Why theme parks are magical<\/p>\n
Maybe you haven\u2019t been to a theme park in a while. And maybe that\u2019s intentional. Yes, ticket prices increase every year<\/a>, crowds frustrate and your ankle will probably be struck by a stroller. But theme parks are art. They\u2019re meticulously designed, as real as our ability to pretend. Few spaces exist in which so many artistic endeavors collide: architecture, costuming, landscaping, animation, engineering, urban design and more. The delight is in the details<\/a>.<\/p>\n Theme parks are more than an escape \u2014 they reflect and respond to culture. Maybe these are simply the ramblings of a Disney adult and fan of all theme parks, but I won\u2019t apologize for seeking joy, wonder and play. It\u2019s what\u2019s needed right now.<\/p>\n I visit theme parks regularly \u2014 probably too often<\/a> by some people\u2019s standards \u2014 but I\u2019m excited every time. The key is to stop viewing them as a checklist of activities. So as we enter the busy <\/a>spring break and summer seasons, here are some ways to develop a deeper appreciation (and simply have more fun) at our most iconic parks.<\/p>\n Sign up for Mr. Todd’s Wild Ride <\/p>\n An insider guide to the ever-changing world of theme parks, coming to you straight from SoCal \u2014 the theme park capital of the world.<\/p>\n By continuing, you agree to our Terms of Service<\/a>, which include arbitration and a class action waiver. You agree that we and our third-party vendors may collect and use your information, including through cookies, pixels and similar technologies, for the purposes set forth in our Privacy Policy<\/a> such as personalizing your experience and ads. <\/p>\n Embrace the Disneyland classics<\/p>\n I received pushback when I declared It\u2019s a Small World the best attraction<\/a> at the Anaheim resort, but hear me out. The ride is designed in the look of animator turned theme park artist Mary Blair, reflective of her color clashes and childlike whimsy. It\u2019s akin to a boat trip through an art gallery. No other attraction is so reflective of a singular art style. The facade, designed by renown Disney Imagineer Rolly Crump and inspired by Blair, mixes glistening white metals and fiberglass with gold leaf accents that nod to the Eiffel Tower, Tower of Pisa, a Dutch windmill and more. How many more landmarks can you spot amid the jagged edges and byzantine shapes?<\/p>\n Fun fact: Legend tells that Disneyland used the entire U.S. supply of gold leaf to make the facade. Germany, apparently, came to the rescue.<\/p>\n Don\u2019t skip a ride on the greatest tram tour ever built Visitors enter the set of Jupiter\u2019s Claim from the movie \u201cNope\u201d while taking the Universal Studios tram tour in May 2023.<\/p>\n (Genaro Molina\/Los Angeles Times)<\/p>\n Universal Studios\u2019 World-Famous Tram Tour, as it is officially designated, is the most important modern theme park attraction<\/a> in America. The slow-moving backlot trek existed long before Universal Studios had a theme park, but it changed the industry.<\/p>\n In 1976, one year after Steven Spielberg\u2019s \u201cJaws\u201d opened, the studio put guests face-to-face with a 24-foot shark. Never before had a cultural phenomenon like \u201cJaws\u201d been so quickly replicated in a theme park. \u201cRide the movies\u201d is a phrase coined by Spielberg, and it\u2019s an industrywide trend that hasn\u2019t stopped<\/a>.<\/p>\n Fun fact: Universal consulted submarine builders General Dynamics to construct a shark that could survive long term under water.<\/p>\n Spend an afternoon in America\u2019s first theme park Knott\u2019s Berry Farm\u2019s entrance as parkgoers ride the Silver Bullet roller coaster behind it in May 2021.<\/p>\n (Allen J. Schaben\/Los Angeles Times)<\/p>\n There are times I go to Knott\u2019s Berry Farm and never leave its Ghost Town area, which predates Disneyland and is filled with oddities. A toy shop, for instance, sells actual puppets, and a train ride still features a staged robbery. The park also just remodeled its 72-year-old Bird Cage Theatre<\/a>, home to outrageous vaudeville-style shows, where a young Steve Martin once performed. It\u2019s a rarity these days to have live theater at a theme park.<\/p>\n Fun fact: The theater\u2019s facade is a replica of the original Bird Cage in Tombstone, Ariz., which has long had a bawdy reputation.<\/p>\n So I hope you\u2019ll sign up for Mr. Todd\u2019s Wild Ride, where we\u2019ll geek out on the history<\/a>, the artistry and the future of these spaces. Have a theme park question? Email me, and I hope to answer it in an upcoming edition of the newsletter. Life is tough. We can all use more fun.