Disneyland Things To Do - How Families Can Make the Most of a Single Day at Disneyland
While many people believe that it takes a family at least a week to fully enjoy Disneyland, with advanced planning there are ways to experience all the park has to offer in one day.
A family trip to Disneyland is no small matter especially when traveling to get to the attraction.
These trips are generally planned well in advanced and saved for, so when the time arrives the expectations are high.
Some families come to the area not just to see Disneyland however but to visit many of the other attractions in the Anaheim area, in which case they may have scheduled only one day to visit Disneyland.
Hotels Near Disneyland The first order of business is to choose a hotel.
Luckily there are numerous websites that allow you to put in various criteria when searching for lodgings.
Many hotels in the area provide discount prices on ticket packages which you can individualize based on which attractions you plan to tour.
Enter the search term "hotels near Disneyland and other major attractions" into your browser and you will be provided with links to a variety of hotels which provide different amenities in different price ranges.
One Day? What Were We Thinking? Upon arriving at the theme park, aware of the clock ticking down, the frenetic factor often take over.
This is when parent who are intent on getting their money's worth rush kids from ride to ride often paying little attention to what's age appropriate.
Trust me, if you put a 16 year old adolescent boy on It's a Small World you might as well kiss the rest of your day goodbye.
Strategies to Guide Your Day at the Park With some foresight and planning you can have a full Disney experience in a single day at an enjoyable pace and while perhaps not seeing everything, still sample enough of favorite attractions so that at the end of the day everyone leaves happy.
Here are some tips for spending a single day in Disneyland in a manner aimed to please each family member.
• Trip Schedule - Plan your visit for a day that is off season and not a weekend or holiday.
• Disneyland.
com - Start viewing Disneyland.
com at least a month before your trip for specials on tickets and other amenities.
Purchase tickets online so you can avoid the lines at the ticket booths.
• Plan of Attack - Print out a map of the park and view descriptions of any rides or attractions you aren't familiar with.
Start considering different options for exploring the park that will maximize time on rides and minimize time in line.
• Enter early - Be in the will call line a half hour before opening.
They generally let people into the main street area of the park before opening time and you'll have time to do you shopping then, saving extra times for rides and attractions once the park officially opens.
• Main Street Must See - While on Main Street make sure to visit Great Moments with Mr.
Lincoln and learn the history Disney through Walt Disney's first attraction.
Before you leave stop by the firehouse and take note of the window above the large door.
That was Walt Disney's personal apartment for when he visited the park.
• Use a FastPass - This is critical for a single day visit.
These passes print out a time for you to visit the most popular attractions.
When you arrive you get into a separate line and are on the ride if not immediately then within 10-15 minutes.
This pass can save you hours of time in line.
• Multi-age Families - If you have children of different ages, split up during the first two hours of the day when lines are the shortest and you can get the most in.
One adult can take the younger children to Fantasyland and the other adult can accompany the older kids to the coasters and wilder rides.
If there's only one parent, consider teaming up with another family or some friends or relatives for the trip so there are enough adults to chaperone all the children.
Parents may also decide that some of the children are old enough to explore on their own.
Pick a familiar place to rendezvous at the set time.
• Group Activities - When you meet back up, check out the rides that appeal to all ages such as Pirates of the Caribbean.
• Structure your day - Ride the most popular rides early and attend shows in the afternoon when you'll likely need a break.
Lines are shorter in the evening.
If you're willing to forgo the parades or Fantasmic you can ride whatever you missed or want to ride again when most of the other guests are heading for the nightly pageants.
• Rides and Getaways when you need a break - When the family gets tired from all the walking and excitement calm things down by riding the Disneyland Railroad or the Mark Twain Riverboat or take a tranquil cruise on the Sailing Ship Columbia in Frontierland.
Another great low key area is Tom Sawyer's Island accessible only by raft where kids of all ages can relive the story of Tom Sawyer in a lush outdoor playground surrounded by rivers.
For those interested in exploring the site hidden treasures await.
• Use reverse proximity - The Parade passes near the Matterhorn while Fantasmik attracts mobs near the Rivers of America Lagoon, Splash Mountain and Indiana Jones.
Use reverse proximity - While everyone is enthralled by the light parade hit the rides at Frontierland, Critter Country and Adventureland attractions.
When the crowd is occupied by Fantasmic, slip past them to ride Space Mountain, Matterhorn, or Star Tours.
If you prefer you can split up again so everyone can be sure to get in the rides they missed earlier.
• The nightly parades are popular so when they're over there is a mass rush for the exits.
To avoid the stress of this mob mentality, leave slightly before these attractions are over or wait it out.
Do some more shopping or get something to eat or drink while you wait for the rush to die down.
Plan ahead to establish a strategic approach to your visit and you can experience a fun filled day at Disney Land, with each family member able to visit the main attractions on their favorites list.
Build in times to relax by visiting calmer attractions and use timing to your advantage.
