DisneywithIzzy&Al - My Disney Blog for Kids

Al’s Top 5 Favorite Rides in California Adventure!

I am doing another list of my favorite rides in the Disney parks in California. These rides are only in California Adventure. Enjoy the list!

5. Mater’s Junkyard Jamboree

Mater’s Junkyard Jamboree is a very fun ride for the kids, just like Aliens Swirling Saucers. In this ride, you are in a tractor and you are swirling around Mater’s junkyard. Inside the park, there are different areas that are themed for specific times in the movie. Cars Land is the nicest land in my opinion. It is crazy how similar Radiator Springs looks to the movie! One reason I loved this ride so much was because it was our first ride in California Adventure, so this ride is pretty special to me. Also in the ride, Mater is singing country songs. It’s hilarious to hear him sing!

4. Monsters, Inc. Mike & Sulley to the Rescue!

Monster, Inc. is a great movie and now it’s a great ride! If you want to do a calm relaxing ride while also having a super fun time, this is the ride for you. The animatronics are super cool. In the ride, you are following Sully and Mike Wazowski around the town with Boo. The whole city is looking for Boo and you need to follow them while Randall Boggs tries to snitch on you. This ride is super fun for the grown-ups and the kids. I find it really weird that this ride is getting taken out of the park.

3. Guardians of the Galaxy – Mission: BREAKOUT!

When I heard about a Guardians of the Galaxy themed Tower of Terror, I didn’t know what to think. Tower of Terror in Disney World is so good that I thought this ride couldn’t be on its level, but after doing the ride, my mind is completely changed. The storyline, where the Guardians are captured and they escape after Rocket helps them out, is great and somehow it’s almost as thrilling as the ride in Florida. It is also a great touch that the whole outside is themed for the Guardians. The music is just perfect when you are going up and down with big drops. Another reason why I liked this ride so much was because of the area around it. It is called Avenger’s Campus and it’s themed after the Marvel movies.

2. The Incredicoaster

When I heard the ride was themed toward the Incredibles, I thought it would be for little kids, but that is a complete lie. This is probably the scariest ride in all of Disneyland! The Incredicoaster is a super fast rollercoaster with lots of big drops. Near the end, you even go upside down! This was the first time I had ever gone upside down on a ride, and I loved it! This ride also has a special place in my heart, because it made me realize I love rollercoasters that have a super fast launch and go upside down which is one of the reasons why I love Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster (now themed to the Muppets) in Disney World.

1. Radiator Springs Racers

My number one ride in California Adventure is Radiator Springs Racers. To start with, the land that this ride was in (Radiator Springs) was themed perfectly. It truly felt like I was a car from the movies! The queue for Radiator Springs Racers was also themed to perfection, and little did I know that this was just the start of the ride. The ride vehicles looked the same as they did in the Cars movies. They even have eyes! The ride starts with you going up a rocky mountain and looking at the beautiful scenery. When you drive into the night, you are met with loved characters from the Cars movie including Mater and Lightning McQueen. Right before you race, either Luigi and Guido will give you a new set of tires or Ramone will give you a new paint job. After that, you get the racing line to race against the other car next to you (which also has six people on it). When Guido waves the red flag you are off and racing the other car. Another cool thing about this ride is that, after the close race, there is a winner, and that winning car always changes. After the race, McQueen gives you inspirational words if you won or lost. The ride is so much fun to explain and even more fun to actually ride!

These were my top 5 favorite rides in California Adventure and I would suggest you do them all! Hope you enjoyed the list!

Check Out My New Bracket!

Sorry it has been so long, but I have finally come back to this blog. Today, I am sharing my bracket of Walt Disney World rides.

I have been working on a bracket for a few years now, and I finally finished it. The bracket is based on the March Madness tournament format. Each ride is given a seed, and you choose your favorite ride in each matchup to see which attraction comes out on top!

In the Magic Kingdom section, I have most of the rides, but not all of them. Since the park has more than 30 rides, it was difficult to include all of them. However, I was still able to include 19 rides in the bracket. You might not agree with some of the rankings, but after lots of research I ranked the rides by their hype and average wait times.

These rides are also from late January, so some rides might be permanently closed by the time you read this. Also, some parts of the bracket are a little messy, so don’t worry about that. I will try to post more often from now on, and please share the blog if you like it. Have fun with your bracket!

