Saving money when buying flights

Flights are a large chunk out of any travelers' budget. It is wise then to consider some of the following ways to save money when buying flights

If you don't feel comfortable going directly to buy flights and need a Travel Agent

Ask for a quote saying that you want the best available price by looking at;

• Codeshare airlines that you can get the price cheaper...this means that say Hawaiian airlines is sharing a plane with Virgin airlines where the flight is in a Hawaiian airline plane and operated by Hawaiian airlines but you can get a ticket for cheaper by purchasing a Virgin flight. (and enjoying being in a Hawaiian Airlines plane)
• Varying flight days. Sometimes you can save a lot of money just by flying a day or two earlier or later than your departure date. You can then decide whether the saving is worth your change in itinerary
• Layovers and Flight Times- Are you wanting to save money by flying to another destination en route to your final destination? Some airlines might have a cheaper cost but it will take you longer to get to the final destination. You need to decide whether this is something you can handle or whether it will make you (and your travel party) tired straight up from the outset.
• Airlines- Work out what airlines you are happy to travel with.- You might get a cheap flight on an airline that is renowned for delays in flight times or bad safety records. Know who you are prepared to fly and suggest these airlines to your travel agent (or similar) 

Many of the above depends on your age, budget, and sense of adventure!

If you are happy to book flights direct online

• Disable cookies when you search a flight as the more you look up cost the higher the cost will go
• Make sure it is a reputable website
• Consider the options of whether if a flight gets canceled or delayed whether you can get a changed flight/ refund
• Make sure you have travel insurance
• Know that you cannot easily jump on the phone if there is an issue like you can with a travel agent
• The price will be cheaper the further out you book your flight.
• Watch what currency it is quoted in and what the delays are in between flights.
• Make sure you triple check dates/ destinations and names on tickets. No changes in most cases once you have booked OR you will be charged to change details.

Frequent Flyer flights ( I will do a blog just on ways to get points soon)

• There are many ways you can accumulate points to get free (you pay taxes which on international flights can be $1000+)
• Look at the way you shop, use credit cards etc to see how you can get points.
• You can either book via someone from the airline who will book for you but charge you in either points or cash OR you can book direct yourself. Make sure you triple check dates/ destinations and names on tickets. No changes in most cases once you have booked OR you will be charged to change details.

World Trade Centre site

The World Trade Centre site has changed a lot since the first time I vistted back in 1996. I have seen it when the Twin Towers were at this site and remember looking down from the outside observation deck and seeing the communication tower on top of the roof. I saw on TV the fateful day of 9/11 and then saw in person the site flattened as Ground Zero then on subsequent trips the construction from Ground Zero to the breath taking memorial it is today.

On another blog, I will talk just about the National 9/11 Museum, but in this blog I just want to mention a few ground level and above sights. All the areas except the Museum are free to view.

1. The Memorial Pools- these lie in the footprints of where the Twin Towers once soared. They have names of people and first responders cut into the metal barrier around each pool. The metal is designed to never feel cool to the touch. We were there last in December and it was approx -15 degrees C in temperature and yet when we took our gloves off, the metal was in fact warm to the touch.

The Travel Concierge Tip- Take a photo of a name or write down a name that appears around the memorial and research that person to have a more intimate experience of the people that lost their lives on and around 9/11.

The Travel Concierge tip: Try to plan your time Downtown to see the Memorial pools during the day and lit up after dark.

2.The Freedom Tower- This beautiful glass architecture masterpiece has been teh topic of many documentaries showing its strength and structure that can withold plane, missile and truck attacks. It is a fortress, and yet when you see it in person, all you see is the beauty.

3. The Freedom Tree-Many people come to this site and yet don't know and don't go looking for the Freedom Tree. This tree was the symbol of the American spirit. The tree's amazing story can be found here.

4. The Occulus Transportation Hub and Shops-

You cannot miss this really unusually shaped structure. Many people think that it is the 9/11 Museum but it is the Transportation hub and has a lot of shops and restaurants within it. At night the roof lights up. The view from inside looking up is fantastic. A list of retailers can be found here.

The Travel Concierge tip: Be aware that there will be security armed around the whole 9/11 site. there are vans and roads blocked around the area for everyone's safety.

5. Double Check Statue- Nearby, you will find the statue of a man leaning over his briefcase. This statue was around before 9/11 and was badly beaten around on September 11. First Responders put a hard hat on his head and fire hose next to him. He was coated in a darker colour (he was bronze before) to fit the sombre nature of 9/11. He is in Liberty Plaza which is on the southern side heading south along Greenwich St.

