No Family Friendly California trip would be complete without a visit to the Disneyland resort! Depending upon the amount of time you have available for your trip, tickets are available for one park or both parks (called the Park Hopper) and for a variety of durations.
Want to make the most of your trip to Disneyland?
USE THE FASTPASS! The biggest drawback to either park is the length of the lines. Leave it to Disneyland to come up with a solution to that problem, and that solution is called FastPass! The FastPass essentially holds your place in line so you can see other areas of the park instead of standing in line. This is available on select rides in Disneyland and California Adventures. FastPass is not available at all times; it is based upon how busy the ride is.
To use FastPass insert each person's ticket into the FastPass machine. A FastPass ticket will be dispensed and will show what window of time the rider should return to the ride (usually it is about a one hour window). Since there is a limit to how often you can get a FastPass, the ticket dispensed will also show what time you may acquire another pass at that ride or another in the park. Now you can go to another ride, show or do some shopping. Return between the times shown on your FastPass and go to the designated FastPass entrance. Be prepared to show your FastPass ticket. You will then be able to bypass a large portion of the line.
VISIT DURING NON-PEAK TIMES. Try to plan your visit mid-week. People who take a long weekend to visit Disneyland will still be there on Mondays and Fridays. Saturdays are traditionally a very busy amusement park day, regardless of location, so avoid Saturday if possible.
PLAN YOUR VISIT USING ONLINE RESOURCES. To optimize your visit, look at the Disneyland website and plan your day. Before leaving we decided what areas we would like to spend the most time in and how to take advantage of the FastPass to make the most of our time. There are some rides (that do not offer FastPass) which you might want to put at the top of your list. Both the Matterhorn and Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage were almost always busy; try to get to those early in the day to avoid the longest lines.
DON'T FORGET THE SHOWS. Don't forget take a break and enjoy some of the shows! We especially enjoyed the "Honey, I Shrunk the Audience" show. This is an interactive movie adventure, so it is almost like a ride and show in one. One of our favorites was The Robot Show in the Innovations Building. In fact, my children seemed to talk more about The Robot Show than anything else; even days later! Remember the parade goes through Disneyland twice a day. If you do not plan to watch the parade, be sure to be on the side of the park you want to be on. We found we could not get from one side to the other during the parade because they rope off the Main Street.
VARIETY OF PARKING OPTIONS. Parking is available at a variety of lots for differing amounts. Our favorite lot is the Mickey and Friends lot which is $11. A tram takes you from that parking structure to Disneyland / California Adventures (the kids loved the tram ride!).
EATING AT DISNEYLAND. Food can be one of the most expensive parts of your Disney experience. There is a great variety but the prices might scare you. There is a picnic area outside the park so you can pack a cooler in the car and eat on a budget. This does take quite a bit of time out of your day (especially if you have to go back to the car for your picnic).
If you decide to eat in the park, check around at the different restaurants to find what is right for you. The type of food served and the pricing does vary from restaurant to restaurant. If you are a AAA member, use your card for a 10% discount at the Plaza Inn Restaurant.
Overall, Disneyland offers fun for the whole family, and though expensive is well worth the price for the memories created.
