Hi there, Ernelle! Thanks so much for stopping by planDisney with your question. We love helping our fellow Guests plan their
Disneyland Resort vacations and like to squeeze a little extra magic in there too when we can!
I'm so glad to hear that you will be staying in the magic as a Guest of a
Disneyland Resort Hotel. There is just something so special about strolling home after a park day just a few steps to your hotel and waking up within walking distance to the Happiest Place on Earth! As one of the pixie-dusted perks, you will have access to
Early Entry which allows Guests to enjoy 30 magical minutes in either
Disneyland Park or
Disney California Adventure Park ahead of park opening.
Park Hours for your visit will post about six weeks ahead of time, so while they are not up quite yet for December 20th, we can walk through an example. If the park opens at 8:00 a.m., Disneyland Resort Hotel Guests are able to gain entry at 7:30 a.m. to either Disneyland Park or Disney California Adventure Park, depending on your
theme park reservation for the day. In order to get the most out of these minutes, I actually recommend heading to the Main Entrance Gates one hour ahead of park opening, or 30 minutes ahead of the Early Entry time. When you arrive, be sure to ask a Cast Member where the queue is for the Early Entry Guests if it's not clearly designated as there will be regular day Guests in the mix lining up for the regular park opening. By arriving 30 minutes ahead of Early Entry, you'll be able to ensure you are in the right spot and one of the first few people through the gate, so you can take advantage of each and every extra second!
Now, what to do with these bonus minutes?! I highly recommend taking a peek at the
list of attractions, eateries, and shops that are open during this time. While there are many to choose from, you want to make sure you are not heading somewhere only to find out it's still closed until the official park opening. If you are hoping to take advantage of Early Entry on the day of your arrival, just be sure you have
checked in to your Disneyland Resort Hotel online ahead of time, which can be done up to 5 days prior to arrival. This is very easy to do if you navigate to the "My Hotel Reservations" section of the
Disneyland Mobile App!
While you are getting excited about your trip, you might want to listen (or watch!) the new
planDisney Podcast where my fellow panelists are giving out their best tips and tricks to make the most out of your park visits. There are episodes dedicated to the Holidays, Resorts, and even how to use the latest and greatest
technology for an extra magical experience!
MagicBand+ has just arrived at the Disneyland Resort, and it was so helpful to hear how this wearable technology can enhance your park day!
Magic awaits!
Tara