Disneyland Reviews

Early Xmas at Disneyland Resort 11/03/11

Posted on Nov 03, 2011 by Jay Jay

This weeks TPS In Park Update theme is, "Early Holiday decor in the Resort".

Only a few days after the conclusion of Halloween, Disney spared no time stripping away the fall decor and adding some Christmas Holiday touches throughout the resort.

Down Town Disney is flying the Mickey and Minnie Holiday banners throughout the District. Some stores have window and outside advertisements for upcoming holiday sales and discount events. World Of Disney has a rather large Holiday section next to the mens apparel which includes ornaments, clothing and tasty goodies.

Today Disneyland Park was all a buzz with Cast members and Workers setting up and supervising staging areas for the upcoming Disneyland Christmas Day Parade filming. There is a small stage/platform set up where the Mickey pumpkin display once stood only a few days ago. Main Street stores are fully stocked with this years line of holiday merchandise to include the Ginger Bread Mickey Ears we showed you last weekend. There are some small holiday touches on the Main Street buildings but nothing too obvious. The Holiday lights have not

My First Disney Half Marathon by GoofyJoe J- TPS Fan Contribution

Posted on Sep 08, 2011 by Anonymous

On Sept. 4th 2011, I ran the Disneyland Half Marathon and I finished.

About 8 weeks before I started training, I took a bad spill and broke my elbow which put me in the hospital for 4 days. I was unable to run as much as I wanted. About a week before the marathon, my doctor released me to run. I was able to run for 2 training sessions. I was very upset that I was dealt this bad blow but I kept my spirits up and ran. I showed up at 5:20 AM to get into the corral for the run. The crowd was electrifying. I started out at a walking pace because there were just way too many people to run. As we went under the bridge, crossing Downtown Disney, my heart started pumping real fast with total excitement. After I rounded the first corner onto Katella Blvd. and started to pick up the pace, I ran fast and felt it by the first mile maker.....

Star Tours- The Adventures Continue

Posted on May 19, 2011 by Jay Jay

On January 9^th, 1987, Disneyland opened the doors to an attraction that by the magic of Disney Imagineering and George Lucas, allowed us to explore a galaxy far far away. After 23 years of never making it to the forest moon of Endor, galactic travels were temporarily closed in August of 2010 to begin construction on a total upgrade. Many mixed feelings about the evolution of this attraction stormed internet blogs and fan sites but the one commonality between Disney and Star Wars fans alike, was the over anxious anticipation of what the newly upgraded Star Tours would be like. Finally after 10 months, Star Tours- The Adventures Continue will unleash the force and start taking passengers to galaxies far way on June 3^rd, 2011.

TPS had the very appreciated opportunity to preview this attraction before the general public and I can reveal to you all that this upgraded journey is going to far exceed your expectations. In the last 10 months many fans and park patrons have been able to watch and follow the developments of the construction and refurbishments to the exterior attraction building. I’m sure like myself, you have all been wondering if the rumors floating around regarding new travel sequences and star character appearances are true. Well if you really want to know, then I invite you to read more and embark on a light speed virtual tour.

NOTE: SPOILER ALERT!! IF YOU DO NOT WISH TO KNOW ABOUT THE SPECIFIC DETAILS OF THIS ATTRACTION PLEASE DO NOT CHOOSE TO READ MORE!!!

Disneyland: Mickey's Soundsational Parade

Posted on May 27, 2011 by Jay Jay

Imagine a collection of drums and musical instruments, a huge group of your favorite Disney Characters and a vat of brightly colored paint. Now put them together and what have you got, Disneyland’s newest musical spectacular Mickey’s Soundsational Parade. Disneyland treated their guests to a “soft opening” preview of their highly anticipated parade on Thursday and judging by the crowds on Main Street, the parks fans made a point to come out and get a glimpse of Disney’s newest creation.

