EVERYTHING
FOR YOUR FAMILY
Cover Story
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Russell was 8 years old when his family moved by train from Chicago to Los Angeles in 1963. He left behind his friends, his school and the only world he had ever known. As the train pulled out of Union Station in downtown Chicago on a Friday afternoon, Russell began to cry. He cried all day and could not stop. That night, he cried himself to sleep. After a full 24 hours on the rails, Russell stopped crying the moment his mother made him one promise. “When we get to Los Angeles,” she told him, “I will take you to Disneyland.” Disneyland. The Magic Kingdom. The happiest place on earth. Kid heaven. Of all the great family travel destinations in the world, one of the one, two or three on most everyone’s list is right here in our back yard. Now, 50 years after Walt Disney opened the gates in the middle of some farmland and gave American an eyeful of his dream, Disneyland is celebrating its tenure not only as an American icon, but its status still as one of the most popular destinations in the world. Starting May 5, the Disneyland Resort will host a series of celebrations to mark this major accomplishment. But there’s no need to wait until May. Over the past year, the wizards at Disneyland have been sprucing up the park just for you. Finishing touches are still being applied to some areas, but they will not get in the way of your enjoyment. Always something new The sprucing up is the legacy of Walt Disney, who said: “”Disneyland will never be completed. It will continue to grow as long as there is imagination left in the world.” Now, the world’s most famous theme park rushes to greet visitors in its most triumphant event. Through the years, the park’s visitors have included countless celebrities (Elizabeth Taylor rented Disneyland for her 60th birthday party), seven U.S. presidents, numerous heads of state such as Indian Prime Minister Nehru, Egyptian President Anwar Sadat and Emperor Hirohito of Japan. But the most famous “visitor” never made it to the park at all. In 1959, just four years after the park opened, Soviet Union Premier Nikita Khrushchev insisted on seeing Disneyland on his U.S. tour. Citing security concerns, Khrushchev’s request was denied. Visibly upset, Khrushchev complained about his treatment to the media. “ I don’t blame Khrushchev for jumping up and down in a rage over missing Disneyland,” said author Herman Wouk. “There are few things more worth seeing in the United States or indeed anywhere in the world.” The fantasy created by Disney includes rides that are labeled “attractions,” employees who are really “cast members,” and customers who are “Guests,” always spelled with a capital “G.” A soft opening For an amusement park with such high hopes, opening day was nearly a complete disaster. Consider that on July 17, 1955: • Cars attempting to get into the Disneyland parking lot were backed up seven miles on the southbound Santa Ana freeway. • Several rides broke down, unable to accommodate the large number of riders. • Restaurants ran out of food and drinks. • Drinking fountains were out of order on the hot day due to a plumber’s strike • Ladies in heels found themselves sinking in the freshly poured asphalt on Main Street, which had softened in the sun. Despite these major setbacks, the crowds saw Disneyland’s potential, because they and hundreds of millions of people have come here, and come again. One couple, Jeri and Paul Hoag of Buena Park, have been coming since they were children. Now the Hoags take their two children, Savannah, 8, and Jared, 2, to the park at least twice a month. “ We’ll try to have dinner before we leave,” mom says. “We’ll usually try to watch the parade and stick to rides in Fantasyland. Jared’s favorites are Dumbo and the Carousel.” The six-year gap in age between the Hoag’s two children means that they have to spread themselves thin throughout the park on their visits. “Savannah is getting older and she likes some of the grown-up rides like Big Thunder Mountain.” The family’s pattern is typical of many annual pass holders. Each level of pass allows entrance to the park on certain days throughout the year. The more one pays for an annual pass, the more days one is allowed in the park. Avoiding meals there is another habit. “It can get pretty pricey,” says Jeri. Something for everyone Unlike a themed restaurant focused on children’s fare and decorated with cartoonish images, or a movie created to attract viewers in a limited age range, everyone has fun at Disneyland. Even though young Savannah Hoag is graduating to the more adult rides, the Hoags find themselves spending much of their time in Fantasyland, where the attractions are geared toward younger guests. “ Savanna doesn’t like Toontown that much but Jared really liked being able to play there.” That’s understandable. Recognizing that many of their original guests were now grown and have children of their own, Disneyland launched Toontown more than 10 years ago. At Toontown, everything is kid-sized and cartoony. Targeted for children 2-10 (although 10 years old may be on the high