1st Timer looking for Classic Disneyland Things to Do

[TheOrangeBird01]

I'll be a Disneyland first timer on August 16th and I can't wait for it. Is there anything attraction or experience wise that I hands down have to do while I'm there? I'm looking to do everything I can, and little unique, hidden, and out of the way experiences are also welcome.

Attractions, shows, merchandise, food, whatever. I'm all ears

 

[MattyMitch]

I would personally try to do everything/ as much as possible.

Fantasmic! is a great show and has recently been updated, I think.

 

[Curious Constance]

I'll be a Disneyland first timer on August 16th and I can't wait for it. Is there anything attraction or experience wise that I hands down have to do while I'm there? I'm looking to do everything I can, and little unique, hidden, and out of the way experiences are also welcome.

Attractions, shows, merchandise, food, whatever. I'm all ears

Are you a WDW regular?

Obviously, you must do Pirates. And I would recommend Blue Bayou too. We tried it for the first time last month, and it'll definitely be a must do for us each trip. If you're planning on seeing Fantasmic you could do the special dining/reserved F! viewing at Blue Bayou, but reservations could be limited at this point.

Make sure you don't miss Snow Whites wishing well to the right of the castle. It's a great little area to escape crowds.

Indiana Jones since that's unique to DL.

I'll keep thinking.

 

[Antaundra]

Have you considered the Walk in Walt's Disneyland Footsteps tour? As a Disney fan you probably won't learn anything new but it's a unique experience walking around Disneyland listening to audio clips of Walt talking about the park you're walking around.

Coincidentally I'll be there on the 16th too hopefully we have low crowds.

Edit just to say if you only have one day and you want to focus on rides don't do the tour as it will take up half of your day. But if you have multiple days or are a wdw veteran whose looking for a uniquely Disneyland experience... consider the tour.

 

[George Lucas on a Bench]

New Orleans Square

 

[TheOrangeBird01]

Are you a WDW regular?

Obviously, you must do Pirates. And I would recommend Blue Bayou too. We tried it for the first time last month, and it'll definitely be a must do for us each trip. If you're planning on seeing Fantasmic you could do the special dining/reserved F! viewing at Blue Bayou, but reservations could be limited at this point.

Make sure you don't miss Snow Whites wishing well to the right of the castle. It's a great little area to escape crowds.

Indiana Jones since that's unique to DL.

I'll keep thinking.

Yes I've been to Disney World multiple times, so I know the drill of how things work thankfully. My family has booked the Blue Bayou Fantasmic dinner package so I'm super excited for that.

Thanks for reminding me about the wishing well, I was meaning to add that to my list!

 

[TheOrangeBird01]

Have you considered the Walk in Walt's Disneyland Footsteps tour? As a Disney fan you probably won't learn anything new but it's a unique experience walking around Disneyland listening to audio clips of Walt talking about the park you're walking around.

Coincidentally I'll be there on the 16th too hopefully we have low crowds.

Edit just to say if you only have one day and you want to focus on rides don't do the tour as it will take up half of your day. But if you have multiple days or are a wdw veteran whose looking for a uniquely Disneyland experience... consider the tour.

We'll be at both parks for four days (two days each), but if we were there longer or if we had been before, we totally would have looked into a tour just for the novelty of it. Next time I'm at WDW I'd love to try one of those behind the scenes tours.

And yes I hope we have low crowds too haha!

 

[TP2000]

I'll be a Disneyland first timer on August 16th and I can't wait for it. Is there anything attraction or experience wise that I hands down have to do while I'm there? I'm looking to do everything I can, and little unique, hidden, and out of the way experiences are also welcome.

Attractions, shows, merchandise, food, whatever. I'm all ears

How exciting! You need to start at this thread that @GiveMeTheMusic started for just such an occasion. http://forums.wdwmagic.com/threads/guide-to-dlr-for-wdw-veterans.875596/#post-5763756

And I'll just add in that you should focus on doing things that have never and/or will never exist at Walt Disney World. There are quite a few Disneyland USA originals you should focus on. Plus the fact that Disneyland is the only park Walt built and walked in and managed for over a decade, and it makes for some pretty special little nooks and crannies.

Also realize that Disneyland has dozens more rides than any park in WDW, and that DCA and Disneyland combined has just as many rides and major entertainment spectaculars crammed into those two parks as all four WDW parks combined. It makes for a very busy few days of touring.

Off the top of my head, rides/attractions that don't exist at Walt Disney World you should go on, in no particular order...

