How to Have the Perfect Disneyland Experience (with Pictures)

2024 Author: Jason Gerald | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 10:50

As you already know, Disneyland is an amusement park located in the city of Anaheim, California. This article will give you tips on how to have a great experience at Disneyland, minimize waiting times, and maximize the fun you have.

Step

Method 1 of 2: Tips for Playing at Disneyland Park

Step 1. Buy tickets in advance

Instead of waiting in line at the amusement park to buy tickets, you should buy them on the official Disneyland ticketing website. If you manage to book your tickets in advance, they can be sent home before you go there. In addition, you can also download (download) electronic tickets (e-tickets) and print them directly from email (email). You can also get cheaper tickets on other websites.

• Look for promotions. Disney sometimes has promotions that give an additional day to a multi-day ticket at no additional cost.
• Know what tickets to buy. If you only want to visit Disneyland Park, not California Adventure, you don't need to buy a ParkHopper ticket. You only need to buy a ticket for one amusement park (one-park ticket).
• If you plan to park at Disneyland, you can also purchase parking tickets online.

Step 2. Arrive at the amusement park early

The morning is a good time to visit the amusement park because the place is still empty, the air is cool, and the children's mood is still good. You can get a FastPass and ride some of the popular rides before the park gets crowded. People started queuing at the park gates an hour before the park opened.

If you want to ride the rides that are in Fantasyland, get on the rides in the morning before many families arrive because the lines will be very long

Step 3. Use FastPass

At first, using the FastPass system can be a little intimidating. However, using it is easier than you might think and can help you skip the Standby queue. Here's a quick summary of how the FastPass system works:

• You can get a new FastPass every 90 minutes. Ask a family member or friend to collect the first FastPass ticket upon arrival at the park. Note that he must also collect all the required tickets according to the number of people who are traveling with you. If you're not sure when the 90 minutes provided will expire and when you can pick up your FastPass again, see the bottom of the latest FastPass ticket for the schedule.
• Each ride that allows FastPass use provides a small FastPass post containing four to eight FastPass machines. Enter the tickets one by one into the machine and it will issue a FastPass sheet containing the one hour time interval printed on the sheet. The FastPass sheet must be used the day you get it.
• Once you get your FastPass and the duration of the first FastPass ticket has expired, go to the FastPass row instead of the Standby row. Both lines are marked on each ride. The clerk at the front of the line will check the FastPass to make sure the ticket is valid and give it back to you. After that, give the FastPass to the second officer at the end of the line.
• After doing this step, you can already use FastPass. If the ticket shows a time of 1:45 to 2:45, you must ride a ride between the two times.
• Some popular rides will run out of FastPass. If you really want to use FastPass for Space Mountain, Indiana Jones, Haunted Mansion (on Halloween or Christmas), or Astro Blasters rides, get on those rides early in the day. Some other rides that provide FastPass services (such as the Big Thunder Mountain Railroad or Splash Mountain) have short lines at the end of the day, so you don't need to use FastPass.

Step 4. Eat well

Food sold in amusement parks is quite expensive. If you bring your family, the costs will swell. However, there are some unique restaurants that you can try. Here's a meal schedule that might work for you:

• Eat earlier than usual or after the lunch rush (between 11:00 and 14:00) and the dinner rush (between 18:00 and 20:00). This way, you can get on the rides when people are eating and can avoid waiting in line when you want to eat.
• Note that the restaurant in New Orleans Square has the longest line. Dine at restaurants in Frontierland or Critter Country for shorter queues.
• If you want to save money, make lunch and dinner supplies, and store them in a locker (near the park entrance). There are many tables spread across the amusement park which can be used to sit and eat. A picnic on Tom Sawyer Island can be a great way to rest in the afternoon. If you want to buy food in the garden, fruit is cheap and the portion of fruit sold in casual restaurants is big enough for two people to eat.
• Reserve a place at the restaurant in advance. There are only a few restaurants that offer on-site dining, such as Blue Bayou and Cafe Orleans, but they fill up quickly. If you want to eat at the restaurant, book a place in advance by calling Disney Dining at (714) 781-3463.
• Make a plan in advance to eat at a restaurant that provides Character Dining (a restaurant that contains entertainers dressed as Disney characters). Character Dining is provided at the Plaza Inn and entertainers dressed as Disney characters will walk through the restaurant to take photos and interact with guests while they are eating. This is a great way for you or your kids to interact with Disney characters. However, restaurants that provide Character Dining tend to be expensive and fill up with lots of people quickly. We recommend that you book a place at the restaurant in advance by calling Disney Dining at (714) 781-3463.

