Weekend in Southern California with Adventures by Disney
Anytime I mention an Adventures by Disney destination I always have to take a momentary pause to internally reflect and simultaneously dissect the look they immediately give me back. Did I just confuse them? Did I just overexpose my Disney fan-hood? Do they possibly think I am speaking another language? Perhaps sometimes it’s a little bit off all of these. Did I just do it again? Normally the first thing I have to tell them is that they can’t think about it in the traditional Disney sense. Take everything you know about Disney and shrink it down to the amazing guest service and experience. Now put that into the greatest tour group and destination you could possibly imagine and you’re almost halfway there. In fact, I am quite sure no words or description could ever live up to the actual experience of an Adventures by Disney vacation. So at this point, I am not even going to try (yet!!)…except for this one.
Now, remember when I said forget what you traditionally know about Disney? Yeah, scrap that. Because today we are going to talk about the Adventures by Disney Disneyland Resort and Southern California Escape. Now there are two different versions of this particular adventure but for right now we are going to focus on a shorter version of four days and three nights.
Southern California is going to have a completely different experience than any of the other Adventures by Disney destinations because the majority of the focus is going to be on Disney itself and not just the next level service and experience that we have all come to know and love from the Walt Disney Company. If you are a Disney fan then this is going to be something you are going to want to put on your bucket list. Adventures by Disney Disneyland Resort and Southern California Escape is by far hands down, no doubt about it, can’t be denied, did I stutter, call your mama and tell her you love her, absolute best way to experience Disneyland while diving a little deeper into what makes this whole thing all tick in the first place kinda adventure.
Yes Disneyland itself is a big portion of what you will see and experience in this adventure and it is amazing. As simple and obvious as it sounds the best way I can describe Disneyland to someone (like myself) who has only been to Disney World is just it’s different. Disneyland has an overall different charm and nostalgia than Disney World possesses. Maybe it’s because it’s the original, or maybe it’s more. One thing is for sure you will understand it a lot more once you experience it for yourself but your level of appreciation of it will be magnified through this experience. 
I stated earlier the Disneyland Resort itself will be a fairly significant portion of the adventure and I really want to leave that to your imagination at this point. A lot of what makes the Adventures by Disney version of experiencing Disneyland so special is the little surprises and extra magic that your adventure guides are constantly throwing at you so I really don’t want to spoil it so for the bulk of this I would like to go over some of the things that you will experience outside of the Disneyland Resort. Now keep in mind that itineraries are always subject to change due to a multiple of circumstances so your adventure may not be the exact same as ours but I can guarantee it will be amazing.
So the thing that Adventures by Disney does better than anyone is the overall experience. On an Adventures by Disney vacation, you can expect to have an experience that would be for all intense and purposes imposable to have on your own unless you know A LOT of the right people (btw if this applies to you let’s be friends). So when I say that a bus is going to pick you up and take you to places like Walt Disney Studios and Disney Imagineering know that these are not places that you can just knock on the front door of and say “what’s up”. You have to know the right people and lucky for you your adventure guides know just the right people.
Now since I mentioned it let’s start with the Walt Disney Studios. Yes, THE Walt Disney Studios. Just the fact that I got to go past the guard shack amazed me so you can only imagine how much greater it got once I realized that the further I walked into the place the no one was chasing me down to get me out. This isn’t some tourist destination. This is the actual working Walt Disney Studios. In fact when we there was right during the time that Avengers Endgame was to be released so the place was crawling with crew setting up for private screenings and premier parties while our tour was going on. For me being a Marvel fan I only geeked out a little bit for no real reason at all other than I was in the place where it all happens while they were gearing up for the biggest release of them all. It was a small part of the trip that I will always remember.
I mentioned the adventure guides earlier. These guys are going to be the heart and soul of your experience and let me say they are amazing. We got so much back story of not only the studio itself but the things that were created here. From the ink and paint department, archives, and actual animation that takes place here. You are guaranteed to get a one of a kind experience and stand a good chance to encounter some of Disney’s biggest, and most influential talent while there. (I promised my self I wouldn’t name drop…eh hmm Bob Igor). Overall Walt Disney Studios was and over the top amazing experience but to be honest, was just the tip of the iceberg.
From there we ventured into the world of Disney Imagineering. This was probably one of my favorite parts of the whole trip because it wasn’t until this very moment that I realized I actually had a dream job and this was it. If the Walt Disney Studios is the heart of the Walt Disney Company then Imagineering is definitely the brain and perhaps even the soul. This is the place that every new and amazing thing you experience in The Disney World, Disneyland parks, and so much more is born. This is the think tank of some of the greatest minds and personalities of the world. From rides and attractions, movies, new lands, and pretty much anything Disney you can think of starts here. Our tour was guided by actual Disney Imagineers and I can’t even begin to describe the level of cool that is going on inside those buildings. From the actual scale models of Galaxy’s Edge to how they make new rides and all that goes into everything, Walt Disney Imagineering is worth the cost of the entire trip. Trust me the insight you will get about Walt’s continued vision of Disney is amazing. When I grow up (one day) I want to be an Imagineer.
Now speaking of Walt this is where the day switched gears for me. This is where the day went from seeing Walt’s vision to truly understanding it. Now it sounds crazy to say this started with dinner. We had dinner at a Tam O’Shanters. On the surface, it’s just a restaurant. It has a decent menu, chairs, and tables like any restaurant. But what this place has is the fact that Walt Disney himself would frequently come to have lunch and really expound on whatever project he was working on at the time. It seems really cheesy on the surface but this is one of many examples, on this particular Adventures by Disney, where you feel like you are really walking in Walt’s footsteps. Not simply that he would eat there but inscribed on the table which Walt liked to sit are actual sketches and ideas that he would come up with while at lunch. Literally carved into the table is a piece of the imagination of Walt Disney. If that doesn’t do something for you I am sorry for wasting your time and you may exit now. However, if you feel like I do then our next stop is right up your alley.
I debated even including this part as to not spoil the surprise as this was not on our itinerary but ended up being such a special moment to experience as a fan of Walt Disney. A little back story. On the way to the Walt Disney studios, we passed Griffith Park. Our amazing tour guides explained to us that this was the place where Walt would take his daughters to play and ride the carousel. Here he would sit on the bench and dream of the place where families could come together and all be kids again. This is the place Walt dreamed up Disneyland. As you can imagine the surprise when we realized that this was not only a story or antidote on the tour but that we would actually be seeing this original 1920s merry go round where Walt would in his head create the happiest place on earth would be enough but until you hear the owner tell the real and true story of this amazing piece of history you can not fully grasp the charm, nostalgia, and significance of something as simple as a carousel. Or even the simple joy of going round and round on such a piece of American history. It’s something that can not be put into words but it paints such a bigger picture of what Walt Disney was about and what his overall vision was for the Walt Disney company.
Some people view Disneyland/World as just another theme park and they couldn’t be further from the truth. Walt Disney had so much more of a vision for Disneyland than just a theme park and Adventures by Disney Southern California paints the perfect picture of Walt’s vision. This may be my favorite vacation I have taken to date and that says a lot. It’s not really a secret that we are a Disney family but this vacation, I mean ADVENTURE, really shed new light on what I thought Disney was and could be. It wasn’t simply another Disney vacation to put in a photo album with the rest. This one simply stands alone in all its complexity and furthermore I believe gives a glimpse of what Adventures by Disney has to offer and I hope at the least it piques your curiosity and at best sets it on fire.
Avid Disney fan, husband to Tiffany, father of three, Brock, Bailey, and Brennan. Lover of travel and blogger for the Wish Upon Afar travel blog, The Travelers Journal.