Sailing Ship Columbia (ride this instead of the Mark Twain)
Davy Crockett Canoes (for a totally different perspective on the Rivers of America)
Alice In Wonderland
Mr. Toad's Wild Ride
Pinocchio's Daring Journey
Storybook Land Canal Boats
Casey Jr. Circus Train
Matterhorn Bobsleds (Fastpass it!)
Castle Walk-Thru Diorama
Roger Rabbit's Car Toon Spin
Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage
Indiana Jones Adventure (Fastpass it!)
Guardians of the Galaxy Mission:BREAKOUT! (ridiculously fun and silly)
Radiator Springs Racers (Duh.)
Luigi's Rollicking Roadsters
Maters Junkyard Jamboree (coming to Toy Story Land in 2018)
California Screamin'
Mickey's Fun Wheel (do the non-swinging cabins for a better view and less nausea)
Grizzly River Run (see what happens to Kali River Rapids when they add four minutes of ride time)
Monsters Inc. Mike and Sulley To The Rescue!
Disney Animation Pavilion (if only to just walk into the lobby to stare at the beauty)

Then there are some Disneyland rides that were later copied at Walt Disney World, but somehow they let the toner cartridge get low and the Florida copy is a pale imitation. These rides are noticeably different and mostly for the better at Disneyland...

The Disneyland Railroad (do the complete full circle tour from Main Street, you won't regret it. Dinosaurs!)
Pirates of the Caribbean (seven minutes longer, plus Walt!)
Big Thunder Mountain Railroad (much improved in 2014)
Jungle Cruise (much improved in 2005)
Space Mountain (much improved in 2005)
It's Tough To Be A Bug (went digital in 2013, much clearer and noticeably better maintenance than DAK)
Autopia (your friendly local Honda dealer spruced this up last year, much more interesting scenery, a 1955 opening day attraction)
Peter Pan's Flight (looks like the 21st century, instead of the dusty 1970's)
It's A Small World (8 minutes longer than WDW's, in all it's 1964 World's Fair glory!)

 

[Californian Elitist]

All of Fantasyland and New Orleans Square, for sure.

 

[BasiltheBatLord]

You asked for unique and out of the way things, so I'm gonna give one to ya. Check out the Main Street Cinema. Really weird, random little space which you can step inside and watch old Disney cartoons on a loop while a blaring, out of print ragtime soundtrack plays. Has been at DL since opening day, hardly anybody knows about it and I've always thought of it as one of the weirdest, most out of the way places in the park. (I may or may not have slept in there on occasion)

 

[Figments Friend]

I'll be a Disneyland first timer on August 16th and I can't wait for it. Is there anything attraction or experience wise that I hands down have to do while I'm there? I'm looking to do everything I can, and little unique, hidden, and out of the way experiences are also welcome.

Attractions, shows, merchandise, food, whatever. I'm all ears

Well well well....Whaddaya know...

I'll be visiting Disneyland on that day as well, for my week long 'pilgrimige' once arriving in town from the East Coast.
Maybe we shall ( literally ) bump into each other..?


Absolute musts for Disneyland are as follows, but TP2000s list is pretty similar so definitely heed his advice.

One of the most important things I can add is to be sure to slow down your pace and simply enjoy the atmosphere that IS Disneyland.
This is a completely different scene, with a completely different clientele and vibe then the Orlando Parks.
Relax a little and be sure to take time to smell the roses, ride the Main Street vehicles, browse the unique little shops, admire the details, savor the moment, and ditch any temptations to 'commando tour' full tilt.
No , No, NO!
Trust me when I say that Disneyland Park is like a fine aged wine that needs to be sipped slowly, not gulped down in ten seconds.



Here's my suggestions -


The 'do not miss under any circumstances' list :
---------------------------------------------------------------
DL -
Indiana Jones Adventure
Matterhorn Bobsleds
Space Mountain
'Fantasmic!'

DCA -
Radiator Springs Racers




The 'try to experience because they are light years better then WDWs versions' list :
--------------------------------------------------------------
DL -
Pirates of The Caribbean
Big Thunder Mountain Railroad
The Enchanted Tiki Room ( don't miss the pre-show in the garden! )
'Fantasmic!'
Disneyland Railroad
Mark Twain Riverboat




The 'must do's because they are unique to DL only ' list -
-----------------------------------------------------------------
DL-
Alice in Wonderland ( dark ride )
Mr. Toad's Wild Ride
Submarine Voyage
Sleeping Beauty Castle Walkthrough
Roger Rabbit's CarToon Spin
'Mickey & the Magical Map' live stage show ( Fantasyland Theater )
'Soundsational' parade ( daily )
Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln ( Main Street Opera House )
Storybook Canel Boats
Davy Crockett Canoes
Pinocchio's Daring Journey
Tarzan's Treehouse
Casey Jr. Train
Eateries in New Orleans Square ( Cafe Orleans, Royal Street Veranda, etc. )


The 'recommended' list -
-------------------------------------
DL -
'Splash Mountain' - ( different interior show , much faster speed and drop then Orlando )
Disneyland Monorial - ride at both daytime and night.
'The Haunted Mansion' - it's the original, and it's a must do.
'Small World' - ( different then the version at WDW, also includes added Disney character figures )
Dole Whip from the Tiki Juice Bar at the entrance to the Enchanted Tiki Room.



