Tag Archives: places to visit

Visit the Las Vegas Strip, Las Vegas, Nevada

The Las Vegas Strip refers to a region of the South Las Vegas Boulevard in Clark County, Nevada. It is internationally known for the concentration of casinos and resort hotels found within the vicinity. The Strip is roughly 6.8 km or 4.2 miles long. It is situated south of the Las Vegas city limits within the unincorporated towns of Winchester and Paradise.

The majority of the Strip has earned the designation of an “All-American Road.” It is a very scenic route to travel once the sun goes down. Out of the world’s 25 largest hotels by room count, 15 are located on the Strip, with a combined amount of more than 62,000 rooms. Many of the largest resort, casino and hotel properties in the world are found here.

Dramatic architecture is one of the signature aspects of the Las Vegas cityscape. There are a variety of modern restaurants, hotels, high-rises and casinos flanking the Strip. It has established he city as being one of the most popular tourist destinations.

The Pair-O-Dice Club was the first casino to be built in 1931 on Highway 91. The first casino to be built on what is now considered to be the Strip was the El Ranch Vegas. It opened with 63 rooms on April 3, 1941. The casino was alive and well for almost 20 years before being demolished by a fire in 1960. The success of this hotel spawned a second hotel on what would turn into the Strip in the future. It was called Hotel Last Frontier in and was constructed in 1942.

New York’s Bugsy Siegel and other organized crime figures took interest in the growing gaming center; leading to other resorts such as the opening of the Flamingo in 1946 and the Desert Inn which opened in 1950. The funding for a variety to projects was given by the American National Insurance Company. This was based in Galveston, Texas, an empire notorious for gambling.

The majority of the shows and attractions on the strip are found on the hotel casino properties. Some of the more popular attractions that are free, internationally recognized and visible from the Strip include the volcano at The Mirage, the fountains at Bellagio, and the Fall of Atlantis and Festival Fountain at Caesars Palace.

Numerous Cirque du Soleil shows attract thousands of visitors including: Zumanity for ages 18 and older, held at New York-New York, Kà at the MGM Grand, Mystère at Treasure Island, and O at Bellagio. There is also the ever popular Criss Angel Believe at the Luxor. There is currently only one movie theatre that is found right on the Strip; the 10 screen Regal Showcase Theatre in the Showcase Mall. It is next to the MGM Grand which initially opened in 1997 and is operated by Regal Entertainment Group.

Visit Times Square, New York

Times Square is located in Midtown Manhattan, New York City. It is situated at the junction of Seventh Avenue and Broadway, where a new pedestrian plaza has been constructed. Additionally, it stretches from West 42nd Street to West 47th Street. Times Square makes up a neighborhood as well as a commercial intersection. It has been dubbed “The Great White Way” and “The Center of the Universe,” due to its bright illumination.

The Broadway Theatre District is considered to be one of the main centers of the entertainment industry. As well, it is one of the busiest pedestrian intersections around. The October 2011 Survey in Travel and Leisure Magazine stated that Times Square hosts over 39 million visitors every year and is one of the most visited tourist attractions in the world. On a daily basis, approximately 330,000 people pass through Times Square. Many of these are people working in the area or are tourists.

Times Square was formerly known as Longacre Square. It was renamed in April 1904 once the New York Times transferred its headquarters to the newly built Times Building, which now goes by the name One Times Square. This is the location of the annual New Year’s Eve ball drop. The tradition started on December 31, 1907 and still continues to be celebrated with much fanfare to this day. It attracts thousands of people to the Square every New Year’s Eve.

Duffy Square is technically the northern triangle. This location was dedicated to Chaplin Francis P. Duffy in 1937 of New York City’s “Fighting 69th” Infantry Regiment. There is a memorial to Duffy there, as well as a statue of George M. Cohan. Also in the vicinity is the TKTS discount theatre tickets booth. In 2001, the Duffy Square and statue were listed on the National Register of Historic Places. An interesting note is that the stepped design red roof of the TKTS booth provides seating for a variety of events.

