Everything You Need to Know About Disneyland California

Our 2022 Disneyland and Disney California Take chances vacation planning guide covers reservations, what'southward dissimilar from normal, when to visit to avoid crowds, best restaurants, hotels in Anaheim, coin-saving ticket tips, ride strategy, Halloween & Christmas in the parks, and more. (Updated March 11, 2022.)

We update this guide regularly, and a lot has changed as of Jump 2022. The offset significant modify is the launch of the new Genie system with paid-line skipping service that replaced free paper FastPass. Everything y'all NEED to know, including ride priorities, where it's Non necessary to buy Genie+ or Lightning Lanes, and much more is covered in our Guide to Genie+ and Lightning Lanes at Disneyland and DCA. We've used Genie+ and Lightning Lanes several times, and cover our experiences and strategy there.

Beyond the Genie system, a ton will continue to alter at Disneyland Resort through mid-2022. Disneyland has already announced the render dates for nighttime spectaculars, including Fantasmic, World of Color, Disneyland Forever Fireworks, and Main Street Electrical Parade in Spring 2022. We visit the parks regularly, reporting on everything every bit it happens—if you lot want to receive updates when discounts are released, new things are announced, etc., sign up to receive our free Disney electronic mail newsletter.

In terms of other contempo developments, Disneyland dropped its indoor face mask dominion concluding calendar month. In that location are still signs up that guests are "strongly recommended" to habiliment masks indoors, but in that location is no longer a requirement.

This month is as well the start of spring and the busier season every bit schools continue spring suspension. On the plus side, the parks are looking fantastic and looking alive with Disneyland in bloom and DCA hosting special events, including the 2022 Disney California Adventure Food & Wine Festival.

From our perspective, this is a great year to visit Disneyland, as the parks take gotten dorsum to normal at a faster pace than Walt Disney World, and will be pretty close to 100% past Apr 22, 2022. Even though it'due south Walt Disney Globe's 50th Anniversary, it'southward arguably a better year for Disneyland.

We make the case for California in Disneyland v. Walt Disney World: Is Due west Best in 2022? Beyond more normalcy, at that place are a number of reasons for this recommendation, from a more laid back experience (Genie+ is less stressful at Disneyland) to cheaper prices for hotels.

On a dissimilar note, Disneyland's Annual Pass replacement debuted belatedly last year months agone and the top two tiers have already sold out (for now) due to express reservations. See our Guide to Magic Key Passes for more info on blockout dates, pricing, and more. Until Disneyland figures this new organisation out and scales up capacity, we would not recommend buying a Magic Key.

Speaking of which, park reservations are required with regular tickets, likewise. If you're thinking almost spending a day (or ii-3) at Disneyland, y'all'll need to plan in advance, making park reservations when buying your tickets. Nosotros cover this–and how to salve coin–in our Guide to Discount Disneyland Tickets.

Before we go to the nuts and bolts of Disneyland vacation planning, let's offer some quick background. Disneyland is "Walt Disney's original magic kingdom." It'south the castle park that debuted in 1955 and paved the manner for other such theme parks around the earth.

Withal, it's the only park that Walt Disney himself set foot in and had an active role in the development of. Beyond its historical legacy that makes it a California establishment, Disneyland is incredibly attraction-dense, with enough rides to fill up ii total days or more (if you're so inclined).

Directly across from Disneyland is Disney California Adventure (DCA), the 2nd gate of Disneyland Resort. DCA is ostensibly inspired past the Golden State, but is more just a catch-all park with some attractions having a vague California connectedness and others being driven past Curiosity, Pixar, and other Disney franchises.

In improver to the Disneyland and Disney California Adventure theme parks, Disneyland Resort is home to Downtown Disney and three official hotels. Downtown Disney is a shopping, dining and entertainment district merely outside the two parks. The aforementioned resorts are Paradise Pier Hotel, Disneyland Hotel, and Disney'southward Grand Californian Hotel–which is direct connected to DCA. The entirety of Disneyland Resort is walkable, with no transportation aside from your feet needed to become anywhere within the property.

