You’re going to Disneyland! How exciting!
Planning for a Disney trip can seem overwhelming. If this is your first time visiting, it’s helpful to have a primary understanding of what makes up the Disneyland Resort. There are two theme parks (Disneyland and Disney California Adventure), three on-property hotels (Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa, Disneyland Hotel and Disney’s Paradise Pier) and a shopping/dining/entertainment district (Downtown Disney).
Let’s dig a little deeper into each category.
The Parks
Disneyland
The original park, designed by Walt himself. It’s full of nostalgia and charm and MAGIC. This park is comprised of nine themed “lands” – Main Street USA, Fantasyland, Tomorrowland, Adventureland, New Orleans Square, Frontierland, Critter Country, Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge and Mickey’s Toontown.
Disney California Adventure
Opened in 2001, DCA has something for everyone. It features vintage California vibes mingling with modern fare such as Pixar and Marvel. It consists of eight themed areas – Buena Vista Street, Hollywood Land, Avengers Campus, Cars Land, Pacific Wharf, Pixar Pier, Paradise Gardens Park and Grizzly Peak.
The Hotels
Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa
The premium on-property hotel, the Grand Californian is indeed grand. It is tastefully decorated, has top notch dining, a direct entrance to DCA and lots of extraordinary Disney touches. It does come with a hefty price tag (rooms start around $650 per night – and that’s not even during peak season). However, for a special occasion or a splurge it truly is special.
Disneyland Hotel
My personal favorite, this hotel oozes old school Disney glamour. The grounds are lovely, the dining is fun and the pools are incredible. The hotel consists of three themed towers (Fantasy, Frontier and Adventure) and construction has begun for a fourth tower that will be dedicated to Disney Vacation Club rentals. This hotel is the mid-priced offering out of the on-property Disney hotels (rooms start around $500 per night), but for a completely immersive and magical experience I highly recommend the Disneyland Hotel.
Disney’s Paradise Pier
The least expensive of the Disney hotels, Paradise Pier emphasizes old-fashioned beach vibes and has great proximity to the parks, particularly DCA.
There are also plenty of what are referred to as Good Neighbor Hotels – these are classified as nearby hotels that are “approved” by Disney and usually have ticket purchasing options at the concierge desks. See here for more details.
The main things to think about when deciding where to stay on your Disneyland vacation are your budget, if staying on property is a priority to you and who you will be traveling with. If this is your first time to Disneyland and you’ll be with kids who are big fans of all things Disney – it might be worth it to look into one of the three Disney hotels so you can be fully immersed in the magic at all times. If you have been to Disneyland before, are looking to save money (or splurge on other areas besides your accommodations) or if you and your traveling party want to have a distinct break from the theming of the parks, an off-site hotel could fit your needs.
Downtown Disney
The last area that makes up the Disneyland Resort is a gathering of shops, restaurants, food carts and entertainment referred to as Downtown Disney. Here you’ll find loads of shops associated with Disney (Star Wars Trading Post, World of Disney gift store, Disney Dress shop and Marceline’s Confectionery to name a few) as well as other fun shops to explore (California Sole, Sephora and LEGO store are some of the offerings). Lots of dining options and live entertainment are also part of what make Downtown Disney a vibrant area to spend some time while visiting the Disneyland Resort.
Another super crucial thing to note about Disneyland as a whole – it is ever changing, especially in the post-Covid era. The most important tip I can give you is to download the Disneyland App and familiarize yourself with it a few weeks before your trip. The app allows you to view wait times for attractions, make dining reservations, locate restrooms, mobile order food, look up park hours and more. <<LINK TO POST ABOUT APP TIPS>>
Now that you have a general understanding about what makes up the Disneyland Resort – let’s talk about how to plan your trip! <<LINK TO POST ABOUT TRAVEL>>