More than 360,000 pedestrian visitors come through Times Square every day. This equates to more than 131 million every year, making it the number one visited place on the globe. It actually accounts for greater attendance than all of the Disney theme parks in the world. Between March 2012 and February 2013 there were 128,794,000 visitors as compared to 126,479,000 for Walt Disney World attractions in 2012.

If simply counting tourists instead of residents, Times Square rates as the 2nd tourist attraction in the world after the Las Vegas Strip. This astronomical amount of traffic works out to $4.8 billion in annual retail, hotel and entertainment sales. Approximately $0.22 out of each dollar spent by visitors in New York City is being spent within Times Square.

The annual New Year’s Eve ball drop happens every year right in Times Square. On December 31, 1907, a ball was initially dropped to signify the New Year’s Day celebration. Since then, the square has been dedicated to holding the main celebration of New York City there ever since. Thousands of people come together on that night in order to witness the Waterford Crystal ball being lowered on a pole from on top of the building. This announces the start of the New Year. From 1904 to 1906, a lavish fireworks display used to be the show, until the ball drop replaced it. The city officials stopped the grand fireworks celebration due to the danger of fire.

Starting in 1908 and for over 80 years afterwards, Artkraft Strauss, the Times Square sign maker was responsible for lowering the ball. Due to wartime blackout restrictions during World War II, a minute of silence, followed by a recording of church bells replaced the ball drop ceremony. Currently, One Times Square and Countdown Entertainment run the New Year’s Eve event along with the Times Square Alliance.

Approximately 1 million revelers crowd Times Square on average for the New Year’s Eve celebrations. Statistics state that during the millennium celebration held on December 31, 1999, roughly 2 million people overflowed Times Square. They spread out from 6th Avenue to 8th Avenue, as well as back on Broadway and Seventh Avenues to 59th Street. This made it the largest gathering in Times Square since the celebrations marking the end of World War II in August 1945.

Visit Central Park, New York

Central Park is a famous urban park located in the Manhattan section of New York City. In 1857, the park was initially opened with 315 hectares or 778 acres of city-owned land. It has grown to 843 acres today.

In 1858, landscape architect Calvert Vaux and writer Frederick Law Olmsted won a design competition to expand and improve the park. They entitled their vision the “Greensward Plan.” Construction commenced the same year and kept on even during the American Civil War. By 1873, the new features were completed. Within the USA, Central Park is the most visited urban park. These two talented individuals also designed Prospect Park in Brooklyn.

In 1962, the park was designated a National Historic Landmark. The park is currently under management by the Central Park Conservancy. They operate under contract with the city government. The Conservancy employs over 80% of the park’s maintenance staff, and is a non-profit organization. As well, they contribute approximately 83% of Central Park’s $37.5 million dollar annual budget.

For a variety of reasons, Central Park is one of the most famous spots to see when visiting New York. It is bordered on the south by Central Park South and bordered on the north by Central Park North. Fifth Avenue borders the east and Central Park West borders that side. Take note while navigating the city that most of the streets bordering the park change their names while adjacent to the park including: 110th Street, Eighth Avenue and 59th Street. Only Fifth Avenue along the eastern border of the park maintains its name.

Approximately 35 million visitors come to the park on an annual basis. Between 59th Street, or Central Park South and 110th Street or Central Park North, it is 4 km or 2.5 miles long. It is 0.8km or 0.5 miles wide between Central Park West and Fifth Avenue. Central Park is similar to Hyde Park in London and Englischer Garten in Munich, in terms of cultural position and size. It has served as an example for many other urban parks such as: Stanley Park in Vancouver, Golden Gate Park in San Francisco and Ueno Park in Tokyo.

The park is entirely landscaped, even though it looks like the land and the planting schematic is natural. There are numerous man-made lakes that have been meticulously crafted as well as many natural looking ponds. The park is home to 2 ice-skating rinks and one of them transforms into a swimming pool in July and August. There are bridle paths and extensive walking trails.

