A First-Timer’s Guide to Disneyland
Everything you need to know to make your first Disneyland trip magical.
We here at Wishes & Wayfinding like to pride ourselves on being pros when it comes to Walt Disney World. From the crowd sizes to the best parties, we have our Disney trips down to a science. Our Disneyland knowledge, on the other hand, is a bit lacking — and we know other Orlando-going Disney lovers feel the same way.
So, if you’re about to plan your very first trip to Disneyland and Disney California Adventure, let us fill you in on everything we wish we knew before our initial visit. As Disney World pros, here are our tips and tricks for mastering Disneyland.
Disneyland vs. Disney California Adventure
First and foremost, Disneyland is split up into two parks: Disneyland and Disney California Adventure (DCA). We know, confusing from the start.
We like to think of Disneyland as the Magic Kingdom of Anaheim. That’s where you’ll find Main Street, USA, Sleeping Beauty’s Castle, and a few of your staple Disney World attractions — like Space Mountain (called Hyperspace Mountain at Disneyland), Haunted Mansion, and Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway.
DCA is the anomaly because it’s where you’ll find most of the attractions Disney World doesn’t have — like Avengers Campus, Cars Land, and, of course, the iconic Mickey “Ferris wheel.”
Just like at Disney World, you need a separate park ticket — or park hopper — to enter each park.
Disneyland Attractions & Shows
The full list of attractions at Disneyland, with Disneyland exclusives in bold, include:
Adventureland Treehouse inspired by Walt Disney’s Swiss Family Robinson
Alice in Wonderland
Astro Orbitor
Autopia
Big Thunder Mountain Railroad
Buzz Lightyear Astro Blasters
Casey Jr. Circus Train
Chip 'n' Dale's GADGETcoaster
The Disneyland Story presenting Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln
Donald’s Duck Pond
Dumbo the Flying Elephant
Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage
Hyperspace Mountain
Haunted Mansion
Indiana Jones Adventure
“it’s a small world”
Jungle Cruise
King Arthur Carrousel
Mad Tea Party
The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh
Matterhorn Bobsleds
Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway
Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run
Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride
Peter Pan’s Flight
Pirates of the Caribbean
Roger Rabbit’s Car Toon Spin
Snow White’s Enchanted Wish
Star Tours — The Adventure Continues
Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance
Walt Disney’s Enchanted Tiki Room
Note: Disneyland will also open Tiana's Bayou Adventure in 2024
The shows at Disneyland, with Disneyland exclusives in bold, include:
The Dapper Dans
Disneyland Fireworks — currently Together Forever - A Pixar Nighttime Spectacular
Fantasmic!
Fire of the Rising Moons
“Magic Happens” Parade
Pixar Pals Playtime Party
Disney California Adventure Attractions & Shows
The full list of attractions at Disney California Adventure, with Disneyland exclusives in bold, include:
Golden Zephyr
Goofy’s Sky School
Grizzly River Run
Guardians of the Galaxy - Mission: BREAKOUT!
Incredicoaster
Inside Out Emotional Whirlwind
Jessie’s Critter Carousel
Jumpin’ Jellyfish
The Little Mermaid - Ariel’s Undersea Adventure
Luigi's Rollickin' Roadsters
Mickey’s PhilharMagic
Monsters, Inc. Mike & Sulley to the Rescue!
Pixar Pal-A-Round
Radiator Springs Racers
Silly Symphony Swings
Soarin’ Around the World
Toy Story Midway Mania!
WEB SLINGERS: A Spider-Man Adventure
The shows at Disney California Adventure, with Disneyland exclusives in bold, include:
Ancient Sanctum
Avengers Headquarters
Disney Junior Dance Party!
Five & Dime
Turtle Talk with Crush
World of Color
As Disney World Goers, What Attractions at Disneyland Are Worth It?
Obviously, any attraction we, as Disney World frequenters, don’t have is worth going on — especially things like the Incredicoaster, WEB SLINGERS: A Spider-Man Adventure, and Matterhorn Bobsleds. Even Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride, which is truly a fever dream, is a must-ride just to say that you did it once.
Even though some rides, like Guardians of the Galaxy - Mission: BREAKOUT! (Disneyland’s Tower of Terror) and Indiana Jones Adventure (Disneyland’s DINOSAUR), are attractions that Disney World does have just with a new theme, it’s worth a ride to check out the different theming. Plus, you can get a sneak peek at what DINOSAUR will one day become at Animal Kingdom.
When it comes to the attractions Disney World and Disneyland share, it can be hit or miss. For example, Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway is a copy-and-paste attraction between the two parks. So, if you really love the ride, get in line — but, otherwise, you can use your time somewhere else. However, Disneyland’s Pirates of the Caribbean is completely different from what we have in Magic Kingdom because it follows a less Jack Sparrow-themed storyline — meaning we think it’s worth your time.
Honestly, there aren’t many Disneyland attractions that aren’t worth it. We’d suggest prioritizing Disneyland-exclusive attractions first, followed by the Disney World rides that you really love. Then, if you have time, you can hit whatever you might have missed.
