Dean ChapmanDean has been writing and blogging for over 10 years. He specializes in Disney theme park news including updates, openings, special events and general advice for travelers. He doesn’t shy away from the good, the bad and the ugly. His previous work includes being a Cast Member at Disneyland and working as a travel…
Read more
Our eyes are drawn to it from the moment we enter Disneyland Park. It serves as the centerpiece and one of the main reference points of the park. We watch fireworks burst over it and dazzling lights stringed over it year after year. It’s photographed 10’s of millions of times each year. Sleeping Beauty’s Castle is…
Read more
It’s a classic. The Hollywood Tower Hotel at Disney’s Hollywood Studios is a fan favorite and a must ride attraction. The Hotel opened in 1994 at the end of Sunset Blvd and has been producing some of the best screams ever since. The attraction features the tower itself and extensive grounds including old fountains, sculptures,…
Read more
Big Thunder Mountain Railroad made its debut at Disneyland Park in 1979 after extensive research including an outing adventure by Imagineers. Whereas the ride was originally going to be a stand alone attraction, it ended up replacing an existing one known as Mine Train Thru Nature’s Wonderland. The giant rock formation that grabs your attention…
Read more
Much like the windows and shops on Main Street U.S.A. at Disneyland Park, Buena Vista Street in California Adventure Park has shops with names that relate to something about Walt and his life. They are subtle though so not everyone gets the connections that are being made as they stroll down Buena Vista Street. Here…
Read more
When guests walk into a Disney theme park the best way to describe their experience is magical. But it doesn’t just happen that way by luck. A lot of time and effort goes into planning a new park, new land or even a shopping or dining experience. The men and women in charge of the…
Read more
Anyone who’s visited a Disney theme park know that foliage is one of the most important elements to the park. It hides, disguises, makes bigger, and treats us to a sense of adventure. In 1954 when Walt’s original Magic Kingdom was being built Imagineers were tasked with the job of using foliage to help shape…
Read more
EPCOT’s geodesic ball, home to Spaceship Earth, is one of the most unique designs ever done at a Disney theme park. Originally a design of Buckminster Fuller, Disney Imagineering teams took it one step further to make it a reality and house an actual attraction inside. It’s made up for 4 levels, the very top…
Read more
The original design of Main Street U.S.A. at Disneyland included shops (as we see today) on both sides of the street leading towards the castle. They were based off of Walt’s own Marceline, MO town as well as designer Harper Goff’s Fort Collins, CO. Initially the shops featured windows that matched the real town’s feel…
Read more
