400+ Disney Fans Share the One Thing at Disneyland that Never Fails to Make Them Smile

At Disneyland, you can easily see that the Guests are filled with an immense amount of happiness. Within the sea of smiling faces, laughter, and tears of joy, it’s very clear that Disneyland holds a special place in the hearts of many.

For Guests who have visited on more than one occasion, there tends to be specific things at the park that are especially meaningful to them. We reached out to our faithful readers and asked, “What is the one thing at Disneyland that never fails to make you smile?”. I’ve gathered their answers to share with you the most common things at Disneyland that bring smiles to Guests’ faces.

There are many things that make Disneyland such a joyous place to be. Here are some of the top reasons that Guests are so happy during their time at The Happiest Place on Earth.

Entering the Park

For many Guests, the happiness sets in before they've even made their way into the park. Just being at the entrance and passing through the gates is enough to bring a smile to their face. Emily C. shared with us on Facebook, “Walking through the gates! I don’t think that will ever get old!”.

After Guests have made their way through the gates, they know that they’re finally home and are about to have a magical day at Disneyland. This is all it takes for the happiness to start setting it.

Many of our readers also specifically mentioned how passing under the Disneyland Train bridge and reading the Disneyland Entrance Plaque brings them joy. When adding to the discussion, Rick W. B. commented, “Walking under the train bridge reading the sign”.

The plaque echoes Walt’s intentions for Disneyland. While at the park, Walt wanted his Guests to take a moment away from the reality of today, reflect on the past, look forward to the future, and above all – dream.

Walking Down Main Street, U.S.A.

Main Street, U.S.A. is designed to look like the center of a 20th century American town. Inspiration for this themed land was drawn from Walt’s hometown of Marceline, Missouri. It’s filled with quaint shops, dining locations, and entertainment.

As a Guest of Disneyland, Main Street is your path to the magical day ahead. When you step onto Main Street, you’ll hear upbeat music playing, hooves clomping on the brick road from the horse-drawn street car, the trolley bell dinging, and the train whistle blowing. These sounds will be met with smells of popcorn, baked goods, and sugary confections. You’ll see the American flag blowing in the wind, children pulling their parents behind them as they dash to see a character, marquee lights twinkling, colorful Mickey balloons bobbing in the air, and at the end of the street – Sleeping Beauty Castle.

For many Guests, and many of our readers, this initial step into the park is what fills them with happiness and brings a smile to their face. Main Street, U.S.A. simultaneously brings the feeling of smalltown comfort as well as excitement for the Disneyland day that’s in store.

Hearing the Music

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Music not only lifts the spirits of Guests as they enter the park and walk down Main Street, U.S.A., it can also be heard throughout the rest of the park as it doubles as a memorable soundtrack to your time at Disneyland. Melissa T. told us on Facebook, “The music everywhere and how it subtly changes from land to land”.

As our reader Melissa T. stated, as you move from land to land, the music changes along with the theming. This change happens so subtly that you may not even realize it! The music really helps immerse you deeper into your surroundings and make the lands feel even more real.

Besides the background music of the lands, there are opportunities to enjoy live music as well. In the park, you can catch performances by the Dapper Dans barbershop quartet and the Disneyland Marching Band. More live musicians can also be enjoyed at Downtown Disney.

Character Interactions

During our Facebook discussion, Carol S.G. expressed, “So many things, one of them is seeing the characters! They make me smile!”. Many of our readers told us that the characters are the one thing at Disneyland that always makes them smile. With meet and greets, parades, and dining experiences, there are many opportunities to see the characters that you love. 

When walking through the park, it’s easy to see the impact that the characters have on Guests. It’s so fun to see your favorite characters come to life.

One great thing about Disneyland is that a lot of the characters don’t have specific times and locations for meetings. Rather, they wander throughout the park. The randomness of these encounters makes them extra fun and magical.

Feel free to make the most of your character interactions by asking for their autograph, having your picture taken with them, and getting a hug!

Seeing the Joy on Children's Faces

Isabelle W. shared what her favorite thing about Disneyland is, stating, “Seeing the happiness on the faces of little ones makes me teary-eyed, but in a good way. always always makes me smile.”. The happiness that Disneyland provides can be seen on the faces of Guests of all ages. However, there’s something so pure about a child at Disneyland. While we too can enjoy everything that’s offered at the park as adults, we’re unfortunately plagued with the reality and knowledge of the facade that’s in place for our own entertainment.