6. Firefighter house and memorial wall-

7. National 9/11 Museum- I will do a whole blog just on this emotional museum. Can I just say here that they have done a fantastic job and it really felt like a sort of closure from all the footage we saw on TV seeing things like crushed fire trucks and a random shoe on the side walk. Really worth the money and I would ABSOLUTELY say book online ahead of time to ensure you get the timed ticket appropriate to your plans.

The Highline

The Highline is a dedicated walk way and park area raised above the streets of Mid-town New York. It is built on what was an abandoned freight train line. After a high fatality rate from freight trains killing pedestrians, the train lines were raised above the street level in
 the 1930's. With the evolution of freight being moved by trucks, the freight lines became abandoned.

When we visitted on our last trip, we entered at the W28th Street entrance. It was a unique experience and I liked how there were art installations along the way. It gave a great perspective of the city looking down from a storey up. The Highline is a free experience.

The biggest tip I could give you is to download the guide before you leave home. Check where the rest rooms are and other exits as you cannot actually get out except at these stairs and lifts. If someone in your party cannot access stairs, particularly look for where the lift access entrances are.

How to get here- Look at the map and head out on foot to one of the entrances OR the closest subway stop to the Highline would be the 7 Manhattan to Queens train getting off at 34th St- Hudson Yards train. This brings you to the northern most point of the Highline and the entrance point is an accesible ramp at W34th and 12th St.

 

Highline website is found here

The map of the Highline with entrances and rest rooms is found here

Central Park New York

Central Park

What: A recreational park for the people of New York. The park covers an area of over 840 acres.     There are many wonderful things to see within the park. Some to look out for are Strawberry Fields- dedicated to the memory of John Lennon, The 1872 Victorian children's carousel, a  large bronze statue of Alice In Wonderland for children to climb on, the Hans Christian Andersen statue, Mother Goose statue, The Zoo and Belvedere Castle. The easiest and quickest way to get an all round view of the park with running commentary is by taking a ride in one of the horse and carriages. The drivers are happy to answer your questions and will show you points of interest along the way.

Where: Central Park is located at 59^th -110^th Sts

 The carriage rides start and end from 59^th St.

How to get there: Catch the subway to Columbus Circle and then walk towards 6^th St. (Avenue of the Americas)

Cost: The park is free to enter.

The Travel Concierge Fact: Some famous films have been  shot in Central Park including Elf, Enchanted, Men In Black 3, The Avengers, One Fine Day, When In Rome and Home Alone 2.

Bike Riding in Central Park: Bike riding in Central Park is so much fun. What isn't fun is trying to rent them.This can become a nightmare trying to get bikes as a number of groups will be standing at entrances to Central Park giving you amazing costs for bike rental. When you agree you then realise the pick up point is a long hike away and the rental time starts when you pick them up. The 2 that we have found are easiest and best are Central Park Bike Rental. They are at 117 W 58th St. Their website is here. They are only 1 block from the park.

Playgrounds for kids: Whenever we have travelled to New York with children our first full day in town we head up to Central Park and let them play at Hecksher Park which is easily accessible from the 59th st entrances off Center Drive. They love to let off steam and this is one of those "feel like a local' moments. A map of Playgrounds in Central Park

The Travel Concierge Tip: In warmer weather dress your kids with swimming cossies underneath and bring a towel. They have water fountains to cool the children off and you KNOW your kids will want in on that!

Carriage Rides: The carriage ride prices are negotiable, but around $60 for a carriage to take you around a section of the park for about 20 minutes. You can just turn up on the day. They might be busy when you turn up, but we have always just walked up. You could always explore the park and come back.

Walking through Central Park: Below is a list of highlights through the park and where they are in relation to the streets along the edge of Central Park.

The Travel Concierge tip: The lamp posts throughout Central Park give directions. The first 2 numbers show the nearest cross street and the 2nd 2 numbers say how many lamp posts you are away from either 5th Avenue (east) or Central Park west (west) . e.g. E7803 is east near 78th street. It is 3 lamp posts from 5th Ave. 

64th Street Traverse -The Carousel. It is located mid-park. The ride is $3. (cash only) April to October it operates 10-6. November to March it operates shorter hours. Also here is the Wollman Rink.

