Live your life in such a way that when your feet hit the floor in the morning, Satan shudders and says, "Oh darn... she's awake!!"

Monday, September 22, 2008

Your Opinion, Please

I know I have a lot of lurkers here on my blog.

My sitemeter tells me that I have a lot of visitors even though most don't leave comments. While I love getting comments, just the fact that you want to visit is okay. Well, today I'm going to ask you to come out of the shadows for just a moment --

(Believe me, I'm a lurker too!)

Here's what I'm looking for. I want you to tell me what your favorite part of Disneyland is. When you go, what do you have to do every single time?

For example, I have a friend that said I need to get a Mint Julep from the French Quarter. I didn't even know there was a French Quarter!!!

Another friend told us to eat at the Golden Horseshoe and watch the show they put on. Okay. We can do that.

Someone told us to buy a membership to ridemax.com where they make an itinerary for us to maximize our ride time and reduce line waits. I would love to do that, but I'm not sure what rides are a must (Indiana Jones?)

Your expert opinion means a lot to me.

Now, you can go back to lurking.

(I allow anonymous comments here, although it would be fun to see your first name!)

7 comments:

thorkgal said...

Lurker #1
Hey, you have to go to the Haunted Mansion, Pirates of the Caribeann, Small World, eat a chocolate covered frozen banana...Indiana Jones ride, climb up the Swiss Family Robinsons Tree house (oops, I'm old...it now has a Tarzan theme.) My all time little kid fav is Peter Pan. And the best thing is sitting back and just watching people. I'm jealous and can't wait for our turn. Have fun!!! You have to get a picture of Adam pulling the sword from the stone too!

Unknown said...

Smelli,
In my opinion the best rides are space mountain and california screamin'. They are both awesome roller coasters with huge lines. Indiana Jones is also fun, and Pirates, and Splash Mountain. Oh, and if Adam wants to ride Peter Pan, get in line for that FIRST. We did that once and we still had to wait for an hour. It only gets worse throughout the day. To maximize your rides here is a secret we've learned. As soon as you get in the park (get there early) grab a fast pass. All you have to do is stick your tickets in the fast pass machine and it will give you a fast pass. Space Mountain runs out fast so we always get that one first. Also you don't need everyone to go get the fast pass. We just send a runner while we wait in line for another ride. Then at the bottom of your fast pass it will tell you when you can get your next fast pass (like 1 1/2 hours later or so) so then you hang around and ride other rides with small lines. Another hint: Disneyland and California Adventure are on different fast pass systems, so you can get a fast pass for Disneyland, then have someone go over and grab one at California Adeventure. The only thing is that the person has to have your tickets to get you a fastpass and you have to have entered the park that day for your ticket to be validated. Another secret: on your fast pass it will say when to return to the ride. You don't have to go in that time frame. You only have to go AFTER that time. For example if it says to come back between 2:30 and 3:30, wait until like 7:00 p.m. when it is packed and use your fast passes. We just run around all day getting fast passes for rides and riding ones with small lines, then when it gets busy at night we have a stack of fast passes to use and we don't have to stand in the huge lines. More secrets: The Grizzly Water Rapids ride is on it's very own fast pass system. So even though you have a fast pass for another ride, it won't know it because the two systems don' communicate with each other. So we ride that ride like 6 times a day. I know this is a lot and you might not be able to do it all with kids, but we have always been able to ride tons of rides and never wait in line for more than an hour. By the end of the night when we're tired, we usually have like 3 extra fast passes that we end up giving away to people because we are so tired. But these are tricks I've learned from Disney experts. Oh, and you should also go see Wicked when you are there in LA. It is awesome! Call me if you have any questions! Have fun! I wish I could go too!

Unknown said...

Smelli,
Don't forget to take food (snacks and water). Stuff is so expensive there! We always take water bottles and like cheese and crackers to munch on in the lines. I'm sure I'll think of more.

Anonymous said...

I'm not sure about Disneyland since I haven't been there for years, but I am lurking. Hope you don't mind. =)

Yvonne said...

I haven't been to Disneyland for years, but I do know that you need to get the fast pass.

Have a great time. Can't wait to read all about your trip.

Also, love the post of Adam peeling the potatoes--too cute. It's so cute that he would ask you to take a picture.

Anonymous said...

Hi mostly agree, but take it from a person who goes every year. The Grizzly Water Rapids is one you want to ride when it is warmer in the day and you don't have to worry about changing clothes because you WILL get wet!!! Wearing wet clothes ALL DAY LONG is horrible. Wear pants that dry quickly. Soaring over California is a fantastic ride when you are tired and need a break. There are lockers provided provided for your food. A great place to eat it is at the picnic area next to where you enter the main plaza from Disneytown? It is the shopping area. There is a hidden picnic area with lockers etc. You have to get your bags checked at the area where you check in to the park. It is to the left of that area. Go back to motel and take a nap and a break for a couple of hours during the day then the kids are refreshed and you can stay for the fireworks at night. A great moderately priced restaurant to eat at it an Italian place in California Adventures. The food is not horribly expensive. They have yummy pasta stuff and salads etc. If you eat inside the Blue Bayou is yummy but don't eat there for dinner, only lunch. It is quite pricey for dinner, but the atmosphere is incredible. ALSO THE FRESH PINEAPPLE IS INCREDIBLE! Eat some for me. I know it is dumb, but fanny packs are wonderful. Back packs are fine also, but you sometimes have to take them off so you can sit on the ride easily, fanny packs you don't have to. I got cheap ones at Walmart that I have used for the last 4 years. They will hold a bottle of water, plus hidden places for money etc. If one of the kids scrape their knees and need a bandaid. Use Disneylands first aid place it is terrific. They treat the kids great, they love to go just because it is fun. Also if you are tired go to the Disney theater. It is a production worth watching. It has been Aladdin for the last 3 years I don't know what it is this year. It is incredible. I try to think of things for taking breaks I get tired. Maybe I am old. How many days are you going? I hope you have a great time. If you need more advice you know my number, e-mail etc.

Anonymous said...

Pirates of the Caribbean is still my #1. The Haunted Mansion is great too.

It has been years since I've been there too. But if Thunder Mountain Railway is still there, it is a "must" also.

Adam would like Its a Small World but you will go nuts when he sings the song over and over and over again...

I thought California Adventure was a waste of time.

Some of my old faves are long gone (like the House of Tomorrow and the General Electric pavilion)(don't laugh!). Back in the days of the E tickets (daing myself again), it was FREE!

The Submarine ride is lots of fun (understand it has been re-habbed and re-named something like Searching for Captain Nemo)

I WANT TO GO!