What's New & Next at Disneyland in 2022

A lot has changed at Disneyland in the last few years. The biggest relatively recent add-on is Star Wars: Milky way's Edge and its two attractions, Millennium Falcon Smugglers Run and Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance. The latter is Disneyland's biggest blockbuster addition since 1995, a modern masterpiece of Imagineering that is immensely pop and well-worth the multi-hour waits.

The latest addition to Disney California Run a risk is the Avengers Campus Marvel Country. This features i ride, one restaurant, meet & greets, and shopping. It'll too showcases a Stuntronics Spider-Human, which is a sight to behold.

If yous're curious nearly the specifics of other additions on the horizon, consult our What's New & Next for Disneyland in 2022. This gives you an idea of when y'all might want to visit if you're still choosing dates, trying to observe the best fourth dimension in terms of special events, new rides, and more than.

Everything else has been delayed past at least a full twelvemonth, including Mickey & Minnie'due south Runaway Railway, which is coming to Disneyland's Toontown. Speaking of which, Toontown is at present airtight and won't reopen until 2023. More is coming in 2022 and beyond, but those are the principal things to know. At present, let's go down to business organization: what yous demand to plan a Disneyland holiday…

When to Visit Disneyland

The single almost important part of planning a trip to Disneyland is determining when to visit to avoid crowds. Our totally complimentary 2022 Disneyland Crowd Calendars offer day by twenty-four hour period guides as to when the parks will be to the lowest degree busy and busiest.

Our crowd calendars are influenced by a diversity of factors, including marketing, discounts, park hours, new attraction openings, special events, Anaheim Convention Heart events, and even atmospheric condition (good or bad). We strive to keep our Disneyland crowd calendars updated to reflect changes in attendance trends.

If you lot're looking for something simpler, nosotros also have a 2022 Best & Worst Months to Visit Disneyland list, which ranks every month of the yr. Even more to the signal, this covers our iii favorite weeks of the year to accept a Disneyland trip.

Our crowd calendars and calendar month past month ranking resources take been updated to have into account irresolute attendance patterns brought on by Magic Keys, brand-up travel, discounted SoCal tickets, returning entertainment, and more. Crowds have already changed, and we will continue to monitor and update accordingly in the future. Only be warned that crowd calendars are less reliable right now due to pent-up demand, chapters limits, and everything else.

Equally for seasonal events, we have ii favorite times of year. Going in chronological order, nosotros'd recommend considering Halloween–check out our Ultimate Guide to Disneyland at Halloween for assistance planning a trip during that specific time of yr. We're already looking forward to the return of Oogie Boogie Bash – A Disney Halloween Party, which volition be back for September and October 2022.

Before solidifying your travel dates, y'all'll likewise want to check out our 2022 Disneyland Refurbishment Calendar to make sure whatever must-practice attractions won't exist closed for renovations during your visit. Keep in mind that the hereafter status of many projects–including refurbishments–is up in the air.

Beyond crowds, the biggest factor in choosing when to visit should be seasonal events. In that location are a lot of great times of yr to visit Disneyland, but our favorite past a broad margin is the holiday flavour at Disneyland. Read our Ultimate Guide to Disneyland at Christmas to learn more nigh what makes this time of yr and then special–and see photos of the parks in all of their Christmas glory!

Terminal year, Disneyland debuted its first hard ticket holiday event, which you tin read about in our Guide to Disney Merriest Nites Christmas Party at Disneyland. We're expecting this to return for Christmas 2022.

Where to Stay

There are a ton of options in terms of where to stay almost Disneyland: Adept Neighbor Hotels, official Disney resorts, nearby hotels within driving distance, sprawling resorts in nearby beach towns, and more.

