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Disneyland Planning Guide

Entering the Parks:

  • You MUST have your ticket and a park reservation for each day you wish to enter the parks. If you'd like to visit more than one park in the same day, you must also have the park hopper option added to your tickets.

  • If you have a package with hotel and tickets, 4 days before your arrival date, your e Travel package will be available to view on your Disneyland account. To link your tickets, you go into the e-package, click print tickets and scan the barcodes into the app on your phone. You can scan the tickets into more than one person's account so they are linked with everyone you are traveling with. Make sure the tickets are linked prior to your check-in day.

  • PLEASE let me know if you have any questions or are unable to access your tickets.

  • Everything you need to navigate your day is found on the Disneyland app. Please download this app and familiarize yourself with it prior to coming to the parks. I should have linked everything you need to the app for you. If you do not see something, please let me know.

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Once in Anaheim:

  • Once you’ve checked into your hotel, I can no longer call Disney to discuss your reservation on your behalf

  • Any significant issues that might pop up during your resort stay or in the parks will require you to speak with a Cast Member directly.

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Lightning Lane Multi-Pass and Single Pass in Disneyland:​

  • Multi-Pass can be added to your tickets prior to arrival. Please let me know ASAP if you would like this added. It is $30 per day and includes the ride reservation system plus your photo pass.

  • You can make your first selection once you scan into the park. Everyone who you'd like to include in the selection must be signed in. I recommend waiting until closer to 10am to make your first selection as most lines in the park are not long in the morning and you can only use genie+ once per ride.

  • Here are my recommended first rides based on how quickly they book.

    •  Disneyland - Indiana Jones, Space Mountain, Smuggler's Run

    • California Adventure - Guardians of the Galaxy, Incredicoaster, Midway Mania

  • Once you check into your ride, you can make another. If you booked a ride later in the day, you have to wait 2 hours from booking (or 2 hours from park opening) and then can book another one (set an alarm so you remember to book another one) The app will have the time you can book one next on the top of the tip board. I recommend checking every time you scan into a ride.​​

  • Single Pass

    • Each park has 1 ride that is not included with Multi-Pass (Rise of the Resistance for Disneyland and Radiator Springs Racers for California Adventure) that you can pay to ride individually. You do not need to purchase Multi-Pass to purchase the individual rides. You can purchase once you scan into the park. 

    • Is it worth it? These can be a good use of time and money but be selective about it. The pricing varies by day and will likely be more expensive Friday-Sunday.  If you can get to the park early in the morning, you can likely ride these with little to no wait. If you are going during a busy time, I would plan on purchasing them.

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Disneyland Recommendations:

  • This park is typically open from 8am to midnight. Check the app the night before to confirm. It will close early for special events.

  • Early entry for guests staying at Grand Californian, Disneyland Hotel, and Pixar Place is Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday. It is 30 minutes prior to park open. Select rides and food is open in Fantasyland and Tomorrowland are available. See the full list here.

  • Popular rides:

    • Thrill rides: Space Mountain, Rise of the Resistance, Big Thunder Mountain​

    • ​Calmer rides: Peter Pan's Flight, Jungle Cruise, Haunted Mansion, Mickey and Minnie's Runaway Railway​

  • Rides to avoid for motion sickness: Roger Rabbit Cartoon Spin

  • Seated Dining recommendations:

    • Plaza Inn Breakfast - Character experience​

    • Cafe Orleans

    • River Belle Terrace

  • Quick Service Recommendations:

    • Bengal Barbeque​

    • Tiana's Place

    • Docking Bay 7

  • Evening Entertainment:

    • Fireworks do not happen every night so check the schedule. There will at least be nightly projections, normally at 9:30. Check the app for the daily schedule. There is a dining experience for this, Tomorrowland Terrace, but you will not be able to see the Castle.​

    • Fantasmic! has returned (May 24, 2024). Check the app for nightly times. I highly recommend doing a dining package for this.

  • Don't miss the parade. It happens twice daily. Check the app for times.

  • There are rides with single rider option. If you do the single rider, you will be split up and all children must be at least 7 years old. The rides with single rider are: Smuggler's Run, Matterhorn, Space Mountain

  • Rider swap is available for families with members who do not wish to ride an attraction. Please find a cast member to assist.

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California Adventure Recommendations:

  • This park is typically open from 8am to 10pm. Check the app the night before to confirm. It will close early for special events.

  • Early entry for guests staying at Grand Californian, Disneyland Hotel, and Pixar Place is Sunday, Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. It is 30 minutes prior to park open. Select rides and food is open throughout the park. See the full list here.

  • Popular rides:

    • Thrill rides: Guardians of the Galaxy and Incredicoaster​

    • ​Calmer rides: Soarin', Radiator Springs Racers, Toy Story Midway Mania​, Webslingers

    • Rides to avoid for motion sickness: Mater's Jamboree, Goofy's Sky School

  • ​Seated Dining recommendations:

    • Lamplight Lounge​

    • ​Carthay Circle​

  • ​Quick Service Recommendations:

    • Lucky Fortune​

    • Paradise Grill

    • Smoke Jumpers

  • ​Evening Entertainment: World of Color happens nightly. Check the app for times. There is a virtual queue for standing room viewing areas that is available at noon. You must have scanned into the park to join.

  • ​There are rides with single rider option. If you do the single rider, you will be split up and all children must be at least 7 years old. The rides with single rider are: Goofy's Sky School, Incredicoaster, Soarin', Webslingers, Grizzly River Run, Radiator Racers

  • Rider swap is available for families with members who do not wish to ride an attraction. Please find a cast member to assist.

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