side), Toontown offers more “encounters” than attractions. Here, kids can jump on the furniture in “Goofy’s Bounce House” or meet Mickey and Minnie after a tour of their homes. Toontown has one fast ride, “Gadget’s Go Coaster,” which has some good spins, dips and sharp turns, but it is only about 30 seconds long. So, just when kids are starting to get really scared, it’s over. In Fantasyland, younger kids will find that almost all the attractions are friendly. The lone exception may be the Matterhorn, which, although it is closer to Tomorrowland, is actually a Fantasyland ride. The Matterhorn takes a little getting used to for the younger crowd. The most popular ride in Fantasyland is “Peter Pan’s Flight.” Even on slow days, the wait can be as much as 30 minutes. On busy days, it may be an hour. Part of the reason for the popularity that it appeals to everyone. Flying over and through various segments of the classic J.M. Barrie tale, everyone finds themselves “hooked” on the fun. As they grow At Disneyland, the switch to more exhilarating attractions is not always measured by age. Sometimes it is actually measured with a yardstick for for children usually 40 inches and taller. Then they are able to partake in such adventures as Space Mountain (to reopen this summer after a major renovation), Big Thunder Mountain and the Indiana Jones Adventure. Unlike most of the rides for younger kids, which are concentrated in the Fantasyland and Toontown areas, these grown-up rides are sprinkled throughout the park. Although the park personnel may frown on such activity, Disneyland is safe enough to allow older children to roam without parental supervision. It is always advised that a system of timed “check-ins” be established to avoid any potential problems. We all have to eat At Disneyland, there is no shortage of places to eat. Don’t come to this park for great food, however, for it will be difficult to find. Having to make so many thousands of meals in every restaurant forces the chefs to create fare that is easily prepared and that appeal to the greatest number of people. Nor is it recommended that visitors pack their own meals. The picnic grounds at Disneyland are small and inconvenient and not at all a pleasant place to enjoy a meal. And don’t waste a moment looking for a really good cheeseburger. That said, there are a few restaurants where the food is better than average and where there is at least one dish on the menu that will satisfy kids of all ages and their parents. One of those is Pizza Port in Tomorrowland. Serving pasta, pizza and salads, families will find kids gravitating toward the spaghetti and meatballs. Parents will find penne pasta in a tomato basil marina or in a white cream sauce. The portions are big enough for two moderately hungry people to share and at a price of about $8 per serving, it is a bargain for two. Another family friendly restaurant is Cafe Orleans in New Orleans Square. Their kid’s menu includes peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. Parents will appreciate heartier dishes. The dream continues They are called “Imagineers” and they are charged with ensuring that Walt Disney’s dream never dies. Through the years, they have added and removed attractions and restaurants, made significant alterations to others and have even added entire new lands to explore. The most ambitious change in the park’s 50 year history has been the addition of the California Adventure theme park, the Grand Californian Hotel and the admission-free retail center Downtown Disney. Disneyland is now part of what is called the Disneyland Resort, and for good reason. The old idea that you’d come here for the day has been displaced with the rationale that you can really have fun here for three days. Opened in 2001, these three additions revitalized a park that many thought fell out of favor with a public that had many more enjoyable options for their family entertainment dollars than ever before. California Adventure has not realized the attendance projections the folks at Disney had hoped. But it, too, is changing and along with those changes, crowds are growing. At California Adventure, for example, the very popular “Main Street Electrical Parade” roams at night, attracting crowds during the early evening to get prime viewing spots. And perhaps the best ride in either park is found here Soarin’ Over California. The advantage of the Grand Californian is that it is located entirely within the California Adventure theme park, making access very easy. Inside, the Napa Rose restaurant has won several local fine dining awards. For all the nitpicking about dining fare inside Disneyland, Napa Rose and other Downtown Disney restaurants are, for the most part, well above average. But the current star in the three new additions is Downtown Disney. In a sort of reverse-engineered philosophy from Disneyland, where one pays admission and gets to go on “free” rides, the admission to Downtown Disney is free but everything inside costs money to enjoy. For strolling, retail, people watching and enjoying a good meal, Downtown Disney is hard to beat. What’s new Think of