My 21 Best Tips to Plan a Disneyland Trip (For First Timers)

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​Disneyland park is one of the most visited theme parks in the world for good reason. It's Walt Disney's original park and is, in fact, the only Disney theme park he ever stepped foot in. That, alone, makes it a special place.

With some of the most popular rides in the world, food with creative flare, special events, Disney hotels, Disney California Adventure park and more, a Disneyland vacation is a good time for all, especially for those who have never been.

If it's your first visit (or if you haven't been there in a while), there's a lot to know. In this post, I'm going to present twenty-one of my best tips to help make your Disneyland trip a success. I'll discuss everything from Disneyland Resort hotels, how to avoid long wait times, special events, booking a vacation package, parking tips and much more.

1) Check the Reservation Calendar

Reservations became a thing at Disneyland in the post-Covid era. Initially, it was meant to control attendance but these days, it's simply another way for Disney execs to collect data. Whether we like it or not, the reservation policy is here to stay.

This means that no matter if you're a regular ticket holder or Magic Key holder, you're beholden to the reservation calendar. You cannot, under most circumstances, go to the park without one. Most people make a reservation when purchasing their tickets, but some don't.

Make sure you're not one of those. Research the reservation calendar and compare it to your desired dates. They're much easier to come by now than they used to be, but the possibility of available reservations being sold out still exists. Make yours ASAP.

2) Know Disneyland’s Busy Days

Being able to predict crowd patterns in the post-Covid era isn't as easy as it used to be, but there are still certain dates and timeframes that you can still set your watch to. Busy days can put a damper on the Disney experience as they often result in long lines and shoulder-to-shoulder crowds.

​That said, a busy day at Disneyland is still better than no day at Disneyland at all. However, if you can avoid it, I recommend not visiting during most holidays, common three-day weekends, certain events and the like. You can see exact dates in my post here.

3) Picnic Outside the Gates to Save Money

This is one of the classic Disneyland hacks that, amazingly, many people are still unaware of. To the left of the Disneyland gates, behind privacy walls, is a space where guests can enjoy a family picnic or simply escape from the crowds for a bit.

Disneyland is one of few theme parks that allow you to bring your own food into the park (within reason). You can always eat your food inside the parks if you want, but this a great place to relax and unwind. Best of all, the Monorail glides above you at regular intervals.

4) Download and Use the Disneyland App

The Disneyland app has become an essential tool for a day at the parks. Normally, I would suggest staying off of your phone and being in the moment but you would be at a severe disadvantage if you did.

​The truth is, there are several time-saving features in the Disneyland app that'll make your day so much easier. A few examples include ordering meals through the mobile order feature, paying for merchandise and checking attraction wait times.

​Not to mention the Lightning Lane Multi Pass service. You can't use it at all without the app. So if you want to avoid long lines at the most popular attractions, such as Haunted Mansion and Space Mountain, download and familiarize yourself with the app prior to your trip.

5) Go for Multiple Days (Three is Good)

With 53 attractions between Disneyland and Disney California Adventure park (not including other exhibits and shows) there is so much to do and see. While you won't need as much time as you would at Walt Disney World, I definitely suggest staying for multiple days.

For my wife and I, the magic number is three days. Currently, DCA is barely a one-day park (at least until the current expansion is finished), but Disneyland park deserves a minimum of two days to fully take in what it has to offer.

Additionally, you could opt for the park hopper ticket to spend your time evenly between the two parks. Four days also works, though five would be overkill, in my opinion. One day is definitely isn’t sufficient but if that's all the time you have, see my tips for spending one day at Disneyland here.

6) Research Good Neighbor Hotels

The Disneyland Resort features three Disney-owned hotels - Pixar Place Hotel, Disneyland Hotel, and the Grand Californian Hotel and Spa. They're all great at keeping you within that "Disney bubble" when your park day is over, but the caveat to that is they're expensive. Prohibitively so for some.

The good news is there are a plethora of solid hotels within walking distance of Disneyland (Good Neighbor Hotels), many of which are minutes from the main park entrance. Additionally, nearly all of them are far more affordable than their Disney counterparts and many offer equal, or superior, amenities.

