"Don't Miss" at Disneyland

Beaker · Post by **Beaker** » Jun Tue 13, 2006 6:34 pm

The "Don't Miss" I created for Disneyworld went over so well I thought I would create one for Disneyland as well since I will be going there at the end of summer. Therefore I would like to know: If there is only one attraction I should see at Disneyland/California Adventure, what should it be?

Post by **spaulo** » Jun Tue 13, 2006 7:02 pm

If there is only one... jeez... that's an impossible question to answer on its own!

If there is only one you can go on, and, say, you go to WDW a lot... then the Matterhorn Bobsleds!

If there is only one you can go on, you never go to any Disney park, you hate roller coasters and want to know what all the "fuss" about the "Disney magic" is, then it's Pirates of the Caribbean (or Haunted Mansion (or Peter Pan's Flight (or AUUUGGGHH!!)))

Here are some "don't miss" rides for me at each of the two parks:

Disneyland:
The Mountains. All Four... Space, Splash, Big Thunder and Matterhorn
Alice in Wonderland, Mr. Toad's Wild Ride, and Peter Pan's Flight... I can do without Snow White, Pinnochio and Winnie the Pooh
Pirates of the Caribbean (about 5 minutes longer than the WDW version)
Haunted Mansion

California Adventure:
Soarin' Over California (though it has been copied, moment-for-moment, at Epcot)
California Screamin'
Tower of Terror
Grizzly River Run
Muppet-Vision 3D (again, exact same as its WDW counterpart)

That's just me though. Did you REALLY want people to pick just one ride?!

indysoarin19 · Post by **indysoarin19** » Jun Thu 15, 2006 10:26 am

spaulo's pretty much right on. I would also have to say the mountains, Indy, Peter, Mr. Toad, Pirates and Haunted for DL. For DCA, it's all about Soarin' and Tower.

And even though Soarin' has been copied as far as film and safety spiel go, the FL and CA versions are different in every other aspect. In short, the CA version is far better as far as presentation and line efficiency go.

Lion Sleeps Tonight · Post by **Lion Sleeps Tonight** » Jun Thu 15, 2006 12:06 pm

Yeah that's really tough. Even though DLR and WDW share the same rides, none of them are exactly the same.

For Disneyland I would say Pirates of the Caribbean. It's different from the one at WDW and it has a different feel to it. But if you want something totally thrilling and something that WDW doesn't have then go for Indiana Jones, or maybe Matterhorn. Although the Matterhorn and WDW Space Mountain seem a lot alike...you sit back to back and they're both jerky.

For DCA, I would say go on....Tower of Terror or CA Screamin.' But you have to see Aladdin: A Musical Spectacular!

Club33Hopeful · Post by **Club33Hopeful** » Jun Thu 15, 2006 12:53 pm

I'm not sure about some of those rides being on the don't miss category. However, I think you should add Fantasmic! to the DL list and the Electrical Parade to the DCA list. Must sees for people who have not seen them. People who have seen F! at WDW need to see it at DL.

Those are my one shows that are a must see. If you think you will be back soon, you can skip F! for the fireworks, as those will most likely be leaving a lot sooner, and the fireworks are truly amazing.

If you want the one must-do ride at each park, I would have to go with PotC for DL and Soarin' for DCA.

Post by **spaulo** » Jun Thu 15, 2006 3:54 pm

Lion Sleeps Tonight wrote:But if you want something totally thrilling and something that WDW doesn't have then go for Indiana Jones, or maybe Matterhorn.

How could I forget INDY?! I'm ridiculous!

Yes. Indiana Jones is a must-see!

disneydreamer58 · Post by **disneydreamer58** » Jun Thu 15, 2006 4:16 pm

Matterhorn for nostalgic reasons, it was the first mountain ride and spotting it from the road was a sign we were there!!! I get goose bumps thinking about those days

I love Alice in Wonderland, Peter Pan's flight, and Mr. Toads Wild Ride.......I also like the Whale storybookland ride does that still operate???

I read once that the majority of people are right handed so they tend to go to the ride hand side of the park on entry as well as the right hand lanes so go LEFT!!! ha ha ha!! We tried it once and it really did work, but that was eons ago

Post by **spaulo** » Jun Thu 15, 2006 4:25 pm

bostoncg wrote:I also like the Whale storybookland ride does that still operate???

Sure is! The Storybookland Canal Boats are a fun little diversion, but the line can get surprisingly long. I think sometimes parents see the line for Dumbo and go "oooh kids, look at this! this looks like fun!"

disneydreamer58 · Post by **disneydreamer58** » Jun Thu 15, 2006 5:47 pm

spaulo wrote:
bostoncg wrote:I also like the Whale storybookland ride does that still operate???
Sure is! The Storybookland Canal Boats are a fun little diversion, but the line can get surprisingly long. I think sometimes parents see the line for Dumbo and go "oooh kids, look at this! this looks like fun!"

