We’ve all been rookies experiencing one thing new sooner or later. Our first journey to Disneyland was a comedy of errors, as we thought we have been professionals based mostly upon our many journeys to Walt Disney World. We couldn’t have been extra incorrect. This put up provides suggestions for avoiding frequent errors folks make when planning a Disneyland trip for the primary time, and through their first go to. (Up to date February 18, 2024.)
Our expertise is a standard chorus: Walt Disney World veterans head to Disneyland for the primary time armed with a ton of misguided assumptions, lots of which aren’t true concerning the California parks. The excellent news, I suppose, is that these ‘errors’ normally take the type of over-planning. Disneyland has that laid again Southern California vibe, and although planning is certainly mandatory and there are a ton of potential errors to be made, it’s simpler.
With that mentioned, one factor to bear in mind when planning your first go to to any Disney park is that no quantity of planning can put together you for the inevitable mistake. Though Disneyland is extra easy-going, that’s relative to its Florida counterparts. Within the grand scheme of trip locations, Disneyland Resort remains to be a fairly advanced place to go to, and also you’re sure to screw up one thing. That’s not meant to scare you–however moderately, offer you solace and allow you to know that you just’re in good firm…
This put up takes a take a look at what we really feel are the “high” errors first-timers make when planning a trip to Disneyland. That is based mostly upon a mixture of our personal blunders, reader weblog put up feedback, social media suggestions, and extra. It’s hardly a scientific record, however hopefully it offers some good meals for thought, nonetheless.
So what are the most important errors first time Disneyland guests make? The solutions could SHOCK AND ASTOUND YOU. Nicely, in all probability not, however we now have to trick you into studying this someway… 😉
10. Being Underneath-Ready
Within the introduction, we lined how Disneyland was rather more laid again than the Florida parks, and it’s not practically as vital to plan. That’s true, however that doesn’t imply you must go in with no plans in any way.
Whereas ADRs made months upfront will not be mandatory and there’s not even a approach to make FastPass+ upfront, having a tough plan of assault for every park (seek the advice of our 1-Day Disneyland and 1-Day DCA Itineraries for that) and an thought of which sights to prioritize. Similar to WDW, wait instances get lengthy, and moving into with out good technique is a recipe for catastrophe.
9. It Will get Chilly in Southern California
California is understood for its excellent climate, and there’s no scarcity of songs concerning the enjoyable you possibly can have within the solar there. This overlooks one vital factor: these Hollywood (Land) nights. It could actually get chilly. At present, nightly temperatures are within the low 50s and that coupled with a crisp breeze could make for jacket climate.
Clearly, California’s climate is healthier than within the overwhelming majority of states, however a standard first-timer mistake is assuming the climate is all the time excellent. Yeah, in the event you’re visiting in the course of the summer season, you possibly can just about pack nothing apart from shorts and flip flops, however it’d be a mistake to imagine it’ll be all sunshine on a regular basis. Seek the advice of our Ideas for Packing for Winter at Disney put up in the event you’re taking a visit from round November till February.
8. Overlooking Lightning Lanes
That is sure to be a controversial one on condition that Genie+ changed not simply free FastPass, but additionally the superior MaxPass at Disneyland. We need to be very clear right here: we’re not endorsing Genie+ as for everybody, a superb factor, higher than FastPass/MaxPass, and so on. Relatively, we’re acknowledging the truth that what’s executed is completed, and your choices in 2024 are both free standby or paid Lightning Lanes. There is no such thing as a third selection that doesn’t contain time journey.
The actual motive it’s listed right here as a line merchandise is as a result of Walt Disney World followers who’ve used Genie+ within the Florida parks could have a sure notion of the paid FastPass service that isn’t very optimistic. Nonetheless, that’s largely as a result of the trip rosters at 3 of the 4 parks at Walt Disney World are pretty weak and arguably inadequate to help the paid Lightning Lane system. Accordingly, you might need been pissed off with how few Lightning Lanes you have been capable of e-book at Hollywood Studios, Animal Kingdom, or EPCOT.
