Hi there, Tanya!
Welcome to our magical corner of the internet here at planDisney. Your question is one of my favorites as there is nothing better than helping a fellow Guest plan a trip to the Happiest Place on Earth from scratch!
The best place to start is by exploring Disneyland Resort Vacation Packages where you can book your hotel accommodation and purchase park tickets together. There are two options - packages that offer accommodation at one of the three
Disneyland Resort Hotels or at one of
Disney's "Good Neighbor" Hotels, which are hotels nearby that have the stamp of approval from Mickey himself. Both are great options and allow for you to find something that is the perfect fit for your budget. In both cases, there is a little extra pixie dust thrown in - you will receive 10% off participating dining and merchandise locations in Downtown Disney District and a Walt Disney Travel Company collectible pin and lanyard!
I'd be remiss if I didn't point out two very magical benefits of staying at a Disneyland Resort Hotel. The first is proximity to the parks, and the second is access to
Early Entry where Guests can enter either Disneyland Park or Disney California Adventure Park 30 minutes ahead of park opening. Note that only one park per day offers this early extra. This is a perk offered only to guests staying at the
Disneyland Hotel,
Disney's Grand Californian Hotel and Spa, and the
Pixar Place Hotel. If you are up early like my family, getting a few attractions in first thing in the morning gives your day a magical boost!
You'll notice when purchasing your theme park tickets that you are also given the option to add Park Hopper benefits. This allows you to hop between parks after 11:00 a.m. and for the rest of the day as opposed to having a One Park Per Day ticket. Since it's about a one minute walk (or less!) between park entrances, I have found it to be very easy and valuable to bounce between the two to make the most of your park days. That being said, having a dedicated day in each park without hopping can allow for a more leisurely experience. We have done both and sometimes I prefer a slower pace - you'd be surprised how much magic you find in those quieter moments!
Another option you will be given is whether to add
Lightning Lane Multi Pass to your tickets. This will give you access to Lightning Lanes on select attractions through your park day which are shorter than the traditional standby queues (the majority of the time). Note that this can also be added once you arrive in the parks. I will be honest, I add this to our tickets every time as a time saving tool that maximizes the magic in our day. It also includes one of my favorite perks! You will have unlimited access to all of the
Disney PhotoPass photos you take that day and which will magically appear in your app. This is the best way to capture all those memories without having to even think about it!
Tanya, I know this was a lot to take in but I hope you find it a helpful jumping off point for your planning. If you have any further questions, you know where to find us here at
planDisney!
Magic awaits!
Tara