Beyond what is included with regular theme park admission, there are several areas of your trip where you can opt to budget a bit of extra money to elevate your experience. There are many different parts of your Disneyland trip that you can splurge on, from dining to hotels and special experiences.
While ultimately the question of what is “worth” the splurge boils down to the circumstances of your trip and personal preferences, there are a few experiences that we’ve found to be worth the cost during our own trips. Keep reading for the top 5 splurges you may want to consider during your Disneyland trip!
1) Dining Packages for Entertainment. When you’re considering the cost of a Disneyland vacation, time is money with so many amazing attractions, shows, character meet-and-greets, and more to experience throughout the parks. Staking out the best spot for the entertainment offerings can often take a significant chunk out of your day, so many guests will opt for a dining package that guarantees you food and reserved viewing for the show.
There are different dining packages offered at Disneyland for Fantasmic!, parades, fireworks, and World of Color. One dining package that we’ve found to be especially worth it is the World of Color Dessert Party. For this dining package, you’ll get seated viewing for the show to rest your feet after a long day as well as a plate of desserts and beverages. Especially if you were already planning on eating at a dining location that offers a dining package, it makes sense to splurge on this area of your trip.
2) Character Dining Experiences. Another area of your Disneyland trip that you may find worth the splurge is Character Dining, which enables you to enjoy a meal with Disney characters going between tables to interact with guests, pose for pictures, and sign autographs. A big advantage of Character Dining is that you can dodge waiting in the long character meet-and-greet lines in the parks and enjoy more time with the characters at the meal.
There are a few different Character Dining meals offered at the Disneyland Resort with each offering different foods and characters. A particularly big splurge, but one that you may find is worth it if you’re celebrating a special occasion or have a big fan of Disney princesses in your party, is the Disney Princess Breakfast Adventures experience at Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa which includes a 3-course breakfast and time with favorite Disney princesses.
3) Special Tours. If you want to get a unique perspective on Disneyland and learn the behind-the-scenes secrets of the parks, the special tours can make for some great memories during your vacation.
The tours offered at Disneyland are always subject to change, but some of the ones currently being offered are Walt's Main Street Story which enables you to visit Walt’s apartment, the Disneyland Railroad Guided Tour which gives you the opportunity to ride the Lilly Belle, seasonal tours like The Happiest Haunts tour and Holiday Time at the Disneyland Resort Guided Tour, and more. These Disneyland tours can be a really memorable experience worth the splurge if you are especially interested in the topic!
When Disneyland is most crowded, some even turn to private VIP tours. These are even more of a splurge.
4) Disneyland Resort Hotel Stays. The three onsite hotels (Grand Californian Hotel & Spa, Disneyland Hotel, and Pixar Place Hotel) at Disneyland each offer an incredible atmosphere, recreation like elaborate pool areas, and some of our favorite dining experiences at the resort. See our comparison of the Grand Californian Hotel & Spa vs. the Disneyland Hotel!
Guests who stay at the Disneyland Resort hotels also get to enjoy exclusive perks like Early Entry to the parks, private entrances to Disney California Adventure for the Pixar Place Hotel and Grand Californian, preferred access to hotel dining reservations, and more. The theming, experiences offered, and ability to stay immersed in the Disney bubble during your entire trip make the onsite Disneyland hotels worth the splurge for many guests.
5) After-Hours Events. Disneyland offers special separately ticketed events that take place after the park has closed for the day, including the popular Disneyland After Dark parties and Oogie Boogie Bash. These parties offer special entertainment, speciality foods, rare character appearances, and more. You’ll also get three mix-in hours that you can enjoy at the park before the party.
Whether you choose to attend the Halloween-themed Oogie Boogie Bash or Disneyland After Dark events with popular themes like Star Wars Nite and Sweethearts Nite, these after-hours events are worth the splurge for many guests as they provide a unique and fun way to experience the park.
For more details on experiences worth splurging on during your next vacation, see our full guide to 10 Disneyland splurges that may be worth the money for you!
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