Disneyland (CA)
Limited Time Magic For Disneyland Resort – “Dig Up” a Delicious Earth Week
Guests of both California parks will be the chance to tantalize their taste buds during this week’s Limited Time Magic.
The “Worm and Dirt” tart dessert can be found at the Plaza Inn and French Market at Disneyland and at Wine Country Trattoria at Disney California Adventure.
It sounds like a delicious treat that guests will enjoy digging into!
5 Must Try Counter Service Food Entrees at Disneyland Resort
Loyal TouringPlans readers, I am here to tell you that you don’t have to eat hamburgers or chicken fingers when you visit the Disneyland Resort. There was a dark period in the 1990s and early 2000s when food at the Happiest Place on Earth took a turn for the worst and many of the park’s counter service dining locations served bland, overpriced, mass-produced slop. Thankfully after a series of menu revisions over the last few years, most of Disneyland’s eateries have some delicious options. Today I will share some that you must try on your next trip.
Plaza Inn Specialty Chicken
Plaza Inn – Main Street USA, Disneyland – $13.99
Disney’s description: “Three pieces of chicken, fried to a golden brown, seasoned with distinctive herbs and spices, served with mashed potatoes, buttermilk biscuit and mixture of vegetables”
What I’m about to say may be controversial to Southern California theme park goers: In my opinion Plaza Inn’s fried chicken can go toe to toe with Knott’s Berry Farm’s fried chicken. I know it sounds crazy but this is one of Disneyland’s most popular entrees for a reason. The chicken pieces are gigantic and juicy, but still have a nice crisp crust on the outside. Included in the meal is a breast, thigh, and leg, along with mashed potatoes and green beans. The included biscuit is nothing to write home about but tastes great when drenched in honey from the condiments stand. Don’t be scared by the relatively high price tag. This meal is huge and is big enough for most people to share, but you probably won’t want to.
Rediscovered Transcript Reveals Original Spielberg/Disneyland Connection
Photos by Seth Kubersky
It's no secret that legendary film director Steven Spielberg is a life-long theme park afficiando. As a long-time consultant to Universal Studios, rides based on movies he has created or produced (including classics like ET, Back to the Future, Jaws, Men in Black, and Jurassic Park) have been hits in Orlando, California, and Japan. Spielberg is also known to be a fan of classic Disney films; he had composer John Williams include the melody “When You Wish Upon a Star” in his Close Encounters of the Third Kind score, and his film A.I. is essentially an explicit update of Pinnoccio.
But few fans realize how far back Spielberg's fascination with theme park rides — specifically Disneyland dark rides and E-tickets — goes. Thanks to a fascinating 35-year-old story conference transcript, we have a first-hand account of the lauded filmmaker's pro-Disney fanaticism.
The minutes of this momentous meeting, recorded over a week in late January 1978, document the moment when Spielberg, together with pal George Lucas and screenwriter Lawrence Kasdan, brainstormed the basic backstory of Indiana Jones, and solidified the script outline that would eventually become 1981's Raiders of the Lost Ark. Originally leaked on an Internet film site in 2009 as scan of a grainy photocopy, the document has recently resurfaced as a searchable PDF. These newly accessible transcripts reveal the creative energy that birthed this iconic screen hero, and give insight into these award-winning artists' working methods.
Pictures: Iron Man Tech Presented by Stark Industries opens in Disneyland
The new Iron Man exhibit opened in Disneyland’s Innoventions this past weekend. The new exhibit did something we have not seen in over a decade: it actually brought crowds to Innoventions!
Join us for a Long Lost Friends Meet this Sunday at Disneyland!
It’s time for another TouringPlans meet at Disneyland! We will gather in the Big Thunder Jamboree area and meet some Long Lost Friends as a group. Afterwards we’ll gather at the tables inside the Jamboree to eat treats from the Long Lost Friends food cart. Look for Guy in his cranberry-colored TouringPlans shirt.
The meet takes place Sunday, April 13, at 2:00 PM!
See you there!
10 Ways to Keep the Disney Magic Alive After You Get Home
If you are anything like me, it’s a little painful every time a Disney vacation ends. And I’m not just talking about the pain you feel after you get on the scale when you get back home. I’m talking about the pain of leaving the Magic bubble and reentering the real world. That capital “M” was intentional. Disney has its own kind of magic, and if you’ve been, you know what I’m talking about. Leaving the Magic is a harsh jolt, but there are some fun ways to keep the Magic going until your next trip! Here are a few ideas for you.
