The Disneyland Book of Secrets 2014: One Local's Unauthorized, Rapturous and Indispensable Guide to the Happiest Places on Earth (216 page)

Disney Dollars

The
Disneyland Resort
, and other
Disney Resorts
and
Theme Parks
, really are empires unto themselves, intricately realized worlds with their own leadership, infrastructure, calendars, and codes of conduct.  Why should it be surprising that
Disney
should have its own currency–or that that currency is so beautifully rendered, and so much fun? 
Disney Dollars
are currency valid only at select locations like
Disney Theme Parks
and
Disney Stores
. 
Disney Dollars
are printed on high-quality paper, have unique serial numbers, and the designs incorporate
Disney
characters and are colorful and enchanting.  As with real currency, the designs change over time.  The theme of 2009
Disney Dollars
, for example, was “
Celebration
” in keeping with
Disney
’s 2009 “
Celebrate
” campaign aimed at encouraging people to visit
Disney Theme Parks
to celebrate events and milestones of their lives, and even ordinary days.  The 2013 theme was
Villains and Heroes
.  What’s on deck for 2014?  According to a 2013
Disney Parks
survey,
Disney
is considering introducing high denomination or unusual denomination (e.g. $23) bills, also holiday-themed,
Disney
movie-themed, or park attraction-themed
Disney Dollars
.  So, someday soon Guests might be able to collect a
Matterhorn
or
Star Wars
or $55
Disney
bill!
Disney Dollars
are printed in different denominations and their cost is their face value—there’s no additional fee.  If you purchase $20 worth of
Disney Dollars
, for example, they are worth $20 in the parks and at
Disney Stores
.  The
Disney Dollars
never expire.  At the
Disneyland Resort
, you can purchase
Disney Dollars
at
City Hall
in
Disneyland Park
, at the
Chamber of Commerce
in
Disney California Adventure
, at the
Resort Hotels
, and at
World of Disney
in
Downtown Disney
.  Some Guests find
Disney Dollars
so lovely that they collect them or save them as keepsakes rather than spend them.  If you do spend them, try to keep a level head; remember, they
look
like elegant toy money, but they’re equivalent to real cash.  Don’t let their
Disney
characters and sparkling pixie dust lull you into letting them run through your fingers faster than the rapids of
Grizzly River Run
! For more about the history and designs of
Disney Dollars
, you might find it interesting to visit
www.disneydollars.net
.

Disney Magic

Please see “Magic” and “Magical Moments” entries.

Disney Pins

Please s
ee “Pins” entry.

Dream Makers

Disney Dream Makers
are consultants who can help you plan and organize the delivery of an amazing
Disney
-themed gift, gift basket, or gift card to a friend or family member’s hotel room when they’re staying at the
Disneyland Resort
or a nearby participating hotel.  The
Dream Makers
can also arrange for the friend or loved one’s hotel room to be decorated for a special celebration.  If you want to make someone’s anniversary, birthday, family reunion, promotion, etc. extra special, and they’re celebrating the occasion at or near the
Disneyland Resort
, call the
Dream Makers
at (714) 781-GIFT or (714) 781-4438 at least 72 hours before your friend or loved one’s visit.  This can be a particularly nice gesture if you are unable to attend the celebration in person.  The special touches and plush
Disney Fab Five
dolls make it worth the investment.  For more information online, go to
www.disneyland.disney.go.com
and check out the “Give a Magical Experience” section.

Ear Hats

Disney
-themed hats with
Mickey Mouse
ears are
Ear Hats
, and you can find a huge selection of them at stores throughout the park.  Prime shopping locations if you want an
Ear Hat
are the aptly named
Mad Hatter
in
Fantasyland
and
The Mad Hatter Shop
on
Main Street
.  Cast Members used to stitch your name on the back of the hats for free, but the harsh economic climate of 2008 onward impacted even
Disneyland
; embroidered names now cost $3+.  You used to be able to build your own
Ear Hat
at the
Gag Factory
/
Toontown Five & Dime
in
Mickey’s Toontown
; their foundation hats included
Robin Hood
and sheriff hats in addition to the traditional
Mickey
or
Minnie
base; unfortunately, that experience is no longer offered.  But
Disney Parks
’ profusion of
Ear Hats
has increased over the years.  Just as some Guests collect
Disney pins
, some collect
Ear Hats
.  These days you can also find specialty choices like bridal veil
Ear Hats
for new or wanna-be brides.  When it comes to
Ear Hats
, your imagination is pretty much the limit! 
Disneyland
dubbed 2013
The Year of the Ear
as part of its
Limited Time Magic
, and rolled out exciting new hats and headbands every month.  Where did
Ear Hats
originate?  On October 3, 1955, just shy of four months after
Disneyland
opened,
The Mickey Mouse Club
television program first aired on
ABC
. Airing in the 5 pm timeslot, the show was so popular it bumped it bumped NBC’s “Howdy Doody Show” (which ran at 5:30 pm, in the middle of the
Mickey Mouse Club
) to Saturday mornings.
Mickey Mouse Club
members wore
Ear Hats
that resembled
Mickey
’s ears.  In time,
Disneyland
began to sell the simple
Ear Hats
to its Guests.  Eventually their designs became more sophisticated and more varied, but at heart these hats remain one of the simplest and most universally beloved tributes to
Mickey Mouse
.

