In the Loop: How to do Disneyland solo and all of Disney World in a day
Welcome to another edition of In the Loop, the L.A. Times' theme park newsletter. I’m Funland theme park blogger Brady MacDonald, and this week we take a look at the challenges of visiting Disneyland solo and the art of tackling all four Disney World parks in a day.
Going solo
Todd Martens, who writes about video games and music for The Times, offers one of the most unique and personal stories I’ve ever read about Disneyland: How to tackle the Anaheim theme park all by yourself.
Writes Todd: “Alone has become my preferred way to visit Disneyland; alone and with reading material, to be precise. Yes, there are negatives. Sometimes it inspires weird looks. Another time a prospective girlfriend said it was ‘creepy.’â€
But going solo has its benefits beyond having to answer to no one.
Disneyland is really one of the happiest places to embrace your solitary adventurer, says a single-rider devotee. Here is a collection of his Instagram snaps.
(Todd Martens / Los Angeles Times)
Four parks, one day
A New York Times travel writer and coaster enthusiast does what few would dare: Visit all four Walt Disney World theme parks in a single day. While some might call it crazy, it is possible with patience, stamina and a solid pair of walking shoes.
Alien land
I take a look at what to expect at Avatar Land, currently under construction at Disney’s Animal Kingdom in Florida. The new themed land will be populated by blue-skinned Na'vi people, bioluminescent trees and flying banshees from the 2009 "Avatar" movie.
The alien land’s marquee attraction will be an E-Ticket banshee flight simulator similar to Soarin’ at Epcot and Soarin’ Over California at Disney California Adventure.
(Disney)
Surprise winners
The annual Theme Park Insider awards offer up a few surprises this year, with Indiana’s Holiday World nabbing best new coaster honors with the Thunderbird launched wing coaster, and Six Flags getting the nod for best new attraction for the Justice League: Battle for Metropolis dark rides at its parks in Texas and Missouri.
(Six Flags)
Going dark
Cedar Fair Chief Executive Matt Ouimet tells the Sandusky Register that he hopes to add one or two dark rides a year to his chain of amusement parks, with a pirate-themed dark ride planned for Ohio’s Cedar Point.
Sad news
An errant bullet struck a 26-year-old woman in the upper chest on the Fourth of July at Pennsylvania’s Kennywood amusement park. Police believe the gunshot came from outside the park, possibly from a Fourth of July reveler. The woman is expected to make a full recovery.
A 22-year-old man who was killed when he launched fireworks from his head on the Fourth of July worked at Disney World as the meet-and-greet characters Goofy and Gaston, the latter from “Beauty and the Beast.â€
Disney legend
You may not know his name, but if you’re a Disney fan you probably know his work. The Orange County Register writes about the death of Disney Imagineer Blaine Gibson, who worked as an animator on "Fantasia," "Bambi" and "Peter Pan" and later sculpted figures for Disneyland audio-animatronics in the Haunted Mansion, Pirates of the Caribbean, Enchanted Tiki Room and Great Moments With Mr. Lincoln.
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