Whether going for the first or fiftieth time, everyone who visits the Disneyland Resort wants to have the best time possible. Between the high prices, intense summer crowds, necessary technology, and overwhelming options, navigating Anaheim Park can prove challenging, especially for those who have never been to the park before.
Even frequent parkgoers can find themselves overstimulated at times or in need of some tips. From the laid-back locals to the excited but anxious vacationers, we’ve got you covered with everything you need to know to have a fun and fulfilling trip to the Happiest Place on Earth.
1. Rope Drop or Stay Late
Staying at Disneyland from the time the park opens until the closing time may appeal to some guests who want to pack everything into their vacation. Still, a day that lasts from 8 or 9 a.m. until 11 p.m. or even midnight can be exhausting. It will tire out even those with tremendous energy and stamina. For everyone else, the best method will be to choose to Rope Drop and arrive before the park’s official opening time or arrive in the late morning or early afternoon and stay until the park closes.
Both options have their benefits. Arriving for Rope Drop allows you to ride several attractions before the crowds arrive, resulting in lower-than-average wait times. For example, it’s possible to get several Fantasyland attractions done in that first hour, making for a fun and successful morning.
Guests who prefer staying late will also see lower wait times and fewer crowds, especially during the last few hours of operation. While my personal preference is Rope Drop, both choices offer excellent park conditions.
2. Link Tickets on One Phone
Whether guests like it or not, using your smartphone and the Disneyland app has become quite crucial for every visit. While visitors can still buy or print out physical tickets, your entry won’t be as efficient as with a cell phone. For example, those with printed-out tickets have to visit a ticket booth in the esplanade to receive a proper paper ticket, taking up valuable time before entry.
For groups and families, using a smartphone provides one key thing that will make the day much easier: linking everyone’s tickets onto one device. This will make entering smoother and quicker, especially with children. Likewise, when booking and redeeming Lightning Lanes, one person needs only to create them and then swipe through each ticket instead of using multiple phones. Just remember, when entering the park, bring up your personal ticket last. Otherwise, you’ll leave your party behind or you’ll have to pass your phone back to everyone.
3. Dining Reservations and Mobile Ordering
Nobody enjoys the tedious or stressful process of finding a restaurant while dealing with hunger and crowds. Having dining reservations for at least one meal solves that issue, erasing time and guesswork from your day. I recommend making reservations for dinner (a hectic time in Disneyland) at one of the several sit-down restaurants, with my favorites being the Carnation Cafe and Cafe Orleans. Guests can make dining reservations up to 60 days in advance at 6 a.m. PST on the Disneyland app. This video from RTD Adventures shows you how to navigate the app and secure your reservations.
Likewise, mobile ordering for one of the several quick-service eateries saves precious time. What many guests may not know is that you can mobile order as soon as the park opens and choose any available arrival window. One can conceivably order lunch hours early, making for a very pleasant, stress-free day.
4. Where to Find Characters
Everyone has different priorities when visiting Disneyland. Many, especially those with young children, want to see and meet as many characters as possible. Like its East Coast counterpart, the Magic Kingdom At Walt Disney World, Disneyland features several dedicated places to meet your favorites.
On Main Street, you’ll find the Fab Five: Mickey, Minnie, Donald, Goofy, and Pluto, as well as Chip and Dale. They’re not out constantly but several times throughout the day. To guarantee a meeting with the big cheese himself, Mickey Mouse, head to Toontown and visit his house.
At Princess Fantasy Faire and Royal Hall, located next to Fantasyland, guests can meet several Princesses such as Cinderella, Ariel, Aurora, Snow White, Rapunzel, and Belle. At the back of Bayou Country, you’ll find the 100 Acre Wood friends Winnie-the-Pooh, Tigger, Piglet, and Eeyore.
Moreover, and quite different from Magic Kingdom, parkgoers will often see numerous characters roaming throughout the park, from Peter Pan and Captain Hook to Cruella, Pinocchio, and more. It’s also possible to ride the Mad Tea Party or play musical chairs (at Refreshment Corner on Main Street) with Alice and the Mad Hatter, ride King Arthur’s Carousel with Mary Poppins and Bert, trade barbs with Captain Jack Sparrow in New Orleans Square, and interact with Rey, Chewbacca, and Stormtroopers in Galaxy’s Edge.
It’s important to check out the app or a park map for specific times and locations, keep a sharp eye out, and also manage expectations. Still, so many fun and memorable character interactions and photo opportunities await you.
5. Know the Entertainment Schedule
Knowing Disneyland’s entertainment schedule ahead of time proves useful in multiple ways. Obviously, visitors who want to watch live musicians, a parade, fireworks, or other nighttime shows like Fantasmic or It’s A Small World projections need to know when each begins. Times are posted on the Disneyland app, and park maps are available at the entrance to help plan the day. Times and shows vary seasonally.
However, guests with no plans to watch any of the various shows should also know the when and where of each. Due to the technical nature of things like parades and fireworks, the parks close off certain areas and re-route and divert guests in different directions. The last thing you want to do is get stuck in a massive crowd, unable to get somewhere because you were unaware of these scheduled events and diversions.
There are some key tips to note for anyone not planning on watching any entertainment. The Disneyland Band performances will block entry to the Main Street Train Station and Sleeping Beauty Castle. Additionally, the parade route from It’s A Small World to Town Square on Main Street will be sectioned off and difficult to walk through.
