Auntie of the Year, Annie! Thank you for bringing your question to planDisney! What an incredibly special gift you are giving to your nephew. Wow!
At the end of the day, there is no right or wrong answer to how many days to be in the parks at Disneyland Resort. Every person and group are different, with varying priorities, schedules, budgets, and bandwidths. No matter how many days you choose, you'll make magical memories that will last a lifetime.
There are two parks within Disneyland Resort, each with their own unique vibe: Disneyland Park and California Adventure (often referred to as DCA). They are two separate parks, very close together, that require their own ticket or a park hopper ticket.
In your Disneyland planning, Annie, before deciding how many days and in which park, I suggest looking at the
park maps with your nephew (if the trip isn't a surprise!) to identify your top priorities together, including attractions and entertainment. (At the top of my ten-year-old's priority list is always Rise of the Resistance in Galaxy's Edge!) This will give you an idea how much time you'll want in each park and will get you both excited for your special trip! You can do this on the Disneyland website or in the
Disneyland app.
In my personal experience, and what I recommend to first time visitors, is to plan for three days in the parks at Disneyland Resort - two days in Disneyland and one day in California Adventure. Or consider upgrading your tickets to
park hoppers, which allows you and your nephew to easily cross over into either park as much as you want, after 11am.
In three park days, you'll likely be able to experience nearly everything Disneyland Resort has to offer, check off all of your top priorities (for you and your nephew), and have time for good-sized breaks during the day.
TIP: If you're in Disneyland more than a day or two, I highly recommend building in "off park days" to chill and relax. You'll enjoy the parks more if you're rested!
In our family, we've found how valuable it is having one-on-one time with each of our two boys, to connect and make sweet memories together. I am so excited for you and your nephew to have this experience - and at the Happiest Place on Earth!
Magic awaits,
McCayla