Visiting Disneyland After 35 Years: My 81 Year Old Mother Does It All

Since we would both be visiting our parents at the same time, on a bit of a whim, my sister and I asked our 81 year old mother if she would go with us to Disneyland.  Would it be the "Happiest Place on Earth"? What would she think of Walt's park after not being there for 35 years? Were we wasting our time and money? Turns out, our concerns were unfounded. (For the record, not only would my father fully abhor the crowds, he would not be all that excited to pay the admission prices and deal with the standing in line. So we knew better than to ask.)

I know myself. Even though they encouraged me to decide, I told she and my Mom I would not be telling them when I wanted to leave. I did say, however, that the later we left, the longer the lines would be- and I left it up to my sister to decide. Surprisingly, she knocked on my door at 4:45am, and we were out the door by 5:15. Right into traffic filled highways ten minutes from departing the house.

 

After a two hour plus drive from Palm Springs to Anaheim, we arrived at the Disneyland Resort parking lot at 8:15- and were ready to get going.

 Looks terrific in person!

Checking the app, it looked like Rise of the Resistance was not yet open. Haunted Mansion Holiday it was. Neither woman had ever seen it. The verdict: My sister liked it better than the original Haunted Mansion that plays off season (blasphemy I say!), and my Mom just enjoyed it. I'm still impressed that Imagineering could give it a layover that makes it feel like an entirely different attraction.

 

I learned something quite eye opening this trip: Everyone enjoys the parks differently, and all too often we hard core park purists / Disney Imagineering fans get our panties in a wad over the smallest and most minute details when we need not be all concerned.  Sometimes, it is justified however, and certainly I have to agree with the old Kevin Yee descriptor "Declining by degrees". The parks are not better under Bob Chapek or even Robert Iger before him.

Walking directly past Splash Mountain with an already 40 minute wait, we decided we'd get on later and passed up the classic flume ride for a shorter wait for Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge stellar attraction. It was both a good and bad decision. In contrast to the wait time for the most popular adventure at Disney's Hollywood Studios, the wait was never more than 75 minutes throughout the day. Certainly this is due to the greater number of rides in the first California park. The second, third, and fourth parks in Florida are woefully under built, especially the Studios. I'm always surprised at how little there is to do there even in contrast to the more than fair comparison to California Adventure.

 The land is impressive, but it does feel a bit lifeless when there's no characters around.

The good decision was a relatively short wait for the truly incredible Rise of the Resistance.  My only complaint about it came at the very beginning. The in cabin effects of the turntable were not working at all. I had told my Mom to hang on and brace herself for the rougher ride in the universe, but she could have very well gone hands free. We smoothly moved on long before we were caught in the tractor beam. I was honestly shocked how the lack of a rougher voyage was a definite downgrade in the experience and in setting up the thrill factors of the rest of the attraction. I was also very surprised that the ride was having a major effect broken this early in its existence. 

 

Perhaps Rise will go the way of Indiana Jones Adventure with effects never repaired after a couple of years. I wouldn't put it past this greedy corporate leadership team under Bob Chapek where, sadly, profits reign first over show and guest satisfaction. Disney historians will rightfully remember him as the black mark of all Disney CEOs to date.

 

We followed up joining the Resistance with a ride on Smuggler's Run.  Not much to say about it, actually. It is a good but not great attraction. Walking out of the newest land in the park, we bypassed the shops, Oga's Cantina (which already had a wait), and any food - including blue milk. Neither lady was interested in taking in anything else in the area, so we moved on. The area felt lifeless unless you were on the attractions. Was it lack of music, movement, characters or all of the above? Probably.

The bad part of our decision to go right to Rise of the Resistance? Due to the later extended wait, we never made it back to Splash Mountain before Tiana's Bayou Adventure takes over. It may be a good move and perhaps a fine attraction when its finally completed, but there are parts of what's planned to showcase the Princess and the Frog film that feel a bit like Bargain Basement Imagineering. Don't agree with me? I want to remain hopeful, but take a look at this.

