Rain, rain, go away - I won't be able to ride Tiana's Bayou Adventure on another day!
While the weather said it would be partly cloudy in Anaheim on Saturday, it forgot to mention drizzle/rain off and on throughout the day. In my mind, I'd had my heart set on riding Tiana's Bayou Adventure from the beginning, since we'd planned to visit in May, and it would most likely be in the 80's.
Unfortunately, that was not the case and it was yet another no-go for that ride!
Lines were also much crazier than we anticipated - They had standby queues set up in different spots than normal, rides broke down several times (and for longer periods), plus, attractions like the Monorail and Disneyland Railroad only had one or two cars operating! Yikes. Something about the day just felt a bit…Off but we still had a lot of fun, either way.
This was the first time we didn't walk down Main Street for the afternoon shopping, like we usually do. I missed it! We did see it at night, though, in all its lit up glory. I guess we were just switching things up!
A few favorites from the day:
Thunder Mountain
There are few things that bring as much joy as riding in the very last cart (15) on the Big Thunder Mountain Railroad. It's been my absolute favorite since I was a kid, and I might just love it even more now at 33. Usually later at night, either during the fireworks/Fantasmic, or once people started leaving after those events, we'd ride multiple times in a row until it was time to go. We were only able to ride it twice this time around, but landed the back cart both times (without even asking). It's always the absolute best.
The lights turning on when the sun goes down
Disneyland is magical all day long, yes. But, there's a shift when the sun finally goes down, there's a cooler breeze and all the twinkling lights glow throughout the park. I've noticed that all through New Orleans Square and the Bayou Country areas, it's very well-lit. There's a certain romance to it, you know? And I love that!
Cafe Daisy in Toontown
I was looking for the portable phone charger kiosk but didn't see it, at first, so we ended up in Toontown. I always forget just how much I love it, until we take another visit. It's just fun. Everything is so interactive and designed for play. I was crashing and needed sugar, so we found Cafe Daisy, which had a variety of food - I went with Daisy's Goody-Goody Donuts and the Picnic Time Watermelon Lemonade. So good! I stopped for a quick picture at Mickey's house and we went on Mickey & Minnie's Runaway Railway.
The 90s-esque Disney merchandise they're currently selling.
If you were a 90s kid, who grew up going to Disneyland, you probably have all the feels of the 90s nostalgic moments at Disneyland. Their new merch with all the classic characters (Mickey, Minnie, Donald, Pluto, Goofy and Daisy) just hits extra. I went with the Mickey Mouse
The Monorail ride.Last time we were at Disneyland, the Monorail was closed, so that was a must this time around. There was only one going, so it took a little longer than normal, but still worth it. I love getting to see both parks, as well as Downtown Disney. It feels like a blast from the past and getting to take a trip back to the older Disney days.
Know before you go:
Bring your portable charger (and make sure you charge it before you go) | I didn't charge mine before we went the last couple of times, and because I use my phone so frequently for video and photo, it drains the battery a lot. This time, it died around 2 or 3 p.m., and I knew we still had quite several hours left. I decided to make the plunge and bought one of the chargers from the Disneyland kiosks - this one was in the It's a Small World shop (on the side closest to Toontown). It's $38, but comes with just about every adapter imaginable. If the portable battery dies, you can swap it out for another one or use a USB to charge in the outlet charging port. Learn all about the kiosks and locations here!
If you're going to bring a refillable bottle, scope out the refillable water stations ahead of time I bought a refillable water bottle with the intent to stay hydrated and to refill it as the day went on. However, I never made the effort to find where the water stations were. And because it wasn't that hot (in fact, most of the day, it was chilly and wet), I didn't drink as much water. Sooo…Lesson learned!
I think the best churro stand has to be the one in Frontierland, in the center from Mark Twain, the Golden Horseshoe Saloon and Thunder Mountain. There's always a line, and every time I've eaten one from there, it's hot + fresh, and they serve it in seconds. Others I've had in the park (especially the one by the Matterhorn) just aren't the same.
Do the Genie pass for, at least, one of your trips.I've yet to do it, but from what I've seen of the lines over the last couple of years, they've just gotten crazier. It will save time and allow you to do more things throughout your visit.
Stop by Toontown. It really is a must! There's a lot to do, or at least walk around for fun photo ops and interactive activities to keep the kids occupied for a bit. There were also more creative food options there, too. Perfect for families!
That was our last Disney trip for this year, which was sad, but the memories will live on. What's you'r favorite Disney attraction? What food is a must before you leave?
