To make the most of Disneyland - the ultimate corporate-escapist
fantasy and the blueprint for countless imitations worldwide - throw
yourself right into it. Don't think twice about anything and go on every
ride you can. The shockingly high admission price ($43, kids $33; )
includes them all, although during peak periods each one can entail
hours of waiting in line. Remember, too, that the emphasis is on family
fun; the authori-ties take a dim view of anything remotely anti-social
and eject those they consider guilty.
Over four hundred "Imagineers" worked to create the Indiana Jones
Adventure , based on the Steven Spielberg movie franchise. Two hours of
waiting are built into the ride, with an interactive archeological dig
and 1930s-style newsreel show leading up to the main feature - a giddy
journey along 2500ft of skull-encrusted corridors in which you face
fireballs, falling rubble, venomous snakes and, inevitably, a rolling
boulder finale. Disney claims that, thanks to computer engineering, no
two Indiana Jones rides are ever alike. Judge for yourself.
Among the best of the older rides are two in Adventureland : the Pirates
of the Caribbean , a boat trip through underground caverns, giving you
the chance to sing along with animatronic pirates; and the Haunted
Mansion , a riotous "doom buggy" tour in the company of the house spooks.
Fantasyland consists mainly of low-tech fairy-tale rides that won't
scare the kiddies, but is much better than the tedious, dumbed-down
Toontown to the north, a real snooze for adults. Tomorrowland is
Disney's vision of the future, where the Space Mountain roller coaster
zips through the pitch-blackness of outer space, and the Star Tours ride
simulates a journey into the world of George Lucas. This section of the
park has been updated in the last few years with space probes and "rocket
rods," which underscores how Cold War-era this area still remains in its
outlook.
The latest adjunct to Disneyland, taking over a large chunk of its
former parking lot, is the California Adventure , technically a separate
park but quite connected in architecture, style and spirit - it does for
California's history and culture what Epcot Center does for the world's,
namely sanitize most of the fun out of it. Aside from its more exciting
roller coasters and slightly better food, the Adventure is really just
another "land" to visit on your Disney trek, albeit a much bigger and
more expensive one: you cannot get access to both parks with a single-day
admission ticket. Instead, you either have to shell out another $43 or
spend $111 for a three-day pass that covers both - hardly a deal,
considering that an annual pass to either park only runs $28 more.
As for accommodation, try to visit just for the day and spend the night
somewhere else. Most of the hotels and motels nearby cost well in excess
of $75 per night. You're not permitted to bring your own food to either
park; you can only consume the fast-food sold on the premises.
Both Disneyland and the California Adventure are at 1313 Harbor Blvd,
Anaheim, 45 minutes by car from downtown using the Santa Ana Freeway. In
summer, the parks are open daily between 8am and 1am; otherwise opening
hours are weekdays 10am to 6pm, Saturday 9am to midnight, and Sunday 9am
to 10pm. Arrive early; traffic and ride queues quickly become
nightmarish, especially in the summer. For further information ,
including public transportation details, call 714/781-4565.
|
