Mitchell Hageman (inset) spent a gap year working at Walt Disney World in Florida. He shares his insider tips for the perfect Disneyland Anaheim holiday. Photo / Christian Thompson
Visiting the happiest place on earth? Former Walt Disney theme park Cast Member and Herald Entertainment journalist Mitchell Hageman reveals how to make the most of the trip
I still remember the day I ‘earned my ears’ at Walt Disney World in Florida in 2019, a place that soon became my second home while I worked there during a gap year. Never did I imagine that six years later, I’d be sharing how to best experience the “Disney magic” I provided guests and felt myself during a visit last month.
Disneyland Anaheim is, in short, the best positive sensory overload you can have. Want nostalgia for yourself or wonderment for your kids? You got it. Want thrills and unmatched immersive experiences based on your favourite Disney movies? There’s no shortage of them as well. From multi-million-dollar attractions to unique themed dining, it’s an experience you can’t get anywhere else in the world.
So, here are a few things visitors often don’t know about acing a visit.
Roughly 35 minutes from Los Angeles International Airport, Disneyland Resort has two theme parks (the original 1955 Disneyland Park and 2001’s California Adventure), three resort hotels, and the public Downtown Disney shopping and dining district, which is a central hub between the two theme parks.
While there are plenty of hotels in the surrounding area, staying on-site gives you so many added benefits and makes park day planning a heck of a lot easier.
For a private entrance to Downtown Disney, stay at Disneyland Hotel, an original hotel with a retro Disney theme or Grand Californian Hotel, which has a luxurious California lodge fit-out.
Meanwhile, the newly renovated Pixar Place Hotel (themed to Disney Pixar movies) and Grand Californian separate entrances into California Adventure.
Disneyland Resort hotel guests are allowed into the parks 30-minutes before the public, which is a massive edge if you want to explore popular ridges.
You can also take the famous Disneyland monorail directly from Downtown Disney into Disneyland Park, which can save time queuing at the park entry and save you from walking (which you’ll do a lot). All hotels feature a themed pool and slide, as well as multiple dining locations and gift shops for essentials.
For those over 21, be sure to check out a tipple at the iconic Trader Sam’s Enchanted Tiki Bar at the Disneyland Hotel. This themed experience features an interactive room and in-character staff who spring into action when certain drinks are ordered. Younger ones would also love Goofy’s Kitchen, a place where costumed characters come and say hello as you chow down on a buffet full of delectable treats like smores pizza and Mickey-shaped waffles.
Want to avoid long wait times? Your first step is to download the Disneyland Resort phone app, which allows you to link park tickets and buy extras you’d otherwise have to queue for. Then, spend the extra money adding a Lightning Lane Multi Pass or Lightning Lane Single Pass to your tickets.
A Multi-Pass covers two parks or one park, depending on your ticket type, and allows you to book the next available time slot to skip the queue one time at each available and eligible attraction. Meanwhile, a single pass is a one-time skip-the-line for some of the top attractions, which can have 3-hour queues. The price for these passes is dynamic and depends on availability and park capacity.
Once you enter the parks, you can plan your rides, and since available times constantly update, you can modify selections to suit your day. I’d also suggest booking at least a two-day Park Hopper pass so you can quickly rush to another park when a slot becomes available.
In Disneyland Park, you’ll want to book Multi-Passes for Indiana Jones Adventure and Tiana’s Bayou Adventure as soon as you can, and buy a single pass for Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance. Indy is Disney immersive storytelling at its finest, transporting you into your own Harrison Ford adventure movie as your jeep dips and dives through a temple full of booby traps and hidden mysteries. Tiana’s Bayou Adventure, based on the Princess and the Frog, is the new version of the classic Splash Mountain full of colourful characters, and it’s safe to say you will get wet! It’s best not to spoil the magic of Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance, but it’s one of the most immersive theme park experiences in existence, even for non-Star Wars fans.
At California Adventure, try booking Guardians of the Galaxy: Mission Breakout! and the Incredicoaster for your Multi-Passes, and Radiator Springs Racers for your Single Pass. Guardians of the Galaxy has you enter a gantry lift in The Collector’s fortress to try and save the Marvel heroes, as the drop-tower style ride launches you up and down to a selection of 60s, 70s, and 80s music. Fast, fun, and with plenty of light humour, the Incredicoaster launches guests at 89 km/h through tunnels filled with scenes featuring your favourite Pixar superhero family. And if you’ve ever wanted to know what it felt like to be in a Disney-themed Scaletrix slot car, Radiator Springs Racers puts you right in the action as you join Lightning McQueen and friends in a race around the iconic desert town.
‘Celebrate Happy’ is the theme for Disneyland’s 70th Anniversary celebrations, and besides a funky new theme song by the Jonas Brothers and new merchandise offerings, there are also a smattering of special parades and shows. If you want the best views, line up at least 30 minutes before in your chosen spot as it can get crowded pretty quickly.
There are four unmissable shows, and all of them are at night. At Disneyland Park, the Paint the Night parade features a myriad of vibrant, character-adorned floats and more than a million brilliant LED lights. The parade route covers most of the park, but the best views will be around Main Street if you get to the front and around raised areas. Nighttime fireworks spectacular Wondrous Journeys is an emotional nod to Walt Disney Animation Studios films set to the backdrop of the iconic Sleeping Beauty Castle, and trust me, even the heartless will struggle to hold back tears for this one. Over at Disney California Adventure Park, the impressive water jet show World of Colour: Happiness! is inspired by Walt Disney’s words from the opening day dedication of Disneyland: “To all who come to this happy place... welcome!” and features a touching rendition of Rainbow Connection performed by Boyz II Men. For Star Wars fans, Disneyland Park’s Galaxy’s Edge section hosts a Fire of the Rising Moons fireworks, a chill-inducing event where you’ll likely see a dedicated crowd raise their recently built lightsabers in unison to John Williams’ iconic score.
It’s worth noting that on some nights, parks stay open till as late as midnight, so if you want to maximise your time make sure you stick around after the parade crowds leave for the night to get a couple of extra rides in with lower wait times (you can usually hop in line right until the clock strikes close).
Full disclosure, I didn’t take my own advice on this one was 1kg over my allotted suitcase limit flying home. Luggage fees are brutally expensive at the airport, so anticipate some shopping and leave space in your suitcase.
Firstly, you’ll need to pack for all weather, as California’s climate can change from hot and sunny during the day to freezing at night. Second, you won’t want to leave the happiest place on earth without a few pairs of souvenir mouse ears or some merch, and a quick trip to Downtown Disney’s World of Candy will stock your home pantry for days with Mickey-shaped delicacies. Downtown Disney is packed with general stores, while many rides and attractions have their own special stores (e.g. Avengers Campus, Radiator Springs, Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge), so you may end up bringing back a lightsaber or web-slinging device. Plus, many themed eateries include take-home merch, like droid-themed Coke bottles and Tiki mugs you won’t want to leave behind.
You will likely leave your Disney holiday tired, sore, and having eaten more food to sink a navy ship, but it’s worth every blister and bruise you’ll get. As cliché as it sounds, Disney magic is real. If you make the most of every moment, you’ll no doubt leave immediately wanting to capture the feeling all over again.
Disneyland Resort, California
To book Disneyland Resort in California park tickets, speak to your preferred local travel agent.
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