<\/p>\n Today\u2019s top stories Billionaire Tom Steyer speaks during Jewish California: Governor 2026 Candidate Forum at the Skirball Cultural Center in Los Angeles on Feb. 26.<\/p>\n (Ronaldo Bolanos\/Los Angeles Times)<\/p>\n Billionaire candidate for California governor faces criticismTom Steyer, a Democratic candidate for California governor, faces mounting criticism<\/a> over his former hedge fund\u2019s prior investments in private prisons now housing undocumented immigrants.Steyer says he deeply regrets the investment and left his hedge fund 14 years ago and has since spent hundreds of millions on Democratic causes, particularly efforts to fight climate change.Artemis II crew flies past the moonNASA\u2019s Artemis II crew flew past the moon<\/a> Monday, traveling farther from Earth than any humans in history and becoming the first to see some sections of the moon\u2019s far side in the sunlight with the naked eye.The four astronauts described the far side in eloquent detail: Geometric patterns of browns, blues and greens amid the moon\u2019s typical shades of gray.L.A.-based relatives of a deceased Iranian leader were arrestedThe niece and grand-niece of an Iranian general have been arrested by immigration agents after the niece celebrated the Iranian leadership and denigrated the U.S.<\/a> The general\u2019s daughter has disputed the family connection, according to Iranian media, which has quoted a statement attributed to her saying that the two women bear no relation to the general.What else is going onCommentary and opinionsThis morning\u2019s must readFor your downtime State Route 78.<\/p>\n (Josh Jackson)<\/p>\n Going outStaying inAnd finally … your photo of the day The Flaming Lips\u2019 Wayne Coyne travels over the Coachella 2004 crowd in an inflated plastic bubble.<\/p>\n (Robert Gauthier \/ Los Angeles Times)<\/p>\n Today\u2019s great photo is from Times photographer Robert Gauthier during 2004 Coachella. Here\u2019s a look at The Times\u2019 photos from every year of the festival<\/a>, including its origins in 1999, legendary performances from Daft Punk, Prince and Beyonc\u00e9, and the iconic art installations the festival has hosted over the years.<\/p>\n Have a great day, from the Essential California team<\/p>\n Jim Rainey, staff reporter How can we make this newsletter more useful? Send comments to essentialcalifornia@latimes.com<\/a>. Check our top stories<\/a>, topics<\/a> and the latest articles<\/a> on latimes.com<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Sorry, Orlando. Southern California is the theme park capital of the world. Yes, I believe that. A brief…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":255789,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[36],"tags":[163,165,164,7,2299,1085,891,2300,2297,340,2303,63,2302,1086,1459,2301,2298,74,225,315,688],"class_list":{"0":"post-255788","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-anaheim","8":"tag-anaheim","9":"tag-anaheim-headlines","10":"tag-anaheim-news","11":"tag-california","12":"tag-civic-revolt","13":"tag-covid","14":"tag-covid-19","15":"tag-days","16":"tag-essential-california","17":"tag-israel","18":"tag-l-a","19":"tag-los-angeles-times","20":"tag-may","21":"tag-pandemic","22":"tag-part","23":"tag-president-biden","24":"tag-red-county","25":"tag-san-diego","26":"tag-state","27":"tag-time","28":"tag-years"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/255788","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=255788"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/255788\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/255789"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=255788"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=255788"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=255788"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}![\"An](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/1775572027_821_.jpeg\")
<\/p>\n![\"People](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/1775572028_171_.jpeg\")
<\/p>\n![\"A](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/1775572028_550_.jpeg\")
<\/a> <\/p>\n![\"A](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/1775572028_520_.jpeg\")
<\/a> <\/p>\n![\"A](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/1775572028_725_.jpeg\")
<\/a> <\/p>\n
Hugo Mart\u00edn, assistant editor, fast break desk
Kevinisha Walker, multiplatform editor
Andrew Campa, weekend writer
Karim Doumar, head of newsletters<\/p>\n