Take a Disneyland Tour

No disneyland vacation can be complete without a disneyland tour – especially if it is your first trip to disneyland. There are currently four different tours to choose from, and disneyland park admission is required for all tours. It is strongly advised that you make a reservation for the tours that you wish to go on. disneyland’s Discover the magic Tour may be the most popular of the four. This tour will have you and your family working with disneyland characters to find clues and hunt for treasure. You can literally live out a disneyland fantasy with your family and loveable characters, outsmarting the Disney bad guys! This tour includes lunch and an exclusive gift that can only be obtained on this tour. The Discover the magic Tour lasts for about three hours. There is a two ticket minimum, and the cost is $49 each of the first two tickets, with additional tickets costing $39. The tour is appropriate for the 5 – 9 year old age group, and adults. The tour is not really suitable for children under the age of five, or for children who need strollers. The VIP Tour lasts for about four hours, and costs $75 per hour for a party of up to ten people. You must book this tour well in advance, or there will be an additional twenty dollar fee. The tour is not recommended for children, but is designed more for people who have a true love and interest in Disney and disneyland history. The Welcome to disneyland Tour is absolutely perfect for first timers. There are many benefits to this tour, including priority seating at one of the stage shows, tips and suggestions for getting the most out of your disneyland vacation, a brief history of the park, priority seating at one of the many restaurants, instruction in using FastPass, two bonus FastPass tickets, and much more. This tour lasts about two and a half hours, and costs $25 per person. A Walk in Walt’s Footsteps focuses on the vision of Walt Whitman, and is not really suitable for small children. Filled with history and trivia about the park, this tour lasts for more than three hours, and costs $49 per person. The main feature of this tour is your peek at the exclusive Club 33. Again, you should definitely consider making one of these tours part of your disneyland experience – especially if this will be your first trip to disneyland. You may see things and learn things that you would not see or learn without the benefit of the tour!

Start Your Day At Disneyland in Fantasyland

Any guidebook you read will tell you that you should begin your day at disneyland enjoying the attractions found in Fantasyland. There are several important reasons as to why this advice is given, and it is advice that you should strongly consider following. Fantasyland is one of the most popular areas at disneyland because there are no age or size requirements. The only height restriction is a 35 inch requirement for the Matterhorn. As the day progresses, Fantasyland will fill up. Getting there first thing in the morning will help you avoid the long lines that others will encounter later in the afternoon. None of the attractions in Fantasyland have FastPass. This is another reason as to why you should go there first. FastPass allows you to more or less ‘set an appointment’ to ride certain rides – but none of the attractions in Fantasyland have this option. Cover Fantasyland first, then go get FastPasses for the other attractions that you want to ride. The crowds and the lines will start growing within a few hours of disneyland opening each day. Make sure that you arrive before the park opens so that you can be one of the first ones through the gate – and head straight to Fantasyland before going anywhere else. Since all of the guidebooks suggest this, many other early risers will also be headed for Fantasyland. Even so, the lines won’t get really long for two or three hours, and by then, you will have already ridden all of the rides there. From Fantasyland, you should start collecting FastPass tickets for the other attractions that have FastPass throughout the park. It is best to collect these early in the day – the longer you wait, the l onger it will be before your appointed time comes around, depending on how many FastPasses have been issued for each ride. While you are waiting for the appointed time for your first FastPass, you should enjoy other attractions, visit the shops, or get a snack. Times between FastPass appointments are great for visiting the restrooms or sitting down to rest with a cool beverage. Just remember that in order to enjoy the most attractions at disneyland you should start with Fantasyland, followed by gathering FastPass tickets. Enjoy other attractions between FastPass attractions, but make sure that you don’t put yourself on such a tight schedule or such a rigid itinerary that you forget to have fun! Some people simply like to spend some t ime wandering around the park.

Personal Comfort at Disneyland

There is no better way to ruin your disneyland vacation than trying to walk around with blisters on your feet! It is vitally important that you wear comfortable shoes that are already broken in. You will be doing more walking than you normally would when you visit disneyland. It is also important that you bring a change of clothing. You can rent a locker at disneyland to store your extra clothes. You can rub your thighs raw if you ride water rides in denim shorts, then try to walk around while you dry out! Enjoy the water rides – but then go change into dry clothing! Bring extra shoes as well. Walking around in wet shoes is not only uncomfortable; it can also contribute to blisters. More than blisters can cause discomfort. Some people simply are not used to being on their feet all day. If your feet are tired and sore at the end of the day, soak them in cool water with Epsom salt. This will offer more relief than soaking them in hot or warm water. After a good twenty minute soak, your feet will feel refreshed and ready for more walking!

