101 Great Disneyland Tips
Want to do Disneyland and Disney California Adventure like a pro? We have 101 tips that’ll help you save money and time and info to improve your vacation! Everything from Star Wars Land to avoiding lines to best fireworks views and so much more is covered. (Updated September 6, 2019.)
Over our years as Annual Passholders, we’ve learned a lot–and share that with you in this post. Of course, as with things like this not all of these tips will be universally applicable, but there should be something for everyone here. Whether you’re a Disneyland first-timer or a veteran visitor to California who still has nightmare-flashbacks to Light Magic, there are tips for you here!
Oh, and be sure to read the comments at the end, as some readers have shared additional tips that are pretty strong. Keep in mind that these tips are pretty random…if you’re looking for start to finish vacation planning advice, read our comprehensive Disneyland Trip Planning Guide instead of or in addition to this post.
Note that this post is regularly updated, removing tips that are no longer applicable and replacing them new tips based on things we’ve learned recently. We’ve visited several times since Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge has debuted, and will be going back again right at the start of Halloween Time at Disneyland for Oogie Boogie Bash!
Make sure to also read the additional reader tips in the comments, as some of you readers have some great tips of your own that are really helpful. If you have some good tips, be sure to add them there, too. The more, the merrier!
With that said, let’s get started with the list of the best Disneyland & Disney California Adventure tips for visiting like a pro…
1. You can save money on Disneyland tickets by purchasing at a discount from Authorized Disney Ticket Sellers. Authorized is the operative word there, and we recommend the best options in our ticket guide. As we discuss there, it’s important to be careful, as there are a lot of Disneyland ticket scams.
2. Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge is now open! Read our Star Wars Land Info & Galaxy’s Edge Guide for everything you need to know about this huge new addition to Disneyland.
3. The easiest spot to watch the Disneyland fireworks is the area by ‘it’s a small world’, but the best spot is right on the center of Main Street, USA. Check out this article for a map of the best and worst Disneyland fireworks viewing locations. There are some hidden gem spots–and popular views that are actually poor!
4. The most iconic and flagship character meal at Disneyland Resort is Goofy’s Kitchen, which is like Chef Mickey’s: California Edition. Read our Guide to Character Dining at Disneyland for more hotel and in-park character meal recommendations.
5. If you are celebrating a special occasion, make sure to pin up a button reflecting the celebration at one of the Disney-owned hotels or in the parks from Guest Services. Other areas of both parks also occasionally offer special, non-celebrating buttons.
6. Christmas entertainment is included in the cost of daily admission–there is no separate hard ticket event. Christmas offerings include ‘it’s a small world’ holiday, Haunted Mansion Holiday, and much more. For more in-depth info about the holidays, read our Ultimate Guide to Disneyland at Christmas.
7. If planning your trip, you may encounter outdated resources suggesting that there’s little benefit to staying in on-site, Disney-owned hotels at Disneyland Resort. This changed with the opening of Cars Land, as early access to Radiator Springs Racers can be very valuable. Our on-site v. off-site hotel post reflects the current pros and cons of staying off-site and on-site.
8. Selfie sticks are not allowed at Disneyland. Do not try to sneak one in and use it–especially on attractions. They will stop the ride, embarrass you, and kick you out of the park. This has happened numerous times, and has caused significant ride downtime.
9. As much as we dislike up-charges, we have to admit that buying MaxPass will save you time and allow you to see more attractions in a single day at Disneyland–especially on busier days. Read our MaxPass & FastPass Guide to Disneyland Resort for more information and tips.
10. Lots of changes have come to Disneyland Resort’s shopping and entertainment district in the last few years, including some must-do dining (including the glorious “Crazy Shake” pictured above). Read everything you need to know in our Guide to Downtown Disney at Disneyland.
11. Fond of booze? While it’s not as cool as “Drinking Around the World” in Epcot, you can have a similar bar crawl in Disney California Adventure, Downtown Disney, and the Disney-owned hotels. Just follow our “Disneyland Drinking Debauchery” Guide for tips!
