Disneyland Roller Coaster Rides

Disneyland roller coasters are not like your typical coaster ride. Each roller coaster in Disneyland has a theme associated with it. Let's start with the Matterhorn Bobsleds. This roller coaster ride encompasses the Swiss Alps, but with a twist. Watch out for the Abominable Snowman! This dual track coaster is for guests 35”and above. It is also the first roller coaster type ride built in Disneyland.

Younger guests can get a thrill on Gadget’s Go Coaster located in Mickey's Toontown. As with the Matterhorn Bobsleds, there is a 35 inch height requirement. A fun family ride is Big Thunder Mountain Railroad. This is known as “the wildest ride in the wilderness,” and can be enjoyed for anyone 40 inches or above. It's even more fun at night when it's dark.

The most intense coaster in Disneyland would be Space Mountain. This roller coaster is housed indoors and is a coaster in the dark. A great musical soundtrack accompanies the ride as guests blast through outer space. Riders need to be a minimum of 40 inches. A photograph is taken during the last part of the ride which can be viewed and optionally purchased when exiting the ride.

Although people have to wait in line for the Matterhorn Bobsleds and Gadget’s Go Coaster, Fast Passes are available for Big Thunder Mountain and Space Mountain. If visiting Disneyland, be sure to check out one of the parks themed roller coaster rides. They are unlike other amusement park’s rides as each has its own theme.

Disneyland Bars – Can you Buy Alcohol in Disneyland?

If planning to visit Disneyland and hoping to unwind with an alcoholic drink, the answer is no. Disneyland does not sell alcohol to the general public. The exception to this rule is the exclusive Club 33 located in New Orleans Square which is a private members only club.

Although alcohol is not available in Disneyland, you can get a drink in California Adventure. In fact, wine tasting is available at Golden Vine winery.  Additionally, there are several establishments in Downtown Disney which sell a variety of beer, wine and cocktails.

Alcohol is also available at Disneyland’s on-site hotel properties. Here's a tip. If you like the taste of chocolate, the Disneyland Hotel makes a wicked chocolate martini.

Even though alcohol is only available to members of Club 33 in Disneyland, there are many places within a quick walking distance were guests can enjoy their favorite beer, wine or cocktail.

What are Hidden Mickeys in Disneyland?

A hidden Mickey is some form of representation of Walt Disney’s beloved animated character which can be found hidden away on various rides, attractions and buildings in Disneyland. The most common form is in the way of Mickey Mouse’s head which is symbolized by a large round circle for the head and two smaller circles which represent Mickey’s ears.

 A good example of this can usually be found in the Haunted Mansion during the ballroom scene. When passing by, look at the table settings in which one should look like Mickey’s head and ears. Another example of hidden Mickey Mouse ears can be found at the bottom of the Casting Agency sign on Main Street U.S.A.

Put into place by Disney Imagineers, some hidden Mickeys are actual pictures of Mickey Mouse such as the photograph of Mickey on Splash Mountain. How many hidden Mickeys that are out there is unknown. The popularity of finding them continues to grow and there are numerous web sites and books dedicated to their locations throughout the park.

As if visiting Disneyland isn’t fun enough, add to the fun by trying to find as many hidden Mickeys as possible during your next visit.

History of the Original Disneyland E Tickets

In Disneyland’s earlier days, coupon books were sold with ride tickets. These tickets went from A coupons, for the most mild rides and attractions in the park, up to E, which indicated that this was a must see or do exciting attraction.

The E ticket was introduced by Walt Disney in 1959. The adult price for one coupon was fifty cents. A picture in the book, Disney the First 100 Years, shows one of the first E tickets and explains how the ticket is good for one of the following rides.

At Main Street it could be used to board the SF & D Railroad Trains. In Tomorrowland, guests could enjoy an undersea journey on Submarine Voyage or ride the Monorail or SF & D Railroad Trains. For coaster fun, the Matterhorn Bobsleds certainly earned their spot in E ticket history.

