Disneyland Planning Guide
& Ticket Deals
Struggling to plan out your Disneyland vacation? Our guide will help you maximize your fun--and save some bucks, too!
A day at Disneyland is a special time with lots of new things to see and do. Spread out over approximately 500 acres, the Disneyland Resort complex encompasses Disneyland park, Disney California Adventure, Disneyland Hotel, Grand Californian Hotel & Spa, Paradise Pier Hotel, and Downtown Disney District. Disneyland park sits on 85 acres, 100 acres once Star Wars Land opens in 2019, Disney California Adventure covers another 72 acres. More than 18 million visitors came to Disneyland in 2016 divided roughly between Disneyland park and Disney California Adventure equally.
See what current Disneyland ticket prices are if you're buying them at the park.
We hope you find these Disneyland tips & tricks helpful.
DOWNLOAD A DISNEYLAND WAIT TIMES APP - Waiting in line isn't how you want to spend your day at Disneyland. Planning where to go, what to ride and when is how today's mouse fans navigate the parks using any one of a variety of user posting wait times apps. Help other guests by posting current wait times, as well as see wait times posted by others. Check out our Disneyland wait times apps page. Also download the official Disneyland app.
Also, download the official Disneyland app .
Disneyland Ticket deals - Purchase your tickets before you get here. If you purchase your tickets at the gate or on Disneyland.com you'll pay retail prices. Of course, we hope you purchase your Disneyland Park Hopper tickets or single park Disneyland tickets on WelcometoSoCal.com. We offer lower pricing than gate prices and you can print your tickets at home. No waiting in long lines at will-call to pick up your tickets.
Beware of unauthorized tickets resellers. Some have offices around Disneyland. These people are buying 5-day tickets and renting them by the day. Some people are selling scalped Disneyland tickets. Disney is wise to these schemes and will deny these tickets entry. Don't get burned, only buy your Disneyland tickets from an authorized reseller like WelcometoSoCal.com or from Disneyland directly.
To see everything while getting the most bang for your mouse-dollars, we recommend checking out or discount Disneyland tickets. You can print at home or pick up at the ticket booth.
If you're visiting just one park, you will save $30 to $40 per ticket but you will only be able to visit the park you bought the ticket for.
Where to Stay - The Disneyland Resort District has dozens first-rate hotels. If you want to walk to the parks, you will need to book one the hotels on Harbor Blvd or Katella Ave. This is important if you have small children. It's nice to be able to take a short walk back to an air-conditioned hotel room when the little ones run out of gas, or you run out of gas. Once the group is rested up, you're a short walk back. For your convenience, WelcometoSoCal.com offers excellent rates on Disneyland area hotels.
Disney Hotel Properties
The Disneyland Hotel is located within walking distance of the west end of Downtown Disney. Guests only need take an enjoyable stroll through Downtown Disney to the main entrances to both parks.
Grand Californian Resort and Spa has two entrances. One public entrance into the lobby from mid-way down in Downtown Disney, and one for registered guests from the Grizzly Peak Recreation Area across from the Grizzly River Rapids entrance.
Paradise Pier Hotel is a little further away on Disneyland Drive but is easily walkable.
It's important to point out that Garden Grove, about 2 to 3 miles south of Disneyland on Harbor Blvd, has been adding new hotels for the past ten years. While these hotels are first class and well-known brands, they are to far to walk. These hotels, of course, offer shuttle service to and from the parks but you will be governed by each hotel's shuttle schedules. Lift and Uber are also options. If you have a fussy little one, or you need to return to your room quickly, shuttling to Garden Grove may be a bridge too far.
Parking - There are multiple parking lots throughout the resort area. Mickey & Friends parking is the main parking structure. You can access Mickey and Friends parking structure from Disneyland Drive then follow the signs. To park closer to escalators and elevators in the Mickey & Friends parking structure you will need to purchase Preferred Parking once inside the lot. A Cast Member will then direct you to the preferred parking spaces.
Parking rates as of this writing.
$20.00 for cars and motorcycles
$25.00 for oversized vehicles, motor homes, and tractor trucks without a trailer
$30.00 for buses and tractors with extended trailers

Download the Disneyland app - If you already haven't, download the official Disneyland app. You will need it to check line wait times, make dinner reservations, check FASTPASS® times, view Disney PhotoPass photos and more. Disney MaxPASS allows guests unlimited daily Disney PhotoPass downloads, as well as select which rides you want a FASTPASS for as long as you're in one of the parks. A note about Disney MaxPASS. Before you purchase a MaxPASS, Disney strongly recommends checking FASTPASS availability for popular rides and attractions like World of Color as FASTPASS for the rides and attractions you want may not be available at the time you purchase your MaxPASS. Disney MaxPASS is non-refundable.
Get FASTPASS early The Disneyland FASTPASS gives your group the ability to move passed long lines saving tons of time. FASTPASS runs out quickly for popular rides and shows like World of Color so get them as soon as you enter the parks.
For a great photo-posting app try the Ultimate Guide to Disneyland iPhone app. Ultimate Guide gives you line wait times, GPS park maps, event times, schedules and dates and hundreds of user-posted photos from the parks. You can set up your itinerary before you go with Favorites then place them on the maps. Once you've completed or seen a Favorite you can check it off.