Down Under Disney

All aboard the Transport Ride Capital of Disneyland: Main Street USA! Next stop, everywhere! As mentioned previously, Main Street USA is the gateway to every other area at Disneyland. It comes as no surprise then that when building the park, Walt wanted a lot of transport style rides for this area. These rides include the famed and newly refurbished Disneyland Railroad. the  Omnibus, the Fire Engine and the Horse Drawn Street Car. The transport rides are listed in detail below. The Disneyland Railroad Photo courtesy of  Disneyland Ride Specifications: - Ride Type: Transport - Age/Height Requirements: None - Ride Duration: Max. 15 minutes - Area/s: Stations exist at  Main Street, New Orleans Square, Toontown and Tomorrowland. - Opening Day Attraction: Yes - Fastpass: No - Recommendation: Must do for all ages. - Hours: 10:00am-9:00pm Overview:  The Railroad is the crown jewel of Disneyland and, arguably, the most historically significant. If Walt...

If Fastpass is your golden ticket then the Rider Switch program is Scrooge McDuck's vault. (Well, for parents and caregivers anyway.) In this post I will not only tell you all about the Rider Switch but also how to utilise it, along with Fastpass, to beat the system. What is Rider Switch? Rider Switch is a system for parents and caregivers with children who do not meet ride requirements or are not willing to go on certain attractions. It allows one parent to line up while the other waits outside of the attraction with the kids. At the end of the ride the parents swap, allowing the second to skip the line like a Fastpass. Not all attractions offer this but all the ones you'll want to use this for, should. How it Works: This is the simple part. Step 1: See the ride attendant and check to make sure that Rider Switch is available. You can see the full list of Rider Switch enabled attractions  here. Step 2: Divide your party into two groups; riders and non riders. Ride...

Mastering the Fastpass System at Disneyland is like finding a golden ticket to the chocolate factory, just lying in the street. Maybe that's a slight exaggeration, but this system is essential to the success of your Disneyland experience, so please read on! What is a Fastpass? The Fastpass is a predominantly FREE service that allows you to skip the queues at your favourite attractions, so you can maximise your time at either of the parks. It is also used to reserve your place at popular shows like Fantasmic! and World of Colour.  How it Works: Describing how this system works can get quite complicated but I will try my best to keep it simple with plenty of pictures to help along the way. For the purpose of this exercise let's use Space Mountain as the example. Step 1: Choose a ride you would like to get a Fastpass for and head in that direction. Step 2: Nearby the ride entrance there will be a sign displaying the words "Fastpass Distribution" A...

While many fear change, the mantra of California Adventure would have to be, " Change is Good." Since opening in Februrary 2001, California Adventure has seen more change than a toddler's mood before bedtime. In fact, at least five opening day attractions, along with the gaudy billboard style scenery, were given the flick within the first 10 years. This is by no means a bad situation, as what we are left with is a park, now worthy of the Disney name. An example of the terribly tacky Calfornia Adventure that we are glad to see the back of. Situated 100 metres across the concourse from Disneyland, California Adventure, while smaller, still has plenty to offer, especially for guests over 12. It consists of seven themed areas that even now, are undergoing change. Layout of the predominantly beautified California Adventure Buena Vista Street is the "Main Street USA" of California Adventure. Upon entering this park you are greeted by beautiful 1920s style...