The Disneyland Book of Secrets 2014: One Local's Unauthorized, Rapturous and Indispensable Guide to the Happiest Places on Earth (26 page)

Like many of
Fantasyland
’s attractions,
Alice in Wonderland
is a “dark ride,” meaning an enclosed environment that’s mainly dark and contains special effects and elements that glow vividly under dark lights due to special paints.  You might have experienced dark rides at your local amusement park or county fair, most likely some iteration of a “Laff In The Dark” ride, but
Disney
’s
Imagineers
bring an unmatched level of creativity and sophistication to the
Disneyland
designs.

Alice in Wonderland
opened in June of 1958, nearly three years after its
Wonderland
sibling attraction, the
Mad Tea Party
. 
Alice
is located on the southeast edge of
Fantasyland
, across from the
Matterhorn Mountain
and adjacent to the
Mad Tea Party
and the
Mad Hatter
shop.  Wait times can range from 5 minutes (at park opening, or on an off-season weekday) to 40 minutes on holidays and during the summer.

The attraction’s characters and artwork are as otherworldly and imaginative as the
Mary Blair
-inspired visuals of
Disney
’s 1951 animated film. 
Walt
regretted that the film didn’t seem to engage 1951 audiences–he felt there was a coldness to it–but over the decades people increasingly appreciated the film’s artistry.  The
Alice
story and character were particularly close to
Walt
; as a young animator, his innovative, combination live-action and animated
Alice
short films launched his career in the 1920’s and kept him afloat during his early years in
Hollywood
.  Before
Oswald the Lucky Rabbit
or
Mickey Mouse
, there was
Alice
, a little girl somewhat inspired by the
Alice in Wonderland
stories, who adventured in
Cartoonland
with
Julius the Cat
.

From the opening of your journey, when you
board a giant caterpillar and follow the
White Rabbit
’s footprints deep into the rabbit hole, you never know what you’ll see around the next bend.  You’re carried through the creepy
Tulgy Woods
, the
Red Queen
’s rose garden, a potentially fatal game of croquet and the ride’s conclusion at the
Mad Hatter
’s un-birthday party.  All of the well-known
Alice
characters make appearances, from the
Caterpillar
to the
Cheshire Cat
to the
Queen of Hearts
.  Even
Alice
appears in the attraction now—look for her on your right, near the beginning of the adventure.

Unlike the other
Fantasyland
dark rides,
Alice in Wonderland
carries you outside onto a second-floor zig-zagging track with views of the
Matterhorn
, the queue below, and the
Mad Tea Party
.  (Those with toddlers take note:  Sometimes the height and zig-zag motion is a bit scary for little ones.)  Another pleasing aspect of this adventure is the soundtrack that plays as you coast through
Wonderland
, a mix of songs from the 1951 film such as
All in the Golden Afternoon
and
A Very Merry Un-Birthday
.

This attraction
is closed before and during the
Magical Fireworks
show, but re-opens when the fireworks finish. 
Alice in Wonderland
also closes during inclement weather, since part of the ride takes place outside on an exposed second-floor track which grows slick in the rain.

Alice in Wonderland
is a trippy, four-minute visual and aural treat for Guests of all ages.  But if your visit is brief and there aren’t any
Alice
fans in your crew, this is a journey that can be skipped in favor of more iconic attractions. 
Did You Know?
 
Kathryn Beaumont
, the voice actress who played
Alice
in the animated feature, and
Wendy
in
Peter Pan
(1953), provides
Alice
’s voice in this attraction.
Did You Also Know?
  The original
Alice in Wonderland
attraction was largely designed by
Imagineer Claude Coats
and included an
Upside Down Room
.  Although it didn’t relate to the 1951 film, the room was a Guest favorite.  The caterpillar vehicles swept Guests through this delightfully disorienting Victorian chamber, where the floor was above one, the ceiling below, and all the furniture and knick-knacks were suspended upside down above Guests’ heads.  Riders were next ferried to an
Oversized Room
, where objects towered over Guests as if they, like
Alice
, had shrunk.  Both the
Upside Down
and
Oversized Rooms
were removed when the attraction was remodeled in 1984.
Did You Also Know?
  On March 5, 2010
Disney
released an updated version of
Alice in Wonderland
, a combination of 3D CGI
magic
and live-action performances. 
Tim Burton
directed and luminaries like
Johnny Depp
(
Pirates of the Caribbean
) and
Anne Hathaway
(
Princess Diaries
) starred.  The new
Alice
opened to mixed reviews but audiences loved it.  It was number one at the box office for three weeks following its release and in less than a month grossed a heady $585 million world-wide.  The brilliant
Burton
has
Disney
roots.  As a young man he attended the
California Institute of the Arts
, the interdisciplinary art school created by
Walt
and
Roy
in the 1960’s. 
Burton
’s classmates were also uber-talents like
John Lasseter
(
Pixar
and
Disney
) and
Brad Bird
(“The Simpsons,”
The Incredibles
,
Ratatouille
). 
Burton
began his entertainment career as a
Disney Animator
, but that didn’t seem fated to last for long–and it didn’t. 
Burton
’s darkly eccentric vision was unique and entertaining, but it wasn’t an easy fit for the
Disney
projects of that era. 
Burton
left
Disney
and over the years found phenomenal success as a filmmaker and director. 
Burton
was drawn back into
Disney
’s orbit over the years.  He collaborates with
Disney
on projects like the
Haunted Mansion-Nightmare Before Christmas
mash-up and the 2010
Alice in Wonderland
film.  Most recently
Disney
released
Frankenweenie
(2012), a feature-length update of one of
Burton
’s old
Disney
projects.  Sets and models from the stop-motion production were on display at the
Disney Animation
attraction at
DCA
in 2012.
Did You Also Know?
  In fall 2013,
ABC
(a
Disney
-owned network) debuted
Once Upon a Time in Wonderland
, a spirited reimagining of the original
Alice
tale, and a spin-off of
ABC
’s popular TV program
Once Upon a Time
.
Alice Vision:
  There’s a new
Alice
at the resort, singing with the
Mad T Party Band
which launched in 2012 in
Hollywood Land
at
DCA
.  Her performances of Rihanna’s “Only Girl” and Pink’s “Raise Your Glass”–among others–are out-of-this-world.
Hidden Mickey:
  Look for a splash of red paint on a hedge near the
Queen of Hearts
croquet scene; the bit of paint bears an uncanny resemblance to the head and ears of
Mickey Mouse
.
FastPass:
  No.  Like all other
Fantasyland
attractions,
Alice
has no
FastPass
option.  Lines are typically 15 – 30 minutes long, reaching 40 minutes or more on crowded days. The 2010 release of
Disney
’s eye-popping new
Alice in Wonderland
film increased attendance for this attraction even before the film opened, and the debut of
Once Upon a Time in Wonderland
(2013) will likely drive up attendance well into 2014.
Kid’s Eye View:
A good ride. Even if it’s for really little kids, it’s fun for everybody and it’s one of my aunt’s favorite rides.  It’s especially fun when you’re on the top floor and you hit those curves outside, and it’s funny at the end when they sing
Merry Un-Birthday
!