Pamper Yourself at Disneyland

 

You may think that disneyland is only about fun, excitement, and activity – but you would be wrong. disneyland is also about relaxation and pampering. The pampering you receive at disneyland may not be the same that you would receive at a world class spa, but it is relaxing and makes you feel special just the same. The easiest way to get pampered on your disneyland vacation is to book your room at one of the disneyland resorts, and upgrading your room to one that includes Concierge services. The difference in the price may startle you a bit, with rooms costing up to $300 per night, but the service you receive will be out of this world. First, your room will be much nicer if you have the Concierge service. You will have free bottles of water, soft drinks, coffee, and tea at all times. You will be able to check in and out faster at the Concierge check in counter, and a nightly turndown service is included. Access to the Concierge lounge is where the pampering really starts! You will enjoy a continental breakfast in the lounge each morning. You can also opt to take your breakfast back to your room. In the afternoon, while the kids watch Disney Videos, you will enjoy a wine tasting in the lounge as well. There are many more perks available with the Concierge service, differing at each resort. To determine whether the Concierge service will benefit you and your family, call the resort that you are considering, and simply ask what perks are included with this service. Ask to be connected with the concierge desk to ensure that you are getting accurate information. Again, the cost of this upgrade is a bit high, but when you close your eyes and dream of all of the pampering and special treatment that you and your family will enjoy, and you tally up the cost of the free breakfast and drinks, you may find that the cost is well worth it. In fact, depending on the size of your family, you may even discover that the value of the free breakfast and the free drinks even makes the entire disneyland trip a little less expensive for you! Once you’ve experienced the Concierge Service on a trip to disneyland, you may not be satisfied with anything less on future disneyland trips. The service is out of this world, and can only serve to make your trip more relaxing and enjoyable.

How to Dine With Disneyland Characters

If you really want to delight your child – or yourself – you should arrange to have a disneyland Character meal. This will allow you and your whole family to have quality time with one or more of the disneyland characters. In fact, this is the best way to really get to interact with them for any length of time. Start by making a reservation. This can be done through the disneyland vacation Planning Services Department. Reservations can be made up to sixty days in advance, so don’t leave this to the last minute. Make these

 

reservations while your disneyland vacation is being planned. Character breakfasts take place each morning at the park. You do not need a reservation for these meals. These breakfasts take place in many of the parks restaurants, but Goofy’s Kitchen is a great place to start. It is located in the disneyland Hotel, and there are dishes to please everyone. Children under three years of age get to eat free, which should be considered when you are planning the budget for your trip. Goofy is always there, with Pluto, but other characters come and go all throughout the day. You should definitely make reservations for Goofy’s kitchen, as it is quite popular, and the wait can be very long. If dining with Princesses is important, than Ariel’s Grotto is the place to be. Serving three course meals, this is elegant dining that both kids and adults can enjoy. Each princess will come spend a little time at your table during your meal – one at a time. Reservations for Ariel’s Grotto are also recommended. This is one place in the park where both alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks are served. The Storyteller’s Café is another place that is highly recommended for Character Meals. Characters are only here during breakfast, however. While time is not spent at each individual table, the Characters do interact with the children as a group. Both buffet and menu dining are available, and again, reservations are recommended. Lilo and Stitch also have a Character Breakfast, as does Minnie Mouse. Breakfast with Minnie and Friends is extremely popular, so make reservations. You should definitely include a Character Meal or two in your disneyland vacation plans. This is something that your child will remember forever and interacting with the famous Disney characters that we all know and love is part of what disneyland is all about! Be sure to make reservations as far in advance as possible.