12. FastPass should be used to avoid long lines, but if you must wait in one long line, make it Indiana Jones Adventure. The queue is an experience in itself, and you can use this decoder to translate some Mara-glyphics in the queue.
13. A “re-imagined” version of Fantasmic now plays nightly on the Rivers of America, with FastPass available for each showing. We highly recommend the last show to avoid the crowds.
14. Disneyland gets into the Halloween spirit with “Halloween Time at Disneyland,” which includes attraction overlays, seasonal restaurant menus, and more. Read our Guide to Halloween Time at Disneyland for everything you need to know.
15. Several rule changes went into effect in 2019. As a result, smoking, oversized strollers, wagons, and loose ice are no longer allowed in Disneyland or Disney California Adventure.
16. Mobile Ordering for restaurants is now available at Disneyland. We love it for allowing us to save time in line at counter service restaurants, particularly during peak dining hours.
17. If you’ve never visited Disneyland Resort, you should go in with at least a rough plan of attack. Read our 1-Day Disneyland Itinerary and 1-Day Disney California Adventure Itinerary for perfect touring plans. Failing that, prioritize Radiator Springs Racers at Disney California Adventure and Fantasyland rides in Disneyland.
18. Due to the large population of Annual Passholders and how blockout dates redistribute them, the best time to visit Disneyland isn’t as simple as when school is in session. Read about the other best times to visit Disneyland Resort in our When to Visit Disneyland post, which includes crowds calendars and more.
19. Have kids that want to trade pins with Cast Members? Buying pins from Amazon or eBay to trade with Cast Members is far cheaper than in the parks, and makes for a fun activity on the trip. (See our Disney Pin Trading Tips post for more info and suggestions.)
20. Guests staying at the Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel (and its Disney Vacation Club Villas) have access to a private viewing deck, which overlooks Paradise Pier and offers a very unique view of World of Color.
21. It rains very few days per year in Southern California, so packing ponchos is probably unnecessary unless rain is in the forecast. Instead, pack extra juice for your phone, collapsible water bottles with filters (while perfectly safe to drink, the drinking fountain water has a funky taste), and parade blankets. Read our other suggestions in our What to Pack for Disney List post.
22. Napa Rose, located in the Grand Californian Hotel, is Disneyland Resort’s best restaurant. Second best is Carthay Circle Restaurant in Disney California Adventure. Read our Disneyland Restaurant Reviews for food photos, and our thoughts on the good and bad of Disneyland Resort dining.
23. Both parks have Baby Care Centers and First Aid Centers. Baby Care Stations are great quiet places to take your kids, and the First Aid Centers have nurses on site who can assist with minor issues (like blisters).
24. We aren’t huge fans of the World of Color Dining Packages, but if you’re going to do one, pick the Carthay Circle Restaurant lunch (not dinner) package.
25. Want to know which rides to do and which to skip in Disneyland and Disney California Adventure? Our Disneyland Ride Guide and Disney California Adventure Ride Guide have summaries of every attraction, tips, and numerical scores so you can plan your day and avoid the duds.
26. Jungle Cruise skippers sometimes have free maps of the ride that they’ll give out to guests if asked. There are actually a lot of freebies at Disneyland–for other things, read our Free Things at Disneyland post.
27. Even though Guardians of the Galaxy – Mission: BREAKOUT! is one of the most popular attractions at Disney California Adventure, we still recommend rope-dropping Radiator Springs Racers, as fewer people go towards it, and both attractions will have nearly-equal waits later in the day.
28. If you’re visiting on a night when Disney California Adventure has 2 World of Color performances, always go to the later one for the lowest crowds. This means strategically pulling your World of Color FastPass later in the day so you don’t get “stuck” with an earlier show. Read our other Tips for Viewing World of Color for more info.
29. Disneyland now enforces FastPass return times, but there is a 15 minute grace period, so don’t discard your FastPasses if you’re only a bit late.
