We’ve often suggested
that those who are overly familiar with the Disney parks to ‘pound’
a land. By this we mean that you explore every nook and cranny
of a given land, soaking it all in without feeling the need to
rush - to put yourself in a mental state of “What if this
land was a stand alone amusement park?” We often overlook
so many fun details and experiences simply because we are rushing
to try and cram in as many ‘big’ attractions as we can
in a single visit. Adventureland at Disneyland is one of the smallest
of all the lands in Disneyland and your might be tempted to think
that you couldn’t squeeze more than a couple of hours of
enjoyment from the land (assuming that standing in line for the
Indy attraction eats up most of that time.) However, you wouldn’t
be more wrong…
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(Remember, the
fun of ‘pounding’ a land is to SLOW DOWN…to
resolve in your mind that are going to ‘camp out’
in the land. If you don’t slow down that rushed feeling,
you’ll miss it all!)
PREPARE: Plan
on going to Adventureland with a friend/family member who
is equally willing to pound Adventureland. Having someone
to enjoy the experience with a HUGE part! Also, consider
beginning just before dusk. In this way, you’ll get
a full range experience (daylight, dusk - when they light
the fire torches, and evening.) Finally, ahead of time print
out the Indiana Jones and the Temple of the Forbidden Eye
decoder cards for your time in the queue.
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1. Begin by planning
on experiencing all four attractions: Tarzan Treehouse, Indiana
Jones and the Temple of the Forbidden Eye, The Jungle Cruise,
The Enchanted Tiki Room.
Tarzan’s Treehouse
(need to visit before it closes at dusk)
* Make sure to read all the pages of Jane’s journals
* When at the top of the treehouse, plan on staying at the top
for 10-15 to enjoy the view and to ‘hang’ with your
friend/party. It’s a wonderful place to hang out and talk.
You might also share some Tarzan trivia or ask questions such
as “What’s the most adventurous thing you’ve ever
done?”
Indiana Jones and the
Temple of the Forbidden Eye
* Don’t rush through the queue line, especially if the line
is shorter. As many know, all along the queue one can find ‘mara-glyphs’
carved into the stone temple walls. With the decoder that you
printed ahead of time, you can actually decode the secret messages
on the walls. Typically, guests are too rushed to actually translate
the secret messages, but not you! Allow other guests to go ahead
of you as you take the time to what’s REALLY written on the
walls of Mara’s Temple! (Don’t forget the one over the
drinking fountain, as well!)
* Take a photo in front of the army truck in the queue area outside
the temple. That was the ACTUAL truck that Harrison Ford rode
under in his famous stunt in the movie Raiders of the Lost Ark.
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The
Enchanted Tiki Room
* Alright, so this attraction might be a little dated. However,
it’s historical significance to the evolution of every
attraction in the park that followed it is enormous. You’ll
appreciate it more knowing that this was the first time
that Disney Imagineers because experimenting with audio-animatronic
figures (a future staple for other attractions.) Consider
that while you enjoy the show.
* Get to the attraction early enough to enjoy the pre-show
outside the stage room. Tiki-gods speak and mildly animate
as they introduce themselves and what they are the god of
in South Pacific culture.
* Plan on ordering at least ONE pineapple refreshment from
the stand (even if you’ll be splitting it among your
family and friends.) You’ll enjoy the show more with
a tasty pineapple treat. Some of the treat is also great
to ADD to a fruit punch drink you might have already brought/made
(see other idea in this article regarding drinks.)
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The Jungle Cruise
* One of the few original attractions that’s still around
since opening day, hopefully this was already on your list as
a must see. Sometimes the line can be long (or feel long.) Ahead
of time prepare a short playlist of songs from the 30’s and
enjoy listening to it while you wait. True, the queue line is
playing themed music, however the noise of the crowd can hamper
one’s ability to actually listen to it for pleasure. Some
headphones/earbuds will the trick, though!
Other Tips For Enjoying
Adventureland in Disneyland
* During the peak seasons, Disneyland schedules live music entertainment
in Adventureland (I.e. steel drum band, etc.) Find out what live
music will be playing that day and plan on listening to the full
set. Find a great place to sit in advance so that you can thoroughly
enjoy the show!
* Consider bringing a few extra bucks to actually purchase a souvenir
for your stay in Adventureland. It doesn’t have to be expensive
- just a small token to commemorate your special time. An Adventureland
pressed penny can be purchased for less than a buck. For added
fun, collect all of the pressed pennies in the land!
* Find a nice place to sit in the shade and plan on sitting to
enjoy the land in a relaxed way. Ahead of time you might consider
reading a couple adventure stories (plenty of websites can be
read from directly on your phone.) You’re surrounded by so
much adventure, allow a good story to transport your mind to a
great short story!
* For that enjoy drawing, bring a sketch pad and soak in the atmosphere
by drawing what you see. There’s SO much there from the architecture
to all of the exotic items in the shops.
* Typically when there’s a character walking around, one
doesn’t have time to wait the 10-15 minutes to get a photo
taken with them. Since you’ve chosen to not rush, now’s
your time to take that photo with Baloo the bear or King Louie
(both from The Jungle Book.)
* Bring a few extra bucks and try a bit of food that you’ve
never tried (perhaps a flavor from the Bengal BBQ that you haven’t
tasted yet.)
You get the idea. If
you did everything on the list above (to say nothing about the
ideas that you’d come up with yourself) you’ll MORE
than enough to do to fill HOURS of a great time in Adventureland.
It may take 30 minutes or so to allow yourself to mentally slow
down and to forget about the other lands of the park. That’s
ok. Go with it and enjoy it for all its worth!
