He Gives Disneyland Advice For A Living. These Are His Tips For Having The Best Day Ever

Arrive early — aliases enactment precocious — for debased hold times.

Be wary of rushing consecutive to nan astir celebrated attractions astatine nan park, arsenic galore others will person that identical strategy.

If you don’t mind being divided up, return advantage of nan azygous rider line, particularly connected a showcase attraction specified arsenic Radiator Springs Racers.

Every Disneyland regular has tips, time-saving, stress-reducing ideas to heighten your time astatine nan park.

So erstwhile I had nan opportunity to talk to Chris Mortensen, 1 of nan Disneyland Resort’s longest-tenured picnic planners, I wanted to cognize his.

Mortensen precocious celebrated his 40th twelvemonth pinch nan company, and has spent much than 20 of them successful his existent domiciled arsenic head of West Coast Travel Operations. That intends a important portion of his occupation is talking connected nan telephone pinch those who want proposal connected really to scheme their Disneyland days.

He comes from a Disney family. His woman has spent astir 30 years pinch nan resort, and 1 of their children is besides a formed member. If anyone should cognize really to scheme a typical time astatine Disneyland, it’s Mortensen.

One of his cardinal pieces of advice: Decide what’s astir important to you arsenic a guest. “Is it a thrill ride? Is it entertainment? Is it food?” Mortensen asks. “One of nan things that I for illustration to show group is that you’re going to person a really engaged day, but return clip for yourself.”

Here are immoderate of Mortensen’s different favourite parkland tips. We steered nan speech to Southern California locals, and those who whitethorn want a small glimpse of what makes Disneyland truthful special.

Get astir nan parkland by train

Here’s 1 hint, disconnected nan bat, that Mortensen says he gives astir everyone: “Use nan Disneyland Railroad arsenic a shape of transportation. Yes, it’s a awesome small attraction. Seeing nan dinosaurs is 1 of my favorites. But it’s besides a awesome measurement to get from 1 spot to another. If you’re connected Main Street and don’t want to locomotion each nan measurement backmost to spot ‘Bluey,’ jump connected nan railway. It’s a awesome measurement to get a small rest, and acquisition nan park.”

Decompress astatine Disneyland’s astir tranquil spot

Disneyland’s Snow White Grotto is simply a tranquil spot overlooked by galore guests.

(Todd Martens / Los Angeles Times)

Mortensen notes that it’s intolerable to spot each Disneyland has to connection successful a azygous day, but alternatively than stressing astir rushing from attraction to attraction, prioritize those that are important to you, and past return a breather astatine immoderate overlooked parkland elements, particularly those that adhd to its beauty and tranquility. I couldn’t work together more, and was pleased erstwhile Mortensen singled retired 1 of my favourite places successful nan park: nan Snow White Grotto, which is connected a way connected nan eastbound broadside of Sleeping Beauty Castle.

Sculpted by Leonida Parma from Carrara marble, nan first figures have, according to Disney’s instrumentality nine D23, been since replaced by fiberglass ones built from nan original molds. The 8 figures are still a sight, and Disney legendary designer John Hench constructed nan fountain that holds them successful 1960. The characteristic figures, successful nan midst of a postulation of jutting rocks and log bridges surrounding a serene waterfall, are each nan aforesaid height, truthful Hench utilized forced position illusions to make it look for illustration Snow White was towering complete nan dwarf sculpts.

“The Snow White wishing good — you won’t find that anyplace [else],” Mortensen says. “Bring a 4th and flip it in, acquisition that.”

Take clip for nan Sleeping Beauty Castle Walkthrough, a lesser-known attraction

Don’t slumber connected nan Sleeping Beauty Castle Walkthrough astatine Disneyland.

(Todd Martens / Los Angeles Times)

“People don’t cognize astir it,” Mortensen says of nan self-guided mini-tour that tells nan communicative of Princess Aurora.

Indeed, I had nan Sleeping Beauty Castle Walkthrough to myself 1 precocious Sunday morning. The attraction, champion knowledgeable pinch patience successful mind, is mostly inspired by nan artwork of Eyvind Earle. Earle’s approach, aft all, is designed to carrier us, to spot america successful lush, fairy-tale-like environments that incorporate an ever-so-slightly foreboding atmosphere.

Think of this arsenic a mini-art assemblage wherever illuminated dioramas outpouring to life and toggle shape earlier us. The walk-through was updated pinch caller effects and artwork successful 2008 but dates to 1957.

It’s Disneyland. Order nan iconic turkey leg.

Mortensen and I intelligibly person different palates. If I’m recommending a must-try Disney snack, it’s not nan churro. It’s nan maize dog. Mortensen, however, is voting for nan turkey leg. A brave choice, I believe, arsenic it’s a hefty point and, well, a batch of reliable meat. Mortensen, however, made his case.

“It’s unique,” he says. “Yes, you tin get a churro, but wherever other tin you locomotion astir and conscionable virtually wound retired of a turkey leg? It’s astir trying to create memories. Every clip we person conversations pinch someone, it’s about, ‘What’s going to make a representation for you?’ You’re ever going to retrieve stepping astir Disneyland arsenic a 5- aliases 6-year-old small boy aliases woman pinch a turkey leg.”

Turn It’s a Small World into a scavenger hunt

Cinderella is 1 of nan galore Disney characters that was added to It’s a Small World successful nan precocious 2000s.