30. For Halloween 2019, there’s a new event replacing the popular Mickey’s Halloween Party at Disneyland. Read our Guide to Oogie Boogie Bash – A Disney Halloween Party for everything you need to know about this exciting new party!
31. Mad Hatter sometimes plays “musical chairs” with kids at Coke Corner on Main Street in Disneyland once daily. This usually occurs at 2:30 p.m., but the time is subject to change and is not listed in the Times Guide. Ask a Cast Member at Coke Corner for the exact time it will be occurring during your visit. Here’s a video of the game.
32. Make sure to arrive at Walt Disney’s Enchanted Tiki Room far enough in advance of a show to pick up a Dole Whip. The line inside the queue/waiting area is usually shorter than the one in the Adventureland walkway. They’re “classic” Disney snacks, and you can take them in the show with you.
33. Using Uber between John Wayne Airport (SNA) and Disneyland-area hotels is about $20 each way and given that many of these hotels are within walking distance, you may not need a rental car at Disneyland Resort. Here are some other Disneyland Transportation Tips.
34. Did you know that there is a nightly “Sh-Boom” moment at dusk when the lights come on in Cars Land? Read our other Cars Land Tips & Tricks.
35. During the Christmas season, handmade candy canes are prepared at Candy Palace in Disneyland and Trolley Treats in DCA. Lines form for these early (before park opening) for these. Despite the fanfare, there really isn’t anything all that special about these candy canes. The fun is in watching Cast Members make them.
36. The Disneyland Dining Plan is no longer offered. There is no such thing as the “Free Dining” promotion at Disneyland Resort.
37. Non-drinkers normally avoid bars & lounges, but everyone should visit Trader Sam’s at Disneyland Hotel. The theming is Walt Disney Imagineering at the top of its game, and you can spend hours examining all of the wonderful little details.
38. A great selection of CDs featuring Disney theme park music are available in the Emporium on Main Street USA, but some of the best music is available (legally) online.
39. Although Disney California Adventure has received a massive overhaul in some areas to correct problems that plagued the park when it opened in 2001, there are still remnants of “extinct” areas. Check out the restrooms in the front of the park and in Paradise Pier for a taste of Sunshine Plaza and Route 66, respectively.
40. You WILL get wet on Grizzly River Run in Disney California Adventure. Store your electronics in the lockers near this attraction, which are free for the first two hours.
41. Did you know that there are secret restrooms in Disneyland? Not even kidding. Check out some other Disneyland Secrets & Hidden Details in that post.
42. The Anaheim Convention Center is located within walking distance of Disneyland and is huge. If a large convention is in town, nights in the park can be very crowded even in the off-season. Hotels near Disneyland will also often charge higher rates during conventions. Make sure to consult the Anaheim Convention Center calendar when planning your trip.
43. With the exception of Splash Mountain, Critter Country is generally a less-busy land. Stop by Hungry Bear Restaurant (one of our favorite restaurants) in late afternoon and get a table by the water as the sun sets on the Rivers of America.
44. One of the best snacks at Disneyland is the Matterhorn Macaroon at Jolly Holiday Bakery. Go first thing in the morning for a freshly made Matterhorn Macaroon!
45. Want some other ideas of the best places to get a quick meal at Disneyland? Check out our Top 10 Disneyland Counter Service Restaurants post.
46. Haunted Mansion Cast Members used to hand out “Death Certificates” to guests who asked. These are no longer given out, but you can print your own from DoomBuggies.com and give it to your kids after their first ride on the Haunted Mansion!
47. Star Wars Launch Bay is nothing special unless you want to meet characters, but the second story balcony outside the exit offers the best view of Disneyland. To see this view without going through the exhibit, walk up the exit ramp.
48. Disneyland Resort counter service restaurants will give you a free cup of water (ask for a large cup!) or a free cup of hot water.
49. City Hall has recipes for popular Disneyland dishes that they can provide to guests; alternatively, simply asking your server for the recipe of a dish you like might result in a visit to your table by someone from the kitchen.
