Decisions, decisions. Should I watch a 26 minute video to get a dozen news tidbits, or glance at a website and read all that news and more in just a minute?
We are in a world where, on one hand, we have more time due to all the technology around us — washing machines, dishwashers, robot vacuums, and so on. Remember hand writing? Now we type and print a full page faster than we could have written out a post card.
Yet, theme park news has migrated to a slow, inefficient form. Video is great if you get to see moving video of something being described … but when it’s 90% on somebody’s face just talking to you, with occasional still photos popping up, some of the precious time technology has gained you has now been stolen by the same technology.
Maybe I should make a 26 minute video to rant about that…
Last month I was discussing Meow Wolf with someone here in Des Moines and they told me about a place in Kansas City called Atlas9. Some quick research confirmed that this place did indeed seem like it was a Meow Wolf-like attraction. Since Kansas City is only a three hour drive from Des Moines, I decided to drive down and check it out.
Atlas9 – Kansas City, KS
Atlas9 opened in late September 2025. By the time of my visit in June 2026, everything was still (mostly) shiny and new. Only a handful of items were out of order, and none of those prevented completing the full quest.
The full quest?
Let’s step back a moment and explain just what Atlas9 is. The official website describes it as follows:
“Atlas9 is an immersive art experience in Kansas City’s Legends District unlike anything else in the Midwest. It has quickly become one of the most unique things to do in Kansas City, inviting visitors to step into a mysterious world hidden inside a transformed 90s movie theater.
Explore at your own pace and discover immersive art, uncover hidden clues, and piece together a story unfolding around you.
Live performers appear throughout the scenes, making the world feel alive and different every time you visit.
You don’t just visit Atlas9. You become part of the story.“
I notice some websites categorize Atlas9 as a museum. Others consider it an amusement attraction and group it with places like escape rooms. I have even seen it categorized as night life, likely due to it having food, alcohol and live entertainment. And let’s not forget movie theater since it is themed to one and has special showings of retro movies from time to time.
I suppose it is “all of the above.” There really is no category for this type of place other than to say it is “like Meow Wolf.” Meow Wolf seems to be patient zero when it comes to popularizing this type of experience, most notably with all the internet buzz they generated when their weird grocery store themed Omega Mart opened in Las Vegas in 2021.
I think I can help explain what Atlas9 is by describe four ways you can experience it:
Method 1 – As a museum
While I personally am not interested in “weird art” enough to pay $40 to just walk around and look at it, those who do enjoy “weird art” might find this a wonderful experience. Walk around, look at some amazing artistic creations, and then go about the rest of your day. Unlike an actual museum, this art is immersive. Rather than looking at paintings on a wall or some odd modern art statue thing in the middle of a room, this whole place is the subject. You may find yourself in a room of crystal etchings and mirrors, floor to ceiling. Or, wander in to a room that appears to be made of giant red licorice candy, next door to a room made of giant popcorn and soda cups…
Atlas9 – popcorn room.
If you might be interested at this, but not at $40, they offer various discounts such as half price Tuesdays at $20 and special “grown ups only” nights at $30.
The art style is diverse and varied. There is an area that is like something from an animated movie. Another one is like a room from a space ship. There are even mundane areas, such as the movie theater manager’s office and break room. Think of it like walking through movie sets from various genres of films — which is pretty close to what the storyline at Atlas9 is based on — and areas that were part of some movie that escaped into our the real world. Or, “reel” world, as Atlas9 calls it.
Be sure to read “some times for exploring” below, as well.
Method 2 – As a scavenger hunt/quest
When you buy your ticket at the “box office,” you will receive a wristband that serves as your admission. You then wait until the next orientation session. About every 15 minutes one of the Atlas9 “agents” will begin explaining the storyline of the place. This includes a short video, followed by the agent getting you set up in the system. Setup involves scanning a QR code on your wristband, selecting some information on a screen, and having your photo taken.
