Welcome to
planDisney, Michael!
Thanks for sending your question our way. I'm happy to assist a fellow cross-country traveler with a
Disneyland Resort adventure!
I'm thrilled to hear you'll stay at a
Disneyland Resort Hotel for some of your time on the West Coast. My family and I spent a few nights at
Disney's Grand Californian Hotel & Spa last summer; it was
the highlight of our two weeks in the Golden State! I'm happy to report that you'll enjoy
onsite benefits like
Early Entry on check-in and check-out days of your stay. Be sure to complete
online check-in before arriving. I recommend lining up for the security checkpoint at least thirty minutes before Early Entry begins to maximize this benefit.
Now, regarding
theme park admission, I suggest purchasing as soon as possible to ensure availability. You'll need to select theme parks for each day of your ticket, which is tricky since we don't have the park hours for April yet. As of this writing, in January and February, Early Entry at
Disneyland Park is scheduled for Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays, while
Disney California Adventure Park offers this perk on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, and Sundays. This schedule is subject to change, so I recommend checking the
Park Hours page as your trip approaches.
If I were in your situation, I'd choose my theme park dates based on the current schedule and modify them as needed once park hours are released (usually about 6 weeks in advance). At that point, to make changes, use the "My Disneyland" drop-down menu on the Disneyland Resort home page and select "Tickets and Reservations Details." You'll have an option to view, cancel, or modify theme park reservations.
I hope this has been helpful, Michael. Best wishes for a memorable visit to the Disneyland Resort, and please come back and see us again if there's anything else we can do as you prepare for your magical vacation.
See ya real soon!
Betsy