50. Looking for the most exclusive spot in all of Disneyland Resort? Check out the secret Club 33, which is only open to members and their guests.
51. Disneyland offers a number of Guided Tours for an additional charge, most of which are fairly popular among fans. We’ve only done the Holiday Time at Disneyland Tour, which we thought was just “okay.”
52. If you watch the window above Snow White’s Scary Adventures, you will see The Evil Queen appear and disappear.
53. Bell Services at Disney hotels will store your luggage, meaning you can enjoy the parks if you arrive too early on check-in day or have a late flight out on check-out day.
54. There is an “invisible” 50,000 point target in between Zurg’s breast plates in Buzz Lightyear’s Astro Blasters. Aim (roughly) for the “Z” on his chest.
55. Although not as necessary in the temperate climate of Southern California, if you’re visiting in the height of the summer, Frogg Togg Chilly Pads are a great way to keep cool in the parks.
56. Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, Radiator Springs Racers, and Incredicoaster are all much better at night. In fact, many Disneyland attractions are better at night.
57. Adults can order from the kid’s menus, which is a great way to save money while still getting a meal that will satiate smaller/moderate appetites.
58. The Unofficial Guide to Disneyland is the best Disneyland guidebook. While it’s smaller than its Walt Disney World counterpart (known as the “Disney Bible” among fans), it’s incredibly comprehensive.
59. Grizzly Peak Airfield in Disney California Adventure has an extensive backstory involving the history of aviation that is told throughout the land in some subtle ways. Make sure to keep an eye out for the details there. If you don’t, here’s a summary of the original backstory, and here’s info about some of the changes.
60. A Christmas Fantasy Parade is not as impressive as its Walt Disney World cousin, but the best viewing place for the parade is in the hub facing Main Street or at the end of Main Street near the hub. The parade comes right at you, and is well-lit for photos by the lights of Main Street.
61. Guests are allowed to bring their own snacks into Disneyland and Disney California Adventure, just no glass bottles or outside alcohol.
62. PhotoPass Cast Members will take (free!) photos of you with your phone or camera, so don’t be afraid to ask! Make sure your settings are dialed in before handing them the camera, as they will not typically adjust settings.
63. Attractions don’t close when the parks close, meaning that you can get in a 90-minute line at 10:59 p.m. when the parks close at 11 p.m. and be in the park well past closing. This is a great way to experience rides with perpetually long lines, like Radiator Springs Racers, without wasting “valuable” time.
64. Plaza Inn in Disneyland serves the greatest fried chicken known to man. It also serves amazing yule log during the holiday season.
65. The Haunted Mansion queue passes through one pet cemetery, but there’s actually a second that is now out of the view of guests. Ask a Cast Member to see it.
66. There are a few free tours available at Disneyland Resort, including the “Art of the Craft Tour” at Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel, which examines the hotel’s influences and theme.
67. If you have growing kids, a great spot for an annual photo is near the Cigar Shop Indian on Main Street USA. He’s a great measuring stick for their growth.
68. Hidden Mickey spotting is a fun game for kids. The books/apps have different point levels for the various Mickeys. Offer prizes to add to the fun. If Hidden Mickeys aren’t your thing, bringing along the Imagineering Field Guide to Disneyland and searching for interest details is a great way to increase your appreciation for the design of Disneyland.
69. Bayside Brews in Disney California Adventure serves the best beer (Sierra Nevada Torpedo IPA), Trader Sam’s in the Disneyland Hotel has the best mixed drinks, and Napa Rose in the Grand Californian has the best wines.
70. Disneyland Resort’s best counter service restaurant is GCH Craftsman Grill at the Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa. Just check out all of the great food available in that post!
71. If you’re not interested in staking out a spot and watching Disneyland’s fireworks, riding attractions from which the fireworks are visible during the fireworks can enhance the experience. The highlights of these attractions are Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, and Matterhorn. Best of all is Storybook Land Canal Boats, which actually stops moving when the fireworks start, giving guests a view of the fireworks from their boat!
