I'm going to Disneyland!!

[Ledbyrd]

So my husband and I booked a trip to Disneyland at the spur of the moment. We are going in January and bringing our two daughters (6 and 1). We are also travelling with my sister and her family. I have never been before but my sister and hubby have. I know there are lots of Disney fans here so I would love it if you could share your favorite tips, tricks and things about Disneyland. I want to know what I absolutely shouldn't miss!

Also, I hear that pin trading is a big thing. If I buy some ahead on eBay will they be tradeable? How will I know if they are fake? I think my oldest daughter would love collecting pins and it would be a great souvenir for her.

[Pokeyonekenobie]

The only pins that are tradeable are metal (there are a lot of plastic pins out there) and have Copyright Disney on the back.  They are also NOT the buttons with the safety-pin closer on the back, so don't get those if you want to trade them.  Keep that in mind when purchasing off of eBay.  Cast Member lanyards have all tradeable pins on them, so you can trade whatever pin for whichever pin you want.  The Cast Member won't be offended if they don't have any pins you want, so don't feel obligated.  You can trade with other people in the park, but since the pins they have are theirs they are not required to trade, just as you are not required to trade with them if they ask you.   

I haven't bought any pins off of eBay but a quick look at "Disney Pins" under Disneyana brought up a lot that seem legit.  You can always double check on the official Disney Pin Trading site to see if your pins are real.  There are a ton that they've released but you can get an idea of what the real ones look like.

http://www.disneyparksmerchandise.com/pins/

Pins purchased at the park are generally $6.99 and up so getting them secondhand is not a bad idea if you can get them cheaper. 

As far as what not to miss, I haven't been to Disneyland in a few years so I haven't seen some of the newer parades but I have heard that the Paint The Night parade is fabulous so you'll want to catch that.  Keep height restrictions in mind but also know about the Child Swap.  This is where one parent will wait outside a ride while the first parent rides and then they swap with little to no wait.  It's only available on rides with a height restriction so ask the Cast Member about it when you get to the ride and they'll explain in more detail how it works for their ride. 

Catch the fireworks if you can.  The last time I saw that show Tinkerbell and Dumbo both flew during them.  Hidden Mickeys are fun to hunt for.  The characters don't wander around the parks anymore, so keep in mind that you'll have to stand in line for pictures with them. 

Bring up a map and look at it.  Plan out which rides you absolutely want to go on and then get the other things if you have time.  There's nothing worse than missing out on Space Mountain because you spent all your time in line for something none of you wanted to ride in the first place.  Also, Tower of Terror is being rebranded as Guardians of the Galaxy in January so you might not get to see the "Twilight Zone" version. 

[shelvesofwhimsy]

Oh Disneyland! My favorite

For Pin trading: If you don't want to hunt ebay for pins I would honestly recommend just getting a lanyard and a pin starter pack once you get to the park Most kiosks have the lanyards and you can choose which design you want and even add a keychain Its a bit more expensive but I know it would probably be a nice memory for you daughter to choose who she likes They have pin starter packs for around $25 or less and it comes with multiple themed pins like princesses, or mickey etc and then she can trade those with cast members or other guests. Most gift stores after rides have pin boards with cast pins, or you can even ask the clerks or anyone really, they're super friendly!

Also be sure to tell the park entrance that its your first time at the park! Your family will get special buttons that say 1st visit and its pretty cute!

The park: If you're staying nearby in a hotel it is still a pretty LONG walk into the park. I would recommend taking an uber to the entrance because even from there its a bit to the front gates, and then you walk into the park too. I know we always forget how long it is lol.

I've been to Disneyland park more than CA Adventure so I would recommend not missing eating at the Blue Bayou! It is a bit more $$ than the rest of the fair, but you get to sit in the New Orleans style dining room overlooking the Pirates of the Caribbean ride! Its so cool!

Rides to Not miss:
Haunted Mansion- Spooky but fun mild ride
Pirates of the Caribbean -fairly mild so babies may be able to go
Thunder Mountain Railroad- A bit faster but still fun for your 6 year old
Storybook Land- Adorable boat ride through miniature versions of Disney stories
Mr. Toads Wild Ride- Very cute kids ride
Snow White's Scary Adventure- Very cute kids ride
Peter Pan- Very cute kids ride
Pooh Bear Ride- Very cute kids ride

Basically most of fantasy land
Toon Town will also have lots of fun kids rides.
Also because you're going in the off season you should be able to do most of the rides in the park in a day. When I went in march I was able to ride everything since the lines were basically non-existent.

