The Disneyland Book of Secrets 2014: One Local's Unauthorized, Rapturous and Indispensable Guide to the Happiest Places on Earth (24 page)

The final drop is longer, steeper
, and probably more psychologically terrifying than anything you will experience on
Big Thunder Mountain Railroad
,
Indiana Jones Adventure
,
Matterhorn Bobsleds
, or
Space Mountain
in
Disneyland
, or
Grizzly River Run
in
Disney California Adventure
.  Within the
Disneyland Resort
, only
DCA
’s
California Screamin’
and the
Twilight Zone Tower
of Terror
provide steeper and more thrilling drops.

But
if you’re in good health and think you can handle it, why not challenge yourself and take the
Splash Mountain
journey? 
Disney
’s mountain attractions have famously served as fun challenges for Guests to conquer.  Some local Guests have a tradition of riding one of the
Disneyland
mountain attractions after achieving professional or personal life goals.  It’s symbolic, commemorative, and fun.  And
Splash Mountain
is one leg of the
Triple Mountain Whammy
, which one achieves by conquering
Big Thunder
,
Space Mountain
,
and
Splash Mountain
on the same day.

During your wait in the queue, you might hear someone proclaim that
Guests have perished on
Disneyland
’s
Splash Mountain
.  Absolutely
not true
.

Guests sometime confuse events that happen in the different
Disney Parks
, and, like urban legends and campfire tales, these stories become muddled and embellished as they pass from Guest to Guest over time.  While waiting in line at
Disneyland
’s
Splash Mountain
in August of 2009, I heard a Guest telling his companions that multiple people had died on the attraction.  Whether he was misinformed, or just trying to scare his friends, I have no idea—but he was wrong.

There
was
a fatality in Florida in November of 2000.  A middle-aged man was injured on
Splash Mountain
at
Walt Disney World
in
Orlando
.  The Guest apparently didn’t feel well and decided to climb out of his log vehicle to find an emergency exit.  While doing so, he was hit by the log vehicle behind him and later died in the hospital where he’d been transported.  It was a tragic incident, and is an example of the importance of following all safety rules while riding attractions, and of skipping attractions if you don’t feel up to them.

Even f
or those who don’t take the
Splash Mountain
journey, the attraction can still provide a vicarious thrill. Stand near the queue entrance on
Mill View Lane
, just past the
Haunted Mansion
and below the mountain, where you have a fine view of the logs plunging down the flume.  Watch the riders shout, scream, laugh, and hang on for the leap of their life!  Then cross to the other side of the bridge, peer down through the foliage, and watch Guests drifting down a hidden channel.

Guests on the port side of the
Mark Twain Riverboat
or the
Sailing Ship Columbia
also have an excellent view of the soaked Guests and their logs exiting the briar patch splashdown area to loop around and re-enter the mountain’s base for the final leg of their journey.

Without a doubt,
Splash Mountain
is an artistic, narrative, and technological triumph that stands alongside any other
Disneyland Mountain
.  When the sun is setting,
Chick-a-pin Hill
’s lovely silhouette makes a natural demarcation and transition point between the elegant, if at times nightmarish, American South of
New Orleans Square
and the rustic, folksy
Critter Country
. 
Did You Know?
  As on
Space Mountain
, a camera automatically snaps a Guest photo as you make that final plunge.  You can purchase your photo, suitable for framing, after your ride is finished.  There’s an unfortunate tradition, typically among teens, of “flashing” the camera during their plunge.  In the past, Cast Members constantly reviewed the photos in real time and scrapped such
Flash Mountain
shots before they were posted in the viewing area. 
Disneyland
was affected like many companies by the 2008 economic meltdown and eliminated some positions within the park; speculation ran rampant immediately that this would impact photo review and revive the
Flash Mountain
tradition. 
Did You Also Know?
  It’s called
Splash Mountain
not because of the final splashdown, but because
Disney
execs were looking for a tie-in to
Disney’
s popular early-80’s movie
Splash
, which was being released for home viewing. 
Imagineers
initially balked, wanting to keep their name for the attraction,
Zip-a-Dee River Run
. 
Tony Baxter
has shared in print and on camera that
Splash Mountain
turned out to be absolutely the right name, even though there’s no connection between the flume attraction and the film–except that both were tremendous successes. 
Did You Also Know?
 
