45 Disneyland Tips
TERMS TO KNOW:
1. Character hotline- Ask any Disney worker which character you are looking for and they will call the secret hotline number on the spot to let you know!
2. Rider Switch Pass- if you have a child too small to ride, tell them when you get in line and they'll let the person who stayed back with the child (and a companion) go to the front of the line next time.
3. Single rider line allows you to get in a special line and fill in seats when one is available.
4. "First Visit" pin available at City Hall in Disneyland.
5. World of Color (in Disney California Adventure)- You need a free fastpass for best viewing. Passes are limited, and can be picked up near the Grizzly River Run when the park opens. Best viewing for World of Color is in front of Ariel's Under Sea Adventure.
6. Fire Works- Best place to watch the fire work show is right in front of the castle, get a spot a few hours before the show starts, bring a blanket to mark your spot and rotate people saving your spot.
7. Fantasmic- Best place to watch Fantasmic is right in front of Pirates of the Caribbean. If possible go to the second show, less crowds to fight.
8. Christmas Parade- Not sure if they will have the Christmas Parade on or not, but if they do you want to be where it snows, the crew will tell you the best spots.
9. FASTPASS! Be sure to take advantage. It allows you to "cut" in line on many rides throughout your day. More information at Mouseplanet.com
10. Monorail- If you already have your pass, you can use the Monorail from Downtown Disney that takes you straight into Tomorrowland. Hours of operation may vary.
11. Tram- A free ride from the Disneyland parking lot to the park gates.
12. "Park Hopper" passes allow you to go between the parks as often as you like.
13. Magic Morning- A 3+ Day Pass will let you enter the park one-hour-early on one of your days where you can
enjoy rides with much shorter lines.
MEALS:
14. YOUR BACKPACK-They let you pack in your own food. Ideas include lunchables, fruit cups, applesauce, baked pizza, pepperoni, crackers, string cheese, bagels, dried fruit, pringles.
15. Harbor Blvd- For one meal per day, leave the park and head east to Harbor Blvd. to find many less
expensive options such as McDonalds, Captain Kidd's, or Denny's.
16. Goofy's Kitchen with the Disney characters at the Disneyland Hotel. You can make a couple of reservations (they don't cost a thing) for different times. Then, when the time comes, you can go to the one that best fits your schedule. 714-781-DINE.
17. Use Safeway.com or Vons.com grocery delivery to your condo. Ask me for details.
18. Disney Dine Line- Obtain a priority seating time for some of the most popular dining locations by calling (714)-781-DINE or
714-781-3463 60 days in advance, including Goofy's Kitchen, Napa Rose, Blue Bayou, Ariel's Grotto and the Plaza Inn (breakfast).
19. Beat the Rush- When dining in the Parks, eat outside normal meal times to beat the rush. Avoid 12:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. for lunch and 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. for dinner.
PLANNING:
20. VIP Personal Tours are expensive but include unlimited fastpasses- Call 714-300-7710. Scripted Tours are more affordable and still have great perks- Call 714-781-4565
21.Plan ahead! Get a map off the internet or a better one just outside Disneyland gates the day before, and chart your day out.
22. Height Minimum- Many rides have a 40 inch minimum. They are very strict about height requirements, so get on your tallest pair of shoes preschoolers!
23. Bring in hand-sanitizer and extra water bottles! Soap and water fountains are hard to find in the parks- and you will want both frequently (this was written pre-covid)!
24. Don't rent a car unless you plan on going somewhere besides the park. Take the airport shuttle- about $30-50 each way, or a taxi from SNA is about $42 each way, less expensive than renting a car that will just sit there.
25. The closest airport is John Wayne (Santa Ana, Orange County) airport code is SNA. It's about a 15 minute drive. If you like a smaller airport and a direct driving route (avoiding freeways) to Magic Mouse Townhouse, then choose Long Beach (LGB). Once you exit the airport, you literally take one right turn to get to Magic Mouse condo complex. It's about a 25 minute drive.
26. Go early, come home for a late lunch, swim or nap in the middle of the day when the parks are at their busiest, then go back in the evening.
27. Wait times for some of the most popular attractions are posted in the Central Plaza of Disneyland Park as well at the entrance to each line. There are also "wait time" apps called “MouseWait” and "Disneyland Wait Times"
28. Other Disney apps include "Disney Parks" and "Disneyland Inside Out"
29. Consider visiting the popular attractions early in the day, during parade time, or right before closing to minimize your wait time. If you're in line at closing time, they'll let you stay in line and ride.
30. Foreign Language-Guests whose primary language is Spanish, Japanese or Chinese may rent Ears to the World headsets, which translate some of the theater style attractions. Foreign guide maps for both Theme Parks are available in the following languages at the entrance to each Park: Spanish, Japanese, Chinese, French and German.
31. Baby Care Centers are located in each Park. Check your Park guide map for locations. Baby food and other essentials can be found in these locations.