The Central Park Conservatory Garden, the Central Park Zoo, an outdoor amphitheater called the Delacorte Theatre that hosts summer festivals such as “Shakespeare In the Park and a wildlife sanctuary are just some of the sights to see. There is a large wooded area along with a 43 hectare or 106 acre billion-gallon reservoir. Some of the indoor attractions include the nature center at Belvedere Castle, the historic Carousel and the Swedish Cottage Marionette Theatre.

Seven meadows or major lawns are on the property. Some of them are utilized for team sports while others are considered to be minor grassy areas. Others are simply set aside as quiet green space. Numerous enclosed playgrounds are available for kids to enjoy.

Within the park there is 9.7 km or 6 miles of drives available to be used by skateboarders, joggers, inline skaters and cyclists. These areas particularly flourish in the evenings after 7 pm and on the weekends when automobile traffic is prohibited.

Visit Union Stations, Washington, D.C.

In Washington, Union Station is the main Railway Station. It was built from 1907-1908 to become the new terminal for the Pennsylvania, Ohio and Baltimore Railroads. This new terminal would become the main gateway to the capital of the USA for the next 4 decades.

Beaux-Arts Design

Daniel Burnham, an architect from Chicago, designed this beautiful building to with a popular neoclassicist style known as the Beaux-Arts style. This style became popular during the World’s Columbian Exposition in Chicago. He constructed a grand, 182m long building; making it the largest train station in the world.

The central archway was based on the impressive Arch of Constantine in Rome. It leads to the main hall with a 29m or 96 feet high ceiling that is barrel-vaulted. There is delicate gold leaf detailing that decorates this coffered ceiling. Additional costly material such as granite and marble were used. The entire cost for the building is in the expansive range of $125 million dollars.

The Station’s Heyday

During its heyday, Union Station was the central transportation hub for Washington. Every single day, it serviced over 100,000 passengers. There was even a Presidential Suite on site. This was first used in 1909 by Taft. President Eisenhower was the last of the 17 presidents to utilize the suite.

Decline

Once air travel became more popular in the 1950s, there was a significant decline in the railway station. It had become too large and was taking up space. In the 1970s, there was an attempt to turn it into a visitor’s center; however, that did not work out. The building had deteriorated so much by this point that certain parts of the roof began to cave in. The authorities with the Railroad and Congress debated on whether or not to renovate or demolish Union Station. In 1981, fortunately a joint private and public venture was set up and the building was restored.

Reopening

In 1988, Union Station was reopened once again. It has become a retail hotspot for shopping and also serves as a train station. There are more than 100 stores and an impressive food court. The Washington Union Station is situated close to the US Supreme Court and not far from the US Capitol. It sits on Capitol Hill.

Visit the National Museum of Natural History, Washington, D.C.

The Natural Museum of Natural History is found in Washington, D.C. in the USA. It is a natural history museum located on the National Wall and is administered by the Smithsonian Institution. This amazing place is open 364 days a year and offers free admission. It is the most visited museum of any kind in all of North America and is the most visited natural history museum in the world.

The National Museum of Natural History first opened its doors in 1910. This was one of the Smithsonian’s first buildings exclusively constructed to hold research facilities and the national collections. More than 1000 employees work in the main building. It has a total area of 123,000m2 or 1,320,000 square feet and offers 33,000m2 or 350,000 square feet of public space and exhibition space.

There are over 126 million specimens of fossils, rocks, plants, minerals, animals, human cultural artifacts and meteorites on display. It is the most visited of all of the Smithsonian museums with 7.4 million visitors in 2009 alone. As well, it is the home to approximately 185 professional natural history scientists. These individuals make up the largest group of scientists who are dedicated to the study of cultural history and natural history in the world.

There are 7 departments in the museum that research is divided up into: vertebrate zoology, entomology, anthropology, invertebrate zoology, paleobiology, botany and mineral sciences.