Casey Jr. Circus Train
 
(
Opening Day
Attraction)

[
FastView:
 
Perfect for toddlers, with a lot more
Disney
magic than you might expect, especially if you ride at night.  The train’s route provides views of
Walt’
s beloved miniature villages.
]

The
Casey Jr. Circus Train
isn’t as famous as its
Fantasyland
siblings, not as well-known as, say,
Pinocchio
,
Sleeping Beauty Castle
, or
Peter Pan’s Flight
.  In case you don’t know, the
Casey Jr. Circus Train
is the locomotive in
Disney
’s 1941 animated blockbuster
Dumbo
.

Although this is a minor attraction, it
’s imaginative.  Each train car has its own unique shape and theme and each child will have his or her favorite; my niece, aptly nicknamed “Little Monkey,” always wanted to ride in the
Monkey Car
when she was small.  Adults take note; the cars are bigger on the inside than they appear on the outside, but they’re still pretty cramped.  If you’re of the
zaftig
(larger) persuasion, you might want to ride in an open, sleigh-like car, or skip this attraction altogether for your own comfort.

Once everyone is all aboard and secured, the train
departs on a brief journey up, down, and around the
Storybook Land Canal
landscape in
Fantasyland
’s northwest hills.  The canals, the miniature buildings and castle, the lush flower beds, all provide attractive views as you chug along.  Of course, struggling up one hill, there is a re-enactment of that famously inspirational “I think I can, I know I can” moment, which is especially fun and suspenseful for little ones to experience.

Before you know it you
’re back at the station, and if you have tiny children, they’re probably exhilarated.  If you have older children, they might be bored.  The adults in your party will doubtless be a bit uncomfortable from contorting themselves to fit the train cars.  Bottom line: If you don’t have toddlers, you might want to take a pass on this one, unless you ride at night (see “Night Vision” below).

Because it’s on the north side of
Fantasyland
, this attraction usually continues to operate during the evening
Magical Fireworks
show.  So if your
Fantasyland
visit is during the fireworks, when most of the
Fantasyland
attractions are closed, this is one activity that will be available. The journey is particularly pretty while the fireworks are bursting, a sort of junior version of the thrill of riding
Big Thunder Mountain
during the fireworks.
Did You Know?
  For kids too small, or elders too frail, for
Space Mountain
,
Big Thunder Mountain Railroad
, etc., this can serve as their coaster-type experience. 
Did You Also Know?
  This attraction was originally designed to be a roller coaster, but
Imagineers
quickly realized that it would work better as a gentler journey.
Caboose Vision:
  For incredible and unobstructed vistas, ride in the reverse-facing seats at the back of the caboose.  You can snap lovely photos of the landscape, without people’s heads or other train cars blocking your view.  It’s also a rush riding backwards through the tunnels and up and down the hills, not knowing what’s coming next!  (Members of your party who get motion sick traveling backwards can ride in the caboose’s forward-facing seats.)
Night Vision:
  For some children, and particularly for adults, this ride is much more fun at night.  The darkness gives the illusion that the train is moving faster, and there’s more suspense since you can’t see each bend and dip before you reach it.  The illuminated miniature houses, windmills, and palaces of
Storybook Land Canal
take on a
magical
glow that is reflected in the canals below.  At night, you’re not just on a kiddie train; you’re on a magical
Disney
journey through the worlds of
Cinderella
,
Aladdin
,
Mr. Toad
, the
Three Little Pigs
, and many other
Disney
and fairy tale favorites. 
FastPass:
  No, but lines seldom exceed 5 – 20 minutes, with 30 minute waits possible on holidays and during peak seasons. 
Kid’s Eye View:
  This is a baby ride.