What works for us on busy days is going to Toy Story lot paying $30 to park and taking the shuttle to Disneyland. Going through their security avoids the long security lines at the disneyland gate! Getting up early is really imperative!
It's great for people that can afford it. The knock has always been that it's less egalitarian and makes wait times longer for everyone else. I'm local and wouldn't go to the park without it. You spend less time in line and get on more attractions. There's really no debating that.
what was the first ride you used Genie plus on? I have all my rides planned out I am just not sure what ride i should rope drop compared to what i should use my first Genie+ on.
I rope dropped Space Mountain, then Matterhorn, and Mickey's Railway, then used my first Genie+ for Thunder Mountain. There's a ton of different strategies, but I always like to start at Space Mountain.
Compression socks are also great for helping reduce the pain of walking and being on your feet! They helped SOOO much when we went to Universal over the summer and fall.
All solid tips! The advance walking prep is crucial. We call it Disney Boot Camp. I walk every day, but Disney walking is a whole other vibe haha - but ESPECIALLY for our special needs adult son. I make a big production out of Disney Boot Camp each day, starting about 6 weeks out from each trip. Besides outdoor walking, we do treadmill time AND indoor walking at home while watching your videos (and some of the other park walkthroughs). Virtually walking through DL is its own kind of hype. :)
#7 is my favorite part of the trip! Planning is key! We make a shared Note with all the foods we want to try and their location (especially helpful for my semi-vegetarian teen), special things we want to do (ie. watch the lights go in Radiator Springs or ride the Matterhorn at night, etc) plus fun Disney details we’ve seen on UA-cam to keep an eye out for. Everyone keeps tabs on our list during our trip and makes sure we hit as many of our items as possible. It’s so helpful when we have a hangry kid knowing there is a special drink or treat they’ve had their eye on nearby. When ride wait times get too busy we go to our Note to find non ride things to do. I also love that I can look back at our old Notes and remember all the fun things we did.
Great advice, as always. I visited Disneyland last April 30th and May 1st, 2023. It was my time visiting and a solo trip. I had an amazing time and followed all your tips. I hope I can go again in 2024. 😊
Thank you for all these amazing videos! The idea of preparing for big crowds and to not be in a bad mood is so essential. I see so many people complaining about their trips who had no idea what they were in for and did no research of what to expect. All your content and the other Disneyland vloggers help make my family’s trip as fun and easy as possible!!!
one thing that greatly helped me was the pirate cove. Went at a very hot time and i have heat sensitivity as well as debilitating social/crowd anxiety and claustrophobia when around people. The pirate cove is a wonderful place to sit down, and one of the caves on the top part of the island has little resting benches inside the dark so you can get great shade in a cool environment. Was genuinely considering leaving the park at the time but the chance to regroup was absolutely perfect and i didn't have to waste the hundreds of dollars spent on the park. Another thing that helped me was watching videos of the lines so i could see where I was and knew what to expect in terms of how long i had left in the wait. Another great option is Genie plus. In between waits, i recommend going to the rides with the lower wait times so you don't waste time just waiting for the appointment.
I want to say thank you so much for your informative videos from me and my family . We had so much fun! Visiting Disneyland . I tried your faves the cinnamon bun and the grey stuff it was really good . 😊 I also arrived early with family did the power hour of rides then did genie plus after 9 am we rode all the genie plus rides besides summuglers run I think we did all the hot ticket rides at least twice . And finding Nemo I really enjoyed it . Didn’t leave until almost park closing and you are so right about endurance . But I had and my family had the best time ever . Thank you so so much
I bring a stroller Most the time for years, it’s not so bad. The smaller the better tho. No matter how crowded you can always find a spot. Love the “show up with a Good Attitude,” this makes a world of a difference and makes everything so much more fun.
Thank you for these tips! The part about finding ways to cope was something i really needed to hear. The amount of people in one area can be overwhelming sometimes.🙈 Something that saved me the last time i went was a power bank for my phone😄
The app is really helpful. Also, I recommend playing the Disneyland Adventures game. You will really get to know each land well and get a sense of the layout (not all the lands included.) Plus it's super fun!
Is it bad that when I read “meticulous planning” I started singing? 🎵 “…meticulous planning, tenacity spanning. Decades of denial, is simply while I’ll be king undisputed, respected, saluted…” 🎵 🤣 🦁🤴
I can't wait till my kids are done with strollers! Genie plus is a must-have! Especially with a park hopper... even if the park you start in is low in the morning, you will need it when you hop over to the other park later on in the day because the lines till I already be long there. We also do purchase the individual lightning line to ride radiator springs racers just once.
