The Disney Parks Book Tag // Thrilling Mountains, Beautiful Castles, And Me Gushing About My Childhood

Hello my name is Kay and I’m next level obsessed with Disneyland.

Disney just brings so much magic, so much whimsy, and it makes me feel like a kid again, like the world is so full of possibilities and everything and anything amazing can happen and all you can do is smile and sing because the world is an amazing place.

In other words, the literal opposite of how I’ve been feeling for the past month. 

I am so lucky and privileged that I’ve grown up near Disneyland, California, and I’ve been so many times and had so many opportunities that it feels like a second home. I had an annual pass for years (back when it was much cheaper lol) and I’ve been more times than I can count. I got to sit on the front of the Storybookland Canal boats as a “whale watcher,” to hang with the captain in the wheel house of the Mark Twain Riverboat and pull the horn, and to walk out of Roger Rabbit’s Car Toon Spin with the lights on when it broke down.

By FAR my favorite Disney memory, and one of my favorite memories in general, is the time I was went to Disneyland with my high school color guard/marching band and marched down Main Street as part of the pre parade. Walking around backstage, changing a cast member dressing room, and seeing old matterhorn bobsleds in storage were amazing, but absolutely nothing topped the feeling of seeing hundreds of smiling kids lining the streets of Main Street, watching and enjoying our performance in the happiest place on earth.

All of this is a vERY long winded intro, but I can’t contain myself with Disney! Point being, when Alexandra from Reading By Starlight tagged me her original tag, The Disney Parks Book Tag, I was so happy and knew I had to do it! It feels like it’s coming at a perfect time too–with all the Disney resorts closed in the world*, the least we can do is try to create a little Disney magic on our own, right?

*Shanghai Disneyland is open now yay! But they were all closed when I wrote this post like 2 weeks ago lol

Rules:

•  Mention the creator of the tag and link back to original post [Alexandra @ Reading by Starlight]
• Thank the blogger who tagged you
• Answer the 10 questions below using any genre
• Tag 5+ friends
• Feel free to copy the heading graphics

The House of Hades // I couldn’t think of any book along a river and then I remembered this river of FIRE. Admittedly not the same funny happy vibes as the Jungle Cruise, and not at all the same type of river (although I suppose Jungle Cruise has flesh eating piranhas and there are lots of things in Hades that want to rip off Percy’s flesh?) but it’s still a very good book.

Admittedly I’ve only ridden this like once or twice #sorrynotsorry. I love the humor though, and the movie adaption looks like it’s going to be fantastic! (rip coronavirus delaying it a year)

Daughter of the Pirate King // A fitting book about pirates for this pirates ride, right? Honestly, I can totally imagine Alosa as Redd, the female pirate from the auction in the ride (I remember when she was for sale and I’m glad she’s a pirate now!). I love how Alosa is a badass pirate with an all female pirate ship, and sails the high seas, pulling her own in a fight!

I LOVE THIS RIDE! It’s my second favorite ride. I love the theming, the drops, the feeling of being transported to a pirate world on the high seas, and also can’t complain about a 15 minute air conditioned ride on a hot day, right? Ahh, I can just smell it now…

House of Salt and Sorrows // I have to steal Alexandra’s answer because this book is so perfect for this ride! It’s super spooky, with a seemingly haunted manor with mystery and a curse. aLSO the 12 dancing princesses in this spooky setting = the ballroom scene in this ride where all the ghosts are dancing. IT’s PERFECT you can’t change my mind.

Another amazing ride! (Bless air conditioning). It’s deliciously spooky, and wow it scared the life out of me (see what I did there) as a kid haha. I love all the details–I’ve ridden this dozens of times and notice something new each time! And the holiday halloween/christmas overlay is so fun too!

Renegades // I love this book! Superheros, super villains, secret identities, fight scenes– it was definitely thrilling and exciting all the way through!

Another incredible one! I love the theming of a runaway train in an old abandoned cursed mine town, and the thrill of the roller coaster is great! The part where you’re slowly going up before the drop and it seems like the mine is about to collapse on you is so much anxiety but so fun.

Dumplin // I couldn’t think of any at first but then I remembered that Dumplin takes place in the south, with lots of reference to Dolly Parton, and it’s definitely a good ole fashioned homey feeling book.

MY FAVORITE RIDE! I love the whimsical fun animals, and zip a dee doo dah is such a fun song that I love singing along at the top of my lungs. But of course the best part–that terrifying drop! Going down into the briar patch is pure terror and I love it, and then all the happy singing animals after and realizing I didn’t die is great. (Also the lack of seatbelts adds to the experience and really convinced me as a kid I was going to die)

A Curse So Dark And Lonely // The bulk of this book takes place in a castle in the beast’s kingdom, and I loved it! In a world of Beauty and the Beast retellings this one really stood out to me too and I was so immersed in it from start to finish!

aHEM **Sleeping Beauty Castle** because we stan Disneyland in California on this blog (Cinderella Castle is in WDW in Florida). The castle is so amazing, rising up looking so picturesque like a fairytale with the whimsical pink and blue! Watching the fireworks over the castle is incredible, and seeing Christmas lights on it in the winter is ❤ And ours is the only castle Walt Disney himself built soooooo

Heartless // I love Marissa Meyer and this book of hers is no exception! It fits perfectly here so yes. It’s so kooky and whimsical and crazy, full of mad tea parties and mock turtles and swoon worthy mysterious jest… ;’)

A cLASSIC! Can’t go to Disneyland without riding this one! (and the wait is like always under ten minutes too!) I love going as fast as possible (legend has it the purple teacup is fastest), and also the mad tea party with all the lanterns at night is something else… so beautiful ❤

Six of Crows // I’m amending this to a trek through a frozen land because I can’t think of a book in the mountains right now, but the frozen barren landscape of Fjerda definitely gives me Matterhorn vibes!

A bit rough, but it’s the OG mountain so how can you not love its charm? The yodeling music outside is so iconic. Also you can always see it from the freeway driving past so it always gives me happy Disney vibes even when I’m not going to Disney. I love seeing Harold the Yeti! Also pro tip: the Tomorrowland side is better/faster than the Fantasyland side 🙂

I Love You So Mochi // So many??? I love the Japanese culture (mochiiii) in this book though, it’s definitely a place I’d love to go on a cruise around the world.

People call it annoying, but I still think it’s charming and sing along at the top of my lungs! (That could just be nostalgia from LOVING it as a little kid but idc). Looking for Disney characters in their countries/cultures is fun! Also, 15 min ride in the air conditioning that almost always has a short line?? duh

Ignite The Stars // I love this story of the deadliest assassin in the galaxy. All the talk of piloting spaceships around? Amazing

Everyone’s favorite thrill ride! I love the speed and the setting–space! I love how you can’t see what’s coming too–who knows if you’re going to die in the next second, right?

Tagging

 Kaya // May // Margaret // Karen Jo // Dini

As always, no pressure to do the tag if you don’t want to, and feel free to do it too if I didn’t tag you!

Let’s Chat

Have you ever been to a Disney park? What’s your favorite Disneyland ride? Have you read any of the books on this list? I’d love to chat in the comments below ❤