20 Plus Tips for a Disneyland First Timer!

Is it your first time planning a trip to Disneyland? Looking for some tips for your first time to Disneyland? You've come to the right place! We have over twenty tips for you here, to help ensure that your excursion to Disneyland is as delightful as possible.

We know how stressful planning a trip to Disneyland, or any trip for that matter, can be. That's why we've created several guides to help you plan. We want you to have nothing but fond memories of your vacation with your family! You'll all be able to look back on this time when your kids are grown and smile.

Ultimately, the most important thing is to avoid worrying about every last detail. You'll never be able to plan for every possible scenario, so don't try to. Instead, focus on what your family needs the most to have a successful trip. You don't want to be exhausted from all the planning when the time comes to pack up and leave!

Disneyland Tips For Your First Time To Disneyland

Go During the Off-Season

When planning your first trip to Disneyland, it can be a good idea to avoid the crowds. November is a great time to go. It's right between the Halloween and Christmas seasons. Because those seasons are big events that everyone tries to get to, going between the two seasons keeps the crowds way down. January through the middle of February are also good times, as well as Mid-April through the first part of May. If you are looking at fall time, September through the beginning of October are also good.

Consider Using a Travel Agent

Using a travel agent can help you save time and money. A travel agent can help you find the best deals on hotels and plane tickets, if necessary. They can also help you plan the best itinerary, especially if you'll be spending some days outside of the park doing other things.

Get a Hotel Close to the Park

After a long day you do not want to drive for 20 minutes to your hotel, especially if this is your first time to Disneyland. Staying in the park is great and all, but it can get very expensive. It's much more cost-conscious to get a hotel that's ten minutes away from the park. You'll still have the convenience of a short ride, but you won't have to pay an arm and a leg.

Spend More Than One Day in the Parks

If this is your first time to Disneyland as a family, you will have a much better time if you go to the parks for more than one day. It gives you more time to enjoy the moments and not treat it as much like a checklist. It takes all the stress out of trying to speed through the park in one day! The price of your Disney ticket gets cheaper exponentially as you add-on more days.

Consider Spending Extra for Convenience

Certain Disneyland passes can provide you with convenience for a fee. While you might be tempted to skip out on these, don't! It's worth the extra money. Being able to save time in a busy park like Disneyland is crucial, so don't miss out on chances to do so.

Don't Rush

Your first time to Disneyland doesn't mean you need to stress to see it all. Make sure you aren't rushing too much. If you miss out on certain attractions, you can always come back!

Take a Backpack

Take a backpack with everything you need. A backpack has plenty of room for all of the essentials, and it can easily be placed in between your legs on most rides. If you aren't able to take it on a certain ride, you should be able to leave it with the ride attendant until you're finished.

Use the Disneyland App

Use the Disneyland App. It is an awesome resource and is available in the Google Play Store. It shows where the characters are and what the wait times are on every ride in the park. This can help you plan your day more efficiently.

Take Advantage of Waiting Time in Lines

Waiting in lines can be boring, but it can also be an opportunity to do something productive! This is a great time to bust out the snacks. Just be careful not to stuff yourselves before a big ride! You don't want any upset tummies.

Bring Healthy Snacks

Snack healthy! Pack snacks that will give you lasting energy. Raisins, almonds, trail mix, fruit leather, beef jerky, fresh fruit, and crackers are all great choices.

Use the Restrooms Frequently

Use the restroom every time you pass one. Disney is genius when it comes to placing restrooms all over. Taking advantage of the restrooms as we passed them saves you from needed to go while waiting in a line or when trying to make it to a show.

Pack Lunch and Buy Dinner

Food in Disney parks is notoriously expensive, so we recommend packing your lunches and buying dinner. By bringing both lunch and snacks, you'll save your family a whole lot of money. If your kids are begging to have lunch in the park, set aside one day when you can. That won't break the budget, but it will satisfy your kids!

Buy Souvenirs Outside the Park

While it's okay to buy a couple of souvenirs in the park, the price can add up quickly. The surrounding stores may sell Disney merchandise that's a lot cheaper, but still great quality. You can even buy some items before your trip, to help your kids get excited. Toys and shirts are great options that are much cheaper outside the park.

Get a Lanyard for Your Tickets

Wear a lanyard to hold your tickets. This is really handy for going back and forth to the different parks and for getting fast passes. You scan each ticket to get the fast passes and then you receive reminder slips with your ride time frame.

Keep Recent Photos of Your Kids On Hand

Take a picture of each kid before entering the park. This is not only a fun memory to capture the cute outfits they wear each day, but you have a picture to show to the Disney staff if ever your child wanders off.

Wear Good Shoes

You'll be doing tons of walking while you're in the park, so make sure to wear good shoes. Sneakers with memory foam inserts are the best, but good sandals can also work. Avoid anything with a heel or flip-flops. These might be stylish, but they aren't made for long walks!

Take Time to Rest

Take time to rest and reflect. This can be a really fun time. You can talk to your kids about their favorite aspects of visiting the park each day, and listen to them go on about their magical adventures.

Meet the Characters

It wouldn't be a complete Disney trip unless you met some of the characters! You likely won't be able to meet them all, so try to meet whoever you can. Aim to at least meet with your child's favorite Disney character. Of course, the whole family needs to snap a photo with Mickey too!

Get Autographs

Autographs are the best souvenir! Your children will be able to look back on them for years to come, reminding them of the special time you all had together. Get a book to keep all of the autographs together.

Keep Activities on Hand For Long Lines

Kids, especially young ones, get bored easily. If you'd rather avoid the complaining, keeping activities on hand for them to do in long lines is key. These activities should be portable and easy to fit in a large purse or backpack.

Go See the Fireworks

Disneyland has some amazing fireworks shows! It's worth the long night to go see one. Make sure your kids get enough rest the day before, so that they aren't too tired to enjoy the show. Every kid loves the chance to stay up late!

Choose the Right Parking Lot

There are a lot of different parking lots available at Disneyland, so make sure you pick the right one. Try to find one that's affordable and offers easy access to the parts of the park you want to see. Keep in mind that some parking lots may be fuller than others, so have a backup lot just in case.

Bring a Power Bank

Bring a phone battery bank and/or use airplane mode on your phone as much as possible. Airplane mode still allows you to take photos but conserves your battery. It is so convenient to pull out your phone and take pictures instead of a big bulky camera, but save the social media posting for once you are back at the hotel. Enjoy the moment, and keep watch of your kids. Plus you will use up less data and battery if you use it only for pictures.

Enjoy Your Time!

Enjoy it and be happy! You are in the happiest place on earth, for goodness sake! No matter how much your feet hurt or how tired you are, keep that smile on your face! You will notice that your kids will keep their faces beaming if you do.

We hope you enjoy your first visit to Disneyland! This is a special time for all of you; few places on Earth are quite as amazing or magical, especially for a kid!

The image featured at the top of this post is ©Alkema Natalia/Shutterstock.com.