Best Ways To Beat The Heat At Disney California Adventure

July 30, 2014 By socalwithkids Leave a Comment

Beat The Heat At Disney California Adventure

We’re super lucky to have really great weather almost 365 days a year in Southern California. It makes for pretty easy planning when visiting local theme parks. Certain days can be warmer than others, and some summer days are down right HOT. Sometimes we even have odd heat waves at unexpected times of the year. When visiting the Disneyland Resort, we love going to California Adventure. Our favorite ways to beat the heat at Disney California Adventure are below.

The Disney Animation Building

Our absolute favorite place to beat the heat at Disney California Adventure is the The Disney Animation Building. It’s air conditioned throughout, and you can sit in the lobby and be entertained by illustrations and short videos set to music and recharge. There have been times we’ve spent an hour or more here with one of our little ones sleeping in the jogger, and the rest of us enjoying the atmosphere.

Inside this building you can attend the Animation Academy’s interactive drawing sessions known as The Secrets of Drawing. Each participant receives a pencil and paper, and you have the opportunity to follow along with a Disney artist as they teach you how to draw familiar character. It’s fun, and gives you the opportunity to give yourself a shot at drawing. The session is free, and is short enough for most children to enjoy as well. Even really young ones!

Also within the Animation Building is Turtle Talk with Crush, The Sorcerer’s Workshop, and Character Close-Up. We’ve always enjoyed Turtle Talk with Crush, which is an interactive show with the turtle, Crush. The Sorcerer’s Workshop is fun to walk through, and has some neat hands-on, interactive features. It’s neat to take a few minutes to check out the Character Close-Up while waiting for a Secrets of Drawing session, or before you leave the building.

Disney Junior Live On Stage

Disney Junior Live On Stage is indoors, and lasts about 20 minutes or so. It’s great for younger children, especially those that love the characters from Disney Junior!

Princess Dot Puddle Park

Don’t let the name fool you, boys will love this area too! Located in Bugs Land, the Princess Dot Puddle Park is a great little water park for little kids to get wet! Bring your child’s bathing suit, water proof shoes, and a towel to dry off. We’ve spend hours here playing.

Muppet Vision*3D

Muppet Vision 3D is an indoor show featuring the beloved Muppets! Sometimes there’s a bit of a wait for the show, but once inside, you get to sit in a large waiting area with great air conditioning! I think the performance itself is about 20 minutes, so even if you walk straight into the show you’ll get a nice amount of time to sit in cool air.

It’s Tough to be a Bug

It’s Tough to be a Bug is an interactive show in an air conditioned building within Bug’s Land. Like Muppet Vision*3D, this show may have a little wait in an cool, indoor waiting area. Be forewarned, this show can be a little scary for some young kids.

Indoor Rides

Indoor rides are always a great place to beat the heat. Indoor rides at Disney California Adventure include Toy Story Midway Mania, Soarin’ Over California, Monster’s Inc, The Little Mermaid, The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror (which I’ve admittedly never ridden!),

The Boudin Bakery Tour

Although it only takes a few minutes to do so, the Boudin Bakery Tour is a nice place to enjoy cool air. It’s pretty educational too! I highly recommend going through it at least one time if you’ve never experienced it.

Indoor Dining

Stopping for a bite to eat inside an air conditioned restaurant is always a great way to recharge. Our personal favorites inside Disney California Adventure are Flo’s V8 Cafe, located in Cars Land, Taste Pilots Grill, located at Condor Flats, and The Ghiradelli Soda Fountain, located at Pacfic Wharf, but there are other indoor dining options as well.

Browsing Gift Shops

Browsing through the gift shops is also a nice way to escape the heat. The gift shops used to be one of my go-to places if both of my first born kids fell asleep in the jogger at the same time. I could easily walk around and browse the shops in the AC while they got their beauty sleep; a bonus for each of us!

Other Stay-Cool Ideas

Other places I would think would be great to cool down would be the indoor show, Disney’s Alladin – A Musical Spectacular. I would think the Grizzly River Run water ride would be refreshing as well. For whatever reason, we’ve never done either, so I cannot give my personal insights, but I’m pretty certain both would be great to beat the heat!

Check out the Park’s official website for more information about the places we’ve mentioned. Where are your favorite spots to beat the heat at Disney California Adventure? Perhaps we’ll see you there!

P.S. You might also enjoy reading our other related post, Planning Your Trip To The Disney California Adventure Park.

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The opinions in this article are our own. We do not work for, or with, any brand mentioned in this post, nor do we have any official relationship with them. We’re Disney fans and were pass holders for many years.

