That passion is a key reason for the development of this site and our guidebook. Most guidebooks only feature brief snippets of info on Disneyland and Disney’s California Adventure; other Disney-specific guidebooks will cover all the rides, but the information is often covered in less than 30% of the actual pages. Other guide sites will give you listings or paragraphs describing each attraction, but none come close to presenting the information we’ve collected for you. Not only do we cover every attraction, show, shop and restaurant in both Disneyland and Disney’s California Adventure, but we also do the same for the other seven theme parks in the area: Knott’s Berry Farm, Universal Studios Hollywood, Six Flags Magic Mountain, Sea World San Diego, Legoland California, San Diego Zoo and The San Diego Wild Animal Park.

Our reviews are completely independent and free of constrains placed on other guidebooks by the theme parks. In each review, we’ll cover detailed information about the attractions, but we’ll also tell you when the best time is to ride, how it rates with the family, where it’s located, and even what type of ride it is. We’ll tell you how to save time and money, so you won’t wind up broke at the end of the day and tired of standing in line.

You can find our guidebook online for free at this site, or you can even purchase a hard copy to take with you on the trip. We’ve crafted these different outlets because we know everyone absorbs information differently. Because our guidebook is accompanied by this site, we can update you immediately on the latest news and information pertinent to your trip, such as attraction closures – no other guidebook can do that.

We hope you’ll find both CaliforniaGuidebook.com and PackFlat’s California Guidebook 2011 as handy and useful as we tried to make it. Happy vacationing!

Sincerely,

William J. Nash-McAdam

Editor, CaliforniaGuidebook.com

Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage

Attraction Type: Underwater dark ride.

Location: In the back of the land, just to the north of Tomorrowland Terrace Restaurant.

General Description: Based on the 2003 Disney-Pixar film “Finding Nemo,” follow Marlin and Dorey around the Pacific Ocean as they search for Nemo.

Will’s Review: The original Submarine Voyage (1959-1998) was always considered an E-ticket attraction due to its immersive experience, lengthy ride time (twenty minutes back then, shortened to fifteen for the new show), and elaborate show scenes. The massive warehouse building that houses the attraction is indeed huge – the entire Autopia actually runs atop it. One of Walt’s favorite attractions, the submarines for the ride were built at a ship yard in Long Beach and at the time were the largest fleet of submarines ever constructed during peacetime. The show itself was a Disneyland original in idea and execution – it had no basis on any character and no popular movie tie-in; yet it remained a consistently popular attraction. The thematic fit of the ride into Tomorrowland at the time was justified by the ‘pretend’ use of nuclear-powered submarines, a convenient tie-in for the defense company General Dynamics – the attraction’s original sponsor. In reality, the subs were diesel-powered, but have since been converted to an electrical motor.

Nonetheless, the Submarine Voyage was closed for a temporary thematic overhaul in late 1998, shortly after the opening of the new Tomorrowland. The overhaul was expected to take a few years and was to be based on Disney’s animated feature “Atlantis: The Lost Empire.” When the movie didn’t perform well at the box office, an attraction planned for it was scraped as well. Luckily, however, the Anaheim lagoon was left as a scenic area; the folks in Florida weren’t so lucky when their 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea: Submarine Voyage was shuttered in 1994 and the lagoon was filled in.

Just when most Disneyland fans wrote off hope of ever seeing the subs in action again, early 2005 saw the resurgence of one sub to the old dock beneath the Monorail station for some initial testing by Walt Disney Imagineering. Sure enough, Disney announced plans for a new submarine adventure based on the Disney-Pixar film “Finding Nemo.” Now, all thematic issues aside (Disneyland doesn’t even try to pretend that Nemo really fits into the Tomorrowland scape), the ride itself is a must-see adventure that makes use of some of the newest technology in show design. Opening in June 2007, the arrival of Nemo brought along a hefty expansion of the show building, brightly-painted subs, and a more vibrant and colorfully vivid lagoon than we have ever seen before.

