Hearing the words, “You’re going to Disneyland!” is probably one of the most exciting pieces of news to hear, even when you’ve grown well into adulthood. Disneyland is coined the “happiest place on earth”, but most who fully enjoy their vacation are the rich, the savvy, and the kids who are oblivious to insane ticket prices and suffocating crowds. A seemingly fun Disney trip can soon turn into a huge financial burden with rising ticket prices and exuberant additional costs. And once inside the park, crowds can become daunting and hours of long lines turn into the “worst place on earth”. If you’re going to Disneyland soon, and want to avoid a disastrous vacation, here’s some must know tips and tricks on how to get the most enjoyment out of your stay.
1. Keep your eye out for specials, deals, and discounted tickets
Disneyland park tickets are expensive all by themselves. A good idea is to skip paying for the park-hopper option, which allows you to enter both California Adventure park and Disneyland in the same day. Moving between the two parks is more of a hassle than it is a benefit. Save your money and purchase a 2-day, one park a day, ticket. (With the tips that are to follow, you’ll be able to do every single ride in each park within two days)
Also look out for special promotions Disneyland is offering. There are often military and SoCal resident tickets available at discounted prices. Many wholesale stores, such as Costco, also offer deals on ticket packages. Keep an eye out for all these options, since they usually are subtly advertised and kept under the radar.
2. Stay off site and use the ART shuttle service
Enjoying your stay at the Disneyland park, doesn't mean having to pay crazy amounts of money at one of the Disney resorts. Rates for one of their hotels can reach a staggering $300+ a night. This can greatly expand your spending in no time. To avoid these costs, look at one of the many hotels that surround the park. Offsite hotels range from the Hilton to motels, and their prices are much less than the Disney hotels. Another perk of staying at an offsite hotel is inexpensive transportation to and from the park. The ART shuttle has many stops stationed around the hotels that have direct routes to the park. The price of a 1-day, round trip ticket costs $5 per adult. This is much less than the $17 parking in one of the Disney lots. Staying at an offsite can save you hundreds in hotel costs and transportation expenses.
3. Go to the park that isn’t offering Magic Mornings
Magic Mornings are designated dates that open the parks one hour early to specified ticket holders, which are usually Disneyland resort hotel guests or people who purchased a 3 + day park hopper ticket. Disneyland and California Adventure never have magic mornings on the same day. It’s either Disneyland who opens an hour early or California Adventure who opens early. You always want to go to the park that isn’t offering a Magic Morning. For example, if Disneyland is opening an hour early for Magic Morning, go to CA adventure early for their normal opening time. Those who go to the park that isn’t offering magic mornings will be the first guests in the park and thus the first to hit their favorite rides first. You’ll avoid the “Magic Morning” crowd, and get on rides a bit faster.
4. Ride Space Mountain twice! (Within one hour too! I swear it’s possible)
Go to Disneyland before it opens. You’ll be able to walk down Main Street and wait in the area that’s in front of Sleeping Beauty’s castle, before the park opens up to all the different lands. Line up in the area that branches off into Tomorrow Land. As soon as the ropes drop, head for Space Mountain. Have one person of your party go get a fast pass, and have the rest of your party jump in the regular cue line. Once your fast pass member gathers all the tickets, meet up in line. The fast pass will issue a ride that is usually within one hour. Go ahead and wait in the normal cue line because it’ll be a short wait. (20 minutes or less) Once you guys ride space mountain once, you’ll have a short time before your fast pass becomes valid. During that time, go ahead and ride either Buzz Lightyear or Star Tours. After you have enjoyed those rides, go back to space mountain and enjoy your fast pass. There you go. Space Mountain twice in one hour.
*Side tip: If you have expired fast passes, go to the ride line attendant, and in your most sweet and polite voice, ask if they will still honor them. Most cases, the answer will be yes and you can still skip the normal line!
5. Go to Splash Mountain within the first two hours of opening
If you go to Splash Mountain within the first two hours of opening, I’ll guarantee you there will be no line. No one wants to get wet, the first thing in the morning. Here’s a secret, since your party will most likely have a log to yourself, the weight will be much less. Less weight equals less of a splash. You can go and enjoy Splash Mountain without getting really wet. The last time I went to Disneyland, I used this trick and rode Splash Mountain three times in a row with no wait!
6. Eat at the places that give you the most food
In California Adventure, and in Disneyland too, the food costs an arm and a leg. If you’re going to go all out and buy a park meal, try to buy a couple entrée’s to share. The best deal is in California Adventure. In the fisherman’s warf area by Paradise Pier, are a bunch of restaurants. Try Boudin Bakery. You can buy soup in a bread bowl for under $10. You get an entire loaf of bread, filled with your favorite hearty soup. My favorite is the Clam chowder. This meal could feed two and leave you feeling full and satisfied. For a park meal, that’s not such a bad deal.
7. Go on Major Rides during parades, fireworks, and the showings of Fantasmic!
All these shows draw in huge crowds, which ultimately means, shorter lines. While most are watching a parade or show, you can be enjoying your favorite rides within minutes. The lines usually die down, especially for the Haunted Mansion and Pirates of the Caribbean. Another line that is hardly existent during these times is It’s A Small World. Although one of the most annoying rides at Disneyland, it’s a must do. You don’t want to wait an hour in line for this ride though. So go on during the Soundsational Parade. It’s a walk on.
8. Have an open mind, and try to enjoy the people you go with
No matter how many tips and tricks, and weeks of planning you do, you can’t account for the unknown. Everything may not go as planned, and you might be stuck having to deal with some unavoidable circumstances. The best you can do is have a good attitude and remember why you’re at Disneyland. Enjoy spending time with the people you came with and talk to them in line rather than stare at your phone. Take in the nostalgia of a place that has been the root of childhood memories for many. Just remember that Disneyland is a place to truly be a kid again. So keep the worrying to a minimum and enjoy the little things.
