[Question] Disneyland experience that ended up much different than expectations...

[Starcade]

Curious to anyone if they have ever experienced something special at the park that they wanted to try for a while just to find it not being that great in the end or found it way better than they expected? I am talking things that are not common to be able to experience.

Here is an example:

Less than expected: Riding in the Caboose or Lilly Belle Car on the DLRR. I always wanted to and then when I got to each time I felt it underwhelming because you no longer here the sounds of the park and your view is actually quite obstructed ( especially in the caboose ) Once I did it I was like whelp no need to do that again.

Better than expected : Walk In Walt's Footsteps Tour, My main hope was to be able to see Walt's apt. in person I thought maybe we would simply walk up to the door way and get to look in or walk through briefly but instead you got to go up in small groups and hang out in there for what seemed like 20-30 minutes. You couldn't sit on the furniture but you got to look out the window down to Main Street and take it all in and CM's took photos of you up there if you wanted etc. You really got to feel what it must have been like being Walt hanging out up there with his family and looking out upon the guests and gauging their approval of the park on any given day. On a side note when we were up there a woman almost accidentally destroyed Walt's lamp as she looked out the window and bumped it knocking it over but then caught just as it almost hit the table. it make quite the clanging noise and she was quickly asked to step away from the window and her time in the apt. was cut short.

[BNSF1995]

I was expecting Buzz Lightyear Astro Blasters to be a simulator of some sort. It ended up being the very first time I ever rode an Omnimover attraction (I was too scared to ride Haunted Mansion until I was almost 14).

[Eagleman]

Less than expected: Riding in the Caboose or Lilly Belle Car on the DLRR. I always wanted to and then when I got to each time I felt it underwhelming because you no longer here the sounds of the park and your view is actually quite obstructed ( especially in the caboose ) Once I did it I was like whelp no need to do that again.

Better than expected : Walk In Walt's Footsteps Tour

I did the

Walk In Walt's Footsteps Tour
It was Better than I Expected
Every one on the Tour was very nice ( other guest on the tour)....and end up with meeting new friends.
It was cool doing the Caboose on the Disneyland Railroad ......I got to sit at the top part
with a 7 year old boy who just love trains........
that was nice trip around the Park ......
I felt it was the right time , with the right people to take that Tour ,when I did -IMO
It was better, than I can Expected !

[Monoautorail]

Less than expected: Club 33. I'm soooo not the target audience for the club, but my wife and I were able to visit on our first wedding anniversary in 2003. My entrée was served on a chipped plate, which seemed ridiculous. The meal was delicious, but sitting in a posh setting isn't really what I'm looking for in the world's greatest theme park.

More than expected: working at Carnation Ice Cream Parlor and Restaurant in high school. I was very unexcited about a foodservice job after imagining myself in Attractions for a long time, and I was even less excited to be on Main Street. At that age, for me, Main Street was primarily a corridor to be gotten through while going into the "good" parts of the park (although I often went to Mr. Lincoln). Working on Main Street was wonderful and endeared it to me and I now consider it to be nearly perfect.

[HiddenMickey87]

More than expected: Tom Sawyer's Island. Visited earlier this year for the first time in years. Thought we'd give it a shot again. Turned out to be so enjoyable we visited several times that trip. Don't care for the Pirates overlay, but simply strolling around and enjoying the scenery proved very pleasant!

[CM08]

...On a side note when we were up there a woman almost accidentally destroyed Walt's lamp as she looked out the window and bumped it knocking it over but then caught just as it almost hit the table. it make quite the clanging noise and she was quickly asked to step away from the window and her time in the apt. was cut short.

...and her loved ones never saw her again.

[biggsworth]

From WDW but my second dine with an imagineer. My first Imagineer was amazing the second one was a copy and pasted corporate worker.I felt like I was having a one on one at work with a project manager.

[Theme_Park_Insider]

I got to visit the Dream Suite for a few hours with a friend, and that far surpassed my expectations, and frankly renewed my interest in working for themed entertainment.

To see and learn about the amount of love and detail that the Imagineers put into an essentially non-useful space that no one would ever see gave me a spark of hope.

Seriously if you ever get a chance to see the suite, DO IT. It's a masterwork of design and technology - the purest distilled Disney magic.