Elder Safety

Thanks to healthy foods, exercise regimens, and modern medicine, m
any elderly people today are as spry and healthy as their younger friends and kin (sometimes spryer and healthier!), and no special provision needs to be made for them.  The seniors in our family are in great shape, taking long walks and swims daily (knock on wood).  But if you have ill or frail elders in your group, you might want to be aware that there are defibrillators (AED’s) available near every rest room throughout the parks.  These defibrillators are housed in white metal boxes marked with can’t-be-missed red lettering.  They should be used by trained personnel, but in the event of a cardiac emergency everyone in your party should know where they’re located.  If your elder party member has a history of getting lost or confused, keep an eye on him or her just as you would with your kids.  Be sure your name and cell phone number are written on a piece of paper in their pocket or pinned inside their jacket, so that if you become separated they or whoever finds them can contact you.  Be sure your ill or fragile elders are warm enough or cool enough, depending on the weather, and shielded from rain or sun.  Keep them fed, hydrated, and comfortable.  If they require a Wheelchair or Electric Convenience Vehicle (ECV) you can rent one just outside
Disneyland
’s
Main Turnstiles
.  The rental fees are $12 for wheelchairs and $50 for ECVs, with a refundable $20 deposit.  Elderly or disabled Guests conveyed in wheelchairs or ECVs, and the party accompanying them, follow special directions for loading at most attractions; ask Cast Members at each location for instructions.  If an attraction is too vigorous for your elder, skip it, or ask Cast Members if there’s an alternative.  There’s a wheelchair entrance for the play area of
Tarzan’s Treehouse
, for example, tucked away near
Pirates of the Caribbean
, and there’s a virtual tour of
Sleeping Beauty Castle Walkthrough
for those unable to climb the stairs. 
Disneyland
activities popular with and safe for frail seniors seem to be the daily
Parades
and nightly
Fireworks
(but viewed from a less congested location than the castle),
Fantasmic!
(again,
not
crushed at the heart of a crowd), shopping, dining, riding the
Main Street Vehicles
, listening to the
Disneyland Band
, hearing
Billy Hill & the Hillbillies
at the
Golden Horseshoe
or
Big Thunder Ranch Jamboree
area, or relaxing in one of the charming, serene park nooks.  Attractions like the
Fantasyland
dark rides,
“it’s a small world
,
”
The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh
, and the
Disneyland Story featuring
Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln
capture seniors’ imagination without any drops, twists, or sudden stops and starts.  Over in
DCA
,
Monster’s Inc.
and
Muppet*Vision
3D
are a lot of fun but gentle enough for the frailest elder, as is perusing the
Imagineers
’ latest designs at the
Blue Sky Cellar
or checking out the
Sorcerer’s Workshop
at the
Animation Academy
.  Depending on your elder’s medical and mental condition, you’ll want to avoid all of the roller coasters, the rattling jolt of the
Indiana Jones Adventure
, the drenching, stomach-flopping
Splash Mountain
plunge, the 4D scares of “
Captain EO
” and “
It’s Tough to Be a Bug!
”, supersonic simulator experiences like
Star Tours
, spinning journeys like
Mad Tea Party
and
Roger Rabbit’s Car Toon Spin
, and the stunning drops of
The Twilight Zone Tower
of Terror
(about 13 stories).  You might want to avoid
Pirates of the Caribbean
as well, if the two initial flume drops are too much for the senior in your party.  Thrill rides aside, there are plenty of fun things for elders to do.  I’m often chagrined to see elders neglected, parked alone near attraction exits waiting for the rest of their group.  Be sure to build some senior-friendly choices into your itinerary and make sure everyone’s having a good time.

Disneyland and Disney California Adventure AED locations:


                     
Next to all Rest Rooms.

FastPass System

Disney
created
FastPasses
to diffuse the insane queues that were jamming the most popular attractions.  Believe it or not, the first
FastPass
attraction was “
it’s a small world”
.  Guests who don’t want to wait in a long line at popular rides can visit the
FastPass Distribution
point for the attraction that interests them (provided the attraction is part of the
FastPass
system).  You step up to one of the dispenser machines when it’s your turn, insert your
Annual Pass
or your park ticket, and receive a pass that tells you when you can return to the attraction.  The pass used to display a window of time for you to return, e.g. “10:10am – 11:10am”.  That used to be a
suggested
window of time.  An unwritten
Disneyland
policy meant you could return to the attraction any time during that day
after
the earliest authorized return time up until the park closed.  However, beginning in February 2013,
Disneyland
started enforcing
FastPass
return windows.  Now, you must, must,
must
return within the one-hour period stipulated on the
FastPass
.  Late returns will not be honored (unless you stumble across a Cast Member who’s rebellious or ultra laid-back and ignores the
FastPass
rules–and you can’t count on that).  Why the change?  A
Soarin’
Cast Member explained that
FastPass
lines were becoming glutted during the evening and night hours, because Guests saved up their
FastPasses
all day, making some so-called
FastPass
lines nearly as long as the regular queues.  Is the new enforcement of
FastPass
return windows decreasing
FastPass
traffic jams at night?  According to the Cast Member, yes, and substantially so.  When you return to your
FastPass
attraction within the approved time window, find the
FastPass Entrance
and show your
FastPass
to the Cast Member posted there.  You’ll be waved into a special queue with little to no waiting.  Hang onto your
FastPass
.  At some point along that queue, where you merge back into the main group of Guests, a second Cast Member will collect your
FastPass
.  It feels sweet to sweep into your favorite attraction like a VIP!  Enjoy! 
Note Bene
:  When you obtain a
FastPass
, you have to wait awhile before you can get another one, so use them wisely.  The time at which you’re allowed to get another one will be posted in small print on your
FastPass
.  If you have a favorite
E-ticket
attraction, you might want to snag a
FastPass
for that attraction first.  Incredibly popular attractions like
Indiana Jones Adventure
,
Space Mountain
,
and
Splash Mountain
(
Disneyland
) and
Soarin’ Over California
(
DCA
) sometimes run out of
FastPasses
well before evening, so that’s all the more reason to hit those
FastPass Distribution
stations as early as possible.  During off-season periods, some attractions are disconnected from the
FastPass
system.