Remember to avoid Main Street right before and during fireworks. Once they begin, you must remain where you are due to the darkness. If unavoidable, head into a store and stay put. Also, part of Fantasyland and all of Toontown closes down during fireworks. Likewise, New Orleans Square gets very busy during Fantasmic, so stay clear if crowds overwhelm you.
6. Utilize the Disneyland Railroad
While some guests take pride in walking through the entire park all day long, some don’t want to or cannot. In that case, the Disneyland Railroad becomes a desirable or necessary form of transportation. Guests can rest their aching feet and save time getting from land to land with stops at Main Street, Frontierland, Mickey’s Toontown, and Tomorrowland. Each stop provides a close gateway to the park’s other lands.
Beyond the convenience, the Disneyland Railroad also offers a relaxing respite from the crowds and overstimulation. Guests can board and stay on as long as they please. It’s the one attraction where passengers can ride all day long if they so choose.
7. Quiet Spots and Attractions
Speaking of dealing with crowds or overstimulation, finding quiet spots and attractions proves useful and pleasing for many. Whether to relax your body or mind, Disneyland features several places to rest, from prominent attractions to little out-of-the-way nooks.
Benches abound on Main Street, Bayou Country, and Fantasyland, and shaded tables line the pathways from the Matterhorn toward both Tomorrowland and It’s a Small World. Find comfy seats inside the Main Street Opera House and the back row of the Enchanted Tiki Room if a show sounds appealing. Parks goers can also find peaceful spots in Galaxy’s Edge, on Tom Sawyer’s Island, and along the Rivers of America. The Baby Care Center on Main Street proves indispensable for anyone with children.
Attractions that also prove relaxing (and blissfully lengthy) include the aforementioned Disneyland Railroad, Storybook Land Canal Boats, the Mark Twain Riverboat, the Sailing Ship Columbia, and Pirates of the Caribbean.
8. Fireworks Viewing Areas
Disneyland has several viewing areas for fireworks shows, each of which is dependent on various factors. It’s important to note that some nights, these shows only feature projections and not the pyrotechnics, so choose your spot accordingly.
Prime viewing spots include in front of Sleeping Beauty Castle all the way down the center of Main Street. Likewise, the Rivers of America offers a terrific viewing spot that Fantasmic fans know well. For those unbothered by packed-together crowds and who don’t mind waiting a while ahead of time, these spots are ideal.
However, several other places offer alternative views and are well-suited for those seeking less crowded areas. It’s a Small World that features the projections, and while still busy, it will typically be less crowded. Additionally, you will be able to see the pyro from walkways throughout Tomorrowland.
Galaxy’s Edge features a completely different projection show and music on select nights, giving Star Wars fans a unique experience. Fireworks shows vary throughout the year so make sure you check before your trip.
9. When and Where to Shop
Disneyland visitors have no shortage of shopping options. Each land features several stores with either general resort fare or merchandise specific to each shop. Many will tell guests to shop at the end of the day, especially at such Main Street stores as the Emporium and Disney’s Clothiers. This strategy stems from the desire to avoid carrying purchases around with you all day.
However, shopping at day’s end can be needlessly stressful. The stores become extremely busy with closing time fast approaching, leading to impulse buying or missing an item you’d enjoy more.
I recommend shopping in the late morning or early afternoon. Stores are far less crowded, and you’ll be able to make a more informed decision. Those who prefer not to carry bags have multiple options. Small items can be stowed in purses and backpacks. For everything else, rent a locker on Main Street. Shoppers can also keep purchases at Guest Services in Pioneer Mercantile and The Star Trader. Just don’t forget to pick them up before leaving.
From the vast selection of shops, I recommend checking out the Emporium, Disneyana, Disney Clothiers, Disney Showcase, Pioneer Mercantile, Adventureland Bazaar, Pooh Corner, Plaza Point, The Star Trader, Madame Leota’s Somewhere Beyond, and Fairy Tale Treasures. For a detailed tour of every Disneyland shop, check out Socal Disney Dad’s video.
10. Daytime vs. Nighttime on Attractions
The average Disneyland Resort guest never thinks about what time they ride an attraction. Indeed, the time does not matter for indoor attractions. But for outside rides, the guest experience will vary depending on the time of day.
For example, guests should avoid a few specific attractions at night, namely Jungle Cruise, Casey Jr. Circus Train, and Storybook Land Canal Boats. Though still pleasant enough, it’s much too dark to enjoy them to their full potential.
Moreover, visitors can have an equally enjoyable time in the daytime and evening on specific rides. However, each time offers a very different experience. For example, the Mad Tea Party during the day is fun and lively, but at night, the lighting and atmosphere have a dreamlike quality. Likewise, Big Thunder Mountain in the evening feels even more thrilling.
Other attractions that offer differing day vs. night experiences include the Mark Twain Riverboat, the Autopia, Tiana’s Bayou Adventure, Astro Orbitor, Dumbo the Flying Elephant, and King Arthur’s Carousel. Whatever the choice, these Disneyland attractions never disappoint.
<p>The post How to Make the Most of a Day at Disneyland, According to an Expert first appeared on Travelbinger.</p>