When in doubt, go to Disneyland! Disneyland is one of my favorite places to go on vacation! It doesn’t matter how many times I have gone, it never gets old! There are so many fun things to do at Disneyland it can seem a bit overwhelming. I have come up with a list of 15 Disneyland tips and tricks that will enhance your Disneyland experience and some fun things to do that you may not have thought about before (or maybe have!).
1. Get to the park early!
I highly suggest getting to the park early, especially if you are only going for one day. It takes some time to get through security and the line to scan your tickets. Even if you get to Disneyland before it opens, they’ll let you through the gates and you can hang out on Main Street until the rest of the park opens. This is the perfect time to get pictures with characters, check out merchandise, or get yourself some Starbucks or food! Once they open the rest of the park, it’s pretty cool to be one of the first ones in! Also, the lines aren’t long yet. Yay!
2. Buy a park hopper ticket
This option is a little more expensive but there are so many awesome things to do and see in both Disneyland and California Adventure. I personally like being able to hop from one park to the other throughout the day. I would say if you’re into more thrilling rides to definitely check out California Adventure, they have the Incredicoaster and Guardians of the Galaxy: Mission Breakout. There’s also great food and other rides to check out!
3. Bring a refillable water bottle
It doesn’t matter what time of the year you go to Disneyland, you need to stay hydrated! I suggest bringing a refillable water bottle with you to the park. I like to bring my Yeti since it keeps the water nice and cold for a long period of time. They won’t fill your water bottle at the restaurants throughout the park, but you can ask for free water cups and pour it into the bottle yourself. I usually ask for a few water cups (2-4).
4. Bring snacks
Of all 15 Disneyland tips and tricks, this tip will help you save the most money! When you’re in Disneyland, it is sooo tempting to buy all the food! Don’t get me wrong, I always indulge while at Disneyland because why not?! But, I like to bring in some snacks that are in small packages or that I put into storage bags. These are great to munch on when waiting in line as well.
5. Download the app
I highly suggest at least one person in your group download the Disneyland app. This little application comes in very handy! The app contains a map of the park and keeps you updated in real time on the wait times of all the rides. This is great to plan and strategize what you’re going to do next.
You can also use the app to create a mobile order at most of the restaurants in the park. This is nice, because you won’t have to wait as long to get your food. The best part of the app, in my opinion, is that you can connect your tickets to it and use your phone to scan each time you go into the park. It also allows you to use the Max Pass and Fast Passes, which I will talk more about later.
6. Max Pass
Max Pass is awesome! I definitely suggest paying for this in the Disneyland app, or you can include this feature when you buy your ticket and save a little money. Of all 15 Disneyland Tips and Tricks, the Max Pass is totally the most worth paying for (in my opinion). The Max Pass is linked to each ticket, so you will need to purchase it separately for each person in your party. With this you can get any Fast Pass right on your phone, instead of having to physically walk to the ride and get one that way. This comes in handy when you’re in Disneyland and want to get a Fast Pass for a ride in California Adventure!
Also, there are cast members all around the park with professional cameras offering to take your picture. If you have a Max Pass, you are able to download all of those photos to save! You are also able to download any picture that is taken of you on a ride. These are some of the best pictures! Just remember to get the number off of your picture after you get off the ride, then you’ll have it right on your phone!
7. Utilize Fast Passes
Using a Fast Pass is a great way to skip the regular line and get onto the rides so much quicker! Utilize your Fast Pass with your Max Pass so you can ride what you want and not have to wait in long lines each time.
What we like to do is see what times are available for a Fast Pass. A lot of times they are available within an hour. Once you scan your Fast Pass and get into line for the ride you’re able to get another Fast Pass for a different ride. We strategize this way to ride the rides that we want and not have to wait in long lines each time! Hopefully that makes sense because it’s totally awesome and has helped us so much on our Disneyland trips!
8. Food!
There are so many different foods to try in the park! My favorite treats to get are the beignets in New Orleans Square, a Dole Whip, corn on the cob from Frontier Land, fresh made candy from Pooh’s Corner in Critter Country, churros, any ice cream, and the blue milk from Galaxy’s Edge. There are so many others, I would suggest trying whatever catches your eye! So many yummy options!