Filed Under: Beat The Heat At Disney CA Adventure Tagged With: anaheim, cool off, dca, disney california adventure park, disneyland, family, kids, oc, orange county, social, southern california, theme park

Knott’s Rocks Summer 2014 With Renovations and New Entertainment!

June 17, 2014 By socalwithkids

Knott’s ROCKS Summer 2014!

Knott’s rocks Summer 2014 with renovations to Camp Snoopy, the Calico Mine Co. Ride, and the Knott’s Hotel, PLUS they’ve added some new family entertainment! I’ve had the pleasure of seeing the updates first-hand on recent media trips to the Resort, and think all of the renovations and new shows are great! Here are some details of what to expect on a trip to Knott’s during Summer 2014.

Camp Snoopy Celebrates the big 3-0!

Camp Snoopy celebrates 30 years at Knott’s! This area is one of our favorites, with the tall trees, beautiful stream, and fun rides for the little ones. The renovations to this area compliment that which we already love about Camp Snoopy. This area has three new rides, Linus Launcher, Charlie Brown’s Kite Flyer, and Pig Pen’s Mud Buggies, all of which look really fun!

Camp Snoopy has a brand new, super neat Peanuts® Meet and Greet area. The individual character sections are really cute, and the waiting area is shaded. It’s a great addition to to Camp Snoopy!

Also added to Camp Snoopy is a shaded rest area, with a small play area as well. It’s a great place to sit and have a snack while overlooking Camp Snoopy. Here you’ll also find a large rock with Charlie Brown and Snoopy carved into it. So cute!

The Camp Snoopy Theatre has an all-new show for Summer 2014, Happy Campers! The show has some of your favorite Peanuts® characters, including Snoopy, Charlie Brown, Sally, and Linus, singing and dancing in an upbeat performance. The show happens at select times each day, so be sure to check the Entertainment and Show Guide (available as you enter the Park) to fit it in your visit.

Here’s a super cute video showcasing the new, fresh, Camp Snoopy. I love that they show the three new rides. Chloe Noelle, the “KidCaster”, did a great job!

Rockin’ New Ice Skating Show, Snoopy Unleashed!

Snoopy Unleashed, an all-new ice skating show is being performed in the Charles M. Schulz Theatre, located in the Boardwalk are of Knott’s. The skating is top notch, the costumes and set are great, and the music is upbeat and fun. It’s a great place to sit and cool off on a hot summer day. Just like the Happy Campers show, Snoopy Unleashed happens at select times, so check the schedule in advance to make sure you have the opportunity to see it. There are no performances of this show on Wednesdays, and it is set to run 6/14-8/24/14.

Updates To The Calico Mine Co. Ride

The Calico Mine Ride, located in the Ghost Town area of Knott’s, has been fully renovated is now reopened! It’s the same ride that park guests have loved since 1960, with new, even more realistic animatronic characters, different lighting and some other neat visual features. The renovations were made by Garner Holt Productions, the same company that renovated the Knott’s Log Ride in 2013. If you’ve never been, now would be a great time to check it out!

Boom Town Show On The Calico Stage

A new high-energy acrobatic and juggling show called Boom Town is scheduled to be performed on the Calico Stage, in Ghost Town from 6/14-8/24/14. It’s a great one to check out before or after riding the Calico Mine Ride. As with the other shows, be sure to check the performance times in advance. This show does not run on Mondays or Tuesdays.

Lots of Renovations To The Knott’s Hotel

The Knott’s Hotel has recently had lots of renovations as well. Upgrades have been made to the lobby, front desk, meeting and event spaces, and more. I’d never seen the inside of the hotel prior to the recent work, but love how it presently looks. The interior is decorated in neutral tones with pops of color, and has a warm, comforting feel.

Summer Contest, Social Media Sharing and More

Aside from the recently renovated areas, Knott’s rocks Summer 2014 with all the usual family fun, including tons of rides, year-round shows like the Wild West Stunt Show, Mystery Lodge, and the Native American Dancer to name a few. If you’re looking for a Splashing Good Time, Knott’s Soak City, their awesome Water Park, is located just across the street from the Amusement Park.

If you enjoy social media like we do, follow and use the hashtag #KnottsSummer. You can also have some fun participating in the Knott’s Best of Summer Contest, with a chance to win a return trip the theme park. Details can be found HERE.

