It's likely that you've seen a lot of people, myself included, drone on and on about the importance of arriving at the parks early. This is certainly true, but it can seem like no matter what your afternoon surely must be prone to long lines and hours in the hot California sun. Rest assured, that it certainly not the case! There are many things that are best done in the afternoon at Disneyland when many lines are at their longest - but you won't be in them! Here's what we like to do in the middle of the day.

I'll admit, I am not much of a pin trader.  That said, I do love collecting Disney pins whenever I'm in the parks.  Those that do trade can tell you how much of a Disney sub-culture it has become and how much fun they have trading with other guests and CMs as well.  For novices or others who just like to find fun pins, you should know that some stores have better pin selections than others.  If you're in the market, here are the best stores in the Disneyland Resort to find a plethora of pins!

Now that security checkpoints have been changed, spending time in Downtown Disney is easier and less crowded than ever before!  The themed shopping district and third entity of the Disneyland Resort is often shuffled under the rug and cast aside as a less important and interesting area, but in reality it's an incredibly unique destination with shopping, dining, and entertainment you can't find elsewhere! ​UPDATED 21 Feb 2019

There are many stores around the Disneyland Resort that offer more to guests than your average shopping experience creating memories that will last a lot longer than most souvenirs.  Some are interactive experiences, many allow guests to create their own souvenir, but all have a special touch that make the difference.  Traditional shopping is still great, but sprinkle some of these into your trip for something you and your family will remember. ​UPDATED 1 Feb 2018

Disneyland offers quite a few options for tickets, but if you're not super familiar with the parks it may be difficult to decide which ones are the best ones for you and your family.  Obviously you don't want to overspend, but you also want to make sure that you're giving everything enough time and providing you and your family enough options to make everything work.  With that in mind, here are a few things to consider to help you choose which tickets will be perfect for you. (UPDATED 14 Dec 2017)

Stores in Disneyland are not hard to come by - anyone can tell you that!  There are, however, a few stores around the resort that have unique merchandise difficult to find anywhere else or just a better selection.  These are a few of my favourites which I always try to hit on every Disneyland trip and, I'll be honest, probably end up spending too much money!