Nonetheless, Disneyland doesn’t have that drawback. The trip density is much increased and, consequently, there’s a ton extra Lightning Lane capability and stock. It additionally helps that the 2 parks are instantly throughout from each other, making it straightforward to strategically Park Hop and get extra mileage out of Lightning Lanes. Mainly, it’s like Genie+ at Magic Kingdom on steroids.
For longer journeys, Genie+ may be cost-prohibitive (and even pointless), however in the event you solely have a few days in Disneyland and Disney California Journey, give some critical thought to purchasing the paid FastPass service. Even on an extended journey, you will get Genie+ for a day or two and attempt to run the desk with it, then go gradual in your remaining days at Disneyland. Our up to date Information to Genie+ and Lightning Lanes at Disneyland covers all the professionals and cons of this new system.
7. Visiting on Busy Days
Thanks, Captain Apparent. Sure, I’m declaring the very standard knowledge that gradual days are higher than busy ones, and shorter traces are higher than longer ones. Really profound stuff. There are a ton of added wrinkles to this at Disneyland, to the purpose that issues are fairly completely different at Disneyland. Nearly all of that is dictated by the native park-going populace: Magic Key blockouts, Southern California ticket offers, and dynamic pricing for tickets.
Earlier than even reserving your journey, you must seek the advice of our Disneyland Crowd Calendars to find out the perfect and worst instances to go to. Relying upon the day of the week or time of the yr, Disneyland will be calmly or closely crowded. That makes a large distinction in your expertise. (For instance, you would possibly count on Might 23, 2024 to be gradual. In any case, it gained’t be unhealthy at Walt Disney World, and it’s earlier than Memorial Day weekend and Fantasmic returns to Disneyland. Nonetheless, it’s a bit over every week earlier than the SoCal ticket deal ends, and locals will probably be scrambling to make use of these tickets earlier than they expire!)
There’s additionally a false impression that holidays will not be busy, as a result of everyone seems to be at house with their households. Easter, Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Yr’s Eve, and the Tremendous Bowl (not technically a vacation, however celebrated as such in lots of households) are all busy, regardless of city legends on the contrary. Some holidays are barely much less busy than others, however all holidays are busier than the norm. All.
6. A Weight loss plan of Burgers and Pizza
Theme park meals has a repute for leaving one thing to be desired. Like sporting occasions and different leisure venues, parks usually attempt to attraction to the bottom frequent denominator, realizing they’ve a captive viewers that can merely have to eat throughout their go to.
Whereas there are a number of eating places at Disneyland and Disney California Journey that match inside this stereotype–we’re taking a look at you, Redd Rockett’s Pizza Port and Galactic Grill!–there are additionally a ton of choices which might be way more bold, and provide some distinctive delicacies. Mainly, the “secure” eating places are the worst ones.
Counter service burgers are nearly universally unhealthy, as is heat-lamp pizza. The one really good consolation meals are Plaza Inn fried rooster (it’s a non secular expertise) and the (life-changing) corn canines in each parks. Try our record of the 24 Finest Eating places at Disneyland Resort for eating spots and dishes to strive…and to keep away from.
5. Sleeping In
The primary 2 hours Disneyland and Disney California Journey are open are going to be the most efficient hours of your day. Rope dropping the parks is an absolute should, and doing Early Entry (if eligible) is even higher. It’s an effective way to knock out Fantasyland, Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, Avengers Campus, Automobiles Land, and so on. earlier than the crowds get unhealthy.
That is additionally one thing that frequent Walt Disney World guests underestimate, because the Florida parks get pretty busy at or shortly after rope drop. This as soon as once more comes right down to the native dynamic. Californians doing day journeys to Disneyland sometimes are late arrivers on account of visitors and so forth, so the morning begins a lot slower. (The extent to which that is true relies upon upon whether or not or not it’s California’s vacationer season; in the event you’re visiting throughout spring break or summer season trip, don’t count on this to be as pronounced as throughout September or February.)
