It's hard to believe it's already been just over a week since Eliot and I were walking around Disneyland! We had such a magical time, and I'll definitely write more about it when I can. But for now, I wanted to check in with how I did on my Disneyland March 2022 Bucket List! It had been so long since we last visited that I didn't want to forget any of my favorites. While, we didn't get everything accomplished, we did most of it!
Let's dive right in to see how my bucket list turned out!
FOOD
Eat a Tigger Tail
Ok, so I didn't actually eat the Tigger Tail while I was at Disneyland. But I did get one to bring home. I ate it the other day and it was delicious!
One of the only things we missed at Disneyland was the Enchanted Tiki Room. We usually go there, get Dole Whips and eat them during the show. Next time!
Surprisingly, we didn't stop for any Mickey Ice Cream Bars. However, I got my Nestle Toll House Cookie on our first day, and I prefer those anyways. I can get Mickey bars at the grocery store, but those cookie ice cream sandwiches aren't available near us!
Eat a Mickey Mouse Cake Pop
This is another thing that I bought but didn't eat at the parks. I still haven't dug into this yet, but it will probably be a great treat for later on today! Gotta keep that magic alive!
Eat a Churro
Eliot, Elissa and I had plenty of churros. I actually lost count of how many we had... but I'm guessing I had at least three. Eliot ate five in one day... so there's that.
Eat a Macaron
Disneyland is home to many different macarons, but my favorite was always the Alien one at Pizza Planet. I didn't do too much research before our trip, so I was overjoyed when I found out that it was still available. It's like a slice of heaven!
We had plenty of treats at Disneyland... one of those giant ice cream bowls wasn't in the cards this trip. I really just wanted the souvenir bowls anyways. Hopefully we can get them in September or have Eliot's Mom get them for us at some point!
I was really disappointed when we finally went to Bing Bong's store and they didn't have the Bing Bong candy apple. Apparently, Disney hasn't been doing it since the pandemic. There weren't any Russell cake pops either. I was bummed out.
Get a Mint Julep and Mickey Beignets (on Mardi Gras)
We did stop to get treats on Mardi Gras! In fact, we were there early enough in they day that Eliot and I got some beads from a cast member passing them out. We were just sitting at our table waiting for Eliot's family to get the food and she handed them to us! The beads were a nice touch and made for a great photo with our treats and ears!
Bring Home Candy Apples
Eliot bought me a Sorcerer Mickey and Minnie Mouse candy apple. I still haven't eaten those yet either, but I've got them on my radar for this week!
Bring Mickey Sourdough Bread Home
Eliot got his Mickey sourdough bread. It's currently in the freezer since we ate so much while in California. I'm sure we'll dig into that soon too!
SHOPPING
Visit the Dress Shop (Downtown Disney)
I made it to the Dress Shop, but I was sorely disappointed in how little they had. There were a few newer dresses, but nothing that I had to have. I had been looking forward to being able to try things on in person, but instead I only bought a small patch.
Visit Wonderground (Downtown Disney)
This is probably the most dangerous store on Disneyland Resort property. Eliot and I are obsessed with Disney artwork, and Wonderground always has the best selection of artwork and postcards. We left with about 10 new postcards for my growing collection, one new artwork print as well as a few other treasures!
Visit the Disney Home Store (Downtown Disney)
I love the Disney Home store and getting inspiration there! I behaved myself, but I did take a bunch of pictures. There are some new kitchen items that Eliot and I might have his Mom pick up for us when we get our tax refund!
Visit World of Disney (Downtown Disney)
You can't go to Downtown Disney without stopping at World of Disney! This is the first time Eliot and I have seen the updated Disneyland version. I love how they decorated it- in the same style as the Disney Springs store. We were pretty good here too, only buying a few lanyards, but it was fun to check everything out!
Visit Knick’s Knacks (Pixar Store) (California Adventure)
I love Knick Knack's store. It's my favorite Pixar Short so I love the display outside, but inside it's a fresh store that reminds me of fun and colorful animation. This is the place to go if you want to find anything Pixar. We didn't get anything, but we did talk to the animator for a few minutes after he finished his Lightning McQueen drawing!
