Disneyland is a place where all the characters you’ve watched on the big screen come to life and a place where you can go on rides that look like your favorite Disney movies, but I believe that Disneyland is much more than that. While the characters and rides are truly magical, some people overlook the little elements that make Disneyland more special than other parks. These are the aspects of Disneyland that get me excited:

1. The sound of tickets scanning

The whistling tone welcomes everyone into the park. It gets me pumped to spend my day with my homie Mickey. If you want to relive the sound, listen here.

2. Walking into an empty park

There’s nothing like casually strolling through Main Street without being in someone else’s grill. Usually this happens during the first 30 minutes of opening hours. Or if you’re lucky, you're there on a day when it’s not really poppin’.

3. No line at "Indiana Jones" or Space Mountain

It’s really only possible to ride them first thing in the morning or as the last ride of the evening. Unless something miraculous happens and you just walk right on in the middle of the day without a Fastpass––then you feel like the biggest G ever.

4. The smell of Main Street

Candy, ice cream, cookies, vanilla, and other sugary foods that smell so delicious that will satisfy all of your sweet cravings. Expect to leave feeling the unhealthiest you’ve ever felt but like it was worth it.

5. The first bite into a warm churro

Speaking of food, nothing beats biting into a nice, warm churro that was freshly made by a cast member at the churro carts. Despite their price, they become extremely addicting. Two a day sometimes isn’t enough. The more the merrier, am I right?

6. Adding to your pin collection

There are some Disney addicts out there who have hundreds of pins and some who only have three. No matter what kind of collector you are, there’s something truly special about picking out a new pin to help you remember your trip.

7. The trashcans

I don’t know about you, but for me, I feel like my life is in order when a trashcan looks like the land I’m in. Test your Disneyland trashcan knowledge.

Also, one must not forget that there’s a trashcan every 27 steps. Nothing screams "sexy" like a clean environment.

8. The smell of "Pirates of the Caribbean"

"Pirates of the Caribbean" has a very distinct smell that is very satisfying: musty, humid, chlorinated, woody. Whatever the smell is, it is fresh as hell and you cannot smell it anywhere else.

9. The fireworks show

Some might think fireworks are just flashing lights thrown in the air, but they have just never seen the Disney kind. These fireworks will make you cry from the overwhelming happiness of witnessing such beauty. Fireworks show: 10/10.

Bonus: Laying down after a magical day

After a magical day of running around, riding rides, and eating fatty foods, there’s something beautiful about laying in bed in your hotel room and knowing that you’ll sleep like an angel and dream about Mickey Mouse or even Prince Eric.