Getting up on the first light and being to Disneyland or DCA early doesn’t match with the notion of enjoyable and unwinding on trip, however the actuality is that you just’d be higher off exhibiting up for the primary 2 hours and final 2 hours and skipping the ~8 hours in between than you be doing solely these middle-of-the-day hours.
If leisure in your trip is vital, take a break in the midst of the day to return to your lodge and nap or benefit from the pool. You actually profit enormously from being within the parks proper at rope drop, although. Likewise, crowds are lightest once more on the finish of the evening (and the environment then is unbeatable).
4. Shopping for the Fallacious Tickets
Disneyland tickets are extremely customizable, which is each a superb and unhealthy factor. On the draw back, in the event you haven’t executed your analysis and are vulnerable to being upsold on issues, you would possibly find yourself buying greater than you want. On the upside, if in case you have executed your analysis, you possibly can pay for under the choices that you actually need, passing on extras you probably gained’t use.
For instance, going from park to park takes (actually) lower than 5 minutes, so the Park Hopper possibility will be very invaluable, particularly on the (common) nights when DCA closes earlier or opens later. Conversely, you would possibly be capable of get away with no Park Hopper if in case you have small children. We cowl the chances, professionals and cons of every, and provide some suggestions in our Ideas for Saving Cash on Disneyland Tickets put up.
3. Over-Planning
Over-planning and under-planning on the identical record? Tough. There are two elements to this one. First, you don’t have to dedicate practically as a lot time to planning a Disneyland journey as you’d a WDW one. As a common rule, spend not more than half as a lot time planning. (Realistically, even lower than that’s in all probability superb.)
Past that, there’s the difficulty with over-planning basically. Planning the whole lot right down to the minute and even hour leaves no room for spontaneity, and Disneyland is all about the spontaneous experiences. Characters seem out of nowhere, there’s atmospheric leisure you by no means knew about, and a wealth of “little issues” you’ll need to cease to expertise. These spontaneous little moments will be the spotlight of a Disneyland trip, and planning the whole lot right down to the smallest element would possibly “power” you to skip these items once you see them.
The ultimate drawback with such an in depth itinerary is that it units unrealistic expectations. In the event you plan a visit guidelines fashion with 15 issues that you just “should accomplish” in a given day, you’re setting your self up for disappointment. The sensible realities of navigating crowds, climate, longer-than-expected traces, attraction downtime, or different unplanned variables imply you won’t be capable of get the whole lot executed.
It’s higher to enter a Disneyland journey with a tough plan of assault with loads of downtime–and be ready to bail on even what you do have in your schedule. Typically we now have probably the most enjoyable after we toss apart our plans!
2. Driving
In the event you’re a veteran of the Florida parks, you in all probability have a robust opinion within the unending ‘Disney transportation vs. rental automotive’ debate. There’s an honest probability you hire a automotive, given how unfold out the whole lot is and the way gradual transportation instances will be.
For many guests to Disneyland, a automotive shouldn’t be solely pointless, however counter-productive. A lot of the greatest lodge choices are instantly throughout the road from the parks, which are actually <100 yards from each other. Driving to the parks will take considerably longer than strolling to them. Vital shouldn’t be an understatement; as a result of parking configuration, it could actually take 30+ minutes to drive, park, undergo safety, and take the tram to the parks, whereas it’s a 10-15 minute stroll from many lodges.
Likewise, you would possibly contemplate reserving a lodge that’s a little bit of a commute to the parks. Coastal communities like Newport Seaside and Laguna Seaside are beautiful and don’t appear too far on paper. Belief us as individuals who make that commute to the park: it may be depressing. Southern California visitors is a soul-crushing beast, and that coupled with having to park, going by way of safety, and so on., is one approach to begin your day on the incorrect foot.
