Hello there Courtney! Welcome to planDisney, how exciting that you'll be visiting the "Happiest Place on Earth" for the first time later this year!
My recommended first step is to determine your trip dates, and decide how many days you'll want to visit
Disneyland Park and
Disney California Adventure Park, and where you'll stay during your trip. I highly recommend exploring the
Disneyland Resort Hotel Vacation Packages as well as the Disney-approved
Good Neighbor Hotel Vacation Packages. When you book a vacation package, you'll select your
theme park tickets and any add-ons such as the
park hopper option, as well as which hotel you'll stay at. We prefer to stay at a
Disneyland Resort Hotel because of the close proximity and access to
early entry, but we've had plenty of wonderful stays at Good Neighbor Hotels!
Once you have those basics covered and booked, I like to browse through the
attractions and entertainment, and filter by what we're looking to experience such as thrill rides like Space Mountain and Incredicoaster, or nighttime spectaculars and parades. The
entertainment schedule will be a great reference for you as your trip gets closer to see what entertainment will be offered, as well as park hours. You'll also want to download the
Disneyland app prior to your visit!
You'll also be visiting during
Halloween Time, which is such a fun and festive time of year! The
Disney Parks Blog will have more details around the activities, entertainment, and the delicious foodie guide that you'll be able to enjoy during your trip. There will be some days that Disney California Adventure Park will close early due to the
Oogie Boogie Bash special event, so you'll want to take that into account when deciding which parks to visit on which days. If you love Halloween, you may even want to consider purchasing tickets for Oogie Boogie Bash for all of the spooktacular fun!
I hope these tips give you a good starting point to plan your trip, Courtney! You'll also want to make sure to grab a complimentary "First Visit" button from City Hall in Disneyland Park or Guest Services in Disney California Adventure Park to commemorate your first trip. I'm happy to share more recommendations and tips along the way, so don't hesitate to
follow-up with me directly if I can answer any other questions. You've got a friend in me!
Have a magical day!
Melissa