1. Scrapbook! – Do you remember those commercials where the child is frozen mid-jump in the pool and he reminds his mom to get their pictures off the camera? Well, that’s the first step to keeping the Magic alive – get those pictures off the camera and do something with them! No one wants to look at your pictures on a tiny LCD screen on the back of your camera. So get them off your camera! What should you do with them once they’re off? Scrapbook them of course. There are so many Disney-centric scrapbooking supplies out there. Years ago, I had to cut three circles out of paper and create my own Mickey heads! Nowadays you can find Disney supplies at Disney, in craft and hobby stores, online, and in just about every specialty scrapbooking store in the country. If you’re a digital scrapbooker, there are some absolutely adorable online kits out there. If you’re not a scrapbooker, don’t worry, there are lots of “drag and drop” photo options. Disney’s very own Photopass website is one of them. They’ve got layouts already set up for their custom photobook pages. You just add photos and fork out the bucks! However you create that scrapbook, you’ve got a souvenir that you and your kids will treasure forever. Trust me, your Magical memories will come flooding back every time someone picks up one of your books to look through.
Annual Passholder Preview of Disneyland’s Iron Man Exhibit Tonight
If you are a Disneyland annual Passholder who is eagerly awaiting the next installment in Tony Stark’s superhero saga, you’ll want to head to Tomorrowland for tonight’s (Friday, April 12) exclusive preview of a new Innoventions exhibit. In anticipation of the May 3 premiere of Iron Man 3, a Stark Industries interactive display has been temporarily installed inside the circular building. Guests will get the chance to see Stark’s iconic suits of armor up close, and experience a simulation of strapping one one.
Registration for tonight’s event begins at 1pm at Innoventions; a valid AP is required. Participants can preview the new attraction starting at 6pm, and can stay in the park to enjoy select Tommorowland attractions until 1am.
Limited Time Magic for Walt Disney World and Disneyland Resort – Celebrate Disney Fairies Week
©Disney
Are you a fan of the Disney Fairies? If so, this week’s Limited Time Magic event is for you!
Guests who visit Disneyland or the Magic Kingdom from April 15 – 21 will have the opportunity to celebrate with Tink and her friends.
At the Magic Kingdom, Tinker Bell will be on hand at Tinker Bell’s Magical Nook, found in Adventureland, with her dear friends Iridessa, Rosetta, Silvermist, Fawn, Vidia, and Terence.
In Disneyland, Tink will be found in Pixie Hollow in Fantasyland with both Rosetta and Terence.
For exact times, please make sure to pick up a Times Guide.
Farewell to Main Street Favorites: Disneyland’s Market House and Voices of Liberty Say Goodbye
They say that April showers bring May flowers, but this month a different kind of precipitation may be misting up Disneyland’s Main Street, U.S.A. I’m certain that I’m not the only Disney devotee who is shedding a tear over the loss of two favorite front-of-park attractions. One, a legendary retail outlet that had remained largely untouched for decades; the other, a relatively recent entertainment import from Epcot.
First and foremost, Disneyland’s Market House will close on April 15 for its transformation into a franchised Starbucks Coffee outlet, similar to the Fiddler, Fifer & Practical Cafe that opened in DCA last summer. The rehabbed location, like the one across the Esplanade, is expected to be hugely popular with guests seeking their familiar Starbucks fix. But we would be remiss not to mark the passing of one of Main Street’s best-loved locations.
Photo Report: Long Lost Friends Week Begins At Disneyland
The latest Limited Time Magic offering started today at Disneyland. Long Lost Friends Week brings back characters who aren’t frequently seen in the parks for meet and greets. The Disneyland version of Long Lost Friends Week takes place in Big Thunder Ranch Jamboree located off of the trail behind Big Thunder Mountain. Characters are available to meet and greet from 10:30 AM to 5:30 PM daily until Sunday, April 13. Five sets of Long Lost Friends characters stay out for 30 minutes a time. After those 30 minutes, another five sets of characters appear. It’s also worth mentioning that these characters do not sign autographs. Their handlers give out pre-autographed cards after your group finishes taking a picture.
Characters appearing during Long Lost Friends:
Scrooge McDuck and Ludwig Von Drake from DuckTales. This was arguably the most popular meet and greet when I was in attendance.
