GOTH BATS DAY AT DISNEYLAND! TIPS FOR ANAHEIM THEME PARK VISITORS: BEST TIMES TO VISIT DISNEY & CALIFORNIA ADVENTURE, AVOIDING LINEUPS & CHILDREN, DISCOUNT PASSES.
I had media passes for Disneyland and California Adventure — and I was afraid to step through the gates for the first time since childhood. Small children. Three hour lineups. Overpriced food. Mascots.
The other members of the Adventure Team were killed by the Fame Monster (see video), so Yukiro and I had to brave this mission alone. Onward… to Adventureland!
Disneyland field notes:
† It’s expensive. We were lucky to avoid the entrance fee ($97 for a day at Disneyland and California Adventure). But parking is $14, and the Jack Skellington merchandise will set you back…
† To minimize expenses, try eating a big breakfast and bringing your own food. I took along vegan snacks from Trader Joe’s and a bottle of water nabbed from the movie shoot.
† The best time to visit: a weekday morning in the off-season. In the sweltering summer, you’ll have to queue for hours — whereas we hardly waited at all. It got busier in the afternoon and we had to stand for 15 to 20 minutes for some rides (not bad, but I prefer instant gratification.)
† Dress smart: good walking shoes, a jacket for when it gets cold. I’d wear clothes that you don’t really care about as they might get soaked.
† Speaking of… these are our angry faces after riding Splash Mountain. It left us DRENCHED in dirty water!
† There are no extreme rides at Disneyland (go to Six Flags for those). But we had fun on the “big thrills”: Thunder Mountain, Indiana Jones, Space Mountain, Haunted Mansion.
† California Adventure recently opened up next door, and is well worth visiting. Not all the attractions are up, but we loved the Screamin’ roller coaster (which goes upside-down and has a zippy soundtrack) and Mickey ferris wheel with sliding gondolas.
Have you heard of Bat’s Day? Every year, Goths invade Disneyland — what a sight it must be! This year, the meet-up is from April 30-May 2. Wish we could be there (but every day is Bat’s Day in our calendar!).
Our final mission: we invaded the Halloween Club, a giant retailer of costumes and scary props. Turn off on Carmenita Ave or Garfield Ave and go wild.
Have you been to Disneyland? What are your favorite attractions? Any tips for making the trip a success?
Song of the Day #326: Alice in Wonderland – a neat remix that Pogo made out of audio/film samples from the Disney animation.
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LA CARMINA
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Ohhhwww! You were kawaii :D
ahah I love my early 90s fashion sense! :P
Seeing as I grew up in LA, yes, I have been to Disneyland. Much sweat has been spilled there. XD
A good, gothy way to combat the heat is to bring a parasol! Bring your own, or you can buy a colorful one in New Orleans Square with your name written on it, hahaha.
The best rides are also the ones that are great for cooling off: Haunted Mansion, Space Mountain, Indiana Jones… but you HAVE to go on The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh. It LOOKS like a children’s ride, but it is actually an acid trip. Without the actual acid.
Parasol = great tip!! I wanted to travel light, however… we had to bring all our bags onto the rides… <__< At the new California Adventure, there are pockets in front of the seats and storage areas that make it easier.
OH I've never been on the Winnie the Pooh ride! Nuts. I thought It's a Small World was the acid trip ride…
The 1,000 SPF sunscreen may be enough to maintain white skin, but I realised the parasol helps to keep the sweat away too. ^_^
But, ah, I see. Bags are always such a pain at amusement parks! If I do stuff a bag, it’s always with snacks and frozen water bottles so that they’re gone by the time I go home, haha.
It’s kind of tucked away near Splash Mountain and you never really see anybody other than little children with their parents riding it… but my friends and I decided to wile away some time (waiting for the Splash Mountain line to get a bit shorter…) and rode it. And it totally takes the cake for Dayglo-blacklight-overload. It’s A Small World has nothing on it. XDDD
The water at the park is $4 a bottle… X__X
Interesting, I’ll remember to recommend the Winnie ride to my friends when they go to D-land.
we don’t have Disneyland here, but we have Six Flags! I wen there for the first time last year since 2001 (!!) and I forgot how much fun it was.
I plan to go again this summer.
Six Flags is awesome — I’ve been to several of them. I will ride ANY ride — no fears!!
my favourite was in tokyo disneyland!!
in winter they turned pooh’s maze into a nightmare before christmas maze
it was so cute!!
but unfortunately the line was so long!!
it was like.. an hour?
luckily we had a big stock of snacks ehehe XD
oh i also like tower of terror and journey to the center of the earth… oh wait… that’s disney sea.. does that count? XD
Yukiro went to Tokyo Disneyland… some aspects were better, others were worse. Yikes, I don’t think I could stand in line for more than 30 min — but in Japan, everyone seems to love doing that. Queuing = a national past time. :)
oh they had chip´n´Aal attractions when you where six! envious!! :D
But I loved the rollercoaster in Califorinaland next to disneyland :D
not to mention the music the played <3
I KNOW — Disney characters/shows were so much better in 1991!!! Wish we could go back in time. :P
YES I want to ride that roller coaster again!
