How to Conquer Disneyland Like a Boss
Guest Post by Mackenzie
Anyone who has gone to Disneyland recently, or at least looked at the prices, knows that it’s no longer the same as its original admission price of $1 in 1955. And far too often, people finally get the chance to go on their vacation, but they don’t know how to get the most of their day at the parks! Being a Disney Cast Member myself, I’ve decided to lay out all my pro tips for conquering both parks in 1 day. It might take some planning, but hopefully, these ideas can help you and your family maximize your time (and money) in the Happiest Place on Earth.
Download the Disneyland App
There are all sorts of benefits of the Disneyland App. Wait times, show listings, park maps, restaurant menus and so much more. Buying tickets on the app allows for the easiest park admission.
***DON’T FORGET YOUR PORTABLE CHARGER!!! You can always go charge your phone at the few outlets hidden around the park (at your own risk, they’re sometimes extremely high voltage outlets), or purchase a renewable portable charger from the park!
Buy tickets Online (or even better, on the App)
It always confuses me why more people don’t do this. By skipping the long ticket booth line, you can hop straight through to the main entrance gate. Easy!
Choose Non-Peak Dates
You would be surprised how long it takes to get on Space Mountain during holidays or Peak Season Days. Before planning your trip, try and plan for a weekday visit or at least a day that is not during the peak season. This information can be found on the Disneyland website. That being said, also make sure that you look up park hours ahead of time. During the school year, the park will sometimes close as much as 4 hours earlier than summer nights. The key is to try and find days with longer hours, but may not be as crowded (like Tuesdays or Wednesdays in the Summer). So be prepared!
Understand Magic Mornings and Early Magic Hours
In short, both of these benefits are ways to get into the park before anyone else. To find out more about how to receive these perks, click here. Disneyland mornings are Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays. California Adventure mornings are Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, and Sundays.
BUT HERE’S THE CATCH: Even if you are not eligible to participate in either of these benefits, these dates still affect you. If you have a regular park hopper ticket, make sure you attend whichever park is not holding the extra hours that day. (For example, if you go to the park on a Saturday, make sure you go to California Adventure FIRST, because there will already be guests and long lines in Disneyland due to Magic Morning.
If you don’t mind splurging on a hotel, then consider staying on property
Disneyland hype can be exhausting. If you have children (or just adults who might want a nap), the park-accessible entrances of the Grand Californian will allow you to enjoy the day without being sleep-deprived.
If you can’t afford staying on-property, stay near it! It might make it slightly less convenient to leave the park midday, but if you’re at a hotel close enough, you can usually take advantage of the bus shuttles (to avoid crazy expensive parking structures). If all else fails, consider an Airbnb.
Get. The. MaxPass.
Last summer, the MaxPass completely changed the waiting game when it comes to standing in long lines. The optional add-on service costs $10 per day per person and is the ultimate way to maximize your park time. Basically, you can now make FastPass reservations with your smartphone. So the days of designating a runner to take all the tickets to each ride every time one becomes available are over. It not only saves time and energy for FastPass planning, but it also allows for a much more visual way of scheduling your day.
If you’re still confused as to how this works, let me give you this example: You buy your ticket online and purchase the MaxPass, along with everyone else in your party. Right when you walk through the Disneyland gates, you decide that you want to get a FastPass for the new Guardian’s of the Galaxy ride, which is across the way in the other park. Here’s what you do. Start walking to another ride that you want to go on, like Indiana Jones. Scan all the tickets on one person’s phone, creating a FastPass party. That person can then check FastPass return times from their app, reserve FastPasses, and scan them all in upon arrival. So by the time you’re done waiting in line for your first ride, you can start heading over to the Guardian’s ride (which by that time will likely have over an hour wait time). Cool, right? (Bonus: Remember the days of purchasing individual ride photos for $15+ each? Not anymore. One huge benefit of the MaxPass is that not only are ALL park photos included, but they are all downloaded to your phone through the app immediately!)
To find out more about MaxPass, click here!
COFFEE!
Amusement parks are draining, and I know that I need coffee at least twice every time I go to the park. Everyone who drinks Starbucks knows about the wonderful option to order ahead and skip the line through the app. But for some reason, people forget this lovely trick at Disneyland and end up waiting 20 minutes for coffee. Nope! Order ahead at the Downtown Disney location (literally a 5 minute walk from either park) using the Starbucks app and spend those 20 minutes watching a parade. (Pro tip: if you’re riding the shuttle from the parking garage, you can order your morning coffee as you step on the tram, and it will drop you off right by the Downtown Disney Starbucks just in time to pick up your drink!)
