I have been going to Disneyland for as long as I can remember, and with annual passes at my disposal as I’ve gotten older, I’ve learned some tricks that are extremely beneficial when navigating the parks. With the upcoming senior class trip to the amusement park on Jan. 27, now would be a good time to provide insider tips and tricks for how to get around long wait times for rides and food, as well as provide tips for comfort throughout the day.
Wear comfortable clothes and shoes.
Getting to the park early in the morning and staying late means a lot of walking around. Wearing shoes that will be comfortable all day is extremely beneficial. Skip the heels and wear your sneakers. I also recommend wearing breathable clothing if it’s a warmer, winter day, and bring a hoodie or jacket to bundle up once the sun sets.
Bring your own water bottle and portable chargers.
Disneyland has water refill stations located throughout the park, as well as having water fountains all over the property. Water bottles are $5, and when staying hydrated is important for a 14-hour day, that can add up quickly. Portable chargers are $30 and come with a Fuel Rod, but they run out of energy very quickly. Bringing a backpack would also be helpful to store all your stuff that you do not want to carry. If you do not want to carry a backpack, there are lockers on Main Street U.S.A. for rent, and prices vary depending on the locker size you want.
The Disneyland App.
Instead of having to walk to a ride to find out the wait time, you can log onto the Disneyland app, found in the App Store, and check wait times at the click of a button. The Disneyland app also allows users to mobile order food from select restaurants and food stands. Users can also purchase the Genie+ accessory for $60, which allows park goers to get fast passes to skip longer waits. Choose carefully, as the Genie+ accessory maxes out after seven rides.
Single Rider lines.
A single-rider line offers park goers a way to get onto a ride significantly faster than if they were to simply stand in line. There are times when the line can seem quite long, but the line is moving one or two people at any given time. It is important to note that for single riders, park goers will not be guaranteed to stay with their party. For example, I could go on and ride, and then could be waiting for five to 10 minutes before I finally regroup with my friends.
Know when to take breaks.
After hours of walking, your feet will hurt. There is a lot of seating at the Hungry Bear Restaurant in Critter Country as well as Alien Pizza Planet in Tomorrowland. Both offer good food selections, but Alien Pizza Planet offers more in terms of meals than the Hungry Bear Restaurant.
Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge.
Disneyland’s newest addition to their amusement park is popularly known as Star Wars Land. Rise of the Resistance, a mega-popular ride in the land, is the one seemingly everyone wants to go on, meaning, the line can get quite long. There are times when this line can get up to three hours long, which would be a good time to get a fast pass. But be warned, the Genie+ Pass for this ride costs $20 per ticket. If a park goer desperately wants to go on this ride, but the line is too long to justify waiting, purchase the fast pass. The cost will be justified. I have also found a very popular coffee drink at Docking Bay 7 Food and Cargo called the Cold Brew Black Caf, which has black coffee, and topped with cream cheese cold foam and Cocoa Puffs.
Rides worth the wait.
Space Mountain and Indiana Jones and the Temple of the Forbidden Eye are great rides, however the lines fill up fast and I would recommend going as early as possible in your trip. Tip: if the ride is broken down, hang around the ride for a few minutes before the ride opens back up again, or ask a cast member when the line might open up again. Big Thunder Mountain and Millenium Falcon: Smugglers Run are great rides and the lines are usually pretty reasonable.
Rides that are not worth the wait.
Matterhorn Bobsleds, Star Tours, and Autopia typically have reasonable waits, but if the line is longer than 45 minutes, either use a fast pass or wait until the wait time goes down. There are times when the Disneyland Railroad is a nice attraction, especially after a long day of walking, but if the wait is over 15 minutes, you can simply walk to your destination faster as opposed to waiting for and taking the train all around the park.
Enjoy the magic.
There are a lot of opportunities for other Disney magic that isn’t riding the rides. Currently, there is the Mickey’s Mix Magic Fireworks with Projections on the buildings of Main Street U.S.A., and there are currently no parades. Another popular attraction is Walt Disney’s Enchanted Tiki Room. Grab a Dole Whip and enjoy the singing birds. Meeting the characters also creates magical memories that will last a lifetime.
