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Well, folks, Critter Country is back open for business, and since it’s Easter and springtime, we’re going to say that business is falling in love! Critter Country is the perfect place to do it, just like all the birds and bees that are buzzing happily around the cozy far corner of Disneyland. So if you’ve got an old friend that’s suddenly sprouting some new potential, make your first official date a visit to Critter Country, where – just like the beginnings of your relationship – it’s sweet, fresh, and optimistic.
All the Frills
Okay, you don’t have to purchase one, but you really should at least try on some Easter bonnets, a.k.a. sweet hats from the Briar Patch. This shop is a great place to start your date night, keeping it light and goofy. Take pictures like you’re in a movie montage, or take it a step further and wear your newest treasures on a two-person parade over to Splash Mountain.
Related: Easter parade brings Easter back to Magic Kingdom, Walt Disney World
April Showers
Thrill rides are all the more thrilling when you’re doused with the adrenaline of awakening hormones, and what makes more sense for April than getting showered? Keep the momentum going at Splash Mountain, where the bench seating provides a casual opportunity for you to “accidentally” brush your date’s arms and knees. Hey, we didn’t design the vehicles – but we know how to take advantage of them, and so should you. Wheeee!
Chocolate Bunnies
To dry off, walk to the other end of Critter Country. Hands down, the best sweets in all of Disneyland are there is a honey of a shop known as Pooh Corner. All manner of caramel delights, chocolate indulgences, and cookie pleasures await you and your date there. With so many choices, you won’t even need the leftover Easter candy from the clearance shelves at Target. Go ahead and spring for several options – a relatively affordable way to pump some impressive and unexpected fun into your night. For a diverse sampling, try the cookies ‘n crème fudge (a lovely sugar shock), the peanut butter sandwich (featuring Reese’s-style PB), and some combination of marshmallows on a stick (all of which have a velvety caramel under-layer). Or if you’re into things a little less sweet, the Honey Pot Krispie is nice.
Better Than Ham
A pro dating move is to keep your companion on his or her toes, much in the way you would by, say, eating dessert first and then dinner. See how we did that? Time to hit Harbour Galley, and may we suggest that you avoid anything from the sea and/or in a bread bowl for your first date, because what could be more awkward than fish breath or pulling apart soup-sopped bread with your bare hands? Not very much. Instead, try the stuffed baked potatoes or roast beef salad.
Budding Romance
Take your meal around the back of the Galley shack on the right-hand side. Just keep going until you can’t go anymore, back to where it’s nice and private (this area is called Fowler’s Inn). Many people don’t even know there’s seating back there, but you’re savvy that way. You may even see the Sailing Ship Columbia docked for the evening. Either way, you’ll have found a perfect spot to relax and talk deep into the night. After the cleaning crew kicks you out, hop the Disneyland Railroad at the New Orleans Square Station, just up the hill from Harbour Galley. We’re sure you can find something to do in that long, dark tunnel en route to the Primeval World.
Photo credits: toursdepartingdaily.com. Splash Mountain and Fowler’s Inn by Kevin Crone, Lilly Belle by Matthew Hansen.