Step 5. Bring food or toys to save money and keep you entertained when waiting in long lines

Not all rides accept FastPass so you will have to queue. However, standing in line can save you a lot of money. Cereals, popcorn, granola bars, wine, and peanut butter sandwiches are all good food to eat. Also, bring a Nintendo DS or iPod if you have one.

Step 6. Decide when it's best to buy a souvenir

As with eating, there are several ways to organize your gift shopping to suit your needs. Here's a plan that can be done:

• If you want to wear Mickey Mouse ear bands (or other headbands), consider buying them earlier in the day, so the entire photo will show you and your family wearing them.
• If you don't know what souvenir to buy, skip some of the gift shops when you want to take a break. If something catches your eye, come back to the store to buy it when you get home, so you don't have to carry it around all day.
• If there are kids in your group and you're worried they'll be whining for souvenirs, try these tips. Purchase cheaper Disney souvenirs online and pack the souvenir with the rest of your belongings. The night before going to Disneyland, arrange for the kids' souvenirs to make it look as if Mickey came and left them all night like Santa. That way, the kids have things to play with and you don't have to worry about shopping at the park.

Step 7. Know where to find character costumed entertainers

If you have kids, seeing entertainers dressed up as Disney characters might be a top priority. While in the past the characters used to walk freely around the park, now they can be found in designated areas:

• If you want to get a Disney character's autograph, make sure you bring a pen big enough for the character to hold it well. If the pen is too small, he will have difficulty using it.
• Visit Toontown. To meet Mickey or Minnie, visit their house in Toontown. However, be prepared to queue. Other character costumed entertainers will be walking around Toontown as well.
• Visit the Princess Fantasy Faire. If you want to take pictures with the Disney princesses, the Princess Fantasy Faire is the only place to take pictures with them. Try to arrive early as the line can take up to two hours on peak days. To reach the Princess Fantasy Faire, walk towards the It's a Small World ride. After that, turn left and keep walking until you pass the Toontown gate. Apart from this, you can also take the Disneyland Railroad to reach the Toontown stop station.
• Visit Pixie Hollow: Pixie Hollow is another area that contains entertainers dressed as special characters. This place is located between the Astro Orbiter and the Matterhorn. As with Princess Fantasy Faire, the lines can also be long.
• Wait at the secret character gate. To catch the characters as they enter the park from backstage, wait at the gate northeast of Main Street, between Main Street Cinema and Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln. Periodically the characters will appear there and pose for photos and give autographs. There is another secret character gate between the Main Street Camera Shop and the Plaza Inn. In addition, the gate is also next to the bathroom which is located far from the Hub and outside Tomorrowland.
• Head to the Musical Chairs hosted by Alice and the Mad Hatter at the Refreshment Corner at the end of Main Street. Even though only small children can play, this event is fun to watch because of the Mad Hatter and Alice jokes. The Times Guide does not include a schedule for this event, so ask the pianist who is there as soon as possible when the event starts.

Step 8. Find a good seat for a show or parade

Disneyland holds several parades throughout the day depending on the season. In addition, Disneyland also has a Fantastic show and fireworks at night (check Disneyland's schedule of events after arriving to see what events will be on display). Most events are packed with people, but you can get a good seat by planning carefully.