The back story of this attraction is that you are about to take an expedition submarine voyage with the Nautical Exploration and Marine Observation Center to scout out a new underwater volcano off the coast of Australia. After diving, guests are treated to a truly eye-popping display of coral reefs and given an educational lesson on how volcanic rock helped to form this reef, along with The Great Barrier Reef. Diving a little deeper, the captain tells us he will be using a new sonar technology that allows us to hear the fish ‘talk’ – in English. We immediately begin hearing Marlin and Dory just as they realize that Nemo, Marlin’s son, has been lost! The two begin swimming around frantically with Mr. Ray trying to find the lost little fish. Passing through the Australian Eastern Current, Crush and the other turtles swim alongside before changing paths as the subs approach the creaky wreckage of an old ship. Marlin and Dory show up here again, just as the subs try to manage their way through wrecked U-Boats and World War II water mines. Of course, it isn’t long before the sub hits a mine, causing a bright blast, brief lost of power, and a ghostly encounter with an angry anglerfish. Everyone escapes safely – only to encounter a large pod of jellyfish, in what has to be one of the most mesmerizing and elaborate scenes in all of Disneyland. The captain then announces that we have reached the underwater volcano, and another elaborate set is the background for the reuniting of Marlin and Nemo. In classic Disney style, the subs escape the volcanic area just before a massive eruption – by being swallowed by a whale and then shot out through the blow hole.

Unlike its predecessor attraction, Finding Nemo: Submarine Voyage does not just tell its story through stiffly-moving Audio-Animatronics. Truly massive sets and cutting-edge special effects are used to carry out the story, all using bright paint and lights that are resilient to the color-sapping chlorine that gets poured in the lagoon on a regular basis. In addition, the “Finding Nemo” characters are actually animations that are projected onto a silk screen in the show scenes, creating the illusion that the animated fish, turtles, and sting rays are interacting with the real physical sets.

Touring Tips: If you are at Disneyland upon opening (you should be) you will witness a large rush towards this attraction, and waits quickly build up to 2-3 hours. However, this attraction is peculiar in that its lines actually decrease as the day goes on; this is unlike Space Mountain which maintains a steady line from the get-go. Therefore, go ahead and visit Space Mountain and Indiana Jones first thing in the morning, and wander back around to this attraction during parade performances, day or night. Most families with children – this attraction’s biggest fan base – will be watching the parade.

Family Info: Children will be the biggest fans of this ride, but just as the film appealed to all age groups, the ride does as well. The very scope of the ride far surpasses the fact that it was based on a cartoon, to be sure. Those with disabilities will have a tough time visiting this attraction, though, as access to the subs is only down a very small and narrow spiraling staircase. To that end, anyone who also suffers from claustrophobia will probably not want to ride. On a special note, disabled guests who cannot enter the subs can take advantage of the “Alternate Experience,” which is a special room for disabled guests that shows a film based on the ride. The downside to this, however, is that you still have to wait in the regular line before being admitted into the alternative viewing room.

Variations: This ride experience is completely unique to the original Disneyland. Another submarine attraction, 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea: Submarine Voyage, operated at The Magic Kingdom from 1971-1994. Another, although very different, underwater attraction featuring Nemo can be found at The Seas with Nemo & Friends Pavilion at Epcot.

Disney’s California Adventure Guide Spotlight: Twilight Zone Tower of Terror:

Attraction Type: Combination dark ride/drop tower.

Location: To the south of Hyperion Theatre.

General Description: You are invited to tour the mysterious Hollywood Tower Hotel, where something strange and possibly paranormal happened long ago …

Will’s Review: Housed within a fictional interpretation of the real-life Hollywood Tower Hotel, this mammoth structure looms over most of Anaheim – not to mention the park itself (at 183 feet, it is the tallest building in Anaheim). Once home-away-from-home for the Hollywood elite of Tinseltown’s Golden Age, this hotel is widely known to have a haunted past. Visible from the exterior of the building are burn marks from when a stray bolt of lightning hit the tower on the stormy night of October 31^st, 1939 – an act that mysteriously transported the five occupants of the hotel’s elevator into The Twilight Zone.