Me too lol stroller is going to be needed. Bring snacks. I’d recommend Genie + just for the photo pass but maximizing don’t hurt either. Honorable mentions: Fanny packs and reusable water bottles
Is the ranking of least busy to most busy days the same during the summer when school is out? Planning a trip for June & grateful for your channel & tips! 🙏
Take the Monorail out of the park and go into the old hotel. You can find bathrooms with no one in them that are super clean. In the convention area you can find stairs going down to bathrooms that are super deserted. Then for all your effort you can buy a beer in the hotel shop fridge or one of the bars.
This is one of the most helpful videos, thank you so much! Hubby and I are going to be there the 2nd week of April, and I'm so glad I booked Tues-Thur! I'm wondering if you think it will be a bit less busy, because it's after spring break and the Food/Wine fest is still going on at DCA?
I plan on going with my friends on March 29th, and I am absolutely horrified of these crowds😂😂😂 The last time I went to Disneyland on February 7 was off-season, but it was so busy. I cannot imagine how the parks are going to be during spring break. I am expecting the worst, but will remain optimistic. Thanks for the tips❤
Great list Travor! I was there last weekend for Food and Wine because that is the only time our adult kids could go; and it was A LOT. I'm spoiled and go off season during the week usually. You hit all the high points😊
Chasing low wait times could potentially land you in a congested area with a big influx of other park goers thinking the same thing. But i agree its much better to go to space mountain when its 30 minutes vs when its 60
We do this in WDW. We plan sit down meals each day to help rest our feet. We end up walking more in Disneyland on a single day, but WDW is a lot of steps for many days.
Great advice. My family rope drops and stays until close. 12-15 miles walked in a day is pretty standard. I think your average person should be able to walk 3-5 miles at one time without much struggle. It's a good fitness goal. If you can do that you won't have too much trouble getting through a day a Disneyland. Even if that means leaving after fireworks like most tourists. No shame.
Can you give some tips on getting into the park? What to expect with parking, security, entrance crowds, etc. Especially with strollers. Also best place to hang around before rope drop. Thank you!
My advice for parking, security, and park entrance gates is to pick a lane on the far right or left, not in the middle.... Everyone goes to the middle lines.
The off peak times thing is for quick service because of longer lines for standby or longer prep time for mobile orders, plus possible full tables. But that doesn’t apply to table service meals because you’re guaranteed a seat.
Thanks for the heads up! I’ll be there in April. Speaking of attitude- my friends and I used to throw fake “tantrums” when someone was getting grumpy. It relieved tension and made everyone laugh. Laughter can work miracles. I suggest you practice walking SLOW and standing. That is the devastating part
@@Lordkurt-kd5tdis it packed is a website where they track crowds and tell you how packed it will be at Disneyland and other theme parks too. That's what we check before we go!
Instead of ibuprofen every 4 hours, I take Aleve (generic) every 12 hours. Really helped at DW in 2021! You mention in a newer video that you knew the sugar count of a food, how did you get nutritional information?
In terms of chasing low wait times, that is a dangerous plan especially if you are far away. If Space Mountain is lower than you expect and you are over at Big thunder Mountain, its a darn good chance that low wait time won't be low when you get there in 12 minutes, as other people closer are doing the same thing
The example shown is an extreme to show the max distance you’d walk in the park from one side to the other. More than likely you’d walk from Big Thunder to Indiana Jones or Peter Pan if you saw it low. But there are people who refuse to move on to the next land until they’ve done all the rides in the current land. And then they’ll only move to the next land over. And doing this can result in them waiting 60 minutes for a ride that averages 35 minutes. All because instead of moving on and coming back, they “have to go in order”
I was there on Tuesday. It was busier than I initially expected, but checking the wait times everything was running at average waits. Or slightly above average. But nowhere close to what it was just 2-3 weeks ago. Most everything on Tuesday was around 30 minutes, with some of the more popular rides at 60. During Spring Break it was 45+ for most rides, and the more popular rides were 90+ It could certainly be less crowded as well.
We just got done with 2 days at Disneyland and California adventure. Over 50,000 total steps, feet hurt, mind was fried but had a good time. Interesting that people are able to go here more than once a year. I don’t plan on going back anytime soon because it really was just a lot on the brain.
It’s a bit different being a magic key holder. We are there so frequently that we aren’t trying to cram so much into a day that our brain isn’t feeling “fried” by the end of each day.
They still have Magic Keys for sale, which tells me they've significantly increased park capacity. It was majorly crowded last year around this time, I can't imagine how much worse will be this Spring Break with two major rides closed. My tip for surviving the crowds this year? Try a different destination.
Love the Disneyland tips. I have a gluten-allergy and I am wondering if Disneyland has gluten-free churros or beignets as Disney World does in Florida?
It appears that Rancho del Zocalo should have gluten free churros. But I’m not seeing anything for the beignets. Online research leads me to believe there aren’t any.
Great advice as always! Lots of people don’t know that Disney will hold your purchased items for you at some stores - I’m not sure if all stores do it but Elias does. Also we have our purchases sent to disney hotels and they hold them at the hotel gift shop for you - and then we have Disney ship our stuff home for us. We buy some bulky stuff!
