Again, it is designed to resemble the main street of a small town in Middle America (Disney himself was from Marceline, Missouri) in the early 20th century; this is before World War I and the Great Depression. It is somewhat idealized, but it is also beautifully designed, and it is an interesting place in it's own right.
There are a few rides, but there is nothing exciting or fast-paced. At the same time, everyone coming in or out of the park (with the exception of people using the Monorail to get to Downtown Disney) comes through here, so it is always bustling, and not feeling particularly quiet. However, there is a lot of entertainment, so you can sit and let the attractions come to you.
All of the rides are old-fashioned modes of transportation. First of all, you have the Main Street Station for the Disneyland Railroad. There are also stops in New Orleans Square, Mickey's Toon Town, and Tomorrowland, and you can use the train just to get from one part of the park to another, but we always take a full circuit at least once. You see a few decorative parts that you would not normally see, coming in behind buildings and scenery. You get to cut through Splash Mountain and catch a glimpse of the animatronics there.
Also, and this is our favorite, there is a tunnel where you go past scenes from the Grand Canyon, both in the modern age and in the times of the dinosaurs (specifically, we see triceratops and tyrannosaurus, so let's say Cretaceous). There are more impressive sets and animatronics all over the park, but we have a fondness for this one.
The other rides are classified as the Main Street Vehicles, and they are all different one-way rides going either up or down Main Street. When you enter the park, the first thing you see is the train station, and you can take a tunnel on the left or the right that takes you into a green space where they have character greetings and seasonal decorations. It is like a small park, as is Central Plaza at the other end (right before Sleeping Beauty Castle) where they have the statue of Walt Disney and Mickey. The vehicles run you between these two points.
Honestly, they are all kind of similar, but each with their own twist. So you can tell the horseless carriage from the fire truck, because the fire truck has a roof and the jitney is open. The horse-drawn trolley has the horse, and then the double decker bus clearly two stories. They are smaller than a regular omnibus or trolley would be, navigating a relatively small space, but they are pretty comfortable and make frequent runs.
Obviously you are not riding them for the thrill, but just for the experience. I think we have ridden each one at this point, but we don't prioritize them. We do still get excited seeing horses.
Main Street Cinema: It's been a while since we have been to this one. You stand in the middle, and there are six screens around, and each screen is playing a different classic Disney cartoon. It can be a fun idea, but it can also be a little boring. Maybe that is true for most of Main Street in a way, but I still like it.
The Disneyland Story presenting Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln: I guess this can seem a little cheesy too, but I love Abraham Lincoln, and it's kind of a nice tribute. It is old-fashioned, but you just have to enjoy the moment. And, in the words of Jay Pritchett, you get a robot president. This is true, and it is cool, but you should know that it starts out with narration and paintings, and you only get the animatronic Lincoln towards the end.
When you are entering the park and having your passes scanned, there are maps and schedules. Grab one and check the entertainment options. It is not foolproof. We wanted to see the Dapper Dans, and they pop up in different spots, so we caught a glimpse of them but they were not nearby. However, we did get a chance to watch the Firehouse Five, right in front of the firehouse, as well as another band, and between the two various characters performed as well, including Chip and Dale, Goofy, and Cruella DeVil. Sometimes it's worth just hanging out.
For food and shopping, each area has it's unique draws, and various specialty items. Facing the Central Plaza, you have several interesting shops on the right. We love the left though. You start with City Hall, which houses Guest Services. This is where you would go for lost children, but this is also where you get your celebration buttons, or work out issues with gift cards, and they always seem to know the answer. The firehouse, where so much entertainment occurs, is right next door.
Next to that is the Emporium, and this is the ultimate store for Disney things. They have a bit of everything. As you work your way up you will also find an amazing candy store that is just fun to look around in. The Gibson Girl Ice Cream Parlor is also on this side, and no, it's not significantly different than Clarabelle's on Buena Vista Street, but that works well. If you are heading on your way out of the park, but not quite ready to be gone, stopping for ice cream and soaking up the atmosphere is completely reasonable.
And again, I said this before, but pick up some of the Blue Ribbon Chocolate Chip Cookies when you get a chance.
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment