Disneyland is a type of uncommon locations that provides enjoyable and leisure for everybody, from bright-eyed youngsters to well-traveled adults. A go to is on each child’s wishlist and planning a visit to The Happiest Place on Earth is a ceremony of passage for each mother or father.
From determining the kind of tickets to purchase, understanding the place to remain and how you can get round, and avoiding lengthy strains, rather a lot goes into making a seamless expertise in your journey to Disneyland. Fortunate for you, we have performed all of the analysis that will help you make these choices.
Here is every thing it is advisable learn about reserving a visit to Disneyland.
The right way to begin planning a Disneyland trip
Though a Disneyland trip will not require as a lot planning as Disney World, just a little group can create a extra pleasurable expertise.
If the planning course of continues to be overwhelming, you possibly can really rent professionals to do it for you, freed from cost. TPG’s Summer time Hull and Richard Kerr have each utilized Mouse Counselors to plan their Disney holidays and each of them swear by it.
The planning service is free as a result of the planners make their cash through commissions paid out by Disneyland. All you need to do is submit a request for a quote they usually’ll plan your total trip. They will even search for reductions, so that you get the most effective deal attainable.
FOR NO-COST ASSISTANCE WITH PLANNING AND BOOKING YOUR NEXT DISNEY VACATION, CHECK OUT TPG’S DISNEY BOOKING PARTNER, MOUSE COUNSELORS.
Selecting the most effective resort to your Disneyland trip
There are various resort choices to your Disneyland trip, relying in your finances and desires. You may pay a premium to remain on-site (which incorporates some added perks), or you possibly can keep at a extra budget-friendly off-site resort inside strolling distance of the park that allows you to ebook with, or earn, factors.
Beneath is an summary of the most effective resort choices close to Disneyland.
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Disneyland motels
Disneyland operates three on-site motels. The principle advantage of staying at a Disneyland resort is proximity to the parks, Early Entry (admission to the parks half-hour earlier than it opens to the general public), most popular eating reservation entry, character wake-up calls and extra.
Charges at Disneyland properties are usually fairly a bit greater than at off-site motels. Disney does provide seasonal reductions and gross sales throughout lower-demand occasions of the 12 months that may scale back the associated fee.
Working since 1955, the Disneyland Lodge is the primary and oldest property inside the Disneyland Resort. The resort had a minor renovation in 2021 and is subsequent to the Downtown Disney buying district.
Commonplace rooms sometimes go for round $500 to $650 per night time.
If you need a barely extra upscale expertise in a greater location, look no additional than Disney’s Grand Californian Lodge & Spa. The resort is behind California Journey Park and gives friends an unique entrance to the park.
Whereas charges at Disney’s Grand Californian Lodge & Spa begin at round $700, they will creep up as excessive as $1,000 per night time for the standard room throughout peak occasions.
Throughout from the Grand Californian, Disney’s Paradise Pier Lodge is the most cost effective Disneyland resort possibility. Rooms are normally priced within the $400 to $450 vary and the resort additionally has a personal entrance to Disney California Journey Park. The resort is at present present process building and can reopen as Pixar Place Lodge within the coming months.
Disneyland Good Neighbor motels you possibly can ebook with factors
There are at present 58 designated Good Neighbor motels close to Disneyland. These are motels advisable by Disneyland for providing handy places and total worth. Many of those motels could be booked with factors; at some, you will even discover particular offers and packages.
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Hyatt
Hyatt has three motels close to Disneyland and all of them are designated Good Neighbor properties. As of August 2023, all three properties are Class 4 motels, with commonplace awards requiring 15,000 Hyatt factors and off-peak awards accessible for 12,000 factors. Alternatively, use an annual free night time award out of your World of Hyatt Credit score Card.
The Hyatt Home at Anaheim Resort Conference Heart is the closest to the park entrance, only a block away. I stayed right here three years in the past and located the rooms spacious sufficient to accommodate three youngsters and two adults. Our room had a small residing space separate from the bed room and a pull-out sofa for an additional particular person.
Everybody will get free breakfast no matter Hyatt elite standing, which is nice for households. General, it is a strong selection for a Disneyland resort.
The close by Hyatt Place is a block farther, and it is a good possibility if you’d like a barely cheaper limited-service resort providing free breakfast. Room charges are usually $20 to $50 cheaper than the Hyatt Home when paying money.
If you need a extra upscale expertise and do not must be inside strolling distance of the park, the Hyatt Regency Orange County is the way in which to go. The resort is within the Anaheim Resort space, about 2 miles from the resort. For households needing extra space, it’s also possible to go for a Children Suite beginning at 21,000 factors per night time. The Children Suite gives a king mattress, bunk beds for the children, and a microwave and fridge for these late-night snacks.