Also a tip for stroller renters: there is NO PADDING OR CUSHIONING on the Disneyland rentable strollers so you may want to bring a seat cushion and a thick jacket to keep your little ones comfortable for an entire (or several) days!
Im going with my fam. (5total) in july, we’re all adults, but its the first time going to Disneyland, and because im so used to disney world im looking at everything to have a plan, we do have disney genie for all 4 days & i reserved for 16,17,18,19 which is tuesday-friday & alternating between the early entry days for the guest staying on property so we don’t go to DCA or DL when those guests have 30mins extra. But any other tips?? 😅😅 Your channel is amazing btw👍🏼🎉
If you haven’t seen my first timer tips, you might find these helpful: 16 BEST Tips for Your FIRST TIME at Disneyland ua-cam.com/video/G7BNWGDnn50/v-deo.html Additionally, here’s my tips playlist: Disneyland Tips and Tricks ua-cam.com/play/PL_0Qje8SjlSAtLw8D8oR9q0ms24Q5riHZ.html And a compilation of my best videos: First time here? Watch these. ua-cam.com/play/PL_0Qje8SjlSCEOfeQ6E_mjoYF2B14Zfma.html There’s some overlap between the playlists, but also some unique things too.
I think Genie+ is always helpful. Do you need it? No. But if you can afford it, I would get it. It just makes your day that much more enjoyable and there’s a lot less stress.
We used to bring the stroller and leave the backpack there while we went to the rides, but my kid is too big now. Can we bring the backpack to the rides?
End of August, beginning of September. My kids start school around August 14th. By end of September, you actually start reaching the first break of the school year.
I understood that during summer of July and August that Saturdays are less busy because of pass block out days. Is this true? Does it apply to Sundays? Does it make other days busier?
Just Saturdays in July. Yes, all but the top pass level are blocked out so Saturdays in July are pretty decent. As a whole, Summer isn’t as bad as Spring Break. This is definitely the busiest time of year.
@@leesacollie6151 April 12th through the 20th are the dates that 3 levels of passholders are blocked out. Because Easter is later next year. Spring Break doesn’t necessarily coincide with this, though. That’s the week all the local schools will be off. In general, Spring Break is from Mid-March to Mid-April for the core of it. If you’re hoping to avoid it, I would give it a week after Easter week to cool off. So the week of April 28th at the earliest for going.
@@leesacollie6151 I would come prepared for crowds either way. You’re avoiding Easter week which will be a good thing, but it will definitely still be busy during those dates. So long as you set your expectations, you can still have an enjoyable time, especially with 3 days.
I know its not really a crowd comment but its part of one. Say you dont have a credit card and you have a gift card instead, can you put the money from the gift card onto the mobile app and use those funds to mobile order for those busy times.
Yup. We’ve gotten Tylenol for fevers in the past (pre-Covid) and get ibuprofen from there any time we forget. But of course it’s a single dose. Amy says they also have allergy meds, tums, and she thinks they have dental floss. She also said they have chewable versions of meds for kids.
Also, i think you waste more time and energy going zig zag across the park. Going in a loop land to land is a lot more efficient in terms of time and energy. And not everyone can get genie+. 30 may not be a lot to you, but it is to some. And i always said that if these line cutting services were gone, everyone would have a better time. All they do is drive up the wait times and makes those in stanby feel bad and second class because they may not afford it
If there were only standby lines, they'd move. They don't move now because of the stop start nature that LL makes of it. I remember before FP at WDW and it was far better
HELP OTHERS Traver. If you plan to do the rise of the resistance don’t go through frontier land because the line goes the other way the line was all the way out of the Black spire outpost.
You mean you SHOULD go through Frontierland. Because if you go through Critter Country you’ll have to back track all the way to the entrance of Frontierland/Galaxy’s Edge anyway. But really, nobody watching my videos should be rope dropping Rise anyway if they are following my advice. 😂
I went through frontier land, and when I got to the rise of resistance, the line was going the other way, so what would that be go through the castle to get to the end of the line? It’s been a couple weeks. I didn’t bring the map home and it’s all a blur now. 😆 I thought it was going to be the shortest distance but when I saw the line I knew I was in trouble with my wife so save others check it out for me. Which way does the line go? It gets long fast. Thanks for all you do.
I wonder how long it would take to say, "Be smart and use common sense ?" I guess it's good to spell it out for the stupid folks 😢 This is great advice for everyone that leaps before they look (which unfortunately is around 90% at best). Good luck and God bless 😊
Spring Break is hard to define when it’s going to end, but last year we filmed these videos on Friday, April 14th. This should give you an idea of the crowd levels: BEST Rope Drop Strategy for Disneyland w/ Tips & Tricks ua-cam.com/video/Bz38PiizM5w/v-deo.html 26 Best Genie+ Tips to SKIP the Line like a PRO at Disneyland ua-cam.com/video/jh8E6N5V12M/v-deo.html EVERYTHING You Need to Know About MagicBand+ at Disneyland ua-cam.com/video/OMm3eS5R9Pg/v-deo.html
@@blackknight9558 My kids did 9 days at WDW in May without a stroller just fine. Ages 7 and 10. And let me tell you, strollers are nice when you have little kids who need to fall asleep, but they are a PAIN to deal with in crowds, at rope drop, or really any time it rains.