Bring your own snacks
Another thing that people always say about Disneyland is that you end up spending way too much money on food and water. While yes, this is sometimes the case, people tend to forget that you can bring ANY outside food into the park (just no glass). So why not pack a picnic, leave it in a locker for the day, and only indulge on park special snacks (like churros, ice cream, etc.). Not only will this save you lots of money, but lots of time too! For a list of what’s not permitted, click here!
Sit and Eat during off-peak hours of the day
Between the hours of 10-noon and 3-5, the lines will be shorter and there will be more places to sit and eat. (My personal fave is the Tri-Tip (or Lobster) Nachos at Lamplight Lounge with a themed Cocktail… YUM!)
Prioritize your Rides and Attractions
While you may not be able to get on every ride or see every show in one day, it is definitely possible to hit everything on a person’s list with some planning. I use a 1-day park hopper every time I attend a park, and always finish my list before dinner. The unpopular yet most effective tip to consider: Choose FastPasses with the shortest wait time to ensure you can get the next one quickly. By doing this, you can plan to get multiple passes at a time, sometimes every 30 minutes! For more information about using your MaxPass, click here!
Consider buying Souvenirs ahead of time online or at during the last hour of the day
When the park closes, there is an extra hour before the stores close on Main Street. Instead of wasting precious park time during the day, opt for shopping on your way out. (Another tip: My favorite place to get the best themed Disney merch is BoxLunch, check it out!)
Grab a physical FastPass for World of Color or Fantasmic
By doing this, you’ll be able to get preferred seating for the best shows in the park (which also means you’ll be able to probably sit and enjoy them— giving your feet a much-needed break). But be ready, these fast passes go quick! You’ll have to reserve them in-person before (around) 2pm (even if you have a MaxPass, you need to get a physical ticket at the FastPass distribution center).
Be in line for a ride when the park closes
They won’t kick you out of line, so no matter how late it may be or how long the wait is, you’ll be guaranteed one last ride!
Enjoy your day!
If you can’t get on an attraction, or happen to be waiting around a lot, don’t let it ruin your day! There are all sorts of magical things to do that do not involve waiting around in lines. Check out the Sorcerer’s Workshop in Hollywood Land, Mickey and the Magical Map in Fantasyland, Character Meet and Greets all over, or even just people watching! Memories are made all over the Happiest Place on Earth, so be open to trying new things and making the most out of your visit!
Thanks so much to Mackenzie for this guest post. Give her a follow here and check out another great Disney blog post here!
How to Conquer Disneyland Like a Boss
Guest Post by Mackenzie
Anyone who has gone to Disneyland recently, or at least looked at the prices, knows that it’s no longer the same as its original admission price of $1 in 1955. And far too often, people finally get the chance to go on their vacation, but they don’t know how to get the most of their day at the parks! Being a Disney Cast Member myself, I’ve decided to lay out all my pro tips for conquering both parks in 1 day. It might take some planning, but hopefully, these ideas can help you and your family maximize your time (and money) in the Happiest Place on Earth.
Download the Disneyland App
There are all sorts of benefits of the Disneyland App. Wait times, show listings, park maps, restaurant menus and so much more. Buying tickets on the app allows for the easiest park admission.
***DON’T FORGET YOUR PORTABLE CHARGER!!! You can always go charge your phone at the few outlets hidden around the park (at your own risk, they’re sometimes extremely high voltage outlets), or purchase a renewable portable charger from the park!
Buy tickets Online (or even better, on the App)
It always confuses me why more people don’t do this. By skipping the long ticket booth line, you can hop straight through to the main entrance gate. Easy!
Choose Non-Peak Dates
You would be surprised how long it takes to get on Space Mountain during holidays or Peak Season Days. Before planning your trip, try and plan for a weekday visit or at least a day that is not during the peak season. This information can be found on the Disneyland website. That being said, also make sure that you look up park hours ahead of time. During the school year, the park will sometimes close as much as 4 hours earlier than summer nights. The key is to try and find days with longer hours, but may not be as crowded (like Tuesdays or Wednesdays in the Summer). So be prepared!
Understand Magic Mornings and Early Magic Hours
In short, both of these benefits are ways to get into the park before anyone else. To find out more about how to receive these perks, click here. Disneyland mornings are Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays. California Adventure mornings are Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, and Sundays.
BUT HERE’S THE CATCH: Even if you are not eligible to participate in either of these benefits, these dates still affect you. If you have a regular park hopper ticket, make sure you attend whichever park is not holding the extra hours that day. (For example, if you go to the park on a Saturday, make sure you go to California Adventure FIRST, because there will already be guests and long lines in Disneyland due to Magic Morning.
If you don’t mind splurging on a hotel, then consider staying on property
Disneyland hype can be exhausting. If you have children (or just adults who might want a nap), the park-accessible entrances of the Grand Californian will allow you to enjoy the day without being sleep-deprived.
