Disneyland hotel is one of three Disney owned resorts in Anaheim. This is the hotel closest to the monorail. The monorail is right outside of the entrance to the hotel. I can almost guarantee, the Disneyland Hotel checks all of the boxes when it comes to choosing a hotel for your next visit to Disneyland. Speaking of the monorail, the monorail at Disneyland only has 2 stops. One in Downtown Disney right outside of the Disneyland Hotel, and one in Tomorrowland (yes inside the

Even though Magical Express was booked free through Disney, MEARS was actually the company that ran the buses, so they were already experts in providing mass airport transfers. Here is the full list of resorts that MEARS CONNECT can take you to and pick you up from: Bay Lake Tower at Disney’s Contemporary Resort B Resort & Spa Disney’s Art of Animal Resort Disney’s All-Star Movies Resort Disney’s All-Star Music Resort Disney’s All-Star Sports Resort Disney’s Animal Kingdom Vi

Move over Mickey, there’s a new chef in town! At the Disneyland Hotel, it’s Goofy preparing your breakfast and dinner buffet over at Goofy’s Kitchen. If you’ve ever dined at Chef Mickey’s, in the Contemporary Resort at Walt Disney World, this experience is very similar. Lots of characters, an extensive buffet, a family photo, and a bunch of fun. Character meals are a great way to see several characters in a short amount of time. At Goofy’s Kitchen, you will normally meet Minn

I recently returned from a trip to Disneyland, where we were able to participate in the Oogie Boogie Bash! So, I wanted to write a little review on it. What is the Oogie Boogie Bash? The Oogie Boogie Bash is what Disney calls the after-hours Halloween party that takes place in California Adventure in the Disneyland resort. This is a separately ticketed event. The price can be a little off-putting, but we found it to be well worth it (but let’s hope they don’t increase the pri

Sunset Boulevard is a land in Hollywood Studios, and the entire strip is inspired by a real life location. The street is lined with shops on both sides, but most thrill seekers will be heading towards the end of the road where two of the most thrilling attractions in all of Walt Disney World are located. Sunset Boulevard was actually the first expansion to Hollywood Studios that was done after the park had been open for a number of years. Despite all the hype with Toy Story L

Most people only think of the theme parks when they think of Walt Disney World, but there is plenty to do outside of the parks, as well. Afterall, Disney World does cover more than 40 square miles of land, there must be more to it! Here are some ideas if you want to spend some “rest days” outside of the parks, but you don’t want to just sit in the hotel room. 1) Disney Springs Let’s get the most obvious one out of the way first. Disney Springs is a great big shopping and ente

While you are in Animal Kingdom, you can take a trip to the exoplanetary moon, Pandora, from the movie Avatar. This area actually blends right in with the rest of Animal Kingdom, but you’ll know you are off world when you walk by floating mountains. For reference, the timeline you are in takes place about a generation after the movie. Pandora replaced, what used to be, Camp Minnie-Mickey. Originally, this area was going to be based off of traditional mythical creatures, and i

Staying on Disney property is certainly my recommendation, in most cases. At the end of the day, Disney is about telling a story, painting a picture, and creating a complete experience, right? Well, the resorts on property certainly aren’t an exception. Each has been carefully crafted and immerses you in a story. Plus, staying on property comes with perks that hotels off site just don’t have. Added value! However, there are SO many resorts (more than 25!). So, how do you sele

So many who travel to Orlando, Florida go to Disney but have never experienced Universal’s Resort. This is a theme park that should not be overlooked. For first-time visitors, the experience, just like at Disney, can be a little overwhelming. Here are ten tips to help you make the best of your first Universal Orlando vacation. 1) Three theme parks Universal Orlando’s three theme parks are Universal Studios, Islands of Adventure and Volcano Bay. Universal Studios is home to th

Technology is a big part of a Disney trip these days. Your admission “ticket” doesn’t just act as a way to get into the park. It also acts as your hotel room key, Lightning Lane access, and much more! The integration of all this technology is called MyMagic+. If you have been to Disney World in recent years, you are probably familiar with MagicBands and Key to the World Cards. The newest option is MagicMobile, which is a way to link your ticket to your Apple Watch or smartpho