If you're planning to book a vacation package through Disney directly or through the Get Away Today agency (my recommendation), you can book one of several Good Neighbor hotels through either. Alternatively, you can search through reputable third-party sites such as Expedia (my go-to for hotels).

You can read reviews of two of my preferred Good Neighbor hotels, Hotel Indigo Anaheim and Four Points by Sheraton, at their respective links.

7) Consider Special Events

Attending special events at Disneyland is a great way to experience the parks in unique fashion. Some come at an additional cost, such as Oogie Boogie Bash and Stars Wars Night but others, like the Food and Wine Festival, are included with your regular park ticket.

After dark events, which include the aforementioned Star Wars Night, occur at Disneyland park after regular park hours through winter and spring and are separate ticketed events. Other themes include Pride Night, Disney Channel Night, 90's Night and Sweethearts Night.

Oogie Boogie Bash, the resort's annual Halloween party, occurs on select nights in August, September and October at DCA. This is also a separate ticket event but you do get early entry into the park at 3pm, which is three hours prior to the start of the event (see my 15 Oogie Boogie Bash tips here).

The California Food and Wine Festival is held in DCA, typically from March through late April. You can enjoy the event's festivities with your park ticket and purchase special food offerings. In 2024, Disney celebrated Pixar Fest starting in May and continued throughout summer. No word on if it'll happen in 2026, though (it didn't in 2025).

8) Don’t Fear Quick Service Restaurants

The days of Disney only serving up standard theme park fare are long gone. Over the years, they've done a bang-up job bringing high quality, delicious meals to the parks. Yes, there are still a few substandard spots remaining (looking at you, Pizza Planet) but many are solid options.

One of my personal favorites, Bengal BBQ, serves up a variety of tasty (albeit dry, at times) grilled meat kabobs. Down the way at Tiana's Palace is where you'll find some of the best quick service food at any Disney park (gumbo...get the gumbo). These are both at Disneyland park.

In Disney California Adventure park, Lucky Fortune Cookery serves up an amazing birria ramen dish (one of a few delicious birria dishes at Disneyland Resort) and Cocina Cucamonga Grill offers an array of solid Mexican dishes.

9) Purchase Lightning Lane for Faster Ride Access

Some folks visit Disneyland for the vibes and some visit for the rides. If you're in the latter company and you're visiting for the first time, I suggest springing for the Lightning Lane up-charge. If you're unaware, Lightning Lane enables you to bypass the stand-by queue at select attractions, ensuring faster access.

While Lightning Lane isn't perfect (boy do I miss FastPass), it can definitely be a significant time saver and allow you to knock out most, if not all, attractions between the two parks. This is especially true if you're visiting during a particularly busy time or only have one day to spend.

​I've written extensively about Lightning Lane in a previous post that you can read here. The post details the three tiers of the service, what's included, how to use it, cost, and more. If Lightning Lane is something you'd be interested in, I recommend giving it a read.

10) Know Where the Baby Centers Are

If you’ll be traveling with infants and toddlers, you’ll appreciate the baby care centers in the park as they offer a variety of amenities for parents. In addition to the baby care centers, you’ll find diaper changing stations in most restrooms throughout the resort.

In the care centers, you’ll find:

• Nursing room with chairs

• Changing room with tables

• Toddler-sized toilets

• Feeding area with highchairs

• Kitchen with sink, bottle warmers and microwave

• Vending machine offering formula, baby food, juice, diapers, wipes, sunscreen, pacifiers, and over-the-counter medication

There is one baby care center in each park. DCA’s center is located next to Ghirardelli in San Fransokyo Square and Disneyland’s is located at the end of Main Street U.S.A, across from the Little Red Wagon and next to the first aid station.

11) Research Airport Proximity

In Southern California, there are numerous airports you could fly into for your Disneyland trip. Many assume Los Angeles Airport (LAX) is the best to fly into, but that's mostly conjecture. Of all the major airports near Disneyland, LAX is the fourth furthest away at about forty miles.

