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Plan, Stay and Play: Disneyland Resort Vacation Planning Resources

Published: April 18, 2024

Plan, Stay and Play: Disneyland Resort Vacation Planning Resources

ANAHEIM, Calif. – Families and friends preparing for their visits to the Disneyland Resort can look forward to creating unforgettable memories together, enjoying attractions and entertainment, savoring splendid meals and so much more. As they plan to stay and play at the “Happiest Place on Earth,” guests can reference these helpful tips, tools and resources for making the most of their visits:

PLAN

  • Park tickets and reservations: To enter a theme park, all guests (ages 3 and older) need to have both a ticket and theme park reservation for the same park on the same date. Guests can purchase tickets and make park reservations on Disneyland.com up to 180 days in advance with the expanded reservation calendar.
  • Great value: A variety of ticket options and special offers throughout the year make it possible for many guests to visit Disneyland Resort. Guests can find great value in multiple-day tickets and vacation packages or offers at nearby Disneyland Resort Good Neighbor Hotels. The latest special offers can be viewed at Disneyland.com/offers.
  • Official Disneyland app: The Disneyland app* enables guests to purchase and link their tickets, view menus, mobile orders, view attraction wait times, navigate park maps, purchase add-ons including Disney Genie+ service, and more.
  • Dining reservations: Reservations are offered up to 60 days in advance at select restaurants throughout the Disneyland Resort. Special dining packages offer guests a meal and reserved viewing for entertainment including the “Magic Happens” parade at Disneyland Park and “World of Color – ONE” at Disney California Adventure Park. Guests can book a table at Disneyland.com or on the Disneyland app.
  • Guests with disabilities: Disneyland Resort offers a variety of services and access options for guests with disabilities. Information about these services can be found by visiting Disneyland.com.
  • planDisney: This official Disney resource has helpful tips, heartfelt advice and unique insights from a panel of guests who have mastered the art of planning Disney vacations. The panelists offer more tips and advice on the planDisney Podcast.
  • Social media: Guests can keep up with Disneyland Resort updates at DisneyParksBlog.com. For more planning tips and fun facts, they can follow the @DisneyParks TikTok and the @Disneyland Facebook and Instagram accounts.

STAY

Many special benefits are included in stays at the three Disneyland Resort hotels: the classic Disneyland Hotel and luxurious Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa – both AAA Four Diamond properties – and the newly reimagined Pixar Place Hotel.

  • Direct-to-room service: Online check-in enables overnight guests to go straight to their hotel rooms once they’re ready, and the digital key feature on their smartphones can open their room doors. A Bluetooth®-enabled device with the latest version of the Disneyland app is required.
  • Early entry: Disneyland Resort hotel guests can take advantage of admission to Disneyland Park or Disney California Adventure Park 30 minutes prior to regular theme park opening into a designated park to enjoy select attractions, dining and shopping locations.**
  • Convenient theme park access: To enter Disney California Adventure, guests staying at Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa can enter through the hotel’s entry gate, and Pixar Place Hotel guests can use a dedicated walkway across the street from their hotel. In addition, all guests can enjoy Disneyland Park access via the Downtown Disney District Monorail station. Park admission and reservations are required for park entry.
  • Hotel Guest Activities: Guests may enjoy a variety of activities during their stay at the Hotels of the Disneyland Resort including fitness classes, hotel tours, movies and more***
  • Preferred Access to Hotel Dining Reservations: Disneyland Resort hotel guests may receive preferred access to a limited number of dining reservations at select Disneyland Resort hotel table-service restaurants****
  • Multi-generational travel and large parties: Many families enjoy traveling to the Disneyland Resort with relatives across multiple generations, or with family reunions. The Hotels of the Disneyland Resort welcome multi-generational travelers and large parties, offering multiple suites at each hotel that sleep parties of six. Some suites connect to adjacent rooms to accommodate the larger parties.

PLAY

  • Disney Genie+ service and Lightning Lanes: Purchasing Disney Genie+ service helps guests get quicker entry to select attractions by selecting Lightning Lane arrival windows, as well as capture lifelong memories with unlimited Disney PhotoPass digital downloads. For select rides, Individual Lightning Lane passes are available, allowing guests to save time boarding guest-favorite rides like Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance. Built into the Disneyland app, the complimentary Disney Genie helps guests plan their day with a dynamic park itinerary and park navigation.
  • Disney PhotoPass service: PhotoPass photographers at iconic locations throughout the parks ensure that everyone in the group gets in the photo. Guests can also capture Disney PhotoPass attraction photos at select attractions. All available Disney PhotoPass photos can be linked, viewed and purchased at Disneyland.com or directly from the Disneyland app.
  • Hands-free convenience and interactivity with MagicBand+: MagicBand+ lets guests easily enter the parks (with valid admission and reservation), check in at Lightning Lane entrances (separate valid Lightning Lane entry required) and link Disney PhotoPass photos. MagicBand+ also unlocks a new dimension of Disney storytelling with Star Wars: Batuu Bounty Hunters and special effects that enhance select experiences and entertainment around the parks.*****
  • Play Disney Parks app: Families and guests can explore the parks with interactive experiences that bring surrounding environments to life. Group play enables everyone to join in on the fun.
  • Portable phone charging systems kiosks: Guests can recharge their devices without missing any of the fun by using a convenient portable battery set that can be purchased from kiosk locations throughout the resort. When the portable battery runs out, guests may swap it for a fully charged replacementat any kiosk.

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Check the latest entertainment details and schedules at Disneyland.com or the Disneyland mobile app. Entertainment, experiences, and offerings may be modified, limited in availability or unavailable, and are subject to restrictions, and change or cancellation without notice. Both Theme Park reservations and valid admission for the same Park on the same day are required for Park entry. Park reservations are limited, subject to availability and not guaranteed. Park admission and offerings are not guaranteed. Visit Disneyland.com/updates for important information to know before visiting the Disneyland Resort.

*Message, data and roaming rates may apply for use of the Disneyland app and Play Disney Parks app. Availability subject to handset limitations and features may vary by handset or service provider. Coverage and app stores not available everywhere. If you’re under 18, get your parents’ permission first.

**Each day, either Disneyland Park or Disney California Adventure Park will be open early. Each registered hotel guest (age 3 and older) must have valid park admission, park reservation, and hotel room key card for early entry park admission. Applicable theme park, days and times of operation, and attractions, experiences, and offerings for the early entry benefit may vary, be subject to availability, capacity, change and cancellation without notice, and are not guaranteed. 

*** All offerings are subject to availability and some may require reservations and an additional fee. A Disneyland Resort hotel reservation is required for many activities. Visit or contact the Front Desk to enquire about availability.

****Preferred access dining reservations will be available to hotel guests for dates of their hotel reservation. If a Guest cancels a hotel reservation, any hotel dining reservation booked under the preferred dine benefit will be automatically cancelled. The limited number of preferred access reservations will be subject to availability, change or cancellation at any time, and may not be available on certain holidays or for special dining events.  

*****Online registration and Disney account required to use MagicBand+ and Disney Photopass® service. Disney Photopass® service is subject to the Disney Photopass Terms & Conditions and expiration policy found at https://disneyland.disney.go.com/photopass-terms-conditions/. MagicBand and MagicBand 2 will not be supported at Disneyland Resort at this time. Disney may be able to infer your location when you choose to carry your MagicBand+ at select Disney parks, Disney Resort hotels and Disney vacation experiences. View more information.

Media Contacts:
Disneyland Resort Public Relations
dlr.public.relations@disney.com
DisneylandNews.com
DisneyParksBlog.com
@Disneyland