Are you planning your first trip to Disneyland? You’re in the right place. This guide is packed full of detailed information you need to make your first trip to Disneyland successful and magical.
This guide covers basic things every first-timer should know. Inside I link to other articles with more in-depth guidance and next steps to truly elevate your Disneyland holiday.
1. Disneyland California Orientation
The Disneyland Resort is the heart of Anaheim, California in Orange County, south of Los Angeles. It encompasses more than 500 acres including two theme parks, three hotels and an entertainment district.
Disneyland Resort is part of Southern California, which is home to roughly 22 million people. Yes, this can make for some crazy freeways, lots of traffic and a high cost of living.
Pair that with beautiful beaches, incredible weather and amazing attractions like theme parks, museums, and events—you’re sure to experience some traffic along the way,
Southern California includes several metropolitan areas:
- Los Angeles County
- Orange County
- San Diego County and others
Those visiting The Disneyland Resort generally spend their vacation time in these three Southern California areas.
Break Down of Southern California
First up, L.A. Los Angeles is a densely packed city and huge county spanning over 4,000 square miles. Los Angeles is where you’ll find:
- Dodger Stadium, home of my favorite MLB team
- Universal Studios Hollywood
- Warner Brothers Studio Tour and other studios
- Hollywood / Walk of Fame / Hollywood Sign
- Beverly Hills / Rodeo Drive / Melrose
- Santa Monica Beach / Pier
- Venice Beach, Malibu and other beach favorites
Truly, this is just a sampling of what LA has to offer. It’s my home—I grew up in a suburb of LA near Six Flags Magic Mountain. It’s the only place I’ll ever call home and adore it to no end!
Just south of Los Angeles, you’ll run into Orange County where The Disneyland Resort is located in Anaheim, California.
Popular points of interest in Orange County include:
- Disneyland Resort, with discount tickets here
- Knott’s Berry Farm (call 855 GET AWAY and mention The Happiest Blog on Earth for discounts)
- Angels Stadium and more listed here
Beyond Orange County is San Diego County which runs all the way south to the Mexican border.
San Diego is a gem of small beach towns, theme parks and culture including:
- LEGOLAND California
- SeaWorld SanDiego
- San Diego Zoo
- Mission Beach (our family rents a beach house here often, we love it)
2. Disneyland Directions
Getting around Southern California definitely requires a car, whether you’re driving a rental or hiring a shuttle or ride share service.
Our public transportation system isn’t comparable to those in New York or Chicago. I prefer not to take public transport unless it’s over very short distances like within the Disneyland Resort area.
When traveling in Southern California do not use distance to gauge travel time. Locals rarely mention how far locations are in miles, but rather in the time it takes to get there—and of course that depends on the time of day and the routes you take.
Flying to Disneyland
Flying into Disneyland, you have many choices. I’ve covered most of these in detailed articles along with directions to and from:
Los Angeles International Airport (LAX). The most well-known airport in the region and serviced by most major and low-cost carriers, LAX is about a one hour drive to The Disneyland Resort. Car rental facilities are off-site and provide free curbside shuttles in between their facilities and LAX.
From this starting point you are close to every major tourist attraction in Southern California (including one of my favorites, Hermosa Beach).
Hollywood Burbank Airport (BUR). Located in Los Angeles County and simply known as the Burbank Airport, you will find this small airport close to Walt Disney Studios, Universal Studios Hollywood, the Hollywood sign, walk of fame and many more tourist attractions.
At about one hour and thirty minutes away from The Disneyland Resort, it is farther but serviced by low-cost carrier Southwest Airlines and many major carriers like Delta Airlines.
Avoid traveling between Burbank and The Disneyland Resort during rush hour or any home Dodger games for the least amount of traffic.
Long Beach Airport (LGB). Long Beach is a small airport in Los Angeles County about thirty minutes from Disneyland. Long Beach is serviced several major airlines. If you can find a nonstop flight here you’re golden.
Orange County / John Wayne / Santa Ana Airport (SNA). Located in Orange County and conveniently only about twenty minutes from The Disneyland Resort and serviced by a variety of well-known airlines.
John Wayne Airport is one of those airports with many names so be certain to use the airport code SNA when booking flights.
Ontario California International Airport (ONT). Ontario is a small airport located in San Bernardino County and about an hour from Disneyland.
