As somebody who gets to go to theme parks on a regular basis, and somehow call it work, I know just how lucky I am. I’ve been a fan of the parks all my life and a self-taught student of themed entertainment for decades, and as such, I have discovered that in recent years, I have started to look at theme parks with a more clinical eye.
And then I got to visit Disneyland with somebody who had never been there before. CinemaBlend’s Social media manager, Tiffany Ma, and I had a chance to attend Disneyland’s 70 Anniversary Celebration preview together, and while we had a lot of work to do, we were able to experience a lot of what Disneyland had to offer just as fans, and seeing Disneyland through the eyes of somebody who had never seen it before, I began to see it in a fresh way myself.
I Saw The Other Guests For The First Time In A Long Time
Disneyland is always crowded. At this point, the idea that there is ever an “off season” is a somewhat antiquated concept. Having said that, other guests are, for me, often simply obstacles that are between me and whatever it is I’m trying to do. But Tiffney saw the other guests, and more specifically, saw how much fun they were all having. It enhanced her own experience. She told me…
I appreciated that people seemed so genuinely glad to be there. I'm not a big fan of crowds, but being in a crowd that is more or less happy makes it an enjoyable experience. There is magic everywhere in the park. Even as an adult, I found myself getting excited and smiling often while moving through the park. There is something to do or see around every corner, and that makes time slip away.
I used to feel that way. I remember watching guests, young and old, dancing at the Mad T Party Band concert 10 years ago, and the fact that everybody was having so much fun made me feel better. We’re all there to enjoy ourselves, after all. It’s certainly true that when you see somebody not having fun at Disneyland, it can be a downer, so I need to let the opposite also be true.
Am I "Character" Guy, Now?
One of the big draws to Disneyland for many fans is the chance to see their favorite Disney characters come to life. Getting a photo with a favorite character can be so popular that the lines to do so can often be among the longest in the park. For this reason, I tend to ignore character photos on my list of activities.
And yet, I ended up getting more pictures with characters on this last visit than any three previous visits I can think of. Part of this was just the luck of not having to wait in crazy lines, but part was the influence of my 1st visit guest, who really loved seeing the characters and the way they interacted with people. In her words...
The characters we did see had super detailed costumes and were really magical. Getting to see them walking around and interacting with people was really fun. The cast does an incredible job. Seeing kids and adults alike with big smiles and joking with them was something I will remember.
And I have to say, I'll remember it too. Chatting with Gaston and fist-bumping Donald was fun. I'm still not sure I want to spend all my time at a Disneyland After Dark event waiting for a picture, but I may need to reconsider just how long it's worth it to wait.
I Appreciated Disneyland’s Lack Of “Size”
When Disneyland and Walt Disney World are compared, Disney World’s “gift of size” is often discussed. Disney World is a massive vacation resort. Cinderella’s Castle at Magic Kingdom is an absolute titan of a building, at least compared to Sleeping Beauty Castle at Disneyland, which Disney World fans love to make fun of for being small. But despite the fact that Tiffney grew up in Florida and went to Disney World frequently, she never saw Disneyland as small, simply different. She explained…
I grew up at Walt Disney World and have many fond memories there. What I loved about Disneyland is that it is similar enough for that familiar feeling of comfort, but different enough to be excited about everything. I loved that the Sleepy Beauty's castle is different than Cinderella's Castle. It's a nice reminder of how big the world of Walt truly is.
Disneyland may be small compared to many other theme parks, and even many other Disney parks, but it packs a lot into its small space. Some of the best theme park rides in the world can be found there, and many of the rides at Disneyland are better than their equivalent at Walt Disney World. Maybe Disneyland’s smaller size is part of what makes it so charming.
The Wonder Of Disneyland Was On Full Display
It’s often said that “attention to detail” is what separates a good theme park and a great one. As somebody who has studied themed entertainment, I understand this on a fundamental level, but that doesn’t mean I always see it. Whether it’s a minor detail or a major prop, after I’ve seen it a few times, it starts to lose its sense of wonder, but watching Tiffney see the Millennium Falcon for the first time, I remembered what it was like the first time I saw it. She said…
I was blown away at how much detail was in Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge. The textures and colors were so rich, and the sheer scale of some of the things in the area, like the Millennium Falcon, was incredible. I felt like I was on the set of a Star Wars movie. Even as an adult, it is awe-inspiring. You see things on the big screen at the movies or on TV at home, but to see some of the things from the movie built out in an area that you can walk around in is incredible.
I’ve walked by the Millennium Falcon 100 times at this point between the versions of Galaxy’s Edge at Disneyland and Walt Disney World. I think maybe I stopped noticing it. But it’s always there, and it’s always impressive if you take a minute to look. You can see it from all sorts of different angles inside the land, and that shows you how every one of them is perfect.
The 70th anniversary celebration is perhaps the best time to get a new perspective on my favorite theme park. It’s a time to look back and to look forward. I don’t know when I’ll be at Disneyland again, hopefully soon, there's a new Walt Disney attraction coming that I simply must see, but when I do, I’m sure I’ll see it differently, thanks to having a fresh set of eyes.
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