@@SoCalDisneyDad Noted, thanks for responding. Guess we never personally had difficulty with our stroller. It was a lifesaver really since our child doesn't like walking often in theme parks.
Boy doesn’t sound like he works for Disney buy this early buy that it worth it first of all if they made everyone wait in line it would go fast for everyone . Plus everyone pays to go in so it it should be fair . Disney needs to be taught and listen and maybe people should quit going till they wise up !
Im going to be honest and say that i don't get why someone who's visiting and not a local/passholder would willingly leave the parks in the middle of the day. I get the need for a break, but that just seems silly and you're wasting more time and energy going to and from the hotel
It’s a long day to stay open to close. Especially for kids or if it’s hot. It’s good to have some time to recharge. And because the park is so crowded during that time, you’d likely only ride 1-2 rides. And then you’re too tired and end up leaving at 9 PM. Whereas 9 PM to 12 AM is a gold mine for ride times if you can muster it. When we go to WDW, it’s more of a pain to transfer from park to hotel, but we still do it almost every day. Enjoy the pool in the afternoon, take a break, etc.
It depends on where your hotel is located. Some are pretty close walk to the entrance. Taking a break plays into the attitude thing too. If people are tired, hot, hungry, or overstimulated they aren't going to be much fun. Better to take a break and recharge.
It's totally worth it if you're willing to get up early to rope drop and then go back later and stay until close. It also gives you a chance to change your shoes or deal with any other issues that have come up in the morning.
What works for us on busy days is going to Toy Story lot paying $30 to park and taking the shuttle to Disneyland. Going through their security avoids the long security lines at the disneyland gate! Getting up early is really imperative!
Yes or finding a hotel that’s in front like the Marriott or Hilton Anaheim and walking saving $30 and the long security wait
I was skeptical about Genie+, but it was worth every penny!
It's great for people that can afford it. The knock has always been that it's less egalitarian and makes wait times longer for everyone else. I'm local and wouldn't go to the park without it. You spend less time in line and get on more attractions. There's really no debating that.
what was the first ride you used Genie plus on? I have all my rides planned out I am just not sure what ride i should rope drop compared to what i should use my first Genie+ on.
I rope dropped Space Mountain, then Matterhorn, and Mickey's Railway, then used my first Genie+ for Thunder Mountain. There's a ton of different strategies, but I always like to start at Space Mountain.
@@allanl.591 thank you for the advice.
The strollers are legit crazy but once upon a time, I needed one as well 🤷♀️🙈 and YES! Stretch before you go and while in line ❤
Compression socks are also great for helping reduce the pain of walking and being on your feet! They helped SOOO much when we went to Universal over the summer and fall.
I never thought of that! I’ll definitely keep that in mind for my next Disney trip.
All solid tips! The advance walking prep is crucial. We call it Disney Boot Camp. I walk every day, but Disney walking is a whole other vibe haha - but ESPECIALLY for our special needs adult son. I make a big production out of Disney Boot Camp each day, starting about 6 weeks out from each trip. Besides outdoor walking, we do treadmill time AND indoor walking at home while watching your videos (and some of the other park walkthroughs). Virtually walking through DL is its own kind of hype. :)
#7 is my favorite part of the trip! Planning is key! We make a shared Note with all the foods we want to try and their location (especially helpful for my semi-vegetarian teen), special things we want to do (ie. watch the lights go in Radiator Springs or ride the Matterhorn at night, etc) plus fun Disney details we’ve seen on UA-cam to keep an eye out for. Everyone keeps tabs on our list during our trip and makes sure we hit as many of our items as possible. It’s so helpful when we have a hangry kid knowing there is a special drink or treat they’ve had their eye on nearby. When ride wait times get too busy we go to our Note to find non ride things to do. I also love that I can look back at our old Notes and remember all the fun things we did.
These are SOLID tips! Thank you ♥️
Yes just what I need for my upcoming Disney trip! 😄
Im taking all the tips for my first trip to Disneyland in May!
Nice to meet you today! Thanks for all your videos. Definitely helping people plan for Disneyland!
Great advice, as always. I visited Disneyland last April 30th and May 1st, 2023. It was my time visiting and a solo trip. I had an amazing time and followed all your tips. I hope I can go again in 2024. 😊
I always bring Advil but I didn’t realize that I could get it free if I forget it and need it. Thanks!
Merino wool socks are life changing.
