Quite often my friends tell me, “I really want to go to Disneyland WITH YOU. You know so much about it. Can you make any suggestions for my next visit?” I would often type out an itinerary to follow for a one day visit just to Disneyland (most of the people who have asked for my suggestions only go to Disneyland for a day or two, since the drive to Anaheim from Phoenix is only about 6 ½ hours… and they rarely ask me about California Adventures-maybe that's another post!)
I don’t know the Disney World parks as well as Disneyland (something that will change in the coming years, of course), so if you are a Disney World person, you can make some comparison notes if you like.
My most recent request was for a family of 4 in which the children they were taking were 2 and 4 years old (which I often joke is awfully young for Disneyland-more on that in a later post), so this itinerary was tailored to that:
After you have arrived and have explored Main Street, I would go straight to Sleeping Beauty’s castle; it’s at the end of Main Street (you can’t miss it). When you walk through the castle, you can explore all of Fantasy Land. Everything in there should be great for a 2- and 4-year old (although Snow White’s ride can be a little scary for them-it depends on how sensitive they are). Don’t forget the Dumbo ride and Alice in Wonderland. I also love the Storybook Land ride; it’s a slow boat ride around miniatures of several of the Disney houses from the animated films.
Your next stop should be Critter Country. It’s right next to Frontier land, and they have the Winnie the Pooh ride, and you will have a good chance of meeting Pooh, Tigger and Eeyore there. I think your family will love everything about Frontierland and Adventureland which is right next to Critter Country. The only ride that the young ones will not be able to go on is the Indiana Jones ride: it’s VERY fast, and will probably have a height requirement. The Jungle Cruise is perfect and is right next to Indiana Jones. There is another small “land” there called “New Orleans Square” where you can find The Pirates of the Caribbean ride and the Haunted Mansion. I think the Haunted Mansion might be pretty scary for a 2 and 4 year old.. it’s dark and gloomy all the way through with a LOT of dead things and skeletons. I would skip it if the kids are sensitive to scary things. This area is also where Tiana from the Princess and the Frog will show up sometimes to sing.
Nearby in Critter Country, there is a nice place to eat, too. The Hungry Bear Restaurant has burgers, but they also have healthier meals like roasted chicken sandwiches-you can sit and wave at passers-by on the Mark Twain Riverboat. If you want a really fun dinner, look into the Big Thunder Ranch Barbecue. They are All-You-Can-Eat BBQ chicken and ribs, cole slaw, ranch beans and cornbread, smoked sausage and corn on the cob - $24.99 per person, but we really loved it.
Nearby in Critter Country, there is a nice place to eat, too. The Hungry Bear Restaurant has burgers, but they also have healthier meals like roasted chicken sandwiches-you can sit and wave at passers-by on the Mark Twain Riverboat. If you want a really fun dinner, look into the Big Thunder Ranch Barbecue. They are All-You-Can-Eat BBQ chicken and ribs, cole slaw, ranch beans and cornbread, smoked sausage and corn on the cob - $24.99 per person, but we really loved it.
Ready for the second half of the day?
.... to be continued on Monday!
Comments are welcome. Positive feedback encouraged!
Mouseketeer Ken
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