More information about how Knott’s rocks Summer 2014 can be found on their website. We plan to take the kids to see the renovations this summer as well. Perhaps we’ll see you there!
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Filed Under: Knott's Rocks Summer 2014 Tagged With: buena park, calico mine ride, camp snoopy, knott's, knott's hotel, knotts berry farm, oc, orange county, peanuts, socal, southern california, summer 2014

Knott’s Gold Season Pass Makes Summer Cooler With Entry To Soak City OC!

May 4, 2014 By socalwithkids

Knott’s Gold Pass Includes Soak City OC!

Knott’s Soak City is opening for Summer 2014 in just a few short weeks! We loved visiting last year, and have accepted an invitation to visit again. We’ll also be going to Knott’s Berry Farm, and checking out the newly renovated Knott’s Hotel as well. This will be our first time ever staying at the Knott’s Hotel, and we’re excited to experience how easy it is to bounce back and forth between the Parks and the hotel for a fun staycation.

~ Knott’s Gold Season Pass Savings ~

If you’re thinking about visiting Knott’s this summer, you might be interested in the savings offered with the Knott’s Gold Season Pass. This pass includes entry to Knott’s, as well as Soak City at no extra cost for 2014. It also includes discounts to the Knott’s Hotel, as well as discounts on food and merchandise at select locations, early ride times, and more! The Knott’s Gold Season Pass is available to both Southern California residents as well as out of town guests for the same price, and the pricing is not very much more than the standard Knott’s Season Pass.

~ Knott’s Hotel Vacation Easy Paying Program ~

To make Summer vacation planning even easier, Knott’s is also offering a Knott’s Hotel Vacation Easy Paying Program. The Easy Pay program allows you to book now, and pay later. The cost is spread over four payments, and you can lock in current rates at the time you book.

~ Soak City Opens May 17th ~

Knott’s Soak City opens for the 2014 season on May 17th, 2014. We’ll be sharing pics and updates via social media (Twitter, Instagram, etc…) live from the Park that day. Check out #SoakCityOC for posts, and share your own with the hashtag when you visit! Perhaps we’ll see you there!

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Disclosure: The opinions in this article are my own. I do not work for, or with, any brand mentioned in this article, nor do I have any official relationship with them. I have a relationship with GigaSavvy, for whom I create original editorial content.

Filed Under: Knott's Gold Season Pass Tagged With: 2014, family, kids, knott's gold season pass, oc, orange county, snoopy, soak city, southern california, staycation, summer

Planning Your Child’s First Visit To Disneyland!

March 24, 2014 By socalwithkids

Planning Your Child’s First Visit To Disneyland!

If you’re like me, planning your child’s first visit to Disneyland is so exciting! The memories you have from your own early visits to The Happiest Place On Earth flood into your mind, thinking about the moment you enter the gates, hearing the whistle of the steam train, and feel the excitement on Main Street. At least that’s how it was for me planning our daughter’s first trip to Disneyland!
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Filed Under: First Visit To Disneyland Tagged With: amusement park, anaheim, california adventure, children, disney, disneyland, family, first visit, fun, kids, oc, orange county, theme park, tips, travel, trip, vacation

5 Things We Love About Knott’s Berry Bloom!

March 23, 2014 By socalwithkids

Knott’s Berry Bloom Is Springtastic!

Knott's Berry Bloom ~ www.socalwithkids.com

We loved going to Knott’s last year for Berry Bloom, their Springtime event, and are excited to be invited back to experience it again this year. When we went a year ago we were amazed at how the Park was transformed by the decor. Huge blooming flower decorations, and beautiful floral chalk drawings were found throughout Knott’s. We visit lots of Southern California theme parks, but hadn’t experienced this level of Spring festivities elsewhere.
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Filed Under: Knott's Berry Bloom, Knott's Berry Bloom Tagged With: amusement park, berry bloom, entertainment, family, fun, kids, knotts berry farm, oc, orange county, snoopy, socal, southern california, spring, theme park

Make Your Own Favorite Family Fun Moments With A Pass To Knott’s!

March 9, 2014 By socalwithkids

Favorite Family Fun Moments At Knott’s

Over the past year and a half we’ve been fortunate to be invited to visit Knott’s Berry Farm, to share information about events, Park renovations, and special offers on tickets and Season Passes. We’ve loved visiting America’s First Theme Park with the family, and look forward to creating new memories there each visit. Some of our favorite family fun moments at Knott’s include the following:

• Knott’s Berry Bloom •

Knott’s decorates the Park from head to toe in the Spring for Knott’s Berry Bloom. We absolutely loved watching our kids go from station to station, getting their special event cards stamped, while looking for Snoopy. The decor was fun and colorful, and there were so many great opportunities for us to stop and take fun Springtime photos. Lots of memories made!

