I'm going to Disneyland!!

[Leave a Whisper]

Getting there early is a must. So are fast passes. Off seasons are always a good time to go to an amusement park. Be prepared to bring a butt ton of money because Disneyland is insanely expensive and recently raised their prices.

If you can, I'd suggest bringing a cooler full of food, getting your hand stamped and then going to the car to eat. I'd also suggest bringing along warmer clothing, just cuz your in southern California, doesnt mean it won't get cold,  especially since the wind will be blowing off the water. I should know, I used to live very close to Disneyland. Bring plenty of water and sunblock, just because it's winter doesn't mean you'll freeze during the day.

Understand that the lines will still be pretty long, because your also competing with locals who have season passes.

I suggest some of the classic rides, such as The Haunted Mansion, Matterhorn, Splash Mountain, Big Thunder, Star Tours, Pirates of the Carribean and the River or Pirate Boat rides.

Disneyland parades, shows and fireworks are always an amazing spectacle.

I hope you guys have an awesome time!

[lunar_scythe]

Oh, something else!  Check if the evening events will be happenimg on the days you plan to go; many schools do after hour events that mean the later parades wont happen on weekdays, Fridays are usually safe bets though.

[Barnacle_lady]

I have been to Disneyland several times in my life and its one of my favourite because it has a "home" feeling just like the rest of California And it feels less commercial than Disney World in Orlando.
The pin trading thing is cool and you can recognise the lanyards with the pins. Besides the rides that most already decribed the shops are also cool to visit.

[Silver_mirror46]

OMG Disney is awesome! You'll enjoy it a lot trust me <3 I went to the California park when I was like 5 so I have few but vivid memories of it. I went to the Florida one a few years ago with some friends and we had a blast.

Wow I didn't know the pin trading was a thing, sounds awesome!

Quick tips:

Food in parks is pricy so unless you have a particular restaurant or event in mind, I'd recommend you to bring snacks like sandwiches (something light coz you'll walk A LOT), also carry at least one bottle of water. You should have a big breakfast before too!

Bring comfortable shoes, carry as little as possible and get ready to walk and take lots of photos. Idk how the weather is in California, but a light jacket should do the trick it if gets chilly. If it were the Florida park I'd suggest you to buy one of those plastic ponchos, they are very very handy.

Get there early and go to the more popular rides first. The lines for something like Pirates of the Caribbean or Space Mountain can get really packed (I'm talking 1.5h+ wait time), I don't know which are the more coveted in California but anyone else here should be able to tell you which have the longest lines Either way if you can get fast passes, use them wisely!

 At least go on all the classic rides like Pirates of the Caribbean, Splash Mountain, Thunder Mountain, etc...

If you don't mind snacking or eating a bit later, take advantage of the lunch hour to get to the more crowded attractions.

There are spots where you can pick flyers with scheduled events. This is super useful if you wanna catch a certain Disney character's autograph or are interested in watching the parades. Usually by the end of the day there's a fireworks show right before the park closes. Correct me if I'm wrong but I think the California park has the Fantasmic show? If they do, check it out it's pretty incredible (one of my favorite childhood memories). Personally I enjoy hunting for character meetups, if you're like me get a pen and a notepad for the autographs.

If you get lost or need some extra tips, don't be shy to ask a cast member

[Ledbyrd]

Thanks everyone! Your tips are awesome and super helpful!!!

[Ariana]

One last tip since people are giving advice when they've been to Disneyworld instead of Disneyland- Disneyland has a TOTALLY different dynamic than Disneyworld!!! So it's even MORE important to arrive early and get there at rope drop- because 90% of the people who go are locals, they don't need to rush for the gates. You get SOOO much done then!

I would also recommend doing dining reservations, but they aren't AS needed as Disneyworld...remember a lot of locals go home to eat

It's very interesting to see this dynamic...like you'll see a lot of people just hanging out there (kind of like people hang at the mall!) since basically it's a big hang out spot for locals! It's quite interesting.

[Snapdragon]

WOO DISNEYLAND!! I'm an annual passholder too, so I'm always excited to hear about pony-people attending!! (I wonder if I've seen any of you while I was there, huh!! ) I got a chance to meet Ariana at the park when she visited, it was suuuuper fun! I love Disneyland!

I do believe that Disney allows you to bring your own food in, but they ask that you consume any meals it in the "picnic areas" outside of the park, near the trams. So if you absolutely need/want to cut costs that way, it's one option! (I think they assume families with small kids will have crackers or little snacks on hand, so I wouldn't worry about something small like that!) There's also a small string of restaurants outside of the park, just past the spot you catch your bus/tram from, like a Denny's and McDonald's! Easily within walking distance, especially if you're catching a tram home at the end.

They've updated their security procedures, so many days when you go into the park, you'll have to go through bag check and/or a metal detector. It's not too bad, but it can slow down to a crawl, with lines extending a couple dozen feet! If you can minimize your trips between Disneyland/California Adventure  and Downtown Disney, I highly recommend it!!

There are now Starbucks locations in Downtown Disney, Disneyland and California Adventure, so this will be a lifesaver for any adults who need a caffeine fix!!   Also, don't forget that the parks all close at different hours, to add to the confusion! Toon Town shuts down earliest, around 7 I think? California Adventure will close around 9, Disneyland closes at midnight (usually), and Downtown Disney usually shuts up around the same time, with trams back to the parking structure running until 1am/an hour past park closing.

If there's any specific questions, I can try to help! I'm not an expert per se, but I've gone quite a few times now, so I've sorta gotten the hang of it!

[Ariana]

WOO DISNEYLAND!! I'm an annual passholder too, so I'm always excited to hear about pony-people attending!! (I wonder if I've seen any of you while I was there, huh!! ) I got a chance to meet Ariana at the park when she visited, it was suuuuper fun! I love Disneyland!

