Waterpark Nostalgia
(Photo Courtesy of Wild Rivers) Wild Rivers is back in Irvine to create new lasting memories for families. It’s been 11 years since Orange County...
Where Adventure Awaits
Plan a fun-filled family day trip with mach-speed rollercoasters, carousels, or bumper cars found throughout OC's favorite theme and amusement parks.
Editor's Picks
Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge
May the 31st be with you — a day that will be extra special for all of our “Star Wars” fans around Southern California as...
Transforming Theme Parks for the Holidays
Working at night, crews with cranes & ladders transform theme parks for the holidays in a hurry. Visiting local theme parks is an extra special...
Recent Articles
Stay & Play
Cool down, chill out and zip along while staying close to home this summer vacation. The itch to get out and go do something only gets worse for the average kid
Fiesta Time
A new and improved Fiesta Village is back at Knott’s Berry Farm. The bright colors of Fiesta Village light up a little brighter this summer. Fires burn and a
Toon-Up
The redone Mickey’s Toontown awaits families with a freshly designed experience. Your kids might have been missing Mickey’s Toontown for a few years now…
Inclusive Adventures
Photo Courtesy of Disneyland Disneyland and Legoland have made some improvements — for children of all abilities. New and Improved Mickey’s Toontown Mickey’s Toontown has reopened at Disneyland and while the land has been updated extensively in design, there’s one big focus underlying many of the changes: inclusivity. “We got a lot of guests who utilize our parks in different ways, who see, hear, feel our experiences in different ways. And we wanted every child to know that when it came to this land, this land was designed for them. That they were seen and that this place was welcoming...
Summer At Sesame Place
Plunge into this new San Diego amusement and waterpark for a memorable family summer adventure. “Five, four, three, two, one!” Splash. “Here it comes again,”
Looking Back and Ahead With Disney100
(Photo Courtesy of Disneyland Resort) Disneyland Resort celebrates Disney100 with new Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway ride, new Nighttime Spectaculars and more — while honoring the history of Disney. Oh, how different the country was in 1923. Just five years removed from World War I, women had just won the right to vote and the population of California was less than the population of Los Angeles today. Barely a third of Americans owned a phone, even less had indoor plumbing and electricity and Orange County was an agricultural community. When local developers erected massive letters on a hillside overlooking LA,...
Kids Who Haunt
Wyatt Stanley working on the Hatbox Ghost for the Haunted Mansion-themed yard display at his Aliso Viejo home. (Photo Courtesy of Ralph Palumbo) Younger generations of Halloween lovers are finding pathways to careers in theme parks, prop making and more. Jacob Larson was born into the haunting life. His dad, Dave, started a home haunt in Orange five years before Jacob was even born, in 1999. Now at 18, Jacob is busy working at Knott's Berry Farm as an FX technician in the Entertainment Department during the theme park’s biggest event: Knott’s Scary Farm. “In our department we create animatronics,...
Waterpark Nostalgia
(Photo Courtesy of Wild Rivers) Wild Rivers is back in Irvine to create new lasting memories for families. It’s been 11 years since Orange County waterpark Wild Rivers made a splash in Irvine. This summer, locals and visitors can make their way back for a new wave of memories as the iconic park returns to Irvine “bigger and better” than ever. “Wild Rivers President Mike Reidel has been tirelessly working for 12 years to bring an all-new Wild Rivers to Orange County by securing the funding and the ideal location in the heart of Orange County at the Great Park,...
Theme Park Holiday Fun
(Photo Courtesy of Jessica Peralta/Disneyland) Knott’s Berry Farm and Disneyland Resort are back in full holiday swing for 2021. Orange County’s theme parks are back this holiday season with lights, charismatic characters and lots of festive food. Both Knott’s Berry Farm and Disneyland Resort have returned for the 2021 holidays to offer families a variety of activities, shows and other ways to celebrate the merry season. “There are literally miles of garland throughout the park,” said Phil Rahn, senior manager of Resort Enhancement at Disneyland Resort in Anaheim. “Seventy-five hundred feet of ribbon and we have about 800 bows, so...
Knott’s Is Nutty with Its Annual Peanuts Celebration
Charles M. Schulz gave us some of the most recognized and beloved characters through his comic strip, “Peanuts.” You and your family can celebrate Snoopy, Linus, Lucy and good ol’ Charlie Brown at Knott’s Berry Farm’s Peanuts Celebration each weekend now through March 1. Look out for unique photo opportunities that let you step right into the “Peanuts” comic strip at the park’s main entrance and throughout Camp Snoopy. Rock out to family-friendly band The Jelly of the Month Club at the Calico Mine Stage for Woodstock’s Music Festival. Kids can pen their own comic strip at Peanuts Sketch School...
Big Themed Attractions for the Entire Family in Orange County
[caption id="attachment_32494" align="aligncenter" width="500"] Courtesy of Disneyland Resort[/caption] Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge A new, otherworldly experience like no other has landed in a galaxy not so far away. The much-anticipated Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge opened to an enthusiastic public on May 31 at Disneyland Park in Anaheim. “It’s Star Tours on steroids at a level you can’t possibly believe,” said “Star Wars” films creator George Lucas at a dedication ceremony that took place in front of the Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run attraction on May 29 and also included Disney CEO Bob Iger, Harrison Ford, Mark Hamill and Billy Dee Williams....
Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge
May the 31st be with you — a day that will be extra special for all of our “Star Wars” fans around Southern California as the newest addition to the Happiest Place on Earth opens its doors to the public! The much-anticipated Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge is opening on May 31 so all of our young padawans, smugglers and clone troopers can step into the world of the Jedi. Separated into two opening stages, the newest region of Disneyland is set in the Outer Rim destination Batuu, a smuggler haven far from the prying eyes of the First Order. Guests...
Transforming Theme Parks for the Holidays
Working at night, crews with cranes & ladders transform theme parks for the holidays in a hurry. Visiting local theme parks is an extra special experience for families during the holidays as the parks are dressed in their holiday best. But it takes fast-working crews to, in a matter of weeks, transform Knott’s Scary Farm into Knott’s Merry Farm, turn Disneyland into something less spooky, take the Halloween Horror Nights out of Universal Studios and end the “Brick or Treat” at LEGOLAND. Getting those holiday decorations in place is an extra-special challenge for the decorating teams at the parks as...
Summer-Only Attractions at SoCal Theme Parks
Walkabout with kangaroos, go under the sea with sharks, hang out with Western characters, Kung Fu with a panda, or pal around with Pixar characters—all at Southern California theme parks this summer. Here are seven summer-exclusive attractions and theme park additions for families to enjoy: 1. Walkabout Australia at the San Diego Safari Park in Escondido offers visitors a chance to walk through a more than three-acre area filled with kangaroos, wallabies and other critters from the Land Down Under. The walking tour emulates the Australian landscape as the ‘roos and other critters hop close by. 2. See sharks, and...
Going Gourmet with Goofy
The Food & Wine Festival at Disney California Adventure might sound like it’s for adults, but Disney makes sure there’s plenty of things to do for children too. One of those offerings for kids is a chance to learn how to bake the right way at an event called “Jr. Chef.” But this is no simple live cooking show; after all, this is a Disney theme park – so the children chefs have a special teacher. “It’s Goofy’s show,” said Gary Maggetti, general manager of Disney California Adventure. “He does make a mess.” The baking takes place on the Hollywood...