Moreover, you’ll be paying for parking. Usually, that is the case each at your lodge (even the Disney-owned ones) and on the parks. For all of those causes, we sometimes suggest these visiting Disneyland plus different elements of California hire a automotive after ending the Disneyland leg of their journey. (See our Disneyland Transportation Ideas for more information.)
As a substitute, take an Uber/Lyft to your lodge, and get round by way of foot. Disneyland Resort is so compact {that a} automotive actually doesn’t make sense. Simply plan accordingly: e-book a lodge inside strolling distance, fly into SNA, and skip the rental automotive till the non-Disneyland portion of your journey (you’ll completely need your personal automotive for #1 on this record). In the event you’re going elsewhere, e-book a one-way rental from Anaheim to the airport, beginning the day you permit Disneyland.
1. ONLY Doing Disneyland
I’ll be completely sincere with you, that is a type of “do as we are saying, not as we do” situations. Throughout our first go to to Disneyland, we additionally have been in Huntington Seaside for a marriage (the actual objective of the journey), however throughout our subsequent few visits, we didn’t enterprise past Disneyland Resort as soon as. Granted, we made separate journeys to Northern California to see San Francisco and Yosemite Nationwide Park, however we didn’t spend any time in Los Angeles. It took us a number of journeys again to lastly get to Los Angeles and Burbank and begin studying the error of our methods.
Lastly, we moved to California and invested appreciable time into exploring the state. We made a concerted effort to see and do as a lot as attainable whereas residing right here, and the recurring thought we now have is, “why didn’t we do that all sooner?!” California could be one of many biggest nations on the planet (have been it one), and is definitely the perfect state within the US. After we return as vacationers now, our time is break up roughly 50/50 between Disneyland and the remainder of Southern California.
California has a lot to see and do, superb meals, and pure variety. Go two hours (or much less) from Disneyland and you’ve got seashores, mountains, and deserts. Californians boast about having the ability to surf and ski in the identical day, however it’s completely true. (See our record of the Worst & Finest Seashores Near Disneyland.)
Along with this web site, we now have non-Disney weblog: TravelCaffeine with assets for on an eclectic mixture of the locations the place we’ve lived or visited extensively. California is one such emphasis, as we’ve spent a ton of time exploring our house state. In the event you’re planning on heading to LA after Disneyland, make sure to take a look at our Final Information to Los Angeles. LA is without doubt one of the biggest cities on the planet, however we’re significantly a fan of Laguna Seaside–see our Final Information to Laguna Seaside, California for in depth recommendation. Along with these planning assets, we additionally give away a free eBook, 101 Issues to Do in Southern California over on TravelCaffeine, so make sure to obtain that absolutely free useful resource!
I believe that about covers it for the “high” errors newbies make when visiting Disneyland for the primary time. Now, there aren’t any scarcity of attainable errors…that is actually simply the tip of the iceberg. So, in the event you don’t thoughts sharing a few of the errors you or a “good friend” have made when visiting Disneyland Resort, please share them within the feedback. Keep in mind, your studying expertise might assist another person keep away from operating into the identical drawback. Be at liberty to vary the names to guard the harmless.
Planning a Southern California trip? For park admission offers, learn Ideas for Saving Cash on Disneyland Tickets. Study on-site and off-site lodges in our Anaheim Lodge Opinions & Rankings. For the place to eat, take a look at our Disneyland Restaurant Opinions. For distinctive concepts of issues that’ll enhance your journey, take a look at What to Pack for Disney. For complete recommendation, seek the advice of our Disneyland Trip Planning Information. Lastly, for guides past Disney, take a look at our Southern California Itineraries for day journeys to Los Angeles, Laguna Seaside, and tons of different locations!
Your Ideas
Do you agree or disagree with our first-timer suggestions for Disneyland? Every other frequent errors or pitfalls you’d suggest avoiding? Any questions? Listening to suggestions about your experiences is each fascinating to us and useful to different readers, so please share your ideas or questions under within the feedback!