If you can’t afford staying on-property, stay near it! It might make it slightly less convenient to leave the park midday, but if you’re at a hotel close enough, you can usually take advantage of the bus shuttles (to avoid crazy expensive parking structures). If all else fails, consider an Airbnb.
Get. The. MaxPass.
Last summer, the MaxPass completely changed the waiting game when it comes to standing in long lines. The optional add-on service costs $10 per day per person and is the ultimate way to maximize your park time. Basically, you can now make FastPass reservations with your smartphone. So the days of designating a runner to take all the tickets to each ride every time one becomes available are over. It not only saves time and energy for FastPass planning, but it also allows for a much more visual way of scheduling your day.
If you’re still confused as to how this works, let me give you this example: You buy your ticket online and purchase the MaxPass, along with everyone else in your party. Right when you walk through the Disneyland gates, you decide that you want to get a FastPass for the new Guardian’s of the Galaxy ride, which is across the way in the other park. Here’s what you do. Start walking to another ride that you want to go on, like Indiana Jones. Scan all the tickets on one person’s phone, creating a FastPass party. That person can then check FastPass return times from their app, reserve FastPasses, and scan them all in upon arrival. So by the time you’re done waiting in line for your first ride, you can start heading over to the Guardian’s ride (which by that time will likely have over an hour wait time). Cool, right? (Bonus: Remember the days of purchasing individual ride photos for $15+ each? Not anymore. One huge benefit of the MaxPass is that not only are ALL park photos included, but they are all downloaded to your phone through the app immediately!)
To find out more about MaxPass, click here!
COFFEE!
Amusement parks are draining, and I know that I need coffee at least twice every time I go to the park. Everyone who drinks Starbucks knows about the wonderful option to order ahead and skip the line through the app. But for some reason, people forget this lovely trick at Disneyland and end up waiting 20 minutes for coffee. Nope! Order ahead at the Downtown Disney location (literally a 5 minute walk from either park) using the Starbucks app and spend those 20 minutes watching a parade. (Pro tip: if you’re riding the shuttle from the parking garage, you can order your morning coffee as you step on the tram, and it will drop you off right by the Downtown Disney Starbucks just in time to pick up your drink!)
Bring your own snacks
Another thing that people always say about Disneyland is that you end up spending way too much money on food and water. While yes, this is sometimes the case, people tend to forget that you can bring ANY outside food into the park (just no glass). So why not pack a picnic, leave it in a locker for the day, and only indulge on park special snacks (like churros, ice cream, etc.). Not only will this save you lots of money, but lots of time too! For a list of what’s not permitted, click here!
Sit and Eat during off-peak hours of the day
Between the hours of 10-noon and 3-5, the lines will be shorter and there will be more places to sit and eat. (My personal fave is the Tri-Tip (or Lobster) Nachos at Lamplight Lounge with a themed Cocktail… YUM!)
Prioritize your Rides and Attractions
While you may not be able to get on every ride or see every show in one day, it is definitely possible to hit everything on a person’s list with some planning. I use a 1-day park hopper every time I attend a park, and always finish my list before dinner. The unpopular yet most effective tip to consider: Choose FastPasses with the shortest wait time to ensure you can get the next one quickly. By doing this, you can plan to get multiple passes at a time, sometimes every 30 minutes! For more information about using your MaxPass, click here!
Consider buying Souvenirs ahead of time online or at during the last hour of the day
When the park closes, there is an extra hour before the stores close on Main Street. Instead of wasting precious park time during the day, opt for shopping on your way out. (Another tip: My favorite place to get the best themed Disney merch is BoxLunch, check it out!)
Grab a physical FastPass for World of Color or Fantasmic
By doing this, you’ll be able to get preferred seating for the best shows in the park (which also means you’ll be able to probably sit and enjoy them— giving your feet a much-needed break). But be ready, these fast passes go quick! You’ll have to reserve them in-person before (around) 2pm (even if you have a MaxPass, you need to get a physical ticket at the FastPass distribution center).
Be in line for a ride when the park closes
They won’t kick you out of line, so no matter how late it may be or how long the wait is, you’ll be guaranteed one last ride!
Enjoy your day!
If you can’t get on an attraction, or happen to be waiting around a lot, don’t let it ruin your day! There are all sorts of magical things to do that do not involve waiting around in lines. Check out the Sorcerer’s Workshop in Hollywood Land, Mickey and the Magical Map in Fantasyland, Character Meet and Greets all over, or even just people watching! Memories are made all over the Happiest Place on Earth, so be open to trying new things and making the most out of your visit!
Thanks so much to Mackenzie for this guest post. Give her a follow here and check out another great Disney blog post here!
