Disneyland's Best Kept Secret

Sometimes a solo trip to Disneyland reaps great benefits like single rider lines, a whole row to yourself in "It's a Small World" and front row seats to fireworks (directly in front of me) and just behind me, with just a 180-degree turn, front row seats to "Paint the Night Parade."

Where is this magical two-sided spot? Dare I tell? Small World, of course!

Before "Paint the Night" parade

After "Paint the Night" parade

Top reasons why this spot is better than anywhere else in the resort:

1) Up close and personal view of the Paint the Night parade. You can see all the small details on the costumes.

Toy Story's Buzz Lightyear

Belle from "Beauty and the Beast"

2) Better view of your favorite characters. I won't lie, I was truly excited to see Ariel in The Little Mermaid. You can even see her have a fishy conversation with Flounder. Wow, King Triton is massive!

Ariel, Flounder, King Triton and Sebastian from "The Little Mermaid"

Anna and Elsa from "Frozen"

Frozen's beloved and crowd-favorite Olaf

Rapunzel from "Tangled"

Everyone's darling, Cnderella

Toy Story's Jessie

3) Better view of the billions of colors. OK, so maybe not quite billions, but close and very vividly vibrant. 

Mike Wazowski (and in the background, James P. Sullivan) of Monsters, Inc.

Red from "Cars"

Lightning McQueen from "Cars"

4) Better view of all the colors in full bloom and glow-ry. From the fishes to the butterflies to other sea creatures.

5) Better view of Mickey and the gang. As with any Disney parade, Mickey and Friends make the wait in this humidity worth all its weight in gold. Yes, I can sleep well tonight as Mickey and his entourage complete me.

Goofy led the Mickey and Friends appearances.

Donald Duck was right on Goofy's heals.

Almost missed Minnie and she zipped on by.

And everyone's favorite Mickey Mouse.

Did you guess the underlying theme throughout? BETTER VIEW, indeed.

DISCLAIMER:

Don't get your hopes up high, though.

There still stands a chance the fireworks show will get canceled due to "unforeseen circumstances" as was the case tonight. Boo.

Well all wasn't lost. I did get to see "Paint the Night" parade after all.

CONSOLATION:

We did, however get a quasi-presentation, though not in its full pomp and circumstance; it was beautiful nonetheless. 

The Small World castle was transformed with an array of colorful projections. Great way to end the night and the trip to this magical land of Disney.

Disney Day Trip

We've been blessed this past year to enjoy annual passes at Disneyland and believe me, we do what we can to take advantage of it, too.

Sometimes we plan ahead, other times, and more often than not, we spontaneously forge on a day trip, like we did yesterday.

Before heading out to Disneyland, I recommend if you are Disneyland Passholders, to follow @DisneylandAP and get a quick snapshot of any potential blackout restrictions that day.

For park hours, follow @DisneylandToday to plan your day.

I follow @DisnylandAP and tweeted "We're here" yesterday and they made us feel like family when they responded with, "Hooray!"

Soarin' Around the World

First thing on our agenda, ride "Soarin' Around the World." It wasn't our first time on this adventure, but each time feels different. You see something you hadn't the time before. This is a new attraction on the Disney California Adventure (DCA) Park which opened this summer, but for those who remember, the ride used to be named "Soarin' Over California" which highlighted pinpoint spots in California ranging from The Golden Gate Bridge (San Francisco), Napa Valley (Wine Country), Half Doem at Yosemite National Park, Malibu Beach, Mojave Desert, Coronado Bay (San Diego), and a few other locations. 

Visiting the DCA side is never complete without riding on the Twilight Zone Tower of Terror (which is rumored to be renamed to "Guardians of the Galaxy" Tower of Terror). We were equally excited when we entered the ride to see there was only a 13-minute wait! I think it's the first we've seen of its kind ever at any Disneyland/DCA ride.

There's something about the suspenseful and unpredictable drops from three stories high that puts a lump in your throat (literally), and my favorite part is the few seconds we hover over the top floor when the elevator doors open, we position ourselves for that flashed photo opp. Every time, we make up silly poses to make it more memorable! You can view your photo at the conclusion of the ride as you exit.

I love browsing through the souvenir shop at Tower of Terror to see all the cool merchandise like these two that caught my eye yesterday.

 We also rode on Radiator Springs Racers and took advantage of the Single Rider line. We were

pretty lucky to be placed in the same car just on different rows. This ride is the best! The animtronics is terrific, the neon-lit colors are just so bright and colorful, the canyon in the background is just so beautiful and picturesque. One thing Disney does not falter on is its attention to detail. I especially love the end of the ride when we get to race side-by-side with another car to the finish line and it takes you through a few windy turns and dips coupled with the screeching and roaring of the revved up engine!

(Watch the Facebook LIVE recording of Racers)

The last ride of the day was The Little Mermaid - Ariel's Undersea Adventure. This is ride is near and dear to my heart especially because it's been my favorite since my daughter, Elysse (26), was born, and having performed in The Grove Theater in Upland's production of "The Little Mermaid" as Andrina, one of Ariel's Mersisters. 

Looking forward to our next adventure at the Disneyland Resort. 

Check back again!

How Disneyland Brought Joy to My Dying Father

Reasons why I believe Disneyland "saved" my Dad's life

I can't believe it's been three months now since my dad passed away and not a day goes by where I do not think of him. I miss him so dearly. May 7, 2016 would have been his 73rd birthday.

Three years ago, he received a "clean bill of health" from his doctor and that declaration renewed his sense of living, so to speak. One day he told me and my brother he wanted to go to Disneyland as it had been years since his last visit. We arranged to get him signed in on May 26, 2013 and it would prove to be one of the best days of not only his life, but ours!

(Back: Me, Ariana and Dad. Front: Kalissa and Kailah)

Here are the fondest memories I will cherish from our visit, that made my dad feel so alive, proving there IS something about Disneyland that truly appeals to people of all ages and walks of life, making them feel like kids again:

1) No rest for the weary. We arrived mid-morning and my dad never once asked for a wheelchair. He would walk everywhere at both Disney California Adventure and Disneyland. We would ask him constantly throughout the day if he wanted assistance and each time he would shake his head and bellow a resounding "No." He even opted to stand in the sometimes 50-60-minute stand by lines, again never complaining and never showing signs of fatigue.

2) Not quitting time yet. We were prepared to call it an early day or evening should dad say he was ready to go home. But remember what I said earlier, that we started mid-morning? Well, we would go all the way up to midnight before heading home. Yes! You read that correctly! Midnight. He must have had FOMO (fear of missing out, where I get it from, apparently) and wanted to take it all in. I believe he knew his time on Earth was nearing an end and he would likely not come back to Disneyland after that day. It was the best display of perseverance, determination, and adventure I had ever witnessed in my life.

3) No brown bag lunches. Even though he had a clean bill of health from his doctor and was still on a diabetic diet, he didn't let that deter him. He would eat burgers, fries, churros, popcorn, and ice cream along with the rest of us. It was great to see him enjoy in these simple delectable pleasures.

4) Turbulence ahead. I will never forget watching my dad ride Hollywood Tower of Terror, California Screamin', Space Mountain, Thunder Mountain, and the Matterhorn, to name a few. You could hear him scream and yell with delight, just like a child. It was therapeutic, not only for him, but for all of us.

What I wouldn't give to see my dad taking in all that the wonders of the Disneyland's Magic Kingdom again, but knowing he's in a much bigger, brighter and lovelier MAGIC KINGDOM brings a sense of security to me.

Thanks Disney for making these memories happen!