Hello and welcome to episode 26 of the Ready Set Depart Podcast. We are so glad you’re here!

This week, we’re doing something a little bit different. We are going to be talking about tips and tricks for Disneyland for your family. Whether you’ve been there a hundred times or this will be your first trip, you may just learn something!

But, we’re also going to play a little game with you. Throughout the podcast, you’ll hear 10 recordings from rides in Disneyland and Disney’s California Adventure. When you hear them, write down which ride it is, and then send me the answers to ready.set.depart@gmail.com and the first 10 people to get them all right will win an envelope full of our amazing stickers. Perfect for your laptop, water bottle or travel journal! 

Some of the rides are easy, some are a little trickier, but all of them are super fun rides! So get out your pen or get your phone ready, they’re coming soon.

But first let’s start out with transportation!

We’re talking about DisneyLAND tips and tricks so the first tip I have is how to remember where Disneyland is and where Disney World is. Disneyland is in Anaheim, California which is just south of LA. If you look at DisneyLAnd, it has LA in the name. While Disney World is in Orlando, Florida and if you look at Disney WORLd, it has ORL in the name. Make sense?

Beyond where in the US Disneyland is, which airport should you fly into? Our #1 airport to fly into is and will always be Orange County or SNA or John Wayne Airport. From the airport to Disneyland is just over 20 minutes, depending on traffic, so it’s super close. 

You can also fly into Long Beach Airport, or LBG. It’s a small airport but only about 30 minutes from Disneyland so if you can find a flight that works for your family, do it!

LAX is the big airport in LA that every major airline flies into. It’s about 45 minutes from the park but in actuality, it’s closer to 1 hour with traffic. We are not fans of LAX, but it is an option.

Now, do you need a car when you’re in Disneyland? The answer is, yes and no, depending on how you travel. You could take a shuttle (just Google the airport you’re flying into and Disneyland Shuttle) from the airport, or a ride share, or a taxi. All are easy options especially if you’re staying on property and don’t plan on leaving. (More on where to stay later)

We prefer renting a car. It is California and we West Coast people love our cars. We don’t stay on property and always seem to forget something or need to go somewhere else while we’re there. 

If you’re planning a Disneyland trip, this might be a good one to save so you can come back to it while you’re packing or planning.

So, should you stay on site? 

I don’t think so. Unlike Disney World that is like a big city in and of itself, Disneyland is close to a lot of hotels and Airbnbs. Staying on property is fun and definitely something to do once in a while, but you’ll save a lot by staying at a Good Neighbor Hotel or an Airbnb. We love the Residence Inn on Harbor. It’s a 7 minute drive to the Parks and there’s even a shuttle (that costs extra) you can take. We stay in the suite so we have two bedrooms and two bathrooms which is really nice for a tired family at the end of the day. 

There are also a TON of nice hotels across the street from the entrance to Disneyland. They can get a little expensive but the walkability is great! There are TONS of YouTube videos with hotel tours from other creators, so definitely take a look before you go to make sure that the place you’re staying is the right fit for your family.

Now let’s talk about your first day at Disneyland.

Do you rope drop, do you not? If your kids are up and happy, then do it! The excitement is infectious and fun. If they’re still asleep then plan to stay later. Still fun, still infectious, just different.

Now MagicBands, do you need them? MagicBands are just that, kind of like a watch that can get you into the park, make certain things happen in the park, and they even light up along with the fireworks - as long as they are charged. 

MagicBands are fun but not as useful in Disneyland as they are in Disney World so for me, they’re fun but not required.

The first time you walk into the Park on a new ticket, they will take your picture and they may ask for your ID. The ID thing is new and hasn’t happened every time, but be prepared. Every one who has a ticket will need to get their picture taken so be ready for that.

Are you taking a baby to Disneyland? Here are some tips for you:

There are rides you can take baby on. Anything that doesn’t have a height restriction is fair game. But they are always loud and sometimes, like with Pirates of the Caribbean, they have a drop that could be a little scary for baby. I personally think Small World would be lovely to ride with a baby. Or the train. But I’ve seen babies on Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway - that is very loud and has some jerky movements that would be hard for a little baby - and Pirates  - that is dark and loud and I’ve seen toddlers cry the whole time.

There is a thing called Rider Switch though. That is, you and your partner stand in line with the kid that is too small to go on the ride, then one person goes on the ride while the other waits and then the second one goes through the ride. The rules on this often change so definitely Google it before your trip but this is an option.

Are you taking an older kid who is still figuring out this whole potty training thing? Here are my biggest suggestions for that age. 

One - don’t wait in line longer than 20 minutes. Your kid is going to hate it which means you’re going to hate it. Just know, you may not get to ride as many rides as you wanted, but having fun is more important, right? 