DCA -
'Grizzly River Run' - ( you will indeed get wet! )
Snack options at the Cozy Cone Hotel and Flo's Dine In ( Cars Land )
Mickey's Fun Wheel - scenic view of the sights within Anaheim and if a clear day the hills in the distance.




Hope this points to some things you might like to experience.
Just about everything at DL is worth experiencing at least once, but many things will have you coming back for more several times.

Have a memorable time!



-

 

[mickEblu]

So I'm just going to goin order of what pops in my head of what I'll refer to as special Disneyland experiences.

1. Eating outside at the Plaza Inn: some of the best counter service at the parks. These days I actually prefer the roast to the fried chicken. Eating at the outdoor section of the Plaza Inn is one of the more pleasant places to eat the parks and just feels really Disneyland if that makes sense. I would recommend doing one lunch there

2. Ride the DLRR (do entire loop) Lines at the TL station are the shortest.

3. Blue Bayou: Doing one dinner here is an absolute must. I recommend the surf and turf. Politely ask the hostesses earlier in the day for a table by the water. No guarantees but depending on the size of your party you should have a good shot.

4. Gotta get a dole whip and eat during the Enchanted Tiki room pre show or show.

5. Try to catch the bootstrappers playing some music in NOS. They play at this totally low key spot hidden between two stores outside of POTC.

6. This probably isn't exclusive to DL but rode Thunder Mountain at night in the very last row. Improves ride by 100x

7. This probably goes without saying but do at least one of the river boats. I think I prefer Columbia but it's been so long I'm not sure. If you do Mark Twain the bottom is better for now until more of those trees around construction grow in.

I'll post some more as they come to me. Gotta go for now ...

 

[TheOrangeBird01]

How exciting! You need to start at this thread that @GiveMeTheMusic started for just such an occasion. http://forums.wdwmagic.com/threads/guide-to-dlr-for-wdw-veterans.875596/#post-5763756

And I'll just add in that you should focus on doing things that have never and/or will never exist at Walt Disney World. There are quite a few Disneyland USA originals you should focus on. Plus the fact that Disneyland is the only park Walt built and walked in and managed for over a decade, and it makes for some pretty special little nooks and crannies.

Also realize that Disneyland has dozens more rides than any park in WDW, and that DCA and Disneyland combined has just as many rides and major entertainment spectaculars crammed into those two parks as all four WDW parks combined. It makes for a very busy few days of touring.

Off the top of my head, rides/attractions that don't exist at Walt Disney World you should go on, in no particular order...

Sailing Ship Columbia (ride this instead of the Mark Twain)
Davy Crockett Canoes (for a totally different perspective on the Rivers of America)
Alice In Wonderland
Mr. Toad's Wild Ride
Pinocchio's Daring Journey
Storybook Land Canal Boats
Casey Jr. Circus Train
Matterhorn Bobsleds (Fastpass it!)
Castle Walk-Thru Diorama
Roger Rabbit's Car Toon Spin
Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage
Indiana Jones Adventure (Fastpass it!)
Guardians of the Galaxy Mission:BREAKOUT! (ridiculously fun and silly)
Radiator Springs Racers (Duh.)
Luigi's Rollicking Roadsters
Maters Junkyard Jamboree (coming to Toy Story Land in 2018)
California Screamin'
Mickey's Fun Wheel (do the non-swinging cabins for a better view and less nausea)
Grizzly River Run (see what happens to Kali River Rapids when they add four minutes of ride time)
Monsters Inc. Mike and Sulley To The Rescue!
Disney Animation Pavilion (if only to just walk into the lobby to stare at the beauty)

Then there are some Disneyland rides that were later copied at Walt Disney World, but somehow they let the toner cartridge get low and the Florida copy is a pale imitation. These rides are noticeably different and mostly for the better at Disneyland...