9. Get a good spot to watch the fireworks
The fireworks show is really spectacular and definitely worth seeing! Crowds for the fireworks show and parades start to accumulate hours before the actual show begins. If you want a spot by the castle, I would suggest getting there an hour or two before the show and save your spots. This is a good time to eat some food, play games, and relax. The show still looks really good from Main Street! So, if you’re not wanting to wait around for hours to save a spot to see the show, you can definitely get a spot among Main Street right before it starts. They incorporate the show along Main Street, so there’s really not a bad place to see it!
10. Rides and attractions to go to when it’s hot or you’re tired
Walking around the park all day can be tiresome, especially when it’s hot! There are so many fun things you can do to sit down, relax, and have a good time.
First there’s the Enchanted Tiki Room. This is an animatronic show located right next to where you get a Dole Whip. It’s great to get your Dole Whip and then eat it while watching the show!
Second there’s Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln located on Main Street. This is a show set up in a theater that’s nice and air conditioned, plus it has comfy seats! It’s educational and fun to watch as well.
One of my favorite things to do to cool off is over in California Adventure. This is called the Animation Academy. This also takes place in a theater like room where a Disney animator teaches you how to draw a Disney character. Every time I have gone it’s a different character! It’s so fun!
There are also two different river boats that you can get on at Disneyland. They are the Columbia and Mark Twain River Boat. The Columbia is pretty cool, because it’s a pirate ship, and you can even go below deck to check out what a pirate’s living quarters may have looked like. But, if you would like a little more relaxation, I would suggest going on the Mark Twain River Boat. The Mark Twain has places to sit, and there are also different things around the boat you can look at. You can also go to different floors of the boat, so its never really too crowded. This is also great to do when you just bought a snack or drink. You can eat on the boat, and watch the amazing scenery!
11. Ride the old firetruck
There are a few trucks, trolleys, and buses that drive from the front of the park down to the castle. I skipped out on riding these for years, thinking it would be faster to just walk. It is so fun to ride these! The cast members who are driving are always so nice and they teach you a little history about Disneyland you may not have known before! I personally like riding on the old firetruck. There’s a firetruck that Walt Disney himself would drive around that’s still in operation today! It’s pretty cool to check out, plus it’s fun to ring the bell!
12. Look for hidden Mickey’s
You may have heard of this one before, but there are hidden Mickey’s all throughout the park! It’s fun to look and try to find them. The ones that I have found are pretty discreet and easy to miss. This is another fun thing to do while waiting in line!
13. Check out Galaxy’s Edge, the newest addition to the park
Definitely check out Galaxy’s Edge, it’s awesome! You really feel like you’re on another planet. One of the cool things about this new land is that the cast members act like you’re actually on another planet. It can get a little intense if you run into Kylo Ren or Storm Troopers! That’s part of what makes the experience so great!
It’s awesome to just walk around and look at all the different structures and check out the stores. You can also build your own droid and light saber there! The food and snacks in this land are also really good, they may look a little weird, but they are good! Also, definitely check out the ride on the Millennium Falcon. It’s an interactive ride which makes it so fun! Plus, the line goes by really quickly!
14. Attractions to check out at night
Cars Land in California Adventure is like an entirely different place at night! It’s so fun to walk around and ride the rides at night! Galaxy’s Edge is also really cool to check out at night. One of my personal favorite rides at night is the teacups. The lanterns above the ride look so awesome at night and make the ride a totally new experience! The castle looks pretty cool as well!
15. Have fun!
The most important of the 15 Disneyland tips and tricks is to have fun! I wouldn’t stick to a “plan” per se, I would suggest doing what you want when you want. As you walk around the park, you will probably see something that sparks your interest. Check it out and make the most of your time there!
Woohoo! You made it to the end!
I hope you found this list of 15 Disneyland tips and tricks helpful! When you’re planning to go to the “Happiest Place on Earth”, remember to have fun! Try not to get too overwhelmed by all the different things that you can do. Once you’re there, just do whatever catches your eye! Once you walk into Disneyland, it’s like you’re leaving the real world behind and it’s soo fun!
Until next time!
ps. Be sure to check out these other travel posts!
*Pixar Pier Photo by Brandi Ibrao on Unsplash
