“Here you leave today and enter the world of yesterday, tomorrow and fantasy”

It’s probably fair to say that you’ve heard of Disneyland.  It was the first of the modern family amusement parks and it is still the best.  Sure, other places might have a few more bells and whistles, but for history, detail, magic and fun, you can’t beat Disneyland.  It is the family vacation.

Disneyland was founded by Walt Disney as an alternative to the existing parks of his time.  He wanted someplace clean and fun where kids could be kids and adults could escape from the pressures of their daily lives.  He wanted a place where reality was checked at the door, or gate as the case may be.  It worked and it is still working today.

Located in Anaheim, California, just south of Los Angeles, the park is popular with both locals and tourists.  It can be visited in one day- one hurried, tiring and frustrating day, or it can be done at a slower pace.  Combine the park with the second gate,  Disney’s California Adventure, the Downtown Disney entertainment area and some quality hotel time, and you can stretch it for a week.

Disneyland is divided into different themed areas, each connected via the hub in the center or the railroad that runs mainly along the perimeter of the public areas of the park.

The areas consist of Main Street, U.S.A.,  Adventureland, Frontierland, Fantasyland, Tomorrowland, New Orleans Square, Critter Country and Mickey’s Toontown.

Each different land offers a variety of rides, shows, shops, dining and opportunities to meet and greet an array of Disney’s famous characters.

Disneyland has numerous spacious and clean restrooms, a quiet area for those with small children, first aid, assistance for guests with disabilities, lockers and anything else one might need while away from home.

Of note for parents traveling with children that do not meet the height requirements on some rides, ask a cast member about a child swap voucher which will allow one parent to ride while the other stays with the kid(s).  Then the second parent may access the same ride through a much shorter line than the main queue.

Updated park hours, ticket prices and special events can be found here.  Driving directions are available here.

Read of my personal experiences at Disneyland here.

All photos by Whit Honea.

There’s not much thought usually given to amusement parks or theme parks when you’re planning New York vacations, considering that most visitors to the Big Apple look upon it as an urban oasis for adults, rather than a place for the kiddies. But if you dig a little deeper, you’ll find a range of unique amusement and theme parks spread across the East Coast.

And by unique, I do mean unique. New York, as a whole, has a wacky sense of humor, and that gets reflected down the line, even to the thrill rides and the arcades. So what I’m going to do here, is to list out the best options – in terms of fun and ability to combine a weekend getaway with the theme park visit – while on a trip to New York. I figure that’ll be more useful than a laundry list of every single the amusement parks in New York.

Coney Island in Brooklyn, NYC – Its decrepit and chaotic, but Brooklyn’s Coney Island is the one place which most closely has the kind of attractions and rides and fun stuff which appeals to the bored New Yorker – Young and old. The latest attraction is a WaterBoard Thrill Ride – Robots re-enacting a Guantanamo Bay waterboarding torture skit. One of the robots is wearing a yellow jumpsuit, like the detainees at Gitmo, and he is tied up and spread out on a table. Leaning over him is a torturer in a dark hooded sweatshirt. You drop a dollar into the slot, and they come alive. The ‘dark one’ starts pouring water from a jug onto the face of the detainee, who then promptly flaps about, like he’s choking.

And it helps that the creator of this freak sideshow – Graffiti artist Steve Powers – has painted a sign at the entrance featuring Spongebob Squarepants as the detainee and he’s saying ‘It don’t Gitmo better!’ Maybe you think its funny, maybe you don’t. Either way, your kids (who probably have no idea about the whole flap over waterboarding) will love it. Oh, and its just a stone’s throw from Nathan’s Famous, so you might as well wolf down some hot dogs. More details about Coney island and all its attractions and rides, including Astroland, here.

Great Escape, Lake George, NY – Run by Six Flags, this 140 acre theme park is a typical Six Flags mix of rides, a water park, entertainment, food and festivities. Your kids will most definitely enjoy it, and if you’re the kind who enjoys a carnival atmosphere, then so will you. They also have a neat lodge, if you want to stay over for a weekend. More details here.

Six Flags Great Adventure, Jackson, NJ – This one is a couple of notches above Great Escape. 2200 acre park, and in addition to the usual thrills and roller coasters, also features the largest drive-thru safari outside Africa – A 350 acre wildlife preserve with over 1200 animals, including rhinos, lions, elephants and kangaroos. Details here.

Rye Playland in Rye, Westchester County, NY – Arcade games and over 50 major rides and attractions, plus the Ice Casino, which is kind of a big deal, as far as ice skating events and games on the East Coast are concerned. Plenty of free fun with a beach, pool, boardwalk and pier on Long Island Sound, with lake boating, a picnic area, and mini golf. Deatils here.

Photo copyrights Astroland Amusement Park