DimensionZ

Tag: Theme Parks

  • A Day at Disneyland and Disney California Adventure

    A Day at Disneyland and Disney California Adventure

    The second day of our July 2025 Southern California weekend was spent at the Disneyland Resort in Anaheim – Disneyland Park by day, Disney California Adventure by night – after a day at Universal Studios Hollywood.

    Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge

    We started in Batuu with a Ronto Wrap for breakfast and a look at the Millennium Falcon, then stopped in at Oga’s Cantina for drinks.

    Around Disneyland Park

    The rest of the day was classic Disneyland: little details like the Davy Crockett Coonskin Cap Supply Co. window honouring Fess Parker, the jungle temple queue of the Indiana Jones Adventure, and a lunch of shrimp and grits with andouille sausage.

    Before heading back into the parks for the evening we stopped at Trader Sam’s Enchanted Tiki Bar at the Disneyland Hotel.

    Disney California Adventure at night

    After dark we crossed the esplanade to Disney California Adventure: Hollywood Land glowing at dusk, the Guardians of the Galaxy – Mission: BREAKOUT! tower, and Avengers Campus with WEB SLINGERS and plenty of Stark details. We finished on Pixar Pier, which is at its best lit up at night.

    More Disney drinks: see my round-up of Disney bars and tiki lounges.

    Tips if you go: a Park Hopper ticket makes this kind of split day easy. Galaxy’s Edge is quietest first thing in the morning, and Pixar Pier and Avengers Campus are worth saving for after sunset.

    #Disneyland #DisneyCaliforniaAdventure #DisneylandResort #GalaxysEdge #StarWars #AvengersCampus #PixarPier #IndianaJones #Anaheim #ThemePark #California #TravelPhotography

  • A Day at Universal Studios Hollywood

    A Day at Universal Studios Hollywood

    A full day at Universal Studios Hollywood in July 2025, the first stop on a long weekend in Southern California. We stayed at the Hilton Los Angeles/Universal City, right next to the park, and kicked things off the night before with the king crab and lobster buffet at Café Sierra (now called MERiNE).

    Universal Studios Hollywood sign on the hillside above the freeway in Universal City

    The Studio Tour

    The Studio Tour is still the heart of the park: a tram ride through the working backlot, past the famous view over the San Fernando Valley, classic town-square and seaside village sets, a line-up of picture cars from the Fast & Furious and Transformers films, and the huge plane-crash set from War of the Worlds.

    The Wizarding World of Harry Potter

    Up on the hill, Hogwarts castle towers over Hogsmeade. The walk through the castle – past the moving portraits and into the headmaster’s office – is half the fun of the Forbidden Journey ride.

    Springfield

    Springfield brings The Simpsons to life, from Moe’s Tavern and the nuclear plant’s cooling towers to Dr. Nick’s.

    Super Nintendo World

    Super Nintendo World was the highlight: you step through a green warp pipe into a bright, noisy Mushroom Kingdom, with Bowser’s Castle looming over it all and detail packed into every corner.

    That evening we headed out for tiki drinks at Kahuna Tiki in LA. The next day was all Disney – see a day at Disneyland and Disney California Adventure.

    Tips if you go: staying at the Hilton or another Universal City hotel means you can walk or take a short shuttle to the gates. Super Nintendo World can need a timed entry pass on busy days, so check the app when you arrive, and do the Studio Tour early before the line builds.

    #UniversalStudiosHollywood #UniversalStudios #StudioTour #SuperNintendoWorld #WizardingWorld #HarryPotter #Springfield #TheSimpsons #LosAngeles #ThemePark #California #TravelPhotography

  • Trip to Universal Orlando

    Trip to Universal Orlando

    Photos from a September 2024 trip to Universal Orlando Resort in Florida.

    At the time of this trip, the resort was home to Universal Studios Florida, Islands of Adventure and the Volcano Bay water park, with the new Epic Universe park under construction ahead of its opening in May 2025.

    These pictures cover some of the sights from around the resort. Other posts from this trip include Portillo’s, Trader Sam’s Grog Grotto and the Boston Lobster Feast.

    #UniversalOrlando #Orlando #ThemeParks #UniversalStudios #IslandsOfAdventure #Florida