32. Guests with mobility or hearing disabilities have many services at their disposable. Download and print the Guide for Guests with Disabilities.
33. RideMax.com is a website where you can customize your schedule to help you maximize the number of rides and minimize wait times.
34. Remember that you have to walk, ride the tram, or monorail to the park. You may also have to buy tickets before you get in, all of which could take up to half an hour or more. Allow time for all that so you can be at the first attraction before the lines get long!
35. For getting into the park quickly. If you stand near the far right side of the ticket turn-styles, you'll see the few Early Entry gates they have open for early entry people, right up until 1 minute before the normal gates open. Linger by the early entry gates, at 8AM they spin around the sign and become regular entry gates, and you are the first in line -so I've heard.
36. If you have any extra space in your suitcases, pack a costume for each kid. Superheroes and Princesses are all over and you may not want to spend $50 to buy a new Disney costume if you already have one at home.
37. Same goes for those spinning light up toy wands. They sell them for about $15 and every kid has one. If you have any at home and have room, bring them.
38. Beware of the Snow White ride. It is scary for children (and some adults).
39. One multi-day ticket can be used by different people but not on the same day. All tickets expire 14 days after their first day's use at the gate.
40. You can upgrade your ticket after you've started using it. For example, if you have a 3-day Park Hopper ticket and halfway into your trip, you decide that you would like to stay an extra day, go to the Disneyland gate and upgrade to a 4-day ticket before it expires. You'll pay only the difference in price between the 3 and 4-day ticket, instead of paying much more for a one-day ticket.
41. When getting on the tram with strollers, get in line for the first car or last car of the tram. The first door of each of those cars is handicap accessible with double doors and you won't need to fold and unfold your stroller when getting on and off.
42. Buy and print tickets online while you have access to a printer. The 14 day "use period" does not begin until the first date you actually enter the park. You can save money by ordering online if you purchase a 3 day or longer ticket – and you will really save time- no waiting in a long ticket line once at the parks.
SHOPPING:
43. Souvenirs- Check out the "Outlet" store at the Disneyland Hotel for discounted souvenirs or drive to local dollar stores or other local stores for less expensive Disney souvenirs.
44. See and shop for the unique merchandise available during Disneyland Resort special events and get event information at ArtofDisneyParks.com.
45. MAKE A SCHEDULE OF YOUR DAY AT: HTTP://DISNEYLAND.DISNEY.GO.COM/CALENDAR/#/DEFAULT/2010/11
TERMS TO KNOW:
1. Character hotline- Ask any Disney worker which character you are looking for and they will call the secret hotline number on the spot to let you know!
2. Rider Switch Pass- if you have a child too small to ride, tell them when you get in line and they'll let the person who stayed back with the child (and a companion) go to the front of the line next time.
3. Single rider line allows you to get in a special line and fill in seats when one is available.
4. "First Visit" pin available at City Hall in Disneyland.
5. World of Color (in Disney California Adventure)- You need a free fastpass for best viewing. Passes are limited, and can be picked up near the Grizzly River Run when the park opens. Best viewing for World of Color is in front of Ariel's Under Sea Adventure.
6. Fire Works- Best place to watch the fire work show is right in front of the castle, get a spot a few hours before the show starts, bring a blanket to mark your spot and rotate people saving your spot.
7. Fantasmic- Best place to watch Fantasmic is right in front of Pirates of the Caribbean. If possible go to the second show, less crowds to fight.
8. Christmas Parade- Not sure if they will have the Christmas Parade on or not, but if they do you want to be where it snows, the crew will tell you the best spots.
9. FASTPASS! Be sure to take advantage. It allows you to "cut" in line on many rides throughout your day. More information at Mouseplanet.com
10. Monorail- If you already have your pass, you can use the Monorail from Downtown Disney that takes you straight into Tomorrowland. Hours of operation may vary.
11. Tram- A free ride from the Disneyland parking lot to the park gates.
12. "Park Hopper" passes allow you to go between the parks as often as you like.
13. Magic Morning- A 3+ Day Pass will let you enter the park one-hour-early on one of your days where you can
enjoy rides with much shorter lines.
MEALS:
14. YOUR BACKPACK-They let you pack in your own food. Ideas include lunchables, fruit cups, applesauce, baked pizza, pepperoni, crackers, string cheese, bagels, dried fruit, pringles.
15. Harbor Blvd- For one meal per day, leave the park and head east to Harbor Blvd. to find many less
expensive options such as McDonalds, Captain Kidd's, or Denny's.
16. Goofy's Kitchen with the Disney characters at the Disneyland Hotel. You can make a couple of reservations (they don't cost a thing) for different times. Then, when the time comes, you can go to the one that best fits your schedule. 714-781-DINE.