For most holiday planners, the determination comes downwards to choosing among Disney's Grand Californian Hotel & Spa (our favorite!), Disneyland Hotel, and Paradise Pier Hotel, or ane of the cheaper hotels on Harbor Boulevard. We cover the pros and cons of each choice in our Where to Stay at Disneyland: Off-Site v. On-Site Hotels post.

If you're looking for something more thorough, we've stayed at every on-site Disneyland hotel and most of the Good Neighbor Disneyland hotels and other off-site hotels within walking distance of the Disneyland Esplanade.

All of these are covered in our Rankings & Reviews of the Best & Worst Hotels Most Disneyland. This post ranks ~l hotels near Disneyland at which nosotros take stayed, forth with room photos, pros & cons, and other useful information. That also details how to score a good deal on a hotel that's close to Disneyland.

Park Tickets

Our Money-Saving Guide to Disneyland Tickets is a huge resource with recommendations on what type of Disneyland tickets you should buy, including how many days, whether you should get Park Hopper, and where you can buy Disneyland tickets to save some money.

There are some great offers correct now–nosotros recommend bundling park tickets and your hotel stay to relieve even more, especially with the tertiary and 4th dark free specials at hotels almost Disneyland. These package deals can salvage you a lot of money.

For the vast bulk of guests visiting Disneyland, we recommend the Park Hopper ticket option. This allows you to bounce back and forth betwixt the ii parks throughout the twenty-four hours, which is like shooting fish in a barrel to practise given that their about a football field apart.

The applied upsides of this is starting at the park that opens outset and ending your dark at the park open later (Disneyland is often open 2 hours afterward than Disney California Adventure). You tin can also eat in the park with the dining options you adopt, take hold of a beer in DCA (there's no alcohol in Disneyland outside of Oga's Cantina in Star Wars Land), and savour the nighttime spectaculars in both parks.

Disneyland Strategy & Itineraries

There are over 75 attractions betwixt Disneyland and Disney California Chance. On a normal day, the average guest will just experience 10-11 of those. It would thus take you at to the lowest degree 6 days to feel everything in the ii theme parks, bold you lot didn't want to re-ride anything. Obviously, not many people are devoting over a calendar week to their Disneyland holiday.

Every bit such, we've developed a few step-past-step Disneyland touring plans, each of which will enable yous to efficiently experience the parks, while also enjoying their leisurely offerings and temper. More than to the signal, you lot'll exist able to exercise xx+ rides per day–and skip the ones not worth your time.

Here are our best and recommended itineraries:

• • Disneyland i-Day Itinerary – Only have one twenty-four hours to visit Disneyland? This is a step-by-step programme of attack for which attractions you should do, where you should eat, what to see, and more than. This covers all of Star Wars: Galaxy'southward Border, including Ascension of the Resistance.
  • Disneyland 2-Twenty-four hour period Itinerary – Same idea, only spread over ii days. We recommend most guests allocate ii total days to Disneyland.
  • Disney California Gamble i-Day Itinerary – Unlike Disneyland, DCA is easier to fully experience in a single day. This touring plan includes strategy for beating the crowds at Radiator Springs Racers, Guardians of the Galaxy: Mission Breakout, Web Slingers Spider-Human Adventure, and more!

We are currently working on additional multi-day itineraries for trips of 4+ days at Disneyland Resort. For now, if you program on spending more fourth dimension at DCA, consult our Disney California Adventure Ride Reviews & Guide. The article reviews every allure at Disneyland, giving each a numerical score out of 10, plus highlights key attractions that we consider the best ones, which should exist prioritized if you have express time.

Our Disneyland Ride Reviews & Guide does the aforementioned matter for the castle park, in case yous want to spend 3+ days at that place. (Which y'all totally could, particularly now that Star Wars: Galaxy'southward Border is open!)

Dining at Disneyland

Nutrient is half the fun at Disneyland. Both parks have great restaurants, iconic snacks, decadent desserts, and smashing drinks. We typically go all-out when visiting the parks, doing breakfast at one of the hotels (or sometimes in the park), followed past a mid-morning snack, counter service lunch, and tabular array service dinner.

