What to Know When Planning Your Journey to the Happiest Place on Earth
With summer time proper across the nook, folks all around the world are planning their subsequent Disney trip. Rising up in San Diego, Disneyland was a frequent journey for me with my dad and mom, buddies and out-of-town household. Since shifting to Nashville, my finest good friend and I plan a Disney journey nearly yearly, and we have now our packing record, technique and itinerary all the way down to a science.
Listed here are 5 ideas to assist make your subsequent journey to Disneyland (or Disney World) a magical success!
1. Disney Genie+ is a MUST
Everyone knows how costly Disneyland has gotten through the years, however belief me, including the Disney Genie+ to your ticket is an absolute should to make sure you get your cash’s value. With the Disney Genie+, you’ll be able to reserve a timed spot in line for the most well-liked rides with out having to run over to seize a Quick Cross just like the outdated days (though I miss the printed tickets, as they made for nice souvenirs!). This could additionally save main effort and time if you’re visiting two parks in in the future — which is totally doable, however you probably have the time, I like to recommend one park per day. One other INCREDIBLE bonus — with the Disney Genie, you’ll be able to make the most of the skilled Disney photographers positioned all through the parks at key picture spots. My husband used this to his benefit, and proposed to me in entrance of the Associate’s statue, and we have now so many lovely prime quality images capturing one of the necessary moments for us. It was the perfect plan, and one of many happiest days of our lives!! As an extra bonus, now you can save all of your journey images on the Disney app, so they are going to be loaded proper to your cellphone to share and print to your coronary heart’s delight. Backside line — GET THE GENIE+ PASS!!
2. Come Ready with This Packing Checklist
Whereas a few of these gadgets could also be apparent, they’ll typically be missed. First off, carry throwaway ponchos. You should purchase them on Amazon, and even at a Greenback Tree. Whereas a part of the joys is questioning when you’ll get soaked on Splash Mountain (Tiana’s Bayou Journey later this yr!) or the Grizzly Water Run, it’s not thrilling when it’s important to stroll for miles (and hours) in waterlogged sneakers and soaking garments on a cloudy day (belief me, I’ve been there). Spare your self, and convey ponchos alongside. In tandem with ponchos, carry just a few Ziplock baggies alongside too. You may throw your cellphone and some other gadgets you need to guarantee don’t get moist, they usually don’t take up any additional house in your bag! One other key merchandise, make certain to carry a moveable cellphone charger. By utilizing the Disney app to safe your rides all day, taking images and movies and calling your crew to coordinate your subsequent assembly level, your battery will drain rapidly. By having a transportable cellphone charger helpful, you received’t have to fret a couple of useless cellphone! I additionally suggest coming ready with band-aids in case of blisters or falls, and Tylenol to thrust back any complications. Pack snacks to curb your starvation if you’re in line too! Lastly, remember to carry a reusable water bottle which you could refill all through the day. It’s a method it can save you cash, so you’re feeling higher about splurging on that churro or one other pair of lovable mouse ears!
3. Go for a Locker
When my finest good friend and I make our yearly journey, we’re within the parks from 8am – 12am, no exceptions! Whether or not you’re at Disneyland six hours or sixteen hours, a locker, obtainable each inside and out of doors the park gates, will likely be your finest good friend. Extraordinarily cheap ($7-$15), they provide two sized lockers which can be good for holding your additional outfits (hotter garments for nighttime), umbrellas, souvenirs, sweatshirts, sneakers, snacks or anything you don’t need to lug round all day hitting the rides. I can’t emphasize how helpful they’re!
4. Wear Comfy Shoes & Clothes
This might be extremely obvious, but I’ve also seen girls in wedges and heels at Disneyland, so it must be said. While Disneyland is the most magically ideal place for photo opps, you can still dress cute but also comfortably! Bring your comfiest sneakers, because you can easily walk 25K steps in one day, especially if you have a park hopper. We broke 35K our last Disney trip! Your feet will thank you, and once again you’ll get your money’s worth being able to walk around from morning til night! Leggings and a hoodie is my go-to outfit in the morning and evening, and I bring shorts and a tee for the afternoon (depending on the time of year). My go-to shoe to support 16 hours of walking? Brooks!
5. Plan Your Trip & Rides Strategically
If you don’t have a specific date in mind, I suggest visiting isitpacked.com, which has an extremely accurate meter of the crowds throughout the year. It might help sway you toward one date over the other! While sometimes unavoidable, try to avoid weekends, summer months, holiday breaks to explore Disneyland or Disney World with smaller crowds.
My best friend and I get to the park right when it opens, and strategically hit the biggest rides first. Why? First, since you can only use Genie+ to reserve each ride once per day, by hitting Space Mountain first thing in the morning, you might not need to utilize Genie+, saving your coveted Genie+ pass to Space Mountain for a second ride later in the day. Secondly, some of the big rides (including Radiator Springs Racers at California Adventure, my absolute FAVORITE ride) can “sell out” quickly, so by hitting the big rides first, we ensure we will ride them at least once in the day!
Trying to beat the heat or take a load off in the middle of the day? Head to Pirates of the Caribbean (16-minutes ride), It’s a Small World (15-minute ride) or the Haunted Mansion (8-minute ride) for some time out of the sun. While you might hit a wall during the middle of the day (at least I always do!) Disney parks are most magical at night, with the glowing neon, bright lights and cooler weather. Parade times are prime times to hit rides. Event times also play a major part in the park strategy. While a lot of the crowd lines Main Street and the rest of the parade path, we hit Adventure Land and New Orleans Square, when the ride lines are typically shorter. Another tip, hit the rides during the fireworks show! We like to go on Splash Mountain or Big Thunder Mountain Railroad during the fireworks show to see a spectacular view from the ride!
By having the right items on hand, strategically planning your visit and itinerary, and going with Genie+, I can assure you will have a magical time at the Happiest Place on Earth!