17. Use Safeway.com or Vons.com grocery delivery to your condo. Ask me for details.
18. Disney Dine Line- Obtain a priority seating time for some of the most popular dining locations by calling (714)-781-DINE or
714-781-3463 60 days in advance, including Goofy's Kitchen, Napa Rose, Blue Bayou, Ariel's Grotto and the Plaza Inn (breakfast).
19. Beat the Rush- When dining in the Parks, eat outside normal meal times to beat the rush. Avoid 12:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. for lunch and 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. for dinner.
PLANNING:
20. VIP Personal Tours are expensive but include unlimited fastpasses- Call 714-300-7710. Scripted Tours are more affordable and still have great perks- Call 714-781-4565
21.Plan ahead! Get a map off the internet or a better one just outside Disneyland gates the day before, and chart your day out.
22. Height Minimum- Many rides have a 40 inch minimum. They are very strict about height requirements, so get on your tallest pair of shoes preschoolers!
23. Bring in hand-sanitizer and extra water bottles! Soap and water fountains are hard to find in the parks- and you will want both frequently (this was written pre-covid)!
24. Don't rent a car unless you plan on going somewhere besides the park. Take the airport shuttle- about $30-50 each way, or a taxi from SNA is about $42 each way, less expensive than renting a car that will just sit there.
25. The closest airport is John Wayne (Santa Ana, Orange County) airport code is SNA. It's about a 15 minute drive. If you like a smaller airport and a direct driving route (avoiding freeways) to Magic Mouse Townhouse, then choose Long Beach (LGB). Once you exit the airport, you literally take one right turn to get to Magic Mouse condo complex. It's about a 25 minute drive.
26. Go early, come home for a late lunch, swim or nap in the middle of the day when the parks are at their busiest, then go back in the evening.
27. Wait times for some of the most popular attractions are posted in the Central Plaza of Disneyland Park as well at the entrance to each line. There are also "wait time" apps called “MouseWait” and "Disneyland Wait Times"
28. Other Disney apps include "Disney Parks" and "Disneyland Inside Out"
29. Consider visiting the popular attractions early in the day, during parade time, or right before closing to minimize your wait time. If you're in line at closing time, they'll let you stay in line and ride.
30. Foreign Language-Guests whose primary language is Spanish, Japanese or Chinese may rent Ears to the World headsets, which translate some of the theater style attractions. Foreign guide maps for both Theme Parks are available in the following languages at the entrance to each Park: Spanish, Japanese, Chinese, French and German.
31. Baby Care Centers are located in each Park. Check your Park guide map for locations. Baby food and other essentials can be found in these locations.
32. Guests with mobility or hearing disabilities have many services at their disposable. Download and print the Guide for Guests with Disabilities.
33. RideMax.com is a website where you can customize your schedule to help you maximize the number of rides and minimize wait times.
34. Remember that you have to walk, ride the tram, or monorail to the park. You may also have to buy tickets before you get in, all of which could take up to half an hour or more. Allow time for all that so you can be at the first attraction before the lines get long!
35. For getting into the park quickly. If you stand near the far right side of the ticket turn-styles, you'll see the few Early Entry gates they have open for early entry people, right up until 1 minute before the normal gates open. Linger by the early entry gates, at 8AM they spin around the sign and become regular entry gates, and you are the first in line -so I've heard.
36. If you have any extra space in your suitcases, pack a costume for each kid. Superheroes and Princesses are all over and you may not want to spend $50 to buy a new Disney costume if you already have one at home.
37. Same goes for those spinning light up toy wands. They sell them for about $15 and every kid has one. If you have any at home and have room, bring them.
38. Beware of the Snow White ride. It is scary for children (and some adults).
39. One multi-day ticket can be used by different people but not on the same day. All tickets expire 14 days after their first day's use at the gate.
40. You can upgrade your ticket after you've started using it. For example, if you have a 3-day Park Hopper ticket and halfway into your trip, you decide that you would like to stay an extra day, go to the Disneyland gate and upgrade to a 4-day ticket before it expires. You'll pay only the difference in price between the 3 and 4-day ticket, instead of paying much more for a one-day ticket.
41. When getting on the tram with strollers, get in line for the first car or last car of the tram. The first door of each of those cars is handicap accessible with double doors and you won't need to fold and unfold your stroller when getting on and off.
42. Buy and print tickets online while you have access to a printer. The 14 day "use period" does not begin until the first date you actually enter the park. You can save money by ordering online if you purchase a 3 day or longer ticket – and you will really save time- no waiting in a long ticket line once at the parks.
SHOPPING:
43. Souvenirs- Check out the "Outlet" store at the Disneyland Hotel for discounted souvenirs or drive to local dollar stores or other local stores for less expensive Disney souvenirs.
44. See and shop for the unique merchandise available during Disneyland Resort special events and get event information at ArtofDisneyParks.com.
45. MAKE A SCHEDULE OF YOUR DAY AT: HTTP://DISNEYLAND.DISNEY.GO.COM/CALENDAR/#/DEFAULT/2010/11