Hall of Geology, Gems, and Minerals

One of the most significant collections of this kind is offered in the National Gem and Mineral Collection. It includes the Hope Diamond and one of the largest sapphires in the world, the Star of Asia Sapphire. These are some of the most famous pieces of minerals and gems around. Currently, there are more than 15,000 individual gems available to view in the collection. There are an additional 300,000 samples of ore and rock specimens, along with 350,000 minerals. The Smithsonian’s Natural Gem and Mineral Collection also boast roughly 35,000 meteorites. This portion of the exhibit is considered to be one of the most comprehensive collections of its kind on the planet.

Hall of Human Origins

The Hall occupies approximately 1400 m2 or 15,000 square feet of exhibit space. It is “dedicated to the discovery and understanding of human origins.” Some of the specimens include an interactive human family tree depicting 6 million years of evolution, and 75 replica skulls. In this section there is also the Changing the World Gallery, which focuses on issues such as how the human’s impact the world and climate change.

Dinosaurs/Hall of Paleobiology

There are more than 570,000 catalogued reptiles around the world on display at the museum. The National Collection of Amphibians and Reptiles has grown over 300% since 1970. By 2008, there were over 570,000 specimen records.

The Hall of Dinosaurs offers fossilized skeletons and cast models. There is even a Tyrannosaurus Rex cast facing a Triceratops cast. This exhibit features a collection of 46 “complete and important “dinosaur specimens. The “Triceratops exhibit shows the first accurate dinosaur skeleton in virtual motion, achieved through the use of scanning and digital technology.”

Hall of Mammals

Out of all the vertebrate specimens in the world, the museum offers the largest collection. It is almost double the size of the next largest mammal collections. There are even some historically important collections available for the 19th and 20th centuries.

Insect Zoo

The O. Orkin Insect Zoo offers live insects for viewing. There are numerous exhibits about entomologists and insects as well. A variety of habitats have been created in order to showcase the different kinds of insects that live in different environments. It features how they have adapted to areas such as: a mangrove swamp, a rain forest, a freshwater pond, a house and a desert. The zoo is sponsored by a well-known pest control company called Orkin.

Ocean Hall

The Sant Ocean Hall is considered to be the largest renovation of the museum since it’s opening in 1910. Ocean Hall opened its doors up on September 27th, 2008. It provides 674 marine specimens and a variety of models drawn from more than 80 million specimens in the museum’s complete collection. This makes it the largest collection of its kind in the world. The hall is named in honour of the Roger Sant family. They donated $15 million to endow the success of the new hall and similar related programs.

Visit Niagara Falls, Canada

The 3 waterfalls that straddle the international border between the United States and Canada are collectively known as Niagara Falls. These falls are located between the state of New York and the province of Ontario. The falls form the southern portion of the Niagara Gorge.

The largest of the 3 waterfalls is called Horseshoe Falls. The middle sized one is known as American Falls. Lastly, the smallest is Bridal Veil Falls. Horseshoe Falls is situated mainly on the Canadian side and American Falls is aptly named due to its entire location being on the American side. These two falls are separated by Goat Island. The smallest waterfall, Bridal Veil Falls are also found on American soil. This one is separated by Luna Island from the other falls. Originally, in 1819, the international boundary line was drawn through Horseshoe Falls. The boundary has been in dispute for ages due to construction and natural erosion.

The combined falls make up the highest flow rate of any waterfall in the world. Situated on the Niagara River, which in turn drains into Lake Ontario, the falls form a vertical drop of more than 50 meters or 165 feet. Within North America, Horseshoe Falls is considered to be the most powerful waterfall. These measurements are derived by flow rate and vertical height. The falls are located 121 kilometers or 75 miles south-southeast of Toronto and 27 kilometers or 17 miles north-northwest of Buffalo, New York, between the twin cities of Niagara Falls, New York and Niagara Falls, Ontario.

