The Happiest Birthday on Earth: Celebrating at Disneyland

It’s the Happiest Birthday on Earth: celebrating birthdays at Disneyland is a fabulous excuse for a vacation! And if you’re anything like me, you’ll use every excuse you can to get to Disneyland. Here’s how to make any birthday at Disneyland a day to remember.Disneyland Tips

Planning a Birthday Trip to Disneyland

Oh boy, have I got a birthday gift for you, and everyone going to Disneyland for this special celebration! Let’s get right to it:

 

Joy Pixar Pier Ticket

 

The good thing about celebrating a birthday at Disneyland is ANY day is your birthday! If you can’t make it on your actual birthday, there’s no reason not to celebrate that month, or even several weeks later if that’s when you can travel. 

Here are some of the best times to visit while celebrating a birthday at Disneyland, especially if your special day falls near these dates or seasons:

  • July 17 is Disneyland’s birthday and there’s always something special happening on this date. Sometimes Disney Cast Members will even pass out free birthday cupcakes in the morning. There are sure to be some special photo ops that day as well. 
  • May 4 at Disneyland is Star Wars Day, and the celebration often lasts a few weeks! If you have a Star Wars fan whose birthday falls in May or early June, head to the parks this time of year and ride Hyperspace Mountain for the occasion!
  • Friday, Saturday, Sunday nights are host to nighttime projections with the addition of fireworks (weather permitting). Fireworks are also added to the mix over some spring break dates, all of summer break and some holiday breaks. 
  • Before your child turns 3, I mentioned this above but it is worth repeating—kids under 3 enter Disneyland for free. What an amazing way to celebrate!
  • November 18 is Mickey Mouse’s birthday and there’s always something special happening on this date. Sometimes Disney Cast Members pass out free birthday cupcakes in the morning. There are sure to be some special photo ops that day too. 

There’s even more to unwrap in this article where we’ll go over everything you need to know about birthdays at Disneyland like special Disneyland experiences available for kids on their birthday, Disneyland birthday celebrations for adults and ways to make the most of your time at the park on your birthday.

Disneyland Birthday Celebrations for Kids

Let me help you make this birthday at Disneyland a dream come true with some of the best kids birthday packages available at Disneyland, special experiences available for kids on their birthday and tips for making your child’s Disneyland birthday celebration extra special.

Best Disneyland Hotels for Kids

When you’re bringing a birthday kid to Disneyland, it’s all the little things that make it magical—starting with where you stay. Here are some of my top picks for Disneyland Birthday hotels.

 

Pool area Cambria Anaheim

 

  • Courtyard Marriott with Water Park, best for school aged-kids and teens. Even adults can enjoy these water slides! 
  • Cambria with Water Park, best for families who don’t mind driving to the parks or taking ART and who want lots of nearby food options. Bonus: there’s a basketball court onsite which my teen boys in the family love!
  • Howard Johnson, best for preschool and younger kids who will love their Pirate themed water playground. 
  • Disneyland Hotel, best for families who want to make the most of their time and get Early Entry into the parks, plus enjoy all the nostalgia of the original Disneyland Hotel.

You can add any of these hotels to your discount tickets to make a complete Disneyland birthday package. Get started here

Discount Disneyland tickets

Disneyland Birthday Experiences for Kids

I love adding special elements to our family Disneyland vacations. These add-ons are a perfect way to celebrate a birthday at Disneyland. Here are my top picks. 

  1. Head to any retail location inside either park and get a FREE birthday button. You won’t want to miss this special treat to help everyone celebrate with you throughout the day.birthday button
  2. Add character dining to your Disneyland birthday trip. From breakfast with Disney Princesses, to Mickey Mouse and Goofy, or dining with Minnie Mouse inside Disneyland. All the character dining options are covered here.
  3. For Star Wars fans there is no better way to spend your birthday than in Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge building a light saber or a droid. These souvenirs are incredible!Teens build droid
  4. Meeting Disney Princesses is a must, but what about becoming one? That’s where Disneyland’s Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique comes in. Learn about these makeovers here. Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique
  5. Add a Disney gift card to the Disneyland Birthday celebration! Then they can use Disney gift card in the parks to pick out special souvenirs or treats throughout the day. Here’s all the places you can use a Disney gift card at Disneyland

Disneyland Birthday Celebrations for Adults

No shame in this Disney Adult game—especially on your birthday! Whether this an adults only trip to Disneyland or a family affair, I have the best adult birthday packages available at Disneyland, special experiences to reserve for your birthday and tips for making your day extra magical.

Best Disneyland Hotels for Adults

There are so many amazing hotels near Disneyland, but for the adults only birthday, we’re going to step it up a notch or two Here are some of my top Disneyland Birthday hotels for adults.

  • Grand Legacy at The Park started the rooftop bar trend at Anaheim hotels. Affordable hotel rooms and a great place to escape each evening. 
  • JW Marriott is probably the only hotel I wouldn’t take little kids to. It’s absolutely glamour inside those rooms!