See the comment above about Tokyo Disneyland = how do you think they compared?
Ohhhwww! You were kawaii :D
Seeing as I grew up in LA, yes, I have been to Disneyland. Much sweat has been spilled there. XD
A good, gothy way to combat the heat is to bring a parasol! Bring your own, or you can buy a colorful one in New Orleans Square with your name written on it, hahaha.
The best rides are also the ones that are great for cooling off: Haunted Mansion, Space Mountain, Indiana Jones… but you HAVE to go on The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh. It LOOKS like a children's ride, but it is actually an acid trip. Without the actual acid.
we don't have Disneyland here, but we have Six Flags! I wen there for the first time last year since 2001 (!!) and I forgot how much fun it was.
I plan to go again this summer.
Love it, you guys always look like you have so much fun. It makes me want to join in and hangout.
^___^ Adventure Team shenanigans are epic!
when are you coming back to japan？
teacups my fav!
I aways miss that. ;0;
my favourite was in tokyo disneyland!!
in winter they turned pooh's maze into a nightmare before christmas maze
it was so cute!!
but unfortunately the line was so long!!
it was like.. an hour?
luckily we had a big stock of snacks ehehe XD
oh i also like tower of terror and journey to the center of the earth… oh wait… that's disney sea.. does that count? XD
I actually avoid Bat’s Day. It’s better to go in small groups of Goths. This way people are more civil.
I actually avoid Bat’s Day. It’s better to go in small groups of Goths. This way people are more civil.
Ah, did you have bad experiences on Bat’s Day? I’d assume that it’s really crowded and busy, which would turn me off. But it sounds fun to have the park run over by spooky individuals!
*haha* I remember all those shows! though I can’t quite remember all the showings I do know that I used to commandeer the tv quite often ^-^
I like the pics of ur six year old self. lol
I however have never been to disneyland…
Those shows are soooo much better than Hannah Montana and today’s Disney programs!! >_<
I hate hannah montana with a passion! >.<
though my likely someday mother-in-law loves it *blah*
Type your comment here…Chibi Carmina! The Fame Monster video was fun, glad to see there is some continuity to this show however most of your team died! You’ll upset the fans without a resurrection or unexplained reappearance of dead characters (maybe a lab full of clones due to their death prone nature?).
I’ve never been to Disneyland (or anywhere west of D.C.), but my friend who moved to Cali wants us to go. I loved Rescue Rangers to the point I wanted to name my kids Gizmo and Gadget (I know Gizmo isn’t a character, the longer story is my mom wanted to name me Gizmo after seeing Gremlins). Tail Spin was probably my favorite? Ducktales was good and then the later spinoff Darkwing Duck. There was nearly 2 hours of these cartoons that made it physically impossible to start my homework immediately when I got home as teachers use to advise.
The great thing about undead friends is that you can kill them multiple times and they’ll resurrect… muahahaha. :)
I think you’d have fun in Cali! Are you digging the LA parties/general vibe so far in the recent blog post?
I was obsessed with Tail Spin and Rescue Rangers… I drew the characters and made up stories about them :D
.I think I’d enjoy LA too especially given your posts. Which is odd given how die-hard East Coast I was as a kid (I had refused to buy Rage Against the Machine’s Battle for LA album briefly, and I was a fan of RAGE, I’m not saying it made sense).
I use to draw my own adventures for Yoshi after Super Mario World lol.
oh they had chip´n´Aal attractions when you where six! envious!! :D
But I loved the rollercoaster in Califorinaland next to disneyland :D
not to mention the music the played <3
Oh man. I want to go to Bat’s Day. T__T
Well I love the Haunted Mansion! I always get gr8 decorating ideas when I ride it. I remember being scared when I was a kid. I also love Star Tours, Space Mountain, Big Thunder Mountain, and madderhorn… just to name a few. Hope you n yr team are doing super! <3
Funny enough, the Mansion ride BROKE DOWN while we were in it!! So we were surrounded by green ghosts… augh!!
i was 3 -______________-
Love it, you guys always look like you have so much fun. It makes me want to join in and hangout.
when are you coming back to japan？
teacups my fav!
I aways miss that. ;0;
I actually avoid Bat's Day. It's better to go in small groups of Goths. This way people are more civil.
I actually avoid Bat's Day. It's better to go in small groups of Goths. This way people are more civil.