• For the parade: Head towards Tomorrowland, and before entering the Tomorrowland area, turn left and follow the path to the King Triton Statue. This place is a great place to watch the parade without jostling with the crowds.
• For Fantasmic: Getting a seat to watch Fantasmic is a little tricky, but still doable. If you really want to get the best seats located near the waterfront area, right in front of Cafe Orleans where people take boats to Tom Sawyer Island, you should put down a mat or other seating area a few hours before the show. started. After that, take turns who is sitting and take care that the seating area is not occupied by other people. If there are two shows in the evening, you should wait near the event area when the first show is over. When people start to stand up and leave the area, enter the area quickly and take the desired seat.
• For the fireworks: Almost everyone gathers to watch the fireworks on Main Street so they can watch the fireworks go off behind Sleeping Beauty Castle. If you want to watch the fireworks on Main Street, try taking a seat near the Mickey and Walt Disney statue (the Partners statue) or grab a table at the north end of the Gibson Girl Ice Cream Parlor.
• For an alternative way of viewing the fireworks: If you don't mind taking in the view of Sleeping Beauty Castle, fireworks can also be seen on the trail that connects Frontierland and Fantasyland, which lies behind Big Thunder Mountain. Plus, if you like roller coasters, riding the Big Thunder gives you a spectacular view of the show. The queues for these rides are usually quite short, so you can ride them several times during the fireworks display.
• If you don't want to see any shows, this is a good time to get on the rides when everyone is watching. Rides such as Splash Mountain and Space Mountain are usually quicker to climb during the Fantasmic and fireworks displays.
• Enjoy smaller shows like Dapper Dans or Mickey and the Magical Map.

Step 9. Don't force people to ride rides

No one wants to be forced into an unwanted ride. He'll probably ride it if he sees you looking really happy after riding it. Meanwhile, use the Single Rider Line service (a service that is prioritized for visitors who want to ride the rides alone without being accompanied by other people and don't mind the seats they get, so the queue is not too long) to get on the rides faster.

Step 10. Know when the amusement park area is closed

Amusement parks are usually open later in the summer and weekends, and close earlier in winter and weekdays. However, some areas will close early once the show has started. The following is the schedule for closing the amusement park areas while the show is in progress:

• If the show is Fantasmic, Tom Sawyer Island will close at sunset.
• If a fireworks display is to be held, Toontown will close early.
• Fantasyland is one of the first areas to close at night, so you might not be able to ride it even if the rides aren't full of people.
• Specific closing schedules can be found on almost all rides.

Step 11. Exit the amusement park carefully

Many people will leave the park after the fireworks display is over (or an hour before the park closes if there is no fireworks display). People would slowly walk out of the park and queues for trams that took visitors to the parking lot would be long. If you want to avoid the crowds, you can exit the theme park while the fireworks display is in progress or wait until the park is about to close.

Method 2 of 2: Tips for Playing at Disneyland Park and California Adventure

Step 1. Get ready for a day full of activities

If there aren't many people at the amusement park and you have a lot of energy, you can play at two amusement parks in the same day. Try to set a play schedule, so you don't go back and forth from one park to another and cause your feet to hurt after playing there.

Step 2. Buy tickets in advance

Instead of lining up to buy tickets at the theme park locations, you should buy them on the official Disneyland ticketing website. If you manage to book your tickets in advance, they can be sent home before you go there. In addition, you can also download (download) electronic tickets (e-tickets) and print them directly from email.

• Look for promotions. Disney sometimes has promotions that give an additional day to a multi-day ticket at no additional cost.
• Know what tickets to buy. If you want to play at two amusement parks on the same day, buy a ParkHopper ticket.
• If you plan to park at Disneyland, you can also purchase parking tickets online.

Step 3. Arrive at the amusement park early

Early morning is a good time to arrive at Disneyland because the place is still empty, the air is cool, and the children's mood is still good. You can get a FastPass and ride some of the popular rides before the park gets crowded. People started queuing at the park gates about an hour before the park opened.

