I was having the hardest time figuring out how I would write this blog. Disney can be for couples, families, or even solo travelers that are insane Disney fans. Therefor, I decided to do a blog that could cater to all and everyone can learn from.

Disneyland Anaheim, California is home to two theme parks, Disneyland and Disneyland California Adventures. The Disneyland park caters to younger kids with themed lands like “Fantasyland” and “Mickey’s Toontown.” However, it is also home of the brand new “Star Wars Galaxy Edge” and “Adventure Land” which are both great for teens and adults to enjoy. Disneyland California Adventure is great for teens and adults, but young kids can still enjoy. It is home of the amazing “Guardians of the Galaxy Mission: BREAKOUT!” ride which is my absolute favorite as well as the “Incredicoaster” which features loops and big drops.

There is so much to know before your trip to Disneyland and I was able to narrow down the top 10 things to know before your meet up with Mickey!

#1 How to Budget

Budgeting for Disney has to be one of the hardest things to do. It is extremely expensive especially for people with a strict budget. However, I promise anyone can go just as long as you plan accordingly. The way I budget for my trips tends to be pretty general but with Disneyland, I needed to be stricter. Here are some tips that I used to budget properly for Disneyland.

Prioritize and be realistic with your money. Prioritizing for a trip like this is essential. Ask yourself what exactly is that you want from this trip. Do you want to spend all day at the park and enjoy the park fully? Do you want to have a nice hotel to relax and not only to sleep? Are you anticipating trying a lot of the Disney Snacks or are you okay bringing your own snacks? Prioritize your wants and needs for this trip, make a list, and put a realistic price next to it. You’ll be able to figure out a rough estimate like that.
Use the right time to go. Disney has certain deals when it comes to the tickets during low season, take advantage of it! There are multiple sites where you can search the usual traffic in Disney and I highly recommend checking it out before planning your trip.
Give yourself time to plan and save money. If, for example, you plan 4-6 months prior to your trip, take in account your paychecks and be strict with how much money you will set aside each paycheck for Disney. Create a separate savings account or have an old school piggy bank. Remember, when you prioritized, you were able to find a rough estimate for your trip, divide that by how many paychecks you will have and that would be the money set aside.

#2 Where to Stay

Well not only is the entry to the parks expensive but also finding a good place to stay. My biggest tip is to stay near the park! Your ticket can be used for re-entry as many times as you want. Therefore, if you wanted to go home to change after going on “Splash Mountain” or if you wanted to take a nap before the night festivities, you absolutely can. Some are close enough to walk and some have shuttles that will take you from the park to the hotel and vice versa. However, with this convenience, you will find higher prices with hotels being near the parks. If your priority is to stay at the parks and utilize every minute for your penny, then having a hotel near the parks shouldn’t be a priority. You will save more money than you know by staying a little further way and getting a hotel just to lodge.

#3 Where to Eat

Food costs money just like everything else does. Eating in the park will for sure be more expensive than eating outside. If you have kids, I highly recommend bringing many snacks and make sure to feed them well right before. There are multiple fast food restaurants around the park if that’s something you’re comfortable with as well. If you’re willing, I believe everyone should budget to have at least one meal at the parks. Whether if its breakfast, lunch, or dinner, they are all delicious and they are for sure an experience to remember. Disneyland does not serve alcohol, only in the brand new “Star Wars: Galaxy Edge” and Disneyland California Adventures does serve alcohol, I recommend Lamplight Lounge.

#4 What to Bring

Being prepared is essential, especially at Disneyland. Here are my Disney essentials:

Battery Pack. You will be using your phone a lot and you’ll thank me later.
Charger
Rain coat. Check the weather before heading to the parks.
Mini first aid kit
Water bottle
Wallet
Tickets
Snacks if you didn’t budget for Disney Snacks or food in the park.
Sunscreen
Disney Ears
Disney Trading Pins

#5 Merchandise

If you have budgeted to purchase merchandise, I recommend checking the Disney shop online first. They do feature deals on a regular and you can save up some money through there. On the Disney shop online, you can find the iconic Disney ears as well as Disney Trading pins you can use throughout the park. When it comes to t-shirts and other fashion merchandise, find other stores around you that carry Disney merchandise such as:

Target
Walmart
BoxLunch
Hot Topic
H&M
Kohls
JC Penney

#6 Disney Snacks

Disney Snacks is for sure something you want to grab if you want a trendy IG feed, but they are for sure not cheap. If you are going to budget for them, make sure to check out which snacks you’re really interested in and their price. You’ll know ahead of time and will be able to budget accordingly. If you’re a foodie, Disneyland is now hosting the Food and Wine festival which occurs during March and April.

#7 Disneyland App

The Disneyland App is magical! There are so many things this app can hold and do for you, so I recommend downloading it before your trip. This app holds your tickets for you to just scan them straight from your phone. If you get the Disney MaxPass, here you’ll be able to schedule your Fast Passes and see all the photos taken through the park and attractions. In addition, you can make breakfast, lunch, and dinner reservation at restaurants that offer it and I recommend doing the reservations ahead of time as they do fill up quickly. You can also do mobile ordering for multiple restaurants in which once you order, it’ll be ready as soon as you go pick it up. The app also features the parks map where it also shows you the wait time for the attractions. I would get familiar with this app as you will be using it often.

#8 Disney MaxPASS

Disney MaxPASS is absolutely worth every penny! The pass is a combination of both the fast pass and the photopass. You would add 15$ per day per ticket and it will include as many fast passes as you can get that day and all photos taken by the park photographers and attractions. This will maximize your experience for sure.

#9 Park Hopper

Another thing that will maximize your experience in Disneyland is the Park Hopper ticket. You can upgrade your tickets to park hopper, and you will be able to bounce from one park to the other as many times as you want. This gives you the freedom to visit whichever park you want at whatever time you want. I also recommend this even if you are planning to be at one single park due to the fact that you have the option to dine at another park if you like. Both parks have night shows and with park hopper you will be able to enjoy both. This was the best decision we made other than the Disney MaxPASS.

#10 3-Day Ticket

You will need a 3-Day ticket! Do not do yourself a disfavor and get anything less than that. The parks have so much to offer and I promise, even a 3-Day ticket doesn’t cover it all. With a 3-Day Park Hopper ticket and Disney MaxPASS, you’re bound to have the most magical visit at Disneyland Anaheim.

Disneyland