How to Visit Disneyland in 1 Day – By A Local

Walt Disney once said “Disneyland will never be completed. It will continue to grow as long as there is imagination left in the world.”

On July 17, 1955, Walt Disney’s land of fantasy, enchantment, magic and futurism opened its gates and welcomed the public to its 160-acre theme park in Anaheim, California. And the rest is history.

Disneyland in 1 Day is quite ambitious and we want to help you make the most of your time at this magical place. Our family is a huge fan of Disney and visit the parks at least once a year or more.

Over the years, the park Walt called “the happiest place on Earth” has expanded to what is now 500 acres, adding even more lands and attractions. And though this magnificent theme park is a happy place indeed, for those who visit for the first time or remember the low-tech days when enjoying the park was much simpler, it can be somewhat frustrating and overwhelming.

That’s why our Disney family is here to offer some insider tips and sound advice for navigating the park and getting as much out of a visit as possible, along with the not-to-be-missed attractions.

When to Visit

Though there is no real “off-peak” time of year to visit, planning is essential because there is a vast number of locals who hold annual passes and visit often. The ideal times to enjoy Disneyland best are mid-September through mid-November (before Thanksgiving break), mid-January through mid-March and on Tuesdays through Thursdays. The crowds are less, and you’ll likely find shorter wait times for popular attractions.  

Ways to Maximize Your Visit

Stay in a Disneyland Resort Hotel

If you stay in one of Disneyland Resort hotels, you’ll have early access to the park (currently 30 minutes), before it opens to the general public. You’re not only walking distance to the park entrance, but you can knock out some of the top attractions before the crowds build up. But you need to be in line and ready to go the moment the gates open.

If you’re not staying in a Disneyland Resort, be sure to get in the Disneyland Park queue early, as the longer the day goes on, the more crowds and extended wait times you’ll experience.

Purchase a Lightning Lane Multi-Pass

If you do happen to visit Disneyland on a busy day or a day that’s busier than expected, you have the option to purchase a Lightning Lane Multi-Pass. Yes, it’s going to cost you more over and above your already expensive park ticket, but it can ensure you have the opportunity to experience most of the top attractions that day without long wait lines. Current pricing runs about $32 per ticket per day for the upgrade. I highly recommend it to make the most of your 1 day in Disneyland.

The main benefit is not standing in a lengthy stand-by line for an attraction, which can be anywhere from 45 minutes to 120 minutes or longer at peak times on a busy day.

The Lightning Lane (now called Multi-Pass) allows guests to reserve a time for an attraction within a one-hour window. The caveat is that you can only reserve a particular attraction once a day, but there are many others to choose from and once you enter the one-hour window, you may choose another attraction.

It should be noted however, that the absolute newest and most popular attractions are not included on the Multi-Pass. They are however available with an added Lightning Lane Single rider purchase for each ride (prices vary).

Is it worth it? It depends how badly you want to get into the attraction and your tolerance for long wait lines.

Get to Know the Layout of the Park

It’s important to understand the layout of Disneyland, especially if this is your first visit or you haven’t been to the expanded park in a long while. 

Guests enter the park and head straight down Main Street, U.S.A. filled with shops and restaurants. Main Street ends at a circle in front of the castle with spokes leading to other lands. Adventureland and Frontierland can be accessed to the left, Fantasyland directly through Sleeping Beauty Castle and Tomorrowland to the right.

New Orleans Square is located behind Adventureland, Mickey’s Toon Town behind Fantasyland and Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge is accessed through Frontierland.

Since you only have time to explore Disneyland in 1 Day, you unfortunately can’t see everything. The age and preference of your family members and friends will determine what attractions you see as top priority, so, we’re listing the most popular (and yes, most in demand) attractions in the park.

Don’t Miss these Top Rides & Activities During your 1 Day in Disneyland

Star Wars Rise of the Resistance

Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge is the newest land at Disneyland Park, and typically the newer attractions see the biggest visitor demand.

You’ll want to beat feet to this incredibly immersive attraction as soon as you enter the park to access the wait line as early as possible to enjoy the experience of being recruited by The Resistance and battling the villainous First Order aboard a star destroyer. Unfortunately, the complex ride breaks down often, but you may be lucky getting there early.

