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Atom805
11-07-2006, 01:35 PM
My g/f and I are pretty regular DL guests. We go about 5-6 times and year and usually follow a good schedule of visiting all the major attractions and seeing all the major shows.

Were going to be arriving to DL on Thurs. Nov 9th for a couple of nights stay and wanted to make this trips theme, Seeing things we usually don't. For instance were going to visit the Fire Station, Disney Gallery, and booked the dessert dining for Fantasmic. Were also going to make the trip over to TSI and try and spend a little extra time exploring BTR. Were also planning on enduring the lines for Fantasyland rides and other rides we generally tend to skip.

I'd like to ask everyone here what attractions do you rarely go to or otherwise avoid entirely? It doesnt necessarialy need to be a Ride, but any area of the park. What are things outside of the 'norm' that you like to do when you visit? Thanks for the help!

going2disneyAZ
11-07-2006, 02:01 PM
I recently went by myself so I decided to take it easy and concentrate on the details since I had no kids dragging me on buzz over and over....

1. the sound effects in different areas of main street (dentist, the phone in the coffee place, etc)

2. same as above for NOS. Also all the nooks and cannies of NOS. Courtyard of Angels, etc.

3. i spent time at the 50th exhibit and movie

4. main street cinema

5. innoventions and caught Asimo.

6. did the loop through main street inside all the shops.

7. took in the detail at the Disneyland Gallery.

ETA: and oh yeah found the secret restroom which got me bonus points from the wife on our trip last week!!!

PhiSigDuchessCV
11-07-2006, 02:15 PM
Things I rarely do that I've been trying to do when I go to the park lately.

Watch the Flag Retreat Ceremony on Main Street (happens about 4:30 but it isn't listed in the guide book)

Ride the horse drawn carriage, motorcar, bus, or small firetruck (ask for a junior firefighter badge) on Main Street.

Go to innoventions - make sure to see Asimo, it makes it worth it

Take pictures with the Neptune statue in the background

Take pictures with the Snow White and 7 drawfs in background

Go to Main Street Cinema and see the old mickey cartoons

Climb the Tarzan Treehouse (once a decade trip)

Watch one of the shows at Tomorrowland Terrace

Watch the Big Bands and dancers at Carnation Plaza (on weekends)

Watch the Sword in the Stone Ceremony

Visit Mickey's and Minnie's houses in ToonTown

Play with all the doors, boxes, etc in ToonTown near the Gag Factory - find the talking manhole cover when you step on it.

Ride the Columbia and Mark Twain both

If you have time, stroll down to Disneyland Hotel and wander the grounds. Wander around the lobby and grounds of Grand California Hotel

At DCA do the Redwood Creek Trail, play the midway games if they're still open

Let us know what you do, maybe you'll give us ideas of things to do

Bytebear
11-07-2006, 02:47 PM
Great ideas, but here are a few that haven't been mentioned:

After the park closes, have a drink at the Lost Bar!
Ride the train all the way around the park.
Sit on a bench and relax before the parade, and then just as it is about to start, give up your seats to a deserving family (I love doing this).

ghoofie
11-07-2006, 03:09 PM
Sit on a bench and relax before the parade, and then just as it is about to start, give up your seats to a deserving family (I love doing this).

What a neat idea. I usually look for little ones behind us for fireworks or parades and let them skoot up in front of us for a better view. The parents
always look surprised at first but are always appreciative.

ghoofie
11-07-2006, 03:31 PM
I always try to take a good detail look and read of all the pilots on the wall in Soarin' Queue. But people behind me in line seem to get agitated even though I may tell them to go ahead of me. I would like to get in line when hardly anyone is there so I can take my time.

Wendi
11-07-2006, 03:45 PM
I have two never-done things on my list...

1. Story Tale Adventures with Aladdin and Jasmine.

2. Wine Tasting in DCA.

Momtowolf
11-07-2006, 04:26 PM
Okay some things we did this last time....

50th Movie with Steve Martin ....I really liked it actually

Things I want to do still:

Ride the River Queen around the river.

Dessert for Fantasmic

Walk back to the Disneyland Hotel

Atom805
11-07-2006, 04:40 PM
Wow! So many more things to do then I thought. We're definetly going to check out the Main St. Cinema, ASIMO, and the train. Still trying to convince her to scale the Tarzan tree house. We also love sitting on the porch bench on Main St. and just watching the parades go. Were staying at DLR so well have to take some time to explore the grounds.

