One Day at Disneyland: A Beginner’s Guide

If you only have one day at Disneyland California, here are our tips on how to get the best out of it. We had an amazing time!

As there are so many things to do and so many places to go, it is not always an option to stay at Disneyland for multiple days. Not to mention how pricey it can get for the families with all the tickets, food and accommodation.

Since we live in California we visit Disneyland regularly but we have always been there just for one day. With younger kids it has been perfect, because a whole day in the park can be quite exhausting and overwhelming. Even though we always have so much fun we are still totally worn out the next day.

So if you are wondering if one day in Disneyland is worth it or enough time, I would say YES to both! We are saving the multiple day passes for the future when our kids are older.

Disneyland California was the first park that the Walt Disney Company established. It opened in 1955. Now there are 12 Disney parks around the world.

There are actually two separate parks in the Disneyland Resort; Disneyland Park and Disney California Adventure Park. The Adventure Park was built later on in order to keep the guests in the area longer. It was opened in 2001. Our tips in this post however, are only about Disneyland Park.

Disneyland is located in Southern California, in the city of Anaheim. It is about 28 miles from Los Angeles and 34 miles from the Los Angeles International Airport (LAX).

the Best time to visit Disneyland

Disneyland is one of the most popular theme parks in the world and can get quite crowded from time to time. Best time to visit Disneyland is during the week and outside of the school vacations.

The busiest times are the weeks around Christmas, and school holidays like spring break and Thanksgiving week. Spring break times vary based on the areas and schools, but are usually in the beginning of April.

Also the long weekends like Labor Day in September and Memorial Day in May can get pretty busy in Disneyland.

Even though there are several holidays during the fall, it is still our favourite time to visit Disneyland. It is not as hot as the summer months but still nice and warm. They also decorate the park first for Halloween and right after that for Christmas.

What to see at Disneyland

One of the highlights for us has always been meeting the different Disney characters. Mickey, Minnie, Goofy and all their friends can be found in different locations at the park greeting the guests and giving out authographs. Some of their schedules can be found from the Disney app.

The characters are also part of the parades that go through the park twice a day. They are always fun and are different from time to time. We have seen at least the Christmas Fantasy Parade and the Electrical Parade, and we liked them both. Electrical Parade goes through during the dark and all of their floats are lit up.

The best spots for watching the parade go fast so you should head down to the Main Street early.

There are also several musical performances at Disneyland during the day. One of them is the Disneyland Band which has been performing in the park ever since 1955. You might see them either at Main Street or at Tomorrowland.

The main thing in Disneyland are of course all the different rides. They are all unique and are designed for different age groups. You can find more details about them in the next chapter.

Some of the nights at Disneyland end in beautiful fireworks. The best spots to watch them are by the Sleeping Beauty’s Castle and the Main Street. Some of the nights they will have a laser show instead which unfortunately can’t be compared to the fireworks. Some summer nights they shoot soap bubbles out of the street lamps and it always makes kids so happy. At winter time it’s often snowflakes!

Different areas at Disneyland

Disneyland is divided in different areas which helps guests to navigate and plan their day. If you want to get most out of your visit, you should take a look at the map beforehand and see if there are rides that you don’t want to miss. It is quite difficult, if not impossible to do all of them during just one day but at least you will have a plan and you can hit the ones you think you will like the most.

Disney Downtown District and Main Street

When heading to Disneland Park you will first pass through Disney Downtown District. This area has numerous shops, restaurants and cafes. Anyone can come here and enjoy the Disney atmosphere without a ticket to the park.

Also the Monorail, Disney’s scenic train that runs high up in the air leaves from Downtown District. On our last visit we got a tip from a friend who was already inside the park that the main gate had very long lines and we should hop on the Monorail to avoid them.

Monorail stops in Tomorrowland where they have another entrance to the park. When entering the Monorail they will check your tickets to the park. The Monorail is really handy but it does not run on the hottest days of summer since it doesn’t have an A/C.

After the main entrance you will be at the Main Street. Main Street has a lot of stores, restaurants, a theatre and a City Hall. It is a great place to get some souvenirs before leaving home and for watching the parade.

Mickey’s Toontown

Mickey’s Toontown is everything that you can expect from Disneyland. It has colourful playgrounds, funny buildings and a lots of things for the little ones. It is home to Mickey, Minnie, Donald, Goofy and many more of their friends. Mickey often greets people inside his house but, the line to get in can get very long.

