Halloween at Disneyland USA

Halloween time at Disneyland Park

Disney fans will never forget March 14, 2021: the day Disneyland and California Adventure parks in Anaheim, California closed for a record 412 days due to the COVID pandemic.

Over a year later, Disney reopened both its California parks to a very different experience that involved mandatory masking, mobile ordering, and the loss of several staples including parades, fireworks, and the beloved FastPass and single rider programs.

Fast forward to my birthday this year when I got the best gift of all: an annual pass to Disneyland, USA! Luckily my birthday is in the fall, and I was just in time to check out the Halloween season at the resorts. Some things were improved since the last time I visited in June 2021, and I had an amazing experience I can’t wait to share with you, including Halloween décor, food, characters, and shopping; Avengers Campus; Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge; and the brand new Main Street holiday store Plaza Point!

Day Trip to Miyajima Part 3

Welcome back to the Miyajima tour! (Catch up on part 1 and part 2!) After my journey exploring the many temples and shrines around the island, I found myself at the Miyajima ropeway to Mt. Misen.

Day Trip to Miyajima Shrine Part 2

Welcome, we're taking a journey around Miyajima island. As you can see, there's much more to see after the famous Itsukushima shrine. Follow me!

Just adjacent to the main shrine are a few others you can check out, although they won't be as impressive as Itsukushima.

Downtown Disney Update Part 4: Disney Dress Shop and Disney Gallery

World of Disney Dress Shop

Our last stop takes us back through Downtown Disney (part 1, part 2, and part 3) to two of my other favorite stores: the Dress Shop and the Disney Gallery. 

The Dress Shop

Disney Dress Shop cats

Downtown Disney Update Part 3: World of Disney

Did you enjoy part 1 and part 2? We're back on our tour of Downtown Disney under quarantine, circa March 2021. There's so many cool new things at the World of Disney, including adorable nuiMOs that I can't wait to show you!

World of Disney

Downtown Disney Update Part 2: WandaVision Photo Op

We're back with more exciting updates from Downtown Disney in March 2021, a year after Disney was forced to shut its doors due to COVID-19. There's plenty you can still experience before Disneyland reopens on April 30, including a brand new photo op on the tails of the exciting conclusion to the hit Disney+ series WandaVision.

WandaVision Photo Op

Downtown Disney Update: Star Wars Trading Post, WandaVision Photo Op, and More

Raya and the Last Dragon mural at Downtown Disney

I made it back to Downtown Disney during COVID-19 for another update. Just how is Disney faring with its year-long shut down? Pretty well, if they've begun charging $10 for parking.

TIP: During high-peak attendance (namely weekends) you could end up waiting over 2 hours to enter the area even after parking. Schedule some much-needed time off and hit it on a weekday morning so you get there just before they open. Even so, you'll find yourself waiting in line soon after to enter most stores.

Day Trip to Miyajima Shrine

Back in 2017, right before I left Japan, I took the time to revisit one of my favorite places: Hiroshima. (Yes, this absolutely has to do with Hiroshima-style okonomiyaki, which I ate all three days). I had originally visited Hiroshima on a high school exchange trip several years earlier, but didn't have the chance to go to one of Hiroshima's most popular nearby attractions: Miyajima Shrine.

Located on Itsukushima island a short train trip south, Miyajima is home to under 2,000 residents and over 500 deer. There's an aquarium, several shrines, a resort, botanical garden, and even a ropeway offering stunning panoramic views.

Check Out My New Author Websites

Check out my official author website! I'll be posting more excerpts of my novels and writing, sharing unique quotes, and more!

FREE Preview of Novella "Blood Magic" Available on Amazon

Besides blogging and working as a professional freelance writer and editor, I also write fantasy and sci-fi novels and have completed 14 full-length manuscripts and one novella. Some of you may recall that I officially published my novella Blood Magic back in 2017. Now I'm sharing it exclusively with you readers by offering a FREE excerpt of the first five pages!

Money-Saving Strategies, as Told by Mr. Krabs

If there's one productive thing I did in my child, it's watching SpongeBob SquarePants and committing whole episodes to memory. (Geometry? Dump. Algebra? Shred. SpongeBob? KEEP. Fine-dining and breathing? Also keep).

One thing was certain: Since 1999 Mr. Krabs has proven himself a successful and money-savvy businessman. We can learn a lot of money-saving strategies from him. Not convinced? Let's take a closer look.

(Note: This only covers the first 3 seasons until 2005, which I consider to be the best and only quality episodes. I haven't watched the ones after that.)

Inside Look: Downtown Disneyland Under Quarantine

COVID precautions in full-swing at Downtown Disney

While Disneyland California remains closed for the seventh month in a row (the kiss of death for all us Disney fans), the one godsend is that Downtown Disney is open. I headed there this October for an update on merchandise, COVID practices, and more.

COVID-19 Compliance Measures

Disneyland is following all safety measures related to COVID-19, which you will have to follow in order to enter the premises (a small price to pay for a few hours of happiness). This includes temperature screening, mask wearing, hand-washing, and physical distancing.

Disneyland Coming Attractions

Josh D'Amaro checks out blueprints for Mickey and Minnie's Runaway Railroad

While Disneyland California continues to be shut down due to COVID-19 restrictions, the Disneyland imagineers are using this time to make many exciting park updates, including Disneyland coming attractions. Earlier in August 2020, the titular Splash Mountain song Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Dah was removed from the park, and a complete revamp is underway to convert the beloved ride to the theme of The Princess and the Frog.

Mickey and Minnie's Runaway Railway

Inside the cartoon world of Mickey and Minnie's Runaway Railroad