Getting Around Disneyland with Your Toddler or

 

Baby As a parent, you already know that you don’t want to have to carry your child around in your arms all day. You couldn’t possibly make it through the day! You also can’t expect your child to walk all day long. The obvious choice is to have a way to transport your child – without wearing you or the child completely out. Strollers are not only welcome at disneyland, they are highly recommended. In fact, disneyland rents strollers for a reasonable fee. Strollers can be rented for less than $10 for the day, and you can get a huge discount on a second stroller if it is needed. The strollers are clean and well-maintained, but they do all look alike. Tie something on the stroller, such as a brightly colored ribbon, to help identify it from all of the other strollers in the park. Never leave your child unattended in the stroller, and never leave any material items of any value in the stroller either. Even if you bring your own stroller, you should have some easy way to identify it – there will be other strollers that look just like it at disneyland.

How to Avoid Long Lines at Disneyland

 

One source of frustration for many visitors at disneyland is the long lines for the rides. You can literally spend several hours of the day standing in line to ride popular attractions. These lines can be avoided in one of three ways. Get to the park early. The lines are shorter in the morning when the park first opens. Instead of jumping in line for the first ride you see, head for the rides that you really want to ride the most – the most popular rides. Another option is to purchase FastPass tickets for the rides that offer them. Again, do this early to ensure that you get to ride those rides earlier in the day. The third option to avoid long lines at disneyland is to ride many of the popular rides later in the evening, while the majority of people are enjoying the entertainment. disneyland has nightly entertainment, and this is a good time to find shorter lines. Of course, it will mean that you probably miss the entertainment, so if you can use one of the other options for shorter lines at disneyland, you should probably do so.

Get More Out of Your Disneyland Vacation With

 
FastPass You don’t want to spend your entire disneyland vacation standing in long lines. This can be avoided by using disneyland FastPass. FastPass can be obtained from machines located near the rides that accept FastPass. This doesn’t mean that you get to immediately move to the front of the line. It is more like scheduling an appointment for the ride later in the day – at which time you actually will move to the front of the line. In the meantime, you are free to go enjoy other sites and rides around the park. When you obtain a FastPass ticket, you will be given a one hour time in which to enjoy the ride. For instance, your FastPass ticket may say 11am to 12pm. This means that you can show up and move to the front of the line between the hours of 11am and 12pm. You must have your disneyland ticket in order to obtain a FastPass ticket. At disneyland, FastPasses are available for Indiana Jones, Splash Mountain, Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, Roger Rabbits Cartoon Spin, Autopia, Space Mountain, and Buzz Lightyear.

Family Reunions at Disneyland

 


Everyone looks forward to family reunions – and who doesn’t love disneyland? You can bring the two together by having your family reunion at the happiest place on earth. It is really easier than you might think to arrange this! Start by calling the disneyland vacation Planning Services Department. Let them help you book rooms at the Resort hotels, and admission tickets to the park. You should be able to get discounts on the tickets by purchasing them in bulk. The specific service that you need to accommodate all of your family members is the ‘Happiest Place on Earth Picnic.’ This service is offered year round, and includes admission to the park for your entire party. You also get a choice of fully catered meals for the event. For 100 – 300 people, your event can be held at Big Thunder Ranch. For 300 – 1000 people, the event will be held at the Festival Arena. If there are less than 100 people in your party, you may not be eligible for the catering services. This is at the sole discretion of disneyland, and you will need to discuss this with Guest Services or the Planning Services Departments. If catering is not available, reservations in the many restaurants can be made instead. You may be able to get a discount on your family member’s rooms at the Resorts as well, if you book well in advance, hold your event during the off-season, and book a block of rooms. Airline tickets for those who will need to fly to disneyland should also be purchased well in advance, and in bulk for additional discounts. Again, allow disneyland vacation Planning Services to help you with the arrangements, and use a travel agent to handle any arrangements that planning services doesn’t cover. For best results, choose one family member to work with the planning services and the travel agent, and relay information back and forth between the services and the family members. Having one person collecting and sharing information will cut down on a great deal of confusion and misinformation when you are trying to make travel arrangements for a large number of people. It may take work and planning, but in the end, this will be one family reunion that will never be forgotten. Talk with the vacation Planning Services Department to find out what other services are available to make this an even more special experience for you and your family members. The Surprise services would be a nice touch!