Al’s Top 5 Favorite Rides in Disneyland

I went to California recently and I thought it would be nice to tell you about my favorite rides in the parks. I will not have any of the rides that are the same on this list so there will be no Rise of the Resistance and no Pirates. Pirates is a little different in California than in Disney World but it is not a big change. Also I probably would have put Haunted Mansion and Tiana’s Bayou Adventure on this list, but they were closed while we were there. None of the rides in this list will be from California Adventure, just Disneyland! That’s all, I hope you enjoy the list!

5. Chip ‘n’ Dale’s GADGETcoaster

This ride is so much fun for the whole family! GADGETcoaster is a short rollercoaster just like Goofy’s barnstormer in Disney World. It was fun to see the gadgets around the ride. GADGETcoaster usually has a short line. The ride is also next to Mickey and Minnie’s houses. This is a great ride for the kids!

4. Matterhorn Bobsleds

Matterhorn is one of the most iconic rides in Disneyland, and that is for a reason. Matterhorn is a rollercoaster through a huge mountain where you go “bobsledding”. There is a yeti trying to catch you as you are going down the mountain! Matterhorn has a huge mountain which you can see from anywhere around the park. The two symbols of Disneyland are the castle and the mountain from Matterhorn. This ride reminds me of Expedition Everest. The only thing is if you have a bad back this ride is not for you, because the ride is a little bumpy. If you go to Disneyland this is the best ride to talk to people about.

3. Space Mountain

I know that Space Mountain has the same name in both parks, but they actually are not the same. The Space Mountain in Disney World has a pod of three where the seats are not next to each other, they are seat by seat. The Space Mountain in Disneyland is a pod of four with two seats side-by-side. Also the Space Mountain in Disneyland is not as scary as the one in Disney World. The Space Mountain in Disneyland was so much fun and it was so thrilling. Space Mountain was Izzy’s second favorite ride in Disneyland and it made sense why.

2. Big Thunder Mountain Railroad

Once again this ride has the same name as the one in Disney World, but the theme in this ride is completely different. In Disney World, Big Thunder is a ride with amazing drops and views. In Disneyland, Big Thunder is themed with dynamite, and at the end you just escape it from exploding! This ride is still the wildest ride in the wilderness! I love going on Big Thunder Mountain wherever I am and that is why I put it second.

1. Indiana Jones Adventure

I think we can all agree Disneyland’s best ride is Indiana Jones! This ride is outstanding! I would have done this ride 100 times if I could have. Indiana Jones is a roller coaster where you are in a big car ride vehicle. During the ride you experience how crazy the missions are. At the end of the ride you almost get crushed by the huge boulder, but just escape with Indiana Jones. Sallah (Indiana Jones friend) also talks to you sometimes while you are on the ride. Indiana Jones is one of my favorite movies and now it is one of my favorite rides!

Those are my top 5 favorite rides in Disneyland. I hope you enjoyed it!

A Beginner’s Guide to the World Showcase with Al: Spotlight on Canada

If you like to get gadgets, Canada’s pavilion is the place to go while still being a great pavilion.

Food: Canada has one of my favorite restaurants in Disney World. The restaurant is called Le Cellier Steakhouse. Le Cellier is super crowded and it is hard to get a seat. I don’t mind the wait though because the bread and especially the steak (steak is in my top 3 favorite foods) are delicious.

Shopping: All around the Canada pavilion there are a bunch of stores. Most of the stuff in the stores is handmade too! It is also all from Canada! There are two big shops with all the gadgets. The shops are called Northwest Mercantile and the Trading Post. In the Northwest Mercantile they sell ornaments which represent the four seasons and all the ornaments are handmade which makes it even cooler. Inside one of the stores I got a super cool rock!

Entertainment: The Canada pavilion has a show called Canada Far and Wide! It is a 360 show where they show the beauties of Canada. Canada used to have a pavilion called O’Canada which I preferred but Canada Far and Wide is still a great show! The show is about 12 minutes and while you are waiting for the show outside the building there is a waterfall.