While here, make sure to experience this thrilling interactive smuggling adventure as a pilot, engineer or gunner in a Galaxy, Far, Far Away as part of the Millenium Falcon crew on the Millenium Falcon Smuggler’s Run.

Big Thunder Mountain Railroad

Located in Frontierland, this thrilling coaster ride through a haunted gold mine is the “wildest ride in the wilderness.” Ride it during the day, then hop on again after dark for a whole new rip-roaring adventure you’re guaranteed to love.

Walt Disney’s Enchanted Tiki Room

Though there never seems to be much of a queue waiting to get into this attraction in Adventureland, it offers a respite along with a sweet and delightful presentation. A ‘cast’ of over 150 talking, singing and dancing birds and flowers along with a magic fountain and tiki drummers and totem poles that come to life make this a favorite throwback attraction that has never grown old since it first opened in the Disneyland Park in 1963.

Pirates of the Caribbean

“Yo ho, yo ho, a pirate’s life for me.” You’ll never get that song out of your head after a New Orleans Square ride on a swashbuckling cruise through caves and into Caribbean waters plagued by buccaneer scoundrels. One of the most exciting parts of the cruise is spotting the appearances of the most famous pirate of them all, Johnny Depp, i.e. Captain Jack Sparrow. 

Fun fact: Did you know that the HMS Surprise, the ship used to film Pirates of the Caribbean, is at the Maritime Museum in San Diego?

Haunted Mansion

This immensely popular dark ride attraction also located in New Orleans Square takes riders on a spooky tour through a haunted plantation manor filled with ghosts, ghouls and spirits.

Guests who visit during October through the end of December will be treated to a frightfully festive haunted transformation inspired by Tim Burton’s Nightmare Before Christmas. The Haunted Mansion Holiday complete with Jack Skellington, Sally, Oggie Boogie and Zero is unique to Disneyland only.

Space Mountain

This indoor, space-themed roller coaster in Tomorrowland opened in May, 1977 as the second coaster in Disneyland Park after Matterhorn Bobsleds.

The smooth, thrilling, ride that practically takes place in the complete dark features a race through the cosmos to the edge of the galaxy with drops, sharp bends and other fascinating turns. It’s a thrill for all ages.

It’s a Small World

We never tire of this precious whimsical boat ride that debuted at the 1964-1965 New York World’s Fair. Located in Fantasyland, the song-filled journey via canal traverses the globe. Along the route, a cast of 300 audio-animatronic dolls in authentic national costumes representing children from all over the world sing the timeless classic “It’s a Small World (After All)” in their native tongues. It is a special feel-good moment of global togetherness.

Peter Pan’s Flight

Obviously, the wish of humans to fly has made this attraction the most popular in all of Fantasyland. Though the fantasy area right behind the castle offers other fairy tale attractions like Pinocchio’s Daring Journey and Snow White’s Enchanted Wish, Peter Pan’s Flight always has a wait line. There’s just something about soaring out the window over London to Never, Never Land with the boy who just wouldn’t grow up.

Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway

Mickey’s Toontown’s animated and colorful neighborhood celebrates Walt Disney’s original characters such as Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, Donald Duck and Goofy. 

Playful attractions all focus on these delightful characters but the most fun and most popular of these is Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway. Climb aboard this runaway train for a zippy, zany and fun adventure through cartoon world. Even the big kids love it!

Final Thoughts on a Day in Disneyland

While Disneyland offers many other attractions and experiences throughout its various lands, we’ve covered the main ones that most visitors hope to check off their wish list.

Downloading the Disneyland app will provide the best and most updated information on wait times, ride closures and more. This makes it super easy to adjust your itinerary and make the most of your jam packed Disneyland in 1 Day adventure. But for those who still like to have a paper map in hand, these are available at the gate or at many of the shops throughout the park. 

How to visit Disneyland in 1 Day was written by Noreen Kompanik for SanDiegoExplorer.com.

Last Updated on November 5, 2024 by Maria Haase

The post How to Visit Disneyland in 1 Day – By A Local appeared first on San Diego Explorer.