Also be on the lookout for characters if your daughter may want their autographs or pictures

Oh one thing I never realized was that the park does have lockers, which came in so handy when we wanted to lock up our extra souvenirs and such. So if you have extra items I would def recommend using the ones near the front of the park.

Sorry this is all over the place but that's all I have for now

[Pokeyonekenobie]

Another note about souvenirs, you can do a "package pickup" where the store will send your stuff to the front of the park for you to pick up on your way out.  As far as I know it's free and it beats hauling everything around all day.  The other option is to shop on your way out at the end of the day. 

I recommend the Tiki Room and it's a small world for your younger munchkin.  We took my nephew to Disney World when he was 9 months old and he loved them (he danced through both attractions), though if I remember right the Tiki Room at Disneyland has a mini thunderstorm, so that might frighten some children.  Most rides in Fantasyland will not have a height restriction so it's great for younger kids.  I love the Alice in Wonderland ride.  It's like Peter Pan and Winnie the Pooh where you ride through the story.

At California Adventure you'll want to do Toy Story Mania.  This usually has a long line.  I don't remember if it has a height restriction.  It's a game and a ride in one so if someone is holding the baby they won't get to 'play'.  I think they still do the water show over the lagoon at California Adventure, that's something not to miss.  Check when you get there to see if they still do the assigned viewing areas.  If they do, you'll need to get your ticket for that and when I was there they did it at the Grizzly Rapids fastpass kiosks.

Take sunscreen.  Even though it'll be winter when you go, you might get burned without it.

[shelvesofwhimsy]

Another note about souvenirs, you can do a "package pickup" where the store will send your stuff to the front of the park for you to pick up on your way out.  As far as I know it's free and it beats hauling everything around all day.  The other option is to shop on your way out at the end of the day. 

I recommend the Tiki Room and it's a small world for your younger munchkin.  We took my nephew to Disney World when he was 9 months old and he loved them (he danced through both attractions), though if I remember right the Tiki Room at Disneyland has a mini thunderstorm, so that might frighten some children.  Most rides in Fantasyland will not have a height restriction so it's great for younger kids.  I love the Alice in Wonderland ride.  It's like Peter Pan and Winnie the Pooh where you ride through the story.

At California Adventure you'll want to do Toy Story Mania.  This usually has a long line.  I don't remember if it has a height restriction.  It's a game and a ride in one so if someone is holding the baby they won't get to 'play'.  I think they still do the water show over the lagoon at California Adventure, that's something not to miss.  Check when you get there to see if they still do the assigned viewing areas.  If they do, you'll need to get your ticket for that and when I was there they did it at the Grizzly Rapids fastpass kiosks.

Take sunscreen.  Even though it'll be winter when you go, you might get burned without it.

Oh I almost forgot, sunscreen yes! Also bring a light jacket if you're staying later. It gets a bit chilly at night, enough for a light jacket if you stay for fireworks

[scarletjul]

Disneyland is my favorite place to be. 

Are you staying at one of the park hotels or outside the hotel?  If you're staying right outside the park, I recommend either the Parkvue Inn, which is right across the street from the parks (and is a Good Neighbor hotel.).

http://www.parkvueinn.com

If you want to spend more $$ and stay in one of the Disney hotels, Paradise Pier is the cheapest but also the furthest away.  Grand Californian is closest (the only hotel actually inside the parks) but priced accordingly.  The nice thing about staying in a park hotel is that you're close enough to stop and take a break if you need to, you can send packages to your rooms and you can get into one of the parks an hour early (check the Disney website, it will tell you which park is open earlier on which day.). However, it is more expensive, so it can come down to budget.

Food-wise, I love Storyteller cafe @ the Grand Californian for a cheaper, sit-down option (you don't need a park ticket if you're not park hopping.)
Carthay Circle is expensive (in CA Adventure) but the food is yummy
Cars-Land has an awesome little cone food-court area and Flo's diner

At Disneyland, we like Carnation Cafe.  Blue Bayou is fun, if you can see the boats.

* Blue Bayou and Carthay Circle will require reservations.  You don't always need reservations for lunch @ Blue Bayou.  I believe you can make reservations 60 days out.

