Contrary to popular belief, Disneyland is not a place that can be easily tackled without at least a little bit of planning beforehand. There's a lot you could know about prior to your vacation, but what things are actually important to know and what will just overload your memory? To streamline it a little bit, here are 5 big things you should definitely know about before you head over to the Happiest Place on Earth to make sure your trip is extra magical! |
- REFURBISHMENT SCHEDULE - Almost every attraction closes for a period of time every year for refurbishment, some longer than others. Keep an eye on what will be unavailable during your trip by checking out the main Disneyland website or click here!
- HEIGHT REQUIREMENTS - Many attractions in the parks have height requirements for guest safety. Make sure you look up what rides have which height requirements and measure your kids before you leave so you don't get their hopes up only to have those hopes dashed when a CM says they're too short.
- SAFETY RESTRICTIONS - If you have a wheelchair, certain medical conditions or are pregnant there are some things to take into consideration. Many attractions require at least a transfer from a wheelchair into the ride, others advise against guests with certain conditions and expectant mothers from riding. These are all for your safety, but look for these restrictions before you get to the parks so you have an idea what to expect from the CMs.
- DINING RESERVATIONS - Have you looked through our dining reviews and found a few places you want to try? Many of them take dining reservations up to 60 days in advance so you can already have some plans in place before you leave. Some, like the Blue Bayou, almost require reservations because they get booked up so get going before it's too late! Reservations can be made at disneyland.com.
- PLAN FOR SHOWS - You can look up the entertainment schedules for your trip up to 60 days in advance (though they're continuously updated, so keep checking back) to see what will be playing on what days. Figure out which shows you definitely want to see and plan on them. Other shows and parades can be fit in later when you have time, but don't keep putting off Paint the Night! until you've suddenly run out of time to watch it!
There's more where that came from, but these can give you the basics you'll need. What sorts of things do you like to check out before your next trip?