As Easy As Pie : Making Disneyland Dining Reservations Online

If you haven't visited Disneyland recently you might not know about the wonderful changes that have been made there involving Disney Dining. Instead of using an email system or calling, guests can now make online dining reservations. The website is very easy to use and I love that you can see all the current menus (with prices) for all the eating establishments at the resort, including in Downtown Disney and at resort hotels and bars. In addition to making reservations, you can keep track of your existing reservations through the website and search for future dining options using a map or by selecting from a list which includes price range and cuisine filters. You can even add special request notes to your online reservations to notify cast members of special occasions and dietary needs.

The first time I used the new website option myself was last month for our recent visit to the Plaza Inn for the Minnie & Friends - Breakfast in the Park breakfast buffet. The food was warm and tasty and there was a good selection of buffet breakfast items to choose from. There was bacon, eggs, cereral, ham, omlettes, fruit, waffles, biscuits and gravy, sausages and a wide variety of pastries. While we were there eating, we were visited by several characters - Captain Hook, Chip, Dale, Max, Rafiki, Winnie the Pooh, Eeyore, Tigger and, of course the girl we came to see, Minnie Mouse. I recommend checking out the Minnie & Friends - Breakfast in the Park breakfast buffet both for the food and for the amount of time you will receive to bond with Minnie Mouse and some of your favorite Disney characters. 

To make online dining reservations for your own adventures in Disneyland, you must provide them with your credit card information. Your credit card will only be charged if you do not arrive to dine as scheduled and you did not cancel during the allotted cancellation period. Dining reservations for the Disneyland Resort can be made at https://disneyland.disney.go.com/dining or by calling (714) 781-DINE. 

Bon Appétit.

My son and I with Minnie... She put his Mouseketeer hat on him for the photo. :)

On To Round Two : The Disney Parks Mom Panel Search 2014

"Congratulations! On behalf of Disney Parks, I have the honor and pleasure of wishing you a heartfelt 'Congratulations!' on advancing to Round 2 of the selection process for the 2014 Disney Parks Moms Panel!"

Today was a good day. I found this happy message in my email inbox and found out that I made it to Round Two of the 2014 Disney Parks Mom Panel search for the Disneyland Resort! As I'm sure you all know, I adore Disneyland and so I would, of course, love to officially represent my home on the Disney Parks Mom Panel. There are things about each of the Disney Parks that you can only understand by experiencing them for yourself and I want people to understand why I love visiting the Disneyland Resort so much and so often. That is, after all, why I started My Adventures in Disneyland in the first place. I want to help people see the magic of Disneyland for themselves. My family and I have been lucky enough to have had many magical moments at Disneyland over the years and I am eager to share that magic and all those traditions and hidden treasures with others.

Whether or not I ever make it to be a member of the official Disney Parks Mom Panel, I can confidently recommend visiting their official website at www.disneyparksmomspanel.com when planning your own upcoming Disney adventures. It's real-world advice from people who have been there themselves and whom understand just how magical a Disney adventure can be with just a little extra planning. In fact, I have the pleasure of knowing the two current Disneyland experts from the Disney Parks Mom Panel personally and I can assure you that they are both outstanding ladies with a wealth of Disney experience and knowledge that they are happy to share with those venturing to the Disneyland Resort. While I'm confident in my own Disneyland knowledge, I am certain that I, too, will be checking with the Disney Parks Mom Panel the next time I venture out to another Disney Park or on any other non-Disneyland Disney adventures. 

The My Adventures in Disneyland Halloween Giveaway Is Here!

I really love Halloween and have always had a soft spot for "misunderstood" villains so, in honor of Halloween Time coming to Disneyland, My Adventures in Disneyland is having a giveaway! To enter to win the Limited Edition Disney Villains Porcelain Evil Queen Plate (Limited Edition of 1,000 - Retailed for $79.95 at the Disney Store) below, please click on the Rafflecopter "Giveaway" tab on our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/MyAdventuresinDisneyland or enter below. To enter, you must follow My Adventures in Disneyland on Facebook. An additional entry for this special Halloween Time giveaway can also be entered by following My Adventures in Disneyland on Twitter at AdventuresinDLR. The lucky winner will be announced on October 13th and the prize will ship within 3 days. 