Visit Emporium (Disneyland)
You can't go to Disneyland without visiting the Emporium. However, Eliot and I actually weren't in there very much this trip. The shirt he wanted from the first day sold out by our 5th day. I did purchase two rings from there on our last day. Before we left on our last day, Eliot also bought a few of our plush toys from the Emporium.
Visit Elias and Co (California Adventure)
This is the Emporium of California Adventure. We actually spent more time in this store than the Emporium at Disneyland. They had a bunch of fun things to check out and since we had more downtime at California Adventure, we spent more time here!
Visit the Lego Store (Downtown Disney)
Eliot and I love going to the Lego Store, but this particular visit wasn't so happy. We found out that they were retiring the Disney Train Station set and someone literally purchased the last one they had in stock right as we were entering the store. Boo!
Visit Marceline’s Confectionary (Downtown Disney)
We visited Downtown Disney early in the morning, and I wasn't really in a treats mood after stuffing my face at Goofy's Kitchen. But I did pop in just to check it out!
Visit Disneyana (The Disneyland Art Store)
This is another favorite store of ours. This trip, Eliot and I found some artwork that I wasn't sure if they'd have, but they did and I was so happy! (More about that below.) I also picked up a few more postcards here, and we took photos of some art on demand that we might have Eliot's Mom go back to order for us eventually!
Visit Off the Page (The California Adventure Art Store)
Off the Page is the final art store on property. Eliot and I enjoyed checking everything out at this store. There wasn't as much artwork on display, but I especially loved the giant wall of products from the Jerrod Maruyama collection. Naturally, I also left this store with a few more postcards for my collection!
Visit Bing Bong’s Sweet Stuff (California Adventure)
This store is adorable, but I was really disappointed about the lack of Pixar inspired treats. However, the Bing Bong display in the middle of the store made up for it. He's really cute and I love the glowing rainbow lights along the ceiling!
PHOTOS
Take Photos with the Castle
You can't go to Disneyland without taking photos with Sleeping Beauty Castle!
Take Photos of the Little Man of Disneyland’s House
The first ride of our trip was Indiana Jones and we stopped to take photos with our donkeys and the Little Man of Disneyland's house before entering the line. It still amazes me how so many guests don't even know that it's there hiding in plain sight!
Take Photos of HEH Products
Eliot and I only brought five ears with us, but we did get good photos of most of them!
Take Photos with Characters
We didn't get photos "with" characters, but I really just wanted nice photos of them. I'm counting it because I was more than happy with my character interactions this trip!
Eliot decided not to bring his nice camera into the park. We were there for 4.5 days and we were running around so much. We really didn't have time to use it anyways!
EXPERIENCES
Visit Animation Academy
This trip, we actually went to two back-to-back sessions. I learned how to draw Tigger and then Baymax! Tigger is my one of my favorites and Elissa loves Baymax!
Wave to Mickey and Minnie
I waved to both Mickey and Minnie many times this trip. (More on that below.)
I'm super salty about this. She wasn't in California Adventure when we were there, and I literally read something yesterday that they set up a more permanent meet and greet location for her in Frontierland at Disneyland and it just opened up. We literally missed her by less than a week! Ugh! At least I found an ornament of her...
Go on Rides that I Can’t at WDW (Radiator Springs Racers, Mr. Toad, etc.)
We definitely hit up some Disneyland exclusive rides... Indiana Jones, Casey Jr Train, Radiator Springs Racers, Mr. Toad's Wild Ride, Snow White, and more...
Visit Avengers Campus
We did visit the Avengers Campus. We didn't spend too much time there but we did get an overall feel for the new land. It's really cool all lit up at nighttime too!
Go on the Disneyland Railroad
I love the Disneyland Railroad. I wanted to go on it since the Walt Disney World train has been shut down for so long. But I also wanted to go on it since the Disneyland one is way better than the Magic Kingdom one! There's a whole indoor scene of the Grand Canyon and the time of the dinosaurs with audio animatronics. And don't even get me started on how gorgeous the waterfalls by the river are!