I do believe that Disney allows you to bring your own food in, but they ask that you consume any meals it in the "picnic areas" outside of the park, near the trams. So if you absolutely need/want to cut costs that way, it's one option! (I think they assume families with small kids will have crackers or little snacks on hand, so I wouldn't worry about something small like that!) There's also a small string of restaurants outside of the park, just past the spot you catch your bus/tram from, like a Denny's and McDonald's! Easily within walking distance, especially if you're catching a tram home at the end.


They've updated their security procedures, so many days when you go into the park, you'll have to go through bag check and/or a metal detector. It's not too bad, but it can slow down to a crawl, with lines extending a couple dozen feet! If you can minimize your trips between Disneyland/California Adventure  and Downtown Disney, I highly recommend it!!

There are now Starbucks locations in Downtown Disney, Disneyland and California Adventure, so this will be a lifesaver for any adults who need a caffeine fix!!   Also, don't forget that the parks all close at different hours, to add to the confusion! Toon Town shuts down earliest, around 7 I think? California Adventure will close around 9, Disneyland closes at midnight (usually), and Downtown Disney usually shuts up around the same time, with trams back to the parking structure running until 1am/an hour past park closing.

If there's any specific questions, I can try to help! I'm not an expert per se, but I've gone quite a few times now, so I've sorta gotten the hang of it!

EEp! There you are! Yes, I had SOOOO much fun with you at Disneyland!  We still talk about our trip every day! I'm sitting here all the way back in Connecticut drooling over the fall food there 

[Snapdragon]

WOO DISNEYLAND!! I'm an annual passholder too, so I'm always excited to hear about pony-people attending!! (I wonder if I've seen any of you while I was there, huh!! ) I got a chance to meet Ariana at the park when she visited, it was suuuuper fun! I love Disneyland!

I do believe that Disney allows you to bring your own food in, but they ask that you consume any meals it in the "picnic areas" outside of the park, near the trams. So if you absolutely need/want to cut costs that way, it's one option! (I think they assume families with small kids will have crackers or little snacks on hand, so I wouldn't worry about something small like that!) There's also a small string of restaurants outside of the park, just past the spot you catch your bus/tram from, like a Denny's and McDonald's! Easily within walking distance, especially if you're catching a tram home at the end.


They've updated their security procedures, so many days when you go into the park, you'll have to go through bag check and/or a metal detector. It's not too bad, but it can slow down to a crawl, with lines extending a couple dozen feet! If you can minimize your trips between Disneyland/California Adventure  and Downtown Disney, I highly recommend it!!

There are now Starbucks locations in Downtown Disney, Disneyland and California Adventure, so this will be a lifesaver for any adults who need a caffeine fix!!   Also, don't forget that the parks all close at different hours, to add to the confusion! Toon Town shuts down earliest, around 7 I think? California Adventure will close around 9, Disneyland closes at midnight (usually), and Downtown Disney usually shuts up around the same time, with trams back to the parking structure running until 1am/an hour past park closing.

If there's any specific questions, I can try to help! I'm not an expert per se, but I've gone quite a few times now, so I've sorta gotten the hang of it!

EEp! There you are! Yes, I had SOOOO much fun with you at Disneyland!  We still talk about our trip every day! I'm sitting here all the way back in Connecticut drooling over the fall food there 

LOL!! Sorry Ariana!! If it's any comfort, I can't eat 90% of it either, it's all baked goods!! Aaaaa the beignets!! Although there IS a caramel-apple smoothie I wanna try!

[Ariana]

WOO DISNEYLAND!! I'm an annual passholder too, so I'm always excited to hear about pony-people attending!! (I wonder if I've seen any of you while I was there, huh!! ) I got a chance to meet Ariana at the park when she visited, it was suuuuper fun! I love Disneyland!

I do believe that Disney allows you to bring your own food in, but they ask that you consume any meals it in the "picnic areas" outside of the park, near the trams. So if you absolutely need/want to cut costs that way, it's one option! (I think they assume families with small kids will have crackers or little snacks on hand, so I wouldn't worry about something small like that!) There's also a small string of restaurants outside of the park, just past the spot you catch your bus/tram from, like a Denny's and McDonald's! Easily within walking distance, especially if you're catching a tram home at the end.


They've updated their security procedures, so many days when you go into the park, you'll have to go through bag check and/or a metal detector. It's not too bad, but it can slow down to a crawl, with lines extending a couple dozen feet! If you can minimize your trips between Disneyland/California Adventure  and Downtown Disney, I highly recommend it!!

There are now Starbucks locations in Downtown Disney, Disneyland and California Adventure, so this will be a lifesaver for any adults who need a caffeine fix!!   Also, don't forget that the parks all close at different hours, to add to the confusion! Toon Town shuts down earliest, around 7 I think? California Adventure will close around 9, Disneyland closes at midnight (usually), and Downtown Disney usually shuts up around the same time, with trams back to the parking structure running until 1am/an hour past park closing.

If there's any specific questions, I can try to help! I'm not an expert per se, but I've gone quite a few times now, so I've sorta gotten the hang of it!

EEp! There you are! Yes, I had SOOOO much fun with you at Disneyland!  We still talk about our trip every day! I'm sitting here all the way back in Connecticut drooling over the fall food there 

LOL!! Sorry Ariana!! If it's any comfort, I can't eat 90% of it either, it's all baked goods!! Aaaaa the beignets!! Although there IS a caramel-apple smoothie I wanna try!

*screams*I remember eating the beignets right before I met you! And this time they're butterscotch!  How interesting!
OOh do tell me about that smoothie!  I've never heard of it!!!