Last time, we tried the newest ride in this area called Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway. It was very well made and modern ride, and we had so much fun. I really recommend it as it instantly became one our favourites! Even our 6 year old who is still scared of some of the rides loved it.

Tomorrowland

Tomorrowland is a reflection of the future as it was seen a long time ago. The most popular ride is Space Mountain which is a very fast indoor rollercoaster. There are also some other space themed things to see.

One of the rides in Tomorrowland is a submarine that is operating in a little pond. This ride is named Finding Nemo’s Submarine and is well suitable for kids all ages but it is not one of our favourites.

Fantasyland

In our opion, Fantasyland is one of the best areas in Disneyland. It starts from the Sleeping Beauty’s Castle and it is right in the heart of the park. It is perfect for kids in all ages.

One of our favourite rides, It’s a Small World is located in Fantasyland. It’s a true classic! People sit in little boats that go through the building while little dolls from all over the world sing and dance. This ride always makes me so happy.

They also have one of Dineyland’s original rides, Peter Pan’s Flight. In this ride you will fly in the sky above the city and see characters from Peter Pan.

Then, there are also Storybook Canal Boat ride, Alice in Wonderland and Dumbo the Flying Elephant which all are great with the little ones, as so many other rides in Fantasyland too.

All the little princess fans on ther other hand should head out to the Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique. It provides different kinds of Disney make overs which inlcude hair and make up among a full on princess dress. Make overs are extremely popular so reservations are necessary.

If you have bigger kids who like faster rides then they should try out the Matterhorn rollercoaster. This, too, is a true classic and it was already opened in 1959.

Frontierland

Frontierland’s most popular ride is Big Thunder Mountain Railroad which is a rollercoaster. If you get tired of being on rollercoasters and fast rides, this area also has an old fashioned river boat where you can hop on to relax.

Adventureland

Adventureland has three actual rides. Jungle Cruise is a humoristic ride along a river where different animals keep showing up unexpectedly and Idiana Jones Adventure will take you into the Temple of the Forbidden Eye. On the other hand the Treehouse is very different from all the other attractions. You will climb up to a treehouse where you can peak into different rooms inspired by Swiss Family Robinson. The Treehouse includes a lot of steps so it might not be the best with smaller kids.

New Orleans Square

The top rides at New Orleans Square are the Haunted Mansion and Pirates of Caribbean. The Haunted Mansion in Disneyland is quite fun and not very scary at all. Many people also like Pirates of Caribbean although it is not one of my favourites. The ride is in water and you will come across several pirates along the way as well as Captain Jack Sparrow himself. To me it just didn’t seem that much fun and was quite boring.

Star Wars, Galaxy’s Edge

Star Wars, Galaxy’s Edge is practically a dream come true for all the Star Wars fans! I myself am not one of them but I still enjoyed visiting this area and we had a lot of fun. This was our first time as it has only been open since 2019.

They do have some Star Wars themed rides such as the Rise of the Resistance and the Millenium Falcon: Smugglers Run. They also have a Droid Depot and a Lightsaber Workshop, and some souvenir stores. The most fun was to meet all the different characters walking around. But it’s good to know that these characters in the Star Wars area are not giving out any autographs!

Critter Country

Critter Country is a small corner where they only have two rides. The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh is great for kids and often has shorter lines. Davy Crockett’s Explorer Canoes is a river cruise.

Where to get tickets to Disneyland

I recommend getting tickets to Disneyland from their own website or app. There are few other websites that occationally offer some deals to Disneyland but make sure to double check that they are legit before purchasing. There has been many scams during the years where unofficial sites have sold fake tickets.

Tickets vary anywhere from $94-$194 depending on the season and the day. It is quite rare to find discounted tickets to Disneyland but if you purchase tickets for multiple days they gradually get little bit cheaper. Kids under 3 can enter the park for free.

I recommend getting a Genie+ pass in your ticket. It costs $30 and it lets you use the Lightning Lane in some of the rides. This means that you can avoid some of the worst lines and see more rides during your visit. It also includes a photo pass.

In addition, you can also purchase a parkhopper ticket for $65 which gives you an access to California Adventure Park as well. In my opinion, it is only worth if you are staying more than one day at Disneyland. There is definitely more than enough to see in Disneyland Park for a day, especially if you are a first timer.