72. The Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage has one of the dullest queues of any Disney attraction and much of it is in the sun. It’s also a low-capacity attraction, so lines move slowly. Avoid the midday heat and sun here.
73. Toontown contains a number of gags both of the interactive and sight variety. Spend a little time exploring this area–some of the gags are quite clever!
74. If you anticipate “needing” a princess dress or pirate costume while at Disneyland, buy it in advance, not in the park. There are several options here for princess dresses under $20. They cost triple that (or more) in the parks.
75. If you listen carefully to Snow White’s Wishing Well, you can hear her singing. This Wishing Well is also a great spot to propose.
76. Fantasyland attractions are best experienced first thing in the morning or last thing at night to minimize waits.
77. Disneyland is known to many as the “smaller” cousin of Walt Disney World, but there’s really a ton to do at Disneyland Resort (check out our article comparing and contrasting Walt Disney World and Disneyland Resort for more info). Read as much as you can when planning your trip and plan out where you want to eat, what you want to see, etc., for the best trip possible!
78. Shops on Main Street in Disneyland are open for an hour after the park closes. Do your shopping once you can’t do rides.
79. The Sleeping Beauty Castle Walkthrough is an oft-overlooked attraction, but it’s a very well done attraction featuring “window” vignettes from Sleeping Beauty. Likewise, Tarzan’s Treehouse, another walk-through is an okay attraction, but makes up for its substantive shortcomings with great views of the park.
80. Disneyland Resort has a couple of excellent bread bowl soups: at Pacific Wharf Cafe in Disney California Adventure and at Royal Street Veranda in Disneyland. We usually go for the seasonal option at Pacific Wharf Cafe, or order the off-menu mac & cheese bread bowl.
81. Several attractions (more than at Walt Disney World) have single rider lines that will save you a lot of time if you don’t mind splitting up from your group. The best of these is Radiator Springs Racers, where it’s not uncommon to save an hour or more on the posted standby time.
82. If you want to get the world famous Disneyland Monte Cristo, consider going to Cafe Orleans instead of Blue Bayou. It’s cheaper at Cafe Orleans, although you won’t have a view of Pirates of the Caribbean there.
83. One of the less-popular bars is Al Fresco Tasting Terrace in Disney California Adventure, which is located upstairs in Wine Country Trattoria. It’s a nice, tranquil place to relax in the afternoon, and it has a great view into Cars Land.
84. Disneyland and Disney California Adventure both have a daily flag retreat ceremony that is short, but nice to watch. It’s the patriotic thing to do.
85. If you give a PhotoPass photographer a (discrete) heads up, they generally can help you capture photos of your proposal.
86. If you need a place to store your luggage, there are luggage lockers at the Desert Inn & Suites across the street from Disneyland. This can be useful if you’re staying farther from Disneyland and want to maximize your time in the parks on your last day, or don’t trust the Bell Services in your own hotel. Read more about Desert Inn & Suites in our review.
87. Instead of spending $10+ on each on-ride photo, get PhotoPass+ for UNLIMITED on-ride photos plus photos from PhotoPass photographers around the parks. Pre-purchase this to save more money.
88. Ask a Cast Member at the station if you can ride in the front of the next monorail. It’s the only compartment that has air conditioning and the view is great!
89. Peter Pan’s Flight does not have FastPass at Disneyland and is a very popular ride. Go first thing in the morning.
90. The “standard” entrance to Cars Land in Disney California Adventure is down Route 66, but the best entrance is through the bluff that connects to Pacific Wharf, which offers a great reveal of the Cadillac Mountain Range. It feels like you’re in a real National Park!
91. Instead of photographing Sleeping Beauty Castle from the front or near the Partners statue, try photographing your family from the fence near the Wishing Well or on the opposite side (on a path to Fantasyland). You can easily get photos without other guests in them from these two spots, along with a great angle of Sleeping Beauty Castle!