You may see your image will later if you complete certain steps…
Atlas9 – Agent C08 begins your onboarding process.Atlas9 – a short video explains the storyline and introduces you to the F.A.C.A.D.E. organization.Atlas9 – the final step of onboarding is getting your profile set up, including a photo.
I will try to avoid real spoilers here, but the story is that this place was a movie theater. Around 1995, “something happened.” Areas from the movies they were showing at the time became real. You get to explore these areas and “become part of the story,” including finding out what happened to some theater employees who went missing…
The scavenger hunt (my term, not theirs) involves finding stations throughout the attraction and putting your wristband up against them. There are also larger stations with screens where you can scan in and see your progress. This tells you how many of the stations you have found. Sorta.
Some stations are merely checkpoints, proving that you went to a specific location. Other stations are part of a puzzle where you may have to perform certain steps (possibly in a certain order) to get credit for that location. There are even a few movie poster marquees that put you in the poster when you scan them… This explains why your photo was taken when you began.
Atlas9 checkpoint.Atlas9 puzzle element.Atlas9 movie poster.
If you get stumped, there are usually hints nearby on attached cards, or a nearby sign or poster. If you look around, the answers to most all the “puzzles” seem to be available. If you get really stumped, one of the Agents (staff) can give you hints or walk you through the needed steps. If you ask where a certain room is, they will even escort you over to it — great customer service!
Atlas9 is by no means an “escape room” experience, but it certainly has some fun elements to figure out if you choose to. You have no time limit. You don’t lose. You just have a lower count of how many things you found.
The large stations will show you your progress with a series of steps either checked off (completed) or still TO DO.
Atlas9 terminal, used for checking progress.
Those stations also basically tell you where to go for each step. If you go into a section, you will find photo clues showing you where you need to go. If you want more of a challenge, try not to look at those images 😉
I will spoil one thing: We were offered a free poster printout at the end of our visit. We got to choose which one we wanted to take home. For free. They print out on an 11″ x 17″ sheet in full color. For free. This was a very nice surprise at the end, and a reason you may want to make sure you scan all the movie posters inside the attraction even if you aren’t trying to play the game.
Beyond just having to scan in at certain places, there really where only a handful of puzzles to figure out. We completed all the tasks, but with some hints from Agents who patrol the area. If you want to play this as a challenge, just be sure to refuse their offers to help 😉 I do not consider the puzzles particularly difficult to figure out, but when you have to find a date code to enter into a computer panel, it helps to know where to start looking for that code.
Oh, and yeah, there are a few disguised doors that hide other rooms and even a hidden station you need to find to complete the game. If I recall correctly, every “hidden” room still had a normal door you could use to access it. (And yeah, there are some crawlspaces you can explore, but none were required for completing the tasks.)
Be sure to read “some times for exploring” below, as well.
Method 3 – As a mystery
There is a deeper storyline to Atlas9. To learn it, you need to dive in to paperwork you might find in an office or “log in” to computers and read e-mails. On those computers, there may be documents or image files to open, or movie files to play. They all build the story of what happened at this theater, involving their Holomax 4-D projection system.
There are also telephones throughout the attraction (and outside in the Containment Zone where you enter). These phones can be used to dial various numbers you find. Some are voice mails. Some ring other phones in the attraction. Some will fill in aspects of the story while others are just fun little things to listen to. (Be sure to try to call the pizza place if you find that number.) One could probably spend many visits just trying to locate and dial all the phone numbers and see what plays when you call them.
It does make me wonder how many numbers and recordings there are to discover. If you find a phone directory, please leave a comment…
Atlas9 telephone. One of many found throughout the attraction.
Some tips for exploring
Details are hidden everywhere! Open cabinets. Check drawers. You might even find a surprise if you try to throw something away in a trash can. What’s in the refrigerator? Is there something in that mop sink? Look around — including up and down. If you do this, you should really appreciate the amount of effort that went into this place. Even that RV you see when you first enter the building has some stuff in it too. Be sure to go inside.