When glaciers receded during the end of the last ice age, known as the Wisconsin glaciation, Niagara Falls were formed. Water from the newly formed Great Lakes derived a path through the Niagara Escarpment on route to the Atlantic. Even though they are not particularly high, the Niagara falls are extremely wide. Every minute in high flow, more than 6 million cubic feet or 168,000 m3 of water flows over the crest line. On average, approximately 4 million cubic feet or 110,000m3 flows.

The Niagara Falls are not only an amazing feat of nature, they also provide a valuable source of hydroelectricity. Since the 19th century, the stewards of the falls have faced challenges managing the balance between commercial, recreational and industrial uses.

The height of visitor traffic happens during the best weather in the summertime. Niagara Falls offers both an evening and daytime attraction for tourists at this time of year. For example, from the Canadian side, floodlights illuminate both sides of the falls until midnight. In 2007, the annual number of visitors was approximately 20 million. In 2009, the annual rate was up to 28 million tourists. It is a great place for romantic couples, individuals and families alike.

The Maid of the Mist boat cruise is the best known and oldest tourist attraction at Niagara Falls. This boat was named for an ancient Ongiara Indian mythical character. Since 1846, it has carried numerous passengers into the rapids directly under the falls. There are a variety of cruise boats that operate from boat docks on either side of the falls.

Queen Victoria Park, situated on the Canadian side, offers extravagant manicured gardens. There are many platforms which provide excellent views of both Horseshoe Falls and American Falls. Additionally, there are underground walkways leading into observation rooms that yield the illusion of being within and among the falling waters. Skylon Tower is a nearby observation deck that gives the highest overhead view of the falls. From this place, looking in the opposite direction, one can see as far as Toronto. In Canada, the Minolta Tower, which was formerly the Konica Minolta Tower and the Seagrams Tower and are now known as the Tower Hotel, one can also enjoy a view of the falls.

Visit Grand Central Terminal, New York

In Midtown Manhattan, New York City, USA, GCT or Grand Central Terminal can be found. This former intercity railroad terminal is a popular commuter railroad that is located at Park Avenue and 42nd Street. It has 44 platforms that serve 67 tracks, making it the largest facility of its kind. GCT was named for and built by the New York Central Railroad during the height of American long-distance passenger rail travel.

There are 2 levels that comprise GCT and both are situated underground. There are 41 tracks on the upper level and 26 tracks on the lower level. In rail yards and along platforms the total number of tracks is greater than 100. Approximately 19 hectares or 48 acres are covered by the terminal area.

Penn Station

Penn Station, constructed from 1902 to 1911, is an even grander railway station to visit. It was designed by Charles McKim and modeled on the ancient Baths of Caracalla in Rome. During 1963-1966, acts of vandalism destroyed the impressive landmark. It was later replaced by an office tower and a banal railway station.

GCT almost fell victim to a similar fate; however, the New York City’s landmark preservation laws saved the day. These new laws were implemented as a result of the public outcry over the demolition of Penn Station and thankfully, the building was able to remain standing and avoid its’ date with the wrecking ball.

A New Railway Station

Not long after the accident, the New York Central Railroad came up with plans to establish a larger Grand Central Station. The cost to construct and electrify the construction of the new railway station was compensated by the use of air rights. It became possible for the tracts to be paved and covered all the way to 49th Street, thanks to electrification. Additionally, developers were capable of constructing buildings on top of the railway; although, they had to pay an extra amount of money to the railway company to cover their “air rights.” Interestingly enough, even the air space on top of low-level buildings can be sold in this manner in order to enable the construction of taller, neighboring buildings.

A competition was held in 1903 for the design of the new Grand Central Station. William K. Vanderbilt II, a descendant of the Commodore, was awarded the honour from the firm Reed and Stem.

Main Concourse, Grand Central Terminal

Reed and Stem collaborated with Warren and Wetmore for the Main Concourse portion. The overall layout and design was completed by Reed and Stem; however, the Beaux-Arts style and the architectural details can be attributed to Warren and Wetmore.