San Diego International Airport (SAN). The farthest airport from The Disneyland Resort is San Diego at about a two-hour drive. San Diego serves as a gateway to world-class beaches, the famous San Diego Zoo and Wild Animal Park, as well as SeaWorld and LEGOLAND.
My top choices for flying to The Disneyland Resort are SNA and LGB. Both rank high for convenience, airline ticket prices, rental car availability and prices, along with proximity to the resort.
Driving to Disneyland
Whether you’re driving from out of town or with a rental car from one of the six major airports near The Disneyland Resort, it’s helpful to know a few tips to arrive safely and comfortably.
Google maps and GPS navigation can be incredibly efficient, along with estimated arrival times. You can even input the time you need to be somewhere (like when returning to the airport) and the maps will predict what time you should leave your hotel or location.
A few more tips for your drive around Southern California or from neighboring states:
- Stock your car with snacks and Disney activities to keep kids happy and occupied during the drive.
- Set up mobile devices for hands-free operation so you’re compliant with California state laws.
- Keep electric vehicles charged before any major drive, don’t be caught on low.
- If you are coming to Disneyland Resort through Las Vegas via Interstate 15, be aware of heavy traffic in the southbound lanes on Sundays and after holidays. Many Angelenos take quick weekend trips to Vegas which can lead to considerable traffic in that stretch of land through the desert. The same is true in the opposite direction on Friday afternoons.
- Utilize carpool lanes and exits (if applicable) when driving to The Disneyland Resort via the 5 freeway. Southbound use Disneyland Drive carpool exit, Northbound use Disney Way carpool exit.
- If you plan to arrive via shuttle, ride share service or taxi from the airport, check the signs when exiting the baggage claim area.
3. Two Separate Theme Parks
Disneyland Park opened on July 17, 1955 and features several themed lands within the theme park.
- Adventureland
- Bayou Country
- Fantasyland
- Frontierland
- Main Street, U.S.A.
- Mickey’s Toontown
- New Orleans Square
- Tomorrowland
- Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge
I also keep a list of every single ride in Disneyland Park, broken down with detailed information and advice on riding.
Disney California Adventure Park opened on February 8, 2001 and features several themed lands within it.
- Avengers Campus
- Buena Vista Street
- Cars Land
- Grizzly Peak
- Hollywood Land
- San Fransokyo Square
- Paradise Gardens Park
- Pixar Pier
I also keep a list of every single ride in Disney California Adventure Park, broken down with detailed information and advice on riding.
Disneyland Resort offers free entry into Downtown Disney District, full of shopping, dining and entertainment.
4. You Won’t Need a Car
This might be confusing because earlier I mentioned needing a car for exploring Southern California. And that remains true. But if you’re sticking to Disneyland Resort, between your hotel and airport, you likely won’t need a car.
Everything in the Disneyland Resort Area is walking distance OR available with minimal transportation.
First, there are plenty of hotels in every price range along with grocery stores, dining options and more. Most of which you can walk to, use the area transit specifically for Disney visitors.
If you’re staying outside of Anaheim to save some money—ride shares are probably your best option to getting around. You’ll save on hotel parking fees and Disneyland parking fees.
5. Not Just Disney Hotels
If you are a Walt Disney World veteran, chances are you are used to a more expansive resort experience. Rest assured, there are numerous hotels and restaurants within a 5-20 minute walk of Disneyland Park’s main gates.
The feeling and magic of Disneyland Resort easily encompasses this entire area.
There are simply so many choices, prices, amenities and other items to consider. Rather than compiling an exhaustive list, I’ll break our hotel search down into two categories:
- Disney Owned Hotels
- Good Neighbor Hotels
Disney Owned Hotels at Disneyland
Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa dubbed as the first Disney resort hotel to be located inside a theme park. This hotel is a AAA Four-Diamond Hotel featuring 948 rooms which capture the spirit of early California through both design and architecture.
In the spirit of California’s arts and crafts era in the 20th century, many accommodations look out over California Adventure Park or Downtown Disney. Suites and villas are available as well as access to the Fountain Pool, Redwood Pool and children’s pool.
Onsite, guests will enjoy relaxing grounds and terrace areas, spa and fine dining. Dining at the hotel includes Napa Rose for fine dining and princess breakfast, Storytellers Cafe for character dining and Craftsman Bar & Grill for quick dining.
Read my in-depth guide and review for Disney’s Grand Californian here.
As the original Disneyland Resort hotel, Disneyland Hotel is a family vacation resort featuring 973 rooms which feature classic Disney elements at every turn along with a splash pool reminiscent of the 20th Century Disneyland Hotel Monorail Station.