• Disneyland Park and California Adventure open at the same time, so choose the theme park you want to visit first. At first California Adventure was an amusement park which was more empty in the morning when compared to Disneyland Park. However, since the Cars Land area became popular, California Adventure was also packed with visitors from the morning. The best way to do this is to visit an amusement park that has the rides you want to go on first. However, California Adventure closes earlier than Disneyland Park.
• If you want to get a seat to watch World of Color, you should head to California Adventure first (more information can be found below).

Step 4. Use FastPass at Disneyland Park

At first, using the FastPass system can be a little intimidating. However, using it is easier than you might think and can help you skip the Standby queue. Here's a quick summary of how the FastPass system works:

• You can get a new FastPass every 90 minutes. FastPass is a free way to maximize the number of Disneyland rides you can ride. Ask a family member or friend to collect the first FastPass ticket upon arrival at the park. Note that he must also collect all the required tickets according to the number of people who are traveling with you. If you're not sure when the 90 minutes provided will expire and when you can pick up your FastPass again, see the bottom of the latest FastPass ticket for the schedule.
• Each ride that allows the use of FastPass provides a small FastPass post containing four to eight machines that are used to obtain FastPass tickets. Enter the tickets one by one into the machine and it will issue a FastPass sheet containing the one hour time interval printed on the sheet. The FastPass sheet must be used the day you get it.
• Once you get your FastPass and the duration of the first FastPass ticket has expired, go to the FastPass row instead of the Standby row. Both lines are marked on each ride. The officer at the front of the line will check the FastPass to make sure the ticket is valid and give it back to you. After that, give the FastPass to the second officer at the end of the line.
• After doing this step, you can already use FastPass. If the ticket shows a time of 1:45 to 2:45, you must ride a ride between the two times.
• Some popular rides will run out of FastPass. If you really want to use the FastPass for certain rides (such as Radiator Springs, Soarin' Over California, California Screamin', Midway Mania, or Tower of Terror), get on the ride earlier in the day. Some of the other rides that provide FastPass services have short queues at the end of the day, so you don't need to use FastPass.

Step 5. Eat well

Food sold in amusement parks is quite expensive. If you bring your family, the costs will swell. However, there are some unique restaurants that you can try. Here's a meal schedule that might work for you:

• Eat earlier than usual or after the lunch rush (between 11:00 and 14:00) and the dinner rush (between 18:30 and 20:00). This way, you can get on the rides when people are eating and can avoid waiting in line when you want to eat.
• Note that the restaurants at California Adventure, the Fisherman's Wharf, and Cars Land have the longest lines. Eat at Hollywood Land or Paradise Pier for shorter queues. If you want to eat at Disneyland, avoid eating at restaurants in New Orleans Square because this place is full of people. Instead, try eating at a restaurant in Critter Country or Frontierland.
• If you want to save money, make lunch and dinner supplies, and store them in a locker (near the park entrance). There are many tables spread across the garden which can be used to sit and eat. If you want to buy food in the garden, fruit is cheap and the portion of fruit sold in casual restaurants is big enough for two people to eat.
• Reserve a place at the restaurant in advance. There are only a few restaurants that offer on-site dining, such as Blue Bayou and Cafe Orleans, but they fill up quickly. There are more restaurants at California Adventure that offer on-site dining, such as Carthay Circle and the Wine Country Trattoria. If you want to eat at the restaurant, book a place at the restaurant in advance by calling Disney Dining at (714) 781-3463.
• Make an early plan to eat at a restaurant that provides Character Dining. Character Dining is provided at the Plaza Inn (Disneyland) as well as Ariel's Grotto (California Adventure). Entertainers dressed as Disney characters will walk around the Restaurant to take photos and interact with guests while they are eating. This is a great way for you or your kids to interact with Disney characters. However, restaurants that provide Character Dining tend to be expensive and fill up with lots of people quickly. We recommend that you book a place at the restaurant in advance by calling Disney Dining at (714) 781-3463.

