California

You can request an online unofficial copy of your driving record directly from the California DMV website for a $2 fee. You would first need to be a certified user of the DMV website by registering online. You can do this through this link: https://www.dmv.ca.gov/FIM/sps/uscfed/usc/self/account/create . Once your California DMV user account is set up, you can go to this link https://www.dmv.ca.gov/portal/dmv/detail/online/dr to request your unofficial online driving record. Please make sure that you have a printer ready and that it is in working order, so you can print out the driving record when it opens, as you will only have one opportunity to print out your record after the fee has been paid. If not, you will need to repay the fee to access the record again.

Please note that if you need an official driving record document, you will need to fill out an INF 1125 document (PDF accessible on the link provided above) and mail it in to the DMV Headquarters. The address is listed on the form.

New York

For New York, you can request an official certified DMV driving record (abstract) online, by mail, or in person at a DMV location. In order to request your driving record online, you must first register for a New York DMV account. You can sign up by going to this link: https://my.dmv.ny.gov/crm/?register=T . Please note that you must have your most recent driver’s license / learner’s permit / non-driver ID information available in order to register. Once your account is set up, you may request the driving record through the MyDMV site. The fee for the online driving record is $7. Once you order the driving record, you will be able to access it to download to your computer and print it up until 11:59 PM the following day.

If you would like to request your driving record by mail, you would need to fill out a MV-15 form “Request for DMV Records,” accessible through this link: https://dmv.ny.gov/dmv-records/get-my-own-driving-record-abstract and mail it, along with a photo copy of your proof of identity, and a personal check or money order for $10.00 payable to “Commissioner of Motor Vehicles” and mail it to MV-15 Processing, NYS Department of Motor Vehicles, 6 Empire State Plaza, Albany, NY 12228.

If you would like to request your driving record in-person at a DMV location, you would just need to fill out an MV-15 form “Request for DMV Records” (accessible through the above link) and bring proof of your identity and $10.00 for the fee.

Texas

For Texas, you can order a copy of your driving record online or through the mail. You can access it online through the Texas Department of Public Safety website https://www.dps.texas.gov/DriverLicense/driverrecords.htm . You will need the following information to access your driving record: your Texas driver’s license, your current DPS audit number, date of birth, last 4 digits of your social security number, credit card (for payment), adobe PDF reader, access to a working printer, and an understanding of the type of driving record that you need. Here are the different types of driving records available: Type 1 – Status Record, Type 2 – 3 year history, Type 2A – Certified 3 year history, Type 3 – List of all crashes and violations, Type 3A – Certified list of all crashes and violations, Type AR – Certified abstract of complete driving record.

If you would like to request your driving record by mail, follow the directions on the Driver Record Request Form (PDF), which is available on the link provided above.

Florida

For Florida, you have two options to request your driving record. You are able to request a copy of your driver’s license in person at a Driver License office, a tax collector, a court clerk, or from a private vendor or you can request it by mail.

In order to request a copy of your driving record by mail, you would need to fill out a Driver License Request Form, which can be accessed through this link: http://www.flhsmv.gov/ddl/abstract.html and provide the appropriate fee, which is $8 for a 3 year record and $10 for a 7 year record. You will need the following information, in order to request your driving record: full name, birth date, social security number, Florida Driver License number, and the address where to send the record. Send the form and payment to Bureau of Records, P.O. Box 5775, Tallahassee, Florida, 32314-5775. Please note that it may take up to two weeks for your request to be processed.

Arizona

For Arizona, requesting your driving record is very easy online. You would go to the following link: https://servicearizona.com/webapp/citizenMVR/begin.do Then, you would want to provide your personal information, pay the fee, and then download and print your Driver License Motor Vehicle Record results. You must have the following information available to access the record: Arizona driver’s license number, birth date, last four digits of your social security number, and a major credit card for payment. Please note that you should have your printer ready to print out the driving record.

• For information on How to Apply for a New CA Driver’s License in California (For 18+), click:
  How to Apply for a New CA Driver’s License in California (For 18+)

• Get your official California ID cards hassle-free with our “California ID Cards” service and stay prepared for any identification needs.
• Navigating car registration in California made easy – Discover how to register a car in California at How to Register a Car in California!
• For information on Drivers License Status CA and License Renewals, click: Check Drivers License Status CA and License Renewals!
• For More Information On Florida Drivers License, Click : Florida Drivers License
• For More Information About Florida Drivers License Check, Click : How to Perform a Florida Drivers License Check
• Learn how to easily title and register your car in Florida with our comprehensive guide on Florida car registration and the titling process.
• Learn how to check the status of an expired or suspended license in New York with our comprehensive guide on NY Expired Suspended License Status Check.

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Once upon a time, I used to work for the oldest and most popular tour company in Hollywood. It was your quintessential, guided, bus tour company that offered tours tailored for visitors from all over the world. They traveled through the trenches of crazy LA traffic to offer various world-famous tours such as:

1. The Movie Stars’ Homes Tour
2. The Grand Tour of Los Angeles (showcasing famous and historical Los Angeles landmarks)
3. The Movie and Television Studio Tours (such as Warner Brothers and Paramount)
4. The Theme Parks of Southern California Tour (including Disneyland and Universal Studios),
5. The “Where Movies were Shot Tour” (showing movie locations around Los Angeles)
6. Trip to Tijuana Tour for shopping,
7. The Haunted Hollywood Tour
8. The TMZ Hollywood Tour.

I worked for this Hollywood tourist company as the reservations supervisor for over five years, so I spoke to tons of tourists in my time. However, there were a few frequently-asked-questions that would indubitably pop up during the phone calls. Here are the top 6:

1. “Do we get to go into the celebrity homes?”

