I’ll be the first to admit that I don’t ride Splash Mountain nearly enough. I could blame it on the camera equipment—and that would be mostly true—but really it comes down to the fact that I enjoy simply being at Disneyland enough that riding anything is supplemental. Most of my time is spent observing my surroundings and how people interact with them.
I think I derive as much pleasure from watching other people enjoy Disneyland as I get from it myself.
One of the best spots for such observations is the scenic route into Critter Country, behind Fowler’s Inn. When it’s open to through traffic it’s the perfect place to listen to the screams and laughter of riders who’ve just made their descent into the Briar Patch. Whenever I find myself headed for Splash Mountain, I always start here.