This is admittedly probably not the most exciting thing, but I still don't think I've ever seen it! Next trip, I'll make to make some time to check it out!
Go on my Favorite Attractions (Pirates, Haunted Mansion, It's a Small World)
Eliot and I went on all of our favorites: Pirates, Haunted Mansion, It's a Small World... and he went on both Matterhorn Bobsleds and Space Mountain!
Go on Storybook Land Canal Boats (my Favorite Disneyland Attraction!)
This is seriously the cutest ride ever. I enjoyed going on it so much and looking at all of the little villages and buildings from our favorite fairytale stories!
Check out Pixar Pier (it’s finished now!)
Eliot and I enjoyed seeing the completed Pixar Pier. Jessie's Carousel is adorable with all of the animals. The Inside Out ride is cute, and I loved Bing Bongs Sweet Stuff.
Go to the California Adventure Food & Wine Festival (it opens while we're there!)
We missed the "official" opening day, but they had soft openings on both of our California Adventure days. This worked out in our favor since we missed all of the giant lines of Instagrammers and bloggers on opening day, but we still got to check out the merchandise and try a few of the treats out!
Visit Walt's Candle at the Disneyland Fire Station
As always, I took a few minutes this trip to thank Walt for creating the magic.
THINGS WE DIDN'T EXPECT TO EXPERIENCE
Kiss from Mickey Mouse
There's always a few special things that happen every trip that we aren't expecting; that's part of the magic of Disney. My most special moment this trip happened a few minutes after I walked onto Main Street. We had all separated for some reason, and I was by myself when all of the characters were leaving the Main Street Train Station to go backstage and take a break. I paused to take pictures and wave at them. Mickey was leading the pack and I happened to be on his left side away from a bunch of other guests. I said hi and waved and he proceeded to blow me a kiss. It was all I could do not to fall into a complete pile of mush. I was already pretty emotional about finally being back inside of a Disney park. This was almost too much.
I held it together long enough to wave to Minnie, but I didn't get pictures of her. I did take a few photos of Goofy and Pluto as they passed by. Then, I proceeded to walk to the center of Main Street to get my first look of Sleeping Beauty Castle. That was where I became acquainted with my "crying flowers" and I totally fell apart. Thankfully, Eliot spotted me there and he held me while the tears silently flowed down my face. I pulled myself back together, but it was a pretty overwhelming moment for me.
Disneyland Cherry Trees in Bloom
Another thing that I wasn't expecting this trip was for the cherry trees to be blossoming in the Partners Statue hub. I've always thought that I'd never see them in person, so being there while they were gorgeous was another wonderful experience.
Saw a Hummingbird in Toontown
A lot of people don't stop to smell the roses, but I always try to soak in the details. On our first day there, we were taking photos in Toontown at the gate where I always wanted to take them. While my in-laws were taking their photos, I spotted something buzzing around me. After turning to look at the flowers and tree near me, I realized it was a hummingbird. He kept flitting around me going to the bright pink flowers. I didn't get a photo of him, but it was a beautiful moment I was grateful to experience.
Rode Rise of the Resistance for the First Time
I didn't think Eliot would get me on this... especially when no one else in our party had been on it to tell me what to expect. Eliot's usually my test rider, but I put my faith in him and agreed to do it. It was quite the experience. The ride was immersive and overwhelmingly detailed. I did enjoy it- well, not the ending visual sequence- but most of it was great! Those AT-ATs and that Stormtrooper scene you walk into... wow!
Rode Spiderman Ride fo the First Time
Not only did Eliot get me on one new ride... but he got me on this one too. Admittedly, I didn't know anything about this ride. I actually watched a point of view video on YouTube during our lunch break so I knew what to expect. (Visual 3D rides and my stomach don't get along.) I ended up being ok, but there were a few moments of movement that I had to close my eyes. Ironically, my score beat Eliot's during our first time on the ride and I had my eyes closed for a good part of it!
