Disneyland

Star Wars Lands and Experiences coming to Disney!

Posted on by Miss Main Street

Photo courtesy DisneyParks blog
(Photo Courtesy DisneyParks blog)

If you haven’t heard the news yet, then sit back and prepare to be blown out of this world. In fact, prepare to be blown into a galaxy far, far away for at the latest D23 EXPO, it was announced that both Disneyland and the Walt Disney World Resort will be getting their own Star Wars themed land. According to Walt Disney Company CEO Bob Iger, each land will be over 14 acres large and offer two new attractions. There wasn’t much detail on the future attractions (just yet) but one of them was teased boasted that it will let guests get to fly the legendary Millennium Falcon on a “secret mission.” While it’s hard to tell exactly what that means, I’m already envisioning a Star Tours mixed with a Mission:SPACE type of feel.

Photo courtesy of DisneyParks blog
(Photo Courtesy DisneyParks blog)

In addition to the two lands, it was also announced that a new Star Wars experience will be coming to both locations in early 2016 known as Season of the Force. For Hollywood Studios at Walt Disney World, this means a specially themed Star Wars fireworks show and for Disneyland it marks something much bigger. For years people on the West Coast have been asking for Star Wars Weekends to come to Disneyland and now they’ll be getting to take part in this new event. Space Mountain will be temporarily re-imagined into Hyperspace Mountain and park guests will get to enjoy specially themed food and entertainment.

Expect to hear more in the upcoming months about these latest additions to the parks. For the great thing about Disney is that they love to surprise and excite you with news like this, but they also know to keep just enough secret to keep you coming back for more!

Happy 60th Birthday Disneyland!

Posted on by Miss Main Street
Disneyland castle
Disneyland castle

(photo courtesy http://disneyland.disney.go.com)

As you may have noticed all over social media (or at the very least, from the title of this post!) that today marks the 60th birthday of Disneyland. Dreaming of a place that both children and adults could enjoy together, Walt created Disneyland to be the culmination of that vision. Over the years, the park has expanded to now being two parks in addition to spawning multiple other theme parks across the globe. And while many Disney fans may argue over what is the best of these theme parks, any die hard fan would agree that Disneyland truly holds the heart of Walt. It is the only park he personally over saw from start to finish and there is definitely a sort of magic when you enter it. So today, I’ll keep the post short and sweet by simply saying, Happy Birthday Disneyland and Congratulations Walt and to everyone who helps keeps the magic alive!

5 Free things at Disney Parks

Posted on by Miss Main Street

As you probably already know, going to Disney can be expensive. Between travel arrangements, tickets and hotels, it can sometimes seem that there’s no end to the items required just to get there. However, did you know there are actually some things you can get for free? Yep, that’s right! Disney and free can go together, but you just have to know where to look. And, that’s why I’m here today to help out with 5 things you can get at Disney…for free!

  1. Personal hand drawn character keepsake: Located at the soon to close Magic of Disney Animation in Hollywood Studios at Walt Disney World (closing July 12th), the bottom level in DisneyQuest in Downtown Disney Orlando and Hollywood Land at Disney California Adventure Park in Disneyland, is an experience called Animation Academy. Here guests will get to learn from a Disney artist how to draw various Disney characters and get to keep their drawing as a personal keepsake for years to come!
  2. Special Occasion Buttons: Wandering around the park you will be sure to see guests sporting buttons announcing birthdays, family reunions, anniversaries and nuptials. Often times these buttons allow cast members to hone in and be able to share in your celebrations wishing you a congratulations, to sometimes a free dessert for the birthday guest. I’ve even gotten a free piece of decadent chocolate cake from Germany once for merely sporting an anniversary button and looking particularly ravenous at all the treats before me. You aren’t guaranteed to get anything free for wearing the button, but the buttons themselves are! You can find them at Guest Services in the front of the parks.
  3. Free 5×7 photo with Disney Characters for guests with Disney Chase Visa cards: Okay, so this item requires you to have taken your love of Disney so far that it travels with you in your wallet even when you aren’t on vacation. If that’s you, it means you are entitled to a free 5×7 photo during your visit to Walt Disney World or Disneyland. And if you are so inclined, you’re even allowed to get one every day of your visit… you just have to make it to the booth location. At WDW this one on one photo experience is located in Innovations West in Epocot and at DL it is in Hollywood Land at Disney California Adventure.
  4. Disney family decals: So this one is super cute and worth doing even if you aren’t going to a Disney park. All you have to do is go to Build Your Disney side and from there you’ll get to create your family in decal form. You’ll get to choose what your Disney persona wears and even if they’ll be enjoying a nice Mickey shaped treat to tempt you! If you do it before your trip, put it on your car to look at as you travel or on your luggage if so inclined. I’ve been itching to place mine on a mirror in our Disney section at our house. Whatever you use them for, they’re totally worth the time!
  5. Disney Planning DVD: Okay, so this tends to be a take it or leave it type offering. For many people, if they are going online order this DVD, they’re probably also going online to already plan their trip. But! If you want to get pumped for the big trip or maybe just want an overview of what there is to expect, this is a great and actually fun to collect. It’s amazing seeing how much information on the DVD’s (and VHS’s if you’re my age) have evolved over the years.