How to do Disneyland right?

[16hypen3sp]

Hey everyone,

Myself and my gf are heading to Disneyland in October. I have worked away for most of the month of September and decided to spontaneously go to Disneyland next month since I'm back to a normal workload plus vacation in there as well.

I haven't been back to Disneyland since 2001. Gf is somewhat similar.

She likes Halloween and the park has been redone for a Halloween theme so it should be pretty good.

Since it's been so long, is there anything that we should know before hand? Any tips to make things easier? We are staying right on the east side of the park in amongst all those hotels. Easy walk to the east park gate. And has anyone used a Magic Morning Pass before where you go in early before the public?

[CompletelyNumb]

Buy every pass upgrade you can. Early access. Skip the line. Meet the princesses. Whatever.

Being a "standard ticket holder" in Disneyland is worse than flying coach on Air China.

[Buster]

Get the app and never do anything but fastpasses

[TomcoPDR]

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Hey everyone,

Myself and my gf are heading to Disneyland in October. I have worked away for most of the month of September and decided to spontaneously go to Disneyland next month since I'm back to a normal workload plus vacation in there as well.

I haven't been back to Disneyland since 2001. Gf is somewhat similar.

She likes Halloween and the park has been redone for a Halloween theme so it should be pretty good.

Since it's been so long, is there anything that we should know before hand? Any tips to make things easier? We are staying right on the east side of the park in amongst all those hotels. Easy walk to the east park gate. And has anyone used a Magic Morning Pass before where you go in early before the public?

Was there Jan, 2018.

My brother organized it... all I can say is fastpass. And it’s great you can download an app that gives you live lineup wait times.

If it’s just your gf the two of you. Considering pre explaining to her, going into the single rider line up, as most times you’ll end up side by side if you line up together. Unless you don’t wanna chance it some random dude sitting beside her.

We stayed @ the Hyatt 2 blocks from the gate, I just remember brother and SIL pounding on my room 7am cause they want to check in our fastpass for reserved section for that night show, in the app you can link multi tickets to 1 phone.

There’s ride share p/u area right in front of the front gate.

We didn’t use the magic morning pass, January is when Americans thinks it’s freezing I’ve notice their theme parks would be in slow season imo. 8am regular gate opening was enough to get 2 rides without much lineup (during those two rides you can be on your app, queuing your fastpass)

[rx7boi]

There is no pass upgrade in Disneyland. Disney has switched to using a mobile app where you can book all your stuff instead of the traditional paper FastPass that you get from a machine.

Tip 1. Create an account on the app and reserve your ride times ASAP.
Tip 2. IIRC you only get 3 Magic Passes for rides so don't waste them on numpty rides. Use them on the big ticket items that have long wait times.
Tip 3. Always get to the park right when it opens if you want to make the most of your day.

The Magic Morning pass has limited utility because these parks fill up super quick regardless if it's 8am or 9am. Either way, if you go at opening, your biggest advantage is that you'll be able to get 1-3 rides done while crowds are still filtering in.

I used the app actively while I was there. If wait times for a booked ride were low, I just waited in line and either used the FastPass to get a 2nd ride or adjusted it for something else.

[rage2]

MaxPass is what you want. You are eligible to buy it as soon as you scan into the park. Purchase is through the app.

https://disneyland.disney.go.com/gue...vices/maxpass/

Make sure your phone has a data plan, you'll need it to plan your fastpasses throughout the day. It'll tell you exactly how much longer till you qualify for the next fastpass, etc.

Make sure you enter the photo numbers into the app as you do the rides, you get all the pics as part of Maxpass.

Make sure you link all tickets so you can manage fastpasses all in 1 place. You'll need maxpass for all tickets.

It's worth it, even if we paid $50/day for it.

I always stay at the on site hotel for the extra magic hour. That way you can do Radiator Springs Racers on the California side first thing in the morning. Probably can get through it 2-3x in that hour, more if you go as single rider. Also helps to get a fastpass to run through it for later as that ride is the worst for demand. Incredibles coaster (formerly California Screaming) and Guardians of the galaxy are the other 2 busy rides, fastpass helps there. On the disneyland side pirates of the Caribbean and space mountain are the busy ones to run through during magic hour. The rest of the rides aren't terrible waits.

