Disneyland in CA - What's the Scoop?

Updated on October 03, 2011
M.R. asks from Chicago, IL
7 answers

Hi Moms ~

We will be taking our kids (3 & 6) to Disneyland in CA over the Thanksgiving break. I've ordered the DVD planning guide and am scouring the web site for the fun things to do, but the best referrals are always from someone who has been there. The people we know have only been to Disney World in FL.

What are the best things to do? My daughter loves Pricesses (Cinderella!) and my son loves Mickey Mouse. Also what hotel have you stayed at that you liked, or didn't like, and why? We're not as interested in the amenities as we are the price :) Any hotels in the park that are actually reasonably priced?

Thanks so much!

What can I do next?

  • Add yourAnswer own comment
  • Ask your own question Add Question
  • Join the Mamapedia community Mamapedia
  • as inappropriate
  • this with your friends

More Answers

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

B.B.

answers from Portland on

We stayed at the Embassy Suites which has bus service from the front door to DL. This hotel was reasonably priced but the also served a hot breakfast in the morning. We would eat a nice big breakfast and then head to DL. I packed filling snacks and water into the park and we ate those around 11am and then had a big lunch/dinner around 3pm in DL to avoid the lunch and dinner rush. This saved $ by just purchasing 1 meal a day per person instead of 2. The portion sizes are huge in DL and for a couple of our meals, my son and I shared a plate and still had some left over. I paid for park hopper passes and then we only went to one park per day so I could have saved money purchasing seperate park tickets per day since we were only there for 3 days. If you are there for 4+ days, it is cheaper to buy park hoppers as a package deal.

1 mom found this helpful
Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

M.J.

answers from Sacramento on

We were just there in June. Be sure to do the Princess meet-and-greet. There's a line in the princess section where you get to meet three randomly selected princesses. Be prepared for a wait, though. We got there early and still had an hour wait.

When you first get in the park, buy their special autograph books. When you see characters, your kids can get their autographs and have pictures taken. Our kids loved having the autograph books. The hardest characters to meet are Mickey and Minnie Mouse. They draw a crowd and it took us three tries to finally meet Minnie. They cut off the line and say "sorry" when she needs her break and you're out of luck.

If anyone in your family has a medical condition making it hard to wait in lines (injuries, ADHD, autism, etc.), get a note from the doctor. Bring it to Guest Services and you can get a medical pass, getting you in a special line for most rides that's a fraction of the regular wait.

Can't say on the hotel because we were all about the amenities and stayed at the Doubletree. There are a ton of places close to Disneyland. Check out Mousesavers.com for ideas on cheap places. You won't find any deals on the Disneyland hotels ... pricey.

When you need a break from the crowds and noise, go out to Tom Sawyer's island at Disneyland or the park area in California Adventure. Both allow the kids to run around for a while.

Also, don't feel you have to do everything. We skipped the nighttime activities because we were just too tired. This also kept the kids on their regular bedtime routine, which helped us have fewer meltdowns and a great overall visit there. No one felt like they missed anything.

Have fun!

1 mom found this helpful
Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

P.S.

answers from Houston on

I heard Dland is better than Dworld b/c it is smaller, not as hectic or crowded and you basically get the same Disney stuff.

1 mom found this helpful
Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

M.G.

answers from Kansas City on

Reasonably priced and on property are two terms you don't see together!! We've stayed several times at the Embasy Suites on Harbor Blvd. The nice thing about that hotel is that it is FILLED with families. They serve a full breakfast buffett each morning which is complementary.

To see those princess up close and personal, look into a Character Breakfast (my sons even liked it). Mickey can be found at his house in Toon Town. It is a good idea to make this your first stop of the morning. (Jump on the train at the entrance and ride it around to the Toon Town Station to save your feet a little.)

We are a Disney family, feel free to contact me with additional questions.

M.

1 mom found this helpful

S.D.

answers from Phoenix on

There is a book you can check out. the unofficial guide to disney or something like that. It will give you the ins and outs on how to do the park so your not in line as long......give you tips on the cheapest food and the rating and a lot more. It was very useful too us. Dessert Inn Suites is a nice clean place that is pretty reasonable for all times of year and is extremely close to the entrance. The book can be bought at the bookstore or you can check it out in the library. It is updated each year.

1 mom found this helpful
Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

J.R.

answers from Chicago on

We have been to Disneyland many times, our favorite hotel is the Grand California, but have also stayed at the Disneyland Hotel, which is also great! They have just re-themed the pool area there and it looks wonderful. Disneyland is much smaller then Walt Disney World, but from that it is much more doable with younger kids and you and enjoy yourselves.
For your son, Mickey’s Toontown where you can go through Mickey’s house and meet him at the end! For your daughter there is Disney Princess Fantasy Faire, she can meet all the princess! You can do a character breakfast, we have done the one at Story Tellers, which we have enjoyed or Plaza Inn which is right in the Disneyland Park. We also love to eat at the Blue Bayou as you sit alongside the Pirates attraction. We have also done a few tours, the Discover the Magic Tour is great for kids as they are on a for hunt for hidden treasure and outwit Disney Villains. Don’t forget there is also California Adventure too! Which is in the process of being updated, but still has many things to do including Soarin' Over California, "a bug's land", The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror, Muppet*Vision 3D, California Screamin' rollercoaster or take off in to the wilder blue yonder at Goofy's Sky School, Toy Story Mania! and The Little Mermaid~ Ariel's Undersea Adventure.
And don’t miss The World of Color nighttime water spectacular weaves water, color, fire and light into a kaleidoscope of fantasy and imagination. More than 1,000 jets of water form incredible shapes in time to the music as Disney characters come to life on a shimmering veil of mist.
Let me know if you have any questions, I would be happy to suggest restaurants, tours or help with anything.

1 mom found this helpful
Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

C.C.

answers from Dallas on

We went to Disnleyland in July and it was great! We've been to Disneyworld a couple of times but decided we wanted to visit the original park. It was my 4 year old daughter's first Disney adventure. Disneyland is the perfect size for younger kids. There are two parks -- Disneyland Park and California Adventure. They are right across from each other so if you get the park-hopper pass (highly recommended) it's great because you can easily go back and forth between the parks. My daughter is also a big princess fan so we made a reservation for the princess character lunch which is held at Ariel's Grotto in California Adventure. We saw Aurora (Sleeping Beauty), Cinderella, Belle, Snow White and Ariel. They stop by every table. You can reserve this 60 days before your trip. Pretty much all of the Disneyland Park is perfect for younger kids. My daughter's favorite was It's a Small World. The parade was great. We essentially avoided anything that had too long a wait . . . young children and long waits don't mix, and there are plenty of other things to do and see.

California Adventure is a mix of things for younger and older crowds. You absolutely have to see the World of Color water/laser light show . . . it was amazing! It is under construction because they are adding a Cars World section which is supposed to open next year. Their newest ride was Ariel's Underwater Adventure - get there within the first hour of the park opening and you shouldn't have to wait too long.

As for hotel, we stayed at the Staybridge Suites because they had larger rooms and a free full breakfast buffet. It was a nice hotel and we got so much more for our money then staying at one of the Disney properties. And there is the shuttle (you have to pay for it, I think it was $10 per person for the week) that takes you to/from Disney that runs every 15-20 minutes.

For Updates and Special Promotions
Follow Us

Related Questions