The stereotype that all Disney food is unhealthy food like burgers and hot dogs is entirely faux. Disneyland has inexpensive unique dining options every bit well as expensive fine dining. Practiced dining can aid ascertain a trip! Read well-nigh which restaurants are best & worst, and see food photos in our Disneyland Eatery Reviews.

Beyond full meals, nosotros accept a few resource that can help you plan memorable meals at Disneyland. If you have kids, we highly recommend consulting our Disneyland Character Dining Guide, which covers the all-time graphic symbol buffets in the hotels and parks.

Looking for the best quick meals? Our Top 10 Disneyland Counter Service Restaurants list ranks the best meals in the castle park, while our Top ten Disney California Hazard Counter Service Restaurants list offers the same for DCA.

Desire to accept fun with your food at Disneyland? Our Top ten Succulent Desserts at Disneyland covers succulent treats, including some hidden gems, plus brand new items and recently-added restaurants in Downtown Disney!

If y'all're into drinking, we likewise have posts virtually a few of our favorite lounges: Trader Sam's, Lamplight Lounge, GCH Craftsman Bar, and Carthay Circle Restaurant. The concluding ane is peculiarly noteworthy considering–in addition to the lounge downstairs–the restaurant upstairs is the best in-park restaurant in either park.

Other Disneyland Planning Resource

At present that we've covered the essentials to ensure you have a not bad trip to Disneyland, we have a bunch of other resources that volition guide you through the planning process to make your visit to Disneyland more enjoyable, helping you save fourth dimension and money. Armed with all of this knowledge, you will have a much better vacation.

Disneyland Disbelieve Guide – There are a diversity of ways you can save coin on a trip to Disneyland. From holiday packages to Costco discounts to off-season percentage off discounts to even discounts for military personnel, this page covers every fashion you might be able to relieve money on a trip to Disneyland!

If you're looking for a quick style to save on an entire vacation parcel, many of our favorite hotels most Disneyland can be booked via Get Away Today at a discount. If y'all bundle tickets into your hotel stay, y'all'll get an even better deal. Y'all can bank check bundle prices here.

What to Pack – Packing for Disneyland is comparable to packing for any vacation, but with a few twists. Hither'due south our list of "unordinary" items to pack that will help enhance your Disneyland trip!

Guide to Downtown Disney – We sort of gloss over it here, but Downtown Disney is a massive area within Disneyland Resort's security perimeter. You lot tin hands leave either park and get to one of these restaurants for a meal…or some of the best ice cream you'll ever have…in under 10 minutes.

Our 101 Best Disneyland Tips – This is non near every bit structured as our other advice, but these tips offer groovy advice and sometimes obscure little things that will help you visit the parks like a local. This is more granular communication than what you'll discover in our other planning articles, but we've had a lot of positive feedback from readers who really got a lot more out of their trips because of those tips.

Tips for Buying Discount Disney Gift Cards – Want to save at to the lowest degree 5% on every single matter yous buy at Disneyland? These hacks are for you lot. Some are relatively simple and straightforward (like using the Target RedCard) while others crave a bit more than endeavour.

Renting DVC Points to Save Coin on Accommodations – This is written from a WDW perspective, but there are also Disney Holiday Club villas at the Grand Californian. Booking there can be a claiming (information technology'due south incredibly pop), but yous can save a ton of money if your timing is right and you lot become lucky.

Best Credit Cards for Disney Travel – Leveraging credit card rewards tin exist a great fashion of getting free airfare or hotel rooms, and at that place are several options near Disneyland that you can book for free thanks to signup bonuses.

Disneyland Transportation – Should you lot fly or drive to Disneyland? Rent a car or use Uber? This Disneyland transportation guide answers these questions for you, based on our offset-hand experiences visiting Anaheim as tourists and living nearby as locals.

