Hey everyone! I know SO many people who are headed to Disneyland for the first time in forever, so I wanted to make a post with some of the questions I’m asked most frequently right now to help you out! If you’re planning a Disneyland adventure soon (or just thinking about it!), read on!
Q: What has changed since the pre-pandemic days?
A: Not as much as you might think, but there are quite a few things you should be aware of.
You’ll need a park ticket AND a Park Pass Reservation for each day of your trip. If you buy your ticket through Disney directly, you’ll be making your park pass reservation at the same time as your purchase. If you bought your tickets elsewhere, you can make reservations here. You cannot enter the park without a reservation, even if you have a park ticket!
Mobile ordering is EVERYWHERE, so download the Disneyland app and learn how to navigate it! Disney Food Blog has a great step-by-step ordering tutorial here. Mobile ordering is the ONLY way to order many places, but the good news is it’s super easy to use! I also recommend ordering a couple of hours early to secure your time slot on busy days, as popular places like French Market and Pym’s Test Kitchen might not be available during popular dining times. (Tip: DO mobile order your beignets in advance for the Mint Julep bar… never waste time waiting in that super long line!)
Genie + replaced Fastpass, and it’s confusing. Basically a paid Maxpass system with a few quirks, Genie+ is the way for you to “skip” lines (on a good day, when it’s working and you’ve figured it out). The downside (besides cost) is you can only “skip the line” ONCE per day on each ride, which is a huge downside compared to Maxpass. For the most part, I do recommend Genie+, but it does cost $20 per person per day, and it does not include a few major rides. Note: There is no longer a virtual queue system in place for Rise of the Resistance or Web Slingers, but you CAN get Individual Lightning Lanes for each of them, at an additional cost. Confused? Read this.
Park Hopping is still happening, but only beginning at 1 pm, and it’s subject to capacity limitations. You must start your day at the park you have made a reservation for before you can hop to the other park at 1 pm.
Dining reservations are hard to come by. Maybe it’s due to fewer tables available, or fewer cast members working, but whatever the reason, there are few reservations to be had for table-service restaurants. BUT, you can use mousedining.com to watch for a reservation opening up (they will alert you when they find one!) or look for a walk-up waitlist opportunity the day you are in the parks. You can do this by toggling to the “Dining” section of the map in your Disneyland app and looking for a wait time listed by the restaurant you would like to dine at. You can also click on the restaurant, and a button should appear that says “Join Walk-Up List” if there is availability. (Note: You have to physically be close to the restaurant to join the list).
The tram transportation is now up and running again. Check here to see all the information about getting to Disneyland.
Extra Magic Hours are back, and they are for those staying at a Disney Resort only.
Magic hours schedule:
- Disneyland Park: Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays, one hour prior to park open
- Disney California Adventure Park: Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays, one hour prior to park open
Character meet & greets have returned hugs and all! Dust off that autograph book and maybe ready some tissues… seeing the characters up close after so much social distancing is an emotional experience!
Pin trading is happening! I’ve even seen some specific pin trading locations where the pins available to trade are on a corkboard (be sure to keep the back to your pin!).
Social Distancing is not really happening at all. People are crammed in like sardines for virtually everything, and “fill in all the available space” is a frequently heard term around the parks. If crowds make you claustrophobic, try watching the fireworks from It’s A Small World as it’s slightly less crowded at times.
Parades & Nighttime Spectaculars are back, and you can find more info about what’s happening by checking the park calendar for your dates of travel. They also have kept some of their mini character “Cavalcades” that swing through the parade route fairly regularly. It’s great for giving a quick wave to a favorite character!
Q: Where should I stay?
A: I always recommend the Grand Californian (if you can afford it… rent DVC points if you can to save some $!), or if you are on a budget I like the Park Vue Inn or the Best Western Park Place. Both properties are literally across the gates from the Disneyland entrance and are a 5-minute walk to the main plaza! I know a few people who prefer other properties nearby, but honestly, the short walk to a clean, comfortable room is key for me at the end of a long Disney day!
Q: What is the best time to go/How are the crowds?
A: This is a super tricky question to answer right now, because COVID keeps changing everything almost overnight. But my safest answer is: Try not to go on any holidays, weekends, or during the summer. This is still *usually* true unless they drop a severe mask mandate and everyone just decides to stay home because of it. Disneyland is a locals park, and now that the locals have their Magic Key Holder (annual) passes back, it can get busy when people aren’t at work (in the evenings). And the summer is just packed, hot, and miserable most of the time (though not as miserable as Florida with the humidity there!)
I usually prefer September, very early October, November, & December (NOT anytime near Thanksgiving, Christmas, or New Year!), January & February, and early May.