The second closest, at nineteen miles, is Long Beach Airport (LGB) and the closest airport to Disneyland is John Wayne Airport (SNA), at thirteen miles. Which one you'll fly into entirely depends on your budget and schedule.

LAX is the largest of the three and therefore, you'll typically find more favorable rates there. However, because it's further away, you'll need to account for transportation to Anaheim. There are no free shuttles from LAX to Disneyland (or any airport, for that matter).

Therefore, John Wayne may be the better option. You’ll likely pay a higher fare, but it's usually not by much and you won't pay nearly as much for a shuttle or ride share as you would from LAX, as it's much closer to the park and neighboring hotels.

12) Know the Difference Between Splitting and Sharing Plates

One way to save money at Disneyland is sharing meals. There are several locations in the parks where you can easily do this. A couple of my wife and I's favorites include the Monte Cristo sandwich at Cafe Orleans and the Spotlight barbacoa nachos at Lamplight Lounge (pictured above).

This is advantageous as it could add up to significant savings, but you need to know the difference between sharing and splitting a meal. If you don't use the correct verbiage, you could end up with a surprise surcharge on your final bill.

Sharing a meal means you and the other person will be sharing the complete meal, including the entree (protein) and sides. Splitting a meal means the entree will be evenly split between two plates and the other person will receive their own sides, thus inducing the additional cost.

Simply inform your server that you’ll be SHARING a meal. The other person will be given their own plate and you'll share the complete meal without any additional expense. Note that you cannot do this at character meals, dining packages, buffets, and the like.

13) Research DAS Policy and Requirements

One important, and admittedly controversial, aspect to a Disneyland vacation is their Disability Access Service (or...DAS, for short). I say controversial because there have been many changes to the program in recent years that have made it difficult to impossible for those who need it to obtain and use it.

There are quite a few movings parts to this where you can read further in my post but essentially, you can either speak with a cast member virtually up to 60-days prior to your trip or in person at the DAS kiosk in the esplanade outside the parks.

​The guest requiring DAS will need to be present either way, as the cast member may need to ask them questions or verify certain things. As stated, there's a lot to unpack with this, so it's best to read my extensive post here.

14) Check for Planned Attraction Closures

Planned attraction closures, also known as refurbishments, occur regularly at the Disneyland Resort. This is done to allow imagineers to conduct repairs, updates, improvements and the like. Disneyland park has several attractions that are seventy years old, so they need that TLC in order to run smoothly.

On any given day there could none, one, or multiple rides closed between the two parks. While closures could happen at any time, Disney does keep guests updated on planned closures by scheduling them on the online refurbishment calendar forty-five days ahead.

Rides such as Rise of Resistance haven't seen a refurbishment since opening in 2021 and Radiator Springs Racers seldom goes down. These are exceptions, though, as they're newer and were designed to operate with minimal, if any, downtime.

15) Take Advantage of Rider Switch

Rider switch is little-known benefit available free of charge to Disneyland guests. I've written an extensive guide about rider switch that you can read here but essentially, you're taking turns riding the attraction.

Say you have two children in your party and only one of them is tall enough to ride the attraction. One member of the party waits in the queue with the one child while the other member of the party waits elsewhere with the other, or does something else.

After you've experienced the attraction, you inform a cast member of your intentions to use rider switch. You'll be given a ticket of sorts to hand to the other member of your party. That person can then return to the attraction and enjoy with a minimal wait.

16) Arrive Early for Rope Drop

For those who don't know, rope drop refers to the strategy of arriving a minimum of thirty minutes prior to official park opening (8am) and waiting near the literal ropes along the hub at the entrances to either Tomorrowland, Adventureland, Frontierland or Fantasyland.

This is a great way to knock out many of the park’s popular rides with a minimal wait, whether that's Space Mountain or Soarin' Around the World. This is because most guests don't get to the parks until late morning, the first hour-and-a-half to two hours are typically the least busiest.

I recently introduced this strategy to some friends of mine during a recent trip and it changed their lives forever (kidding..sort of). Seriously, though, rope drop is an essential strategy to take advantage of...especially if it's your first time at Disneyland. I'm currently working on a rope drop strategy post, so be sure to keep an eye out for that.