Any door that is not specifically labeled as an emergency exit is worth trying. Early on, we found some private staff doors that had visible locks on them. We assumed any door with a visible lock was off limits. That is not always the case — but don’t expect everything to open. There are fake doors, and real doors that lead to conference rooms and event space which are not open to the public.
Method 4 – As a hangout
Lastly, you can just use Atlas9 as a hangout. You can even check out a bit of it for free.
While it takes a ticket to get in and buy drinks at the Speakereasy bar, or snacks and drinks at the Concession Stand, you do not need a ticket to visit Splice Bros Pizza. When you enter the building, you are in the Containment Zone outside of the attraction. You have access to their gift shop, the VERA RV vehicle, and Splice Bros Pizza without needing to buy a ticket.
Atlas9 Splice Bros Pizza, a 90s themed pizza place/bar.
The vibe in Splice Bros Pizza is very fun. The ceiling is covered in movie ticket stubs (check the dates). There are specialty drinks, appetizers, salads and, of course, pizzas. The place is also covered in “graffiti” so, if they don’t offer one to you, be sure to ask to borrow a marker so you can leave your name somewhere there. We hid ours in there and look forward to trying to find it when we return.
Even the cups are customized for this location! Remember when Disney used to do that? Today, everything at Disney seems to be generic “Disney Parks” and used at all their parks.
Atlas9 Splice Bros Pizza drink cup.
There are also specialty drinks and a full bar. The pool table and two cocktail table retro arcade machines (Dig Dug and high-speed Ms Pac Man) are on freeplay. If you are local, you should at least pop in for a quick bite and check out the aesthetics. (We both enjoyed our personal pizzas.)
BUT, if you want to hang out in the attraction, you can buy a yearly pass. For less than four visits you can get unlimited access to Atlas9. We were told that, currently, pass holders don’t need to make a reservation like you do with day tickets. And, you also get a free T-shirt available only to pass holders. If you are the type who likes to collect T-shirts, that makes this an even better deal.
Pass holders are given an identification card on a lanyard to use rather than a wristband. Those wearing these seem to get extra attention from the staff — we got a lot of “welcome back” and “nice to see you again” type greetings.
With this pass, you can pop in just to have a drink at the elite “hidden” Speakereasy bar. If you find it, and are brave, try the popcorn old fashioned…
Atlas9 “hidden” speakeasy, called Speakereasy.
Or, grab something from the Concession Stand (move theater snacks, drinks and full bar).
Atlas9 concessions.
And the best part is — you can carry your drinks around. You don’t have to just meet friends for a snack and a few beers… You can grab a drink then explore the attraction together. There are many rooms that have places to sit and hang out. I’m pretty sure if I was a local, I’d be hanging out here often.
And don’t forget the entertainment. Each hour there is a live performance that alternates between the movie theater stage and the “jazz club” stage. During my visit there was a violinist and dancers, aerial silk acrobat, and whatever this is called:
Atlas9 hoop acrobat dance thing.
The performances in the “jazz club” featured some audience participation, so if you absolutely want to avoid that, view it from the second level.
In the theater, a set of performers do a unique show where they are interacting with projected images as well as using handheld light wands that change colors and synchronize with the soundtrack. Those wands create patterns when they wave them in circles — very cool.
Atlas9 “light wand” performance.
There was another performer that used two curved “light wands” like a high-tech fire or sword dance. I generally consider myself very jaded due to seeing so much high end theme park entertainment in my lifetime (and I am OLD), but I hadn’t seen this.
The theater itself, in between shows, presents a selection of short films, including some made specifically for Atlas9 that tie into the backstory. Of course, being Atlas9 it’s not just a normal theater. The walls are made of geometric shapes and projection mapping is used on them during the films.
Atlas9 auditorium 9.
There are also typical movie theater segments where you might see some trivia or “guess the movie poster” type thing, just like at a normal theater … except here things are never quite normal. Occasionally, a version of the orientation video plays to remind you what the heck is going on here.
