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New Orleans Square was the first new land added to Disneyland after its 1955
opening. Joining the park on the west end, at the edge of Adventureland and
Frontierland, it is also the only new land added prior to Walt Disney's
death, though the update was not quite complete before his passing. This
land is my favorite to visit because it incorporates all that is great about
Walt Disney's legacy. Unlike the original areas, he had virtually unlimited
funds to make the area exactly as he wanted. And since most of the planning
took place prior to his death, Walt included touches that may have been
eliminated in today's bottom line oriented culture.
 | Pirates of the Caribbean
 | To me, this is the ride that made Disneyland the wonder of the
world that we know today. Sure, it was a great park with wonderfully
themed attractions before, but the complete world you entered with
Pirates was something I will always keep with me. If you've only
seen the Orlando version, be aware that this one is far superior. |
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| The Haunted Mansion
| I was born in Southern California, and my family made annual
trips to Disneyland until we moved to Texas. Unfortunately, our move
to Texas was just as Disneyland finally opened the Haunted Mansion.
As a result, it was quite a few years before I finally got see this
wonder of a ride (curiously, I saw the Orlando version years before
I saw it in Anaheim). Bringing together all they know, this is a
technological wonder. Could it be improved? See below. |
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| The Disney Gallery
| As anyone with a familiarity with Disneyland's history knows,
the area above the Pirates queue was originally built as an
apartment for Walt and Roy to use for entertaining personal guests.
Sadly, Walt died just before the apartment's completion, and it was
never used for this purpose. Instead it has been used as an art
gallery for concepts related to Disneyland. While shopping is one of
its purposes, the place is well worth a visit to the curious. |
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| The Disneyland Railroad
| When Disneyland opened, this stop was the Frontierland station
but due to the retheming for New Orleans, is now the New Orleans
Square station. On this leg of the journey, you will pass first
through Splash Mountain, seeing the largest scene of the ride. Next,
you'll pass through Critter Country where you see the Winnie the
Pooh attraction. As you continue around, you'll see parts of the
Rivers of America as well as the site of the Festival of Fools show
which is no longer in production. After a trip through a tunnel
(watch out for those fumes), you'll emerge at the Toontown (formerly
Fantasyland) station. |
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| The Nightmare Before Christmas
| As great as the Haunted Mansion is, this holiday version is
unbelievable. Be sure to visit October-December to see this. |
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| Dining
| Blue Bayou: The food is enjoyable (but pricey),
but the atmosphere is what makes this place so great. Be sure to
call the Disneyland Resort for reservations for this one. |
| Mint Julep Bar: If you like the non-alcohol
version of this southern drink (or most any other non-alcohol
drink), this is a quick service counter to pick it up. It's between
the train tracks and the buildings toward the back of the area. |
| French Market: Cafeteria service with a great
menu of choices. This is one of my most regular stops in the park. |
| La Petite Patisserie: For lighter selections
quickly, stop here. |
| Cafe Orleans: For a light lunch, this has an
enjoyable menu, though thanks to its menu's unfriendliness toward my
daughter, I have never stopped here. |
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| Shopping
| Pieces of Eight: At the exit of Pirates, you can
pick up related merchandise. |
| Le Bat en Rouge: Once a charming location to pick
up bayou delicacies, this is now a shop themed to the Haunted
Mansion. It has nice stuff, but I miss the old store. |
| La Boutique de Noel: Many of my Christmas
decorations come from here. |
| La Masquarade d'Orleans: For those occasions when
you need a mask for the ball, you'll find what you need here. |
| Jewel of Orleans: Very nice, very expensive. |
| Parasols: This is just a cart near Cafe Orleans.
But if you buy a parasol here, they'll personalize it for you. Nice.
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