5 Things to Know When Visiting Disneyland For the First Time

First time? We got you covered.

There is something so special about visiting the original Disney theme park and the park where Walt Disney himself stepped foot.

Whether your home park is elsewhere or you’ve never visited a Disney park before, there are a few things to keep in mind before your first Disneyland visit so you can enjoy the best experience possible. First-time visitors often have many questions pertaining to where to stay, trip length, park hopping, and more.

We will cover the top 5 things you need to know before visiting Disneyland for the first time!

1) Know how many days you need for Disneyland. If it’s your first time visiting Disneyland, you may be wondering how many days is the perfect trip length. 3 days at Disneyland is ideal so that you have time to experience all of the highlights of the parks (attractions, shows, nighttime spectaculars, etc.) See our best 3-day itinerary with Lightning Lane Multi Pass!

Some may wonder if you can do Disneyland in one day, which is possible with a park hopper, but we do not recommend this for first-time visits as you won’t get to see and do everything. With a multi-day ticket, another benefit is that you can take advantage of discounted ticket prices for your trip. See details about the special Black Friday Disneyland ticket offer that is currently running and the Black Friday Universal Studios Hollywood sale if you are considering adding on.

For first-time visits or a once-in-a-lifetime trip, you may want to consider a 5-day ticket so that you have the most flexibility to relax and repeat favorite experiences. See everything else you need to consider when deciding how many days you need for Disneyland.

2) Weigh the pros and cons of staying onsite vs offsite. There are three Disneyland hotels on property and a variety of hotels in the surrounding Anaheim area. At Disneyland, many of the offsite hotels are actually equidistant or an even closer walk than the onsite hotels.

The on-property hotels are a great choice if you want to stay immersed in the Disney bubble your entire trip and enjoy exclusive hotel guest benefits like Early Entry, private theme park entrances, and more.

If you’re looking for a more affordable option, there are plenty of great offsite hotels within easy walking distance of Disneyland. Some are even right across the street, like Best Western PLUS Park Place Inn & Mini-Suites, Tropicana Inn & Suites, etc. These hotels are a great option if you’re enjoying a parks-focused trip and want to stay somewhere that is good value for your money.

3) Park Hopping is convenient at Disneyland. One of the major differences between Disney World and Disneyland, and a reason why Disney World fans should consider visiting Disneyland, is that park hopping is much easier at Disneyland. Disneyland is a pedestrian resort, and the theme parks are connected by an Esplanade that takes only a couple of minutes to walk. There is no additional method of transportation required to travel between the parks, which is very convenient. You can spend the morning enjoying attractions in Disneyland Park, then easily hop over to Disney California Adventure for lunch!

4) Know the must-do Disneyland rides and dining. There are a number of standout rides at both parks, including classic attractions like Pirates of the Caribbean and immersive newer additions like Rise of the Resistance. Before visiting, make sure you’re aware of the best Disneyland rides, note your priorities, and have a plan for experiencing all of the highlights. If you’re visiting during special holiday celebrations like Halloween or Christmas, you can also enjoy special ride overlays for certain attractions.

Disneyland also has a variety of great restaurants including both table-service and quick-service options. Before your visit, familiarize yourself with the best Disneyland restaurants and be prepared to make reservations for popular table-service dining or dining packages for entertainment in advance.

5) Make good use of Lightning Lane Multi Pass to maximize your time. Lightning Lane Multi Pass is Disneyland’s skip-the-line service that allows you to book return times to access a shorter line and bypass longer standby queues. Lightning Lane Single Pass gives you access to shorter lines for the rides in the highest demand, which is a per-ride purchase that is separate from Lightning Lane Multi Pass.

First-time visitors may wonder whether or not it is worth it to purchase the service, but if you know how to properly utilize Lightning Lane Multi Pass, it can really help you experience the most during your visit and skip long wait times for a number of popular rides. Utilizing this service in conjunction with a solid Disneyland morning strategy will help make the most of your time so you can experience all of the highlights of the parks. See everything you need to know about Lightning Lane Multi Pass and tips for how to best utilize the service.

You can see more guidance on planning your trip and everything else you need to know in our guide to planning your first Disneyland visit.

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.

Laughing Place recommends MouseFanTravel.com for all your Disneyland Resort travel planning
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Gavin Doyle
Gavin Doyle is the founder of MickeyVisit.com and the best-selling author of “Disneyland Secrets”. Mickey Visit has been featured by Travel+Leisure, ABC, the LA Times, OC Register, Forbes, and more and reaches millions of readers planning Disney vacations each month. Over 100K subscribers receive their free email planning newsletter.