Rides/Attractions:

CA Adventure has a bunch of new and new-ish stuff:

Soarin'
Frozen (is a show and shouldn't "sell" out)
Radiator Springs Racers - is fast.  The fast passes tend to sell out of this one super quick so if anyone wants to do it (and you're going to CA adventure,) head here first. 
World of Color - also fast passes.  You can also go to certain restaurants that offer special seating passes with your meal.

* I love World of Color.  Soarin' should be ok for your kids, as well as rides like Monsters Inc and Toy Story Mania.  If you need a break, the Animation Building here is quite lovely. 

The Little Mermaid ride here should also be fine.

Disneyland:

Haunted Mansion should still have it's Nightmare Before Christmas decor. 
Anything in Fantasyland should be ok for the 6 year old, though some kids get scared on Snow White and Mr. Toad's.  Peter Pan always has a huge line (it gets shorter the later you go.)
Fantasyland and Toontown tends to close during fireworks shows.  Tom Sawyer Island closes earlier.

Star Tours and Space Mountain especially tend to run out of fast passes.  If any of the adults in your group want to go on these, plan accordingly. 

You can't have simultaneous fast passes within the same window, either.
I don't pin trade, so I can't really help with that.

I'm probably forgetting a bunch, but that's all I can think of right now.  I hope you have an awesome trip! 

[goddessofpeep]

I have an annual pass to Disney, so if you need any tips about where to eat, how to avoid lines(as much as possible...), which rides are worth it, the bathrooms that usually don't have lines, or anything else, feel free to PM me.  There are a few tricks to Disney that minimize the less than awesome aspects of Disney(mainly the lines).  Sadly the Paint the Night parade and all the 60th anniversary events just ended and they haven't announced what's going to replace it.  Depending on when you're there, some rides might be down for de-Christmasing.  Usually they keep up the Christmas decorations until after New Year's, but they take down Haunted Mansion and Small World for a couple of weeks soon after.  Jungle Boat might also be affected, but I don't think it's as involved a process.  There's a huge construction project going on right now, so a lot of things have been closed, but some are reopening in the next few months.

If it's in the budget, I highly recommend staying at a resort hotel.   California weather that time of year is hard to deal with if you can't change.  It can be really hot as long as the sun is shining, followed by moderately bitter cold as soon as it's down.   It's also nice to have a place to just rest if the little ones(or you!) get tired in the middle of the day.  They also sometimes have an extra "Magic hour" if you stay at one of the resorts - you can get in an hour early.

Make sure you use the fastpass system.   It's not hard to figure out, and it can shave hours off your wait time if you use it right.

I have found the more fun, and less stressful way to do Disneyland is to avoid the "we gotta do it all!" feeling, and go for a more relaxed time.  I like to figure out ahead of time a few must see, popular rides and plan out the fastpasses for them, and then just fill in the rest of the day with whatever little to no wait opportunities come up.  Just being at Disney is entertaining.  There are tons of little things you'd miss if you spend 90% of your day in lines for a handful of rides.  There are all sorts of little surprises to discover - it's not all big ticket rides!  There is a temptation to cram in as much as humanly possible because the tickets are *so* expensive, but getting on more rides does not always equal more fun, especially if the park is at capacity.  Even the smaller, no wait rides can be a really great time.  And be on the lookout for nice, quiet experiences.  There's a ton of little places where you can sit down, catch your breath, and see something really fun! 

Here's as line avoiding tip for you: Large events like parades or shows draw people away from the rides along their route.  They fill right up as soon as the parade/event lets out, but until then you can sometimes walk right onto the rides!  Fantasmic(if it's running) clears out Pirates of the Caribbean and the Haunted Mansion.  Whatever parade's going along the main route usually clears out Small World(but you have to walk through the crowd to get to the entrance of the ride).

Anyway, if you'd like any more information, just PM me:)  Have fun!

[Mainsail]

How exciting!! My sister and I love going to Disneyland, and we go whenever we're able. Since she lives in LA it makes it kinda convenient. I think our plans nowadays is going once a year. 

For tips and tricks, the first thing I will suggest is Fast Passes! Some rides will have really long lines, so it's best to get fast passes for those rides! Rides like Cars and Soarin' are bound to always have long lines. They're both in the California Adventure park, and they just updated Soarin' to make it "Soarin' Over the World" besides just California! It's really neat!!  For Cars, it's been out a while, but it's very popular!! It's a very fun ride!

