Beyond Disneyland’s beloved attractions and top-notch entertainment, there is a treasure trove of hidden experiences in the parks that many visitors do not know about. Though these are often smaller in scale, they can be very rewarding for guests who are aware of them. Whether it’s trying to win a secret highly coveted prize or experiencing a secret dining room at a popular Disneyland restaurant, these several hidden experiences will make your visit to the parks all the more magical.
We will take you through the top 5 hidden Disneyland experiences you might not know about and where to find them!
1. Winning the first pickle prize. Disneyland is filled with amazing snacks, but one of our favorite Disneyland foods has a special distinction. Some visitors are surprised to hear that if you are the first person to buy this random snack, you’ll get a special award! If you arrive extra early and are one of the first people at the park, you may have the opportunity to win a special celebration button that says “First Pickle of the Day” if you are the first to purchase this snack.
The stand that sells the pickles is open before rope drop, so you’ll want to head straight for the snack vendor between Starbucks and Disney Clothiers, Ltd. Many people are vying for this prize, so you’ll want to get to it as early as possible! After you’ve hopefully secured your prize, you can take the morning time to rope drop popular attractions at the park. See our article on the first pickle prize for everything you need to know!
2. Signing the secret guest book at Storybook Land Canal Boats. Another hidden experience is located in Fantasyland, where you’ll be able to sign a secret guest book if you are the first person in line for the underrated Disneyland ride Storybook Land Canal Boats. For the first party in line, a Cast Member brings out a book to the queue called the “Captain's Log” for you to sign that contains the signatures of all of the first riders before you.
Just like for the first pickle prize, if you want a shot at signing this secret guest book, you will want to arrive at the park as early as possible and make this a priority. You can see more details on the secret Storybook Land Canal Boats guest book in our article.
3. Getting pixie dusted. Kids and adults alike will love this cute freebie that you can find at Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique, where Cast Members will sprinkle “pixie dust” on you. They will tell you to close your eyes and make a wish, then they will use a magic wand to sprinkle glitter on your head. This is a really simple but special experience that kids will love, and it’s also available to adults as well. You can see our article on getting pixie dusted at Disneyland for everything you need to know!
4. Dine at “The Office.” Some guests are surprised to hear that there is a secret dining room located at Lamplight Lounge called “The Office” that is hidden behind a vault door. Lamplight Lounge is already one of the best Disney California Adventure restaurants. You might even skip breakfast at your hotel to enjoy brunch here. This secret room makes the location even cooler. Inside “The Office” is a space that seats up to 13 people, with a wooden table surrounded by leather booth seating and chairs. On the red walls, you’ll find sketches of Pixar animators and games that you can take down and play. The dining room even has a private patio with views of the Incredicoaster launch!
While guests aren’t able to reserve this secret room, you can ask if it’s available when you check in with a larger party and see if you get lucky. The room is sometimes randomly given as a surprise to guests at the restaurant. See more details of the secret Lamplight Lounge dining room in our article!
5. Use the Buddy Pass to skip long standby lines for certain attractions. There’s a secret feature that you may not know about that allows you to cut your wait time short for a couple of rides. While the Single Rider service allows you to split from your party and fill remaining single seats in ride vehicles leftover from parties in the standby line, the Buddy Pass allows two people to fill remaining spots together, which is ideal for smaller parties with younger riders.
If the Cast Member at the attraction is handing out the Buddy Pass at the entrance of the queue, you will enter through the exit of the attraction and skip the long standby line. You can see everything you need to know about the Buddy Pass in our article. This offering is available for Monsters, Inc. Mike and Sulley to the Rescue! in Disney California Adventure and The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh in Disneyland Park (called the “Roo Pass”).
These five hidden experiences are just some of the several that you’ll find at Disneyland! You can also see our articles on spots with a less crowded view of the fireworks at Disneyland, how to see the inside of Walt’s apartment at Disneyland, and the top 20 secret spots at Disneyland for more hidden experiences in the parks.
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