Terminal City

Of course, the entirety of the project does not just encompass a new railway station. A new complex of apartments and office buildings, known as Terminal City, was also developed. The design behind this was a “city in the city.” This concept is similar to Rockefeller Center which was constructed decades later. Particular attention was given to how traffic would circulate. Cars and pedestrians are separated by uniquely designed elevated ramps. These ramps lead traffic around the railway station and are called the Park Avenue Viaduct.

A Grand Design

The Beaux-Arts design on the building’s façade on 42nd street has become a famous landmark. Corinthian columns flank large arches. These columns are topped by an artistic sculpture group designed by Jules-Alexis Coutan. The customized sculptures are 15 meters or 50 feet high. They depict the God of Commerce, Mercury and are supported by Hercules and Minerva to represent moral and mental strength.

The main concourse is quite an impressive place to visit. It is 160 feet wide, 470 feet long and 150 feet high, or 43x49x143 meters. Paul Helleu, a French artist painted the ceiling. The design consists of zodiac constellations which were derived from a medieval manuscript. Allegedly, it was painted backwards so that the stars are shown in the way they would be seen by a God and not by man.

There are 6 arched windows that are 75 feet or 23 meters high. This is how light enters the main concourse area. A Botticino marble double staircase was designed after the large staircase found in the Opera Garnier in Paris. This staircase connects the entrance on Vanderbilt Avenue with the main concourse. Tennessee marble makes up the concourse floor and Caen stone compliments the walls.

Visit Faneuil Hall, Boston, Massachusetts

Since 1742, Faneuil Hall has been a meeting hall and a marketplace. It is situated close to the waterfront in Boston, Massachusetts, and near Government Center. Faneuil Hall was home to numerous famous speeches given by James Otis, Samuel Adams and a variety of others encouraging independence from Great Britain. Nowadays, it is part of Boston National Historical Park. It is also a frequent stop on the well-known Freedom Trail. This ancient and important building is sometimes nicknamed “the Cradle of Liberty.”

Faneuil Hall, located near the waterfront and today’s Government Center, in Boston, Massachusetts, has been a marketplace and a meeting hall since 1742. It was the site of several speeches by Samuel Adams, James Otis, and others encouraging independence from Great Britain. Now it is part of Boston National Historical Park and a well-known stop on the Freedom Trail. It is sometimes referred to as “the Cradle of Liberty”.

There are a variety of eateries and shops located on the ground floor. There is a meeting room on the second floor of the building. Finally, the third floor contains the armory of the Ancient and Honorable Artillery Company of Massachusetts as well as the museum.

There are 3 long granite buildings known as Quincy Market, North Market and South Market which are included amongst the Faneuil Hall Marketplace. It was designed by Benjamin Thompson and Associates. These locations operate as a food eatery and an indoor and outdoor mall.

The gilded grasshopper weathervane on top of the building has remained the symbol of Faneuil Hall for two hundred years. In 1742 it was created by Deacon Shem Drowne. This weathervane remains the only completely unmodified part of Faneuil Hall to this day.

The Faneuil Hall Marketplace also known as Quincy Market offers more than 100 pubs, restaurants, stores, and artisan pushcarts along the famed Freedom Trail in Boston. The Boston Tea Party rebellion against British Taxation began in Faneuil Hall.

Along the cobblestone plaza, there is an appealing selection of local shops, street performers, international brands and food stalls. In this same location, shoppers and merchants have come together for close to 400 years!

Within the vicinity, you will find some of the oldest taverns in the city, Boston’s oldest outdoor produce market called “Haymarket,” as well as numerous historic restaurants. There are many popular Boston nightlife spots in this location. Don’t forget to check out Boston’s Holocaust Memorial with its haunting glass towers.

If you are in the Boston area, visiting Faneuil Hall Marketplace and Quincy Market may be among your attractions due to the variety of entertainment, dining, shopping and nightlife all in this one central place. There is so much to see and do in the area. You will be experiencing one of the most historic parts of the city. Many Puritans walked the exact same steps centuries ago as they went to buy and sell at the market.

