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Rouxe1688
05-24-2005, 05:12 PM
I'm going to DL sometime this august (not my idea to go during the worlds hottest month), and my grandparents are thinking of coming along with us. Unfortunately, my grandma isn't a fan of rides, tunnels, enclosed spaces in general. Oi vey. She says she'll ride the train and monorail but that's about all she can think of and as i haven't been there in 3 yrs, neither can I. Anyone have any idea to keep her entertainned? Slow rides, shows, restaurants, stores, nice place for a walk, whatever. Downtown Disney is included in this, and probably the DLH.
Thanks for your help :).

MammaSilva
05-24-2005, 05:13 PM
The Golden Horseshoe and the Billy Hill show....must not be missed! The Mark Twain is always a lovely way to spend 20 minutes give or take....the Tiki room? the Jungle cruise....thinking of things that aren't enclosed and might make her feel closed in...

jon80flt
05-24-2005, 05:33 PM
How about:
the Aladdin show in DCA
the Snow White show in the Fantasyland Theatre
the new 50th Movie in the Opera House
Don't forget the Parades and Fireworks... and Fantasmic!
Honey, I shrunk the Audience in Tomorrowland
It's Tough to be a Bug in DCA
Soaring Over California is very tame
Dinner at Blue Bayeu
It's a Small World
Pirates of the Carribean
Haunted Mansion
The Pooh Ride
All the Fantasyland Dark Rides
The Animation Building in DCA
The Muppet Show in DCA
Dept of Unusual Hilarity in DCA

And, of course... shopping?

That should be enough for one day!

Have Fun!
Jon

SuefromRI
05-24-2005, 05:53 PM
I'd say Alladin show and Muppets would be safe. Also, the animation building and movies and the new 50th movie-indoors with AC and no motion involved.
We went twice around Aug 19-24 and the weather was pleasant both times 80-85 and no humidity, so go figure, they are complaining that it is too hot this week in May.

disNeytEen
05-24-2005, 06:39 PM
You could spend a while in Downtown Disney with the shopping and all that, and there are the parades and shows like Tiki Room, Aladinn, plus you could do the walking with walk tour of the whole park, so there are plenty of things to do.

Shortiemetoo
05-24-2005, 10:07 PM
Storybook land canal boats too!!!! :D

Tutter
05-24-2005, 10:31 PM
The Main Street Vehicles, the street performers, exploring Tom Sawyer's Island, but mainly sitting in Central Plaza and watching the world come to you.

sdfilmcritic
05-24-2005, 11:16 PM
Two Words: People Watching.

The Lovely Mrs. tod
05-25-2005, 01:11 AM
Get there early Sunday morning. Bring a cup of coffee. Grab a bench in the Plaza and listen to the band.

-TLMt

sdfilmcritic
05-25-2005, 01:31 AM
Get there early Sunday morning. Bring a cup of coffee. Grab a bench in the Plaza and listen to the band.This is a good idea, although I would make one minor change for myself. Instead of bringing in a cup of coffee I would purchase one from Olga at the Main Street Market House. I get free refills throughout the day if I show the reciept. Plus Olga works on Sunday mornings. :D

PragmaticIdealist
05-25-2005, 01:38 AM
Disneyland has always been a place with very broad appeal and a tremendous variety of different experiences available. In fact, one of the reasons Disneyland never used the word, "ride", is because, when Disneyland first opened after being shown to Guests via television, some Guests would say, "Well, I want to take the Jungle Cruise and I want to take the Mark Twain Riverboat, but I don't want to visit any rides."

Disneyland only has Attractions, and, oftentimes, there is no ride-through component to them. Until the opening of the Matterhorn several years after Disneyland was first opened to Guests, Disneyland had no physically-violent Attractions of any kind. And, to this day, the Attractions of Disneyland may, at times, be somewhat adventurous, but are never really unpleasant.

You may want to take your grandmother to "it's a small world" near the beginning of your visit. "it's a small world" instantly makes certain people feel very comfortable and can help to reassure her about the nature of most of The Magic Kingdom. All the show scenes are expansive, and, if she has a touch of claustrophobia, "it's a small world" will not affect that condition. If you have any questions about the confined feeling of any other Attractions, I recommend you speak to the Host or Hostess at the entrance to each.

