Using the Going to Disneyland Guide

It’s no secret I love Disneyland. Growing up in Orange County I spent my formative years there and continue to visit it regularly. Although I pride myself on having a vast knowledge of the park I’m always open to new insights into the Happiest Place on Earth. While scrolling through Instagram one day I came across the Going to Disneyland Guide and was instantly struck by it’s colorful cover. I got in touch with the author, Shannon Willis Laskey, and she was kind enough to send me a copy to review.

As soon as I opened the book I was instantly smitten. Filled with colorful illustrations and interactive activities it’s the perfect guide for adults and children alike. In fact, that’s just the reason Shannon wrote the book. Planning a trip to the park with her son she tried to get him a guidebook and discovered there were none for kids. Since she has an illustration and design background she decided to take matters into her own hands and make one herself.

The result is a beautiful guide that offers a comprehensive guide to Disneyland. Not only covering the essentials such as where to dine, shop and ride, it also offers fun facts about the park, profiles of famous imagineers and Disney trivia. Preparing for my upcoming trip I searched through the book and came across some new found knowledge that I happily employed during my visit.

My friends and I were heading to the park for dinner and flipping through the guide I found just the place to dine, Rancho del Zocalo.

For some reason I’d never before dined at this Mexican restaurant in the heart of Frontierland. Thanks to the tip from the guide we decided to give it a try.

How I missed this gem is beyond me. Not only is the restaurant beautiful but the food is quite tasty! At Disneyland that’s often hit or miss and Rancho del Zocalo is definitely a winner. I tried a carnitas burrito and it was delicious!

After dinner it was time for dessert. Going to Disneyland has a list of the top 7 treats in the park and I agree with most of them. Especially the Mint Julep.

After seeing it on top of the list I knew I had to stop for my favorite Disney drink. With a heavy dose of lime and mint it’s nothing like a traditional mint julep but delicious nonetheless. It was the perfect drink to stroll around the park with.

One of my favorite parts of the guidebook is the tips on little known parts of the park. A few things I discovered after reading included the beautiful signage at the Mlle. Antoinette’s Parfumerie,

the Storybook Land lighthouse that used to serve as a ticket booth during the E-ticket days,

and the super cute Figaro Statue at the Fantasy Faire.

In fact, there were so many special spots that I couldn’t fit them all into this visit. I can’t wait til I go back so I can discover even more unique finds.

Going to Disneyland is the perfect guide for both kids & kids at heart. I visited the park with two Disney pros and they both loved looking through it as we strolled through the park. It’s a beautifully detailed book that’s obviously been prepared with love. Anyone who plans on visiting Disneyland, whether veteran or newbie, should definitely check it out.