*haha* I remember all those shows! though I can't quite remember all the showings I do know that I used to commandeer the tv quite often ^-^
I like the pics of ur six year old self. lol
I however have never been to disneyland…
Type your comment here…Chibi Carmina! The Fame Monster video was fun, glad to see there is some continuity to this show however most of your team died! You'll upset the fans without a resurrection or unexplained reappearance of dead characters (maybe a lab full of clones due to their death prone nature?).
I've never been to Disneyland (or anywhere west of D.C.), but my friend who moved to Cali wants us to go. I loved Rescue Rangers to the point I wanted to name my kids Gizmo and Gadget (I know Gizmo isn't a character, the longer story is my mom wanted to name me Gizmo after seeing Gremlins). Tail Spin was probably my favorite? Ducktales was good and then the later spinoff Darkwing Duck. There was nearly 2 hours of these cartoons that made it physically impossible to start my homework immediately when I got home as teachers use to advise.
Ah, did you have bad experiences on Bat's Day? I'd assume that it's really crowded and busy, which would turn me off. But it sounds fun to have the park run over by spooky individuals!
Those shows are soooo much better than Hannah Montana and today's Disney programs!! >_<
The great thing about undead friends is that you can kill them multiple times and they'll resurrect… muahahaha. :)
I think you'd have fun in Cali! Are you digging the LA parties/general vibe so far in the recent blog post?
I was obsessed with Tail Spin and Rescue Rangers… I drew the characters and made up stories about them :D
ahah I love my early 90s fashion sense! :P
Parasol = great tip!! I wanted to travel light, however… we had to bring all our bags onto the rides… <__< At the new California Adventure, there are pockets in front of the seats and storage areas that make it easier.
OH I've never been on the Winnie the Pooh ride! Nuts. I thought It's a Small World was the acid trip ride…
Six Flags is awesome — I've been to several of them. I will ride ANY ride — no fears!!
Yukiro went to Tokyo Disneyland… some aspects were better, others were worse. Yikes, I don't think I could stand in line for more than 30 min — but in Japan, everyone seems to love doing that. Queuing = a national past time. :)
I KNOW — Disney characters/shows were so much better in 1991!!! Wish we could go back in time. :P
YES I want to ride that roller coaster again!
See the comment above about Tokyo Disneyland = how do you think they compared?
^___^ Adventure Team shenanigans are epic!
Oh man. I want to go to Bat's Day. T__T
Well I love the Haunted Mansion! I always get gr8 decorating ideas when I ride it. I remember being scared when I was a kid. I also love Star Tours, Space Mountain, Big Thunder Mountain, and madderhorn… just to name a few. Hope you n yr team are doing super! <3
i was 3 -______________-
Funny enough, the Mansion ride BROKE DOWN while we were in it!! So we were surrounded by green ghosts… augh!!
The 1,000 SPF sunscreen may be enough to maintain white skin, but I realised the parasol helps to keep the sweat away too. ^_^
But, ah, I see. Bags are always such a pain at amusement parks! If I do stuff a bag, it's always with snacks and frozen water bottles so that they're gone by the time I go home, haha.
It's kind of tucked away near Splash Mountain and you never really see anybody other than little children with their parents riding it… but my friends and I decided to wile away some time (waiting for the Splash Mountain line to get a bit shorter…) and rode it. And it totally takes the cake for Dayglo-blacklight-overload. It's A Small World has nothing on it. XDDD
Worst part about disneyland: When you wear Lolita there, they don’t let you in >..< stupid Disneyland…
~Still <3 it though!!!!
Whaaaat are you kidding me??? That is ridiculous!
Did you end up leaving the park or changing your clothes? I would have argued the daylights out of them…
hahah actually, I’m not so surprised… Yukiro and I got in trouble at the park for doing something… sort of naughty… they don’t tolerate anything! :P
We argued for quite a bit -_-”. After I TRIED to explain Lolita fashion to them, they said I still couldn’t go in, so I went and bought a park shirt and threw it on >.<…
OOOH, what did ya do? *interested*
Wow… yeah… security is not open-minded at Disneyland, to say the least. Hahah Yukiro and I decided we’re too embarrassed to reveal what happened! :P
XD hahaha, I guess it must have been VEEEEEEEEEEEEERY interesting then!
Security can be pretty tight at Anaheim Disneyland. Last year when my girlfriend and i went there, she was wearing a tiny skirt and they politely told us that we were not allowed in here. In order to get in, we had to return to the Anaheim Hotels where we were hosted and change into something more acceptable.
hahaha nicely done, spammer. Good story and subtle inclusion of your advertisement!
.I think I'd enjoy LA too especially given your posts. Which is odd given how die-hard East Coast I was as a kid (I had refused to buy Rage Against the Machine's Battle for LA album briefly, and I was a fan of RAGE, I'm not saying it made sense).
I use to draw my own adventures for Yoshi after Super Mario World lol.
