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Disneyland Solo Trip Report: Intro and Day 1

02.16.2026 by Dan Heaton // Leave a Comment

Sleeping Beauty Castle shines at night at the original Disneyland park.


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Last week, I spent two solo days at the Disneyland Resort in California and had an incredible trip. My sprint through the park included nearly 70 attractions, great food, and a lot more. I recorded multiple hours of audio throughout my entire trip. During this series of four Tomorrow Society Podcast episodes, I talk about everything that I experienced at Disneyland, Disney California Adventure, and beyond. This episode focuses on Day 1 and my journey from St. Louis to Anaheim. I also talk about a fun night at Downtown Disney after my arrival.

During this podcast, I cover my hopes for the trip during clips recorded at airports and the Howard Johnson by Wyndham Anaheim Hotel and Water Playground. I also give my opinions during my stop at the Denver Airport about the hiring of Josh D’Amaro as Disney’s new CEO. There’s a lot to cover during this first episode, including my experience on Southwest Airlines with their assigned seating process.

It’s just the beginning of my podcast miniseries, which I’ll publish during the next four weeks. I packed so much into such a short trip, and I’d go back in a heartbeat. Join me for my quick and thrilling Disneyland solo trip!

A shot of Radiator Springs Racers from my solo trip in Cars Land at Disney California Adventure.
Photo by Dan Heaton

Show Notes: Disneyland Solo Trip Report

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Check out all 250 past episodes of the Tomorrow Society Podcast, including many interviews with Disney Imagineers, and listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or directly on this site!

Stay connected by following me on Bluesky at @thedanheaton.

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Categories // Disneyland, Tomorrow Society Podcast Tags // Disneyland, Downtown Disney, Hotels, Podcasts, Solo Trip, Trip Report

About Dan Heaton

Dan’s first theme-park memory was a vacation at the Polynesian Resort in 1980 as a four-year-old. He’s a lifelong fan who has written and podcasted regularly about the industry. Dan loves both massive Disney and Universal theme parks plus regional attractions near his hometown of St. Louis, Missouri. His favorite all-time attraction is Horizons at EPCOT Center.

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