The Hyatt Regency Orange County operates a shuttle to Disneyland each half-hour. The associated fee is $6 per particular person per day and free for youths 3 and beneath. You may usually discover package deal offers that embrace shuttle service for 4 in addition to parking and a Disney-centric welcome amenity.
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IHG
IHG has 5 motels close to Disneyland, three of which have the Good Neighbor designation. The Vacation Inn Specific & Suites Anaheim Resort Space is a Good Neighbor property and is the closest of all of them; it sits a few 10-minute stroll from the park entrance. Award charges fluctuate wildly and may generally be as excessive as 50,000-65,000 factors per night time, so it is generally a greater worth to ebook this property with money.
Marriott
Marriott has 11 Good Neighbor motels close to Disneyland. The closest properties to the park entrance are the Fairfield Inn by Marriott Anaheim Resort and the Courtyard by Marriott Anaheim Theme Park Entrance. The Fairfield Inn costs wherever from 34,000 to 59,000 factors for an award night time.
Relying on the date of your keep, you possibly can redeem your as much as 35,000-point certificates from the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless Credit score Card or the annual as much as 50,000-point award from the Marriott Bonvoy Good™ American Specific® Card. This could possibly be an awesome redemption, contemplating the resort can go for greater than $250 per night time at peak occasions.
The Courtyard is a higher-end resort with a water park requiring 68,000 to 98,000 factors per night time.
Hilton
Hilton has a whopping 12 Good Neighbor Lodges within the Disneyland space, though fairly just a few are usually not inside affordable strolling distance.
For the most effective location, you will wish to contemplate the Home2 Suites by Hilton Anaheim Resort or the Hilton Backyard Inn Anaheim Resort. These two motels occupy a single shared constructing, which is sort of proper throughout from the park entrance.
The Home2 Suites tends to be the higher worth of the 2 regardless that it normally prices a bit extra, because it contains free breakfast. Moreover, a typical two-queen studio room at this resort sleeps as much as six, providing two queen beds, a settee mattress and a full kitchen. Despite the fact that the award price is steep at 60,000, it could possibly be price it since most households will want only one room. That being stated, TPG values Hilton factors at 0.6 cents every, so it is usually not a good suggestion to redeem factors until commonplace charges are at the very least $360 per night time.
The SunCoast Lodge is the subsequent closest possibility, lower than a mile from the park entrance. It is a doable stroll, or you possibly can choose to take the Anaheim Resort Transportation (ART) bus that stops outdoors the property. The SunCoast is a Tapestry Assortment property providing stunning, light-filled rooms with vibrant pops of coloration to present you that Disney vibe.
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Varieties of Disneyland tickets
Disneyland tickets fall into seven tiers (Tier 0 by way of 6). Tier 6 is unrestricted, and the remaining tiers are topic to rising blackout dates. Earlier than you buy a ticket, make sure to verify the theme park calendar for park reservation availability.
Let’s check out every possibility.
Single-day tickets
Disneyland’s single-day tickets vary from $104 to $179 per day and supply admission to 1 park solely (both Disneyland or Disney California Journey). Disney classifies kids as these aged 3 to 9 (and gives a slight low cost on little one charges); it classifies adults as these 10 and older. Youngsters 2 and youthful don’t want a ticket.
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Ticket costs differ per day based mostly on demand. You may search the ticket calendar to see costs on the day(s) you propose to go to.
Multiday tickets
Multiday tickets are a superb possibility if you wish to go to Disneyland parks for a number of days, with per-day costs being discounted the extra days you add on. Two-day tickets value $285 (a mean value of $142.50 per day), and five-day tickets value $83 per day.
Multiday tickets get you into each Disneyland and California Journey — however not on the identical day. You will want to stay to a single park per day.
Park Hopper
Park Hopper tickets let you go to Disneyland and Disney California Journey on the identical day. You may add this feature to any multiday ticket for $60 per ticket or single-day tickets for $65. These tickets are supreme if you’d like final flexibility within the points of interest you go to in a day. The 1-Day Park Hopper tickets are particularly supreme if you wish to expertise each parks on a brief timeline.
Word that Disneyland at present solely permits friends to park hop at 11 a.m. or later.
Magic Key (annual cross)
Disneyland additionally gives Magic Keys, that are annual passes. Passes are restricted in quantity, so not all cross sorts are all the time on sale. Costs vary from $449 to $1,599.
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Disneyland ticket reductions
Whereas Disneyland tickets could be expensive, there are a number of methods it can save you cash. Some reductions are unique to members of particular teams and could also be restricted to sure occasions of 12 months, whereas others are open to the general public.
Here is a have a look at frequent Disneyland ticket reductions:
California residents: California residents residing inside qualifying zip codes can generally buy particular multiday low cost tickets for as little as $83 per day. Disneyland tends to supply these tickets to Southern California residents in spring and to all California residents in summer time and early fall, however these gives are usually not assured. Proof of residence and a sound authorities ID are required for buy.