Luckily, it is your turn to step into the once-glamorous Hollywood Tower Hotel to try to find out what truly happened to the unlucky occupants of the hotel’s elevator. Your adventure begins in the lush, overgrown gardens of the hotel’s exterior grounds before arriving in the ornate and richly-themed hotel lobby. Period decorations, newspapers, books, and plenty of cobwebs are interspersed with a great deal of references to the original “Twilight Zone” television series hosted by Rod Serling; guests familiar with the series will have a great time in line spotting these references. After the lobby, guests are ushered into the hotel’s library in smaller groups (much like The Haunted Mansion foyer), where a library window shows that a massive lightning storm has kicked up outside. The black and white television in the corner suddenly turns on, showing a “Twilight Zone” episode hosted by Rod Serling; the only difference is that instead of introducing the scenes to come, Rod introduces your real-life adventure that is about to begin. Since the hotel’s main guest elevator has been out of commission since 1939, you are directed to the service elevator. After walking through the eerie broiler room and strapping into narrow metal chairs in the service elevator, your adventure into The Twilight Zone begins.

As the doors close, the elevators push back from the main loading area and into a star field accompanied by an ominous warning from Rod Serling before being whisked up into the shaft to the first of two scenes. The effects here are great and rather mystifying – to the point that you don’t want to spoil the fun by reading them here. What happens next, however, is no secret. A terrifying 13-story, faster-than-gravity plunge into the dark, followed by a series of shorter and longer drops – some of which include the walls of the elevator opening to reveal the entire Disneyland Resort laid down in front of you – thirteen stories below!

The attraction itself is one of the more elaborately-themed in Disney’s California Adventure, built in 2004 to help combat the claim that this park was light on immersive ride experiences. This attraction is likely to remain one of the more popular in the park, at least until the 2012 opening of Radiator Springs Racers and The Little Mermaid: Aerial’s Adventure. The thrills offered at Tower of Terror rival that of California Screamin’, and are certainly more intense than any offering in Disneyland Park. While this version of the Tower is heavy on the special effects, it does depart from the Florida original in two ways: there is no random-drop sequence on this version (not that it’s necessarily needed, however), and there is no “Fifth Dimension Room” where the elevators leave the shaft and travel through the star field. While this is lacking, the special effects in the two show scenes is a definitive improvement on the special effects in Florida, leaving both versions of the attraction to have a unique offering of their own.

Touring Tips: If you’re attending during non-peak times, visit this attraction early in the morning or late at night (it will provide a much-needed adrenaline boost that is a great substitute for a cup of coffee!). During the peak season, grab a FastPass for this attraction then make your way to the popular offerings in Paradise Pier and The Golden State, coming back during your designated FastPass window. It is recommended to try to ride this attraction at least twice. Most first-time riders are so focused on the upcoming drop in pitch blackness that they pay little attention to the show elements or special effects. Ride first for the thrill, and then come back to see the attraction from a more cohesive point of view.

Warning: This attraction has been known to aggravate heart, back, and neck conditions of some guests. In addition, expectant mothers are urged not to ride.

Family Info: There is very little done anywhere in this attraction to add a “fun” element – the place is creepy and ominous, from the lobby to the actual Cast Members who seldom break from their creepy 1930’s bellhop character. As a result, many children are intimidated before they even get to the library; if not, the broiler room and elevator will more than likely due to the trick. There is a good amount of show scene time before the drop – and this helps to set an eerie tone – but any back-peddling at this point is useless, as you’re already on the ride. Have a talk with your kids before riding; and if they were the least bit intimidated by anything at Disneyland, know ahead of time that this probably isn’t the ride for them. As it currently stands, Anaheim’s offerings don’t get any more intense than this. Please note that guests must be at least 40” tall to ride.

Variations: The original, more elaborate version of this attraction can only be found at Disney’s Hollywood Studios in Orlando; the second-generation Anaheim version is identical in storyline and scale to the version at Walt Disney Studios Park in Paris. The version at American Waterfront in Tokyo DisneySea is known simply as Tower of Terror, and departs from the other three in having no storyline connection with The Twilight Zone.