JW Marriott Anaheim King room

  • I also love the Westin, including their on site dining options. Splurge for a theme park view room here, it’s incredible.
  • Grand Californian Hotel gets you Early Entry into the parks, an amazing location and fantastic onsite dining.

Grand Californian Lobby Disneyland

 

You can add any of these hotels to your discount tickets to make a complete Disneyland birthday package. Get started here

Discount Disneyland tickets

Disneyland Birthday Experiences for Adults

I love adding special elements to an adults only Disneyland vacation. These add-ons are a perfect way to celebrate a birthday at Disneyland. Here are my top picks. 

  1. Head to any retail location inside either park and get a FREE birthday button. You won’t want to miss this special treat to help everyone celebrate with you throughout the day. You can also find these buttons outside City Hall on Main Street in the morning. birthday button
  2. Add a special dining experience or two. Or three, it’s so hard to choose. From  character dining to grabbing a drink at Oga’s Cantina or dining inside Pirates of the Caribbean at Blue Bayou—get your free dining alerts here so you don’t miss the chance to make a reservation.
  3. You’re never too old to spend your birthday battling the Dark Side in Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge where you can build a light saber or a droid. These souvenir experiences are incredible!star wars land light saber
  4. The best, most fanciest and perfect birthday experience, I think, is the World of Color Dessert Party. It is a must!

World of color desserts

Must Ride Disneyland Birthdays Attractions

I love spotting all the  Disneyland Resort rides and locations that mention birthdays or evoke a special birthday feeling! birthday ears

Don’t miss these rides to make your birthday wishes come true:

  • Alice in Wonderland. Be on the lookout for a very merry unbirthday scene.

Haunted Mansion holiday

  • Haunted Mansion where you can watch a ghost blow out the candles below your doom buggie. 
  • Ride Jingles, the most decorated horse on King Arthur Carrousel.

 

Mad Tea Party Disneyland

 

  • Mad Tea Party, listen for the very merry unbirthday music as you spin!
  • Mickey’s House and meet Mickey. Pose in front of the birthday cake before meeting the main mouse. 

 

Disneyland birthday Mickey and Minnie

 

  • Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway in the queue for the ride, spot the huge birthday cake.
  • Monsters, Inc. Mike & Sulley to the Rescue! See what happens on Celia’s birthday.

 

What to ride first at California Adventure's Hollywood Land.

 

  • Minnie’s House as you watch the cake bake in Minnie’s kitchen.
  • The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh celebrates birthday too!
  • Visit “Red” the firetruck in Cars Land. If he sees your birthday pin, he may play the Happy Birthday song for you.
  • Catch the Jazz Musicians at the French Market in New Orleans Square and have someone mention it’s your birthday. You may just get a quick little serenade.
  • Stop by the Mad Hatter’s shop in Fantasyland and pick up some special birthday ears.

 

Disneyland birthday

Skip the Wait on Your Birthday

While there’s no specific “birthday pass” for skipping lines at Disneyland, you can make great use out of the Disney Genie+ system to ride on your favorites with lower wait times.

Disneyland Park Genie+ attractions:

  • Autopia
  • Big Thunder Mountain Railroad
  • Fantasmic!
  • Haunted Mansion
  • Indiana Jones Adventure

 

Disneyland cake

 

  • “it’s a small world” 
  • Matterhorn Bobsleds
  • Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run
  • Roger Rabbit’s Car Toon Spin
  • Space Mountain
  • Splash Mountain
  • Star Tours — The Adventures Continue

Genie+ attractions at California Adventure: 

  • Goofy’s Sky School
  • Grizzly River Run
  • Monsters, Inc.
  • Soarin’ Around the World
  • Toy Story Midway Mania 
  • Guardians of the Galaxy—Mission: Breakout!
  • Incredicoaster

Birthday Cakes at Disneyland 

The birthday fun isn’t over yet! There are so many ways to celebrate, including making a wish over a special birthday cake or cupcake.
 
goofys kitchen birthday cupcake
 
 
Here are the best ways and place to get a birthday cake at Disneyland Resort:
  • Mention your birthday when you check in for any sit down dining experience. The Cast Member will bring a birthday cupcake with a lit candle for you! And bonus, this free dessert won’t break the bank. 
  • Add a celebration cake on to any sit down dining experience and share the bounty with your entire birthday party. You can order these for any special occasion, not just birthdays.
  • Stop by Sprinkles, Marceline’s, Black Tap or Salt and Straw in Downtown Disney for cupcakes, treats and ice cream.

 

Black Tap my CrazyShake

 
 
Whatever treats you enjoy, be sure to make that special birthday wish! And remember, you can upgrade your Disneyland discount ticket to a Magic Key annual pass at the end of your visit and celebrate all year long. 
 
 

Have you enjoyed a special birthday at Disneyland? I know I sure did when visiting Disneyland’s “secret” Club 33. What’s your favorite way to celebrate birthdays at Disneyland?

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By Jessica Sanders

Recognized authority on all things Disneyland Resort. Offering dynamic planning strategies and the latest theme park information since 2013. Jessica's insights have been featured on Yahoo! News, InStyle, The Washington Post, and many others.

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