The Disneyland Railroad (do the complete full circle tour from Main Street, you won't regret it. Dinosaurs!)
Pirates of the Caribbean (seven minutes longer, plus Walt!)
Big Thunder Mountain Railroad (much improved in 2014)
Jungle Cruise (much improved in 2005)
Space Mountain (much improved in 2005)
It's Tough To Be A Bug (went digital in 2013, much clearer and noticeably better maintenance than DAK)
Autopia (your friendly local Honda dealer spruced this up last year, much more interesting scenery, a 1955 opening day attraction)
Peter Pan's Flight (looks like the 21st century, instead of the dusty 1970's)
It's A Small World (8 minutes longer than WDW's, in all it's 1964 World's Fair glory!)

Wow thank you for this detailed post! I'll definitely try to do everything you've said and thanks for all your reasoning and everything!

Well well well....Whaddaya know...

I'll be visiting Disneyland on that day as well, for my week long 'pilgrimige' once arriving in town from the East Coast.
Maybe we shall ( literally ) bump into each other..?


Absolute musts for Disneyland are as follows, but TP2000s list is pretty similar so definitely heed his advice.

One of the most important things I can add is to be sure to slow down your pace and simply enjoy the atmosphere that IS Disneyland.
This is a completely different scene, with a completely different clientele and vibe then the Orlando Parks.
Relax a little and be sure to take time to smell the roses, ride the Main Street vehicles, browse the unique little shops, admire the details, savor the moment, and ditch any temptations to 'commando tour' full tilt.
No , No, NO!
Trust me when I say that Disneyland Park is like a fine aged wine that needs to be sipped slowly, not gulped down in ten seconds.



Here's my suggestions -


The 'do not miss under any circumstances' list :
---------------------------------------------------------------
DL -
Indiana Jones Adventure
Matterhorn Bobsleds
Space Mountain
'Fantasmic!'

DCA -
Radiator Springs Racers




The 'try to experience because they are light years better then WDWs versions' list :
--------------------------------------------------------------
DL -
Pirates of The Caribbean
Big Thunder Mountain Railroad
The Enchanted Tiki Room ( don't miss the pre-show in the garden! )
'Fantasmic!'
Disneyland Railroad
Mark Twain Riverboat




The 'must do's because they are unique to DL only ' list -
-----------------------------------------------------------------
DL-
Alice in Wonderland ( dark ride )
Mr. Toad's Wild Ride
Submarine Voyage
Sleeping Beauty Castle Walkthrough
Roger Rabbit's CarToon Spin
'Mickey & the Magical Map' live stage show ( Fantasyland Theater )
'Soundsational' parade ( daily )
Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln ( Main Street Opera House )
Storybook Canel Boats
Davy Crockett Canoes
Pinocchio's Daring Journey
Tarzan's Treehouse
Casey Jr. Train
Eateries in New Orleans Square ( Cafe Orleans, Royal Street Veranda, etc. )


The 'recommended' list -
-------------------------------------
DL -
'Splash Mountain' - ( different interior show , much faster speed and drop then Orlando )
Disneyland Monorial - ride at both daytime and night.
'The Haunted Mansion' - it's the original, and it's a must do.
'Small World' - ( different then the version at WDW, also includes added Disney character figures )
Dole Whip from the Tiki Juice Bar at the entrance to the Enchanted Tiki Room.



DCA -
'Grizzly River Run' - ( you will indeed get wet! )
Snack options at the Cozy Cone Hotel and Flo's Dine In ( Cars Land )
Mickey's Fun Wheel - scenic view of the sights within Anaheim and if a clear day the hills in the distance.




Hope this points to some things you might like to experience.
Just about everything at DL is worth experiencing at least once, but many things will have you coming back for more several times.

Have a memorable time!



-

Ayyy, I'm doing a week long trip too haha. Trying to do as much as I can in my short week there! I'm going to make sure to take my time to experience true Disneyland ambiance though

You asked for unique and out of the way things, so I'm gonna give one to ya. Check out the Main Street Cinema. Really weird, random little space which you can step inside and watch old Disney cartoons on a loop while a blaring, out of print ragtime soundtrack plays. Has been at DL since opening day, hardly anybody knows about it and I've always thought of it as one of the weirdest, most out of the way places in the park. (I may or may not have slept in there on occasion)

THANK YOU! Something like this is just what I was looking for. I'll try to get my party to do this with me!

So I'm just going to goin order of what pops in my head of what I'll refer to as special Disneyland experiences.

1. Eating outside at the Plaza Inn: some of the best counter service at the parks. These days I actually prefer the roast to the fried chicken. Eating at the outdoor section of the Plaza Inn is one of the more pleasant places to eat the parks and just feels really Disneyland if that makes sense. I would recommend doing one lunch there

2. Ride the DLRR (do entire loop) Lines at the TL station are the shortest.

3. Blue Bayou: Doing one dinner here is an absolute must. I recommend the surf and turf. Politely ask the hostesses earlier in the day for a table by the water. No guarantees but depending on the size of your party you should have a good shot.