Army reductions: Qualifying army personnel should buy three-day Disneyland Park Hopper Tickets for $245 and 4-day Park Hopper tickets for $280.
There’s a restrict of six discounted tickets and blackout dates apply. These tickets can be found to lively or retired army members, together with the Nationwide Guard, Reservists and the U.S. Coast Guard.
AAA: AAA members can save on multiday Disneyland tickets, together with Park Hopper tickets. Nonetheless, the financial savings are usually not as massive as marketed as a result of AAA tacks a charge onto the ultimate buy web page. Membership charges differ, starting from $56 to $119.
CityPASS: CityPASS gives Disneyland ticket reductions starting from $5 to $26, relying in your ticket sort.
Undercover Vacationer: Undercover Vacationer is a tried and true method to save on Disneyland tickets. The location at present gives reductions starting from $7 to $33 per ticket.
Get Away Immediately: Get Away Immediately is one other journey company that focuses on Disneyland journey and gives low cost tickets as nicely. Get Away Immediately will all the time price-match the most effective offers it’s possible you’ll discover elsewhere.
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Greatest time to go to Disneyland
The greatest time to go to Disneyland will depend on a wide range of elements.
For the most effective expertise, you will wish to keep away from college holidays, weekends and main experience openings. Late summer time and early fall are usually much less crowded, however the climate in August and September could be excessively heat (though by no means as sizzling as Walt Disney World in Florida).
An effective way to plan the most effective time to go to Disneyland is to verify your required journey dates in opposition to the IsItPacked crowd calendar. The calendar considers all the beforehand talked about elements to generate a crowd forecast.
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The right way to scale back your time in line at Disneyland
Disneyland could also be The Happiest Place on Earth, nevertheless it’s not proof against lengthy, anxious strains. That is very true on weekends, holidays and on the subject of well-liked points of interest.
Begin behind the park and transfer your manner up entrance
When you arrive simply earlier than the park opens, a superb technique to keep away from crowds is to start out behind the park and transfer your manner ahead. Many guests (particularly these with youngsters) will get caught up within the crowd-control mechanism close to the doorway — character conferences, retail retailers — earlier than making their method to the rides closest to their path.
You may beat the crowds by shifting in the other way. The identical goes with mealtimes: Plan to eat earlier than or after the midday rush, and you will not encounter loopy lengthy strains. You may additionally discover shorter wait occasions at your favourite rides whereas most friends are preoccupied with lunch.
Disney Genie+ and Particular person Lightning Lanes
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You will additionally get limitless picture downloads from all attraction photographs and people taken by PhotoPass photographers; and you may obtain options like audio tales and AR picture lenses that will help you cross the time ready in line.
There are just a few points of interest that don’t take part within the Disney Genie+ service, however most of those points of interest nonetheless have Lightning Lanes. It is advisable buy an Particular person Lightning Lane reservation (bought individually) to skip the road for these choose points of interest. Pricing ranges between $15 and $25 per particular person per attraction, and you should buy as much as two points of interest per day. The present listing of points of interest taking part in every program is offered on Disneyland’s web site.
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Early Entry
Visitors staying at Disneyland resorts can enter both park half-hour earlier than they open to the general public. That is price considering when making your resort reservations since an additional half-hour earlier than park opening means just about no strains.
Use the Disney app
The Disneyland cellular app is vital to a seamless Disneyland expertise. Except for storing your park tickets, the app helps customers ebook restaurant reservations, make Genie+ and Particular person Lightning Lane reservations, order meals to-go on cellular and see wait occasions for rides.
The Disney app could be a useful instrument in avoiding strains for rides and eating places, permitting you to get pleasure from your restricted time on the park.
Use the Ridemax app
If you wish to keep away from strains like a professional, contemplate downloading and subscribing to Ridemax. The app creates a customized itinerary for you based mostly on the rides you select and the period of time you propose on spending on the park, to reduce wait occasions. A 90-day subscription prices $14.95, whereas an annual one prices $24.95.
There’s additionally a 30-day money-back assure, so if it’s not as useful as you’d hoped, you will get a full refund.
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How to economize in your Disneyland journey
There are various methods to economize in your Disneyland journey, whether or not it is getting discounted park tickets or offers in your resort bookings.
Use factors
We would be remiss to start out the money-saving portion of this information with out mentioning factors. Whether or not it is your airfare, resort or park tickets, you should use factors to offset a big chunk of your Disneyland trip. Disneyland has a lot of level motels beginning at simply 12,000 factors per night time for off-peak awards at any of the realm Hyatt motels.
