Introduction

My son, Derek, and I wrote this book because we love Disneyland. We love the atmosphere and we love the attractions. Whether we go and walk all day until we can’t feel our legs anymore, or just pop in and out for one quick ride—we love it. When you love something that much, you want to share it with other people. As news travelled to our friends that we lived closer to the Disneyland Resort than the hotels people stay at when they visit—seriously, sometimes we just walk to the Toy Story parking lot instead of driving over or having someone drop us off—we’ve received a lot of questions about our experiences, and requests for advice. Being so close has been a unique experience for our family, and we want to share some of that magic with you.

This book isn’t really a journal, but it could be. It isn’t meant to be a complete guidebook, but it might serve as one. We do not boast to be a replacement for books such as Birnbaum’s Disneyland Resort: Expert Advice from the Inside Source or mobile apps such as Mousewait or Touring Plans. To be honest, I don’t really know how to label this book, other than to call it an introduction to some of the memories Derek and I have created together.

So I struggled with the title for quite awhile. Originally, I called it Continuing the Vision, because I wanted to convey the idea that what Derek and I had created when visiting Disneyland together was what Walt Disney envisioned the park would be: a place for parents and children alike to enjoy themselves together and create memories. As we’ve worked to capture that spark, we’ve felt the title needed tweaking so that it could reflect what the book means to us, and hopefully to you.

Welcome to Making Magical Memories: A Father & Son’s Handbook to the Disneyland Resort. We know that as you follow the guides we have created, and play the games we have played, you and your child can create memorable experiences at the Disneyland Resort, the Happiest Place on Earth.

The whole point of this book is to help parents and their children build lasting memories. While this book has a father-son theme, we know that others will find that the principles and ideas in its pages cover an umbrella of Disney-fan groups, from daddy-daughter to mother-son to date night, and even family reunion getaways. As Disneyland progresses by adding attractions and removing others, we will continue to visit the park and provide the best advice that we can to create great experiences.

Using Itineraries & Playing the Games

This book has been split up into 12 themed trips, which may serve as an excuse for you to use your annual passes once a month. While the trips are “assigned” to specific months, they really can be used whenever you’d like. Do keep in mind that specific attractions were selected for specific months, based on how busy the park would be. If you are only at the park for a couple of days, use the trip layouts to go from one part of the park to the next in an organized fashion. Derek and I will go on a visit to the park for as little as two hours to as long as a full day. These missions are designed to take between two and four hours.

Each mission is organized into eight sections:

Getting Around

It is best to read through this section before you head to the park; hold a family night to go over the upcoming park visit. If you have a map to the park available, pull it out for this section. We will go over routes, give hints related to timing, and discuss why we chose specific attractions for a particular visit. A map of the park is available on Disneyland’s website if you do not have access to a physical map from a previous visit. As you enter the turnstile of either Disneyland or California Adventure, grab a park map and schedule. These items go hand in hand with this book, especially if you do not know the resort like the back of your hand.

The Attraction Adventure

This section is meant to be with you while you’re in the park. Here you’ll find ideas of what to talk about or look out for just before, during, or after a particular attraction. There will be thoughts and questions from Derek and myself. While the questions are intentionally thought-provoking, some questions may have answers you just don’t know. There are several cast members stationed at each attraction and they are usually well-versed in the attraction’s history and are happy to educate.

The Alternates

Attractions listed in this section are by no means on the junior varsity team. The Alternates list is another group of attractions that are, for the most part, in the same general area as, or follow a theme similar to, those the Attraction Adventures for that trip. If a particular attraction is closed, or your child isn’t ready for it yet, you may select an attraction from the Alternates to keep your journey going. Space Mountain is awesome, but it’s listed as an alternate because of how intense it is. If your child isn’t tall enough or doesn’t want to tackle all attractions, the Alternates list will be a great tool for you.

Because there are more attractions at Disneyland than California Adventure, there are more alternates to choose from on the Disneyland trips than on the California Adventure trips. This section will have a combination of what would be in the Getting Around and Attraction Adventure sections.

Each of these sections provides an opportunity to experience the atmosphere of the park, or do something that isn’t in plain sight on a park map or advertisement. How about letting your child run the trip for a while? If your child is old enough to read, this will help you stay organized and not waste the time you paid for at the park wandering in circles.

The Photo Op

There are many great places to take pictures around the Happiest Place on Earth. Each mission contains a suggestion of where you should be sure to snap a photo. Don’t be shy. Stop a stranger and ask them to take a picture. They will most likely ask you to do the same in return. Cast members, even those with cameras, are always happy to take a picture with your own camera.

Though I don’t remember every single trip to the park (after a while memories tend to bleed together), when I come across a picture or video from our various adventures, trips become individualized. Always take the time for a photo op.

The Food

Each chapter comes with four dining ideas: two meals and two treats. Two of these are inside the park and two of them are outside the park. Keep in mind that this is vacation food. While there may be healthy food options at each locale, we did not write the food section with any diet or lifestyle in mind.

The food suggestions outside the park are among my favorites; our friends in Orange County showed some to us and we’ve discovered others on our own. Some are smaller chains and others are one location only. Most will take a few minutes to get to, so plan accordingly.

Talk About

Often times, I’m attached to my iPhone. I have tried to make it a point to not use my phone while in the many queues at the park, but rather to interact with Derek. Some trips are better than others. I’ve found that what you give is what you get. It’s easy to stand in line and check your e-mail or to look down at the ground while you walk. Zoning out in the queue will cause you to miss all of the amazing things there are to see and cost you valuable bonding time with your kids. It will take some thought to light the spark of your child’s racing mind, but this section will help you fill the void of waiting in line, heavy traffic, or long walks.

The topics range from Disneyland’s past and your nostalgic experiences at the park, to attraction design and general Disney fun. If you are unsure of where to start, cast members are willing to help answer any questions. You can also hand the book off to your child and have him ask you the questions, or be the one to start the conversation.

My hope is that with this handbook, parents and children can detach from the technology that is so readily available to them and enjoy the world that is Disneyland in front of them.

This Time Around

Rather than make your trip a checklist of things to do, this section is to guide you to make some new memories of your own. There are some interesting extras to see and do inside the park that are off the beaten path. If you are just passing through Anaheim and cannot resist the temptation of visiting the resort, or are a “blacked out” Annual Passholder, there are also some fun things to do and see in the resort area that are not necessarily in the parks. You might even find a few things you’ve passed over in a rush to get inside.

Have You Seen It?

Each mission contains a few things to be on the lookout for while in the queues or while walking around. Some of the items are easy to find, while others are much more challenging. For example: find a can of Pepsi. (Why is the can of Pepsi so hard? Disneyland doesn’t sell Pepsi products, which means someone would have had to bring it into the park on their own!)

The purpose of this section isn’t for you to complete the task or locate the object yourself, but to play with your child. Do not expect to find everything the first time you play. Have You Seen Its are designed to be revisited over several trips to the parks.