20 Essential Disneyland Tips for First Time Visitors and Those Who Haven’t Visited For Awhile

A first Disneyland visit can be overwhelming with so much to do and see, which is why we've provided an overview of the most helpful tips a first-time guest should know! 

There are many tricks to maximizing your time at the Disneyland Resort while enjoying all the magic. All it takes is some faith, trust, and pixie dust to navigate the parks with ease and make the most out of your vacation. Here are 20 of the best Disneyland tips that will help you save time and money on your vacation.

READ MORE – 11 Unwritten Rules of the Disney Parks You Really Need to Follow

Familiarize Yourself With the Different Ticket Types

There are a few different types of Disneyland tickets offered at varying prices, which can be confusing for guests visiting Disneyland for the first time.

• 1-Park Per Day Ticket. This ticket only allows you access to one park per day. You can only visit Disneyland Park or Disney California Adventure Park, not both. 
• Park Hopper Ticket. This ticket allows you to visit both parks on the same day. You can “hop” between these two parks as often as you like after 11 AM. This is an additional cost that varies depending on your trip length and 1-day ticket tier. 
• You can purchase either of these options as 1-day tickets or multi-day tickets for up to five days. 1-day pricing is date-based, with 7 different pricing tiers, from the lowest-priced Tier 0 to the highest-priced Tier 6.

First-time visitors to Disneyland also need to know that you are required to book a theme park reservation after you purchase your tickets. You can reserve either Disneyland or California Adventure as the park where you start your day. If you have a park hopper ticket, you can hop to the other park as early as 11 AM.  We typically recommend at least three days as the perfect amount of time to do and see it all. If you're visiting with a 1-Park Per Day ticket, you should spend two days at Disneyland Park and one at Disney California Adventure. If you're visiting Disneyland for the first time, we advise that you do not get a 1-day ticket, as there are far too many highlights at both parks that you will miss.

Buy a Park Hopper Ticket

Since Disneyland and California are so close together (just a few minutes walk!), it makes so much sense to buy a park hopper ticket. You can easily park hop between the two theme parks, making the cost of a park hopper ticket well worth it. This is especially important if you only have a few days to spend at the parks. A park hopper ticket gives you the most flexibility to experience all of the top rides, entertainment, dining, and more that the parks have to offer. 

Save Money on Tickets and Hotel

Many guests visiting Disneyland for the first time don't realize you can actually save money on discount Disneyland tickets if you buy from authorized sellers! Depending on the time of year, you can save up to $20 per ticket, which can easily add up. You can also save money on hotels if you book through our recommended travel partner, Get Away Today. Some hotels offer select nights free, free breakfast, free parking, and other perks reserved for people who book through this awesome travel company. See my Get Away Today review here on why you should use Get Away Today for your vacation.

When purchasing their tickets, guests also have the option of adding the line-skipping service Lightning Lane Multi Pass to their park ticket for $32 per person, per day. You can also purchase Lightning Lane Multi Pass when you enter the park, but the price will be higher (typically $36 per person) and can go up during crowded times of the year. For guests planning their first Disneyland visit, we say this add-on is absolutely worth it so that you can maximize your time. This brings us to our next tip…

Learn How to Use Lightning Lane Multi Pass

Lightning Lane Multi Pass is a paid service that Disneyland offers for guests to access a shorter, faster line than the standard line for the most popular attractions across both parks. It can be a little confusing to navigate at first, which is why it's important to familiarize yourself with this offering and how it works ahead of your trip.

You can book Lightning Lane entry to each attraction once per day with Lightning Lane Multi Pass through the Disneyland app, and you can book a new Lightning Lane reservation once every two hours or once you have redeemed one. One person can be in charge of booking Lightning Lanes for your entire party, but you need to have your tickets linked in the app to do so. 

A couple of select attractions, Rise of the Resistance and Radiator Springs Racers, are a separate per-person purchase called Lightning Lane Single Pass. These are the two attractions in the highest demand at the parks that are not included with the general Lightning Lane Multi Pass purchase. 

Beyond knowing the basics of how the service works, you'll also want to take a little bit of time to learn some tips to get the most out of the service! You can see our best Disneyland Lightning Lane Multi Pass tips here. 

Pick the Time of Year That Works Best for You

Do you want to visit during the holiday season? Halloween? The summer months?  Knowing what to expect during the time of year you will visit is a big planning step. Each season at Disneyland brings different pros and cons along with special events to enjoy! 

During summer at Disneyland, you can expect warmer temperatures, longer park operating hours, and entertainment running on a full schedule, and crowds are spread out over the summer months. Spring at Disneyland can be a great time to visit for guests hoping to travel during spring break, with milder temperatures and the Food & Wine Festival at Disney California Adventure. 

Halloween at Disneyland is just as popular now as the holiday season because Disneyland goes all out! This celebration includes themed overlays, like the Haunted Mansion Holiday Nightmare Before Christmas overlay, seasonal decorations and foods, entertainment like the fun Halloween Screams fireworks, and more. Guests looking to avoid high Halloween crowds should visit during September, as October has become known as one of the most crowded months of the year!