 

 Is it too much to ask for working effects? We are paying a lot for a day at Disneyland!

Speaking of Indy, neither my Mom or sister had ridden it. They didn't know what they were missing, but I did: I had taken on the four hour wait on opening day when I unexpectedly won a large award for my work with AT&T and found myself in California. The options for one day's activity was a free round of golf on a championship course, or a day at Disneyland. No contest! I rode twice in one day. Yes, pulling the bamboo pole in the queue did what it was designed to do. Three doors meant three options, and yes, I saw the rubble fall from the ceiling a la the dyed ice effect. Rats scurried, multiple darts were blown, and the giant once realistic looking snake moved menacingly toward me. Not so much now with modern Disney upkeep... at least in the States.

 

Of all the effects not to be functioning for their first ride, the rolling boulder finale was absent. Unbelievable! They came off the jeep journey singing its praises... that is until I told them what was missing in action.  

 

Still- there's nothing like it. No, Animal Kingdom's Dinosaur aka Countdown to Extinction in its current state is not nearly as powerful an attraction. It used to be so much stronger and a much better experience when all the effects were working.

 

It was now time for lunch. Since reservations at the Blue Bayou were unavailable and I wanted to get my Mom that Monte Cristo sandwich she remembered, we went to Cafe Orleans. Surprised that the wait would be 40 minutes when I joined the standby reservations, I took the advice of Cast Member Lisa. She mentioned even with a wait of that length, she'd often seen seating take place within 10 minutes. True to her word, I had barely sat down when our names were called.

 

Our long and leisurely lunch included that Monte Cristo and Caesar Salad, soup, drinks, and a shared Mint Julep for all of us to try. It was terrific to be out in the sun but under the shade of a nearby tree on the patio. Jack Skellington and Sally could be seen greeting guests across the way.

 

Wandering through the back streets of New Orleans Square was next, and it is something I never tired of. California Adventure's landmark Cars Land is terrific, Galaxy's Edge very impressive, but neither hold a candle to the work of the old school Imagineering team that designed this part of Disneyland. It is still the finest piece of theme park design work done by the Company in the States. 

 

I do miss the open courtyard with the winding staircase, but this part of the park is the closest thing Disney fans have to rival Universal Orlando's show stopping Diagon Alley at the Studios in Florida. (Read my reasoning in this post: Why Every Disney Imagineering fan should see it for themselves. )

 

Snow White's Enchanted Wish... coming later.

Decades after its arrival at Disneyland, It's A Small World continues to be a family favorite. It's charm and innocence drew us all in, and the attraction was in great shape. I'm always happy to see the classics get the care and respect they deserve.

A hard earned life lesson: 

Just because the government and its leaders may be corrupt 

or even evil doesn't mean any nation's people are less than kind and friendly.

 

Disneyland's setting for the beloved attraction is iconic- the beautifully designed facade and clock tower with marching toys is a piece of art. In Walt Disney World with its blessing of size, the attraction's big box design and placement in the Magic Kingdom continues to disappoint me. Thankfully, this major design flaw was corrected in Tokyo, Paris, and Hong Kong!

 

Tangled is a favorite of all the recent Disney / Pixar movies, (only surpassed by the animated version of Beauty and the Beast. For the record, Ratatouille is in third place.) For one set of grandkids, the adventures of Rapunzel and Eugene (also known as Flynn Rider) make it one of their favorite Disney+ television series. As I was leaving Small World plaza, I saw the duo walking by just past me. I called out saying, "You're my grandkids' favorite! I have to get a photo!" They stopped, and in perfect character, Eugene yelled out, "Wait! I want to give them the smolder!" Afterward, the not in character cast member standing by remarked, "You're going to be the hero grandfather!" with a big smile on her face.