Who in their right mind thinks that they can just walk into people’s homes? Would you like for a tour bus full of people to just show up at your house and go into your home? The obvious answer is no. We just drive by the homes and give general information and facts about the celebrity. These people live in these homes. This is their private space. Why do you think this is okay? Just because we drive a very large, noisy bus through the neighborhood during morning and other hours doesn’t make it okay for us to drive the heard of passengers through the actual living quarters.

2. “What hours is Hollywood open?”

Hollywood is a city. I know some people may refer to it as Hollywoodland, but it is not a theme park or an attraction, you can get traffic tickets and have to go to traffic school to take care of them. It does not have any opening or closing hours. It does not get locked up at night. You can travel the streets at any hour of the day or night (although not recommended – there are a lot of crazies in Hollywood). Does your city get locked up at night?

3. “When is the best time to go on a tour to see a celebrity?”

These are people. They go out and about at all times of the day and night. This is not something that can be predicted. They are not like zoo animals that we put out on display at certain times of the day. What do you expect? Yes, make sure to go on a tour before 6:00 PM because we take all the A-list celebs off display at 8:00 PM, so they can get their beauty rest, but we let the B-list stay out later. It does not work that way.

4. “Why are there rides and shows at Universal Studios?”

We had people that actually went to Universal Studios and wondered why there were rides and shows. All they wanted was a studio tour, so I told them to go on the studio tour and find something else to do for the rest of their time until we pick them back up, but it is kind of a waste of money if that is all they want to do there. $105 spent and just doing a 1-hour tram tour is a bit crazy. Honestly, I don’t know how there are people in the world that are not aware that Universal Studios is an actual theme park or at least did a little research before going there.

5. “Can you tell me where (insert celebrity name here) lives?”

Firstly, I have no idea where anybody lives and quite frankly, I don’t really care where any of them live. That is the tour guide’s job to know, not mine. I am just here to answer your questions and make reservations. Secondly, the whole point in our business is for you to pay us to show you where they live. Why would we give this information out to you for free? Isn’t there an app for that?

6. “Can I get out during the tour at the home of a celebrity that I like?”

No, you are not allowed to get off. You cannot pay them a visit. Leave them alone. This would be called trespassing and it’s kind of illegal. Sorry.

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1. Walt’s Apartment

When Walt Disney was originally building Disneyland, he set up a private apartment for himself and his family above the Fire Station, right next to City Hall, so he can stay and watch the construction activity, instead of travelling in LA traffic back and forth between Burbank and Anaheim. While Walt was still alive, cast members always knew when he was present at the park because he would turn on the lamp next to the window. After his death, they have kept the lamp lit in his apartment in remembrance of him, to show that his spirit is always present in the park. When Walt’s daughters are present in the park, the lamp is turned off out of respect to them.

2. Matterhorn Basketball Court

When Walt was building the Matterhorn there was some extra space towards the apex of the mountain (only the bottom 80 feet are used for the ride) and he asked his cast members what they would like to have put there and they voted for a basketball court. Employees can take breaks there and have fun.

3. Forced Perspective

Everything along Main Street, including Sleeping Beauty’s Castle, was designed with forced perspective. This means that the bricks, windows, and other features at the bottom of a building are larger than the ones at the top of the building. This is an optical allusion of sorts by forcing the mind to believe that the buildings are taller than they are. You will be able to enjoy these streets without worrying about getting a traffic ticket that only traffic school would be able to dismiss.

4. Mark Twain Riverboat

If you ask cast members nicely, you may be able to ride in the wheelhouse and meet the captain of the Mark Twain Riverboat. They will show you how the boat is driven and allow you to steer. At the end of it, you get a certificate for piloting the riverboat.

5. King Arthur’s Carousel

On King Arthur’s Carousel there is a special horse that is ornately decorated with many rows of jingle bells. Her name is Jingles and she is the Carousel’s lead horse. She is the most ornately decorated of all the horses and in 2008, she was re-painted and dedicated to Julie Andrews for her 50 years of contribution to the Disney company.

6. Sleeping Beauty’s Castle

The drawbridge on Sleeping Beauty’s castle is a real, working drawbridge. It has only ever been lifted twice during its existence, though. The first time was in 1955 for the grand opening of the park and the second time was in 1983 for the rededication of Fantasyland, after refurbishments.

7. Pirates of the Caribbean

In the scene on Pirates of the Caribbean where there is a skeleton laying in a bed surrounded by jewels, the skull on the headboard is a real human skull. Originally, when the ride was created, all skeletons on the ride were real, but as better technology was created that could adequately replicate human bone, the real skeletons were replaced with artificial ones, except for that one skull on the headboard.

8. Stray Cats

There are about 200 feral cats that call Disneyland home. These cats are fed by cast members and reside in luxurious “cat houses” behind the scenes. They roam freely during the night and are meant to keep rodents at bay, so the only mice at the park are Minnie Mouse and Mickey Mouse.

9. Disneyland’s Address

The address for Disneyland is 1313 Disneyland Drive. The letter “M” is the 13th letter of the alphabet, so it stands for “MM” or “Mickey Mouse”.

10. Famous Former Cast Members

In his younger years, famous funny man, Steve Martin, used to work at the Magic Shop on Main Street and would show off tricks to all the Disneyland visitors. In addition, Pixar extraordinaire and current creative director of Disney, John Lasseter, used to work as a tour guide on the Jungle Cruise ride.

I hope that I taught you something new and maybe enticed you to pay a visit to the most Magical Place on Earth. Despite the crazy SoCal freeway traffic and hectic crowds in the park, a visit to the park is well worth the trouble. Disneyland has something for everybody, whether the young or the young-at-heart. It is most definitely the Happiest Place on Earth.

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