• Knott’s Soak City •

Just across the street from Knott’s Berry Farm is their water park, Knott’s Soak City OC. We loved relaxing down the Lazy River, and playing in the water. Seeing the joy on our daughter’s face as she rose up and down with the waves on Tidal Wave Bay was one of those moments I will never forget.

• Camp Spooky •

Our kids are still young, so we’re all about Cheer, Not Fear, at Halloween. Camp Spooky is held in the Camp Snoopy area of Knott’s, which is perfect for the littles. Camp Spooky is decorated in fun seasonal decor, with ample opportunities for fun photos, and they set up treat stations for the kids to trick-or-treat in a safe and fun environment. Visiting Camp Spooky really got us in the Halloween spirit!

• Knott’s Merry Farm •

From the holiday music played overhead, to the festive decor, to Santa’s Cabin, many of our favorite family fun moments have been made during Knott’s Merry Farm! We’ve loved seeing Snoopy dressed up in his Santa outfit, taking a picture with Jolly St. Nick, and watching the incredible ice skating show. We’ve always left Merry Farm with that warm, Christmas spirit.

• Knott’s New Year’s Eve •

We’ve celebrated two New Year’s Eves at Knott’s now, one in the daytime, and once we arrived in the evening, and stayed until Midnight! Knott’s NYE is family-friendly, and we’ve loved the party hats, live entertainment, and riding the rides at night. The fireworks were spectacular, lasting over 10 minutes this past New Year’s Eve!

• The Food •

From the desserts to Mrs. Knotts’ melt in your mouth biscuits, Knott’s Berry Farm has delicious food! It’s very rare that we leave without buying a Cookiewich, and splitting it amongst the family. They’re our favorite, and very reasonably priced.
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Filed Under: Knott's Favorite Family Fun Moments Tagged With: amusement park, buena park, contest, facebook, family, fun, giveaway, knott's, memories, oc, orange county, season pass, socal, southern california, theme park

Knott’s Offers Pink Ticket In Support of Susan G. Komen OC

February 1, 2014 By socalwithkids

Knott’s Pink Ticket

In suppport of Susan G. Komen Orange County, Knott’s Berry Farm is offering a special Pink Ticket from February 1st – March 31st 2014, to help raise funds for breast cancer awareness, services and research. A portion of each Pink Ticket sold, as well as limited addition Commemorative Pink Merchandise supporting the cause will also be available at the Park through March 31st.
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Filed Under: Pink Ticket Tagged With: knotts berry farm, oc, orange county, pink ticket, promotion, socal, susan g. komen, theme park

Ring In The New Year At Knott’s!

December 19, 2013 By socalwithkids

Ring In The New Year At Knott’s!

It’s amazing that 2013 is already coming to an end. We’re excited to be invited to ring in the New Year at Knott’s Berry Farm! We had a wonderful time celebrating the last day of the year there last year, and look forward to doing so again.
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Filed Under: Ring In The New Year At Knott's Tagged With: amusement park, family, kids, knotts berry farm, new year's eve, oc, orange county, socal

Feel The Holiday Spirit At Knott’s Merry Farm!

November 10, 2013 By socalwithkids

Sponsored Post On Behalf of GigaSavvy : Opinions Are Our Own

Feel The Holiday Spirit At Merry Farm!

Merry Farm Includes Shows, Santa, & More!

During the holiday season Knott’s Berry Farm is transformed into Knott’s Merry Farm, with beautiful holiday decor, special seasonal shows, and much more! We experienced Merry Farm for the first time last year, and are excited to go again this year as well! Some of the things we’re most looking forward to at Merry Farm this year include Santa’s Christmas Cabin, Snoopy’s Merriest Tree Lighting, and Snoopy’s Magical Night of Lights. Highlights of Merry Farm in 2013 include the following:

• “It’s Christmas, Snoopy” Ice Show
This holiday ice skating show is spectacular! The kids, my husband, and I were all impressed by the performance last year. The skaters were incredible, and just as good as those you’d see in a professional ice skating performance at a large ice arena. We highly recommend you check it out while at the Park.

• Santa’s Christmas Cabin
Stop by Santa’s Christmas Cabin, featuring photo opportunities with the jolly big guy himself, a treat at Santa’s Sundae bar, plus Wine and Craft Beer tasting opportunities for the adults. My husband sampled some of the wine and craft beer selections last year, and was very impressed!