[Eagleman]

I got to visit the Dream Suite for a few hours with a friend, and that far surpassed my expectations, and frankly renewed my interest in working for themed entertainment.

To see and learn about the amount of love and detail that the Imagineers put into an essentially non-useful space that no one would ever see gave me a spark of hope.

Seriously if you ever get a chance to see the suite, DO IT. It's a masterwork of design and technology - the purest distilled Disney magic.

I would have enjoy just to see the

masterwork of design , and technology of the Dream Suite ........

[Eagleman]

Walt's apartment-

Above the firehouse

in Town Square

I have love the concept of

A lamp that kept burning in the front window as a tribute to "WALT DISNEY" memory~!~

[Mastersarge]

Better than expected:
my kids “driving” the Mark Twain. The captains were so friendly and shared lots of tidbits about the park.

Less than expected:
Blue Bayou. I was hoping for a relaxing dinner by the bayou (my favorite part of pirates), but it was loud and I didn’t really get the ambiance feel I was hoping for

[Pips]

The dessert parties they used to have for F! were really better than expected. There were generous snack boxes, kind CMs who were helpful with beverage replenishment, and comfortable seats to sit in. Great nighttime experience there along the Rivers of America.

[vnormth]

The dessert parties they used to have for F! were really better than expected. There were generous snack boxes, kind CMs who were helpful with beverage replenishment, and comfortable seats to sit in. Great nighttime experience there along the Rivers of America.

Yep, that dessert on the Walt & Roy balcony for F! exceeded my expectations, but dining there now at 21 Royal Street did too. Absolutely spectacular. Spend the bucks and do it if you can.

[vnormth]

Visiting Walt & Lillian's homes (both the before Disneyland one they sold and the after Disneyland one they built) in Smoke Tree Ranch FAR exceeded my expectations.

visiting Imagineering in Glendale and the Burbank Studios during an Adventures By Disney tour was a tad underwhelming.

[vnormth]

Less than expected: Club 33. I'm soooo not the target audience for the club, but my wife and I were able to visit on our first wedding anniversary in 2003. My entrée was served on a chipped plate, which seemed ridiculous. The meal was delicious, but sitting in a posh setting isn't really what I'm looking for in the world's greatest theme park.

You might want to give it a try again after the 2014 remodel. When you were there it shared a kitchen with Blue Bayou. It has since replaced the famous Trophy Room with its own kitchen and everything has leveled up, winning Zagat's best restaurant in Orange County once again.

[vnormth]

Less than expected: 1901 Lounge
More than expected: Le Salon Nouveau

Less than expected: seating in The Office at Lamplighter Grill
More than expected: seating for Candlelight Processional

Less than expected: backstage tour of Soarin'
More than expected: backstage tour of Indy

Less than expected (always): taking a break in the Hearthstone Lounge
More than expected (usually): taking a break in the Craftsman Bar

Less than expected: Chef's Counter dining in Napa Rose
More than expected: high tea at Steakhouse 55

Less than expected: eating in Tropical Hideaway (but it's still a huge improvement over Alladin's Oasis)
Much more than expected: drinking in Trader Sam's

Less than expected: riding in the Lilly Belle
More than expected: riding in the monorail front cab

Less than expected: any specialty churro
More than expected: the annual hand-made very limited availability candy canes.

[bayouguy]

Better than expected: Goofy’s Kitchen. I was expecting an overpriced meal with few meal items for choices and crowded conditions. But the total experience was way better than what I was expecting. The buffet choices were more than adequate, the items were way tasty, the room was crowded but not stuffed to the ceiling, and the characters did their work. Even the price was good for getting a meal with tip and the meet and greet experience. And it was my daughter’s birthday and they did the Happy Birthday song at our table with Chip singing along.

Not better than expected: Galaxy’s Edge. A mall was what I was not expecting. And that what was built.

[spinycactus]

Better than expected:
lunch one time at Club 33
Tom Sawyer's Island
Hyperspace Mountain

Less than expected:
Buzz Lightyear
Winnie the Pooh
Paradise/Pixar Pier

[Eagleman]

Tom Sawyer's Island , when I was great as a kid
one can be there all day and a

experience, that I would not forget.

* I miss Fort Wilderness , being accessible to guests.