I love Disneyland. I’ve written a few posts about how to not lose your cool when visiting, how to survive visiting in the rain, and basically how to maximize your time when you visit. Now let’s talk about the nitty gritty. Here are some of the best Disneyland hacks that I’ve personally tried and tested.
Disneyland Hacks to Utilize
A hack is a method of achieving your goal faster. Your goal is to have a magical time at Disneyland. Most of these hacks are designed to be accomplished ahead of your trip, laying a foundation for the time of your life.
These aren’t hard. Most are free. And they’re hacks that I use every time I visit the Happiest Place on Earth.
Download the Disneyland App
The world is a digital place, and Disney has followed suit. Most things you’ll need in the park can be accessed digitally.
Want to check how long a wait is for a particular ride? Check the Disneyland app.
Need to order some food? Go ahead and do it from your phone. Waiting in an attraction queue and want to do some window shopping? Disneyland has an app for that.
Not only can you order food, shop, and make reservations for restaurants through the Disneyland app, but you can link your party’s tickets, link PhotoPass photos, and utilize Disney’s new Genie service.
Purchase Genie+
Disney has moved on from their FastPass service and replaced/rebranded it with Genie, Genie+ and Lightning Lanes. The concept is the same, but just more…Disney…
This video explains more about the service, the differences between the options, and how to determine if you should even bother. Watch the video and hear me out – they do a great job laying it all out.
BUT!
If you only visit Disneyland once in a blue moon, spend the extra $20ish per ticket and get front-of-the-line access to the popular attractions and purchase Genie+.
I did and it allowed my party to ride all of the major attractions we wanted before lunch. By doing so, we freed up our afternoon and evening to go swimming at the Disneyland Hotel, build a lightsaber, watch a parade and enjoy the fireworks, all without panicking that we weren’t going to get on our favorite rides.
Get a locker
I don’t know about you, but I love being hands-free. But at the same time, I want to make sure I have a sweatshirt, maybe a pair of dry socks, some snacks, a water bottle, and the list goes on and on.
By shelling out for a locker, you’ve tapped into one of the most often-overlooked of Disneyland hacks. If you’re visiting with young children, this could be a great place to store diaper bags, extra clothing, baby food, and all the other things you don’t want to leave in the stroller.
If you’re a shopper, having a locker will offer a safe place to keep all of your souvenirs. Plus, they’re a great way to keep things dry in case you visit Disneyland in the rain!
Bring a phone charger or battery pack
Using the Disneyland app is one of the best Disneyland hacks on this list, but it will drain your battery quickly, especially if you’re constantly opening it up and checking on things.
You want your phone to last the entire day, while still being able to use it. The solution is simple: bring a charger or battery pack. When you are standing in line or at restaurants, take a look around. There are places to plug in, even for a few minutes at a time.
Battery packs are small, lightweight, and are a game-changer on this Disneyland hacks list. There are so many options out there. I personally use an Anker charger. The good ones will hold enough juice to charge your phone twice!
Utilize PhotoPass
Not going to lie – this was probably the latest item to this Disneyland hacks list. I’m extremely particular about my pictures, and haven’t had the best of luck when having my picture taken by random people.
But there are some pictures that you can’t mess up. That you can train Cast Members to capture so well, they’re professional quality. And…they’re free! Plus, trying to get a selfie with a group and a large portion of the background objects without a distorted arm in the corner of the frame is tricky, especially since selfie sticks are banned in Disneyland.
PhotoPass Cast Members are stationed in the ideal spot for some iconic pictures around the Park: in front of the castle, by attractions, close to “pretty” and Insta-worthy locations. Take full advantage!
Take advantage of Single Rider/Rider Switch
I hesitate to add this to the list of Disneyland hacks. Not because it’s bad or tricky, but because it’s one of those secrets that would be better off kept a secret. You know, so it’s still special and not mainstream.
Some major attractions have what’s called a single rider option. What that means is if you don’t mind riding solo, you can usually get to the front of the line faster.
For example (no longer available at this attraction): Indiana Jones vehicles have 3 rows of 4 seats. If a party of 3, 7, or 11 (ew) are getting ready to board the attraction, there will be an open seat in one of the rows. In order to be efficient, Disneyland Cast Members try to fill these spots.
I can’t tell you how many times my brothers and I would ride single rider on what is now known as the Incredicoaster (we knew it as California Screamin’)!
Unsure if your desired attraction has a single rider lane? Just ask the Cast Members at the entrance to the queue. If they do, ask for a pass and they’ll direct you to the appropriate line. It doesn’t hurt to ask.
The rider switch works in a similar fashion. If your party consists of 2 adults and a 5 year old child that doesn’t meet the height requirement or doesn’t want to ride a particular attraction, both adults will have the option of riding without having to wait in line twice. Read more about it here.
Visiting Disneyland, or any other Disney Park, doesn’t have to be tedious, scary, or a drag. Implement these Disneyland hacks into your next visit and see how much of a positive difference they’ll make in your experience!
Do you have any other Disneyland hacks that you can add to this list? What else do I need to try?
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