We really enjoyed the theater. We easily watched 45 minutes without seeing it repeat. I have no idea how long the loop is.
Oh, and there’s an arcade with most games on freeplay. A VERY unique game – actually, the first commercial video game ever created, is available to play! I have NEVER seen a Computer Space in the wild.
Atlas9 arcade features a Computer Space arcade game from the 70s!
Some tips…
Without giving away spoilers, here are some things I wish I had known:
Your ticket includes a free custom movie poster at the end of your visit. Be sure to go to the gift shop on your way out.
There is a $7 free refill cup available. They told us we could even use it from visit to visit. (Non alcoholic beverages only, of course.)
Use your phone to scan the QR code on your wristband to check your stats from your phone’s web browser. The stats are retained so you can resume your quest on your next visit.
The yearly pass also includes a t-shirt.
An elevator is available to get to the second floor.
In addition to the large restroom near the arcade, there is a small one on the second level near where the elevator comes out, and another small one at Splice Bros Pizza.
There is a water bottle refill station.
Be sure to explore the RV in the entrance area.
…and I am sure I’ll think of a few more to add to this list and revise this blog post later.
Conclusion
Yes, it is “like” a Meow Wolf, but the addition of live entertainment sets it beyond what I have experienced at Convergence Station in Denver or Omega Mart in Las Vegas. This place just feels much more “alive” thanks to the people. Though, these creepy orange haired women freak me out…
Atlas9 mysterious orange hairs.
They seem to wander aware from the stage in-between shows, typicalyl in packs of 3 or 4 from what I encountered. They were my first impression of the place when I entered, and I knew I was in for something special 🙂
Pictures of my adventure at Atlas9 will soon appear in my Other Places gallery:
In the past, it was well-known that the two Disneyland Resort parks (Disneyland and Disney California Adventure) had about as many attractions as all four Walt Disney World parks (Magic Kingdom, Epcot, Disney Hollywood Studios and Disney’s Animal Kingdom). I was curious how things stand today with so many ride closures at Walt Disney World. I was also curious to see where Universal Epic Universe stands in the mix, since the overwhelming opinion I read online is that this new park has far too few rides.
I will dive into this more later, but for now, I refer only to rides with a vehicle you get in that moves — such as a roller coaster, or even a motion simulator. Later, I may do a follow-up post about non-ride attractions such as stage shows, parades and fireworks.
I also did not count double-rides, such as the two Dumbos at Magic Kingdom (it is the same ride, just increased capacity). I also wonder if I should count two-track rides when they are even slightly different – such as the two tracks of Matterhorn Bobsleds (quite different) or Magic Kingdom’s Space Mountain (slightly different though in opposite directions). Universal’s Stardust Racers also has two tracks, but I have not checked to see how different they are. Should these be counted? I think probably, since someone who likes coasters would want to ride both tracks. But for now, that is not included in the totals.
Please let me know if I missed any. I will place the ride data at the end of this article.
Here is my quick count, from most to least actual “rides”:
Disneyland – 36
Magic Kingdom – 22
Disney California Adventure – 18
Islands of Adventure – 18
Universal Studios Florida – 13
Epcot – 12
Epic Univesse – 11
Disney Hollywood Studios – 9
Disney’s Animal Kingdom – 6
Looking at resorts, this breaks down to:
Disneyland Resort – 54
Walt Disney World – 49
Universal Orlando Resort – 42
Yes, Virginia, you could ride more things at the two small parks in Disneyland than all The Walt Disney World parks, or at all three Universal Orlando parks.
Some of you (mostly fans of Disneyland) are aware of this.
For the rest of you, if you like rides, would you consider visiting Disneyland instead of Walt Disney World?
More to come, including a breakdown (and verification) of these numbers…
NOTE: For the pedantic/OCD types out there, some of the names in this list are not the official names. For example, Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run is just listed as Smugglers Run. I am happy to correct them if you bring them to my attention. (And I see at least one that has changed names since the name I was familiar with, so I need to fix that one at some point, too.)