72nd St Traverse- Bethesda Fountain, Strawberry Fields, Hans Christian Andersen statue, Alice in Wonderland statue, Bow Bridge, Mother Goose statue, Balto statue, The Mall, Boathouse and row boats. Row boats are $15 per hour (cash only) with a $20 deposit.

The Travel Concierge tip: The Loeb Boathouse can be an expensive meal that not everyone can afford and with children, not an option. There is a takeaway section that has some really good choice meals. Pull up a patch of grass under the trees. You can chill while the kids run around you.

79th St Traverse- Belvedere Castle, Turtle Pond, The Shakespeare Gardens, Charles B Stover bench, Swedish Cottage

The Travel Concierge Fact: The Charles B Stover bench is similar to the Grand Central Station Whispering Wall. If a person sits on each end and one whispers into the corner it will acoustically travel clearly to the person on the other end.

81st St Traverse- Metro Museum, Obelisk

The Travel Concierge tip: 

-While the suggested admission(donation) cost to get into the Met museum is $25A $17 seniors and $12 students, they will accept any amount you are ok to pay. If you are on an overseas trip costing you tens of thousands of $ and all you can afford to pay within your budget is $20 for your family, they will let you in. 

-Make the most of your limited time in the MET and look at a map of the museum and prioritise what exhibits and gallery areas you want to see first. MET museum website

85th St Traverse- The Shuman Running Track and Jaqueline Kennedy Onassis Reservoir.

Map of Main attractions in Central Park

Running/ Walking Map with Distances

Central Park Bike riding Map

        

Las Vegas With Kids-Part Two Dining (family friendly)

As usual, I am just mentioning our favourite family friendly dining restaurants.

I will list them starting from the airport and working up the Strip.

Mandalay Bay -

House of Blues

The menu can be found here.

Harley Davidson cafe. This restaurant serves big hearty meals and has Harley's rotating through a moving display of styles as you dine. Website found here.

MGM Grand-

Wolfgang Puck website found here

MGM Grand Buffet Details found here

Excalibur- 

Johnny Rockets Menu found here

New York New York- 

Shake Shack. This is a New York favourite as seen in the film Something Borrowed. Website found here

Paris Casino-

 Le Village Buffet Website found here.

The Palazzo Resort- 

Grimaldi’s Pizzeria (famous in New York) Website found here.

Bellagio-

 The Buffet Details found here

Ceasar’s Palace-

Cheesecake Factory (forum shops) General menu found here

Planet Hollywood (Forum Shops) website found here.

Serendipity 3 (out the street side) If you have seen the film Serendipity or been to the restaurant in NYC you MUST come here. If you haven't seen the film and haven't been to the restaurant in NYC...you MUST come here. My favourites are the Frozen hot chocolate, pizza and kids favourite is the face sized donut. Website found here.

The Venetian- 

Buddy V’s Ristorante- Buddy from Cake Boss Website found here

Stratosphere- 

Roxy’s Diner 50’s style diner Website found here

Las Vegas with Kids- Part One

Over the last 20 years, our family has seen Las Vegas go through many changes, both physical and the ‘vibe’ of Las Vegas as regards to the suitability for children to be there. One trip it got so bad, that one of the hawkers handing out cards for ‘escorts’ handed one to my 5-year-old daughter. I was horrified and told them so! The last number of trips it has been a LOT better, but remember that Las Vegas is a LOVE or HATE sort of place. Everything is bigger and over the top than most places you will ever go.

In saying that, we love Las Vegas. We are used to where to go to have a family friendly time and know the main things that will allow us to have a great time.

1.       Keep your children with you – holding their hand or them right next to you at all times outside and inside Casinos. If they wander from you while in the Casino, be assured that someone will appear almost instantly to tell you to have them with you and that they cannot be in the direct area of the machines etc. Stick to the main thoroughfares and you will be fine.  When walking on the streets with children, make sure if possible they are between parents. You will see people along the road handing out cards re escorts, but it is presently illegal for them to hand to any children. Usually, they are respectful if you are in a family group and don't hand the male in your family the cards.

2.      There are crowds outside at all hours on the streets so make sure again, your children are close to you.

3.      Jaywalking is rampant in Las Vegas- don’t just follow the crowds crossing at their will, make sure you keep a look out for the signal to cross.

4.      Temperatures in the desert are extreme, so make sure that you have water and sunscreen at all times and at night jackets no matter what the season is.

Getting your Head around Las Vegas

The “Strip” is the main road running from the airport end up to the old Las Vegas end where you will see the landmark of the Stratosphere tower.