In The Magic Kingdom, other musts include: the Disneyland Railroad; the Disneyland Opera House, now presenting "Disneyland: The First Fifty Years"; your choice of Main Street transit such as the Omnibuses or the Horse-Drawn Streetcars; the Enchanted Tiki Room; the Jungle Cruise; the Mark Twain Riverboat (a limited number of seats are available on the bow) or the Sailing Ship Columbia; shopping in New Orleans Square; a visit to The Disney Gallery (an elevator is available); and, the Storybookland Canal Boats or Casey Jr. Circus Train. There are several other Attractions she might also like, and, if you have any concerns, I heartily encourage you to speak with an attendant. He or she will be able to make accommodations such as seating you in the first row of Star Tours, for example, should your grandmother start feeling more adventurous. Pirates of the Caribbean might be a good test for your grandmother since it has exceptionally broad appeal. I have never met anyone who was ever bothered by the Attraction, and, although, much of it is dark, I do not think she will feel confined there, either.

Disneyland is also always filled with countless happenings, so the parades, Fantasmic! and the fireworks should also be somewhere on your itinerary.

At Disney's California Adventure, your grandmother will probably very much appreciate "Golden Dreams", which is my favorite Attraction there. "Golden Dreams" ties the entire park together and really helps to justify its existence. Be sure to ask when the next performance begins instead of waiting in the pre-show area, though.

Soarin' over California is also something your grandmother will probably enjoy very much. The flight of the gliders is exhilarating, but also quite peaceful. And, the scenic landscapes over which the gliders fly is nothing short of breathtaking. I also recommend at Disney's California Adventure the following: the Disney Animation pavillion; The Mondavi Winery, featuring "Seasons of the Vine"; The Boudin Sourdough Bakery and Tour; The Mission Tortilleria and Tour; Muppet*Vision 3-D; It's Tough to Be a Bug; The Hyperion Theatre, now showing "Aladdin"; and, The Art of the Craft Tour at The Grand Californian Hotel. That tour requires reservations to be made in the morning or the night before, but the experience is well worth your while if your grandmother happens to be interested in art or architecture.

If the walking requirements of Disneyland are in any way a concern, Disneyland does rent wheelchairs and electric convenience vehicles (E.C.V.'s) for the day; the wheelchairs can also be taken to the parking areas and to Downtown Disney. While Walt Disney, specifically, planned Disneyland to minimize walking distances, a wheelchair or an E.C.V. can still sometimes come in handy and hundreds of Disneyland Guests use them every day.

Since the weather and the business of Disneyland may be less than ideal when you visit, I very much recommend that you arrive early, stay late, and take a break during the middle part of the day. I also recommend that you spend time at each restaurant you happen across, if only for just a drink. Disneyland has several pleasant places to enjoy a meal or simply a light refreshment. And, using the restaurants helps to ensure your visit is relaxing and well-paced.

love is a song
05-25-2005, 02:29 AM
all art and memorablilia (spelling?) galleries...

MsYumiBr
05-25-2005, 05:18 AM
Let's not forget the GCH lobby. It's definitely a must see just for the amazing fireplace. If you stay there (or you can ask them according to other posters) you can go on a free tour of the hotel. They also have storytelling but I don't have a review because I didn't see them.

Gone2Disneyland
05-25-2005, 06:37 AM
Okay, here's my two cents.

Must dos:
Make reservations early for dinner at the Blue Bayou
The Enchanted Tiki Room (I always feel like Walt's there when I see this he supervised)
The Mark Twain Riverboat
Billy Hill and the Hillbillies at The Golden Horseshoe Revue (they won't be disappointed, good old fashioned slapstick humor and mugging and live entertainment to boot)
The Disneyland Story (film & exhibit) in the Main Street Opera House
Sitting at the flag pole to listen to the Disneyland Marching Band's morning show
it's a small world
Sitting at Coke Corner to listen to the piano player
Hanging around the flag pole around 5:30 p.m. for the lowering of the U.S. Flag ceremony
Riding the Disneyland Railroad
Parade of Dreams (get a good space by sitting on Main Street a couple of hours early to people watch before the show)
Try to catch the talking Disneyland trash can (I think his name is "Push"?) doing improv with the passerbys rolling around in Tomorrowland
Also the trash can band in Tomorrowland, don't know they're showtimes
Get a corndog from the Little Red Wagon by the Kodak Photo Center on Main Street