Rides at Disneyland
Alice in Wonderland
Astro Orbiter
Autopia
Big Thunder Mountain Railroad
Buzz Lightyear
Car Toon Spin
Casey Jr. Circus Train
Davy Crocket Canoes
Disneyland Railroad
Dumbo
Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage
Gadget’s Go Coaster
Haunted Mansion
Indiana Jones Adventure
It’s a Small World
Jungle Cruise
King Arthurs Carousel
Mad Tea Party
Main Street Vehicles
Mark Twain Riverboat
Matterhorn Bobsleds (x2)
Monorail
Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride
Peter Pan’s Flight
Pinnocchio’s Daring Journey
Pirates of Caribbean
Rise of the Resistance
Runaway Railway
Sailing SHip Columbia
Smuggler’s Run
Snow White’s Happy Time Adventure
Space Mountain
Star Tours
Storybookland Canal Boats
Tiana’s Bayou Adventure
Winnie the Pooh
Rides at The Magic Kingdom
Astro Orbitor
Barnstormer
Big Thunder Mountain Railroad
Buzz Lightyear
Carousel
Disney World Railroad
Dumbo (x2)
Haunted Mansion
It’s a Small World
Jungle Cruise
Mad Tea Party
Magic Carpets
Peoplemover
Peter Pan’s Flight
Pirates of the Caribbean
Seven Dwarfs Mine Train
Space Mountain (x2)
Tiana’s Bayou Adventure
Tomorrowland Speedway
TRON Lightcycle Run
Under the Sea
Winnie the Pooh
Rides at Disney California Adventure
Critter Carousel
Emotional Whirlwind
Golden Zephyr
Goofy’s Sky School
Grizzly River Run
Incredicoaster
Jumpin’ Jellyfish
Junkyard Jamboree
Littler Mermaid
Luigi’s Rollikin’ Roadsters
Midway Mania
Mission: Breakout
Monsters Inc
Pal-A-Round
Radiator Springs Racers
Silly Symphony
Soarin’
Web Slingers
Rides at Universal Islands of Adventure
Accelatron
Bilge-Rat Barges
Caro-Seuss-el
Cat in the Hat
Dr. Doom’s Fearfall
Forbidden Journey
Hagrid’s Motorbike
Hippogriff
Hogwarts Express
Incredible Hulk
One Fish, Two Fish
Pteranodon Flyers
Ripsaw Falls
River Adventure
Skull Island
Spider-Man
Trolley Train
VelociCoaster
Rides at Universal Studios Florida
E.T.
Escape from Gringotts
Fast and Furious
Hogwarts Express
Men in Black
Minon Blast
Minon Mayhem
Race Through NY
Revenge of the Mummy
Simpsons Ride
Transformers
Trollercoaster
Twirl ‘n’ Hurl
Rides at Epcot
Cosmic Rewind
Friendship Boats
Frozen Ever After
Gran Fiesta Tour
Journey into Imagination
Living with the Land
Mission: Space
Ratatoullie
Soarin’
Spaceship Earth
Test Track
The Seas
Rides at Universal Epic Universe
Battle at the Ministry
Constellation Carousel
Curse of the Werewolf
Dragon Racer’s Rally
Fyre Drill
Hiccup’s Wing Gliders
Mario Kart
Mine-Cart Madness
Monsters Unchained
Stardust Racers (x2)
Yoshi’s Adventure
Rides at Disney’s Hollywood Studios
Alien Swirling Saucers
Rise of the Resistence
Rock n Rollercoaster
Runaway Railway
Slinky Dog Dash
Smugglers Run
Star Tours
Tower of Terror
Toy Story Mania
What did I miss? Please let me know in the comments.
”It seems like only yesterday” that SeaWorld Orlando became the first park out there to break the $50 admission price. Today, we’d “kill” for a chance to buy tickets at that low, low price.