Frontierland offered another opportunity to board the SF & D Railroad Trains along with Mine Train thru Nature’s Wonderland and Pack Mules thru Nature’s Wonderland. The last place an original E ticket could be used was in Adventureland on the Jungle Cruise.

Over time other rides and attractions were added such as Pirates of the Caribbean. Finally, the time of E tickets came to an end when a single admission price to the park was introduced which included all rides and attractions.

Fine Dining at the Blue Bayou in Disneyland

If looking for a fine dining experience while visiting Disneyland, then the Blue Bayou Restaurant is the answer. This is the only full service, fine dining eatery available to the general public.

Located in New Orleans Square, this Cajon/Creole style restaurant is situated inside the Pirates of the Carribean ride. Enjoy a nighttime atmosphere under the stars while watching guests pass by on their boats entering this famed ride. It's like sitting outside on a Louisanna night listening to the sound of crickets while watching fireflies.

Open for both lunch and dinner, menu items include crab cakes, jambalaya, steak, Monte Cristo sandwhich and Tisora Island chicken. Dessert is available along with children's menu selections.

Although most fine dining establishments have a wine menu, one will not to found here. This is to adhere to Walt Disney's wishes about not having alchohol in the park. However, if desiring a glass of wine or a cocktail, simply leave the park, turn right and enter Downtown Disneyland where spirits can easily be found.

If planning on dining here, reservations are recommended as long walk up waiting lines can occur. The number is (714) 781-DINE. The Blue Bayou Restaurant offers a wonderful themed dining experience in which the general public can enjoy while visiting Disneyland.

Disney Rides Height Requirements

There are numerous rides throughout Disneyland that have no height restrictions. However, there are some that do. Here is a listing of Disneyland height requirements.

While most rides and attractions in Mickey's Toontown are for any height, children need to be 35 inches in order to ride Gadget’s Go Coaster which is a mild roller coaster ride. Located next to Fantasyland is the Matterhorn Bobsleds. Once again, riders need to be at least 35 inches tall in order to enjoy this roller coaster type ride where participants can experience speed, jerky movement and the Abominable Snowman.

Headed over to Critter Country? Splash Mountain is one of the most popular rides in the park. Based on the movie Song of the South, this water flume ride is for guests 40” or taller. Fans of Indiana Jones can experience everything from a giant snake, to shooting darts in the Indiana Jones Adventure in which guests must be 46” in order to ride.

Located in Frontierland is Big Thunder Railroad, which is a runaway mine train ride. This Disney roller coaster requires riders to be at least 40”.

If headed for Tomorrowland, Autotopia is a way that kids can drive a car on a designated track. Riders need to be 32” inches tall, while drivers required to be 54”. Space Mountain is a roller coaster in the dark. Participants need to be 40” in height. The same holds true for Star Tours, which is a motion simulator ride.

While so many rides in Disneyland are for guests of all ages including Small World, Pirates of the Caribbean and the Jungle Cruise, there are some rides that have strict Disney height requirements. These height restrictions are all about safety issues, which is why certain rides have these height restrictions to begin with.

Before planning a trip to Disneyland, be sure to check on height requirements for Disneyland rides if this should be an issue for you.

Disneyland Fun Facts and Trivia for Main Street U.S.A.

When entering Disneyland, the first location guests will come to is Main Street U.S.A. Here, guests can take a leisurely stroll down the street while checking out the various shops including the Emporium which sells a variety of Disney products including clothing, jewelry, toys, along with the Main Street Magic Shop, in which comedian Steve Martin was once employed.

Look for the Eucalyptus trees behind City Hall. They were actually originally planted back in 1910. When visiting the firehouse, look up to see the second story.  This was Walt Disney’s apartment in Disneyland. According to JustDisney.com, “Now, a light is kept on near the window, as a tribute to his creation of Disneyland.”