Step 6. Decide when it's best to buy a souvenir

As with eating, there are several ways to organize your gift shopping to suit your needs. Here's a plan that can be done:

• If you want to wear Mickey Mouse ear bands (or other headbands), consider buying them earlier in the day, so the entire photo will show you and your family wearing them.
• If you don't know what souvenir to buy, skip some of the gift shops when you want to take a break. If something catches your eye, come back to the store to buy it when you get home, so you don't have to carry it around all day.
• If there are kids in your group and you're worried they'll be whining for souvenirs, try these tips. Purchase cheaper Disney souvenirs online and pack the souvenir with the rest of your belongings. The night before going to Disneyland, arrange for the kids' souvenirs to make it look as if Mickey came and left them all night like Santa. That way, the kids have things to play with and you don't have to worry about shopping at the park.

Step 7. Know where to find character costumed entertainers

If you have kids, seeing entertainers dressed up as Disney characters might be a top priority. Although in the past the characters used to walk freely around the park, now they can be found in designated areas. Here are some things to know:

• If you want to get a character's signature, make sure you bring a pen big enough for the character to hold it well. If the pen is too small, he will have difficulty using it.
• Character costumed entertainers still walk freely around California Adventure, especially in the A Bug's Land area. If you want to increase your chances of meeting entertainers in character costumes, you might as well go to Disneyland. See the article section above for more information.

Step 8. Plan ahead before watching the World of Color

If you'd prefer to see the Fantasmic show or the fireworks, check out the section above which explains how to watch both shows at Disneyland. The World of Color show is held exclusively at California Adventure. The show is held twice a night during peak season and only once a night during off season. If you want to watch the World of Color show, here's a guide on the General Seating area and also the World of Color Dining service:

• Use FastPass for General Seating. World of Color seats are divided into different areas based on their color and the color of your seating area will be printed on the FastPass ticket. Grab all your group tickets and head to Grizzly River Rapids to reach the FastPass machine for the World of Color show. After that, pick up FastPass tickets for your group. If the same color is printed on each FastPass, you can immediately watch the World of Color show.
• About an hour before the World of Color show starts, head to the General Seating area at Paradise Pier and a Cast Member (as the staff who works at Disneyland) will direct you to the seating area. The General Admission area (seating system that divides them according to the time of arrival of visitors) only offers standing places, so if you want to watch the show up close while sitting down, arrive early at the show area. However, be prepared to get splashed by water if you sit in the front seat.
• Watch the show using the World of Color Dining service (a service that gives you a lunch or dinner package as well as a premium showroom). If you want dinner or lunch and tickets to the show, you have two choices of World of Color Dining. You can get picnic food to pick up whenever you want as well as World of Color seating tickets in the General Seating area. Another option that can be taken is to eat a prix fixe (a meal consisting of several dishes at a fixed price) and get a premium view and seating. Check out the World of Color Dining page for more information.

Step 9. Know when the amusement park area is closed

Amusement parks are usually open later in the summer and weekends, and close earlier in winter and weekdays. However, some areas will close early once the show has started. The following is the schedule for closing the amusement park areas while the show is in progress:

• On weekends and peak season, California Adventure will close an hour before Disneyland.
• If the show is Fantasmic, Tom Sawyer Island will close at sunset.
• If the show will be fireworks, Toontown will close early.
• Fantasyland is one of the first areas to close at night, so you may not be able to ride the rides there even if the area is less crowded.
• Specific closing schedules can be found on almost all rides.

Step 10. Exit the amusement park carefully

Many people will leave the park after the fireworks display is over (or an hour before the park closes if there is no fireworks display). People would slowly walk out of the park and queues for trams that took visitors to the parking lot would be long. If you want to avoid the crowds, you can exit the theme park while the fireworks display is in progress or wait until the park is about to close.