When I was little I used to ask my mom if I could live in Storybookland with all those cute little houses =) I haven't been on it in forever, so I am glad to know it is still up and going, cause it's another ride from my childhood that I would hate to see go by the wayside. Now if only they would bring back the Peoplemover that would be on the top of my to see list!

Post by **Dr. Ravenscroft** » Jun Fri 16, 2006 10:12 am

bostoncg wrote:I read once that the majority of people are right handed so they tend to go to the ride hand side of the park on entry as well as the right hand lanes so go LEFT!!! ha ha ha!! We tried it once and it really did work, but that was eons ago

I must be apart of the Minority then. I always go left, straight into Adventureland, to fight the hords of people. As for the lines I look at how fast the lines are going and get in the one that has been moving the fastest for the last 15 mins. But ofcourse we are all Disney people so we all know or should know the quick ins and outs of the parks, RIGHT.

Post by **spaulo** » Jun Fri 16, 2006 12:23 pm

That left-hand-line thing has worked for me at least 4 out of 5 times. I've heard the same thing bostoncg's heard about more people being right-handed... it also has to do with a "stay to the right" mentality in America (driving, walkways, etc) that more often than not, people will gravitate to the right hand side.

As for the right hand side of the park, I think that has a lot to do with where the coolest/newest ride(s) is/are... when Indy was brand new, everyone bee-lined to Adventureland for that. Same when Splash Mountain came out. These days, the right might be more common, with the re-opening of Space Mountain and the Buzz Lightyear ride...

Lion Sleeps Tonight · Post by **Lion Sleeps Tonight** » Jun Fri 16, 2006 1:07 pm

spaulo wrote:That left-hand-line thing has worked for me at least 4 out of 5 times. I've heard the same thing bostoncg's heard about more people being right-handed... it also has to do with a "stay to the right" mentality in America (driving, walkways, etc) that more often than not, people will gravitate to the right hand side.

As for the right hand side of the park, I think that has a lot to do with where the coolest/newest ride(s) is/are... when Indy was brand new, everyone bee-lined to Adventureland for that. Same when Splash Mountain came out. These days, the right might be more common, with the re-opening of Space Mountain and the Buzz Lightyear ride...

Very true. When Space Mountain was being refurbished, it was always to the left for Indiana Jones and that side of the park. But now that's done with, it's all the to right for a Fast Pass for Space Mountain then go all the way to the left. Lots of exercise.

disneydreamer58 · Post by **disneydreamer58** » Jun Fri 16, 2006 1:15 pm

I thought that if everyone figured it out that everyone would start going left and we would be lopsided...ha ha ha

I tend now to hit the "top" rides 1st (doing the early bird entry) then take my time going all the way around. Rarely though did we ever go in one direction the whole time. I think we did more of a crisscross. It fell under "oh wait lets go do PoTC, then we finish that ride and instead of moving on to like the HM, we'd go on SM, then back to the HM" so you get the idea. Kinda exhausting. I have since learned Park HOPPING doesn't mean hopping from here to there

Post by **spaulo** » Jun Fri 16, 2006 1:18 pm

We've got a pretty specific plan when we go... my fiancee, Heather, her favorite Disney movie and her favorite ride is Alice in Wonderland. So we go there first. Then we go to Matterhorn because there's no Fastpass, then to the other Fantasyland rides. Then we usually swing around and grab a fastpass for Big Thunder for later in the day, do POTC and HM and Jungle Cruise, then grab an Indy fastpass if the timing is right, or, if it's a hot day, we go grab a Splash fastpass. If we head over to Splash, we'll hit Winnie since we're there. Then it's off to the other side of the park for Star Tours, Space Mountain, and Buzz (grabbing fastpasses when we can) then back to do Roger Rabbit. Then we usually take the train around to NOS to do either splash or Indy, whichever pass we got earlier.

Then it's whatever strikes our collective fancy

Post by **Dr. Ravenscroft** » Jun Fri 16, 2006 1:29 pm

spaulo wrote:it also has to do with a "stay to the right" mentality in America (driving, walkways, etc) that more often than not, people will gravitate to the right hand side.

I wish that was the case. Every morning I take the train and when I get off to use the escalator, faster than running up the 74 stairs (Yes I did count them), and people are just standing on both sides left and right. I can see it if you are talking to people but they are alone and you can't get passed even when you say EXCUSE ME. I walk up and down stairs all day so I do my fare share, but in the morning I want to skip a few of the steps.

By the way if you just stand on the escalator you go slower than if an average person walked up the stairs. I say average because I skip everyother step when I go up.

But I have gone to far off from where this thread is going so:

I would just say see the stuff you have heard about that is different and stuff that isn't in WDW. For example:

Pirates of the Carribean
Buzz Lightyears Astro Blasters
Tom Sawyer Island (if you have kids this is cool)
It's a Small World
etc.

Stuff that is in DL and not in WDW include:

Mr. Toads Wild Ride
Davy Crockett Canoes
New Orleans Square
Matterhorn Bobsleds
etc.