Eating at Disneyland

There are so many restaurants, snack bars and cafes at Disneyland that they for sure have something for everyone. Their restaurants are anything from Mexican to barbeque, and different snack bars offer soups, pretzels, churros and much much more. One of our traditions is to stop at Gibson Girl Ice Cream Parlor for some treats.

The most popular restaurants like Blue Bayou require a reservation well in advance. There has been few times when we were not able to get a reservation even a couple of months earlier. One of those times we still managed to get in by going to the door first thing in the morning and asking if they could squeeze us in for that day. Reservations can be done via the Disney app.

Blue Bayou is one the best table service restaurants at Disneyland and is inside of the Pirates of Caribbean ride so, you get a view of people passing by in the boats.

Last time we booked a dining package to Plaza Inn restaurant. It included a late lunch while watching the parade from their patio and a pass to a special viewing area to watch the parade in the evening. The food was pretty good I would say, and we fully enjoyed the front row seats at the parade.

There are many fun snacks at Disneyland worth trying, but eating there is quite pricey and many people bring their own snacks with them. We also had some bananas and pb&j sandwiches with us, but our late lunch kept us going until we were ready to leave.

FUN FACT: Did you know that there is a secret restaurant in Disneyland? Club 33 is open only for members and their guests, and it used to be the only area in Disneyland that served alcohol. The membership fee is tens of thousands of dollars and the waitlist is years long.

Our tips for visiting Disneyland

• If possible, avoid the most busiest times such as school holidays and weekends.
• Download the Disney app on your phone so you can make reservations and check the map and wait times to the rides.
• You can get a daily schedule from the entrance or from your Disney app. That way you will know where the different characters are or if there is something else you want to see such as the Disney Band, parade or some other show.
• The City Hall and Guest Services hand out fun Disneyland pins for free. Both of our kids have gotten ”1st time in Disneyland” pins and we have some other ones too. Make sure to stop by to ask for pins when you enter the park because they often run out by the end of the day.
• Disney characters will pose for pictures and give out some autographs. Autograph books and special pens are sold all over in the park. They recommend their own, big pens because it is easier for characters to write with them. If you want to save money you can get them from online before your trip.
• Disneyland has many photographers around the park. They will be happy to take pictures of you and and your family in special places. They will download the pictures to your account through a QR code you get from your Disney app, and you can then later order a package or individual photos for yourself. Genie+ ticket includes a photo package.
• Don’t forget to bring some sunscreen, a sun hat, water bottle and good shoes. You can fill up your bottle at water stations in the park. We usually also bring some snacks since kids can get hungry at any time and things are quite expensive at Disneyland.
• If you have little ones you can either bring your own stroller or you can rent one from the main gate. Days in the park are long and a stroller is a good place to rest the tired feet or even to take a nap. There are several areas to park the strollers in the park.

Where to stay when you visit Disneyland?

If possible, you should try to stay in Anaheim as close to the Disneyland as you can. The most convenient hotels are the ones from where you can walk to the the park and back. There are many hotels to choose from so that you can reach Disneyland by foot.

On our last visit we stayed at Best Western Plus Stovall’s Inn. It took us about fifteen minutes to walk to the park from there. I would say that their rooms where mediocre but their breakfast was excellent. We were also able to see the Disneyland fireworks show from our window!

For a bigger family I would recommend Clementine Hotel & Suites Anaheim as their rooms have kitchenettes and separate bedrooms. Also this hotel has a good complimentary breakfast. Another great hotel for families is Howard Johnson by Wyndham Anaheim Hotel & Water Playground.

We have some family in the Greater Los Angeles Area and on some of our visits we have stayed at their place. So it is possible to drive to Disneyland from a little further too. Just be prepared to leave early because the traffic can get pretty bad and there is usually also a line to get in to the parking garage.

Parking is not free, and you still have to either walk or take the complimentary tram to the park . We have usually opted out from the tram because of the long line to get in.

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California is full of beautiful places and fun things to do. If you are planning a visit to Disneyland make sure to check out some of the beach towns close by such as Santa Monica, Venice Beach or Laguna Beach. Or head over to inland and visit Palm Springs and Joshua Tree National Park.

No matter what you decide to do, don’t forget to stop at he iconic, donut shaped drive thru bakery; The Donut Hole on your way out of Anaheim. It will make your trip back home a lot sweeter!