17) Use Mobile Order and Mobile Checkout

Taking advantage of mobile order (food) and mobile checkout (merchandise) can save you a significant amount of time, especially on days where the crowds are dense. Mobile order is accepted at most quick service restaurants at the resort and is used to order/pay for your food ahead of time through the Disneyland app.

Mobile checkout is available at most stores. How it works is you access the mobile checkout tab in the Disneyland app, scan the tag of the merchandise you wish to purchase, pay for it through the app, and then head to the designated station to show the cast member your barcode. They'll scan it, verify your purchase and off you go.

18) Keep Your Phone Charged

You'll quickly discover that your smartphone will be your lifeline at Disneyland. You'll use it to access your park tickets, check attraction wait times, redeem Lightning Lanes, order food, pay for merchandise, and more, all through the Disneyland app. Your battery will drain much quicker than it normally does.

To counter this, it's a good idea to purchase a power bank to bring with you. They store easily inside your backpack, purse, or pocket, and make keeping your phone charged a breeze. Disney does have FuelRod stations throughout the park, but I no longer recommend those due to having to pay to swap them out at most other locations.

My recommendation is the one I use, which is made by Anker. It costs a bit more than a FuelRod up front, but you'll never pay for swaps. You simply charge it back up when it depletes. It has USB and USB-C ports and at 20,000 MAH, it'll fully charge your phone several times before depleting. You can see it on Amazon here.

19) Know the Parking Situation

Unfortunately, there is no free parking anywhere near the Disneyland Resort. That's why one of my biggest recommendations to first timers is to stay at a hotel within walking distance of the parks, or at least one with shuttle service.

Disneyland features two parking structures - Mickey & Friends and Pixar Pals. They are located on the west side of the resort and most guests utilize the complimentary tram to access the parks from there (walking paths are available as well, though).

On the east side, which is where most guests access the parks from, there's the Toy Story lot. This is an open lot with no parking structure. You can walk to the parks from here or use the provided shuttle. Parking is currently $35 per day.

Another option is to park a few miles away, for free, at the Artic Station in Anaheim. From there, the 533 shuttle will take you to the parks (with a few stops in between). Again, parking here is free, but the shuttle costs $2 per person, each way. Depending on your group size, this could be much cheaper than parking at Disneyland.

20) Park Hopping May Be Worth It

Admittedly, I'm usually against park hopping. Mostly due to the extra cost and my belief that maximizing your day in a single park is best. Conversely, if you're a first timer, it may be worth it. Especially if you're visiting for multiple days.

For those who don't know, park hopping is the act of visiting both parks in the same day. Unlike Walk Disney World, it's much easy to do this at Disneyland due to both parks being less than a football field distance away from each other.

It does come at an additional cost of up to $85 per ticket, but it may be worth it to you, especially considering Disney California Adventure isn't quite a full-day park just yet. That'll likely change in a few years but for now, that isn’t the case.

How it works is you must begin your day at whichever park you have a reservation for. Starting at 11am, you're then able to "hop" across the esplanade to the other park and enjoy the rest of your day there. If you arrive after 11am, you can enter whichever park you want, provided you've purchased the park hopper option.

21) Use Get Away Today for Hands-Off Planning

Due to an expanse of free information online (such as Inked with Wanderlust), I normally don't suggest using travel planners as I feel it's mostly unnecessary. Some, though, find comfort in having an expert handle the planning stage for them. If that's you, I highly recommend Get Away Today.

They're simply the best Disney vacation planners out there. They'll help put together your entire trip, including purchasing multi-day tickets, booking your hotel, keeping an eye out for discounts and last minute offers, provide helpful tips and more.

​They have a solid reputation and have been in business for a long time, which is why I've partnered with and recommend them. Booking with them is like booking directly with Disney, only you'll also receive personalized guidance and service, in addition to peace of mind.

To put together your customized Disneyland vacation package and see how they can help you save money, visit them through this link and tell them I said “hello”. Also, be sure to use code INKED20 for additional savings.