What’s new in Disneyland this summer?
Hint: You’ll go under the sea and to a galaxy far far away.

I’m so lucky that as a travel writer I often get invited to press events for sneak peeks at what’s new in the industry. In early June I flew to Anaheim, California for Disneyland’s Soundsational Summer event, where they unveiled 2 new rides, a funky parade down Main Street, and the latest improvements to the Disneyland Hotel, which is getting a spiffy makeover. We also got to see the construction site of the new Cars Land, opening in Disney California Adventure Park next summer.

Many of you already know that I come from a family of Disneyholics. We’ve taken our kids to the California and Florida parks countless times, and my husband and I even spent a milestone anniversary running in a Disney marathon. I’ve written about Disney theme parks for Family Circle, Parents, iVillage.com and many other outlets, and I’m always eager to get the inside scoop on their latest rides and attractions. Though my kids are now young adults and couldn’t join me cause they have jobs of their own, it was so much fun texting them as I got to see the big reveal.

First stop: Star Tours—The Adventure Continues. I arrived a few hours before the official press ceremonies began, and ran straight to Disneyland’s Tomorrowland to catch previews of this ride before the grand opening. The previous Star Tours had always been a favorite of my family’s—especially my son, Matt, 24, a big fan of the Star Wars movies. But it sorely needed updating. I mean how many times can you keep going light speed to Endor, before it starts feeling a little, well, old? Matt was excited to hear about the revamp, yet protective of the original and worried that it might become too high-tech in its transformation. “Hope they don’t screw it up,” he texted me, as I walked through the queue. He needn’t have worried. The 3-D version has preserved the very best elements of its predecessor, while throwing in some surprising new twists. You still ride in a motion-simulator Starspeeder (this time wearing 3-D glasses, and with C3PO at the helm), but you never know where you’ll wind up or whom you’ll meet along the way. Imagineers have added a bunch of new hi-def images from the prequel trilogy, but here’s the really cool part: The ride’s random sequence generator mixes up the scenes and characters “like a slot machine,” according to Tom Fitzgerald, Executive VP and Senior Creative Executive at Walt Disney Imagineering. There are up to 50 different storyline combinations possible, so the ride feels fresh and different every time you board. I rode 3 times: First to the icy terrain of Hoth; next to Tatooine for a pod race; and last to Kashyyk, home of the Wookies. My text to Matt when I emerged: You. Will. Love.

Touring Tip: Head here first thing in the morning, and grab a Fast Pass before riding. Then return at the Fast Pass time and board it again. You can also catch this attraction in Disney World, Orlando.

The media went wild when Darth Vadar and the Storm Troopers made a surprise appearance.

Next Up: The Little Mermaid—Ariel’s Undersea Adventure. With my feet back on planet Earth, I made my way toward Disney’s California Adventure Park for the grand opening of The Little Mermaid—Ariel’s Undersea Adventure. Before the ride was premiered, there was a star-studded ceremony featuring Jodi Benson (who voiced Ariel in the movie) singing “Part of Your World.” I couldn’t help but get a little emotional, remembering all the times my daughter Amy and I cuddled up while watching that movie. And, so of course, I had to text her some photos of Jodi in her spectacular sea-green dress. “So cool!” came the response from my now 21-year-old, still a kid at heart. Finally it was time to test out the ride. After all the intense high-tech thrills of the new Star Tours, I admit that at first I expected more in-your-face special effects from Ariel’s Undersea Adventure. Then I realized that it is the hidden technology that makes this new ride so charming. It’s a classic dark ride, similar to Snow White’s Scary Adventures, but with surprisingly lifelike Audio-Animatronic figures. As Ariel sings and swims, her movements are so natural and graceful—even her hair seems to bob in the water. Sebastian has eyes that blink and change expression—all powered by an invisible tiny projector planted in his golf ball size head. And just like in the movie, Ursula the Sea Witch stretches, bounces, and changes form, as she belts out her signature song, “Poor Unfortunate Souls.” Most of the movie’s main numbers are represented, as you journey through the scenes in a clamshell vehicle. By my third time through, I totally got why Imagineers chose to keep this ride so simple. It’s an homage to the classic kind of ride that made Disneyland so special when it opened back in the 50s. So it makes perfect sense to put it in the revamped California Adventure Park, where the theme is movie magic. Of the more recent Disney movie classics, “The Little Mermaid, remains a perennial favorite,” says Larry Nikolai, Principal Concept and Show Designer at Disney Imagineering.

Touring Tip: While the ride is mostly lighthearted, very young kids may get scared at the dark parts with Ursula and her evil eel sidekicks Flotsam and Jetsam. This ride will also come to Disney World, Orlando next year, as part of the Fantasyland makeover.

Ariel looks so lifelike--even her hair seems animated.

I Love a Parade: Disneyland’s newest, Mickey’s Soundsational Parade, is all about music and percussion.  ”It is designed to be a river of sound,” says Steven Dawson, VP, Parades & Spectaculars for Walt Disney Imagineering Creative Entertainment. It opens with 6 dancing drummers (some of them from the movie Drumline)  and then continues with songs, scenes, and characters from popular Disney movies (like Aladdin, Tarzan, Little Mermaid, and Princess and the Frog), all grooving to the rhythmic backbeat. Check out the cymbal and castanet dancers in this preview.

Touring Tip: Nab a curbside seat on Main Street at least an hour in advance. Have a family member save the spot while you do a snack run!

Down the Road (so to speak): Before the press event wound down, I gathered with fellow travel journalists for updates on Cars Land, a 12-acre expansion of Disney California Adventure Park, due to open in summer 2012. Patterned after the town of Radiator Springs in the Pixar movie Cars, this auto-themed land will feature 3 exciting rides: Mater’s Junkyard Jamboree, with spinning tractors; Luigi’s Flying Tires, a cross between bumper cars and flying saucers; and the showcase e-ticket attraction, Radiator Springs Racers, where you zoom around a speedway, competing neck and neck with the car beside you. (It’s kind of like Orlando’s Test Track, except you’re racing against others.) From the looks of the construction site, this is going to be HUGE! Here’s a little coming attraction, courtesy of fanpop.com.

Are you headed to a Disney theme park this year? Share your questions or experiences here.