Splash Mountain
is constructed completely out of concrete, a substance easy to mold and able to weather a watery environment pretty much forever.  For more interesting facts about
Splash Mountain
, check out the suggestions in the “Resources” section, particularly
Jason Surrell
’s great book
The Disney Mountains: Imagineering At Its Peak
and the DVD
Disneyland Resort: Imagineering the Magic
. 
Single Riders:
 
Splash Mountain
offers a
Single Riders
queue, which allows those riding alone to bypass the regular queue and even the
FastPass
queue.  Ask a Cast Member for a
Single Rider
pass.  They might give you one, or they might just tell you to go ahead. 
Single Riders
should enter via the exit.  Tell the Cast Members you encounter that you’re a
Single Rider
and show them your
Single Rider
pass if you’ve been given one.  They’ll guide you to the loading zone, and they’ll put you in a log vehicle when a single empty seat becomes available.  Why does the park do this?  It helps them to fill otherwise empty seats on the log vehicles, and it allows solitary riders to avoid the insane lines.  Win-win!  Some
Single Riders
report, however, that on crowded days or if there are many Guests, who enter the attraction via the same route, it can feel as long as a regular queue.  But
Disneyland
’s new disabled boarding passes will reduce the number of non-disabled Guests trying to use the disabled entrances. At
Disneyland Park
,
Indiana Jones Adventure
and the
Matterhorn
also have
Single Rider
queues. 
FastPass:
  Yes, and you’ll need a
FastPass
if you want to ride
Splash Mountain
on a hot summer day, when lines can be among the longest in the park.  Like
Grizzly River Run
over in
DCA
, this is an attraction that becomes most popular when the sun is blazing and the crowds are overwhelming.  However, during cold days, rainy days, and most winter days you won’t need a
FastPass
. 
Kid’s Eye View:
I sort of liked it, but there are unexpected drops and the music is a bit freaky.  Worst is you get all wet, but you’re mostly inside, and it’s freezing. 
Teen’s Eye View:
  There are a lot of dips.  Some are unexpected.  Be prepared to get soaked to the bone.  On a winter’s day, you’ll probably find yourself hating the ride, but on a hot summer’s day you’ll love it.

Critter Country
Gear and Grub

Gear:

Briar Patch

[
FastView:
 
Hats and accessories in a
Splash Mountain
burrow.  Formerly the
Indian Trading Post
.
]

Thematically tied to the
Song of the South
-inspired
Splash Mountain
, and located, in fact, in the mountain’s shadow, the
Briar Patch
is small, dim, cramped, and overwhelming filled with hats and caps.  You truly feel as if you’re burrowed into the clay of the mountain.  If you like
Disney
hats, you’ll be thrilled.  If you’re not a hat fan and you’re claustrophobic–not so much.

In addition to
the incredible assortment of hats there are bins of inexpensive
Disney
tchotchkes
and souvenirs, or purchase a poncho for about $10 if you plan to brave
Splash Mountain
later in the day.

Before
Splash Mountain
was built in this corner of
Disneyland
, the Briar
Patch
was the
Indian Trading Post
for the now long-defunct
Indian Village
and
Bear Country
.  In contrast to today’s sparse offerings, the
Indian Trading Post
sold a wealth of frontier jewelry, pottery, moccasins, and belts.

Pooh Corne
r

[
FastView:
 
A charming shop overflowing with kids’ clothes, toys, kitchen good,
pins, candies, and baked treats.
]

Without a doubt,
Pooh Corner
is one of the best shops in a theme park filled with outstanding stores.  According to Zagat’s 2010
Disneyland Resort Insider’s Guide
, based on their surveys, this is the fifth most popular shop in
Disneyland
and the eighth most popular resort-wide.

Located at the far end of the
Critter Country cul-de-sac
, across from the exit of
The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh
,
Pooh Corner
sells all sorts of
Pooh
merchandise, of course, but also other plush critter dolls,
Disneyland
pins, toys, and clothing.  There are picture frames, art sets, bags and boxes of
Disney
snacks,
Disney
clothes for Guests of all ages and sizes, including infants, and a small assortment of
Disney
DVDs and CDs.

Pooh Corner
also sells cold bottles of water, juice and soda, and has its own compact but inventive bakery and candy case.  Looking for a unique chocolate candy or pastry?  Pop into
Pooh Corner
for a
Red Magic Cupcake
,
Triple Chocolate Brownie
,
Decorated Oreo
, or
Honey Pot Crispy
.  You can even watch through a big glass window as Cast Members concoct the chocolaty treats.

With its warm golden-orange interior, reminiscent of the interior of a beehive, and its
Pooh
signs and characters,
Pooh Corner
is a charmer not to be missed by
Critter Country
Guests. 
Kid’s Eye View:
  It’s a cute little store with lots of
Winnie the Pooh
stuff.