With the 60,000-point sign-up bonus from the Chase Sapphire Most well-liked Card (after you spend $4,000 on purchases within the first 3 months from account opening), you possibly can cowl as much as 5 nights at certainly one of these motels.
The Capital One Enterprise Rewards Credit score Card is one other nice possibility for incomes and redeeming miles in direction of a Disneyland journey. The cardboard at present gives 75,000 bonus miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within the first three months from account opening.
All you need to do is cost your Disneyland resort or trip package deal to the cardboard after which redeem miles towards the expense. And in case you do not fairly have sufficient miles now, you’ve got as much as 90 days after buy to save lots of and redeem miles towards a journey expense.
Examine for package deal offers
It can save you rather a lot in your Disneyland trip by reserving a package deal deal by way of a website like Get Away Immediately. For instance, a four-night keep in September in a one-bedroom suite on the Ingredient by Westin Anaheim Resort Conference Heart with three-day park hopper tickets for a household of 4 will value $3,297.88 when booked with Disney straight.
By means of Get Away Immediately, the identical package deal deal prices $2,682.53.
Costco is at present providing Disneyland journey packages that embrace financial savings on on-property Disneyland motels and a Disney reward card:
- Keep two to 4 nights and obtain a $185 Disney Present Card
- Keep 5 nights and obtain a $205 Disney Present Card
- Keep six nights and obtain a $225 Disney Present Card
- Keep seven or extra nights and obtain a $245 Disney Present Card
Purchase Disney reward playing cards on sale
Shopping for Disney reward playing cards can prevent about 5-10% on the price of meals and merchandise at Disneyland motels. Sam’s Membership, Staples, Goal and Safeway often low cost the worth of Disney reward playing cards by about 5%. Add money again bonuses and financial savings from a card that earns bonus factors at grocery and workplace provide shops, and the financial savings will stack up.
I’ve personally had success utilizing my Chase Ink Plus Enterprise card (card not accessible) to purchase Disney reward playing cards at Staples, stacking the financial savings with 5% money again by way of Dosh (Word: I’ll earn a $10 referral in case you join with my hyperlink and make your first qualifying buy).
The data for the Chase Ink Plus Enterprise Card has been collected independently by The Factors Man. The cardboard particulars on this web page haven’t been reviewed or offered by the cardboard issuer.
Convey your personal swag
When you’re taking your youngsters to Disneyland, purchase all of your swag forward of time. All the things is extremely overpriced on the park, and there isn’t any motive to spend $30 on mouse ears when you’ll find equally cute ones on Etsy or Amazon for $5.99. The identical goes for all trinkets and toys that find yourself in a forgotten pile someplace.
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You would possibly really feel sentimental about bringing again a $40 snow globe, however belief me: The recollections you make are extra vital (and lasting) than the overpriced merchandise you purchase on the park.
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The right way to get round Disneyland
In contrast to the sprawling Disney World resort, Disneyland is simple to get round on foot. However in case you get drained after a day of park hopping, you possibly can take varied modes of transportation across the park. The Disneyland Railroad gives an 18-minute experience with stops at Foremost Road, New Orleans Sq., Mickey’s Toontown and Tomorrowland.
The high-flying Monorail is nice if you’d like a sooner method to get across the park. The Monorail makes the two.5-mile journey by way of the realm in simply 13 minutes, stopping in Tomorrowland and the far finish of Downtown Disney.
For a gradual, enjoyable experience, you possibly can hop aboard certainly one of Disney’s Foremost Road Autos close to Metropolis Corridor and Central Plaza. They embrace the Jitney, a horse-drawn streetcar, the traditional fireplace engine and omnibus.
Over at California Journey, the Crimson Automotive Trolley makes 4 handy stops all through the already walkable park.
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The perfect bank cards to make use of at Disneyland
Chances are you’ll be stunned to search out that the Disney Visa Card is not among the many greatest playing cards to make use of at Disneyland, although it may be a superb possibility in case you’re seeking to finance a Disney trip. The perfect playing cards for reserving Disneyland packages will probably be ones that earn bonus factors on journey, just like the Chase Sapphire Reserve. You will earn 3 factors per greenback and use your $300 annual journey credit score to offset a part of the expense.
In relation to spending at Disneyland theme parks, you will wish to use a card that earns bonus factors on eating. The Citi Status® Card (card not accessible) is a good possibility, because it earns 5 factors per greenback spent on this class. The American Specific® Gold Card can be an awesome selection, incomes 4 factors per greenback on restaurant eating.
The data for the Citi Status and Disney Visa card has been collected independently by The Factors Man. The cardboard particulars on this web page haven’t been reviewed or offered by the cardboard issuer.
Backside line
Whereas it is not as giant as its Florida counterpart, Disneyland does require some planning. This information ought to make the method of planning your Disneyland journey just a little simpler.
Further reporting by Leslie Harvey.