92. Disneyland Resort corn dogs have iconic status. Corn Dog Castle in Disney California Adventure has a variety of options, and Little Red Wagon on Main Street in Disneyland is a long-time fan favorite. Corn dogs can be found a couple other places, but these are the clear-cut “best” spots if you ask locals.
93. The Disney Gallery (immediately to the right when you enter the park) has a rotating exhibit focusing on an artistic component of Disneyland. Take the time to check out the art in here–you’ll gain a new appreciation for some aspect of the park!
94. Don’t buy into Disney Vacation Club by the alluring promotions while at Disneyland Resort. Wait until you get home, do the research, and buy via the resale market if you’re going to buy at all.
95. Pay attention to Roz at the end of Monsters, Inc. Mike & Sulley to the Rescue in Disney California Adventure. She is interactive.
96. Paradise Pier Hotel was originally a third party hotel, but was renovated when Disney purchased it. As such, some of the theming is a bit on the light side, but the rooms are nice.
97. Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln is not to be missed. It’s a divisive attraction (we love it), but even if you don’t like it, you get to relax in AC for 15-20 minutes. What’s not to like about that?
98. There is a skeleton in Indiana Jones Adventure wearing Mickey Mouse ears as you go around the left turn when first approaching the bridge. He’s almost impossible to spot unless the ride breaks down and you’re evac’d.
99. Walt Disney had an apartment in Disneyland above the Fire Station that is still intact to this day. A candle burns in the window of this apartment, and at Christmas, there is a tree in the window.
100. Carnation Cafe is one of the best table service restaurants at Disneyland and is relatively inexpensive. Make sure to book reservations in advance, as it’s fairly popular, too!
101. Even the restrooms at Disneyland Resort are themed. Restrooms in the Hollywood Land are in the style of Frank Lloyd Wright’s Storer House, in the Hollywood Hills area of Los Angeles. Similarly, the restrooms near the Alice in Wonderland dark ride in Disneyland are quite well done.
That covers it on our list of 101 tips for doing Disneyland like a seasoned local. Really, though, this just scratches the surface of the Disneyland tips we have on this blog. If you’re planning your first visit to Disneyland, you should definitely browse other posts, probably starting with the above-mentioned planning guide. Have a great trip! 🙂
If you’re preparing for a Disneyland trip, check out our other planning posts, including how to save money on Disneyland tickets, our Disney packing tips, tips for booking a hotel (off-site or on-site), where to dine, and a number of other things, check out our comprehensive Disneyland Vacation Planning Guide!
Your Thoughts
Do you agree or disagree with our tips for having a better Disneyland experience? If you have solid Disneyland or Disney California Adventure tips that aren’t mentioned here, please post them below. Your feedback is half the fun! If you have any other comments or questions, please feel free to post those, too.
Your comment #19 that “the water at the drinking fountains within the resort is bad” needs to be amended. EVERY DROP of water within the Disney resort is filtered. That includes all of the water on rides etc. Just because you may not like the taste does not mean it’s bad to drink. Just not as tasty as your $5 ea bottle sold there.
On that point, a comment needs to be made that all the food, drinks, and snacks within the resort (including downtown Disney) are ridiculously over priced. Actually everything is. If you go with a budget in mind that will be thrown out the window the first hour you are there. Bring your own snacks. I can’t say that enough. Or eat at one of the several family dining restaurants across the street from the resort. (Denny’s, Mimi’s, Mc Donald’s (just to name a few). Short walk outside the park but will save you hundreds in a full day of dining with kids.
Save up. A LOT. And plan to only spend a certain amount a day total. You’ll thank me later.
Awesome article! Disneyland is stuff of dreams and everyone, old and young should experience it at some point. I absolutely love the jungle cruise and big thunder rail. There is this new MaxPass feature which is quite crazy, but saves a lot of time.
I am a Disney Blogger too. It always boggles me when people wait in the long line when they can go inside the Tiki Room waiting area. I tell people all of the time. On busier days now there is a cast member with a tablet like you see at the drive in at In and Out it helps with the line a little bit. I also recommend the Coffee shop next to Goofy’s Kitchen at the Disneyland Hotel. They sell Dole Whips and you can get a splash of rum if you want.