Good luck to you all, Adventurers! And, Happy Halloween Time!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Wednesdays with Walt : One Last Visit to the Trophy Room

One of my favorite places in Disneyland is the beloved Trophy Room of Club 33. While I know much of the decor has changed over the years, the Trophy Room has managed to retain an unique and welcoming charm. When I have had the pleasure of visiting the Trophy Room, I have always felt like an honored guest who was being welcomed into Walt Disney's personal den. The classic masculine ambiance is truly impressive and you can feel the wealth of history around you. You are surrounded by artwork, stuffed game and hunting trophies and, of course, under the watchful eyes of the animatronic vulture who still sits perched in the corner.

Sadly the Trophy Room will soon be a thing of the past as Club 33 completes a major expansion. Getting rid of the Trophy Room will allow Club 33 to finally have their own kitchen facilities. The expansion will begin on January 6, 2014 and the Club should be closed for six months. So, this is my salute to an extraordinary place, the Trophy Room. May it forever be remembered in Disneyland history as a special place imagined by Walt Disney and enjoyed by so many for so many years.

The photographs below were taken by me on July 13, 2013. 

 

 

Wednesdays with Walt : Tiki Tiki Tiki Realms Celebrating 50 Years of Enchantment at the Disney Gallery

As long as I can remember one of my favorite Disneyland traditions has been visiting Walt Disney's Enchanted Tiki Room in Adventureland. In fact, I visit Jose and the crew at least once during each of my trips to Disneyland and I can't really imagine Disneyland without them. The amazingly catchy music created just for the occasion by the Sherman Brothers only adds to the magic and it is no surprise to me that it has lasted fifty years as a sentimental favorite among those of us who love Disneyland. As this slide show explains, Walt Disney's Enchanted Tiki Room has a rich history and much to celebrate. So, the next time you are at Disneyland be sure to stop by for a visit. Grab a Dole Whip and sing along with the birds. And don't forget - it is a great place to cool off on a hot day or to rest your feet. One more thing... If you can, stop by when Tiki Maynard is in. You'll be glad you did. 

The Tiki Tiki Tiki Realms Celebrating 50 Years of Enchantment exhibit can currently be seen in the new Disney Gallery location inside the Disneyland Story and special merchandise is also currently available for purchase, including impressive artwork and great Shag items such as handbags, coasters and pin sets.

Unknown Artist

Herb Ryman

John Hench

Colin Campbell

Marc Davis

Marc Davis

Colin Campbell

Rolly Crump

Colin Campbell

Marc Davis

 

Jim Michaelson

And, here is a peek at the merchandise available in the Disney Gallery... 

The Bird Sing by Shag ($325)

Pele and Petey by Shag ($3,500)

Mystical Tikis by Jimmy Pickering ($300)

In The Tiki Room by Doug Horne ($300)

Pele Goddess of Fire and Volcanoes by Doug Horne ($300)

Wednesdays with Walt : Everyone Loves A Parade! (Full Videos)

Street parades have been a beloved Disneyland tradition since Opening Day. In fact, the most vivid memories I have of my first visit to Disneyland in 1986 (as a nine year old girl) are mostly of watching the Totally Minnie daytime parade and my favorite parade, the Main Street Electrical Parade, later that evening. While I know that parade time is an awesome time to enjoy the rest of the parks, I never let a trip to Disneyland go by without seeing a parade go down Main Street USA.

This summer the Disneyland Resort is offering two major parade experiences:

In Disneyland park guests can currently enjoy the sights and sounds of Mickey's Soundsational Parade. This memorable and festive parade begins with a drumming Mickey Mouse and continues with beloved characters from such unforgettable Disney classics as Aladdin, The Little Mermaid, The Three Caballeros, Sleeping Beauty, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, Cinderella, Beauty and the Beast, Tangled, The Lion King, Jungle Book, Tarzan, The Princess and the Frog, Peter Pan and Mary Poppins. My favorite parts of the Mickey's Soundsational Parade are Mickey and Minnie's grand entrance to the "Mickey Mouse Club March" and Mary and Bert riding bicycle carousel horses alongside energetic chimney sweeps as they sing and dance to "Step In Time". It is approximately 18 minutes long and can be seen on a parade route which travels from it's a small world to Town Square. 

In Disney California Adventure park guests can experience the very playful and fun Pixar Play Parade. The current version of this popular Pixar parade starts off with Sully and some of his monstrous friends from Monsters University and continues with memorable characters from the Incredibles, Finding Nemo, A Bug's Life, Toy Story and Cars. The parade ends with Mater helping out cast members with a little extra crowd control. My son and I both really love this parade as huge Pixar fans, especially during the hotter summer months when being squirted with water is a welcomed surprise. Past versions of this parade have also included brothers Remy and Emile from Pixar's Ratatouille and the very popular Lightning McQueen from Cars and Cars 2. The parade lasts approximately 14 minutes.