Saw Stars While at California Adventure
I had another quiet moment during our second night. Everyone else was inside of the Avengers store but I was sitting outside between that and the Monsters Inc ride. I happened to look up at the sky and I could actually see stars! I always assumed that the light pollution wouldn't allow for it, but I was able to see stars and I also spotted the Orion constellation! (I always point him out to Eliot at our house.) That was cool.
Breakfast at Goofy's Kitchen
Eliot's parents surprised us with Goofy's Kitchen on Friday. The reservations were for 7:15 and it was way too early to get up for it, but we enjoyed it and had a really good breakfast. The characters were still dancing by everyone due to COVID, but it was fun to see them. Breakfast was delicious. They also had a large variety of desserts, including mini macarons, so I was pretty much in heaven!
Bought Flower and Garden Festival Spirit Jerseys
While Eliot and I were at Wonderground in Downtown Disney on Friday, we spotted some items from the Flower and Garden Festival at Walt Disney World. There were actually a lot of items that "should" have been only at WDW, but Disneyland had them anyways. However, we were really surprised to find the Orange Bird Spirit Jerseys. Eliot and I decided to buy them- not knowing if they'd be available online or not. (They ended up adding them to Shop Disney this past Friday, but we had ours a week earlier and we got to choose our pattern placement!)
Bought Artwork Canvas from Festival of the Arts
Another thing I wasn't expecting to see was some of the artwork from the Festival of the Arts. A good portion of the artwork eventually goes to the art shops, but I wasn't sure if it was too soon. I'd spotted some artwork from Jason Ratner at Off the Page, but they didn't have his piece that I wanted to get from this year's festival. Disneyana was the last Disneyland art store we went to, and they had the post card version. Eliot and I had a cast member help me find the only print available. When we went back to buy the print, I happened to find the canvas displayed in the far back room. I was so excited. That's the first canvas artwork that Eliot and I have purchased and I was overjoyed. We had it sent home and it should be here sometime this week!
Other Treats
You probably already think that I ate my way through Disneyland (I did) but there's more. On our first California Adventure day, Eliot got me a Jack Jack Cookie. It was still warm and so gooey and yummy! I was disappointed that we couldn't get a Bing Bong candy apple, but the store did at least have some Forky Cake Pops that I didn't know existed. Eliot bought me one on our second California Adventure day and it was delicious. Finally, we also spotted the Pixar Parfait at the Adorable Snowman Frosted Treats. Eliot and I split one of those and it was so good. The top part is lemon soft serve ice cream and the bottom part is blue raspberry swirl (basically an Icee). I couldn't eat much of that but Eliot was more than happy to indulge it this sweet treat!
Disneyland Fireworks
Finally, the last thing that I thought we'd see during our trip was fireworks. I was 100% prepared for no meet and greets, no parades, no stage shows, and no nighttime shows. Fireworks are usually the grand finale of most Disney days, and I was prepared to end the day without a bang. However, at about 8:30 Friday night, Eliot overheard some cast members talking about the fireworks, and that they were doing them. Friday, March 4th, was also my Papa's birthday... and he had been on my mind a lot that day. (Although I didn't utter a word to anyone else about it.) I'm sure he was looking down on us trying to make sure that I had my perfect Disney day ending with the fireworks he loved to watch so much. It was truly the best way to end our last full day at Disneyland, and I'm so grateful that we got to see them!
While we didn't accomplish everything on my bucket list, we got quite a bit done in the 4.5 days we were at Disneyland! (Trust me, my feet and legs will vouch for it!) And 33 out of 40 things isn't bad! I'm really happy with how this turned out! Eliot and I also experienced many magical moments during this trip that we hadn't expected to. This was a wonderful first trip back to the magic after the uncertainty of the pandemic.
I'm looking forward to (hopefully!) enjoying a few more days at the Disneyland Resort this September when Eliot, Jeremy, Dad and I go out for the D23 Expo!!! °o°
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