First Things You'll Probably Do When Disneyland Reopens! - Inside the Magic

Alright, last month we shared the unexpected things that fans missed about Disneyland theme parks. Well, they weren’t as unexpected as people thought because so many people replied that they missed the same things! So, that got us thinking. What’s one of the first things you’re going to do on your visit back to the Disneyland Resort theme parks, if everything available hypothetically, that you think most people wouldn’t?

Personally, the very first thing I’m going to do is nothing. Nothing to do with any of these below areas at least. I want to be standing on the steps of the Railroad Station in Town Square and looking down Main Street U.S.A. People watching is my favorite thing to do at Disneyland and seeing them enjoy the Disney magic as much as I do would be the most rewarding feeling again.

Attractions

There are clearly many attractions to choose from between the two parks especially with the opening of Avengers Campus in 2021. Some more popular than others with extremely long wait times and some just a few minutes. The highly underrated attraction that I love is at Disney California Adventure is Animation Academy. It’s one of the first places I stop on a visit so I could check out the schedule of times for when each character drawing demonstration will be. Honestly, I could spend a whole day just sitting in the waiting area with the surrounding sights and sounds making me happy from the inside out. No pun intended.

Disney California Adventure

• Animation Academy
• The Bakery Tour
• Games of Pixar Pier
• Golden Zephyr
• Goofy’s Sky School
• Grizzly River Run
• Guardians of the Galaxy Mission: BREAKOUT!
• Incredicoaster
• Inside Out Emotional Whirlwind
• Jessie’s Critter Carousel
• Jumping’ Jellyfish
• The Little Mermaid – Ariel’s Undersea Adventure
• Luigi’s Rollickin’ Roadsters
• Mater’s Junkyard Jamboree
• Mickey’s PhilharMagic
• Monsters, Inc. Mike & Sully to the Rescue!
• Pixar Pal-A-Round Non-Swinging
• Pixar-Pal-A-Round Swinging
• Radiator Springs Racers
• Red Car Trolley
• Redwood Creek Challenge
• Silly Symphony Swings
• Soarin’ Around the World
• Sorcerer’s Workshop
• Toy Story Midway Mania
• Turtle Talk with Crush
• WEB SLINGERS: A Spider-Man Adventure (coming soon)

Though it’s typically the attraction I end almost every single Disneyland trip with because I want that joyful feeling to linger the rest of the day, it’s been so long since I’ve been able to ride that it would be the first attraction I go on. “it’s a small world” is my favorite during the holidays, as it is so for everyone else too, but I truly do love it all year long which can be an unpopular opinion for the earworm song that goes along with the journey.

Disneyland Park

• Alice in Wonderland
• Astro Orbitor
• Autopia
• Big Thunder Mountain Railroad
• Buzz Lightyear Astro Blaster
• Casey Jr. Circus Train
• Chip ‘n Dale Treehouse
• Davy Crockett’s Explorer
• The Disney Gallery
• Disneyland Monorail
• Disneyland Railroad
• The Disneyland Story presenting Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln
• Donald’s Boat
• Dumbo the Flying Elephant
• Finding Nemo Submarine
• Fortune Tellers
• Gadget’s Go Coaster
• Goofy’s Playhouse
• Haunted Mansion
• Indiana Jones Adventure
• “it’s a small world”
• Jungle Cruise
• King Arthur Carrousel
• Mad Tea Party
• Main Street Cinema
• Main Street Vehicles
• The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh
• Mark Twain Riverboat
• Matterhorn Bobsleds
• Mickey’s House and Meet Mickey
• Millennium Falcon: Smuggler’s Run
• Minnie’s House
• Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride
• Peter Pan’s Flight
• Pinocchio’s Daring Journey
• Pirate’s Lair on Tom Sawyer Island
• Pirates of the Caribbean
• Roger Rabbit’s Car Toon Spin
• Sailing Ship Columbia
• Sleeping Beauty Castle
• Snow White’s Scary Adventure (now Snow White’s Enchanted Wish)
• Space Mountain
• Splash Mountain
• Star Tours – The Adventure Continues
• Star Wars Launch Bay
• Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance
• Storybook Land Canal Boats
• Tarzan’s Treehouse
• Walt Disney’s Enchanted Tiki Room

Food and Beverage

It’s 5 o’clock somewhere because I’m headed to Bayside Brews for a jalapeño cheese-filled pretzel and an adult beverage. Cider, Margarita, Michelada, or just a good old fashioned cold beer, they pair nicely with a bench seat overlooking Pixar Pier and a lit-up Pixar Pal-A-Round.

Disney California Adventure

• Adorable Snowman Frosted Treats
• Angry Dogs
• Award Wieners
• Bayside Brews
• Carthay Circle Lounge – Alfresco Dining
• Carthay Circle Restaurant
• Churro Carts
• Clarabelle’s Hand-Scooped Ice Cream
• Corn Dog Castle
• Cozy Cone Motel
• Cucina Cucamonga Mexican Grill
• Fiddler, Fifer & Practical Cafe
• Fillmore’s Taste-In
• Flo’s V8 Cafe
• Ghiradrdelli Soda Fountain and Chocolate Shop
• Hollywood Lounge
• Jack-Jack Cookie Num-Nums
• Lamplight Lounge
• Lucky Fortune Cookery
• Mendocino Terrace
• Pacific Wharf Cafe
• Pacific Wharf Distribution Co.
• Paradise Garden Grill
• Popcorn Carts
• Poultry Palace
• Pretzel Carts
• Pym Test Kitchen (coming soon)
• Rita’s Baja Blenders
• Señor Buzz Churros
• Smokejumpers Grill
• Sonoma Terrace
• Studio Catering Co.
• Wine Country Trattoria

If it’s a chilly day, I’ve got my caboose parked in New Orleans Square somewhere. What am I eating? A bread bowl filled with hot clam chowder or gumbo from the Royal Street Veranda. It’s probably not one of the first things someone will eat of all the amazing treats at Disneyland, but for me, it brings back so many good memories as a child taking a break from riding attractions to share a bowl of soup or two with parents.

Which reminds me, I’ll be stopping off at Edelweiss Snacks at the end of the day to grab a Jumbo Turkey Leg to take home to my mom since I’m usually flying solo at the park these days. (I do really enjoy solo park days.) Super weird to be stuffing a Jumbo Turkey Leg in your backpack so I like to mobile order from Edelweiss Snacks instead of the Main Street U.S.A. Hot Food Cart.

Disneyland Park

• Alien Pizza Planet
• Bengal Barbecue
• Blue Bayou Restaurant
• Cafe Orleans
• Carnation Cafe
• Churro Carts
• Clarabelle’s
• Daisy’s Diner
• Docking Bay 7 Food and Cargo
• Edelweiss Snacks
• Fairfax Market
• French Market Restaurant
• Fruit Carts
• Gibson Girl Ice Cream
• The Golden Horsehoe
• Harbour Galley
• Hungry Bear Restaurant
• Jolly Holiday Bakery
• Kat Saka’s Kettle
• Lemonade Carts
• Market House
• Maurice’s Treats
• Milk Stand
• Mint Julep Bar
• Oga’s Cantina
• Plaza Inn
• Pluto’s Dog House
• Popcorn Carts
• Pretzel Carts
• Rancho del Zocalo Restaurante
• Red Rose Taverne
• Refreshment Corner
• River Belle Terrace
• Ronto Roasters
• Royal Street Veranda
• Stage Door Cafe
• Tike Juice Bar
• Tomorrowland Skyline Lounge Experience
• The Tropical Hideaway
• Tropical Imports
• Troubadour Tavern
• Turkey Leg Carts

Shopping

Seeing as Animation Academy is one of the first attractions I’ll be back at for Disney California Adventure, it’s only natural that I’d be exploring Off the Page too. It’s like that feeling I mentioned of standing in the atmosphere in the Animation Academy waiting room and being able to bring it home with you. Even if I’m not looking to purchase anything in particular, it’s one of the best places to “window” shop.

