Hey there, Meagan! Thanks so much for popping in to planDisney with your question. Helping wonderful people like you plan magical trips to the Happiest Place on Earth is exactly why I am part of the planDisney family! You certainly came to the right place, as we love to share tips and ideas with other Guests to make their experience memorable.
I have been visiting
Disneyland Resort for over four decades. I really enjoy the trips where I do some planning but also leave room for spontaneity! Here are some suggestions for what you can plan in advance of your arrival:
• Entry to the parks requires a theme park reservation. I assume you already have your tickets and theme park reservations in place!
• I recommend having a look at the
attractions list and
entertainment schedule in advance to jot down your priorities for your visit. This way you know the top experiences you don't want to miss!
• The
Disney Genie service in the
Disneyland mobile app is complimentary feature that will help you create a custom itinerary for your day based on your preferences and interests. This is a helpful tool to give you suggestions on how to structure your day.
• To maximize your time on attractions, I suggest adding the
Disney Genie+ service to your day, which will give you access to
Lightning Lanes for 19 attractions across the two parks. These Lightning Lane queues are far shorter than standby queues, so you’ll spend less time waiting in line and more time enjoying yourself in the parks! This is my number one tip to be able to do the maximum amount of highly demanded attractions during your visit. Genie+ can be added to your tickets after you enter the theme parks for $20/day per ticket (price subject to change.)
•
Dining reservations can be made up to 60 days in advance of your visit. While it seems like the popular restaurants book up way in advance, there are often reservations that become available within days of your visit, especially right around 24 hours prior, as Guests must cancel a dining reservation more than 24 hours in advance to avoid a no-show charge.
• Several restaurants have a
Mobile Dine Walk-up Availability feature which is very useful. I have used this multiple times at
Oga’s Cantina at the Disneyland Resort. Using the app, once you are close to the restaurant you can add yourself to this list. You’ll get a notification once your table is ready.
•
Mobile ordering is a great way to save time standing in line for snacks and meals! Using the app, you can place an order for pickup within an arrival window of your choosing. Many quick service restaurants offer this service.
I hope this helps you in planning your time efficiently for your visit. Leave some time to pause and soak up the music, laughter, and amazing ambiance around you! The magic awaits!
Kamini