When I first visited the Disneyland Resort at 16 years old, I just showed up with my family without any sort of planning and had a fabulous time! Now, I travel to the parks several times a year and plan each day almost down to the hour. I fully admit I am an OVER planner. I rather enjoy planning all the details of every trip and I have found that planning ahead really helps my family navigate the parks efficiently. But if you find planning a Disneyland Resort vacation intimidating, I will map it out for you in just five steps.
1. Choose Your Dates
First and foremost, find a time that works best for you and your family and ignore anything you read about “slow” times at the parks. Lots of blogs and websites will tell you certain times of the year are the "off season" and you can enjoy low crowds. Well, this may have been true several years ago, but now the parks are busy all year round and during certain times of the year the parks are CRAZY busy. Your best bet is to plan for a time that coordinates well with any work or school schedules that may affect your family. Then plan ahead, manage your expectations of crowds, and build your strategy.
So about those CRAZY busy times…The Holidays (November through December), specifically the week between Christmas and New Year’s, is a super busy time to visit. Occasionally, the parks even reach capacity during this time of year. Spring Break (basically March through April) is usually pretty dang busy and the summer months can be really busy too. Also, if there are any special events at the parks, those can draw big crowds. Finally, if you plan to visit this summer, be prepared for crowds of epic proportions as Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge will open on May 31st.
2. Choose Your Hotel
There are three Disney-owned hotels on-site. I have stayed at all three and can honestly say that they are all fabulous! The Disneyland Resort Hotels are within walking distance to the parks and the Downtown Disney District, each is exquisitely themed, they offer tasty dining options, and have really fun pools. They also happen to be quite expensive. Disney’s Paradise Pier Hotel is the least expensive of the three, but can still put a dent in your wallet. Luckily, there are oodles of Good Neighbor Hotels that are also within walking distance to the parks and can be lovely places to stay. Be sure to check the Offers & Discounts page for vacation package deals or look into the packages offered by Costco or through travel agents.
Here is a video I hosted for Disney all about the Disneyland Resort Hotels:
3. Get Yourself to Anaheim, CA
If you are flying, check for flights in and out of Orange County/John Wayne Airport (SNA). This is the closest airport to the Disneyland Resort and an absolute delight to fly in and out of. It is a small, regional airport which means you can get off your plane, grab your luggage from baggage claim, and be on your way to the Disneyland Resort within 20 minutes. Seriously. It’s amazing.
Getting from the airport to the parks can be a challenge if you are traveling with young children that require car seats. If you don’t want to lug your car seats on the plane, consider the Disneyland Resort Express bus. Car seats are not required or needed on the bus and it will pick you up from the airport and drop you off at select hotels near the Disneyland Resort. This service is run by a third-party company and there is a fee to ride (make your reservations online in advance). You will want to check the schedule to ensure that the bus times match up with your flight times.
If you have slightly older children, take a Lyft, Uber, or Taxi from the airport to the parks. These will get you there much faster than the bus and could be cheaper as well. If you plan to stay within walking distance from the parks and don’t intend on visiting any other area destinations (Knott’s Berry Farm, Lego Land, etc.) then you do not need a car. You will have to pay to park at your hotel and at the parks so I recommend going car free.
4. Purchase Tickets
Always buy your tickets in advance. I am constantly amazed at the long ticket booth lines when you can buy your tickets online or on the Disneyland app and head straight to the park gates to enjoy your day of fun. I also suggest purchasing Park Hopper tickets. Disneyland Park and Disney California Adventure Park are literally right across from each other and it takes less than a minute to hop from one park to another. We usually park hop at least once every day of our trip. It allows us to keep our plans somewhat flexible if one park gets too busy or if we want to enjoy one park during the day, but have dinner in the other park that night.
Another thing I 100 percent recommend is adding Disney MaxPass to your tickets for an extra fee per ticket per day. MaxPass allows you to select and redeem FASTPASSES on your mobile device. FASTPASSES provide a return time window so you can skip most of the queue on several attractions at both parks. The traditional FASTPASS service is included with your park admission, but requires you to visit physical FASTPASS distribution kiosks to obtain each FASTPASS. MaxPass eliminates the time and stress on your feet it takes to walk to those kiosks. Plus, with MaxPass, you get access to all the PhotoPass photos you have taken during your trip.
This video explains Disney MaxPass, Mobile Order, and Play Disney Parks:
5. Start Planning Your Daily Schedules
Think about at which park you want to start each day and which attractions are “must dos” for your family. Also, consider where you want to eat. There are numerous places to get a tasty meal at the parks. There are quick service options where anyone can walk up and order (pro tip: use Mobile Order on the Disneyland app to skip the line at quick service restaurants) and table service restaurants which require advance reservations. Dining reservations can be made up to 60 days in advance and I highly recommend making reservations as soon as you are able. This allows you to get your desired dining time and some restaurants, like character dining options, will have very little availability after the 60-day mark.
Once operating hours are released for your travel dates (the calendar is populated about 30-45 days in advance), plan to start your days as early as possible. While the parks are busy every day of the year, they are least busy first thing in the morning. You will also want to check the list of attractions under refurbishment during your trip so you can manage expectations.
Finally, study maps of the parks online or on the Disneyland app to get a feel for how to navigate. Also, familiarize yourself with app before your trip. Poke around so you know where to find character meeting schedules, attraction wait times, PhotoPass photographer locations, and so much more before you arrive at the parks. The app will be your best tool for navigating efficiently.
6. Show Up and Have a Magical Time!
Ok, ok, I know I said 5 steps, but once the planning is done, it’s time for fun! The Happiest Place on Earth isn’t just a cute marketing slogan (ok, it is, but…), it really is a magical place where you and your family can make many happy memories that will last a lifetime. Have a fantastic trip!
Linda was a member of the 2017 and 2018 Disney Parks Moms Panel as a Disneyland Resort Specialist. The views expressed in this article are Linda’s alone and do not reflect the opinions of Walt Disney Parks and Resorts Online, its affiliates, its management, its agents or its employees and have not been reviewed or approved by Walt Disney Parks and Resorts Online prior to posting.