Thank you for all these amazing videos! The idea of preparing for big crowds and to not be in a bad mood is so essential. I see so many people complaining about their trips who had no idea what they were in for and did no research of what to expect. All your content and the other Disneyland vloggers help make my family’s trip as fun and easy as possible!!!
Mate, loving your vids. Great advice we’d never thought of 😁👍
one thing that greatly helped me was the pirate cove. Went at a very hot time and i have heat sensitivity as well as debilitating social/crowd anxiety and claustrophobia when around people. The pirate cove is a wonderful place to sit down, and one of the caves on the top part of the island has little resting benches inside the dark so you can get great shade in a cool environment. Was genuinely considering leaving the park at the time but the chance to regroup was absolutely perfect and i didn't have to waste the hundreds of dollars spent on the park. Another thing that helped me was watching videos of the lines so i could see where I was and knew what to expect in terms of how long i had left in the wait. Another great option is Genie plus. In between waits, i recommend going to the rides with the lower wait times so you don't waste time just waiting for the appointment.
This was one of your best videos, Traver! Thanks so much for all the awesome tips! 😃
I want to say thank you so much for your informative videos from me and my family . We had so much fun! Visiting Disneyland . I tried your faves the cinnamon bun and the grey stuff it was really good . 😊 I also arrived early with family did the power hour of rides then did genie plus after 9 am we rode all the genie plus rides besides summuglers run I think we did all the hot ticket rides at least twice . And finding Nemo I really enjoyed it . Didn’t leave until almost park closing and you are so right about endurance . But I had and my family had the best time ever . Thank you so so much
You’re welcome. Glad you had a great time.
I bring a stroller Most the time for years, it’s not so bad. The smaller the better tho. No matter how crowded you can always find a spot.
Love the “show up with a Good Attitude,” this makes a world of a difference and makes everything so much more fun.
Another great video! Lots of great tips for those not as familiar with the park.
Excellent tips! 👏
Bruh…last week was pandemonium. Without genie+ I would’ve just turned around and left. Soooo many strollers and handicapped scooters it was insane.
Those are great tips. That will help a lot of people.
Can’t wait for our trip in April!!
Thank you for these tips! The part about finding ways to cope was something i really needed to hear. The amount of people in one area can be overwhelming sometimes.🙈 Something that saved me the last time i went was a power bank for my phone😄
Excellent tips!
Thanks this is a great video I’m going to be at Disneyland in May I got a lot of great ideas for my trip.
Great advice! Looking forward to the next Disney trip has helped me get into a gym routine walking on the treadmill watching videos like this! 😊
love the ivd and you show all the cool things on the app yet i have not been able on my app to find any of these things
The app is really helpful. Also, I recommend playing the Disneyland Adventures game. You will really get to know each land well and get a sense of the layout (not all the lands included.) Plus it's super fun!
All of these tips are spot on! Time is $ in the parks. Meticulous planning will help you have an awesome time.
Is it bad that when I read “meticulous planning” I started singing? 🎵 “…meticulous planning, tenacity spanning. Decades of denial, is simply while I’ll be king undisputed, respected, saluted…” 🎵 🤣
🦁🤴
Love it!
@@SoCalDisneyDad
Plan what you want to eat: Panera Pick 2 value combo 😂
That outlet opposite the park entrance is a God send!
Such excellent tips! I’ve saved this one for sure!
Great tips thank 🎉
I can't wait till my kids are done with strollers! Genie plus is a must-have! Especially with a park hopper... even if the park you start in is low in the morning, you will need it when you hop over to the other park later on in the day because the lines till I already be long there. We also do purchase the individual lightning line to ride radiator springs racers just once.
I’ll be purchasing an ILL in May for Cosmic Rewind. Even if I get a boarding group. I love that ride. So ILLs have their place, for sure.
Any tips for june travellers with kids 5 and 2
Me too lol stroller is going to be needed. Bring snacks. I’d recommend Genie + just for the photo pass but maximizing don’t hurt either. Honorable mentions: Fanny packs and reusable water bottles
This greatly helped! Thank You SoCal Disney Dad!
I always wondered why Fantasyland closes during the fireworks when other lands don’t. Thanks! 15:48
Is the ranking of least busy to most busy days the same during the summer when school is out? Planning a trip for June & grateful for your channel & tips! 🙏
Awesome advice! Thank you Trevor!
Take the Monorail out of the park and go into the old hotel. You can find bathrooms with no one in them that are super clean. In the convention area you can find stairs going down to bathrooms that are super deserted. Then for all your effort you can buy a beer in the hotel shop fridge or one of the bars.
Thanks for this. We are coming down from Montana where the biggest crowds are at the grocery store on senior day. This should be interesting.
😆
I'm going next year for 3 days with 7 other family members do you recommend any rides i also have the app😊 I'm also a huge fan of u guys
Thanks for the great tips!
This is one of the most helpful videos, thank you so much!