Disneyland Guide Spotlight: Big Thunder Mountain Railroad

Attraction Type: Mining car-themed steel roller coaster.

Location: Can’t miss this attraction – the queue begins on the northern side of the Frontierland Plaza.

General Description: Hop aboard Big Thunder Mountain Railroad for an exciting ride on a runaway mine train through and around Big Thunder Mountain.

Will’s Review: A western mine-train ride has been a part of Disneyland since 1956. Originally developed as the Rainbow Caverns Mine Train, the slow-moving scenic mine train attraction rolled through the Living Desert, a large plot of land bordering the Rivers of America and the western side of Fantasyland’s Sleeping Beauty Castle. The Living Desert was also home to the Rainbow Mountain Stagecoach (1955-1960), Conestoga Wagons (1955-1960) and the Rainbow Ridge Pack Mules (1955-1973). A large feature of the Rainbow Caverns Mine Train was a ride through Rainbow Caverns – a colorful, stalagmite-filled cavern.

In 1960, additions were made to the Living Desert to transform a large section of it into a lush, lake-filled forest, and the whole area was renamed Nature’s Wonderland. Two major additions were Cascade Peak (a towering waterfall-inducing mountain that remained until 1998 along the Rivers of America) and Rainbow Ridge Mining Town, where the trains loaded at. The year of 1979 witnessed a major change to Frontierland, however, and Nature’s Wonderland was to be no more. A large new pathway was cut through the heart of the area, providing a direct link between the Frontierland and Fantasyland Plazas. The area just north of this walkway was converted to Big Thunder Ranch (the Window Rock replica featured since 1956 can still be seen at the Ranch), while the area to the west of the walkway was largely untouched, leaving various thematic elements in place along the river banks. This included Cascade Peak, a pond, and an abandoned mining tunnel which can easily be seen from the walkway even today. In addition, guests aboard any of the Rivers of America attractions can easily spot an old abandoned mine train that was “wrecked” sitting alongside some torn-up tracks; these tracks and train vehicle are left over from the old attraction. The centerpiece of this new development, however, were the towering peaks of Big Thunder Mountain. Designed after Utah’s Monument Valley, the brown rock towers immediately evoke the American Southwest.

A train pulling into Rainbow Ridge

The new theme departed from the Living Desert/Nature’s Wonderland theme, and the official back story of the attraction is one of those storylines that doesn’t translate too well to the average guest experiencing the attraction with no knowledge of its history. According to Disney legend, the old mining town of Rainbow Ridge was founded at the base of the ore-rich Big Thunder Mountain. The volume of valuable ore inside was so much that a special mining train was set up to easily haul the gold from deep inside the mountain. Unknown to the miners, however, Big Thunder was a sacred Native American site; the continual mining angered the Native American spirits to the point that they caused a large earthquake to strike the mining camp of Rainbow Ridge. Initially, the miners fled in terror. When they returned to gather their belongings they discovered that the spirits had possessed the trains and were running them wildly at high paces throughout the mountain. In an entrepreneurial effort to do something at Big Thunder under the mine, they decided to invite tourists (you) to ride on the runaway mining cars.

Guests board one of four runaway mine trains, and then make their way past the old mining town of Rainbow Ridge (the same mining buildings from the previous attraction) and then into a breezy bat cave that leads to an indoor cavern full of colorful boiling pools of water (the old Devil’s Pots from the previous attraction). Up past the main lift and under a waterfall, the adventure begins as the mine trains wildly race through, in, and around Big Thunder Mountain. Three different lift hills power this attraction; the last one features an earthquake effect as boulders begin to tumble down and the walls shake. Just as one of the main boulders give way, the train drops through a break in the mountain and then around the final pond and through a partially-exposed excavation site before pulling back in to Rainbow Ridge.