Thanks for all the great tips and hope to see some of you at DL!

PhiSigDuchessCV
11-07-2006, 07:30 PM
Wow! So many more things to do then I thought. We're definetly going to check out the Main St. Cinema, ASIMO, and the train. Still trying to convince her to scale the Tarzan tree house. We also love sitting on the porch bench on Main St. and just watching the parades go. Were staying at DLR so well have to take some time to explore the grounds.

Thanks for all the great tips and hope to see some of you at DL!


Check with the DL Hotel concierge - they may still have the koi pond where they do the feeding of the koi. I just can't remember where the koi pond is anymore

Pirate Princess
11-07-2006, 08:51 PM
We try to go twice a year. IMO it is not enough so we always end up doing our favorites, eating quickly at walk-ups, and getting a second go at our top favs.
This trip I promised myself that we would take it slow and do things we have never/rarely done. Here's my list thus far:
- Sit down meals in the park.
- Explore Innovations a bit more. (Rushed through it once before.)
- See the Steve Martin movie for the first time
- Tom Sawyer's Island (in under 10 minutes.... seriously... my DS5 has never been so I feel obligated.. but I don't want to do it! :mad: )
- King Arthur's Carrousel
- Ride on Main St. transportation and ride the ships in the "river"
- May try to see F! for the second time in my life (if I feel like dealing with the crowds.)
- Jedi Training (because it's new and sounds like my DS will love it!)
- Sit down and have a delicious (hopefully) ice cream sundae.
- Explore NOS.. in slow motion
- Explore Disney Animation Building

ktrm
11-07-2006, 10:12 PM
Don't forget to do Stitch in Innoventions. I was disappointed in Turtle Talk because I talked to Stitch first. Its more personal and I thought a lot more fun. Its hard to predict when he is available so ask at City Hall.

Pirate Princess
11-08-2006, 06:43 AM
Don't forget to do Stitch in Innoventions. I was disappointed in Turtle Talk because I talked to Stitch first. Its more personal and I thought a lot more fun. Its hard to predict when he is available so ask at City Hall.
Good to know. I thought he ran all day long... I will be checking when we get there. Thanks
ETA: We missed him last time during our quick sprint through there. So excited b/c we love Stitch.

missmonkey
11-09-2006, 11:15 PM
So you're already at DL but just in case you check back . . .

See the shows!

Watch the marching band. In the morning, they make their way to the Main Street flagpole from somewhere in the opposite direction. They arrive at the flagpole at about 11:15 or 11:20 with Bandleader Mickey (in a matching band uniform -- so cute!) leading the way. Make time for the flag lowering at the end of the day, as mentioned upthread by PhiSigDuchessCV, too.

Go to the Jedi Training Academy, even if you don't have kids. It's good! The kids are hilarious to watch and the villains are impressive.

Have lunch at the Golden Horseshoe and see Billy Hill and the Hillbillies!

If you're still there on Saturday, go see the swing band at Carnation Plaza. Definitely check out the band playing at Tomorrowland Terrace (another good suggestion by PhiSigDuchessCV).

DisneyFanKat
11-10-2006, 08:07 AM
I recently went by myself so I decided to take it easy and concentrate on the details since I had no kids dragging me on buzz over and over....



ETA: and oh yeah found the secret restroom which got me bonus points from the wife on our trip last week!!!

I've only done Disneyland by myself once several years ago - was putting together a scavenger hunt for a group of people from my work who were going...I WAS proud of it - until I participated in MouseAdventure! haha I'd like to go by myself again one of these days...

Where is this secret restroom? Whenever I go with friends - they ask me where the nearest restroom is because I seem to know them all - wondering if I know of the one you're talking about!? :D

jennynoel
11-10-2006, 08:20 AM
Don't forget to do Stitch in Innoventions. I was disappointed in Turtle Talk because I talked to Stitch first. Its more personal and I thought a lot more fun. Its hard to predict when he is available so ask at City Hall.

I second talking to Stitch! It was one of my all-adult group's favorite things. I was also under the impression that he was available all day... I guess we just lucked out!