In the book Disneyland Resort Magical Memories for a Lifetime, it is stated that the windows on Main Street have more than one purpose.  Although decorative, many honor a Disney employee such as the window above the Main Street Emporium which honors Elias Disney, who was Walt Disney’s father.

Walt Disney captured his childhood home in Marceline, Missouri when he created Main Street U.S.A. This location even features scaled down versions of original turn of the century locations.

Disneyland with Toddler Travel Tips

Planning a trip to Disneyland with a toddler? Having gone through the process four different times, here are some tips. Let's start with a stroller. If unable to bring your own, stroller rentals are available just outside the park. The current cost is $15 per day and strollers can be brought back and forth between Disneyland and California Adventure. However, they may not be taken into Downtown Disney.

If needing to do a diaper change or if needing a toddler toilet, stop by the Disneyland Baby Care Center located at the end of Main Street. If visiting California Adventure, the same type of place is located by the Bakery Tour at Pacific Wharf.

Traveling with older kids or other adults and your child is too small for a ride? Check with a Disneyland cast member at the beginning of the ride to obtain a child swap pass. This will allow your group to go on the ride while you stay behind with your toddler, then when they return from the ride, you may go alone or take one other guest with you to go on the ride without waiting in the usual line.

If your little one is tired, but refuses to fall asleep, try the Disneyland Railroad. This train ride goes around the park with stops in the different themed lands. Often, young children will fall asleep while on board. Warning, the train does pass through Primeval World which does feature dinosaurs, but it does so in a non-threatening way.

A fun area for toddlers is Mickey's Toontown where kids can visit both Mickey and Minnie's Mouses homes, along with the family fun Roger Rabbit's Car Toon Spin ride. There's also the rides in Fantasyland, although some children at this age may find Snow White's Scary Adventures a bit too frightening.

If anyone has any further travel tips, please feel free to leave a comment.

Disneyland Recipes Cookbook Recommendation

Hoping to recapture some of the Disneyland magic at home with food? Cooking with Mickey Volume II can just that. Not only does it contains some of the most favorite recipes from Disneyland, but Walt Disney World as well.

Disneyland recipes include the German Potato Soup served at the Plaza Inn along with Kaltschale Soup, (Cold Fruit Soup,) served at the exclusive Club 33 which is open to members only. Fans of the Blue Bayou Restaurant can recreate its Honey Mustard Dressing at home.

Seafood recipes include Fettuccine with Lobster which is served at the Caffe Villa Verde at the Disneyland Hotel or the Scampi Newport also at the Disneyland Hotel at the Shipyard Inn.

Meat recipes such as Braised Short Ribs from the Plaza Inn and Jambalaya from the French Market Restaurant are also in the book. Let's not forget about some of the wonderful desserts that Disneyland has to offer such as the Apple Pie from from the Plaza Inn, along with Gingerbread Mickey which can be found at the Monorail Cafe at the Disneyland Hotel.

This merely scratched the surface of some of the wonderful recipes that can be found in Cooking with Mickey Volume II. This book can be ordered online at Amazon.

Cheap Eats Near Disneyland

When visiting Disneyland, there are many inexpensive places to eat within easy walking distance of the parks. Exit the park and cross the street. You will now be on Harbor Blvd. If you're a McDonald's fan, turn left, walk a bit and you'll find your favorite fast food restaurant.

Looking for pizza? Turn right and go to the end of the block in front of the Ramada Maingate. Here, you can get pizza. Also by turning right on Harbor Blvd. you can come across Denny's. There's also an IHOP.

Right after crossing the street when leaving Disneyland is Captain Kidd's buffet. Although reviews on Trip Advisor are overall not very good, the prices are reasonable with food including soup, salads, a kids' section, main entrees and desserts, not to mention the restaurant gets a steady flow of people. Personally, my family loves it there. If you don't mind a bit more of a walk, also after turning right, you'll find Subway.

Many people who vacation to Disneyland do so on a budget. Finding cheap places to eat can help one stay on that budget while still finding a variety of food choices nearby.