If you have never been to Disneyland Resort, or you’re going for the first time in a long time, then these Disneyland tips for first timers are for you.
Get to the Parks Before Opening Time
Try to get to the parks before the posted opening time. They usually open the gates and start letting people in about 30-60 minutes before the official opening time. The whole park is not open during this time though. People are mostly lining up and getting ready for rope drop. Starbucks opens early, so you can grab your coffee and characters usually start coming out on Main Street about 10 minutes before opening.
Rope Drop
Rope dropping is where you get to the park before it opens and wait at the ropes that block off most of the parks. The ropes drop at the official park opening time and that’s when you can start going on rides. The rides have much lower wait times for about two hours, so you can rope drop and go on several rides in the morning.
Take a Midday Break
The middle of the day is a great time to take a break. This is when the parks are the hottest and the most crowded. Some people like to go back to their hotel to rest for a bit, or you can find somewhere to take a break in the parks. Indoor restaurants like Alien Pizza Planet and Flo’s V8 Cafe are great for a break. Or you can find a shady spot in Redwood Creek Challenge Trail in California Adventure.
Get Lightning Lanes
If you can purchase Lightning Lanes, this will save you a lot of time so you are not waiting in lines all day. You can get Lightning Lane multi-pass which includes many rides, or you can purchase individual Lightning Lanes for Radiator Springs Racers and Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance. The costs for these varies by day.
Mobile Order Your Food
You can mobile order food from restaurants in the app instead of waiting in lines for food. This is a great way to save time during your day. Many quick-service restaurants offer mobile ordering, but not every restaurant does.
Use the Disneyland App
The Disneyland app has ride wait times, character meet times and locations, the park map, showtimes, and more in it.
Check Height Requirements Ahead of Time
If you are traveling with kids, measure them and check the attraction height requirements before going on your trip. This will help manage expectations for what they can go on and it will save time from needing to measure them at attractions they are not tall enough for.
Wear Comfortable Shoes
You will be walking a lot during your day at Disneyland, so comfortable shoes are a must. Wear shoes that you have broken in and find comfortable for going on walks at home in.
Free Water
There are water bottle refill stations in the parks and you can get free ice water from quick-service restaurants. You do not need to purchase water at all while in the parks. Bring a refillable water bottle to use on your trip.
Stay Later for Shorter Waits
During the last few hours before the parks close, the wait times for rides are much shorter than during the day. This is because most people with young kids have already left the parks for the day and some people are still just there for fireworks and shows, not rides at night.
Don’t Overpack Your Bag
You don’t want to overpack your park bag. You will be carrying it around all day and unless you get a locker, then you’ll be bringing it on rides. Less things in your bag is easier to manage for this.