• Christmas Craft Fair
Within Ghost Town you’ll find the strolling Calico Carolers, dozens of artisans selling unique treasures, and beautiful Victorian decor. It’s fun to stop and listen to the carolers.

• Bird Cage Theatre Productions
If you enjoy live theatre, or want to introduce your kids to it, head over to the Bird Cage Theatre to see a live performance of Charges Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol”, or O’Henry’s “A Gift of Magi”, which each run approximately 25 minutes in length.

• Snoopy’s Magical Night of Lights
Be sure to walk through Camp Snoopy after dark to experience hundreds of thousands of twinkling lights set to a festive holiday soundtrack. This really got me in the festive spirit last year! We spent a few hours here riding the rides and enjoying the ambiance.

• Winter Wonderland
Catch some of your favorite Peanuts characters perform on a wintery wonderland stage at Camp Snoopy Theatre! This is a lively outdoor production. Our kids always enjoy catching the shows here.

• Snoopy’s Merriest Tree Lighting
Join Snoopy in a fun-filled nightly Christmas Tree Lighting. If you miss the show, be sure to at least check out the beautiful 45′ tree once it’s lit. It’s beautiful, and another great spot for snapping some nice family photos.

Other highlights of Merry Farm include the Calico Saloon Christmas Show, the Ghost Town Miners Show at the Spurs Stage, and Christmas Aboard Engine 41, at the Calico Steam Train. We also love strolling through the shops decorated in beautiful holiday decor.

2014 Season Passes Include 1 Visit In 2013!

A great way to experience not only Merry Farm, but other fun seasonal experiences such as Knott’s Berry Bloom and Camp Spooky is with a Season Pass. Knott’s 2014 Season Passes start at just $78 online, with NO blackout dates. They also include one FREE visit to Knott’s in 2013, which may be used to experience Merry Farm. This is an awesome deal, and could make a great holiday gift. You can find more info about Merry Farm (which starts November 28th, 2013), and Season Passes HERE. Perhaps we’ll see you there!

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Disclosure: We were invited to a media event at Knott’s to experience Merry Farm ourselves. Our opinions are our own. This post was written on behalf of GigaSavvy.

Filed Under: Knott's Merry Farm Tagged With: amusement park, celebration, christmas, holidays, kids, knott's, merry farm, oc, orange county, socal, theme park

Camp Spooky Celebrates Halloween Cheer At Knott’s!

September 20, 2013 By socalwithkids

Disclosure: We’ve been invited by GigaSavvy to attend a media event at Knott’s Berry Farm to experience Camp Spooky, and share details with our readers. Our opinions are our own.

Celebrate Halloween Cheer, Rather Than Fear!

Camp Spooky is returning to the Camp Snoopy area of Knott’s Berry Farm, weekends in October! Knott’s is known for it’s history of family fun, and that’s just what they have in mind for Camp Spooky! This daytime, non-scare Halloween celebration is focused on families with kids age 3-11. Best of all, the event is included with the theme park admission!

Halloween Decor & Lots of Activities at Camp Spooky!

There are lots of fun activities planned for the Halloween celebration including:
• Charlie Brown’s Spooktacular Show
• Snoopy’s Costume Party
• Monster’s Factory Maze
• Trick-or-Treating
• Scary Stories at The Lodge
• Creepy Crawly Critter Cave
• Kooky Cookie Painting (a small fee applies to this activity)
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Filed Under: Camp Spooky Tagged With: camp spooky, family fun, fun, halloween, knotts berry farm, oc, peanuts, snoopy, socal, southern california, trick or treat

Knott’s Rocks Summer 2014 With Renovations and New Entertainment!

Knott’s ROCKS Summer 2014!

Camp Snoopy Celebrates the big 3-0!

Rockin’ New Ice Skating Show, Snoopy Unleashed!

Updates To The Calico Mine Co. Ride

Boom Town Show On The Calico Stage

Lots of Renovations To The Knott’s Hotel

Summer Contest, Social Media Sharing and More

Knott’s Gold Season Pass Makes Summer Cooler With Entry To Soak City OC!

Knott’s Gold Pass Includes Soak City OC!

~ Knott’s Gold Season Pass Savings ~

~ Knott’s Hotel Vacation Easy Paying Program ~

~ Soak City Opens May 17th ~

Planning Your Child’s First Visit To Disneyland!

Planning Your Child’s First Visit To Disneyland!

5 Things We Love About Knott’s Berry Bloom!

Knott’s Berry Bloom Is Springtastic!

Make Your Own Favorite Family Fun Moments With A Pass To Knott’s!