But, theme parks are still cheap — compared to basically any other expense you have on the same trip.
In Orlando, you can still find “dirt cheap” hotels, but if you are visiting Disneyland in California, finding a hotel below $100/night near the park is rare (if it even exists at all in 2025). Thus, buying a five day pass to a big theme park is usually cheaper per-day (admission cost) than spending all those nights in a hotel.
And the hotel likely doesn’t have a single rollercoaster or stage show.
The high cost of these vacations is still from things like lodging and food. Food is especially annoying. I can get a cup of coffee down the road at Douglas Cafe in Des Moines for under three bucks. I can buy two strong margaritas for ten bucks down the road at a local bar. At a theme park, a good mixed drink is more than $16 (maybe more in 2025).
I believe it is easy to spend more on food and drinks inside a theme park in a day than the admission costs.
Yet, we seem to focus on the high cost of theme park tickets.
Although I visited Disneyland in the 70s as a kid, I did not become a “regular” visitor until 1995. I began traveling for a new job and purchased an annual pass so I could visit Disneyland every time work sent me to California. I remained an annual pass holder fairly consistently until 2010, when finances made me focus on food and shelter rather than Pirates and Mansions. (To be more accurate, I did miss visiting in 2006 due to a job layoff, but 1995 to 2009 had a number of visits.)
Back in those days, Disney still had an “off season” where crowd levels were so low you could walk right up to the boats on Pirates of the Caribbean, or hop on Indiana Jones over and over. Those times were always my favorite times to visit.
When I was able to return to the park in 2017, things had changed. Disney no longer had an off season, and the parks seemed to have crowds that previously would have only been seen around major holidays like Spring Break or Christmas.
Many claimed annual pass holders were to blame. The Internet echo chamber said that Disneyland had one million pass holders, though I do not know if Disney ever released any official count. It was clear, though, that the modern Instagram-YouTube-Social Media generation was using the park like it had never been used before. A souvenir popcorn bucket would go on sale, and social media would spread this news and the park would see an influx of people rushing to buy as many as they could — often to resell later that day on eBay. Much of the vibe of the park had changed.
And then Covid happened…
When Disneyland re-opened after the Covid closure, annual passes were gone. Eventually, the new Magic Key system would replace them, though trying to buy one was almost impossible — only a limited amount would be sold, and they would sell out almost immediately. One would think that the new $1,649 Inspire Key would be enough to curtail demand, but even this pass seemed to be unavailable the times I checked.
Until recently.
The other night, I happened to catch some random YouTube suggested video discussing that all the passes were for sale again, and had no sold out. The hosts suggested this was due to no one wanting them.
This could be the case. Or, Disney could have finally “fixed” its annual pass problem.
The fix is in…
My first Disneyland annual pass was probably around $169, and every year the price would increase. But, if you took two weeklong trips a year (one at the start of the pass, one at the end of the pass) it was still cheaper than buying tickets at the gate. I always sprung for the highest pass with parking and PhotoPass and whatever else it offered.
But Magic Keys were different. The post-Covid park reservation system meant the pass no longer let you pop in to the park randomly after work. You had to plan ahead, and reserve your visit–if you could. Some days would be unavailable. And, the Keys had limits to how many days you could reserve in advance.
This is what made me not consider a Magic Key, even if I could have bought one. My trips used to be 8-day trips (like, Tuesday through Tuesday) and at the time, the most days you could reserve on any Key level was less than that.
BUT, this and a few other changes may be allowing the park to open up Key sales without restrictions. Here’s a few reasons why:
The new Magic Keys have blackout dates–even the $1649 one.
“A Magic Key pass does not guarantee park entry, even on dates when a pass is not blocked.”–clearly stated on the terms of the new passes.
Park visits must be reserved in advance. During busy times, reservations may be unavailable. If you hear about that new popcorn bucket, you may not be able to run down and buy one unless you had already scheduled that day in advance.
