When planning your Disneyland trip, one of the biggest decisions you’ll need to make is how long your visit will be. There is so much to do and see between the two parks, with various attractions, shows, character meet-and-greets, dining experiences, and more.
There are a few things you’ll want to consider when deciding how long your Disneyland visit will be, and we will break all of these down below!
1) Consider the different ticket types. With the cost of a Disneyland vacation, one major consideration is which ticket type you’ll go with for your trip. Guests can choose a 1-day ticket, which is divided into various pricing tiers that fluctuate depending on the date and season. Disneyland also offers 2-day, 3-day, 4-day, and 5-day tickets if you want to enjoy a multi-day trip.
You also have the option to add park hopping to your ticket, which is an additional add-on cost that starts at $65 but will vary by 1-day ticket tier and ticket duration. When deciding how many days you want to visit Disneyland, you will want to keep the various ticket types in mind. See all current Disneyland ticket prices here.
2) How to make the most out of one day. If your only option is a 1-day ticket, you won’t get to do and see everything, but you can still enjoy the highlights if you plan your time well. For this ticket type, we recommend adding on park hopping so that you can get to all of the popular rides and experiences in both parks.
You’ll also want to be deliberate about how you spend your one day and your strategy. We have a 1-day Disneyland and Disney California Adventure itinerary that highlights all of the experiences you shouldn’t miss. For first-time visitors or infrequent visitors to Disneyland, we recommend a longer trip, but if you can only visit for one day, it is still worth it to do so!
3) Whether or not to get a park hopper. Park hopping will provide you with the most flexibility, but it can be more necessary for certain trip lengths than others. Because the parks are located so close to one another, park hopping is very convenient to do at Disneyland. As mentioned above, you’ll definitely want to consider a park hopper ticket if you are planning on a shorter visit for one or two days so that you have time to enjoy everything both parks have to offer.
However, this additional cost can add up, and if you’re planning a longer visit, a park hopper ticket may not be as necessary. If you plan your days effectively, you should be able to enjoy a 3-day or longer trip without the need to add park hopping.
4) 3 days is a perfect choice to do and see everything. A 3-day park hopper ticket is a popular ticket type to get to all of the top rides, entertainment, and other can’t-miss experiences. With this itinerary, we recommend spending 2 days at Disneyland Park and one at Disney California Adventure. This ticket type will give you the ability to rope drop popular rides at both parks in the mornings during the course of your trip and time to enjoy the nighttime spectaculars, with the flexibility to repeat any favorite ride on the final day.
We have a 3-day Disneyland itinerary with Lightning Lane Multi Pass with details on how to structure your day and make the most of your time to fit in all of the major experiences.
5) Consider 5 days for a first-time trip or during the holidays. While the ideal trip length is 3 days, you may want to consider 5 days if you want enough time to enjoy all of the rides and have time to spend on character meet-and-greets, hidden gems, and seasonal experiences. This is a good trip length to consider if you’re visiting for the first time or don’t visit often, as it gives you plenty of time to enjoy everything and repeat any favorite experiences without feeling the pressure to rush.
You may also want to consider a 5-day trip if you’re visiting during a busier season like Christmas at Disneyland to ensure you have enough time to get to all of the major experiences and extra seasonal offerings.
We discuss in more detail how many days to visit and everything else to consider in our full guide to how many days you need for Disneyland.
At Mickey Visit, we share the most important tips for planning your trips to Disneyland, Walt Disney World, Disney Cruise Line, Universal, and beyond. Each week, we’ll share some of our top tips here on Laughing Place.
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