What Time Does Disneyland Open?
Park hours can fluctuate, however, typically Disneyland and Disney California Adventure both open at 8 a.m. and park hopper becomes available at 11 a.m.
Some days also include early admission for Disneyland Resort hotel guests. Disneyland opens 30 minutes early on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays. DCA opens 30 minutes early on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, and Sundays. Only certain attractions are open during early admission, including:
Alice in Wonderland
Astro Orbitor
Buzz Lightyear Astro Blasters
Disneyland Monorail
Dumbo the Flying Elephant
Guardians of the Galaxy – Mission BREAKOUT!
Incredicoaster
King Arthur Carrousel
The Little Mermaid ~ Ariel’s Undersea Adventure
Mad Tea Party
Mater’s Junkyard Jamboree
Monsters Inc. Mike & Sulley to the Rescue!
Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride
Peter Pan's Flight
Pinocchio’s Daring Journey
Soarin' Around the World
Snow White’s Enchanted Wish
Space Mountain
Star Tours – The Adventures Continue
WEB SLINGERS: A Spider-Man Adventure
Check Disneyland’s theme park calendar for full hours.
What Time Does Disneyland Close?
Park hours fluctuate based on the day, however, typically, Disneyland closes between 8 p.m. and 12 a.m. and Disney California Adventure closes between 9 p.m. and 10 p.m.
Some days also feature special, ticketed after-hours events, which allow guests to stay in the parks later — like Oogie Boogie Bash, Pride Nite, and Disney Channel Nite.
Check Disneyland’s theme park calendar for full hours.
Disneyland Theme Park Tickets
If you’re wondering if it’s cheaper to visit Disneyland than Disney World, the short answer is it depends.
Just like Disney World, Disneyland changes its ticket prices depending on the day and how many days you’re visiting. A one-day Disneyland park ticket without Park Hopper or Genie+ can cost you between $104 and $194 depending on the day.
Once you have your ticket, it will be loaded to your MyDisneyExperience account and can be found in the Disneyland app. You can use your MagicBand or MagicBand+ as your ticket at Disneyland, otherwise, the ticket will be stored in the app. Unlike Disney World, you cannot add the ticket to your phone’s wallet, so you’ll need to scan your ticket from the app any time you need it.
Additionally, Disneyland is still operating on a Theme Park Reservation system. That means, when you purchase your ticket, you must select which park you plan to visit that day. However, if plans change, you can always modify your reservation — as long as the other park still has availability.
How To Use Genie+ at Disneyland
Genie+ is a bit different than Disney World as well. If you want a full guide to Disneyland’s Genie+, you can read our step-by-step article — but here’s a brief overview.
Genie+ can be purchased at the time of your ticket. It works pretty much the same as Disney World where it allows you to make Lightning Lane (formerly FastPass) selections for attractions to skip the standby line. Most of Disneyland’s coveted attractions are available as Lightning Lanes, though Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance and Radiator Springs Racers are only available as Individual Lightning Lanes with an added cost.
Lightning Lane selections can be made every two hours or as soon as you scan into your Lightning Lane attraction. Pro tip: always try to make Lightning Lane selections as close to the current time as possible to maximize your time.
The main difference between Disney World and Disneyland’s Lightning Lane is that your first Lightning Lane cannot be made until after you’ve scanned into a park — even if you’re staying at a Disneyland hotel.
Additionally, Genie+ services at Disneyland also automatically include PhotoPass — so take advantage of those PhotoPass cast members and the ability to freely download all your attraction photos.
How To Use the Disneyland App
Yes, Disneyland does have its own app, so make sure you download it before your trip. The app is how you access your theme park ticket, Genie+ service, PhotoPass, dining reservations, and mobile ordering.
The good news is, the Disneyland app is extremely similar to the Disney World app, so this should be one aspect you feel at least a little more comfortable with going into your first trip.
Where to Stay at Disneyland
Disneyland has three affiliated hotels: Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa, Disneyland Hotel, and Pixar Place Hotel. And there are more than 50 “Good Neighbor” hotels that Disneyland recommends.
Like Disney World, Disneyland offers special benefits to staying on its property, including early park access and close proximity to the parks.
Wishes & Wayfinding’s Disneyland Tips
It’s a Disney park, that means good walking shoes and a well-stocked park bag are a must. Disneyland is a tad smaller than Disney World, so you likely won’t do as much walking, but you still want to be prepared.
Try not to compare the two parks too much. Remember: Disneyland came first and it was Walt’s OG brainchild. Let your first experience in Disneyland be enjoying the magic the way Walt intended it — without knowing what we have in Orlando.
Really take in the parts of the park that we don’t get to have in Disney World. One piece of advice: try to go to Disneyland first before DCA. As a Disney World buff, you basically already know what Disneyland has to offer, but, we promise, that childlike wonder will take over the second you step foot into DCA.
Overall, just enjoy it. You’re in Disney after all and no one can have a bad time at the happiest place on earth.