Where to Go for 'The Skinny' on Disneyland

EVERYBODY says they love Disneyland! OK, so not everybody does, but in my mind everybody should love Disneyland. Honestly, when I run into people and I bring up Disneyland--inevitable by the way that I will find a way to bring it up--and their response is basically, meh, the thought that is screaming in my head is, "What is wrong with you!!" I don't say this out loud, but trust me, I'm thinking it. My apologies if you are someone who is reading this and you personally had this conversation with me and am now realizing that I think you have a profoundly disturbing human flaw.

But wait, why am I apologizing! If you don't love Disneyland, I am right...there is something wrong with you! Then again, why am I spending so much time on this? You didn't even click on the link to read this blog article or listen to the podcast anyways! You saw the title and thought, "Oh God, Kirt on another one of his free Disney marketing rants!" Then you quickly moved on to whatever web content your sick mind thinks can be more important than Disneyland.

So let me turn my attention to the truly sane people in this world who all love Disneyland. I'm excited to bring to you this open-ended series called Armchair Imagineering, which I described in my intro to this website:

I have a major lifetime obsession with Disneyland and here I'll both update you on what's happening at the Happiest Place on Earth as well as share my own crazy ideas on how they can make it even happier. And yes, just to prove I’m not a total groupie, I will on occasion critique the Disney universe as far as it relates to broader American pop-culture.

What I would like to do in this first entry in Armchair Imagineering is share with you all of my sources on Disneyland, where I go to get the nearly real-time 'skinny' on what's happening or may happen along with some great history of The Park.

Quick note on what to expect from Armchair Imagineering: I in no way have the time, energy or desire to compete with the sources I'm going to share in a minute! But I am assuming that there are many Disneyland lovers out there who won't have the time to obsessively check out these websites and YouTube channels. But I'm willing to do that for you! How kind of me. So my goal for this blog/podcast is to publish something every couple of months that will highlight the best and most recent content from these other amazing Disneyland lovers while sprinkling in a little bit of my own thoughts and ideas.

So without further ado, here are my top sources on all things Disneyland...

websites

So there are of course a zillion websites about Disneyland, but my two favorite are MiceChat and The Orange County Register's Disneyland page. MiceChat is a massive website that really covers the whole Disney universe, but it includes amazing articles on Disneyland multiple times a week including truck loads of photos on the latest refurb, renovation and new construction projects. The OC Register is the local paper that has a whole section dedicated to Disneyland. You can find it under "Thinks To Do". If you love the local angle, this is your place to go.

And if you want to read the 'company line', you can check out the official press release website for the Disneyland Resort.

All of these sites have their usual assortment of social media accounts, so just click on their links to Facebook, Twitter, etc. if you want to get notifications of updates that way.

youtube channels

Disneyland focused YouTube channels have far and away become my go to source for recent news, rumors and commentary. I recommend subscribing to their channels to get updated when they publish new content. Here are my favorites...

FreshBaked! Man I love this crew. It's produced by this one couple and a few their friends who basically go to the park 1-2 times a week to vlog updates along with their own commentary on what's happening at the Disneyland Resort. With over 83,000 subscribers and nearly 28 million video views as of the date of this publishing, they are a monster source that true Disneyland geeks can't ignore.
DSNY Newscast - Jack for sure get's the award for the sickest vlog studio! Like MiceChat, he really covers the full spectrum of Disney news, but he regularly focuses on the original theme park and provides some great perspectives.
ShesInLosAngeles - Are you geeked out beyond words about the upcoming Star Wars Land (aka "Galaxy's Edge")? This retired bank VP does simple video updates every week on the construction progress.
For much more detailed updates on Galaxy's Edge, check out Yensid 55. This father/daughter team do an amazing job of breaking down the progress.
Fastpass Facts - In amazing info-graphic style, Luz and Sauco are a great source of Disneyland facts, tips and history. Honestly, are these two on the Disney payroll? If they aren't they should be!
Alex the Historian - I believe this guy is a former cast member and a huge Disneyland history buff. His videos on the history of specific rides are my favorite. I guarantee that you will hear something new that you have never heard before about these classic attractions.
And last but not least would be the official Disney Parks YouTube channel - Like the Disneyland News press release website, you will only get the highly-crafted company messaging on this channel but it is still a great source of current news and information. I especially love their 'Every Role a Staring Role' series where they introduce you to ordinary cast members and all the unique skills they employ to make sure your time at Disneyland and other Disney parks is truly magical.

Well there you have it! I look forward to sharing in future installments more of what's happening at the Happiest Place on Earth and my own ideas on how to make it even happier.