The two videos below were filmed on August 12, 2013 for My Adventures in Disneyland and include both Disneyland Resort parades in their entirety. Enjoy!

My Adventurers in Disneyland Reaches 4,000 Likes On Facebook!

I am proud to announce that last week My Adventures in Disneyland reached 4,000 "likes" on Facebook. The Disneyland Resort is my happy place and second home so it really means a lot to me that so many of you are identifying with and enjoying what I am posting both here and on Facebook. I really want more people to understand just how special Walt Disney was, how important and wonderful Disneyland is and how the success Walt Disney found at Disneyland made all the other Disney Parks possible. To be honest, I also needed an outlet for my own Disney obsession. I'm quite certain that more than a few of my "non-Disney" friends were sick of hearing about it all from me both in person and on Facebook.

As someone who has always loved to write, a blog seemed like a perfect fit for me. The Jungle Cruise of Disney blogs, my main goal has always been to inform, amuse and inspire my readers as I shared my own adventures in Disneyland and more with them. While I have researched these topic extensively on my own, I have never approached this task as a self-proclaimed Disney historian but instead as a passionate Disney enthusiast and an experienced Disneyland connoisseur. People have often asked me about my own Disneyland adventures and I found myself looking for a creative and fun way to explain to them (in detail) exactly why I love the Disneyland Resort so much and why we keep going back there time and time again as a family. Like an onion, Disneyland has so many layers and I want to represent it as I see it - a place that has something for everyone, especially those lucky enough to be eternally curious and young at heart. Disneyland is a place you can't understand in mere days or months and it has an interesting history and a set of traditions that so many have found to be charming and exciting. I want people to understand that Disneyland is a very special and unique place where nearly every detail has been planned out for our enjoyment.

The second component of My Adventures in Disneyland is the Facebook page. For the last several months I have been concentrating on Facebook because it is where I can reach the most people. Basically before Facebook I was writing blog posts but I didn't have an audience. My goal on Facebook is simple. I am trying to brighten up "everyday life" with some (often much needed) pixie dust by sharing things I find compelling about Disney, Disneyland, Walt Disney, Disney Parks and Star Wars. I want it to be a happy place where people can comment freely, add their own Disney-related posts and even share their own artwork if they'd like. I don't ask for likes or ask my followers to share anything. I only ask that those who visit my page are civil to each other and do not harshly comment on fan art.

My Adventures in Disneyland is also home of the "Wednesdays with Walt" series, a weekly series where I celebrate both my own hero, Walt Disney, and the early days of Disneyland. With his unique brand of magic, Walt Disney inspires me and so many others to seek adventure and new frontiers, to remember the value of friendship and fantasy, to learn from the past and from history and yet to always look to tomorrow. He was truly a national treasure as he revolutionized both the family entertainment and filmmaking industries and as he, with the help of his amazing team, has molded generations of children with great storytelling, compelling characters and a fierce dedication to quality entertainment.

In the future I plan on blogging more frequently but this last year was a trying one for me as I learned how to homeschool my son. My late night (kid-free) hours were mostly spent researching kindergarten lesson plans and catching up on housework. When I wasn't busy doing that, I was working on my upcoming book series of travel books for children where I hope to get young children excited about traveling and exploration. Naturally the first book of what I am hoping will be a popular series of children's books is entitled My Lil Adventure Book : Disneyland. While I haven't been blogging as much, I have still continued to go on Disneyland adventures. I have been taking notes and countless photographs for upcoming blog posts, including such topics as Club 33, Joseph Cosgrove's inspiring new book, much of the Monstrous Summer festivities, hotel suggestions, the Walt Disney Family Museum, Mary Poppins : The Musical and the recent Disney Social Media Moms conference I attended. In addition to all that, I will also be covering the upcoming D23 Expo where I am hoping to meet more of you in person.

So, thank you again for sticking around, Adventurers! If you haven't yet, please check out my past blog posts at www.myadventuresindisneyland.blogspot.com. They cover such topics as: my visit to the Dream Suite, the Candlelight Ceremony and Processional, the Treasures of the Walt Disney Archives exhibit at the Reagan Museum, the opening of Mickey & the Magical Map, a review of the updated A Walk in Walt's Footsteps tour, book and product reviews, detailed advice and travel tips for planning your own Disneyland adventures and much more.