Grub:

Critter Country Snack Cart
(S)

[
FastView:
 
Healthy treats on an overlook with a grand view of
Tom Sawyer Island
.
]

Do you prefer lighter fare?  Visit the
Critter Country Snack Cart
, which offers healthy snacks, fruits, and juices along
Mill View Lane
, near the observation point where Guests watch
Splash Mountain
riders plunging into the briar patch.

As
at most
Disneyland
and
DCA
snack carts, some of the items for sale are delightfully inexpensive, while others are unexpectedly high priced.  If on a budget or in doubt, check the price with the Cast Member prior to purchase.

Expect to pay $2 to $4.50 for beverages, with
juice boxes, milk, and water being the less expensive choices and juice bottles (limeade for $4.50–ouch!) the expensive ones.  Fresh fruit like apples and oranges, as well as grapes, watermelon slices, carrots, pickles, trail mix, and so forth–a wealth of healthy choices–sell for $2 to $4 each.

Harbour Galley
(L, D, S)

[
FastView:
 
Cool down or warm up with soups, salads, and beverages on the
Rivers of America
.
]

The lovely
Harbour Galley
at
Fowler’s Landing
(just past the
Haunted Mansion
, near the entrance to
Critter Country
) serves baked potatoes, chili, salad, chowder—and, most recently,
lobster rolls
.

Harbour Galley
used to sell McDonald’s French fries, but with McDonald’s departure from the park in 2008, the refurbished
Galley
now offers a menu more in keeping with the frontier period and the riverbank locale.

On a cold day, you might find yourself drawn to the
Broccoli and Cheddar Cheese Soup
or
Clam Chowder
, priced at $9.29 each and served in sourdough bread bowls baked fresh over at the
Boudin Bakery
in
Disney California Adventure Park
.

In summer, one of the
Shore-Side Salads
—
Shrimp Cobb Salad
(replacing the
Grilled Salmon Salad
) or
Steak Salad
—might be just the thing.  They’ll run you $10 each.

Baked potatoes are a relatively new
, hearty offering here, and they were revamped in 2013 for maximum flavor: 
Bacon, Cheese & Sour Cream
,
Barbecue Chicken
(now crowned with cole slaw), or the new
Shrimp Salad
baked potato cost around $6 - $7 each.  They originated at
Troubadour Tavern
, but moved here permanently in summer 2013.

Spotted here in autumn 2013: 
Lobster rolls
!  What better harborside treat could there be?  Expect to pay about $10 for this dockside treat.

For
around $6, kids can get a
Power Pack
of apple slices, banana, carrots, crackers, and yogurt, with a juice, milk, or water included.

Of course, t
he
Galley
still sells beverages; if you’re thirsty, you can pick up a cocoa, coffee, ice tea, lemonade, soda, or water from about $3 to $3.50 per drink.  Tasty treats like chocolate chip cookies, or healthy fruit treats if you’e keeping fit, range from $3.30 to $4.19 apiece.

There’s
waterfront seating available on
Fowler’s Landing
. Look out over the
Rivers of America
, and the
Sailing Ship Columbia
or
Mark Twain
when they’re docked there.  On a pleasant day, with the green of
Tom Sawyer Island
across the water and the wind crackling the
Columbia
’s sails, this is one of the most pleasant and relaxing places in the park.

And look for the “secret path” from the dining area to
Critter Country
; it offers views of
Tom Sawyer Island
and some of
Splash Mountain
’s hidden channels.
Did You Know?
  The
Fowler
of
Fowler’s Landing
is
Admiral Joe Fowler
, a retired U.S. Navy officer
Walt
hired to oversee the construction of
Disneyland
.  How resourceful and efficient was
Fowler
?  Well, most of the massive park was completed in just under a year, and that says a lot! 
Fowler
was instrumental in the development of other projects and attractions, including the
Sailing Ship Columbia
, which is why this area near the
Mark Twain
and
Columbia
dry docks has borne his name since 1958. 
Walt
didn’t want dry docks constructed – he didn’t want to spend a penny on anything other than the beautiful attractions, shops, restaurants, and landscapes for his Guests.  But
Fowler
convinced
Walt
that dry docks were a necessary evil; the
Mark Twain
and later the
Columbia
would need a place to be serviced and refurbished.  The endlessly creative
Imagineers
crafted a lovely setting for the docks, and as pretty as
Fowler’s Landing
is today, that necessary evil worked out all right! 
Night Vision:
  Take the “secret path” to the
Harbour Galley
just before the conclusion of
Fantasmic!
for amazing glimpses of the
Mark Twain
ablaze with lights and overflowing with
Disney
characters!