Hubby and I are going to be there the 2nd week of April, and I'm so glad I booked Tues-Thur!
I'm wondering if you think it will be a bit less busy, because it's after spring break and the Food/Wine fest is still going on at DCA?
I plan on going with my friends on March 29th, and I am absolutely horrified of these crowds😂😂😂 The last time I went to Disneyland on February 7 was off-season, but it was so busy. I cannot imagine how the parks are going to be during spring break. I am expecting the worst, but will remain optimistic. Thanks for the tips❤
How did it go? We’re going on 4/2 which is sold out. 😅
Mobile order food and plan ahead to where you'll be if the order time is a little ways out. If you're going to wait in line, do it for a ride.
Great list Travor! I was there last weekend for Food and Wine because that is the only time our adult kids could go; and it was A LOT. I'm spoiled and go off season during the week usually. You hit all the high points😊
Going during less busy times is definitely a plus.
Another great video!! Congrats on 30k 😊
Thank you!
Chasing low wait times could potentially land you in a congested area with a big influx of other park goers thinking the same thing. But i agree its much better to go to space mountain when its 30 minutes vs when its 60
Good video as usual - I do sit down dinners with the family to relax cool off etc - when solo sometimes dinner but other meals quick order
We do this in WDW. We plan sit down meals each day to help rest our feet. We end up walking more in Disneyland on a single day, but WDW is a lot of steps for many days.
Fantasy after ten pm!
Great advice. My family rope drops and stays until close. 12-15 miles walked in a day is pretty standard. I think your average person should be able to walk 3-5 miles at one time without much struggle. It's a good fitness goal. If you can do that you won't have too much trouble getting through a day a Disneyland. Even if that means leaving after fireworks like most tourists. No shame.
Thank you for the video
Great tips. We are coming in April. 🎉
Can you give some tips on getting into the park? What to expect with parking, security, entrance crowds, etc. Especially with strollers. Also best place to hang around before rope drop. Thank you!
My advice for parking, security, and park entrance gates is to pick a lane on the far right or left, not in the middle.... Everyone goes to the middle lines.
Love your videos 🤗
Thanks! Super helpful. I may have made a mistake booking Cafe Orleans at 6pm. Uh oh.
The off peak times thing is for quick service because of longer lines for standby or longer prep time for mobile orders, plus possible full tables.
But that doesn’t apply to table service meals because you’re guaranteed a seat.
Fantastic tips and 85% of these tips can apply to literally any park you go to, Disney or not
Can you make a video about best benches and areas to chill that isn't Tom Sawyer Island?
Thanks for the heads up! I’ll be there in April. Speaking of attitude- my friends and I used to throw fake “tantrums” when someone was getting grumpy. It relieved tension and made everyone laugh. Laughter can work miracles. I suggest you practice walking SLOW and standing. That is the devastating part
I’m going April first weekend and curious how April is going
@@Lordkurt-kd5tdis it packed is a website where they track crowds and tell you how packed it will be at Disneyland and other theme parks too. That's what we check before we go!
Instead of ibuprofen every 4 hours, I take Aleve (generic) every 12 hours. Really helped at DW in 2021! You mention in a newer video that you knew the sugar count of a food, how did you get nutritional information?
Great video! Thank you :)
Your #1 tip is key!
In terms of chasing low wait times, that is a dangerous plan especially if you are far away. If Space Mountain is lower than you expect and you are over at Big thunder Mountain, its a darn good chance that low wait time won't be low when you get there in 12 minutes, as other people closer are doing the same thing
The example shown is an extreme to show the max distance you’d walk in the park from one side to the other.
More than likely you’d walk from Big Thunder to Indiana Jones or Peter Pan if you saw it low.
But there are people who refuse to move on to the next land until they’ve done all the rides in the current land. And then they’ll only move to the next land over.
And doing this can result in them waiting 60 minutes for a ride that averages 35 minutes. All because instead of moving on and coming back, they “have to go in order”
We went yesterday Wednesday April 17. It was insane. I don’t know how it could get busier!!!
I was there on Tuesday. It was busier than I initially expected, but checking the wait times everything was running at average waits. Or slightly above average. But nowhere close to what it was just 2-3 weeks ago.
Most everything on Tuesday was around 30 minutes, with some of the more popular rides at 60.
During Spring Break it was 45+ for most rides, and the more popular rides were 90+
It could certainly be less crowded as well.
We just got done with 2 days at Disneyland and California adventure. Over 50,000 total steps, feet hurt, mind was fried but had a good time. Interesting that people are able to go here more than once a year. I don’t plan on going back anytime soon because it really was just a lot on the brain.
It’s a bit different being a magic key holder. We are there so frequently that we aren’t trying to cram so much into a day that our brain isn’t feeling “fried” by the end of each day.