Christmas at Disneyland includes plenty of special offerings like breathtaking decorations across the resort, the “A Christmas Fantasy” parade, and “Believe in Holiday Magic” fireworks at Disneyland Park, ride overlays like “it's a small world” Holiday, and more. This is one of the most magical times of the year to visit Disneyland. If you want to avoid the holiday crowds, visiting the beginning of November and the first two weeks of December is a great time for a first Disneyland visit.

You can see the best times to visit Disneyland for special offerings and lowest crowds, as well as our Mickey Visit Disneyland crowd calendar with crowd level projections each day of the year, which will help you decide when to plan your visit. 

Download the Disneyland App Before Your Trip

The Disneyland app is an essential resource for your trip, so make sure you familiarize yourself with its features ahead of your trip! Download the Disneyland app and take a look at the map of the parks so you can get an idea of where everything is before you arrive. You can also use the Disneyland app to make Lightning Lane reservations, find characters and see their greeting times, see wait times for attractions, make dining reservations, and more.

Using the Disneyland app, you can also use mobile ordering at select locations so you can avoid standing in long lines, especially for fan favorites like the famous Dole Whip! Choose your menu items, prepay, and send in your order, then let the location know when you've arrived to pick up your food. 

On a related note, because you'll be relying so much on the Disneyland app throughout your day, make sure to bring a portable charger with you to charge your phone—your battery will drain quickly at the parks!

Plan Your Day

Set aside time before your trip to sit down and discuss what everyone wants to do. Make a general or detailed itinerary of which attractions you want to focus on during your trip. This avoids long discussions and head scratching after you get off each ride, which will slow down the whole day. Make sure you note priorities so that you can prepare for the most popular rides and dining experiences that may require some extra planning or strategizing. You can see our Disneyland 3-day itinerary for a detailed plan of attack to see all of the major highlights at both parks! 

Arrive Early and Rope Drop

“Rope drop” is the term used at the Disney Parks to describe the opening of the theme park rides! Cast members rope off the entryways to the specific lands with attractions, and guests can line up at their land of choice for when the “rope drops” at official opening time.

Arrive at the gates at least 45 minutes prior to the official park opening so you can get a good spot in line for rope drop! Cast members will let guests in 15-30 minutes prior to the official park opening, and the entrances to the lands will be blocked off with ropes that will come down at the opening time. Being at the front of the rope ensures that you will literally walk right onto some favorite attractions. Even during peak times of the year, arriving early is key to getting on the most popular attractions with limited waits. You can ride most of the popular rides before lunchtime if you arrive this early!

We have morning strategy/touring plans to help you accomplish all the major attractions before lunchtime. If you follow these plans closely, you will cross off all the most popular attractions from your list by lunchtime:

• Disneyland Morning Strategy
• California Adventure Morning Strategy

Arriving with a clear idea of where to go first is essential to beating the lines. If you're not morning people or have teens who can handle staying up late, staying until the park closes utilizing a Disneyland evening strategy is also a great way to avoid long lines. Crowds will often clear out for the day after the fireworks, and most rides become walk-ons. 

Make Dining Reservations for Popular Restaurants

Guests visiting the Disneyland Resort can make dining reservations up to 60 days in advance by booking online. As long as you cancel 2 hours in advance for most locations, you won't be charged the $10 per person penalty fee if your plans change. If you want to enjoy a meal at one of the most popular Disneyland restaurants, like Lamplight Lounge or Blue Bayou Restaurant, you definitely need a reservation to get a table. 

If your trip is coming up and you find yourself without dining reservations at your desired restaurant, see our top tips for getting Disneyland dining reservations. 

Consider Dining Packages to Save Time

Especially if this is your first Disneyland visit, you don't want to be spending hours staking out prime viewing for entertainment when you could be spending that time enjoying everything the parks have to offer. This is why it's a good idea to consider a dining package!

Disneyland dining packages include a meal that comes with a reserved seating option for some of the most popular nighttime shows like Fantasmic! and World of Color. If you're already planning on eating at one of these restaurants, adding a dining package is a great way to secure a great spot for entertainment at the same time. If you're looking to splurge in an area of your trip, the premium Fantasmic! dining packages or the World of Color Dessert Party are great choices. 

You can see our guide to Disneyland dining packages for a breakdown of all of the options offered, pricing, and what is included. 

Save the Shopping for the End of the Day

Buying souvenirs is another great pastime at Disneyland Resort, especially for those enjoying their first Disneyland visit. From the latest trend, to the newest mouse ears style, to the most current pin release, the Resort has a lot to offer potential shoppers. See the most unique Disneyland souvenirs that are worth the price! 

The shopping at Disneyland is great, but it's not very fun to carry around shopping bags all day. You can rent a Disneyland locker if you want to store your purchases, or you can save your shopping for the end of the day. The shops on Main Street stay open an hour later after park closing time, so guests can shop before they leave.

Learn about Rider Switch and Single Rider

Disneyland offers a Rider Switch option for guests with small children who do not meet the height requirements of certain rides. One parent can ride while the other parent stays with the child, and then they can switch, allowing the second parent to ride without having to wait in line twice.