This line makes me laugh. It’s like people are a bunch of sheep who all follow each other and don’t use their eyes. Repectivly the line at universal studios Hollywood for the butter beer cart makes me shake my head every time as well. Everyone standing out in the hot sun for forever waiting to get their drink, when they can easily go inside the Hogs head (ten feet away) in the cool air conditioning, no line no wait and get the same drink put into the same cups for the same price. It boggles the mind sometimes. You have to wonder what people are thinking.
It seems that they no longer send the Disney planning videos and it is all online now. That is a bummer as it was a fun way to announce a trip.
Vistited Blue Bayou on 8/22 and the Monte Christi is currently being phased out! It is no longer on the menus but, for the time being, they are still able to make it until they run out of the ingredients!
This last time around we planned our visits California Adventure on the days they didn’t have extra magic hour or magic morning. I was easily able to get fastpasses to the cars ride when we got to the park.
Also learned the hard way- you cannot get fastpasses for your entire party unless they’ve all entered the park that day. I learned this the hard way when I went to California Adventure an hour early with all of our tickets, while my family was still at our rental home.
Also LOVE Desert Inn & Suites. You can get awesome prices if you book far in advance- like 9 months. We’ve stayed there 3 times.
This is true. We tried this as well. There’s just no easy way around it, and no one is talking about that part.
Thanks for the fantastic tips! This year I REALLY want to go to Disneyland during Halloweentime, but am limited to mid-September. In the past few years I’ve noticed it typically starts the Friday after labor day… do you think this is generally the case? I’m thinking of the following week to be safe (Sept. 13 -16).
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Another tip. Be on the lookout for cats! And send pictures to @disneylandcats
Yes! That’s a great tip…and also a fun Twitter account to follow. 🙂
I am an avid Disneyland lover and owned an annual pass for three years before moving to Europe. I just thought I’d add my opinion that Innoventions is NOT that lame to some of us! Some of my fondest memories have come from roaming the Iron Man exhibits and playing fun games with my big-kid-dad. Inventions holds, by far, one of my favorite spots in Disneyland. It’s a Peter Pan themed boy’s room. Every 15 minutes or so, they have story time with an interactive reading of Peter Pan, including sightings of Tinkerbell and even a smoking cannon. I volunteer to shoot the pirates with that cannon EVERY time. (Forget that I’m 23). My 8 year old sister loves it too!
Unfortunately, Innoventions has changed a lot since your last visit. That’s no longer there.
Thanks for the tips, I wrote a page full to take with us!
Hello! I could have sworn I’ve been to your blog before but
after going through some of the posts I realized it’s
new to me. Anyhow, I’m definitely pleased I discovered it and I’ll be bookmarking
it and checking back regularly!
Just got back from Disneyland and noticed that PhotoPass was different this trip from our trip last June. I had to purchase PhotoPass daily for $39 each day. The guy at the camera store said it had changed and the lady at Disney travel who handled our reservations told me I had to visit the camera shop and they would get me set up. Last year we paid $150 ahead of time, for our entire visit. Anyway, the guy at the camera shop showed me how to do everything through the Disneyland app. Could you check at some point and see if that’s the information everyone is getting?
We are Disney world veterans, this will be our first trip to Disneyland. (I’m doing the hit all the parks in the world bucket list thing).
I may have pulled a crackerjack move, (due to cost), but as we will only be there 2 days on a weekend in July, I signed up for 6 hours of the VIP tour.
They sent me a list of the rides available for fastpass/preferred entry,, and all I did was go to your articles on best rides in Disneyland and California Adventure, circled the ones you recommended, and that’s what we will be trying to do in 6 hours!
If you get a moment to reply, it would be great if you could tell me if that is in any way doable.
And I hope someone at Disney recognizes how influential you and Sarah are, because due to reading your articles/recommendations there are many rides/restaurants etc that I have either spent money on/ or not based on your accurate reviews. (I just bought the Disneyland guide you recommended in this article on amazon.