What do you suggest for things to do while waiting in line? I have a 6 and 4 year old. This will be our first time
They still have Magic Keys for sale, which tells me they've significantly increased park capacity. It was majorly crowded last year around this time, I can't imagine how much worse will be this Spring Break with two major rides closed. My tip for surviving the crowds this year? Try a different destination.
We actually created a spreadsheet and each family member ranked the rides so that we can figure out what to prioritize.
Would mobile checkout speed things up during merch shopping at crowded times?
Love the Disneyland tips. I have a gluten-allergy and I am wondering if Disneyland has gluten-free churros or beignets as Disney World does in Florida?
It appears that Rancho del Zocalo should have gluten free churros.
But I’m not seeing anything for the beignets. Online research leads me to believe there aren’t any.
Great advice as always! Lots of people don’t know that Disney will hold your purchased items for you at some stores - I’m not sure if all stores do it but Elias does. Also we have our purchases sent to disney hotels and they hold them at the hotel gift shop for you - and then we have Disney ship our stuff home for us. We buy some bulky stuff!
Yes! That’s a good trick to avoid having to carry stuff around. Should have mentioned that with the shop early tip.
So DL continues to provide package delivery to the 3 DL hotels? That's awesome. Wdw stopped that after covid.
yes we have used it recently. They did cancel it for a while. It is next day delivery - at least it was for us.
Also a tip for stroller renters: there is NO PADDING OR CUSHIONING on the Disneyland rentable strollers so you may want to bring a seat cushion and a thick jacket to keep your little ones comfortable for an entire (or several) days!
I’d love to have a copy of that ride checklist. Is there anyway you could make a pdf of it available to your subscribers?
Screen shot it!! That's what I did. Lol
Im going with my fam. (5total) in july, we’re all adults, but its the first time going to Disneyland, and because im so used to disney world im looking at everything to have a plan, we do have disney genie for all 4 days & i reserved for 16,17,18,19 which is tuesday-friday & alternating between the early entry days for the guest staying on property so we don’t go to DCA or DL when those guests have 30mins extra. But any other tips?? 😅😅
Your channel is amazing btw👍🏼🎉
If you haven’t seen my first timer tips, you might find these helpful:
16 BEST Tips for Your FIRST TIME at Disneyland
ua-cam.com/video/G7BNWGDnn50/v-deo.html
Additionally, here’s my tips playlist:
Disneyland Tips and Tricks
ua-cam.com/play/PL_0Qje8SjlSAtLw8D8oR9q0ms24Q5riHZ.html
And a compilation of my best videos:
First time here? Watch these.
ua-cam.com/play/PL_0Qje8SjlSCEOfeQ6E_mjoYF2B14Zfma.html
There’s some overlap between the playlists, but also some unique things too.
How do I register my Credit card on the app before my trip só I won` t waste time doing that when mobile ordering?
Do you think is worth it to buy Genie+ on a Monday California Adventure and Tues-Wed at Disneyland ????
I think Genie+ is always helpful. Do you need it? No. But if you can afford it, I would get it. It just makes your day that much more enjoyable and there’s a lot less stress.
We used to bring the stroller and leave the backpack there while we went to the rides, but my kid is too big now. Can we bring the backpack to the rides?
Yes! Backpacks can go on all rides. No lockers are required at Disney.
Are the days toward the end of September less crowded? Due to school starting?
End of August, beginning of September. My kids start school around August 14th.
By end of September, you actually start reaching the first break of the school year.
I understood that during summer of July and August that Saturdays are less busy because of pass block out days. Is this true? Does it apply to Sundays? Does it make other days busier?
Just Saturdays in July. Yes, all but the top pass level are blocked out so Saturdays in July are pretty decent.
As a whole, Summer isn’t as bad as Spring Break. This is definitely the busiest time of year.
When is spring break in 2025? We are travelling from Australia and trying to sort out our park dates
@@leesacollie6151 April 12th through the 20th are the dates that 3 levels of passholders are blocked out. Because Easter is later next year.
Spring Break doesn’t necessarily coincide with this, though. That’s the week all the local schools will be off.
In general, Spring Break is from Mid-March to Mid-April for the core of it.
If you’re hoping to avoid it, I would give it a week after Easter week to cool off.
So the week of April 28th at the earliest for going.
@@SoCalDisneyDad Thankyou! We are looking at being in the park 3/31-2/4 so hopefully it won't be too bad. Thanks for all your great videos 👍
@@leesacollie6151 I would come prepared for crowds either way. You’re avoiding Easter week which will be a good thing, but it will definitely still be busy during those dates.
So long as you set your expectations, you can still have an enjoyable time, especially with 3 days.
FIRST annd watcing socal disney dad every day until i go to disneyland. countdown 75/0
I know its not really a crowd comment but its part of one. Say you dont have a credit card and you have a gift card instead, can you put the money from the gift card onto the mobile app and use those funds to mobile order for those busy times.
Yes! You can use a gift card.