We also really enjoyed the Aladdin musical in DCA. And Heimlich's Chew Chew in The Bug's Life area of DCA. Thanks to all who suggested that! I don't think I'll ever think of candy corn without thinking of that!

In hindsight, I would have skipped the 50th movie. And Golden Screams in DCA... but thankfully that's over ;-)

-Jenny

jennynoel
11-10-2006, 08:22 AM
Check with the DL Hotel concierge - they may still have the koi pond where they do the feeding of the koi. I just can't remember where the koi pond is anymore


Yes! They have it. We didn't see the feeding but walked by the Koi ponds with the time posted. It's only certain days of the week, so definitely ask. They had the most beautiful Koi I have seen.

Darkling999
11-10-2006, 08:58 AM
After the park closes, have a drink at the Lost Bar!


What/Where is the Lost Bar?

Bytebear
11-10-2006, 09:11 AM
The Lost Bar (http://disneyland.disney.go.com/disneyland/en_US/hotels/dining/detail?name=LostBarDiningPage&bhcp=1) is a small open air bar near the Disneyland Hotel. It is a very small bar, but they (sometimes) have live entertainment at night, and have a limited food menu. There is also a nearby pond with toy motor boats that you can drive around the pond for a few quarters. It is very secluded and usually not crowded at all, so it's a nice place to unwind and just relax and maybe hear some good music. Much more quiet than Downtown Disney.

ktrm
11-10-2006, 11:04 AM
Watch the marching band. In the morning, they make their way to the Main Street flagpole from somewhere in the opposite direction. They arrive at the flagpole at about 11:15 or 11:20 with Bandleader Mickey (in a matching band uniform -- so cute!) leading the way. Make time for the flag lowering at the end of the day, as mentioned upthread by PhiSigDuchessCV, too.


OOOOO. I have never seen bandleader Mickey. This sounds so cool. My son loves Mickey Mouse. Does he arrive at the flagpole at 11:15am when the park opens at 10:00am? When does he arrive when the park opens at 8:00am?

missmonkey
11-10-2006, 04:06 PM
OOOOO. I have never seen bandleader Mickey. This sounds so cool. My son loves Mickey Mouse. Does he arrive at the flagpole at 11:15am when the park opens at 10:00am? When does he arrive when the park opens at 8:00am?

Mickey shows up with the band for their first performance so check your show schedule. I think they only play on weekends.

I saw them on the Sunday of MouseAdventure (11/5). The band's schedule that day was 11am, 12pm and 5pm. The 12pm show was a concert at the flagpole. The other two times are step-off times from their point of origin (which is, I think, the Sleeping Beauty Castle). Give them enough time to make their way down Main Street and reach the train station, which is about 15 minutes or so after the time listed on the schedule.

dznyphreak
11-10-2006, 11:28 PM
Where is this secret restroom? Whenever I go with friends - they ask me where the nearest restroom is because I seem to know them all - wondering if I know of the one you're talking about!? :D
I can think of only two restrooms that I never go to. One is in Carnation Plaza back by the CM entrance. The other (correct me if I'm wrong) is behind Hatmosphere (???). I vaguely remember there being one back there.

Bytebear
11-10-2006, 11:54 PM
I can think of a few more bathrooms (and, yes, there is one behind the now defunct Hatmosphere).

There is a one behind the bank on Main Street (not really that hidden because its the one I always hit on the way in and out), another behind City Hall on Main street (in addition to the ones between City Hall and the Firehouse.)

The other hidden one is inside the Tiki room.

dznyphreak
11-11-2006, 10:28 AM
Ok, I knew about the Bank one, but behind City Hall??? How does one get behind City Hall?

I could have guessed there was one in the Tiki Room. Guess I'm not in there enough to know about it.

pisces
11-11-2006, 10:54 AM
I'm in shock, I just saw a picture of the Mark Twain all lit up after dark. I didn't know it ran at night, what with Fantasmic! and all.

But, apparently with it getting darker earlier....

I would definitely like to experience that.

I'm usually elsewhere, parades, or dinner, during the window of time, when the Mark Twain might sail after dark.

Has anyone ever sailed the Columbia after dark?

I've barely managed to do Columbia during the day!

There's a whole other (Disney) parallel universe that I've never gotten to experience, after dark!