They’ve since added on to the original rooms offering Villas at Disneyland Hotel, with suites, dining and pool space to join the lineup.
The Disneyland Hotel is an iconic family vacation resort. Featuring more than 1000 rooms with classic Disney elements at every turn including artfully crafted light up headboards showcasing Sleeping Beauty Castle complete with fiber optic fireworks to help you fall asleep each night.
A unique collection of themed suites are also available, along with the Villas at Disneyland Hotel.
Outdoors you will notice beautifully landscaped areas, familiar Disney characters in topiary form and a swimming pool waterslide reminiscent of the 20th Century Disneyland Hotel Monorail Station. Onsite dining is available at Palm Breeze Bar, Goofy’s Kitchen for character dining, Tangaroa Terrace for quick dining and Trader Sam’s Enchanted Tiki Bar for cocktails and snacks.
Read my in-depth guide and review for The Disneyland Hotel here.
Pixar Place Hotel has a long history in Anaheim and was purchased by Disney in 1995. Often the lowest priced Disney owned hotel, the stories of Pixar encircle you throughout the 481 rooms and 15 story high-rise structure. Select rooms overlook California Adventure, giving guests a view of the night-time show, World of Color.
Topping off Pixar Place Hotel is a rooftop pool, 186 foot high waterslide and children’s wading area. Onsite dining is available as well.
Read my in-depth guide and review for Pixar Place Hotel here.
Disneyland Good Neighbor Hotels
There are numerous hotel options surrounding Disneyland Resort, but my favorite hotel hub is located on Harbor Boulevard in between the 5 freeway to the north and Katella Avenue to the south.
Why limit the area to such a small section of real estate? Most of these hotels are closer to the main gates than The Disneyland Hotel itself and even the farthest ones in this area are only about a 12-15 minute walk. The convenience factor is huge and I generally do not stay anywhere else when visiting The Disneyland Resort.
Even more hotels extend beyond Disneyland Resort and have a special partnership with Disney, and with my travel partners at Get Away Today. You can find all my Disneyland Resort area hotel reviews here, and I’ve listed a few stand outs below.
My favorites less than a half mile away:
- Anaheim Camelot Inn & Suites
- Courtyard Anaheim Theme Park Entrance & Waterpark Resort
- Fairfield Inn Anaheim Resort
- Grand Legacy at the Park
My favorites about 1/2 mile away:
- Element by Westin Anaheim Resort Convention Center
- Hilton Garden Inn & Suites Anaheim Resort Area
- Holiday Inn Express & Suites Anaheim Resort Area
- Howard Johnson Anaheim Hotel & Water Playground
My favorites a mile or short drive away:
- Cambria Hotel & Suites Anaheim Resort
- JW Marriott Anaheim Resort
- Hyatt House at the Anaheim Convention Center
- Residence Inn at Anaheim Resort Convention Center
This is definitely not an exhaustive list—I’ve stayed at nearly 30 hotels in the area. You can see all of my hotel reviews here.
6. Three Days at Disneyland is Ideal
Three days at Disneyland is ideal, but if you can do more, this 5th day free ticket is a fabulous offer. And of course, if you can only do 1 day, do that over not going at all.
Why 3 days or more? The ideal visit includes spending 1 full day at Disney California Adventure Park and 2 days at Disneyland Park, plus rest days in between to enjoy the Anaheim area and your hotel amenities.
Disneyland Resort offers more than just rides. Here’s a sampling of more things to do and see during your first visit to Disneyland:
7. Disneyland Strategy Guide
When you’re going to Disneyland for the first time, every bit of strategy helps. And you’re lucky, because being here means you’re already so much more prepared than other people.
Heading into Disneyland the first time means having the best tips in your back pocket. Here are some of my top strategy articles, including how you can get your free Park Plan for your trip.
- When to visit Disneyland, a month by month guide
- All about discount Disneyland tickets
- How to make Disneyland reservations
- Using the Disneyland App
- Line Strategies with Lightning Lane
- Free Disneyland Park Plans, ride by ride
I hope this first time Disneyland guide helps you along your way. Of course I couldn’t cover everything in one article which is why this website is filled with more than 200 separate articles about Disneyland resort. Remember it doesn’t need to be overwhelming.
You’ve already soaked up so much good information and can save this to come back to anytime. Need more direct guidance reach out to me via email and let’s chat.