4. Gotta get a dole whip and eat during the Enchanted Tiki room pre show or show.

5. Try to catch the bootstrappers playing some music in NOS. They play at this totally low key spot hidden between two stores outside of POTC.

6. This probably isn't exclusive to DL but rode Thunder Mountain at night in the very last row. Improves ride by 100x

7. This probably goes without saying but do at least one of the river boats. I think I prefer Columbia but it's been so long I'm not sure. If you do Mark Twain the bottom is better for now until more of those trees around construction grow in.

I'll post some more as they come to me. Gotta go for now ...

I'm glad you're another person that's recommended Blue Bayou. We booked the Fantasmic dinner package for there on the 17th but it's quite late at night (8:40) so my mom was debating whether or not to switch to River Belle Terrace. I'm really looking forward to dinner there but I agree it's pretty late. I'm hoping that because of the time we might have a better chance at a table by the water, but I'm not sure because of our party size (7 of us lol).

 

[indianajack]

Get ice cream at Gibson Girl and walk across the street to the Main Street Cinema to enjoy while watching classic Mickey toons.
Go in the Magic Shop, check out the Houdini paraphernalia and Steve Martin photo, chat with the counter magicians and ask them to perform a trick. There's one guy, I forgot his name, but he's middle-aged with a beard and he is superb. I knew how the trick was done but couldn't detect him pulling the strings even though I was looking for it.
In the Main Street Emporium, check out the 1900 vignettes above the cash wrap areas, and outside check out the animated diorama windows.
Main Street in general is just so much better at DL than WDW. The street is narrow and the building floors are truncated making them feel like a toy town.

 

[Antaundra]

Wow thank you for this detailed post! I'll definitely try to do everything you've said and thanks for all your reasoning and everything!



Ayyy, I'm doing a week long trip too haha. Trying to do as much as I can in my short week there! I'm going to make sure to take my time to experience true Disneyland ambiance though




THANK YOU! Something like this is just what I was looking for. I'll try to get my party to do this with me!




I'm glad you're another person that's recommended Blue Bayou. We booked the Fantasmic dinner package for there on the 17th but it's quite late at night (8:40) so my mom was debating whether or not to switch to River Belle Terrace. I'm really looking forward to dinner there but I agree it's pretty late. I'm hoping that because of the time we might have a better chance at a table by the water, but I'm not sure because of our party size (7 of us lol).

If you get hungry while waiting for your late dinner reservation you should eat a skewer from Bengal Barbecue to hold you over. Bengal Barbecue is a local favorite counter service restaurant located directly across from Indiana Jones. As long as you show up to Blue Bayou 10 minutes early and ask for a waterside table you should be able to get one. The last two times I've eaten there I was in large groups and we were seated next to the water without even asking.

 

[Curious Constance]

Do Matterhorn first thing in the morning in the standby line. Fastpass uses the really SLOW side of the track. I couldn't believe the difference.

 

[mickEblu]

Do Matterhorn first thing in the morning in the standby line. Fastpass uses the really SLOW side of the track. I couldn't believe the difference.

Agreed. Ride the TL side (not the entrance near Alice in Wonderland) for the more thrilling experience.

 

[Curious Constance]

I kept putting off trying out Blue Bayou because of the cost. Took seven trips before I finally decided to make it a priority, and boy oh boy! My whole family loved it. We requested a table by the water and had to wait an extra 20 minutes or so from our reservation time, but it was worth it. I'm not sure if there are larger tables by the water or not though, I'm sure someone else could confirm that. Food was really good. I had Ribeye, mmmmmmm!

 

[Curious Constance]

Agreed. Ride the TL side (not the entrance near Alice in Wonderland) for the more thrilling experience.

I always get turned around once we're in the queue and can't even tell which side we're loading on lol, but the Fastpass side is terrible. I wonder why that is? Geez it's instantly noticeable and hardly thrilling at all.

 

[mickEblu]

I kept putting off trying out Blue Bayou because of the cost. Took seven trips before I finally decided to make it a priority, and boy oh boy! My whole family loved it. We requested a table by the water and had to wait an extra 20 minutes or so from our reservation time, but it was worth it. I'm not sure if there are larger tables by the water or not though, I'm sure someone else could confirm that. Food was really good. I had Ribeye, mmmmmmm!

Not 100% sure but I don't think there are any large tables by the water.