If you want to get out of California Adventure and you're at Paradise Pier or Grizzly Peak, consider taking the shortcut through the Grand Californian Hotel. Exit the park via the Grand Californian Hotel which is directly across from Grizzly River Rapids. After that, walk through the lobby, turn right, and walk past the convention center following the sign that directs you to Downtown Disney. Once outside the park, turn right again and walk towards the parked tram

Step 11. Rest

Return to the hotel and rest for a while. Crowds of people and hot weather can overwhelm you, so it's important that you take a break and get out of the playground for a while. Also, you don't want the people in your group to get annoyed with exhaustion.

Step 12. Use cell phone only for making calls

Using your phone to open apps and take photos will drain the battery. It is important that you have a live cell phone in case a family member or friend gets separated.

Step 13. Make a priority list

If you've never been to Disneyland, get together with family or friends and ask them what they want while they're at Disneyland. Maybe what they want is to see all the Disney character houses in ToonTown or ride the Splash Mountain ride. By negotiating what one wants, all people's desires will be fulfilled.

Step 14. Don't think too much about money

While worrying about what you're going to spend is important to avoid wasting money, you don't need to carry a notebook and calculator with you. Bring your own water or food. Also, instead of buying a book that contains autographs of Disney characters, bring a notebook to ask for autographs of entertainers in character costumes. If you keep thinking about the costs, it can prevent you from having fun and make you worry too much about how to save money.

Step 15. Use the Switch Pass if the child cannot ride the rides

When one member of the group is in line, the other members of the group will wait and watch the child. Then when the group members who were in line had boarded the rides, the group members who had previously supervised the children came to the front of the queue to ride the rides.

Tips

• The train rides can also be used to rest your feet and relieve fatigue. The Enchanted Tiki Room can be a great place to cool off on a hot day.
• If you're in the park and have a touchscreen device, you can find both paid and free apps that you can download onto your device. The application is used to get the waiting time schedule for the rides in all amusement parks. Type "Disney World" or "Disneyland" into the App Store (for iOS) or Play Store (for Android) search field and you will see a list of apps that can display accurate information.
• If you are bringing a pram and you have to take turns with your partner to get on the rides, ask the Cast Member for a Stoller Pass at the entrance of the line. It functions like FastPass, but can be used for two people whenever you want.
• If you have previously purchased Mickey ear headbands and Mickey hats the last time you visited Disneyland, take them with you. Your child will probably want it after seeing a small child wearing both items. You can take it out of your backpack and your child will love wearing it too.
• Remember that Disneyland is a family theme park, so enjoy your visit there and be polite to others.
• Take a map and amusement guide when entering the park. Both of these can help you plan your visit.
• Ask the Cast Member if there is a Hidden Mickey (the Mickey Mouse symbol in the form of his hidden head and ears scattered in Disneyland) on the rides you ride. Almost all Cast Members will tell you where they are.
• All Cast Members, from cleaners to supervisors, (except character costumed entertainers) wear large badges. Remember that they are happy to help you, so don't hesitate to ask questions.
• City Hall on Main Street has maps that use common world languages, such as English, Spanish, Japanese, and others. In addition, the place also has an "Honorary Citizen" sticker, so you can ask for one and sometimes the staff will happily give you more than one.
• Tell your child to look for staff wearing badges if he or she gets lost. The pick-up point for lost items and pick-up for stray children for both parks is located near the front gate.
• Avoid visiting Disneyland on weekends, holidays, and summer. Almost all Disneyland visitors are local tourists, so the place will be crowded with many people on these days. Late August and spring are good times to visit as most children are still in school and rain can discourage many from visiting. However, some rides like the Matterhorn will be closed because of this.

Warning

• If you are afraid to ride a ride or have serious medical problems, don't go on a ride. Always pay attention to the warning signs on each ride.
• It's easy for visitors to forget that they are riding a ride with a high-tech machine that can cause serious injury or even death. Therefore, always pay attention to Cast Member directions for your safety.
• Do not bring selfie sticks into the park. The clerk checking the bag will confiscate it and it is very difficult to get it back.