Hungry Bear Restaurant
(L, D, S)

[
FastView:
 
Burgers, fried green tomato sandwiches, and backwoods river views that can’t be beat.  Family-friendly dining with wallet-friendly prices.
]

One of the best restaurants in the park is
Critter Country
’s
Hungry Bear Restaurant
.  The fare, primarily burgers, salads, and fries, used to be similar to the offerings at
Fantasyland
’s
Village Haus
and
Tomorrowland
’s
Tomorrowland Terrace
(although there were (and still are) key menu differences: 
Hungry Bear
sells chicken,
Village Haus
has pizza, and
Tomorrowland Terrace
serves breakfasts).

A
Hungry Bear
menu overhaul in spring 2011 gave it a unique flavor–so to speak–and gave Guests even more creatively themed food choices.

Expect to pay the typical $2 to $4 each for cocoa, coffee, tea, juice, milk, soda
, or water.  The
Hungry Bear
used to offer special coffee drinks, such as mochas and lattes, that you couldn’t order everywhere in the park.  On a cold autumn night they warmed your chilled bones!  But at the
Hungry Bear
, those specialty drinks have been axed.

The dessert menu has been spruced up; you still can buy a fruit bar or Toll House ice cream sandwich for $3.
89 or $4.19 respectively, and the
Fantasy Funnel Cakes
drizzled with chocolate brownie, powdered sugar or strawberry toppings which were dropped in 2011 were back in 2013!  Guests can also order the somewhat healthier–yet still tasty–
Lemon “Bumblebee” Cupcake
for $4.99.

As the desserts indicate, the
Hungry Bear
is a stick-to-your-ribs comfort food kind of establishment, not an oasis of healthy eats, but if you’re trying to eat healthy here, consider
Big Al’s Chicken Salad
or its vegetarian version for $8.99, the
Crispy Chicken Sandwich
(so good!) for $9.19, the
Fried Green Tomato Sandwich
(a southern specialty) for $8.49, or the
Turkey and Provolone Sandwich
for $8.69.

But if you’re in caution-to-the-winds vacation mode, order up some
Sweet Potato Fries
for $2.79 or
Onion Rings
for $3.49.  Or dig right into a full-on
Classic Cheeseburger
for $10 or a
Pioneer Chili Cheeseburger
for $10.69!  Both burgers are Angus 1/3 pound chuck patties.  Sandwiches and burgers all come with Guests’ choice of
Sweet Potato Fries
or
Zesty Slaw
.

For
about $6.50, children can order
Kid’s Chicken Breast Nuggets
or the
Kid’s Hamburger
or they can select the
Kid’s Power Pack
of apple slices, crackers, fruit, veggies, and yogurt for only $6.  Juice, milk, or water is included, and apple slices and carrots accompany the chicken nuggets and burger, although you can ask for
Sweet Potato Fries
to be substituted instead.  Toddlers dine on
Yummy Cheesy Macaroni
and apple sauce for around $4.50.  Low-fat milk comes with the toddler meal but kids can request a small water or juice instead.

This is the biggest eatery in
Critter Country
and around lunchtime and suppertime it’s often jammed with Guests.  Cast Members are friendly, but sometimes the kitchen and counter aren’t the most efficient in the park.  In 2012, the kitchen seemed to be getting faster, but ordering at the register was slower, with Cast Members not following the park’s own alternating left-right ordering protocol.  Be prepared to be patient.

A
s at the
Village Haus
in
Fantasyland
, this is one of the park dining venues where the cashier, who doubles as order taker, alternates between assisting Guests on the left
and
right side of the register.  Guests don’t always understand this–and Cast Members don’t always follow procedure.  If you see that the right or (most likely) the left side of the register has no line, step on up and be the next to place your order.  Or be right neighborly and clue in the Guests on the other side of the register so that they can switch sides and be next.

The burgers
here taste good.  Really good.  They’re now up to par with the burgers at the
Village Haus
or the
Tomorrowland Terrace
.  The
Hungry Bear
isn’t the
Blue Bayou
and isn’t going to win–and isn’t trying to win–any fancy awards.  It’s just good, hearty fare and goes down well after hours of walking, queuing, and riding attractions.

The really
extraordinary thing about the
Hungry Bear
is the view.  Upper and lower decks offer plenty of seating and a tranquil place to watch the ducks paddle about the western
Rivers of America.
  You’re directly across from the scenic green wilderness portions of
Tom Sawyer Island
.  Listen to the water, and the birds.

Periodically the great, blazing-white
Mark Twain Riverboat
will steam past.  Its passengers on the wedding-cake tiers will wave genially to you, and you’ll probably wave back.  If it’s summer or a holiday,
Sailing Ship Columbia
will heave past too, and you’ll exchange waves with the Guests treading her classic planks, and jump a bit when she fires her cannon at the north end of
Tom Sawyer Island
, a warning against pirates and blackguards.