For Disneyland, the ones that tend to have long lines are the big name ones like Space Mountain and Matterhorn. Though Peter Pan also seems to have a long line, from what I've seen. 

But enough about rides, don't forget about the parades and stuff!! Sadly Paint the Night is over(and it's sad because I LOVE that parade!) but there's still World of Color, which I DEFINITELY recommend seeing, if you can! It'll be at California Adventure.

Also, nothing beats the food at Disneyland!! I saw a video that listed the must try foods at DL. But my personal recommendation is the Veggie Gumbo in New Orleans. It's really good, and since you're going in January, it'll be perfect on a cold day!! But that's just my two cents.

Now for pins, I do have a few from there. And yes, the ones at Disneyland are indeed legitimate! I mean, why wouldn't they be if they're being sold at Disneyland? 

Oh, and characters!! Can't forget about them! You can usually find out times when they'll be out by asking around. I was able to find out when Oswald the Lucky Rabbit as well as Nick and Judy were gonna be out. I loved meeting them. I personally hope they keep Nick and Judy around for a while!! Zootopia's such a good movie and it would make me sad if they took the characters out of the park soon....

One last thing I'm gonna mention is shopping. There's the HUGE store in Downtown Disney called World of Disney. I recommend that store above all. But it doesn't hurt to look around in the little shops throughout the parks, either. Sometimes the little shops will have something that WoD doesn't(I was looking everywhere for Judy's carrot pen in WoD but couldn't find it, then later I found out one of the little shops in Disneyland had it, and I was mad at myself for not looking there!  )

Well, think that's about all the information I have. Phew! Hope this helps!! Just remember to have fun, keep your chin up, try your best not to get trampled by the crowds, and I think you'll be good!

[melodys_angel]

That's super exciting, congrats and have fun

[Ledbyrd]

Thanks so much for the thoughtful responses everyone! I really
appreciate all of your tips and tricks

For those who have asked, we are staying at the Hyatt Orange County. From what I understand it's close to the park and offers a shuttle service to and from. My sister has stayed there before and she liked it so hopefully it
will be nice.

[lunar_scythe]

Don't forget to have fun!  That's the most important thing, after all.   I've heard that even though they say 'no food or drink', a snack or two is ok, especially with little ones, and a couple of little baggies of crackers could make the difference between a patient kid and a tired, hungry, grumpy one!

We are taking my sis and nephew next summer, too!

[ladybastilla]

Remember the essentials: sunscreen, good comfortable shoes and water. I seriously can't stress the last one enough--I've had loved ones get dizzy or pass out at amusement parks because they weren't carrying water and got dehydrated. If you can get ahold of a fanny pack, that's a great way to carry essentials you don't want to have go missing while leaving your hands and arms free. Band Aids and tylenol are also wise things to bring--the former in case anyone gets a blister (I can't count how many times someone here has decided to go to a park in new shoes...) and the latter simply as a precaution (never know when a headache may strike someone). A package of peppermint gum is also a smart idea in case anyone's stomach gets upset from a ride--peppermint can have a calming effect.

I can't help you so much with park details since you're going to Disneyland and not Disney World. I certainly hope your family has a good time, though. One thing you guys could do if you are hoping to collect autographs is make an autograph book in the weeks / months leading up to your trip to get everyone excited. I've seen some cute ideas for that on Pinterest either for making them homemade or for designing one via Shutterfly.

Have a good time!

[shelvesofwhimsy]

Remember the essentials: sunscreen, good comfortable shoes and water. I seriously can't stress the last one enough--I've had loved ones get dizzy or pass out at amusement parks because they weren't carrying water and got dehydrated. If you can get ahold of a fanny pack, that's a great way to carry essentials you don't want to have go missing while leaving your hands and arms free. Band Aids and tylenol are also wise things to bring--the former in case anyone gets a blister (I can't count how many times someone here has decided to go to a park in new shoes...) and the latter simply as a precaution (never know when a headache may strike someone). A package of peppermint gum is also a smart idea in case anyone's stomach gets upset from a ride--peppermint can have a calming effect.

I can't help you so much with park details since you're going to Disneyland and not Disney World. I certainly hope your family has a good time, though. One thing you guys could do if you are hoping to collect autographs is make an autograph book in the weeks / months leading up to your trip to get everyone excited. I've seen some cute ideas for that on Pinterest either for making them homemade or for designing one via Shutterfly.

