What is your favorite treasure in DL?

[ChisJo]

I was going through my guide book for DL last night, and realized that it doesn't offer the information that I want, the information that comes from word of mouth. I find that people who have been and are experienced DL visitors always seem to offer the best advice. Plus, these boards helped me so much when I was planning all my trips to WDW.
So, I was wondering if you'd be willing to share your favorites. It could be your favorite restaurant and and why and what food makes it your favorite, your favorite place to sit and people watch, your favorite hidden treasure, favorite hidden Mickey, favorite walking area, favorite character area, favorite place to watch the fireworks and parades, etc., etc., etc.
I would love to offer my first favorite, but I really am a newbie to DL, and can't offer much. I am hoping that this thread will help all the other newbies in planning for their first time as well.
Thank you everyone in advance.
Jo

 

[snusnu]

On our last morning, we always have breakfast at the Riverbelle Terrace. It's just wonderful in the cool of the early day and you can watch as the walkway outside of Pirates goes from empty to full. There's nothing quite like the smell of Disneyland in the morning-flowers, breakfast, airconditioning ...

 

[AFMom]

I'll try to narrow it down..... Blue Bayou restaurant and having a mint julep while watching the ride boats glide by, Letting the kids play in the creek a the Redwoods Creek Challenge Trail, Eating a chocolate covered frozen banana while sitting on a bench on Main St, Listening to a jazz band in New Orleans Square, the window dioramas at the Emporium,,,,,, I can't wait! Less than a month to go!

 

[turtle51]

I would have to say that mine is eating a churro while waiting for my fastpass time for the haunted mansion. You can see Tom Sawyer island and are in the middle of New orleans. To your left is splash mountain. But of course there is just so many.

 

[aussiemickeys]

I love looking for the little flame they have going all the time in memory of Walt Disney (in the window above the fire dept). I also love going into the Disney Gallery - a lot of visitors don't realise it is there at all so it never seems too crowded at any time. It also spins me out that, that was actually going to be a house for Walt Disney & his family to live in, inside of Disneyland itself. How awesome would that be!

 

[ChisJo]

It also spins me out that, that was actually going to be a house for Walt Disney & his family to live in, inside of Disneyland itself

I didn't know that! Now I cannot wait to go and see that!
Jo

 

[WebmasterMaryJo]

I think my treasure would be that time at Disneyland when it's not quite dark yet, but the lights have come on -- the buzz of people having fun, the laughter of the young children, the occasional duck flying overhead, the smells of the popcorn or churro carts mixing with the fragrant flowers. I like to sit back on a bench at the hub and take this in for a little while. It used to be my favorite time to ride the skyway.

I also like visiting Snow White's Wishing Well, and listening to the song "I'm Wishing" played -- this is on the path on the right of the drawbridge that goes through the castle to Fantasyland.

 

[Blndiebby25]

All these little details to see, I'm glad we will have 5 days to see everything! What is a churro?

 

[karylrocks]

I think my treasure would be that time at Disneyland when it's not quite dark yet, but the lights have come on -- the buzz of people having fun, the laughter of the young children, the occasional duck flying overhead, the smells of the popcorn or churro carts mixing with the fragrant flowers.

I love that time, too! I like to be in New Orleans Square at that time, maybe having dinner at a sidewalk table.

 

[WebmasterMaryJo]

A churro is a Spanish pastry, shaped like a long breadstick. If it is made right, it is crunchy on the outside and a little moist on the inside. At Disneyland they bake it, then roll it in cinnamon sugar, and it is delicious. Disneyland makes just about the best churros, and they are delish in the morning or cool evenings (though people eat them all day).

(In Spain, they deep fry them, put them in a bag, sprinkle cinnamon & sugar. You eat it with thick hot chocolate & dip them in the chocolate .... mmmm, it is soooo good)

 

[bunninose]

One of my favorite goose-bump things is to stroll along the water at DCA just as the lights are going on at Paradise Pier - the Sun Wheel, California Screamin' etc all look SOOOOOOO cool!!!!

At night, go to the GC hotel and find the fireplace in the lobby - then go outside behind it and you'll see the fireplace is also on the outside. There are chairs, benches and rocking chairs. You can just sit there, all quiet and peaceful, and you can see the lights of Paradise Pier, hear the music, etc.

Also, the view from the Disney Gallery balcony is pretty nice, too. Or the top of the stairs for that matter.

 

[iceskatejen]

I think for me all of DL is a treasure, but my fave for people watching is around the River with NOS behind me (or in front if my back is to the river) around dusk as people are walking by trying to figure out why the heck some of us are sitting there. "Is there some kind of show here?" "Yeah, Fantasmic." "What's that, some kind of (insert water, light, or fireworks here) show?" " Well, it's not just a (whichever one they mentioned) show. It's the greatest 25 minutes of Disney magic you'll ever see." "Sounds good. When is it?" "9:00" "But it's only (insert some time 3-4 hours before that)? You're going to sit here that long?" "It's worth it." They walk away shaking their heads (and then walk by around 7 and see that there is no riverside seating left). Or even better, people walk by and one asks their companion why we're sitting there and they say I guess their waiting for the (water or light usually) show. Those I sit with and I laugh and usually correct them.

 

[Amy&Dan]

I love the sounds I hear when we are waiting for my daughter's favorite ride, Alice in Wonderland. I will sometimes close my eyes for a moment when we are in line so I can just listen. We can hear the Matterhorn, the Teacups music and the Monorail honking. Three sounds unique to Disneyland because in WDW, they play the wrong song in the teacups (imho), don't have the Matterhorn, and the Monorail doesn't come inside the park! For that matter they don't have the Alice ride in WDW either! Kind of strange but that's my treasure!

 

[llfowl]

Wow! There are so many! This one was kind of a fluke. I was waiting in line for the Storybook Land Canal Boats just before the start of the fireworks. We loaded the boat and had barely just started and we stopped, right in front of the whale's mouth. We stayed there throughout the WHOLE fireworks!!!! It was the best seat in the house!!!! A Disneyland memory that I will treasure forever!

 

[TiggerCate]

I love having a frozen banana in the early afternoon, sitting on a bench, walking people go by or having a caramel apple last thing in the evening right before we leave in the evening.

 

[CamColt]

I love this thread! Im getting goosebumps reading some of your descriptions. I cannot wait to go and experience all this myself!!!

 

[LucyKate]

Turning the corner into Main street the first time and seeing the castle.

It was just magic to see the castle and finally realise we were there. The atmopshere and attention to detail in Main Street were just extraordinary.

 

[Blackunicorn]

There are soooo many! DL feels like home!

I love sitting waterside at the Blue Bayou and wearing those silly pirate hats that the kids' menus are on, and eating those scrumptious sourdough rolls, and watching the "fireflies" blink over the bayou and laughing with my family.

I love riding POTC, and singing "Yo Ho" with my kids, and hearing "Dead men tell no tales" and "Carlos, don't be a cheecken!" when we pass the well. I love looking for the woman in red at the auction. I love going through the gunfight and floating gently past the ride line at the end.

I love walking into Tomorrowland after dark, with all of the lights on, with the moon rising just over it.

I love coming in on the Monorail in the morning, then hopping on Autopia right away because we just can't stop ourselves. I love how my daughter panics and lets go of the wheel, so we crash into the median and scream our heads off. (I love how she shrieks, "The steering wheel was alive!!!")

I love the Buzz Lightyear show.

I love being harrassed by my family on Splash Mountain because I lost a hat when I knew better than to wear one. I love hearing my kids sing along right before we start going up the incline to the final drop.

Okay, enough from me! I'm getting sappy!

 

[Blackunicorn]

Okay, just one more--I love trying to get the kids to ride in the front on The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh so that my hubby dub and I can cuddle in the back. (And hearing him complain about his knees afterwards, because it's cramped! )

 

[funnygarcia]

We always walk along the Big Thunder Trail at night time to hear the coyote howl, crickets chirp and stop to see the "fish" jump in the pond across from the exit to BTMRR. There is also a broken track and mining car that was part of a ride before.. it looks kinda neat (or it did before the grass and trees fell over in a rain storm this winter.. did thye fix that yet?)

We look for DL kitties padding around at night along ROA.

Stop in and watch old cartoons in the theatre on Main stret when we get too hot .. cold air conditioning

Sit in the animation building lobby in DCA- gorgeous big as life scenes from classic DL films (I like it better when the Princesses are NOT in attendance.)

Here is a list of not to be missed experiences that make DL so magical.
http://www.thegoodgirls.com/small_memories.htm