Entertainment at Disneyland

 

There is always something to see or do at disneyland, but disneyland adds to this with nightly entertainment during the peak season, and weekend entertainment during the off-season. There is also special entertainment during special occasions, such as the Fourth of July and Christmas. Fantasmic is held twice each night during the peak season, and on weekends during the off-season. The show takes place on Tom Sawyer’s Island, and features many characters, music, and fireworks. For the best seating possible, purchase tickets for Fantasmic in advance, but note that free seating is also available, and is included in your disneyland park admission price. The Parade of Dreams features large colorful floats accompanied by many Characters. This parade takes place twice each day. During the parade, the entire parade will stop three times to do a choreographed show, and most of the Disney Characters are portrayed in the Parade of Dreams. In the Fantasyland Theater, you can see a musical of Snow White. This show is held several times throughout the day. This show should not be missed – especially if you love Snow White. Since the show is held several times each day, reservations are not necessary. These are just a few of the shows that are available at disneyland. Again, entertainment is an ongoing thing at the park, with each day bringing something new. One thing that you can definitely count on, of course, is the fireworks! The fireworks show is held late each night – before the park closes for the day. Even if you can’t stay for the fireworks, you can probably see them out of your hotel window! Try to get a view of the Fireworks from in front of Sleeping Beauty’s Castle for the greatest effect. The fireworks on the Fourth of July are out of this world. To find out if there are any special shows or events during the time that you will be at disneyland, visit the website, call the park, or ask your travel agent to find this information out for you. You may also want to inquire about special events during specific months, so that you can plan your stay at disneyland for those days. Most entertainment is provided free of charge, and is part of your admission price. However, special seating, or priority seating usually requires a fee, as well as a reservation. Some events require an admission price that is separate from your park admission. Again, check the website, call the park, or discuss events and fees with your travel agent when planning your disneyland vacation.

Disneyland Weddings

Your wedding day is the happiest day of your life. Wouldn’t it be wonderful to have the happiest day of your life at the happiest place on earth? Of course it would – and disneyland has made that possible with disneyland Weddings. Women start dreaming of their weddings from the time that they are little girl’s. Now, you can really have a fairy tale wedding that is truly unique, romantic, and enchanting – and you can have your very own ‘happily ever after’ wedding day at disneyland. disneyland weddings include a magical ceremony and a creative reception that you can’t find any place else on earth. You won’t have to stress over the details. Like Cinderella, you can have your very own God Mother to take care of the details – although in this case, it will actually be a fairy God Planner. disneyland weddings are not last minute events. The planning stage starts one year before the date of the wedding with a meeting with the Disney wedding planner, a site tour, and a selection of the possible locations for the wedding. Eleven months before the big day, the letter of agreement must be signed and returned with a deposit. At ten months, announcements are mailed out to the guests who are to be invited. Eight months before the big day, the planning steps up. Planning sessions are held by phone or in person with the wedding planner, and ceremony and reception event orders are prepared. Everything starts falling into place, and the planning continues until one month before the big day. Final payments are due thirty days before the wedding date, and the final guest count is due four days before the wedding is to take place. Everything is planned with your input, and all of the details are handled without any stress being placed on the happy couple. Flowers, invitations, and catering are all included. After a ceremony that will l ive in your memory forever, you and your new spouse will enjoy the reception of your dreams. The reception will be handled by a white gloved staff, complete with elegant resort table settings, a head table, floor length linens, and place cards. Your wedding cake will be like nothing you could imagine in your wildest dreams, selected by you from a variety of choices. There are also honeymoon packages available at all of the disneyland Resorts. From start to finish, your disneyland wedding will have all of your dreams coming true, so you and your spouse can start your road to happily ever after.

Disneyland Ticket Security

 


You must have your disneyland ticket in order to enter the park. You must also have the ticket to get FastPass tickets. Because this ticket is so important, it needs to be kept in a safe place. Along with the disneyland ticket, you also need a safe place to keep money or the disneyland Merchandise Card. A wallet or purse is not very practical at disneyland. Instead, you should purchase a FastPass holder – even if you don’t get any FastPasses. This is a small plastic pouch that hangs from a cord, which is worn around the neck. These can be purchased at disneyland, and they are very inexpensive. If you think you might not want to spend a little bit of money on the FastPass holder, you should consider what a new disneyland ticket will cost. If you lose your disneyland ticket, you will not be allowed to enter the park the next day without purchasing a new ticket. When you look at the small cost of the disneyland FastPass holder, you will see that it is well worth it.