(Todd Martens / Los Angeles Times)

Mortensen had my attraction erstwhile he declared It’s a Small World a must-do attraction astatine nan park. After all, nan Mary Blair-styled vessel excursion is my favorite Disneyland ride.

Mortensen highlights a erstwhile controversial but now beloved precocious 2000s renewal that added much than 2 twelve Disney and Pixar characters to nan attraction. When riding It’s a Small World, he says, effort to spot arsenic galore arsenic possible. Disneyland moreover precocious placed Miguel from “Coco” successful nan ride. Focusing connected nan scavenger hunt, says Mortensen, helps move a acquainted attraction into 1 that feels fresh.

“There’s much to it than conscionable riding nan attraction,” he says.

Spot specifications successful nan windows of Main Street

Enjoying a horse-drawn travel astir Main Street, U.S.A., is simply a relaxing commencement to a Disneyland day.

(Todd Martens / Los Angeles Times)

Disneyland’s introductory onshore is simply a joy. Often, I commencement my time pinch a thrust connected 1 of Disneyland’s horse-drawn carriages, which task from nan ft of Main Street, U.S.A., to nan Sleeping Beauty Castle and back. It’s a relaxing measurement to settee into nan taxable parkland and return a look astatine nan exquisite designs of nan Main Street buildings, which galore guests unreserved past connected their measurement to 1 of nan park’s galore rides.

Mortensen wanted to telephone circumstantial attraction to Main Street’s windows, which observe those who were integral to nan improvement of nan park. Many are nods to famed Disneyland designers. Most recently, nan parkland awarded a window to nan just-retired Kim Irvine and her mother, Leota Toombs. Irvine and Toombs were longtime creatives pinch Walt Disney Imagineering captious to nan improvement of nan park.

“I emotion to constituent retired nan windows connected Main Street,” Mortensen says. “If you and I were stepping in, that’s what I would do. I’d drawback a container of popcorn, and conscionable constituent retired 2 aliases 3 of nan names. Some group you whitethorn recognize. Some group you whitethorn not.”

And I surely won’t reason pinch popcorn for breakfast.

This week successful SoCal taxable parks

Disney fable Don Iwerks died past week astatine 96.

(Lori Shepler / Los Angeles Times)

• A fable was lost. Don Iwerks, whose inventiveness helped toggle shape Disney’s taxable parks, died July 9 astatine nan property of 96, reported the Walt Disney Co. For Disney and his ain studio, Iwerks Entertainment, Iwerks helped create technologies and techniques for illustration Circle-Vision, nan 360-degree camera down “America nan Beautiful” and different early Disney attractions, and nan 3D effects utilized successful attractions for illustration Captain EO and Star Tours. He besides had awesome contributions to nan world of cinema, instrumental, particularly, successful nan effects sequences of “Mary Poppins.” Read much astir Iwerks in The Times’ obituary by Corinne Purtill.
  
• Fiesta Village is nary more. The Inland Empire amusement park, which stood for much than 50 years, closed for bully past weekend. A halfway for mini golf, roller skating and go-karting, Fiesta Village announced nan closure past week, citing rising cognition costs and declining attendance.
  
• Montezooma’s Revenge is back. The reimagined coaster, now known arsenic Montezooma: The Forbidden Fortress, is group to return to Knott’s Berry Farm connected Monday. Shuttered for nan past 4 years, nan thrust has fundamentally been rebuilt, now featuring enhanced Aztec theming, caller trains and a modern motorboat system. Look for a study connected nan remade coaster adjacent week.
  
• It’s almost Halloween season. Disneyland successful mid-August will motorboat its Oogie Boogie Bash, Universal will travel successful early September pinch Halloween Horror Nights and Knott’s Berry Farm isn’t acold down pinch its Knott’s Scary Farm. The second is nan longest-running Halloween arena successful nan Southland, and defined nan maze-focused haunt formula. Tickets are now connected waste for each 3 happenings.
  
• Happy 71st anniversary, Disneyland! On Friday, Disneyland will move 71. While nan juncture won’t beryllium arsenic expansive as nan 70th anniversary, which has been celebrated for nan past twelvemonth and will fundamentally proceed up until nan commencement of nan park’s Halloween activities, nan Anaheim taxable parkland typically recognizes nan day pinch immoderate ray festivities for guests. Think, perhaps, a characteristic cavalcade aliases immoderate specialty treats.

Tell america your stories. Ask america your questions.

Have a taxable parkland communicative to share? Whether it was a bully time aliases less-than-perfect day, I would emotion to perceive astir it. Have a question? A tip? A nosy photograph from nan parks to share? Email maine astatine todd.martens@latimes.com. I whitethorn characteristic your statement successful an upcoming newsletter.

Ride on,

Todd Martens

P.S.

The first news for those who purchased Disneyland’s specially priced $59 nighttime ticket is good. While now sold-out, Disneyland launched nan promotional evenings this past Sunday, and nan parkland didn’t look flooded pinch twilight guests. Attendance was continuing a summertime trend of being comparatively light, and though hold times accrued successful nan evening, thing was headache-inducing.

At times, moreover showcase attraction Star Wars: Rise of nan Resistance stood astatine astir 40 minutes, pinch Space Mountain often showing a akin hold time. Most rides, however, were moreover much approachable, topping disconnected astatine astir 25 minutes passim nan night. Since nan evening summons only gives guests a sensation of Disneyland — 5 hours worthy — it’s a affirmative motion that nan event’s opening nighttime kept things manageable, providing those who bought successful astatine a fund value a premier experience.