Nothing says summer like the squeals heard from a roller coaster—and California theme parks always take those thrills to the next level.
“Summer is high season at the theme parks, when you see new rides, areas, and shows,” says travel writer and theme park expert Katrina Hunt. “But so many California theme parks also have their own interesting backstories, too, which make them pretty fascinating places to visit, even if you never get on a roller coaster.”
On the latest episode of the California Now Podcast, host Soterios Johnson welcomes insiders from two of those parks—Disneyland Resort and Universal Studios Hollywood—who, along with Hunt, offer a few peeks at what this summer will bring at these Golden State attractions.
Celebrate Old and New at Disneyland
The show’s first guest, Disneyland Ambassador Nataly Guzman Garcia, grew up in the Inland Empire, not far from Anaheim, and her love of the parks runs deep. “Going to Disneyland was a yearly tradition for my family,” she says, “and it meant so much to me that I wanted to make a career out of it.”
She shares details on Disney100, this year’s centennial celebration of Walt Disney Studios, which has included the debut of the reimagined Mickey's Toontown area and its new ride, Mickey & Minnie's Runaway Railway.
“I have not seen a single person come off this attraction without a smile on their face,” she says. “It's just so much fun.” She also describes Disney’s new shows, including Rogers: The Musical, based on the origin story of Captain America, and the new night-sky spectaculars, including Wondrous Journeys, which features projections from every animated Disney movie. “You are bound to find a reference or a tribute to your favorite Disney film,” she says, “because in some way we were able to capture all of them. It really is an emotional spectacular.”
Guzman Garcia also shares details about San Fransokyo Square, a new foodie magnet coming to Disneyland California Adventure Park, and one old-school favorite: “Nothing beats a ride on the Disneyland Railroad. It's a grand circle-tour of Walt Disney's original Magic Kingdom, and it's such a relaxing way to spend an afternoon, just soaking in the atmosphere of Disneyland.”
Step Inside a Video Game at Universal Studios Hollywood
In Los Angeles, Universal Studios Hollywood specializes in its own atmosphere, rich with movie and pop-culture history. Jon Corfino, vice president of creative at Universal Studios Hollywood, joins the podcast to tell Johnson what’s new at the park—namely, the recently opened SUPER NINTENDO WORLD and its Mario Kart: Bowser’s Challenge, based on the world of the Nintendo games.
“While this is a themed land, it is truly going inside the game,” Corfino says. “As you go on the ride, you can play every aspect of the game, and you can also jump into this totally immersive land filled with kinetic objects that you'd recognize from the games. You interact, get key challenges, and you score points.”
You don’t have to be a gamer to enjoy it, either. “Even for people who aren't familiar with it,” he says, “once you come through that ‘warp pipe’ to enter the land, everything—the vibrancy, the motion, the kinetic energy—is magical.” The ride itself levels the playing field too. “‘Just like in a normal game, you learn new tricks the more you ride,“ he says. “I've ridden it over 200 times and I'm still improving my score.”
The area includes strolling characters (Mario, Luigi, and Peach), a shop, and an on-theme restaurant, the Toadstool Cafe. “They have a salad that looks like a piranha, and the chicken sandwich is fantastic,” Corfino says. The whole area is a feast of sheer details, he adds. “You can go up a flight of stairs that's not marked and all of a sudden you find yourself at a place called Frosted Glacier. And you occasionally see these little ‘Mbeds’ in the wall—M as in Mario—and you tap those with your wrist and the wall comes alive and illuminates a character, and you score points. There are surprises around every corner.”
Money-Saving Tips and Special Events
California is home to several more theme parks, of course, each with its own charms and surprises. Hunt joins the podcast to talk about planning a trip to any of the parks, from San Diego to the Bay Area.
That includes a few hacks on saving money—like always buying your tickets on a park’s website. “For most theme parks you can save anywhere from $20 to $40 a person just by booking online,” she says. “At some theme parks, admission on some days is more expensive than others, so if you're open about which day you go, you can often save a good amount.” She also recommends checking out tourist-board sites for bundled deals that include hotel stays.
Then, she highlights a few more theme park debuts and events worth planning a trip around this summer, including food festivals at Knott's Boysenberry Festival and Six Flags Magic Mountain; new shows at LEGOLAND California; and baby cheetahs at Six Flags Discovery Kingdom.
SeaWorld San Diego, meanwhile, just opened two areas that pay tribute to the park’s wildlife rescue teams: a play area for kids called Rescue Jr. and the family-friendly coaster Arctic Rescue. “You ride on what looks like a snowmobile, but on a roller coaster,” Hunt says. “Once you get off the coaster, you walk into the Wild Arctic exhibit, an underwater viewing area with amazing up-close views of beluga whales, seals, and enormous walruses. It's breathtaking.”