Disneyland 2022 - Day 1

We took a trip down to Los Angeles during Thanksgiving week to visit friends and Disneyland. The last time I had gone to Disneyland was in 2012. I was excited to see all the new additions to the park, as well as the holiday theme, as I have never visited during the holiday season.

Solvang, California

On the way down, we stopped to see Solvang, California, a small danish town with unique architecture, shops, and wineries.

Downtown Disney

We met up with some of our local friends to hang out at downtown Disney, a shopping and food plaza adjacent to the Disney and California Adventure parks. Downtown Disney is a gateway to Disney hotels, trains that transport guests to the Disney parking lot, and many Disney related stores and restaurants. It feels like an extension of the parks, except it is free to enter.

Trader Sam’s

A tiki bar serving cocktails and island food.

Star Wars Trading Post

Day one at Disneyland started early at 8:00 AM when the parks opened. We had 2-day park hopper tickets to maximize our time between the two parks. We opted to start with California Adventure on Sunday, hoping Disneyland would be a little less crowded on Monday. Our first ride of the day was spider-man’s web slinger in the new Avenger’s Campus. As an adult, I could better appreciate the attention to detail that goes into each attraction.

Pym’s Test Kitchen

An Ant-Man inspired restaurant serving small snacks and drinks

Guardians of the Galaxy, Mission: Breakout

Previously the Tower of Terror, the tall free-fall elevator based attraction is now themed around the Guardians of the Galaxy.

Lamplight Lounge

We got lunch at the lamplight lounge, a sit down restaurant that could be easily missed, nestled next to the water with views of the Incredicoaster and Ferris Wheel.