Mickey’s Soundsational Parade takes us back to the more traditional Disney magic that its predecessor, Celebrate A Street Party had courageously ventured away from. This parade invokes that happy child in all of us to escape ourselves in an outward display of dance and celebration, while waving down the attention of our most cherished childhood celebrities such as Mickey Mouse, Minnie, Goofy, Pluto, Donald and some of the heroes and princesses that Disney has given to us through out the years.

Little Mermaid Meet-up

Posted on May 16, 2011 by Jay Jay

On April 23^rd Disney fans were given the opportunity to enter for a chance to participate in the Little Mermaid Meet-up, where if selected they would be among an exclusive group to attend a star studded panel discussion between legendary Disney animators and Imagineers. TPS was more than ecstatic when we received our invitation to attend and participate in this event, which took place on Tuesday May 10th. The event itself was rather intimate, with around 300-400 in attendance. There may have been more or less but the event was coordinated so well that there was really no way of noticing.

Disneyland:Around the Park 4/14/2011

Posted on Apr 15, 2011 by Jay Jay

Another hustly, bustly, spring break day at Disneyland. Almost all entry gates open and still a little bit of a line formed at each turnstile. After stepping past the entry gate and into the park, the sun strangely got much brighter and the blue skies morning battle with the clouds and fog began to show promise of its ultimate victory. Main Street consistently looked ready to bust at the seams for most of the day.

On such a crowd induced day, enjoying attractions was not a priority for this weeks park update. Instead I focused more on a visual discovery and appreciation for the sights and beauty that induce the magic. Only a few noticeable changes in the park that need to be noted this week.

Details of Disneyland:New Orleans Square Part 1

Posted on Apr 14, 2011 by Corey

A completely unique area to Disneyland Anaheim, New Orleans Square is a recreation of New Orleans, Louisiana during the late 18th to early 19th centuries. It's quaint streets and quiet patios also make it the perfect buffer between the stark contrast of Frontierland and Adventureland, and the lush greenery of Critter Country. Famously, Disneyland’s New Orleans Square is home to the original Pirates of the Caribbean attraction and Haunted Mansion, two staples of the Disney attraction catalog. Today we're going to look at some details of this charming area that make the experience complete.

Toy Story Parking vs. Mickey and Friends Structure

Posted on Mar 08, 2011 by Jay Jay

For regular Disney Park visitors like myself, parking can be a ritualistic pain at times. I often wonder if I’m the only one who has the urge to drop into the park but then as I begin to think of the parking process, I find myself already tired at the thought. The Mickey and Friends Parking Structure has its pros and cons but for some time it was the most convenient option. Now with the added option of parking at the Toy Story lot, regulars and vacationers are now provided with an alternate option to break the monotony of parking anxiety.

Disneyland Date Night

Posted on Feb 24, 2011 by Corey

I have been married for over 10 years, and my wife and I have always seen how important a good date night is. So I thought I would write this to tell you my Favorite Disneyland Date. First off, this will be written from a male’s perspective and should be read as such.

The secret to pulling off a great Disneyland date is the right amount of preparation. You want the evening to go smoothly without feeling too structured. No man or woman wants to feel like they’re being led around on a leash, but with crowds, shows and attractions, you can easily get frustrated without a game plan. When planing your Disneyland Date pick your restaurant first, and decide whether it will be a Downtown Disney location or one located in the hotels or parks. This will help you select attractions to visit just prior to your reservation time.

The Details of Disneyland Art Behind the Magic

Posted on Feb 22, 2011 by Corey

Over the past eight years, I have been a frequent Disneyland attendee, seeing the park evolve and perfect itself with every changing season. We all notice the big things: new shows, new rides, new characters. But I want to go beyond that, and focus not on the huge grand displays of Disney prowess but take a slower pace and show you the details of Disneyland. In our first installment I would like to focus on the hanging art all around the parks and tell you where you can find the best stuff just hanging around. For instance: