By Magic Maker® Heather Rodgers

Disneyland® Resort is often overlooked and overshadowed by other great Disney Destinations. However after spending time exploring Disneyland® Resort, I wanted to share a few things that make this Disney Destination truly special and worth the visit to Southern California.

5) Characters, characters, characters: As with all Disney Destinations you will see several Disney characters but at Disneyland® Resort the interaction is a little different. If you stay on property, you have a good chance of running into a character in your resort lobby. You just might see Goofy flipping through the park maps in your hotel lobby, Minnie Mouse dancing with a guest or two, or Dale reading a guest’s daily newspaper. In the parks you might see some characters that aren’t always out at other Disney Destinations as often, like the Wicked Queen from Snow White who can sometimes be found hanging out at Sleeping Beauty Castle. Then there is the Storyteller’s character breakfast that often has Nieko from Pochantas and the bears from Brother Bear for you to meet. So much fun!

4)Do you want to see more than Disneyland® Resort? It is easy to spend a few days at Disney Parks and add-on a few other Southern California attractions to make this a truly one of a kind family vacation. You can add on a day or two at the beach, the Aquarium of the Pacific, or Universal Studios Hollywood and more. You can travel a little further south and see Sea World, Legoland, or the World Famous San Diego Zoo. Want to spend more than a day in San Diego, ask your Magic Maker® about adding on a stay in San Diego. Disneyland® Resort and Southern California have more to offer than you might think and your Magic Maker® would love to help you create just the right package.

3) Location, location, location: At Disneyland® Resort you can easily walk from Disneyland® Park to Disney California Adventure® Park in less than 5 minutes. This means park hopping is an absolute breeze! There are 3 Disneyland® Resort properties that are all within a 10 minute walk or less to the parks and several wonderful Good Neighbor Hotel options that also offer the convenience of just walking over to the parks allowing you to maximize your time in the parks!

2) Two words: Cars Land. You know those moments that you just can’t find the right words to describe your emotions? Walking into Cars Land for the first time is just like that. As soon as you see the Cars Land sign, you are transported right into Radiator Springs. You’ll see Sarge’s, Flo’s V-8 Cafe, and Casa Della Tires. You might even get to meet Lightening McQueen or Mater at the Cozy Cone Motel. Go a little before dusk and just wait to see the all the lights come on in Radiator Springs. Be sure to ride Radiator Springs Racers while you are there as that is simply not to be missed.

1) Did you know that Disneyland® Park is the only park that Walt Disney walked in and saw to completion? His legacy and care can be seen throughout Disneyland® Park and you know that it was his attention to detail that makes Disneyland® Resort what it is today. There are a few special moments you can take in while visiting Disneyland® Park that illustrate Walt Disney’s passion for this place. Take a few minutes out of your day to see Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln. As you walk into this attraction you will see the very bench that Walt Disney sat on when he conceived of the place that families could go and be entertained together. When you walk past the Fire Station, look up at the center window and you will see the light left on in Walt Disney’s memory. Disneyland® Park has a special and unique feel to it and I truly believe it is because you can sense the legacy and spirit that lives on here.

As you can see there is quite a bit of magic to be found on the west coast, and this is just scratching the surface!

Contact your Magic Maker® today to book your Disneyland® Resort and Southern California family vacation so you can experience the magic for yourself, creating a lifetime of memories together.