Have a good time!

Yes to water!! If I'm driving I'll normally buy a big case for cheap at the grocery store and then carry some bottles along. Or i'll bring one and refill it at one of many water fountains in the park The water does taste a bit uh different so even bringing some Mio or something might help it taste slightly better (if that's an issue).
I normally bring a small backpack with all of the essentials, and it can fit into any bag holders on the rides. I'm sure with small children you'll have all of this though

If any park members ask to take your pictures, be sure to ask for the photo card! You can use it again and again at different attractions or if you meet any characters. The cast member will just scan your card. It does cost money to print or download the photos at home. But its great because the professional photos look awesome, and you may end up wanting to buy just 1 or 2 for a family photo

[Ariana]

AHHH!! I just went to Disneyland in July and trust me: you will LOVE IT!!! It is SOOO much better in Disney world in my opinion.

I would totally recommend staying on property since it's so convenient. We stayed at the grand californian and it even had a special entrance to California Adventure! There's even a bus that you can get from LAX (if you're flying into there) or John Wayne that brings you right from the airport to your hotel if you're not renting a car.

I found a LOT of information about tips and tricks on youtube of all places! Just search "Disneyland Tips and tricks" or "best food at disneyland" and theres a ton of videos to help!

One of the best tips I can give you is that don't bother lugging around water bottles! You can walk up to ANY counter service food location and ask for a FREE to-go cup with water and a straw! We loved this because you can just drink it and either fill it again or throw em out and they aren't heavy! They even let you bring em on the rides! And the water tastes good since it's filtered at these stations.

The food at disneyland is SUPERB!! We never had a bad meal or snack! I recommend the dole whip (it's like a pineapple flavored soft serve) right near the tiki room, the mickey beignets in New Orleans square (the mint julep bar serves em fresh) for snacks (but everything is good!) and Napa Rose and storytellers cafe in the grand californian for food, as well as blue bayou in disneyland park and the Cove Bar in California adventure (it has really good bar food like lobster nachos and great alcoholic and non alcoholic drinks!)

In January I believe the Main street electrical parade might be back, but the only other night entertainment really is World of Color in California Adventure. There's a fastpass machine in the front of the park for tickets to it but it doesn't affect other fastpasses so you can still get some for the rest of the day! They also have a very short fireworks show but only on the weekend nights, since it's technically the off season.

In Cali adventure I would recommend the new Frozen live stage show! It's like a broadway production! It also has a fastpass that doesn't affect other fastpasses. I'm sure your kids will love it as well!
We also love the Cars land area of that park! The Luigis rollickin roadsters attraction is so cute- there's little dancing cars that have synchronized movement with the other cars 

The Disneyland park is so charming as well. I recommend a ton of rides in fantasy land, including the storybook canal boats and the alice and wonderland ride.

Overall, I hope you have a great time!!! One last piece of advice: GET TO THE PARKS BEFORE OPENING!! Since Disneyland is usually visited by 90% locals, they usually don't rush there at park opening and get there around 11 or noon. So at rope drop, it's nice and cool and no crowds so you can get SOO much done! It's so magical in the morning there!

PM me if you need any more tips 

[Pokeyonekenobie]

A few more tips:  Disney Parks DO NOT sell gum.  If you want gum, you have to bring it with you.  This is because Walt hated stepping in gum that people spit out on the ground.  They do sell character shaped mints, though. 

If you want to bring in some food, you can, provided it is in a SMALL cooler or lunch sack.  They won't allow large coolers of food, though.

I don't know if Mickey opens Disneyland in the mornings or if that's just something he does at Disney World.  (You know, via his super-fast personal monorail that goes underground between the parks  )  You might want to ask.  It's kind of fun.  He rides the train over to the Main Street Station with a bunch of other characters and welcomes everyone to the park and then it opens.  Then the characters wait around the Main Street flagpole for pictures and autographs.

The Dole Whip is pineapple soft serve.  It used to be ONLY available in Adventureland but lately it's gotten distributed elsewhere.  However, at the Disney Parks you can get a Dole Whip Float (it's my favorite treat) which is Dole Whip soft serve in Pineapple Juice.  If that's too much pineapple I think you can request vanilla ice cream in the pineapple juice, which is also yummy.