Only the $1649 pass includes parking. At the $1249 level, you get a 50% discount on parking, and at $849 you get 25% off parking. Now that parking has increased to $35, that means even at the $1249 Key level you are paying $17.50 each time you visit Disneyland in a case, and more for the lower passes with less discounts.
SIDE NOTE: If 15,000 pass holders showed up on the same day, each paying 50% of parking fees, Disneyland makes over a quarter of a million dollars.
As we’ve seen with all the price increases over the decades annual passes were sold, prices never kept the crowds away. Even today, with the highest prices ever, the park can still get packed.
But, maybe not due to Magic Keys. Disney can now “turn off” admission any time the park is too busy, and folks who might have gone to the parks a dozen times in a month may be unable to do so due to reservations being unavailable. And, maybe they don’t want to pay $23 to pop in to the park just to buy a new popcorn bucket.
This is the Internet, and this is just random speculation.
We’ll see if these Magic Keys are still for sale next month.
In the early days of the public Internet, even before the World Wide Web, I felt very plugged in to what was going on with Disney theme parks. I followed usenet newsgroups like alt.disney.disneyland and rec.arts.disneyparks. I was on the GEnie online service hanging out in the Destination Florida RoundTable (which also featured a Disneyland area for some reason). Folks routinely posted about their recent visit to the parks. It was because of discussions there about the building of the Indiana Jones Adventure at Disneyland that I made a goal to return to Disneyland once that ride opened. I had not been there since Space Mountain/Big Thunder were new.
Over the 1990s, fan sites, web message forums and all kinds of new resources replaced the old newsgroups and pay services. If something was known, it was shared. I felt completely plugged in, and on top of every tidbit happening—from the change of a cup size or altering of paper napkins, to more major things like ride refurbishments.
It was a great time. But now I have regrets.
I became disconnected, though not because I wanted to be. I had financial struggles for nearly a decade. If I couldn’t go, I didn’t need to follow a dozen websites daily to see the latest news about Disneyland of Walt Disney World.
In those years, money was so tight I took no vacations. I had no home phone, no cell phone and no home internet. The only contact I had with cybespace was through an iPad or taking my laptop down to a place with free WiFi.
I was only able to return to Disneyland thanks to a friend offering me free lodging in his vacation home, and after getting a different job that had slightly higher pay.
That trip, my friends, was probably the best Disney trip I’ve ever had since my first ones as a kid in the 1970s. I was aware that Cars Land had been added but did not know any details. One of my local SoCal friends, Steve (R.I.P.), escorted me through Disney California Adventure park where I saw the new entrance area and many other changes since my last visit in 2009. He walked me past the main Cars Land entrance, distracting me with details on the other side. He wanted me to walk through the backside arch in to the land and see the “mountain range.”
We did.
Cars Land (2017)
And it was epic.
Riding Radiator Springs Racers spoiler-free was also an absolute pleasure. I had read no reviews, seen no ride through videos, or even read comments about it.
Best. Ride. Ever.
Because of that, I continued to try to avoid spoilers. This made the Guardians of the Galaxy Mission Breakout a fantastic new experience when that ride opened.
The magic was back.
I have not had a Disney annual pass since the pre-Covid era. I did, however, taken advantage of a low cost (“three months free”) passes to Universal Studios Orlando, which turned out to be a gateway back in to regular theme park trips — just not to Disney.
And since I had not been following Universal at all, ever, I did not even know there was a new mega King Kong ride there. I remember walking from Jurassic Park and seeing this “mountain” looming in the distance. “What is that!?” I thought.
Reign of Kong: Skull Island (2017)
Approaching it that first time was thrilling.
Between the time I started writing this article, many months ago, and the time I finish it today, I have become a bit more plugged in with Universal Orlando — watching YouTube video “news” about the park from time to time. But, no where near the level of plugged-in-ness I was in the 1990s-2000s with Disney.
And I think I prefer it like this.
If you ever feel burnt out or jaded, try unplugging for awhile. It might just give your next visit a boost!