Disneyland as a store window. Ideally, one never sees the same thing twice. In the Imagineering stages at Disneyland are several new efforts: •Where “Rocket Rods” used to be in Tomorrowland (and the “People Mover” before that), there will be an “Astro Blaster,” a Buzz Lightyear-themed ride. •In the area that used to house the submarine rides, there are plans for a Little Mermaid attraction. •And opening this summer is the new Space Mountain. Disney lips are tight but speculation is that the ride will sport new, lower-profile and faster cars. Power to the people Yes, Disneyland and the other districts that surround it will continue to evolve. But ask any Disney regular about the most consistent factor of the experience and you are likely to hear about the employees; the Cast Members. Trained at “Disney University,” these people understand the importance of a consistent pattern of friendly service in order to maximize the enjoyment of the visit. On good days, they rival the reputation of Nordstrom. Now, back to the beginning of our story…Russell’s mother kept her promise to her son that summer. Each subsequent year, until Russell was 14, his family made an annual trip to the park, 40 miles away. At the age of 14, he and his friends would make two, two-hour trips by bus to get a dose of Disneyland. Russell is now 49. He and his wife have been annual passport holders for 15 years. And as they added each of their two children, now 12 and 14, they purchased annual passports for them, too. At a cost of more than $800 a year, they nonetheless believe that it is still a very good entertainment value. More than that, Disneyland represents to them a mini travel vacation each time they visit. Each trip is a chance to get away without getting away. Each visit is also a chance to watch Disneyland evolve and to embrace and enjoy change. And change is good. Steve Smith is a Costa Mesa resident and regular contributor to Churm Publishing, Inc. Yesterday’s rides Here are some attractions that used to thrill • Flying Saucers - Guests rode on a cushion of air a few inches above the ground. • Submarines - Riding on a submarine that simulated an underwater expedition, Guests got up close and personal with sea creatures by gazing through portholes a few feet below the surface. • Skyway - A quick, efficient system of 4-passenger buckets that carried people in the sky from Fantasyland to Tomorrowland. A great ride that may have been closed due more to security concerns than anything else. • Rocket Jet to the Moon - A simulated visit to NASA and a simulated moon landing. • Journey Through Inner Space - Riders shrunk to microscopic size and traveled through a human body. This is where many a teen planted their first public kiss. • Mule Pack - Live mules took riders through a red rock canyon. • Circlevision - A 360-degree film tour of the United States. Patriotic and first-rate. • Carousel of Progress - A revolving animatronic stage show offering technology through the 20th century. • Country Bear Jamboree - A stage show with cute animatronic animals. A hit with the younger set. • Mike Fink Keel Boats - Keel boats took riders around Tom Sawyer’s Island. • Motor Boats - Slow boats took a tour through a simulated harbor. • Sleeping Beauty’s Castle - A walking “ride” through the famous castle at the entrance to Fantasyland. The castle, of course, remains. • People Mover - An elevated, automated train system above Tomorrowland. Slow-moving, but very relaxing. • House of the Future - Opened in 1957, it was a plastic piece of work that grew too present-day for its own good. Doing it right An insider’s guide to a greater Disneyland experience • If you live within driving distance and plan to visit more than once a year, purchase one of the four annual passport options. • Arrive when the park opens. In the first three hours of operation, you are likely to be able to visit as many rides as you will the rest of the day. • If you go only once or twice a year, don’t bring your food. Eating at Disneyland is part of the experience. Set money aside to enjoy one of the restaurants. Or, step outside and eat at Downtown Disney. • Take the train around the park. It is the only attraction that can be ridden continuously. Catch it on Main Street to save time. • On a hot day, “It’s a Small World” is a long, comforting ride through an air-conditioned building. • While passing through the main dining hall on the “Haunted Mansion” ride, look for the plates arranged as Mickey’s head. • Having a birthday at Disneyland? Stop at City Hall on Main Street for a special “happy birthday” message from Mickey Mouse. • Watch the fireworks from Main Street. • The coldest, best drinking water in the park is at the first aid station on Main Street. • Get a “Fast Pass” for one ride while you go on another. But your Fast Pass will lock you out of getting another until the designated time window has lapsed. • To get a good spot for Fantasmic, be prepared to stake out your territory two hours early. • Make all your purchases just before you leave so you don’t have to carry them around. |
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