Try and get yourself a map as soon as possible to get your head around where your hotel is and where you want to head. We used to stay down at the MGM Grand which is right down the airport end. We stayed there about 5 times and really liked it, but decided for us, it was too far from the mid- Strip where we tended to gravitate to. Our next hotel for a few trips was Treasure Island (now known as TI) this was a lot more central, but I personally didn’t feel it was overly kid-friendly- but my husband didn’t think so, so maybe it was just me? Now we stay at the Paris. It is directly opposite the Bellagio and we always get a room that is facing the fountains and the Eiffel tower so on a high floor. This allows us to lie in bed and watch the fountains of Bellagio go off. For us, we do stick more to the middle of the strip so for now, this works for us. The pool is quite plain, but kids are allowed so it is all good.

The Travel Concierge Tip

Don’t be tempted to stay in the old end with children no matter how cheap it is. I can’t understand why travel agents with good conscious book families into the likes of Circus Circus. It is old, it is seedy and it is stinky!(decades of smoking) Pay extra to stay further down the strip.

My favourite Disneyland "Hidden Gems"

What are Hidden Gems?

Hidden gems are similar to 'Easter Eggs' in gaming- hidden into the experience for those people that want an extra challenge or something to search for during their experience. They might be a hidden Mickey or a secret message only those in the know are aware of or even a sensory hidden gem like a specific smell or a sound. Some are really obvious and others are extremely well hidden, all are a fun way to get more out of your day at Disneyland.

If you are a first time visitor to Disneyland, don't worry about getting too caught up in these as in searching for them you might miss the every day wonders of just being in Disneyland. Every time we go I try to research more. I am not at all going to tackle listing them all, just some of my favourite in each area. Feel free to comment and say some of your favourite Hidden Gems.

As you enter Disneyland
We ALWAYS go via the left side of the tunnel under the train line. We pause and look up just to be reminded that we are back and the vision Walt Disney had.

Walt's light
Once you walk through the tunnel into Main Street, you will see in the middle there is a flag pole.. Go and stand there in the middle and stand with your left shoulder facing the main entrance. You will see the Fire house straight ahead. Above that behind lace curtains is an old fashioned Tiffany style lamp that is shining through the curtains (easier to see at night but still visible most days) That is an apartment that Walt and his family used to stay in at Disneyland. If Walt was in there, he would turn the light on so cast would know he was 'on site'. The day that he died, the light was turned on and remains on as a symbol that Walt is now and forever more 'present' in Disneyland. 

On the right of this hub there is a 'Lost children sign' The people shown on the sign are Mr and Mrs Downing from Peter Pan...who indeed lost their children.

The Travel Concierge tip
Did you know that you can go on a behind the scenes tour that will show you inside Walt's apartment? Tour info and how to book is found here.

The Windows on Main Street
Every window on Main Street 2nd floor is significant. Look out for the obvious names ending in Disney like Elias Disney (Walt's father) and Roy Disney (his brother) but every other name is significant. You can buy a book in Main Street that explains who every person was and their significance to Walt. It is one of my favourite books of Disney history.

Hidden Walt
All over the parks there are Hidden Mickeys. There is only one (to my understanding) hidden Walt. I was shown this by a tour guide one year. Go into the Town Hall where Great Moments with Mr Lincoln runs. in the foyer there is a display where there is a replica of the castle. Lean down and look inside where the draw-bridge and entrance is and you can see a little Walt Disney figurine.  it is to replicate the above photo.

Also in this foyer there is the park seat where Walt Disney first came up with the idea of Disneyland while on an outing with his daughters. Also here is one of the carousel horses his daughters used to ride at Griffith Park.

Penny Arcade
Many of these machines are actually the original ones sourced by Walt Disney. The orchestrion (self playing organ) is my favourite. Throw in some coins to hear some old time tunes. There is an interesting article about a hidden gem inside the organ found here.

Look out for Esemerelda the fortune teller. If you look carefully at her cards you will see the pictures on the cards are the characters from the Haunted Mansion stretching room.

Transport on Main Street
If lines are crazy long or you just need to be off your feet for a while...or you just want to experience the fun of Disney transport jump on the transport vehicles. On the fire truck, children (or people who are child at heart) can very nicely ask to ring the bell. When you get off you can also ask for a Junior Firefighter sticker.

Walt used to love riding in these vehicles when the park was closed. I love to ride them and imagine him doing the same and convince myself that he sat and touched the exact vehicle I am in...maybe wishful thinking but it is still pretty cool.