Download the app well in advance, get used to it, you can view all rides wait times to get a sense of which ones have the longest waits.

[rx7boi]

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MaxPass is what you want. You are eligible to buy it as soon as you scan into the park. Purchase is through the app.

https://disneyland.disney.go.com/gue...vices/maxpass/

Make sure your phone has a data plan, you'll need it to plan your fastpasses throughout the day. It'll tell you exactly how much longer till you qualify for the next fastpass, etc.

Make sure you enter the photo numbers into the app as you do the rides, you get all the pics as part of Maxpass.

Make sure you link all tickets so you can manage fastpasses all in 1 place. You'll need maxpass for all tickets.

It's worth it, even if we paid $50/day for it.

I always stay at the on site hotel for the extra magic hour. That way you can do Radiator Springs Racers on the California side first thing in the morning. Probably can get through it 2-3x in that hour, more if you go as single rider. Also helps to get a fastpass to run through it for later as that ride is the worst for demand. Incredibles coaster (formerly California Screaming) and Guardians of the galaxy are the other 2 busy rides, fastpass helps there. On the disneyland side pirates of the Caribbean and space mountain are the busy ones to run through during magic hour. The rest of the rides aren't terrible waits.

Download the app well in advance, get used to it, you can view all rides wait times to get a sense of which ones have the longest waits.

Oh sweet. I stand corrected. Is MaxPass an unlimited version of the app?

[Perfect Dark]

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MaxPass is what you want. You are eligible to buy it as soon as you scan into the park. Purchase is through the app.

https://disneyland.disney.go.com/gue...vices/maxpass/

Make sure your phone has a data plan, you'll need it to plan your fastpasses throughout the day. It'll tell you exactly how much longer till you qualify for the next fastpass, etc.

Make sure you enter the photo numbers into the app as you do the rides, you get all the pics as part of Maxpass.

Make sure you link all tickets so you can manage fastpasses all in 1 place. You'll need maxpass for all tickets.

It's worth it, even if we paid $50/day for it.

I always stay at the on site hotel for the extra magic hour. That way you can do Radiator Springs Racers on the California side first thing in the morning. Probably can get through it 2-3x in that hour, more if you go as single rider. Also helps to get a fastpass to run through it for later as that ride is the worst for demand. Incredibles coaster (formerly California Screaming) and Guardians of the galaxy are the other 2 busy rides, fastpass helps there. On the disneyland side pirates of the Caribbean and space mountain are the busy ones to run through during magic hour. The rest of the rides aren't terrible waits.

Download the app well in advance, get used to it, you can view all rides wait times to get a sense of which ones have the longest waits.

I'm more familiar with Disneyworld and they do Fastpasses and ride photos much differently there but from what I've read the Maxpass worth every penny.

Get park hopper tickets, it's nice to have the flexibility to change parks if one is busier than the other.

Take your girlfriend out for dinner at Carthay Circle in California Adventure! Really great food. Go first thing in the morning and try to make a reservation for the patio. If you time it right you can watch the Disneyland fireworks show from your table and they pipe the music to the restaurant as well

This place has amazing dessert:
https://disneyland.disney.go.com/din...hocolate-shop/

My biggest piece of advice is try not to feel rushed. Depending on when in October you're going it could be busy so just do what you can with the time you have there. Do rides first thing in the morning and later in the evening when crowds are at their lowest and walk around inbetween.

[rage2]

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Oh sweet. I stand corrected. Is MaxPass an unlimited version of the app?

Fastpass is available to all ticket holders. You have to run from ride to ride to the distribution booth and manually grab the fast passes. Poor people do this.

MaxPass combines fastpass and photopass as a single service. It also allows you to get fast passes through the app from anywhere within the park.

The rules for fastpass is the same with or without MaxPass. It just makes it exponentially easier to get fast passes without running around to physical distribution booths. Can’t remember what the exact rules are, there’s minimum gaps between each fast pass allowance. I just let the app manage it for me.

Edit - read this has everything. https://disneylanddaily.com/a-fastpa...nia-adventure/

[BavarianBeast]

Make some time for universal, more enjoyable if your in your 20s/30s imo.