Most importantly choose a hotel near Disneyland that has amenities, which will allow you to wind down in desirable surroundings when you return from your long day at the Happiest Place on Earth.
A family trip to Disneyland is no small matter especially when traveling to get to the attraction.
These trips are generally planned well in advanced and saved for, so when the time arrives the expectations are high.
Some families come to the area not just to see Disneyland however but to visit many of the other attractions in the Anaheim area, in which case they may have scheduled only one day to visit Disneyland.
Hotels Near Disneyland The first order of business is to choose a hotel.
Luckily there are numerous websites that allow you to put in various criteria when searching for lodgings.
Many hotels in the area provide discount prices on ticket packages which you can individualize based on which attractions you plan to tour.
Enter the search term "hotels near Disneyland and other major attractions" into your browser and you will be provided with links to a variety of hotels which provide different amenities in different price ranges.
One Day? What Were We Thinking? Upon arriving at the theme park, aware of the clock ticking down, the frenetic factor often take over.
This is when parent who are intent on getting their money's worth rush kids from ride to ride often paying little attention to what's age appropriate.
Trust me, if you put a 16 year old adolescent boy on It's a Small World you might as well kiss the rest of your day goodbye.
Strategies to Guide Your Day at the Park With some foresight and planning you can have a full Disney experience in a single day at an enjoyable pace and while perhaps not seeing everything, still sample enough of favorite attractions so that at the end of the day everyone leaves happy.
Here are some tips for spending a single day in Disneyland in a manner aimed to please each family member.
• Trip Schedule - Plan your visit for a day that is off season and not a weekend or holiday.
• Disneyland.
com - Start viewing Disneyland.
com at least a month before your trip for specials on tickets and other amenities.
Purchase tickets online so you can avoid the lines at the ticket booths.
• Plan of Attack - Print out a map of the park and view descriptions of any rides or attractions you aren't familiar with.
Start considering different options for exploring the park that will maximize time on rides and minimize time in line.
• Enter early - Be in the will call line a half hour before opening.
They generally let people into the main street area of the park before opening time and you'll have time to do you shopping then, saving extra times for rides and attractions once the park officially opens.
• Main Street Must See - While on Main Street make sure to visit Great Moments with Mr.
Lincoln and learn the history Disney through Walt Disney's first attraction.
Before you leave stop by the firehouse and take note of the window above the large door.
That was Walt Disney's personal apartment for when he visited the park.
• Use a FastPass - This is critical for a single day visit.
These passes print out a time for you to visit the most popular attractions.
When you arrive you get into a separate line and are on the ride if not immediately then within 10-15 minutes.
This pass can save you hours of time in line.
• Multi-age Families - If you have children of different ages, split up during the first two hours of the day when lines are the shortest and you can get the most in.
One adult can take the younger children to Fantasyland and the other adult can accompany the older kids to the coasters and wilder rides.
If there's only one parent, consider teaming up with another family or some friends or relatives for the trip so there are enough adults to chaperone all the children.
Parents may also decide that some of the children are old enough to explore on their own.
Pick a familiar place to rendezvous at the set time.
• Group Activities - When you meet back up, check out the rides that appeal to all ages such as Pirates of the Caribbean.
• Structure your day - Ride the most popular rides early and attend shows in the afternoon when you'll likely need a break.
Lines are shorter in the evening.
If you're willing to forgo the parades or Fantasmic you can ride whatever you missed or want to ride again when most of the other guests are heading for the nightly pageants.
• Rides and Getaways when you need a break - When the family gets tired from all the walking and excitement calm things down by riding the Disneyland Railroad or the Mark Twain Riverboat or take a tranquil cruise on the Sailing Ship Columbia in Frontierland.
Another great low key area is Tom Sawyer's Island accessible only by raft where kids of all ages can relive the story of Tom Sawyer in a lush outdoor playground surrounded by rivers.
For those interested in exploring the site hidden treasures await.
• Use reverse proximity - The Parade passes near the Matterhorn while Fantasmik attracts mobs near the Rivers of America Lagoon, Splash Mountain and Indiana Jones.
Use reverse proximity - While everyone is enthralled by the light parade hit the rides at Frontierland, Critter Country and Adventureland attractions.
When the crowd is occupied by Fantasmic, slip past them to ride Space Mountain, Matterhorn, or Star Tours.
If you prefer you can split up again so everyone can be sure to get in the rides they missed earlier.
• The nightly parades are popular so when they're over there is a mass rush for the exits.
To avoid the stress of this mob mentality, leave slightly before these attractions are over or wait it out.
Do some more shopping or get something to eat or drink while you wait for the rush to die down.
Plan ahead to establish a strategic approach to your visit and you can experience a fun filled day at Disney Land, with each family member able to visit the main attractions on their favorites list.
Build in times to relax by visiting calmer attractions and use timing to your advantage.
Most importantly choose a hotel near Disneyland that has amenities, which will allow you to wind down in desirable surroundings when you return from your long day at the Happiest Place on Earth.
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