Disneyland’s Autopia vs Disney World’s Speedway

Setting around both rides: Both rides are in the Tomorrowland sections of Disneyland and Disney World, but the surroundings are completely different. Disneyland’s Autopia is next to Finding Nemo and a Disneyland Railroad train station. Disney World’s Tomorrowland Speedway is near the edge of Tomorrowland, next to some restaurants and the Mad Tea Party ride. Near both exits, you can also get a fake driver’s license, but you have to pay for it. I think that Speedway has a better setting around the ride because Autopia is tucked into the back of Tomorrowland next to the train station. After you are done with Autopia, it is hard to get to the next ride because it is so far away from everything.

Setting when you are on each ride: I think that Autopia’s setting, when you are on the ride, is better than Speedway’s setting because Autopia has characters on the side of the “road” that you can easily see while still driving. Speedway does not have anything fun to look at while you are driving. It looks like you are riding in a real car with trees and highway signs. I also think that both rides usually have a long queue; so expect to stand in a line.

How are the two rides different: The scenery is better on Autopia. Another cool thing about Autopia, if you look on the back of your car, it has a funny license plate. Soon, the cars in Autopia will become electric, too.
Al’s Winner: Both rides are awesome, but I think I liked Autopia better because it has a great setting when you are on the ride.

How Similar Is Italy In Disney World From The Real Italy?

I thought it would be cool to show you how Disney World did a great job with the Italy pavilion by showing you the similarities in my photos from my trip to Italy last summer.

These are my pictures from Epcot.

These are my pictures from Italy.

These are the photos side-to-side.

When I went to Italy, I thought it was crazy how Disney made the Doge’s Palace and St. Mark’s Campanile look like the originals in Italy! I hope you liked the blog article!

A Beginner’s Guide to the World Showcase with Al: Spotlight on Mexico

Mexico is one of my favorite pavilions in Epcot! Why? You will find out soon!

Food: Mexico has some great food. The pavilion has a pyramid with a restaurant outside of the pyramid called La Hacienda De San Angel and a restaurant inside of the pyramid called San Angel Inn Restaurante.

At La Hacienda, you can eat and watch the fireworks at the same time! I like San Angel Inn better because they have good quesadillas and you can watch the boats from the Grand Fiesta Tour sail by you as you eat. These restaurants are part of the reason why I love this pavilion so much.

Shopping: Inside the pyramid, they have a shopping place with skulls, skeletons, shirts, glasses, and many more things from Mexico. This is a very nice place to shop or if you just want to look around.

Entertainment: Next to San Angel Inn, there is a ride called the Grand Fiesta Tour! This is a very fun and relaxing ride where The Three Caballeros (Panchito Pistoles, Jose Carioca, and Donald Duck) want to perform a song, but they lose Donald Duck! They go through many places to find him. Then, near the end of the ride, they finally find Donald! After all that, they eventually perform. This ride is another reason why I love this pavilion.

Outside the pyramid, you can take pictures with Donald, who is dressed in Mexican clothes.

Also, next to La Hacienda De San Angel, a band performs Mexican songs. There is always a crowd enjoying the music.

I hope you enjoyed my review of the Mexican pavilion.

Al’s Top Five Favorite Rides at Universal

I love going to Universal almost as much as going to Disney so these are the rides that make me like Universal.

5. Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey

Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey is a good ride in Harry Potter land. Forbidden Journey is a ride where you fly around on a broom. Harry Potter and Ron Weasley fly with you around the school and then things pop out at you such as a dragon, spiders, and dementors! During the ride you are also playing a game of quidditch. This ride does not go upside down but it goes so far back it is like you are lying down!

4. Popeye and Bluto’s Bilge-Rat Barges

Popeye (I call this ride Popeye for short) is a water ride on a barge which is more fun than it sounds. Although this ride will have you super wet after you do it, this ride is still a very exciting ride for almost anyone in the family. This ride is also fun because there are about 6 other people with you on this ride so everybody on the barge laughs at each other when they get wet! This is a good ride to do if you do not mind getting wet and if you want to cool down in the sun.

3. Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringotts

Escape from Gringotts is a roller coaster in Gringotts bank. The theme is crazy if you read the books and watch the movies. The point of the ride is that Voldemort and his assistant Belllatrix break into a very secure bank and they ask you where Harry Potter is because you were with him and his friends earlier. Then Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Bill (Ron’s brother) get you out!

2. The Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man

Spider-Man is a very fun ride to do at whatever age! Spider-Man is a ride in a closed car where you see the spectacular adventures of Spider-Man. Spider-Man is fighting bad guys while you help. In the ride you are recruited to help Spider-Man defeat Doc Ock and his evil crew. In the ride the bad guys attack you. Then Spider-Man saves you just at the last moment!

1. Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure

My favorite ride in all of the Universal parks is Hagrid’s Motorbike Adventure! Lots of people agree with me that Hagrid is the best ride in Universal, and I even go as far as to say Hagrid is the best ride including Disney! Hagrid is a super fun roller coaster where you go with Hagrid to see animals and different creatures. In this ride you can sit in either a bike or a little seat on a sidecar. If you go to Universal this is a must do.

Honorable Mention:

Jurassic Park River Adventure

Jurassic Park River Adventure is a ride where you are going on a journey to see dinosaurs, but you take a wrong turn and go into a restricted area. You keep going up until a T-Rex comes out and there is a huge drop!

Those are my favorite rides in all of Universal!

A Beginner’s Guide to the World Showcase with Al: Spotlight on Italy

Italy is super cool to explore in Italy and in Disney. This is what I think of the Italy pavilion in Epcot.

Food: In Italy they have some really good food options. You can get food from stores, you can get it from a stand, and you can get food from Via Napoli! The food from the stand called Pizza al Taglio and Via Napoli are mostly pizza, but you can always get pasta from Via Napoli too! The only complaint that I have is that the pizza stand is not always open. Other than that Italy has great dining. There is also another restaurant called Tutto Italia Restaurant.

Shopping: Italy has some really good shopping areas. There are two different places you can go to shop. The shops have perfume, shirts, sweats, pins, stamps, and many more things. One of the places you can shop is called the St. Mark’s Campanile.

Entertainment: Italy does not have much entertainment, but the pavilion looks really cool. Italy is one of the nicest looking pavilions in Epcot. Around Christmas time a character named La Befana does a show where she talks about Christmas.

That is what I think about Italy in Epcot!

Al’s Top 5 Favorite Roller Coasters in Disney World

I thought it would be cool to tell you guys my favorite roller coasters. So, this is how it went.

5. Expedition Everest

I like Expedition Everest because it has a lot of stuff: a beautiful view, scary parts, and it is a smooth ride. I sit near the front most of the time because there is a part where you go backward! In that part, if you are in the back, you go down a drop, then, you go up so high, you feel like you are almost going upside down. After that, there is a forward drop that is even bigger! If you like scary rides, then you would like this one.

4. Big Thunder Mountain

Big Thunder Mountain is not a bad roller coaster; it is just a fun ride! It is “the wildest ride in the wilderness”! It has turns and drops, and almost anyone can ride and be happy when they get off the ride. It can also be repeated many times. There are two different tracks you can get! Big Thunder Mountain is next to water, too. When you get off the ride, make sure to get a picture with the water and the ride.

3. Slinky Dog Dash

Watch out for Slinky Dog Dash because it is “the wildest ride in Andy’s backyard!” Slinky Dog Dash might look like a fun and cute ride, but it is not. It has a drop that is 50 feet! It also gets to a speed of 40 miles per hour, but it does not go upside down. The track is very smooth though, and that helps it not be as scary. If you want to have a tour of Andy’s backyard and like to scream, then this ride is for you.

2. Tron Lightcycle Run

Tron is a very cool ride that goes about 60 miles per hour! The only complaint about this ride is that it is only about two minutes. There is a part where you go outside that lasts about one minute. The ride also gives you a team color; it is always blue. Then you have to try to win a game with your team. The ride goes inside and goes through rings. If you get six rings before the orange, red, and yellow teams, you win! If you like competitions, you would like this roller coaster.

1. Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind

Guardians of the Galaxy is my favorite ride in Disney World for a lot of reasons. You are in a ride vehicle with two in the front and two in the back of every escape pod. You can also repeat this ride many times because it plays different songs (from the 70s and 80s) each time you ride it! You also go backward in this ride and a picture is taken of you in your escape pod when you go backward. This ride is crazy, and at the end of the ride, you hear, “Welcome to the Guardians of the Galaxy,” because you helped save the world!

Honorable mentions:

Space Mountain and Seven Dwarf Mine Train

Space Mountain is an insane roller coaster in the dark with many drops and turns. Seven Dwarf Mine Train is a fast ride outside with a few fun songs to sing along, like, “Hi Ho”.

Those are my favorite roller coasters in Disney World. I hope you enjoyed this list!