Visit Magic Kingdom Park, Bay Lake, Florida

The Magic Kingdom, officially known as Magic Kingdom Park, was the first of 4 theme parks situated at the Walt Disney World Resort in Bay Lake, Florida. On October 1, 1971, the grand opening was held. WED Enterprises was responsible for the designing and building process. The attractions and overall layout are similar to that of Disneyland Park in Anaheim, California.

Disneyland parks are committed to Disney characters and dedicated to fairy tales and all things magical. Approximately 17.54 visitors came through the gates in 2012. These figures made it the most visited theme park in the entire world for that year.

The famous Cinderella Castle is one of the most distinguishing features of the park. This fairy tale castle gained popularity from the 1950 film. Hence the name “Magic Kingdom” was commonly used as an unofficial nickname for Disneyland prior to Walt Disney World being constructed.

“The Happiest Place On Earth,” is the official tagline for Disneyland. The Magic Kingdom has “The Most Magical Place On Earth,” as its tagline. To differentiate it from Disneyland, the park was renamed in 1994 to become Magic Kingdom Park. It is simply known as Magic Kingdom. Similar to all Disney theme parks, the official park name does not start with “the” even though it is often referred to that way. There is however, a sign located on the railroad station within the front of the park that does read “The Magic Kingdom.”

Adventureland

The mystery of exploring foreign lands is encompassed in Adventureland. It is themed to resemble to remote jungles in the Middle East, Africa, the South Pacific, Asia and South America. It has another area that replicates a Caribbean town square.

Frontierland

Within Frontierland, guests can relive the excitement of the American Old West. Here, the Native Americans run with the romanticized cowboys of days past. The Rivers of America and their intrigue can also be discovered. Classic attractions such as the Country Bear Jamboree, Big Thunder Mountain Railroad and Splash Mountain can be enjoyed.

Liberty Square

Liberty Square is based on a colonial town in the historical time period of the American Revolution. The Liberty Belle Riverboat can be explored on the Magic Kingdom’s Rivers of America promenade. Other classic attractions such as the Hall of Presidents, the Haunted Mansion are found here. Note that behind the Christmas Shop, there is a sign up location for Sorcerers of the Magic Kingdom.

Fantasyland

To quote Walt Disney: “Fantasyland is dedicated to the young at heart and to those who believe that when you wish upon a star, your dreams come true.” Fantasyland is themed in a carnival style flourishing with a medieval flair. Some of the classic attractions found here include: The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh, Peter Pan’s Flight, Mad Tea Party, Prince Charming Regal Carrousel and It’s a Small World. Mickey’s PhilharMagic is also found in this location.

Storybook Circus

Storybook Circus is considered to be part of Fantasyland. It is located at the former site of Mickey’s Toontown Fair and features elements from the Mickey Mouse Universe and Dumbo.

Enchanted Forest

The Magic Kingdom Park now covers 133 acres, including the Enchanted Forest and Storybook Circus.

Tomorrowland

Tomorrowland is a fun intergalactic city. The concept is futuristic as seen from around the era of the 1950s. There are robots, rockets and UFOs. Some of the classic attractions include the Tomorrowland Speedway, Astro Orbiter, Space Mountain, Tomorrowland Transit Authority and Walt Disney’s Carousel of Progress. Additional current attractions featured include: Monsters, Inc. Laugh Floor, Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin and Stitch’s Great Escape.

Visit Disneyland, Anaheim, California

Disneyland, or its official name “Disneyland Resort,” was created and developed in the 1950’s by Walt Disney. This entertainment resort is situated in Anaheim, California and is famous worldwide. It is owned by the Parks and Resorts division of the Walt Disney Company. The resort includes an entertainment complex called Downtown Disney; which features excellent dining and shopping facilities. Along with the two theme parks on site there are additionally three hotels on the property.

