Hello, Todd!
Thanks for bringing your question to
planDisney. I’m glad to hear you’ll be visiting the
Disneyland Resort and might be able to spend some time with a friend during your vacation. What a magical place to have a meetup!
If you want to get together for dinner at a restaurant inside
Disneyland Park or
Disney California Adventure Park, the first step would be for your friend to purchase a
theme park ticket and secure a
theme park reservation for your planned date. When the day comes, your friend can utilize theme park
parking at the Mickey & Friends Parking Structure, the Pixar Pals Parking Structure, or the Toy Story Parking Area. A daily parking fee will apply. Once inside the theme park where you plan to meet, the only other expenses they should incur are the cost of dinner (unless it’s your treat) and any pixie-dusted souvenirs they may want to bring home from shops like the
Emporium in Disneyland Park and
Elias & Co. in Disney California Adventure Park.
A more economical option would be to meet for a meal outside the theme parks at a restaurant at one of the Disneyland Resort Hotels or in the
Downtown Disney District. While your friend would still pay to park at the resort, they wouldn’t need to purchase a theme park ticket or make a theme park reservation. For Downtown Disney District parking areas, validations apply after the first hour of paid parking. Your friend can enjoy an additional three hours of same-day parking with a $20-minimum purchase and validation from any Downtown Disney District location or up to five additional hours of parking with validation from any Downtown Disney District table-service restaurant.
I hope this information is helpful and that you and your friend have a great time catching up over a delicious meal, Todd. Please don’t hesitate to send more questions our way as your vacation approaches.
Wishing you magic,
Courtney