[rx7boi]

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Fastpass is available to all ticket holders. You have to run from ride to ride to the distribution booth and manually grab the fast passes.

MaxPass combines fastpass and photopass as a single service. It also allows you to get fast passes through the app from anywhere within the park.

The rules for fastpass is the same with or without MaxPass. It just makes it exponentially easier to get fast passes without running around to physical distribution booths.

Strange. It's been several years since we've gone to Disneyland but we were just in Disneyworld back in Jan/Feb 2018 and there were no more manual paper fastpasses so everything was done by app.

I guess Cali hasn't quite upgraded yet?

[Perfect Dark]

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Strange. It's been several years since we've gone to Disneyland but we were just in Disneyworld back in Jan/Feb 2018 and there were no more manual paper fastpasses so everything was done by app.

I guess Cali hasn't quite upgraded yet?

Like I said in my earlier post they are much different yeah. Up until last year they were still only using the old school paper ticket method.

The Maxpass is a bit of a compromise as in DW you pay a large-ish price up front for all of the park pictures but the Fastpasses are free....the Maxpass is both for a smaller daily cost.

[rage2]

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Strange. It's been several years since we've gone to Disneyland but we were just in Disneyworld back in Jan/Feb 2018 and there were no more manual paper fastpasses so everything was done by app.

I guess Cali hasn't quite upgraded yet?

Disneyworld is Fastpass+, a whole different beast where you can book a small number of passes prior to your trip.

I only know Disneyland. Disneyworld is just a gong show of wait times for everything, and flights to LA are quick and easy for kids sake.

DW current wait times:



Fuck that haha.

[mr2mike]

Disneyworld and Disneyland fastpass setups are different. FYI.

[Perfect Dark]

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Disneyworld is Fastpass+, a whole different beast where you can book a small number of passes prior to your trip.

I only know Disneyland. Disneyworld is just a gong show of wait times for everything, and flights to LA are quick and easy for kids sake.

DW current wait times:



Fuck that haha.

Bah, it's not that bad. Once you've done your 3 booked Fastpasses you can book more. Plus if you have a younger child that can't go on the bigger rides you can game the system a bit and get an extra pass haha.

To note, I don't think I've ever seen the river journey with a longer wait time than Flight of Passage...that's crazy.

[ExtraSlow]

I haven't been to Disney in a hell of a long time but it sounds awful. Anywhere you have to know a bunch of tricks and tips just to deal with the crowds doesn't sound like my kind of place.

Think I'll stick to Dutch creek.

[Perfect Dark]

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I haven't been to Disney in a hell of a long time but it sounds awful. Anywhere you have to know a bunch of tricks and tips just to deal with the crowds doesn't sound like my kind of place.

Think I'll stick to Dutch creek.

If it was for everyone the crowds would be even worse haha...thanks for doing your part and staying the hell away

[Buster]

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I haven't been to Disney in a hell of a long time but it sounds awful. Anywhere you have to know a bunch of tricks and tips just to deal with the crowds doesn't sound like my kind of place.

Think I'll stick to Dutch creek.

If it wasn't for my kids, I wouldn't go...

[Tik-Tok]

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I haven't been to Disney in a hell of a long time but it sounds awful. Anywhere you have to know a bunch of tricks and tips just to deal with the crowds doesn't sound like my kind of place.

Think I'll stick to Dutch creek.

Yeah, as someone who's never been there, this sounds complicated as fuck. I'm just going to make my own Disneyland, with blackjack, and hookers. Or just go back to Vegas.

[Quizzes]

+1 for MaxPass. $10/person/day. Don't worry about taking pictures or selfies (PS - selfie-sticks are banned in Disneyland, so don't bring one). Just get the onsite photographers to take your pic and scan your barcode from the app and it'll show up on your phone where you can just download afterwards when you have wifi. There are certain spots where you can get wifi within the park, so that's a plus.
Everytime we booked a fastpass for Splash Mountain, the ride would be closed for maintenance. The good thing with that is if one of your fastpass ride breaks down during your allotted time, it will transfer it to any other ride of your choosing.

The Plaza Inn has delicious fried chicken.