You can get pain meds for free at first aid?! I go to disney every year and never did this/knew this. Thank you! Excited to come next month
Yup. We’ve gotten Tylenol for fevers in the past (pre-Covid) and get ibuprofen from there any time we forget. But of course it’s a single dose.
Amy says they also have allergy meds, tums, and she thinks they have dental floss. She also said they have chewable versions of meds for kids.
Edible gummies
Also, i think you waste more time and energy going zig zag across the park. Going in a loop land to land is a lot more efficient in terms of time and energy. And not everyone can get genie+. 30 may not be a lot to you, but it is to some. And i always said that if these line cutting services were gone, everyone would have a better time. All they do is drive up the wait times and makes those in stanby feel bad and second class because they may not afford it
If there were only standby lines, they'd move. They don't move now because of the stop start nature that LL makes of it. I remember before FP at WDW and it was far better
how crowded can you expect it to be the last week of March?
Pretty crowded. That’s the heart of Spring Break this year.
HELP OTHERS Traver. If you plan to do the rise of the resistance don’t go through frontier land because the line goes the other way the line was all the way out of the Black spire outpost.
You mean you SHOULD go through Frontierland. Because if you go through Critter Country you’ll have to back track all the way to the entrance of Frontierland/Galaxy’s Edge anyway.
But really, nobody watching my videos should be rope dropping Rise anyway if they are following my advice. 😂
I went through frontier land, and when I got to the rise of resistance, the line was going the other way, so what would that be go through the castle to get to the end of the line? It’s been a couple weeks. I didn’t bring the map home and it’s all a blur now. 😆 I thought it was going to be the shortest distance but when I saw the line I knew I was in trouble with my wife so save others check it out for me. Which way does the line go? It gets long fast. Thanks for all you do.
Oh, and the powdered Beignets were awesome and putting the beef skewers with the sandwich was also awesome. Thanks for the suggestion. A+
The line begins at the ride entrance and extends through the land, past the Ronto Roasters location, towards the Frontierland entrance.
I wonder how long it would take to say, "Be smart and use common sense ?" I guess it's good to spell it out for the stupid folks 😢 This is great advice for everyone that leaps before they look (which unfortunately is around 90% at best). Good luck and God bless 😊
You think it’s going to be crowded the weekend after spring break?
Spring Break is hard to define when it’s going to end, but last year we filmed these videos on Friday, April 14th.
This should give you an idea of the crowd levels:
BEST Rope Drop Strategy for Disneyland w/ Tips & Tricks
ua-cam.com/video/Bz38PiizM5w/v-deo.html
26 Best Genie+ Tips to SKIP the Line like a PRO at Disneyland
ua-cam.com/video/jh8E6N5V12M/v-deo.html
EVERYTHING You Need to Know About MagicBand+ at Disneyland
ua-cam.com/video/OMm3eS5R9Pg/v-deo.html
Thank you! Hopefully this year it will be less gray
Respectfully disagree with leaving stroller at home. AJ Wolfe of Disney Food Blog said stroller ... even after age 10.
@@blackknight9558 My kids did 9 days at WDW in May without a stroller just fine.
Ages 7 and 10.
And let me tell you, strollers are nice when you have little kids who need to fall asleep, but they are a PAIN to deal with in crowds, at rope drop, or really any time it rains.
@@SoCalDisneyDad Noted, thanks for responding. Guess we never personally had difficulty with our stroller. It was a lifesaver really since our child doesn't like walking often in theme parks.
Boy doesn’t sound like he works for Disney buy this early buy that it worth it first of all if they made everyone wait in line it would go fast for everyone . Plus everyone pays to go in so it it should be fair . Disney needs to be taught and listen and maybe people should quit going till they wise up !
Ibuprofen is every 6 hr to 8
Im going to be honest and say that i don't get why someone who's visiting and not a local/passholder would willingly leave the parks in the middle of the day. I get the need for a break, but that just seems silly and you're wasting more time and energy going to and from the hotel
It’s a long day to stay open to close. Especially for kids or if it’s hot. It’s good to have some time to recharge.
And because the park is so crowded during that time, you’d likely only ride 1-2 rides. And then you’re too tired and end up leaving at 9 PM. Whereas 9 PM to 12 AM is a gold mine for ride times if you can muster it.
When we go to WDW, it’s more of a pain to transfer from park to hotel, but we still do it almost every day. Enjoy the pool in the afternoon, take a break, etc.
It allows one to enjoy the park until close when you have a mid day break. I do it all the time at wdw.
It depends on where your hotel is located. Some are pretty close walk to the entrance. Taking a break plays into the attitude thing too. If people are tired, hot, hungry, or overstimulated they aren't going to be much fun. Better to take a break and recharge.
It's totally worth it if you're willing to get up early to rope drop and then go back later and stay until close. It also gives you a chance to change your shoes or deal with any other issues that have come up in the morning.
Thank you for your useful tips!
Thank you for the awesome tips!