Disneyland officially opened up to guests on July 17, 1955. Initially, the property included a 40 hectare or 100 acre parking lot and Disneyland. The Disneyland hotel was also available, which was owned and operated by Jack Wrather, who was Walt’s business partner. With the success of the multi-hotel and multi-park business model of Walt Disney World in Lake Buena Vista, Florida; Disney decided to take on the opposite coast by purchasing large areas of land adjacent to Disneyland and develop a similar business plan in the Anaheim location.

The property was renamed Disneyland Resort during the expansion process in order to include the entire complex. Disneyland Park had been the original theme park name. The Pan Pacific Hotel and the Disneyland Hotel were purchased from their Japanese owners and the Wrather Company. The Paradise Pier Hotel was born from this acquisition. Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa were additionally added to the property. Downtown Disney, with its copious dining and shopping amenities came later, along with a second theme park named Disney California Adventure Park.

The majority of the construction was finished by 2001. Preview openings of Disney’s California Adventure Park were held in January of that year. In the beginning, many reviews from American Express cardholders, annual pass holders, and Disney employees were quite negative. On February 8, 2001, this portion of the park opened to the public with great anticipation. Even though the initial attendance projections were never attained and the negative reviews impacted attendance, it was still a magical time.

In the early years, the main focus was attempting to grow attendance. During that time, Disney added Who Wants To Be A Millionaire-Play It! As well, they added the Main Street Electrical Parade and offered numerous promotions such as discounted admission; all in attempts to boost the number of visitors. In order to add some attractions for a younger crowd and address some of the previous criticism, the developers decided to add another E ticket with The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror and a bug’s land. Within the initial year of operation, some of the park’s earlier attractions were closed. These included: Disney’s Eureka! A California Parade, Disney’s Steps in Time and Superstar Limo.

New attractions began popping up at Disneyland Park after the opening. Some of the most well-known include: Buzz Lightyear Astro Blasters and the Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh. Both of these were modeled after similar successfully named attractions at the Magic Kingdom.

The original park underwent a substantial renovation of Space Mountain, which was almost 30 years old at the time! A new train system was introduced known as the Disneyland Monorail System and the Submarine Voyage was refinished to become the Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage.

 

The extremely popular exhibit known as Pirates of the Caribbean was refinished in 2007. It was redesigned to look closer to that of the film franchise. From 2005 to 2006, the Disneyland Park celebrated its 50th anniversary. This was an 18-month celebration known as “the Happiest Homecoming on Earth,” which was part of the larger “Happiest Celebration on Earth” promotion that was simultaneously going on at all Disney theme parks.

From 2006 to 2008, the “Year of a Million Dreams” promotion took over. In 2009, the resort launched their next promotion known as “What Will You Celebrate?” which began New Year’s Day 2009. This event offered free admission to visitors who were celebrating their birthday in 2009 on site. Disney maintained this marketing theme for the duration of 2010 for their USA parks; however, no longer offers free admission on a guest’s birthday.

Disney announced a 1.1 billion US expansion project for Disney’s California Adventure Park in 2007. This included construction of Disney’s World of Colour, an evening water show and the construction of a new land based on the popular Disney-Pixar film Cars. Plans were also laid out to add new attractions to existing places and re-theme certain locations.

In 2008, construction commenced. By 2010 to 2012, it was completed in various phases. Disneyland Hotel began a huge renovation in 2009 and by 2012, was completed. Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel additionally completed an expansion to add Disney Vacation Club suites. By the beginning of 2010, the park was renamed Disney California Adventure.

The growth and transformation of Disneyland into the Disneyland Resort had similar effects on its sister properties in France and Japan. Initially, both of these locations were single parks. In 2001 however, Tokyo Disneyland upgraded to become Tokyo Disney Resort and Tokyo Disney Sea was added. Disneyland Park Paris, the following year, grew into Disneyland Resort Paris. This expansion saw the addition of Walt Disney Studios Paris.