Transport through the park

Disneyland Railroad
You can ask the Station Master whether your children can call out the "All Aboard" They make a big fuss and your child calls out to all on board. We did the whole route with each child taking it in turns saying it.

Two other sometimes gems are when you ask if you can ride the tender up with the train driver (enough room for two) and riding in the 

Mark Twain
Once we were sitting chatting as we waited for the Mark Twain to come around. A cast member started a conversation with our girls and at the end said how polite they were, and asked if they wanted to do something special. When the Mark Twain docked, we were led up to the Bridge and each got a task to complete. Throughout the trip, one had to ring the bell and one had to pull the string on the air whistle. They each had a turn turning the wheel. At the end we had to sign the guest book and were shown a photo of Walt himself up doing the same thing. It was a surreal moment in time. As we left the Captain gave them each a certificate. I understand it is more often that not only when cast members approach you that it is allowed, but worth asking if you can!


Am I hearing things?
Again on Main Street you can hear noises coming from upstairs and even the phones hidden on Main street. There is a very lively piano lesson, conversations between people and the sound of a patient getting their teeth drilled at a dentist (down the alley on the right)

What can I smell?
As you walk past the food stores on Main Street, smells are pumped out the shops to encourage you to come in and buy the food. Do it!  You know calories don't count in the Happiest place on Earth, right! Likewise, you can smell a salty breeze near the Pirates ride and the smell of honey near The Great Adventures of Winnie the Pooh.

Great Bins
Did you know that the bins in Disneyland were designed by Walt Disney himself? They were designed to keep rubbish in the bins and have caught on in theme parks all over the world.

New Orleans Square
At the New Orleans train station you can hear morse code. It is a sound recording of the telegraph recording of Walt's opening day "welcome speech"

Look on the wrought iron railings above the Pirates of the Caribbean ride. You will see in gold Walt and Roy Disney's initials. You used to be able to get up here and look inside when it was a Disney art gallery. Now it is part of the famous Dream Suites.

Club 33
This was a club that Walt Disney created as the only venue in Disneyland to serve alcohol. Walt would entertain distinguished guests here. Now it is a club that is very exclusive. the wait list can be years long. The rumoured membership fee per year is $10,000 with a $25,000 initial joining fee also being rumoured. The entrance is hidden in New Orleans Square and you rarely see the door open. All you can see from the outside is the 33 number. On a recent trip to Disneyland my family was lucky enough to be taken into Club 33 by members. It was possibly in the top 20 moments of my life (how sad is that!) We learnt that the lift inside was sourced by Walt and dismantled and brought to Disneyland and painstakingly put back together.

Pirates of The Caribbean
My favourite Hidden Mickey in here is on the brick wall to your right as you go through past the ship firing cannons. It is 3 cannon ball sized holes in the brick work in the shape of a Mickey head.

Look out also for the hidden 'Captain Jack Sparrow's' and other Pirate's characters. Don't miss the one near the well.

Look out for the Captain skeleton lying in bed looking through a maginifying glass. On his bed head is a skull and crossbones which are the only remaining skull and bones.

As you start the Pirates ride, look to your right and you will see the people dining at Blue Bayou. Be sure to wave and call out 'hi!'

The pirate above the bridge
Over the many years I have been coming to Disneyland (since the 70's) there is a pirate that appears and disappears from trip to trip. He is sitting up on a bridge you go under in your boat. He is so close you can see the hairs on his legs. No one can tell me why he keeps going away and coming back...My guess is people touch him/ mark him in some way from the boat and they have to keep fixing him...I always look out for him, and do sort of think how freaked out I would be if he jumped into my boat...maybe just me?

Haunted Mansion
Before you eve get in the mansion, be sure to read the tombstones and messages on statues in the pet cemetery. The names are named after actual people, for example "Here lies brother Fred, a big old rock fell on his head." refers to Fred Joerger a famous set designer who specialised in...you guess it creating rocks.

My favourite hidden Mickey is actually an unauthorised hidden Mickey and so may or may not be there. In each ride, the Imagineer is in charge of setting up the Hidden Mickeys. Cast members that maintain the rides sometimes create other ones. When the Imagineer goes through the ride to inspect it, they will make sure it is removed. This one is in the dining hall. On the left side of the dining table closest to your 'Doom buggy' you will see a dinner plate and two side plates in the shape of a Mickey head.