Little ones don’t have this experience. To them, everything is real and true. When they meet characters, they’re not meeting someone in a costume. They’re really meeting that character. A pixie dusting from one of Fairy Godmother’s apprentices isn’t simply glitter being sprinkled on them. It’s actually pixie dust. When they walk into Star Wars Galaxy’s Edge, they’re actually on another planet and experiencing their own Star Wars adventure.

Dina M. agreed, adding, “Seeing the little faces as they see their favourite characters”. You can see this radiate from their little faces. Their eyes twinkle with the magic of Disney and it’s such a special thing to witness. You can experience Disneyland in a whole new way when you see it through the eyes of a child. Juliane R.-S. made a similar comment when she said, “The magic that can literally be seen in the faces of all the children”.

Favorite Rides and Snacks

By no surprise at all, quite a few of our readers said that their favorite rides and snacks are what makes them smile. Even though there’s a wide variety of rides and snack options at Disneyland, the same few were repeatedly mentioned.

When it came to rides, Pirates of the Caribbean and “it’s a small world” were brought up the most. In regard to snacks, Dole Whip and Churros were the most popular. While these specific rides and snacks may all be considered simple, they can certainly be acknowledged as timeless classics.

The Pirates of the Caribbean ride at Disneyland is extremely special since it was the last ride that Walt creatively helped with before his passing. This ride is not only adventurous, but also extremely nostalgic. However, it’s not just the ride itself that brings a smile to Guests’ faces. It’s the smell of the water too!

“it’s a small world” is another ride that Walt personally oversaw and one that many Guests treasure. The bright colors, cheerful tune, and message of peace and unity throughout the world make this an enjoyable and quintessential Disney ride.

No explanation is needed when it comes to Guests’ love of Dole Whip. This light and creamy pineapple soft serve is both sweet and perfectly tart. It’s an amazingly refreshing treat. Especially on a hot day!

Disneyland Churros are well-known for being extremely delicious. At Disneyland, you won’t receive churros that are prepared ahead of time. Instead, they will be served warm and prepared right in front of you. These churros are crispy on the outside, soft and fluffy on the inside, and perfectly dusted with cinnamon sugar.

Walt's Apartment

Disneyland was Walt’s pride and joy. While the park was being built, Walt needed a place where he could stay and rest when necessary. He was balancing the construction of the park, film making, and his home life. Traveling between Walt Disney Studio in Burbank, his home in Las Angeles, and the park in Anaheim was a lot. Therefore, an apartment was built for Walt above the Disneyland Fire Dept. on Main Street.

After the park was complete, Walt still utilized the apartment. It was a way for him to be close to the park so he could both enjoy time there and be there if he was ever needed. His family would also join him in the apartment during their trips to Disneyland.

The Cast Members were made aware of Walt’s presence in the park whenever the lamp in the apartment window was lit. After Walt’s passing, the lamp has remained lit to remind Cast Members and Guests of Walt, his presence in the park, and everything that he created. His apartment is something that many of our readers mentioned as the one thing in the park that never fails to make them smile.

In regard to Walt's apartment being his favorite thing, John L. said, “Looking up at the light burning in the apartment window above the firehouse in Disneyland! I smile and say, ‘thank you, Walt!’”. Kari L. also added, “Seeing the lamp on in Walt’s apartment above the fire station. He’s always in the park with us enjoying the day”.

Disneyland Makes People Smile

Understandably, many of our readers couldn’t pick just one thing that always makes them smile at Disneyland. The most common response that we saw? Everything. And we completely agree. In our Facebook discussion, Sherrie C. said, “Everything!!!!!! I love Disneyland. I don't think it's somewhere I would ever get tired of.”.

Disneyland truly is a special and magical place. There is no question why this park is known as The Happiest Place on Earth. Simply being there is enough to make Guests happy. A combination of the offerings, small details, nostalgia, and storytelling creates a magical atmosphere that can’t be matched.

Disneyland offers a space for Guests to be themselves, enjoy life, create lifelong memories, and be authentically happy. It provides the opportunity for childhood moments to be re-visited while simultaneously providing new and exciting experiences to be enjoyed.

If you’ve visited Disneyland, you’ve most likely experienced this infectious atmosphere. Walt took his dream and created something so magical, and for that we are grateful.