As a point of trivia, the Big Thunder Mountain runaway mine train concept was originally developed by famed Imagineer Marc Davis as one part of a massive multi-attraction complex intended for Walt Disney World’s Frontierland. For a complete description of this story, including the involvement of then-up-and-coming Imagineer Tony Baxter, read the Splash Mountain review in the Critter Country section of this guide (the connection between this attraction and Splash Mountain is examined in full there).

Touring Tips: This is one of the park’s most popular attractions, and while long lines can easily build, they move fairly quickly thanks to large capacity trains and relatively rapid arrivals at the station. Try to visit before 10am or later in the evening.

Warning: Guests with heart, back, or neck problems are urged not to ride; as are expectant mothers and other guests with conditions which could be aggravated by this adventure.

Family Info: Guests of all ages love this fun-filled attraction, although small children may be frightened. By theme park standards, it is a relatively mild coaster, but like Space Mountain it incorporates several thematic elements which make it seem much more intense than it actually is. Guests must be at least 40” tall in order to ride.

Variations: With minor thematic variances, Big Thunder Mountain Railroad can be found at every Disneyland-style park except Hong Kong Disneyland.

Explore Our Disneyland Guide!

Visit other exciting Frontierland attractions, or visit these other popular Disneyland mountains: Splash Mountain, Matterhorn Bobsleds, and Space Mountain.

While naturally drawn to rain and cloudy days as a personal preference, the weather, clouds and occasional rainbow offer unparalleled views and backdrops, perfect for memories or that truly unique vacation picture (ever see Sleeping Beauty Castle with a slate gray sky and rainbow, or the Tower of Terror against a lightning-filled night sky? Truly magnificent). The lack of crowds make almost any ride an immediate walk-on, especially with water rides like Splash Mountain and Grizzly River Run (hey, you’re already wet from the rain, what harm can there be?). One rainy afternoon about a year ago I walked through Frontierland and counted no more than twelve people in my sight, not including Cast Members; the feeling of having the Happiest Place on Earth all to yourself is unlike any other Disney experience.

Of course, a rainy day in the parks isn’t for everyone.  Those traveling with young children or senior citizens may want to take special considerations. Otherwise, there are a few tips to help you make the most out of your rainy day visit, and a few words on what to expect with attractions in the rain:

• At the first sign of rain, nearly every shop and vendor will suddenly pop out with piles of ponchos for sale, all sporting the “Disney Parks Worldwide logo”. One convenience is the ponchos are see-through, helping to keep parties together. If you become separated from your child, you can still identify them, as they won’t be lost in a sea of yellow ponchos. However, we recommend an alternative dressing style rather than buying the ponchos. The rain usually isn’t very heavy for long, and the ponchos seal in your body heat, creating a very humid, very uncomfortable greenhouse environment that will leave you feeling drained. Try this next idea instead:
• As an alternative to the ponchos, dress in layers. A thermal shirt, regular t-shirt and a hooded sweatshirt usually work best for me, followed by jeans and a good pair of shoes. Make sure the shoes are thick enough so water won’t bleed through easily, and also make sure to bring an extra pair or two of socks. Warm, dry socks can make your whole body feel instantly re-energized.
• Due partially to the exposed weather and partially to guest demand, not all dining locations will be open all day, or some (such as churro carts or New Orleans vendors) will close early. You’ll still be able to find food in the park, but you may be filtered into one of the park’s enclosed dining facilities, which is usually a bit pricier than just buying a hot dog and soda. Most gift shops will remain open all day.
• Some attractions will cease operation in the rain. This isn’t due to guest demand, but rather due to safety or mechanical issues that affect the operation. This will be in addition to attractions that are currently down for regular maintenance (call 714-781-4565 for a list of these attractions). The attractions to be closed during rain include: all Main Street Vehicles, Mad Tea Party, Alice in Wonderland, Storybook Land Canal Boats and Astro-Orbiter in Disneyland Park, and Maliboomer, Mulholland Madness, and Flik’s Fun Fair in Disney’s California Adventure.
• Some outdoor shows and performances, including parades and fireworks, may be cancelled.

This week’s header image is Copyright 2010 Disney-Pixar.