Q: What is the best place to eat?
A: This is SO subjective, and every Disney fan will give you a different answer because (unlike Disney World) almost anywhere is a good place to eat! Here are my favorites, in preference order, with a few food recommendations:
Disneyland:
Table Service
- Blue Bayou (for it’s history and unique location, not the food itself unfortunately, which is nothing to write home about)
- Cafe Orleans – Pomme frites
Counter Service
- French Market – Jambalaya and the Haunted Mansion Cake
- Jolly Holiday Bakery – Raspberry Rose Macaron, Grilled Cheese & Tomato Basil Soup combo
- Rancho Del Zocalo – Street Tacos or Burrito
- Plaza Inn – Fried Chicken
- Docking Bay 7 – Smoked Kaadu Pork Ribs
- Harbour Galley – Lobster Roll, Clam Chowder in a Bread Bowl
- Hungry Bear Restaurant (for the location!) – Funnel Cakes
Snacks
- Bengal BBQ – Safari Skewer (Bacon-wrapped Asparagus)
- Mint Julep Bar – Get the Mickey beignets and a Mint Julep!
- Tiki Juice Bar – Dole Whips!
- Churro Cart
- The Tropical Hideaway – Dole Whip Swirl & Assorted Bao
California Adventure:
Table Service
- Lamplight Lounge – Lobster Nachos!
Counter Service
- Pym’s Test Kitchen – Not So Little Chicken Sandwich, Choco-Smash Candy Bar
- Smoke Jumpers Grill – Bacon Cheddar Burger, onion rings, & a frozen Jack & Coke
- Pacific Wharf Cafe – Any soup in a sourdough bread bowl
- Flo’s V-8 Cafe – Classic shake (sit out back and watch the cars go by!)
- Cocina Cucamonga Mexican Grill
Snacks
- Shwarma Palace
- Cozy Cone Motel – Chili Cone Queso, Flavored Popcorn
- Corn Dog Castle – Hand-dipped corn dog
- Ghiradelli Soda Fountain & Chocolate Shop – Any sundae!
- Adorable Snowman Frosted Treats
- Terran Treats – Cosmic Cream Orb
Q: Any other tips?
A: I have more than I have time to write! Here are just a few to help make your vacation more magical!
Get to the parks before the official opening time. I like to arrive 45 minutes in advance to clear security and make it through the turnstile before “Rope Drop” (when they drop the barriers on Main Street and everyone rushes to their first attraction). Getting there early will allow you to ride several rides with a minimal wait before the crowds rush in around 10-11 am.
Ride the “small” rides first. Almost everyone rushes into the E-ticket big attractions at rope drop, but what they don’t realize is that the smaller rides in Fantasyland actually are super slow-loading whereas the bigger rides are high-capacity. So knock out those Fantasyland rides FIRST to avoid waiting in long lines in the afternoon sun for them. You can get almost all of them done in the first 1.5 hours if you move quickly. (I wouldn’t include the Mad Tea Party or the King Arthur Carrousel in this round, but rather Dumbo, Alice in Wonderland, Snow White, Pinocchio, and Peter Pan last since it always has a huge line and is in the sun most of the day). The key is: Don’t spend your magical morning low-crowds hour standing in line for just ONE e-ticket ride!
Ride Splash Mountain before 11 am or after the sun goes down. Same with Grizzly River Run. Otherwise, the lines get super long. If you don’t want to get wet, try asking to sit in the back on Splash or bring an emergency poncho and wear it on the ride.
Make a touring plan in advance, and optimize it throughout the day based on current wait times. I love (LOVE LOVE) my Touring Plans subscription to both Disneyland and Disney World. Their Lines app alone has saved me HOURS of time by knowing when to experience attractions for the shortest wait!
Look for Jingles, the lead horse and Walt’s favorite, which you can spot by the bells adorning its mane. This horse is dedicated to Mary Poppins/Julie Andrews and is quite special! (You can read more about the history of this amazing carrousel here!) If you ride the carrousel, be sure to give the horse you are riding a thump… the original horses from 1922 are made of solid wood, while the fiberglass replicas are hollow!
Alternate your shoes each day, use an anti-chafe stick, or double-up those socks to avoid blisters! You walk 8-10 miles per day at Disneyland, so be prepared with blister bandages just in case so you don’t have to take a time-out from the fun with foot pain!
Make your day extra special with my FREE printable/saveable Disneyland History & Secrets Scavenger Hunt!
Q: I’m feeling overwhelmed with planning. Can you help?
If you have any questions about anything in this post, I’d love to help, just ask in the comments!
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