 

You have to love all this. At Disneyland, you don't (currently) need an appointment to see the characters; for the most part they just walk around greeting guests and seem like others in the crowd. (Jack and Sally were an exception.) With the abundance of actors and actresses in Southern California, you get the best of the best and the interactions with guests tend to be top tier. This builds great and memorable experiences that sell themselves and the parks as stories are shared back home. Old school Walt and team at its best. Whoever you are in real life, Eugene, thank you. And yes, the grandkids loved it.

 

The Wildest Ride in the Wilderness is a must do anytime I find myself in a park where Big Thunder Mountain Railroad is on the attraction list. And it's a necessity to take a photo of us on it or nearby and send it to my youngest daughter when she isn't with us. It's her favorite coaster and doing this - and rubbing it in a little- has now become a time honored family tradition. I didn't include the photo here, but mission accomplished.

 

Unexpectedly, my Mom got in the train and used the safety bar to guide her into her seat, thereby locking it in place. Since time was short, my sister jumped in front with me. So, Mom's riding alone, but no worries, she laughed all the way through the ride. Had the wait been shorter, I'm sure we would have ridden again.

The afternoon sun was hot, so we hopped into Red Rose Tavern for some water and a taste of the Grey Stuff. taking in the air conditioning gave us a chance to talk, rest, and regroup. Ordering was quick and easy with it being delivered quickly. The cast member asked where I was from and thanked me for coming to Disneyland. Wow.

 

Since the wait time was less than ten minutes, I ran next door to Snow White's Enchanted Wish. It's a nice, clever update. I'm not a fan of adding in pieces of the animated film. It's a update that was needed. Was it worth all the on-line chatter? Only to us geeks. Then, I took in Pinocchio. I'm not sure why it gets the flack it does. It fits in well with the other dark rides around it even with its more serious tone.

 

Eventually, we all took the  Horseless Carriage to Town Square as the ladies wanted to do some shopping. I took a few minutes to talk to the two cast members driving and asked about the Tree House. Neither had heard anything and said there has been no official announcement. 

 

There's been some chatter on the WDWMagic boards about the many changes in Cast Member grooming and all the tattoos. Yes, I saw many cast members and many with more than one display of ink art. Much more facial hair on the men as well. Obviously colored hair and such. There was no discernible change in the level of service, but visually, it was different. The classic, ultra-clean cut Disney look is a thing of the past.

 

As my sister and Mom continued to shop, I popped into the Disney Gallery or whatever its called now. My sister then ran back to the car for something, and my Mom and I took in the Enchanted Tiki Room. What's not to like about 10 minutes of Hawaiian music and more air conditioning? I truly do enjoy this attraction. The lighting effects are some of the best in the park, and the music instantly takes me back to the islands. We sat for a moment at the Refreshment Corner and listened to the piano while we waited for my sister to catch up with us. I took a view of Main Street and people watched for a bit as well.

 

Nice to see these two! It had been way too long!

Once my sister returned, a train ride around the park was a perfect way to end our perfect day in the park. We ended up meeting my nephew and his wife at 7:00pm for dinner at Ralph Brennan's (the only place available with less than an hour and a half wait on a Thursday night). 

 

We said goodbye at 9:45pm and headed home to Palm Springs. Within ten to fifteen minutes, my Mom was asleep in the back of the car. This gave my sister and I a chance to catch up. A rare opportunity as we do not live in the same state. She told me she prefers Walt Disney World over Disneyland. This didn't surprise me as it is a much more relaxed time spread usually over several days instead of one day crammed with activities. As far as I'm concerned, they are two different animals, with each one having its own strengths and weaknesses. Walt feels very present at Disneyland, and these days, Corporate Disney feels very much in charge in Florida.

 

My mother had a blast and kept up with us easily. She is amazing- fun, upbeat, and easy to be with. She enjoys life and is strong, healthy, full of faith in the Lord Jesus, and young at heart. What a blessing! As they say, a great day was had by all, and I will remember this day for years to come. 

 

(Photographs copyright Mark Taft.)