It’s easy to get lost in all the details when you are planning a Disney vacation. While many might have weeks to spend in one location, absorbing every ounce of magic the parks have to offer; a much more common experience is for those of us who have one day in each park and want to make the most of it. Not all trips to Disney need to be a week-long commitment, and it is possible to make a dent in the best of the best without breaking the bank. Here is your One-Day Guide to the best of Disneyland Park.
It’s the original Disney Park that Walt Disney himself created. There is so much to see and experience here that you might feel it’s not worth doing if you only have one day. That would be a mistake. If your opportunity to visit arises, you can make the most of those 24 hours with a bit of help from us. Let’s start from the beginning.
Stay at a Disney Resort & Schedule Your Day Correctly (if possible)
If you are looking for a local place to stay, consider staying at a Disney Resort on property. This will allow you access to Early Entry, where you can arrive at your theme park destination 30 minutes before the crowds. Is it worth doing? Yes, you will do more in that time than you will at any other point during the day.
Early Entry mornings for Disneyland at the time of this posting are Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday, so plan to stay around the correct nights for your visit to fall on one of these days. The mid-week days are your best bet to beat the local crowds that enjoy the parks on weekends as well. If you want to use early entry, check the rides that will be available during your time; you can do this here. I would recommend taking advantage of the walk-on lines for Peter Pan and Space Mountain as a priority at this time.
Use the Monorail
A good place to start an Early Entry morning is in Tomorrowland, where Space Mountain is usually open. If this is at the top of your must-do list, now is your chance to ride this one a few times before moving through the rest of the area. Making a transition from there to Buzz Lightyear Astro Blasters and over to Star Tours is usually a quick transfer in the morning. The monorail from the Disneyland Hotel side of Downtown Disney will open right as the Early Entry begins, allowing you to show your room key and enter. It will transport you a few moments later right into Tomorrowland without wasting time and energy traipsing through the park entrance. I recommend getting in this line slightly earlier to ensure you leave the station on the first monorail. If Peter Pan is on your list, enjoy Space Mountain first and then traverse to Fantasyland to get in the Peter Pan line before the general public is allowed in. You can then quickly fit in the shorter lines of the other dark rides in the area and move on before the masses descend.
Lightning Lane Pass
Whether you call it a Lightning Lane Multi-Pass, a Genie+ Pass, Maxpass, or FastPass, getting into the attractions that are on your high-priority list is key. Invest in this pass for your one-day adventure. It will help you achieve so much more and give you more options if you find some rides are temporarily closed by the time you get to the front of the line. It happens more than you would think.
Do not waste any passes on your Early Entry window. Rides will be easily accessible, so save your pass for later in the day if you want to return to a popular attraction. You will only get one per attraction, so use the stand-by queue when it is a short wait to make the most of your pass.
Know Your Attractions
The big attractions you will want to be aware of are:
- Indiana Jones Adventure (Lightning Lane Multi Pass)
- Tiana’s Bayou Adventure (Lightning Lane Multi Pass)
- Space Mountain (Lightning Lane Multi Pass)
- Big Thunder Mountain Railroad (Lightning Lane Multi Pass)
- Rise of the Resistance (Lightning Lane SINGLE Pass)
- Matterhorn Bobsleds (Lightning Lane Multi Pass)
- Haunted Mansion (Lightning Lane Multi Pass)
All are included with your Lightning Lane Multi Pass, except for Rise of the Resistance. Don’t waste time standing in line for hours. Get the Single Pass for that attraction; it’s worth it to make use of your day and enjoy the rest of Disneyland Park.
Know When to Wait and When To Use Your Pass
If you think you might like to do some rides twice, they are worth waiting for. For example, ‘it’s a small world’ is a great ride to hit in the middle of the day as the outdoor queuing area seems to deter some from visiting. The line moves quickly, and then you are in for a few minutes of seated air conditioning. If the queue is short, jump on without your pass and save it for later when you can circle back and do it again. While you are here, look to book your next pass. Indiana Jones is a good one to look at early as later in the day, return times can blow out to several hours later, blocking you from booking another pass.
Pirates of the Caribbean is another one to take advantage of more than once, saving your pass for later on. The line moves fast at this attraction, rarely stopping in one place for long. If you are walking on and moving straight through the courtyard, skip your pass and save it for later. More seated air-conditioning will be available to enjoy later when you need another break.
Now that we have jumped over to Adventureland consider your options. The Haunted Mansion and Tiana’s Bayou Adventure are both in the nearby Bayou Country; both will take some planning to avoid a long wait time. Keep an eye on your Disneyland app for approximations of wait time, and book your Lightning Lane whenever a spot that isn’t too far away opens up.
Pass on the Parade
Unless you have always wanted to see a Disneyland Parade or this is set to be the highlight of your trip, use this time to explore the busier areas of the park while a large chunk of people are enjoying the entertainment. This trick can even be extended to the fireworks, with this time being one of the best to find a shorter wait time for rides like Tiana’s Bayou Adventure, Matterhorn, and Space Mountain. If you are spending your day without a Lightning Lane Multi Pass, be sure to check on those ride wait times as people are staking their claim to parade viewing areas.
Use Your Pass Wisely
It’s easy to get over-excited. Try to space out the more popular attractions while booking them in the first half of the day, where possible. As the day progresses, return time windows will get further and further away, leaving you sometimes waiting hours before your next Lightning Lane. I try to alternate before a stand-by attraction and an LL so you can enjoy each area fully before moving on. Otherwise, you can bounce between key rides in the park and miss the details in between. When a short standby queue presents itself, jump in it, even if you already have the same attractions booked as your next pass. No one ever complained about riding their favorite Disney rides more than once. 🙂
When you finish your day, take a stroll up Main Street, U.S.A., enjoying the shops and ambiance as you make your way out of the park. When short on time, I like to make a late dinner reservation for Jazz Kitchen Coastal Grill & Patio, which is on the way back to the resort area. A table near the balcony or patio is a great spot to enjoy delicious food while also enjoying the Downtown Disney experience. After a long day, I like to sit back with a cocktail and people-watch, admiring the unique DisneyBounding efforts and appreciating the content families as they make their way home.
