trip we not only had to dodge mauling strollers, but we also had to make sure ours didn’t run over anybody. It was my nephew’s first time in Disneyland. True, he is only 4 months old, but he isn’t a fussy baby. He loved Winnie the Pooh, Small World, and Haunted Mansion Holiday. He pretty much loved every Fantasyland ride, too, although he fell asleep on Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride. True, the stroller slowed us down, and my other sister and I found ourselves walking way ahead of my mom, sister, and brother-in-law, but it was fun to have my nephew with us; he was so adorable and happy - I can already tell he will love Disneyland just as much as we do!

The Parade and Other Events

I had lots of fun watching the Christmas Fantasy Parade! It was unlike any parade I had seen before. We grabbed a seat on Main Street about an hour and half before the parade was to start, which was 7:45 pm. While settled on the curb across from the glittering Christmas tree, I decided to watch The Walt Disney Story and Great Moments With Mr. Lincoln for the first time instead of sitting for another hour. I can’t believe I had never watched it before! The replica of Walt’s office was awesome, and the whole experience was very informational. Mr. Lincoln was so lifelike; it was a little creepy. But hey, that’s audio animatronics for ya.

After that 14-minute show, the parade was about to start. It is by far the best parade I have ever witnessed in Disneyland, with great floats such as the prince and princess float, as well as the Aladdin float!

Another evening occasion was the “Believe…In Holiday Magic” fireworks. They were great, like all Disneyland fireworks, and choreographed beautifully with a killer soundtrack. At first I was disappointed with the “snow”, but that was because I never got near it until the last night. You could call it jealousy I guess…It was surprisingly fun to run in the snow, even though I accidentally smacked a little boy in the head with my purse while I was spinning with my hands thrown up. It was great!

Tomorrowland Happenings

I got a pretty good look at the outside of the new Buzz Lightyear Astro Blasters. The Fastpass sign was up, and work seems to be getting completed fairly quickly. Our plans are to come back next year during the holidays again so we can embark on this new attraction and finally ride Space Mountain again!

Herding the Cattle

I anticipated more crowds than usual, since we were there on the weekend, but I didn’t anticipate the confusing “traffic laws” Disney has acquired. The craziest times occurred during Fantasmic!, the Christmas Fantasy Parade, and the “Believe…In Holiday Magic” fireworks display. They have ropes set up, segmenting the park, supposedly to make it easier by creating “one-way traffic flows”. CM’s were shouting at you left and right for going the wrong way, not staying to the right, or hopping over a rope barricade (which I often tried to accomplish, but to no avail).

I knew I wasn’t the only one who felt like herded sheep. I overheard more than one complaint about this. Once we were at a standstill on the right-hand side of Main Street to allow “cross-traffic” to proceed, and a man behind my sister and I shouted “Where’s a People-Mover when you need one!” Absolutely classic, and very true! Don’t we all miss the old Tomorrowland…

The Sweet Smell of Sewage

When I think of Disneyland, I usually imagine the pleasant smell of deep-fried churros and Gibson Girl waffle cones wafting on the breeze; not the smell of a public restroom, and one in poor condition at that! There were certain spots in the park, one distinct spot on Main Street next to the Cinema and another distinct area when entering Adventureland near the Tiki Room that absolutely reeked. I’m not sure if this is a result of Eisner’s lack of attention to the parks (Boo Eisner!) or if there’s some sort of sewage buildup under the streets, but please, this really needs to get fixed. It’s a big turnoff and nobody wants to smell something as unpleasant as this aroma in the park! Geez.

Food: The Good Stuff

Instead of eating the usual corndogs and hotdogs, we decided to eat well this trip. The best place was the French Market Restaurant in New Orleans, where all the menus had been themed for Nightmare Before Christmas. I ate there twice, once getting a salad topped with chicken in a bread bowl, another time getting clam chowder in a bread bowl (gotta love those bread bowls!). Sadly, I didn’t get to try any of the fancy desserts designed after Nightmare, but they looked great: lots of cheesecakes shaped like a bone, or topped with a frosting spider/spider web. However, we managed to snatch Zero’s souvenir dog bowl when my sister ordered pasta.

Blue Bayou was scrumptious as always. I had a salad with blackened Cajun chicken and vinaigrette dressing. It was wonderful, and no leaf was left uneaten. My sister ordered the famous Mone Cristo sandwich, which tasted like a mixture of an omelet and ham sandwich. It was very rich, and I must admit I enjoyed spreading the blueberry sauce that came with it over a roll more than tasting the actual sandwich. Although my meal and the sandwich were great, the best of the afternoon was my brother-in-law’s apple slices flavored with Root Beer. Sounds like a horrific combination, but it was surprisingly appetizing, tasting much like the inside of an apple pie!

Checking Into the HTH

I was very pleased with Tower of Terror! It was an impressive ride and lots of fun! The genius of the Imagineers begins from the moment you first lay eyes on the building, and continues inside the structure, during the ride itself, and ends in the souvenir shop. I happily took a round sticker saying, “I took the Dare”, and wore it proudly. The first time I rode it, I fought with my brother-in-law for the seat handles, but the second time I kept my hands up the whole attraction, which enhanced the attraction and made the picture hilarious.

The Icing on the Cake

Sleeping Beauty’s Castle was beautiful. The fresh new paint gave the castle an iridescent glow. The stones glittered, literally, and the vibrant pink, blue, and gold made the castle radiant. When thinking back on how the castle used to look, it seems so dull compared to the golden stature it has now adopted.

All in all, I can’t wait to go again during the holiday season! It was such a change from summertime, and I couldn’t help being jealous of the CM’s who got to dress up the park with the beautiful decorations. It’s not a trip I’ll be forgetting any time soon!