Cake-In the same dining room, there is a cake on the table, with a ghost leaning in to blow out the candles. This cake is brand new and changes every year and in the holiday period it is a new Gingerbread creation each year.

Hidden Nightmare items- Look in each room of the Mansion for a little bat that featured in the film.


The Travel Concierge bonus
As you enter the Haunted Mansion ask a cast member for a death certificate.

Many adventures of Winnie the Pooh ride
This was the site for the Country Bear Jamboree show, and so in tribute to it, look out for Max, Buff and Melvin (characters from the show...or their heads at least) in the room where Pooh Bear eats honey. As you go through the door look back above the doors.

Ticket Booths
When I first went to Disneyland, they still sold you ticket books. You would then tear a ticket out for each category of ride and hand it in at the ticket booth. Some of these original booths still can be seen sitting near the rides. (Alice in Wonderland, Casey Jnr. Railroad, Dumbo and It's a Small World)


It's a Small World
In most of the lands within It's a Small World, you will see characters from Disney movies. See how many you can spot. These have only been added to the ride in the last 10 years. Also recently added is a doll that is in tribute to one of Disney's most famous Imagineers. Mary Blair created all the original concept art for It's A Small World when it was comissioned for the New York State Fair. Walt Disney negotiated within the contract that he got to keep the set at the end of the show, and moved it straight into Disneyland as one of Disneyland's original attractions. Mary can be see under the Eiffel Tower holding a red balloon.

Peter Pan ride
When you look down over London, you will see what appears to be clouds. One day Walt was going through the ride and noticed that a plastic bag had been left in the ride by either a cast member or guest. When he pointed it out to the cast member he was riding with they noted to have it removed, but Walt thought it looked like a cloud so instructed them to add more.

While lining up in Peter Pan, be sure to look over and up to the second storey window of the outside of the Snow White ride. Keep looking at the ornate window and you will see the Evil Queen throw back the blinds and look out the window before closing them again.

Snow White ride
Look out for the golden apple above a book stand. If you touch the apple you will hear the Evil Queen laugh.

Indiana Jones ride
As you move through the line here, if you want to find two hidden gems, don't follow two signs. One is near bamboo poles and warns you not to touch the poles. Give them a little push and it will sound like you have caused the roof to start collapsing. The other one is near a well. You are warned not to pull on the rope. If you do, you will hear someone yell at you at the bottom or even fall from their place holding on to the rope.

When you get to the section where you are in a stand up theaterette where you will see the safety video, as you get closer in line to the screen look back behind you up near the roof at a ledge. You can see one of the old parking signs from the Eeyore car park section which originally was on that very section before Disneyland expanded. If you can't quite see it, ask the cast member to shed a little light on it with the torch they carry for that exact purpose.

Cheshire hat...I mean cat.
In the Mad Hatter shop, as you try on hats and look up into the mirror behind the cash register, keep and eye out for a smiling Cheshire cat that appears briefly in the reflection of the mirror.

Days gone by
If you are passing Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, stop and look across the pathway. (with Big Thunder behind you) You can see the remains of the tracks from what might at first appear to be an abandoned mine but is actually an abandoned attraction. Also here, you might see some jumping (anamatronic) fish that are intermittently turned on to jump above the water.

Tarzan's Treehouse
After you have explored the Treehouse, and get to the 'kitchen' area, look out for a hidden Mrs Potts from Beauty and the Beast and make a racket hitting pots and pans.

What's in a name?
Each horse of the carousel in Fantasyland has a name. You can ask for a list at City Hall in Main Street.

Gold spike in the castle
As you walk through the castle entrance, look down. You will see a golden circle that is the head of a spike used in surveying to ensure that the castle was directly lined up with Main Street. Some falsely think it is or was the centre of Disneyland but that is not correct.

Disney Crest
The Disney crest is located directly above the drawbridge to the castle. It is gold and has 4 lions on it.

Hidden Mickey in a locker
At the Finding Nemo attraction in Tomorrowland, go to the observation area that is not in the submarines (it is an alternative for those who cannot access the submarine or are claustrophobic) look for locker 105 and spot the hidden Mickey.

Hungry?
All the plants in Tomorrowland are edible...I wouldn't necessarily put it to the test, but Walt Disney wanted the area to be sustainable so all are herbs and plants that produce edible fruit etc.

Stationary Photo carriages
In Fantasyland and Tomorrowland there are a number of carriages of rides that are in places you can pose for a photo in. They include Dumbo, a teacup and an Autopia car.