Disneyland Tips and Tricks

 Here are some ways that you can make your Disneyland vacation extra special!

​General Tips:

• Wear matching shirts (same colors or complimentary colors). This will help in locating each other in the park and make for some great photos.
• Use Disney’s Photo Pass for great photo opportunities. Make sure and ask the Photo Pass Cast Member about “Magic Shots”.
• If you like chewing gum, buy it before you leave. Disney does not sell gum anywhere on property.
• Arrive at the parks before park opening (I suggest 20-30 mins prior to opening--more during peak hours) to maximize Fast Passes and to see a fun opening show at the parks.
• Are you celebrating a birthday at Disney? Make sure and tell your waiter at the restaurants, they will usually give you a free dessert. Also, make sure and stop by guest relations for your free birthday button. They also have other celebratory buttons!
• You can bring food and drinks into any of the parks. You can even bring in a small personal cooler if you would like.
• When checking into your resort, always ask (very nicely, of course) if they have any free upgrades! It never hurts to ask.
• Make sure you check out all the parks times guides before entering the parks.
• Traveling with small children but the adults want to enjoy some thrill rides? Take advantage of Disney’s child swap pass. At Disneyland and Disney's California Adventure you and the others you're traveling with can "swap" your child and take turns enjoying the rides without having to get back in the line. Ask any cast member to assist you with this! 
• Fast Passes MUST be used during the designated return time window!
• Wear comfortable shoes and take bandaids to the park with you.
• Bring a towel from your resort to sit on while enjoying the parades or buy a beach towel as a souvenir and use it to cushion you while watching the parades.
• I highly suggest taking a mid-afternoon break to escape the heat and the crowds. Crowd levels will at it’s highest from 2-5pm. Go back to your resort, take a nap, enjoy the pool or do some shopping, then head back to the park for dinner and more fun!
• If there are two queue lines for an attraction, try taking the left side-it is usually shorter.
• Staying onsite at a Disney hotel? Take advantage of complimentary package delivery. Shop at the parks and have your bags delivered to your resort for free.
• Shop at your dollar stores for inexpensive ponchos and Disney related products to bring with you on vacation as little “gifts” for your children. Big money saver!
• Want to ride and attraction more than once? Grab a Fast Pass before entering the standby line. This allows you to return later in the day with your Fast Pass to ride it again!

Disneyland Tips:

• When exiting Disneyland and Main Street U.S.A is crowded, try going through the shops--they all interconnect! 
• If the parade and Fantasmic! is showing twice in one night, always go to the last show. It will be much less crowded.
• Want a little more pixie dust? Look up in the sky on the right side of the castle at Disneyland--look for a cable coming down towards Tomorrowland. When looking at the castle you want to be on the right side near the entrance to Tomorrowland. You will see Tinkerbell fly right over your head shortly after the fireworks begin. 
• If you want to avoid crowds during the firework shows you can watch them from it's A Small World or immediately after Fantasmic! at the Rivers of America where they will show the projections.

California Adventure Park Tips:

• If World of Color is showing twice in one night, always go to the last show. It will be much less crowded.
• It is important to get a Fast Pass for Radiator Springs first thing when the park opens! I highly recommend visiting this park during early hour mornings because this particular attraction gets busy early in the day.

​Finally the best tip of all--relax you are on vacation!