I hate hannah montana with a passion! >.<
though my likely someday mother-in-law loves it *blah*
Worst part about disneyland: When you wear Lolita there, they don't let you in >.<
I went in a TONED DOWN Angelic Pretty Dress and they said I couldn't go in because the parkgoers might mistake me for an employee… >.< stupid Disneyland…
~Still <3 it though!!!!
Whaaaat are you kidding me??? That is ridiculous!
Did you end up leaving the park or changing your clothes? I would have argued the daylights out of them…
hahah actually, I'm not so surprised… Yukiro and I got in trouble at the park for doing something… sort of naughty… they don't tolerate anything! :P
The water at the park is $4 a bottle… X__X
Interesting, I'll remember to recommend the Winnie ride to my friends when they go to D-land.
omg it was ages ago!
We argued for quite a bit -_-''. After I TRIED to explain Lolita fashion to them, they said I still couldn't go in, so I went and bought a park shirt and threw it on >.<…
OOOH, what did ya do? *interested*
omg it was ages ago!
Wow… yeah… security is not open-minded at Disneyland, to say the least. Hahah Yukiro and I decided we're too embarrassed to reveal what happened! :P
XD hahaha, I guess it must have been VEEEEEEEEEEEEERY interesting then!
Best time to visit Tokyo Disneyland to avoid the crowds and long lines –
Sunday is very crowded. Waiting time can be more than an hour at certain Disneyland Attractions.
What really helps is the Japanese people’s politeness and great manners. No queue jumpers here!
Long queues can be avoided or at least reduced to the minimum, by buying the fast pass system which works very well. A Fast pass allows you to skip the queue and go to the fast pass queue, which is much shorter.
To buy it, just go to the Fast Pass machines, usually near the particular ride, insert your Park Passport and get a Fast pass ticket. Printed on the ticket is the time you can use the fast pass for this attraction. Fast passes are available only for the most popular rides.
Waiting time for Tokyo Disneyland Rides with the Fast Pass is well below the advertised time frame.
For example – the ‘New monsters Inc’ Ride was advertised at 100 mins, and only took us 30 mins to get through with the fast pass.
Arrive at Disneyland Tokyo right at opening time and get your fast pass immediately. Arriving there is a breeze. However, getting there at opening time 8am means struggling through the crowds of Tokyo station during the morning rush hour. This is no fun.
One day is not enough for Tokyo Disney Sea and Disneyland. If you have only one day for this – just come with the right attitude and don’t expect to go through all Disneyland Rides and Attractions.
If you stay in one of Tokyo Disneyland Hotels, it will save you time on transportation.
So when is the Best time to visit Tokyo Disneyland?
In one word – winter.
Arriving at ‘off peak’ season will minimize your costs and prevent wasting your time at endless queues at the Tokyo Disney Resort.
Cool, thanks for the tips!
Best time to visit Tokyo Disneyland to avoid the crowds and long lines –
Sunday is very crowded. Waiting time can be more than an hour at certain Disneyland Attractions.
What really helps is the Japanese people's politeness and great manners. No queue jumpers here!
Long queues can be avoided or at least reduced to the minimum, by buying the fast pass system which works very well. A Fast pass allows you to skip the queue and go to the fast pass queue, which is much shorter.
To buy it, just go to the Fast Pass machines, usually near the particular ride, insert your Park Passport and get a Fast pass ticket. Printed on the ticket is the time you can use the fast pass for this attraction. Fast passes are available only for the most popular rides.
Waiting time for Tokyo Disneyland Rides with the Fast Pass is well below the advertised time frame.
For example – the 'New monsters Inc' Ride was advertised at 100 mins, and only took us 30 mins to get through with the fast pass.
Arrive at Disneyland Tokyo right at opening time and get your fast pass immediately. Arriving there is a breeze. However, getting there at opening time 8am means struggling through the crowds of Tokyo station during the morning rush hour. This is no fun.
One day is not enough for Tokyo Disney Sea and Disneyland. If you have only one day for this – just come with the right attitude and don't expect to go through all Disneyland Rides and Attractions.
If you stay in one of Tokyo Disneyland Hotels, it will save you time on transportation.
So when is the Best time to visit Tokyo Disneyland?
In one word – winter.
Arriving at 'off peak' season will minimize your costs and prevent wasting your time at endless queues at the Tokyo Disney Resort.
Cool, thanks for the tips!
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This site is really great. I liked to visit the site a lot.
Security can be pretty tight at Anaheim Disneyland. Last year when my girlfriend and i went there, she was wearing a tiny skirt and they politely told us that we were not allowed in here. In order to get in, we had to return to the Anaheim Hotels where we were hosted and change into something more acceptable.
hahaha nicely done, spammer. Good story and subtle inclusion of your advertisement!