Hello there, Kathleen! Welcome to planDisney! I’m delighted to hear that you’re planning a trip to the Disneyland Resort soon! You came to the right place with your question!
You’re absolutely on the right track here! Visits to the theme parks require park reservations, and you’ll make these after you purchase your tickets. I did a little digging, and it looks like once you purchase your tickets through AAA, you can expect to receive them via email within 24 hours. Since that process is managed by AAA and not directly through Disney, I’d encourage you to follow up with them in the event that you don’t receive your tickets in a timely manner.
I’m excited to share that making park reservations is as easy as waving your magic wand. Since you’re purchasing tickets through AAA, you’ll likely need to link your Disneyland tickets to your Disney account before making reservations. To do that, simply visit the
Link Tickets and Passes page, log into your account, and enter the ID numbers found on your tickets. If you don’t have a Disney account—no worries! The website will prompt you to create one.
You can also link your tickets in the
Disneyland mobile app! Just open the app, tap the menu button (three-lined icon) at the bottom right, and select “My Tickets & Passes”. Then, tap the blue plus (+) sign at the top right and select “Link Tickets & Passes”. From there, you can either scan the tickets’ barcodes by tapping the “Open Camera” button, or you can enter the ticket IDs by selecting “Type ID” at the top.
Once you’re all set with linking your tickets, it’s time for the best part: making park reservations! Visit the
theme park reservations page and click the “Make or Modify Park Reservations” button. Once you’re signed into your account, click “Book Theme Park Reservation” and select your tickets. You’ll be taken to the availability calendar. With standard park tickets, you can view availability for the next 180 days. Simply click the date you’d like to visit, and then select your preferred park from the available options below the calendar. In just a few more clicks, you’ll be all set and ready to experience the magic!
Since you’re planning ahead, Kathleen, I’d also recommend checking out available dining reservations in case there are any particular restaurants you’d like to visit while you’re there. Reservations open up 60 days in advance, which means they may or may not be open yet depending on which date(s) you’ll be visiting. You can check availability on the
dining reservations page, or by tapping the plus (+) sign at the bottom of the Disneyland app, followed by “Check Dining Availability”. If you find yourself at
Disney California Adventure Park, one of my favorite spots is
Carthay Circle Lounge—particularly on the patio. It’s a great place to enjoy some shade, and you just might catch a musical performance by
Five & Dime!
Now, go forth and make some magical memories, Kathleen! And if any other questions arise along the way, remember, we at planDisney are always here to help!
Cody