Transportation Options One of the biggest perks of staying at a resort that is on Disney property is the free transportation that Disney offers it’s guests. Buses run from every Disney resort on property, but there are also several other unique (and more convenient) forms of transportation. This includes the monorail, boats, the skyliner, and even walking! I am including walking as a form of transportation, because there are some resorts that are within walking distance to a

Shrink down to the size of a toy, and enter Andy’s backyard in Toy Story Land. This is the first major land that opened that espouses Hollywood Studios’ new identity, by putting you inside of the movies instead of backstage. As you walk through this land, you will be surrounded by oversized toys. This is supposed to give you the impression that you are the size of a toy. From Tinker Toys and Scrabble, to colored blocks, you will recognize a lot of the toys that you are surrou

Spaceships, aliens, light sabers, droids…. Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge is the place to be for Star Wars fans. Located in Hollywood Studios, this land was the largest, single-themed land expansion in Disney Parks history. The idea is that you are on a “remote frontier outpost” on the planet Batuu. Batuu is a planet that was designed specifically for Galaxy’s Edge. Although it is inspired by the movies, the planet, itself, isn’t in any of Star Wars movies. However, it is considere

You’ve just crossed over into… The Twilight Zone The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror is housed inside of (what looks like) a rundown hotel called The Hollywood Tower Hotel . This building is so iconic that it is sometimes used as a symbol for Hollywood Studios on apparel and merchandise. Found at the end of Sunset Boulevard, this is one of Disney World’s most thrilling attractions. The whole rundown aspect of the building helps to create a very eerie atmosphere. As you get clo

Storybook Circus is actually part of Fantasyland, but it is off in it’s own section. Although it is still fantasy, it has different theming than the rest of Fantasyland. It is not connected to any of the other lands or the central hub. This used to be “Mickey’s ToonTown Fair,” but it was completely redone along with the big Fantasyland expansion. It opened in 2012, as Storybook Circus. This whole area is themed like a circus and is inspired by the movie Dumbo. Overall, this l

As the name suggests, Tomorrowland is Magic Kingdom’s futuristic land. Originally, it was a somewhat “realistic” vision of the future. However, To avoid the land from becoming “todayland,” tomorrowland was reimagined in 1994 to showcase a more “timeless” approach to the future. This included more elements of science fiction, and it is sometimes referred to as the “tomorrow that never was.” Attractions Astro Orbiter – The inspiration for the name of this blog. This is a spinn

Perhaps the most popular land in the Magic Kingdom, Fantasyland is what most people think of when they think of Disney. This is the area behind the castle that houses all of the fairytale attractions. You’ll be immersed in imagination and wonder as you pass by the castle and ride flying pirate ships, zoom into the diamond mines with the seven dwarfs, go under the sea with Ariel, and meet your favorite princess. Fantasyland had a major expansion in from 2010 to 2014 that, effe

The smallest, and sometimes forgotten, land in the Magic Kingdom is Liberty Square. This land will transport you back to 18 century, Colonial America. As you are immersed in American history, you will encounter historic replicas (such as one of the Liberty Bell), be surrounded by Colonial and Federal style buildings, and see every United States president in the Hall of Presidents. This is your guide to Liberty Square. Attractions The Hall of Presidents – See every U.S. Presi

“Welcome, foolish mortals, to the Haunted Mansion” The Haunted Mansion is one of the most iconic, and popular, attractions in the Magic Kingdom. It is also one of the opening day attractions at the Magic Kingdom, making this attraction a must do. The Mansion, itself, sits atop a Hill in the Liberty Square area of the Magic Kingdom. This adds to the mysteriousness of the overall attraction, as you can’t ever get very close to it (other than the entrance to the ride). As you go

An Epcot Area Resort Disney’s Yacht Club is a deluxe resort, which is located in one of the most prime locations of any Walt Disney World resort. You will be within walking distance to, not only one, but, TWO of the parks. You will also be within walking distance to the Boardwalk, and one of Disney’s miniature golf courses (Fantasia Gadens). Being so close to two of the major theme parks is a huge convenience, especially if you do not have a car. It also just makes you feel t