Just keep watch on the app to see when the ride you’re looking for has dipped below that line.

And two - go potty any time you walk past a potty or before you get in line. You’ll have a lot of tours of the potties of Disneyland, but your kid will stay dry and you won’t be running.

However, the big stores have underwear for sale if the need does arise.

People often wonder what the perfect age is to take kids to Disneyland. 

While I am a huge proponent of taking them whenever you want, I also think about 7 is ideal. They still believe in a bit of magic. And the new things are so exciting! It’s a great time.

And while we’re talking about 7 year olds, I would bring, or rent, a stroller with any kid under 7. Honestly, my almost teenager would love one if we let him. Little legs get tired and no one wants to carry a bigger kid. Plus you can store your coats and other things in the bottom.

One thing about storing things in your stroller. While people taking stuff doesn’t happen A LOT, it does happen. Have a bag with your personal things, like your wallet and money, that you take with you on the rides, but leave the less important things like blankets and water cups in the stroller. 

Oh and sometimes cast members will move your stroller to organize the area better, so if you think someone might have stolen the whole thing, just look around a bit.

Alright big kid parents. 

Let’s talk for a minute. These kids are less awed by the whole thing. They want snacks. And they want to look cool by riding on bigger rides. This is the age where you are going to be able to walk more. Spend more time in lines. And enjoy each other a bit more. They don’t want to meet characters. They want to eat their weight in churros. Do it. It’s fun!

Though, remind them to eat some protein once in a while. And drink water.

Incredicoaster and Guardians in DCA are pretty thrilling. Space Mountain or Matterhorn in Disneyland are favorites. But the big roller coasters aren’t at Disneyland. These are beginner coasters. The big ones are at Universal or Six Flags. But you can still have fun at Disneyland even as a bigger kid.

I just have one thing to say. If you can mobile order, do it. 

Mobile Ordering is a way to order your food or treats before you get to the restaurant. You can start mobile ordering at 7 am on the same day so if there is a treat that you really want to try, order it before you even get in the Parks. You can choose when you pick it up.

Once you get to the restaurant within your 15 minute window, you click a button on your app and they let you know when it’s ready to pick up.

So much better than standing in line for food too!

Have you heard about Lightning Lane? 

It’s like the old fastpasses where you can basically reserve a time to come back and you don’t have to wait as long. You can get it for the whole day where you can reserve whichever ride has availability - for an extra fee that does change depending on attendance, or you can get individual Lightning Lanes.

If this is the only time you will ever take your family to Disneyland, and you have older kids that will be able to do it the whole day, get Multi Pass. It’s a great way to ride all the rides.

I personally like to use it when the line gets REALLY long and I just really want to ride that ride. Like Radiator Spring Racers. It is an amazing ride! Love it! But the line gets long! So if that’s on my list for the day, I might just get an individual lightning lane for it. And walk past all the people waiting for 100 minutes or more!

Fuel Rods

Fuel rods are a great thing to have in Disneyland. What are they? They’re chargers for your phone. But here’s the best part. Once you get a Fuel Rod, you can exchange it - in Disneyland, nowhere else - for a fully charged one for free. 

And here’s a money saving travel tip:

Order the fuel rods from Amazon. They’re cheaper than in the Parks, but they work the same!

Here’s some interesting facts about Disneyland while you look over your list:

There is a big palm tree in Adventureland that is called the Diego Palm. It is in fact named after a family who owned part of the land that Disneyland is built on. When Walt wanted to buy their farm, they asked that the Palm never be cut down and it hasn’t been.

If you’re in Frontierland, you might notice that you can’t see the Matterhorn. That’s because there are trees planted just right so that you can never see it. That is intentional to keep each land separate.

Oh and in Adventureland, look for the Little Man of Disneyland. We have a reel about this whole story - readysetdepartpodcast on Instagram - but you can see his house outside the Indiana Jones ride.

There is a big piece of petrified wood on the banks of the Rivers of America. Walt got this petrified tree for his wife Lily but Lily, not loving this gift, told him to put it in Disneyland for everyone to enjoy.

And finally, if you don’t like paper straws, bring your own straws because everything you get with your drinks in Disneyland will be paper.

Phew, that’s a lot of information in one place! You might want to save this episode now so you can play along again later or test your kids on the drive to the park!

Remember, send your list into ready.set.depart@gmail.com and if you are one of the first 10 to get them all right, I’ll send you some stickers!

I hope you have enjoyed our rapid fire tips and tricks and our game this week! If you’ve been thinking about taking your kids to Disneyland, do it. It’s magical and fun!

And as always, let’s keep making traveling with your family easier, one trip at a time. See ya next time.