Things to do if the lines aren't long or your grandparents can stand some jostling:
Ride the monorail
The Jungle Cruise
Pirates of the Caribbean
The Disney Gallery (not really much more there now, the good stuff's in the Opera House and besides, there are those stairs to climb if they aren't up to that)

GrumpyUTboi
05-25-2005, 07:16 AM
There is really only one thing you need to do at DL and that is to sit in the nice "air conditioned" room, and watch HISTA! :D HISTA is the next best thing to sliced bread. Did I mention that the room was air conditioned? Hours upon hours of enjoyment! What more could you ask for?

sdfilmcritic
05-25-2005, 07:25 AM
There is really only one thing you need to do at DL and that is to sit in the nice "air conditioned" room, and watch HISTA! :D HISTA is the next best thing to sliced bread. Did I mention that the room was air conditioned? Hours upon hours of enjoyment! What more could you ask for? :eek: You mean to tell me that after eight months you still haven't taken those antiHISTAmines I prescribed to you? :p :~D

mkcbunny
05-25-2005, 07:31 AM
Just a quick comment about two of the ideas suggested, as I took my parents to DL a year or so ago and had similar concerns.

HISTA was a little bit scary in spots for my mother. The snake and the rats, among other things. Muppet and Bug's Life movies were totally fine, despite some creepy crawlies in the Bug movie.

She survived Soarin', but it was very challenging. Yes, it's "peaceful," but if anyone has any motion or fear of heights issues, it may still freak them out or make them feel ill. People like myself who don't have those concerns think it's mellow, but for someone who gets queasy, the surround-screen can really throw your senses off.

crazi4dlr
05-25-2005, 07:45 AM
Before my parents passed away, they loved DL and they didn't ride many of the rides. They loved to walk around and look in the shops and go on many of the "tamer" attractions in FL and AL and NOS. The Autopia was always a favorite and my mom loved It's a Small World. They would do much of their activity in the mornings when it was cooler (we always went in the heat of summer) and then they would just sit on the bench on the FL side of the castle and watch the world go by. If your grandmother is a people watcher she will be quite entertained as my folks were. My bet is she will find enough to keep her interest even without riding the rides. Have a great time and your grandmother will too.

Lekta
05-25-2005, 09:23 AM
ANYTHING but the Tiki Room........

GrimGrinninGhost
05-25-2005, 01:36 PM
What about innoventions? It might be educational ....or small world... or pirates..

CarlieB
05-25-2005, 02:11 PM
Definitely Billy Hill and the Hillbillies at the Golden Horseshoe. Grab a drink or lunch and enjoy the show. We always go multiple times when we visit:)

DonDuck
05-25-2005, 06:25 PM
Walk around New Orleans Square, pick up a mint julep and then take a seat enjoying the jazz band. Lots of people watching here, too. Mark Twain is also nice.

Rouxe1688
05-29-2005, 10:24 AM
thanks guys, you're so helpful :) I'm sure we'll have a great time

rentayenta
05-29-2005, 10:46 AM
Don't forget the porch on Main St. It is the best place place to people watch. if she stays put, she'll get to see the POD too. :)

bradk
05-30-2005, 04:07 AM
innoventions was so bad. ugh.

for the mark twain, ask to ride in the pilot house. the only thing you should be cautious about is there is a steep ladder to get from the captain's quarters into the actual pilothouse. didn't do much for my acrophobia, but the experience was great.

also, for the monorail, ask to ride in the nosecone. it can hold up to 5 people and is first come, first serve. some really great views. i did it going from TL to DTD and you go through DCA and over the golden gate bridge. it's really nice.

coke corner should be good too, when there's someone playing the piano. rod miller should be back by august as well.

the disney gallery is also a nice place to kill some time and they do tours of the 'apartment' as well (ask them about it).

also, in TL, track down PUSH (ask a CM about him - he has scheduled appearances). he was by far one of the most entertaining aspects of my trip. very funny guy.