Alice in Wonderland: A Favorite Ride for a Five Year Old Alice Fan
Written: Jan 24 '05 (Updated Apr 23 '06)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Whimsy, two levels, familar characters, gentle ride for preschoolers
Cons: Crowded waiting area
The Bottom Line: A fun, familiar ride for the preschool set.
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| modernmarvel's Full Review: Alice in Wonderland - Disneyland |
My five year old absolutely loves all versions of the Alice in Wonderland story and, in particular, he loves the Disney version. So, of course, we have to go on this ride several times each time we visit Disneyland.
THE WAIT
The waiting area for Alice in Wonderland is probably the best one in Fantasyland but is still cramped and crowded. The line starts right in front of the ride and the waiting area overlooks Fantasyland. Similar to other rides in Fantasyland, the queue here is so narrow, you pretty much have to walk single file, which makes it difficult to talk to others in your party or to keep an eye on your children. The good part is that the line is separated by railings, rather than chains or ropes, so you don't have to tell your kids not to swing on the chains or have other people's kids crashing into you.
The queue area has some nice theming. Huge, whimsical leaves tower over you in shades of teal, blue, green and pink. There are also some pretty, arching flowers. There are some nifty huge fake mushrooms and the cheshire cat can be viewed on the outside of the ride. There is also a large, real, mature tree to shade the line.
BOARDING
There are no height restrictions on this ride. Unlike most other Fantasyland rides, this ride boards outside. The ride vehicles, which look like caterpillars, seat two in the front and two in the back. A lap bar secures you in the car.
THE RIDE
Upon boarding, your car quickly enters the building housing the ride. This ride is similar to a lot of other Fantasyland rides. You stay in a slow moving vehicle as you pass scenes to look at. In this case, the scenes pretty closely mimic the Disney version of Alice in Wonderland, although certain things, including the Mad Hatter's Tea Party are out of order. We watched the movie just before visiting Disneyland and my son was overjoyed to see the familiar characters.
Of course, the first thing you do when you enter the ride is go down the rabbit hole. You see the white rabbit and enter the exact replica of the door at the bottom of the rabbit hole from the Disney movie. From there on, you see many scenes and characters from the movie including Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum, the Cheshire cat and the Queen of Hearts. The caterpillar is there smoking (which shows you how dated the movie and ride are - what other characters intended for children smoke nowadays?). You also hear and see quite a bit of the scenes with the cards painting the white roses red.
Compared to other Fantasyland rides, the scenes here seem more filled out with more 3D sculptures and scenes. There are also some cute, but minor, effects, including fireworks near the end of thr ride. Nothing seems to scary and this is one of the more gentle rides in the whole park. The car never speeds up or dips or turns suddenly.
The most unique part of this ride is that, near the end of the ride, you emerge one story up from the ground. You then take a slow, winding path down to ground level again. This occurs outside of the building housing the ride and you get a nice view of Fantasyland. After that outdoor trip, you enter the building briefly again for an unbirthday party and come back out for the ride's ending.
We really liked this ride. My eight year old enjoyed it and my five year old asked to do it over and over again.
RECOMMENDATION
We loved this ride and would definitely recommend it to anyone who has kids. However,thrill seekers will find it dull. The inside/outside part is unique. However, the thing most kids will probably like the most is seeing the familiar characters in a non-threatening setting. This is one of the best rides in Fantasyland.
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Disneyland
Disney's California Adventure
MY REVIEW OF THEME PARK HOTELS IN CALIFORNIA
Disney’s Grand Californian
Mariott Suites Anaheim
Residence Inn Anaheim
MY REVIEW OF THEME PARK RESTAURANTS
Storyteller’s Cafe
Blue Bayou
Wine Country Trattoria
MY REVIEWS OF INDIVIDUAL RIDES AND ATTRACTIONS IN DISNEY’S CALIFORNIA ADVENTURE
Soarin’ Over California
Grizzly River Run
The Sun Wheel
Orange Stinger
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Playhouse Disney Live on Stage
Twilight Zone Tower of Terror
Monster’s Inc. Mike & Sully to the Rescue
Jim Henson’s Muppet Vision 3D
It’s Tough to be a Bug 3D
Princess Dot Puddle Park
Heimlich’s Chew Chew Train
Tuck and Roll’s Drive ‘Em Buggies
Flik’s Flyers
Francis’ Ladybug Boogie
Misson Tortilla Factory Tour
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MY REVIEWS OF INDIVIDUAL RIDES AND ATTRACTIONS IN DISNEYLAND
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Snow White’s Scary Adventures
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MY REVIEWS OF OTHER THINGS TO SEE IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
Legoland
SeaWorld San Diego
Birch Aquarium at Scripps
The San Diego Zoo
The San Diego Wild Animal Park
Balboa Park
Cabrillo National Monument
San Diego’s Old Town
The Museum of Making Music
Anza-Borrego State Park
Recommended:
Yes
Best Suited For: Families
Best Time to Travel Here: Anytime
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modernmarvel
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