Disneyland Single Rider is a great way to avoid long waits for popular attractions. If you don't mind not sitting with your group, you can hop in the single rider line and get on the ride quicker. Cast Members use this line to fill any gaps in ride vehicles. Many of the most popular rides at both theme parks offer Single Rider. We recommend this especially for Radiator Springs Racers to avoid having to pay the additional Lightning Lane Single Cost to skip the line! 

Do the Character Dining

Enjoying a Disneyland character dining meal is something that I feel all first-time guests should experience, especially if you have kids! My favorite is Breakfast with Minnie and Friends inside Disneyland because of the historical flair of the Plaza Inn and the variety of characters you get to see. Enjoying a character dining meal is a great way to meet characters in one setting and not have to worry about tracking them down in the parks later on.

We recently broke down what might be the best Disneyland character dining.

Take a Break When You Can

Disneyland is magical, but it can also be overwhelming. If you're visiting for multiple days, using the afternoons to take a breather is a great way to refresh everyone in your group for the evening. Go back to the hotel when the sun is the hottest and the crowds are the heaviest, and take a swim.

If you're only staying for a day or two, then find a quiet place in the park to decompress for a little while and take in the scenes around you. A quiet and air-conditioned fan favorite break area is Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln on Main Street. Taking a break can do wonders for a group that might be overstimulated and tired when the afternoon rolls around.

Wear Comfortable Clothes

Make sure to wear clothes that you feel comfortable in because you will be getting plenty of exercise on your Disneyland vacation. It is not uncommon for guests to put in more than 8-10 miles in steps in one day at the parks. Wear shoes that are good for walking and bring a couple of pairs to switch out when your feet get sore.

Comfortable clothes are important too for staying cool in hot weather and being able to easily navigate getting on the rides. Make sure your kids are wearing shoes that are broken in and not brand new, as those little legs are going to do double the amount of walking.

Come Prepared to Save Money

It is easy to get carried away spending money at Disneyland, but there are also plenty of ways to save money along the way. Come prepared with items that will cost you a pretty penny at the parks or at your hotel, like sunscreen, portable fans, cooling towels, medicine, snacks, etc. See some of the items Disneyland visitors commonly forget that they buy in a pinch! 

You can also avoid spending money on overpriced light-up items at nighttime shows by making a stop at the Dollar Store to stock up on glow sticks and other light-up toys. Keep these with you and pull them out right when the kids start eyeing up those merchant carts that come out at night. You can also have groceries delivered to your hotel or make a quick grocery stop before you arrive so you have plenty of bottled water and snacks on hand.

Check the Height Requirements

One of the biggest meltdowns you'll see in the parks is kids realizing they don't measure up to a ride that they've been waiting and looking forward to! Make sure to review the Disneyland height requirements so you can prepare kids who may not be tall enough to ride.

No sense having any unexpected surprises that can lead to unhappy moments. And yes, cast members will check if your kiddo isn't tall enough!

Plan a Beach Day

For folks visiting from out of state, you'd be remiss not to plan a day at the beach! Disneyland is located fairly close to some of the most beautiful beaches in Southern California.

You can easily Uber there or rent a car from many of the close by rental car services around Disneyland. Plan your beach day in the middle of your trip so you can have a nice, relaxing day in the midst of the hustle and bustle of the parks.

Use PhotoPass for a Great Family Picture

Disneyland PhotoPass is a photographer service at Disneyland that all guests should utilize at least once to get that perfect group shot. You will find PhotoPass photographers at the most iconic locations in the park, like in front of Sleeping Beauty's Castle and Main Street U.S.A.

If you purchase Lightning Lane Multi Pass, you get unlimited downloads of all your photos, so make sure to smile for the camera! PhotoPass photographers can also do ‘Magic Shots' where they can add some pixie dust to your pictures, like Tinkerbell or Pixar characters, or the Cheshire Cat hiding up in a tree.  

Don't Overlook the Entertainment

Disneyland offers many great entertainment options, but it's easy to miss out on these if you don't plan ahead to incorporate them into your day. The entertainment at Disneyland is one of the features of the resort that sets it apart from the rest. 

Character meet-and-greets are extremely popular at Disneyland. Guests can meet classic characters like Mickey Mouse, Disney Princesses, and Star Wars and Marvel characters. The Disneyland mobile app will show guests the most recent available meeting times and locations for characters. Autograph books are readily available at Disneyland shops, or you can purchase your own prior to your visit.

The nighttime spectaculars at Disneyland are not to be missed, especially the classic fireworks above Sleeping Beauty’s Castle. The fireworks shows at Disneyland are heartwarming performances and often feature favorite Disney songs and characters. Fantasmic! and World of Color are the two main nighttime spectaculars taking place at both parks. 

Don't forget the parades, bands, the street entertainers, and the singing groups who roam both parks! Some fan-favorite atmosphere entertainment offerings include the Disneyland Band and Main Street's Dapper Dans, with several performances a day.