Disney California Adventure

• Bing Bong’s Sweet Stuff
• The Collector’s Warehouse
• Elias & Co.
• Julius Katz & Sons
• Kingswell Camera Shop
• Knick’s Knacks
• Off the Page
• Oswald’s
• Ramone’s House of Body Art
• Rushin’ River Outfitters
• Sarge’s Surplus Hut
• Seaside Souvenirs
• Trolley Treats
• WEB Suppliers (coming soon)

The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh is probably my second favorite attraction of Disneyland Park just because I’m obsessed with Winnie the Pooh. I jump on this attraction which rarely has a queue longer than 10-15 minutes, and then I’m bouncing to Pooh Corner to look for the latest fluffy Winnie the Pooh and Friends plush, or anything Winnie the Pooh and Friends related really.

Disneyland Park

• 20th Century Music Company
• Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique
• Black Spire Outfitters
• The Briar Patch
• Candy Palace and Candy Kitchen
• Creature Stall
• Cristal d’Orleans
• Crystal Arts
• Disneyana
• Disney Showcase
• Dok-Ondar’s Den of Antiquities
• Droid Depot
• Emporium
• Fairy Tale Treasures
• First Order Cargo
• Gag Factory – Toontown Five & Dime
• Little Green Men Store Command
• The Mad Hatter in Fantasyland
• The Mad Hatter on Main Street U.S.A.
• Main Street Photo Supply Co.
• Pioneer Mercantile
• Pooh Corner
• Resistance Supply
• Royal Reception
• Savi’s Workshop – Handbuilt Lightsabers
• Silhouette Studio
• The Start Trader
• Toydarian Toymaker
• Westward Ho Trading Company

Entertainment

I think this one’s only weird to me because I typically find that I’m the only adult without kids standing in line to meet the residents of Radiator Springs in Cars Land, one resident to be specific, Mater. That silly tow truck just has my heart, and I’ll peek over at the Cozy Cones Motel every time to see if he’s there.

Disney California Adventure

• Anna & Elsa’s Royal Welcome
• Avengers Headquarters (coming soon)
• Disney Junior Dance Party!
• Five & Dime
• Guardians of the Galaxy: Awesome Dance Off!
• Heroic Encounters
• Meet Disney Pals on Buena Vista Street
• Meet Olaf in Hollywood Land
• Meet Pixar Pals at Pixar Pier
• Meet the Residents of Radiator Springs in Cars Land
• Parades
• Paradise Garden Bandstand
• Sanctum (coming soon)
• World of Color

This one won’t happen on my first visit back because I’ll have to wait until the holiday season, but there’s a specific place I like to be during the Wintertime Enchantment at Sleeping Beauty Castle. Most Guests like to stand somewhere on Main Street U.S.A. where it stops. Me, I like to be right in the walkway from the Royal Hall to the front of the castle. There’s never really too many people so you get an up-close view of the castle so it just feels like me, the music, and the twinkling lights of the castle.

Disneyland Park

• Characters Encounters at Star Wars Launch Bay Courtyard
• The Dapper Dans
• Fantasmic!
• Fantasy Faire
• Fireworks
• Meet Disney Princesses at Royal Hall
• Meet Elena of Avalon
• Meet Tinker Bell at Pixie Hollow
• Parades
• The Royal Swing Big Band Ball
• Storytelling at the Royal Theatre

There are so many pieces of Disneyland Resort theme parks that were even shared above. What is your hidden secret place or activities that will be some of the first things you eat, drink, do, shop, or enjoy when the Disneyland Resort theme parks reopen?

Share with us in the comments below what some of the first things you would like to do are when you visit Disneyland again that might not be as popular of a choice as others!