Southern California BEYOND Disneyland

Unlike Walt Disney Earth, Disneyland Resort is not a calendar week-long vacation destination unto itself. It's groovy for long weekend trips and extended vacations that contain a multitude of sights. Let's showtime with guides to the other theme parks nosotros recommend near Disneyland Resort:

Universal Studios Hollywood Trip Planning Guide – In just a few years, USH has transformed and improved dramatically. The opening of the Wizarding Globe of Harry Potter was the 'big' matter, but many other additions accept made this a great park.

The Studio Bout is our favorite allure, which is a 45-minute plus tram tour through the working backlot of Universal's studio. If y'all are only interested in this Studio Bout, y'all might broaden your potential options beyond just USH, and also consider the Warner Brothers Studio Tour and Sony Pictures Studio Tour equally alternatives.

Guide to Knott's Drupe Subcontract – An Orange Canton institution that proudly proclaims itself as "America's 1st Theme Park." Really, Knott's is a tale of ii theme parks. It has modernistic roller coasters and other fare for thrill-seekers. Thematically, this leaves a lot to be desired.

Then at that place are the quainter areas, reminiscent of Frontierland at Disneyland. We love these areas–and the park's annual Boysenberry Festival. All things considered, we love both Knott's Berry Farm and Universal Studios Hollywood, and together with Disneyland Resort, these 4 gates make for a great theme park vacation in Southern California!

If you lot want to venture beyond theme parks, y'all're in luck. Southern California is one of the best places in the earth to visit! Cheers to Los Angeles, San Diego, and the beach cities in between, there's a ton to do in the area.

If you're planning a Southern California holiday beyond Disneyland, you lot're in luck, as we give abroad a costless eBook, 101 Things to Do in Southern California over on our non-Disney blog, TravelCaffeine. There, we also take a wealth of resources dedicated to visiting the state, including a serial of blog posts on California points of interest and our Ultimate Guide to Los Angeles.

Between this web log and that one, you should exist totally covered with what you need to know if you lot're thinking about visiting Disneyland Resort and Southern California onetime in 2022 or across. We can't encourage people plenty to give Disneyland a effort, especially Disney fans who are biased towards Walt Disney World as their "home" park. Disneyland is a totally different, much more relaxed experience. It'southward intimate in both size and feel, and is oozing with history and incredible attractions.

In all honesty, comparing Disneyland and Walt Disney World isn't that easy. It'due south like comparing two of your children. Yeah, in the back of your mind, you secretly prefer one over the other (kidding, parents), but information technology's a tough comparison because both take endearing qualities.

Proverb Walt Disney Earth is improve than Disneyland due to the number of parks each has is about as capricious equally saying your taller child is ameliorate than the shorter one. It reduces the comparison to uncomplicated terms that overlooks then much. Information technology's probably a comparison you shouldn't fifty-fifty make since both resorts are so different. You only need to feel both.

I could continue for pages and pages about why I dearest Disneyland, and why anybody owes it to themselves to visit Disneyland, but hopefully this is a good-enough jumping off point. If y'all've never been to either Walt Disney World or Disneyland Resort, it's a skillful identify to start as we attempt to weigh the strengths and weaknesses of each in an unbiased mode. If all of this is still overwhelming or yous desire personalized recommendations for Disneyland Resort, click here to go a vacation quote from a no fee Authorized Disney Vacation Planner.

Your Thoughts

Are y'all planning a Disneyland Resort visit now that the parks have reopened? Thinking nearly visiting in Leap or Summer 2022? Or, will you look until Halloween or Christmas? Take y'all already visited Milky way's Edge and done Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance? Are y'all excited for the debut of Mickey & Minnie's Runaway Railway or the reimagined Toontown in 2023? What most the other relatively new additions, such as Incredicoaster or Guardians of the Milky way – MISSION: Breakout? Accept you previously visited Disneyland? Have any tips of your ain to add? Whatsoever questions you still accept that this guide did not answer? We actually appreciate reader feedback and your thoughts, so please share in the comments beneath! 🙂

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Source: https://www.disneytouristblog.com/disneyland-planning-guide/

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