I really enjoy your articles and appreciate having a reliable resource for information.
Thanks for the kind words! A bit belated of a reply on my part, but if you have any feedback to share on your VIP tour, we’d love to hear it.
What’s the fastest way to get from the Disneyland hotel to the private park entrance in the grand Californian?
Walk across the street
Love all the amazing tips. Was also wondering what is the best off site hotel within walking distance that’s cheap/inexpensive ?
When was the last time this was updated? Just out of curiosity. Also, are the maps for Jungle Cruise still given out? I’ve read things that says they aren’t. I’ve also read things that say guests are no longer able to ride in the Lilly Belle. Thanks for clarifying!!
According to the Disney site, you can no longer order the photo pass + in advance and save money.
Good information. However, we are going to California Adventure in August on a day that is identified for Magic Hours. We will not have that option. have currently scheduled a character breakfast for 9:10 which was the earliest available. We want to go to the Anna & Elsa greeting which requires a Fast Pass and also the Radiator Springs Racer. You probably realize the fast passes are a problem with the time limitations. What is the best one to take a “chance” on? disney hinted that Radiator Springs might be more of a problem but I don’t want 3 little princesses disappointed either.
I was an annual pass holder the first four years cars land opened and I still have never been able to get on the ride. The line really is that rediculous. Single rider line is the only way to get on. Fast passes are gone within the first twenty minutes that California Adventure gates open. So good luck getting a fast pass at all.
Hey Tom!
I did quite a lot of reading here and elsewhere prior to our trip, but nothing could have prepared us for what we encountered during evening hours in the parks.
Maybe it was completely because of when we were there (June 23-25) and the 60th anniversary, but we found that after about 8:30pm Disneyland became a mad house of people and half the rides were closed. All of fantasyland and Toontown and parts of Tomorrowland were closed at that time. The best thing we could have done was just to leave the park, but even that becomes difficult if you’re not aware of how the situation works.
The night we enjoyed World of Color, the park was technically open for a while after the show, but Paradise Pier’s attractions were all closed and they only allowed the crowd to travel one direction away from that part of the park. The message appeared to be “thanks for enjoying our nighttime spectacular—now get out.”
Our third night there we thought we’d learned our lesson and we left Disneyland prior to 8:00 and headed over to California Adventure in hopes of riding Radiator Springs Racers in the dark and having a late dinner. Well, RSR was closed. We enjoyed our sandwiches at Flo’s and did some shopping to close out our trip, but we kind of came away from Anaheim thinking that the posted park hours were kind of misleading. If you’re not fireworks or nighttime spectacular people the parks seemed to kind of close down at about 8:30.
Were our experiences unique to the anniversary celebration? How would you recommend people who don’t care about fireworks deal with the Anaheim parks after dark?
No, this is pretty much the standard experience, although it’s normally just Paradise Pier (in DCA) and Fantasyland (in DL) that are impacted. So long as you avoid those areas at night, you should be fine. I guess I should make these things clearer on the site, as I don’t them for granted and am not really impacted by them, but first-timers might be. Sorry about your experience.
Thanks Tom.
We did have a great time in the Anaheim parks, so the unexpectedly limited value of the evening hours was a relatively small inconvenience overall.
It is, however, the primary bit of info I’ll be passing on to friends who might be heading to those parks themselves.
They really do close down quite a few attractions during the fireworks and shows at night. This is for insurance reasons due to where they are setting the fireworks off behind fantasyland and parts of the castle. After the night shows are over, everything opens back up. And during the summer the Disney Park is open until midnight. With shops open an hour after close. If you are already in the park that is.
I’ve thought for years that Disney “funneling system” during a show or parade sucked. It always has ever since I was a little girl (and now I’m almost forty). I suppose when you are trying to move thousands of people at a time there is no smooth way to do it. I’ve also learned that quite a few employees can be very rude during this time, as their patience is running low towards the end of the night and they are trying to direct traffic efficiently.