How to Avoid Long Lines at Disneyland

One source of frustration for many visitors at

Disneyland is the long lines for the rides. You can

literally spend several hours of the day standing in

line to ride popular attractions. These lines can be

avoided in one of three ways.

Get to the park early. The lines are shorter in the

morning when the park first opens. Instead of

jumping in line for the first ride you see, head for the

rides that you really want to ride the most – the

most popular rides. Another option is to purchase

FastPass tickets for the rides that offer them. Again,

do this early to ensure that you get to ride those rides

earlier in the day.

The third option to avoid long lines at Disneyland is

to ride many of the popular rides later in the evening,

while the majority of people are enjoying the

entertainment. Disneyland has nightly entertainment,

and this is a good time to find shorter lines. Of

course, it will mean that you probably miss the

entertainment, so if you can use one of the other

options for shorter lines at Disneyland, you should

Disneyland Surprises For Yourself and Loved Ones

If you would like to surprise someone who will be

traveling with you to Disneyland, you can easily do

this by using the Disneyland Vacation Planning

Service. This service has many different services that

can be performed for you, but one of the best ones is

the Surprise service.

Simply contact the Vacation Planning department,

and tell them who the surprises will be for, which

Resort hotel you will be staying at and what your

budget is for the surprises. You will also need to tell

them when you would like the surprise deliveries to

be made, and what type of gifts you are interested in.

They will also want to know who the favorite Disney

character is of the person that you want to surprise.

After providing all of this information, your credit card

information will be required. You can be sure that the

amount charged to your credit card will not exceed

your surprise budget that you have set. This is a great

way to add more value to your Disney experience, and

to constantly experience great anticipation of the next

Take a Disneyland Tour

No Disneyland Vacation can be complete without a

Disneyland tour – especially if it is your first trip to

Disneyland. There are currently four different tours

to choose from, and Disneyland park admission is

required for all tours. It is strongly advised that you

make a reservation for the tours that you wish to go

on.

Disneyland’s Discover the Magic Tour may be the

most popular of the four. This tour will have you and

your family working with Disneyland characters to

find clues and hunt for treasure. You can literally live

out a Disneyland fantasy with your family and loveable

characters, outsmarting the Disney bad guys! This

tour includes lunch and an exclusive gift that can only

be obtained on this tour.

The Discover the Magic Tour lasts for about three

hours. There is a two ticket minimum, and the cost

is $49 each of the first two tickets, with additional

tickets costing $39. The tour is appropriate for the

5 – 9 year old age group, and adults. The tour is

not really suitable for children under the age of five,

or for children who need strollers.

The VIP Tour lasts for about four hours, and costs

$75 per hour for a party of up to ten people. You

must book this tour well in advance, or there will be

an additional twenty dollar fee. The tour is not

recommended for children, but is designed more for

people who have a true love and interest in Disney

and Disneyland history.

The Welcome to Disneyland Tour is absolutely

perfect for first timers. There are many benefits to

this tour, including priority seating at one of the stage

shows, tips and suggestions for getting the most out

of your Disneyland vacation, a brief history of the

park, priority seating at one of the many restaurants,

instruction in using FastPass, two bonus FastPass

tickets, and much more. This tour lasts about two

and a half hours, and costs $25 per person.

A Walk in Walt’s Footsteps focuses on the vision of

Walt Whitman, and is not really suitable for small

children. Filled with history and trivia about the park,

this tour lasts for more than three hours, and costs

$49 per person. The main feature of this tour is your

peek at the exclusive Club 33.

Again, you should definitely consider making one of

these tours part of your Disneyland experience –

especially if this will be your first trip to Disneyland.

You may see things and learn things that you would

not see or learn without the benefit of the tour!

Personal Comfort at Disneyland

There is no better way to ruin your Disneyland

vacation than trying to walk around with blisters on

your feet! It is vitally important that you wear

comfortable shoes that are already broken in. You

will be doing more walking than you normally would

when you visit Disneyland.

It is also important that you bring a change of

clothing. You can rent a locker at Disneyland to

store your extra clothes. You can rub your thighs

raw if you ride water rides in denim shorts, then try

to walk around while you dry out! Enjoy the water

rides – but then go change into dry clothing! Bring

extra shoes as well. Walking around in wet shoes

is not only uncomfortable; it can also contribute to

blisters.

More than blisters can cause discomfort. Some

people simply are not used to being on their feet all

day. If your feet are tired and sore at the end of the

day, soak them in cool water with Epsom salt. This

will offer more relief than soaking them in hot or

warm water. After a good twenty minute soak, your

feet will feel refreshed and ready for more walking!

Disneyland Baby Centers

Disneyland is a place for everyone, and at

Disneyland, they have thought of everything –

including the babies. The Disneyland Baby Center

is located on Main Street, behind the Plaza Inn.

This is not a babysitting service. Instead, it is a place

where you can attend to your babies needs.

There are several characters present in this area,

and their purpose there is not only to amuse your

baby, but also to help you attend to your baby’s

needs. This area has rockers, where you can rock

and breast feed your baby. No men are allowed in

this room, but they are allowed in other rooms within

the Baby Center. You can warm a bottle or a jar of

food, and clean bottles as necessary. Baby changing

tables are available, and the entire center is very

clean and comfortable. There are even smaller toilets

for children who are being potty trained.

You can also purchase emergency baby supplies at

the Baby Center. Diapers cost about a dollar each,

and several different types of formula and baby food

are kept in supply, although the selections are l

imited. This is Disneyland’s way of making sure that

the needs of every guest – no matter how small they

may be – are attended to.

Disneyland Purchases – Package Express

One of the nice guest service features at Disneyland

is the Package Express service. This will allow you

to make purchases, and not have to carry them

around with you all day! Can you imagine trying to

hold all of your packages, your kids, and ride the

rides?

Instead, have your purchases sent to the Newsstand,

which is located near the exit. This Package Express

purchase allows you to pick your packages up as

you are leaving the park. If you stay till closing, note

that the pickup line will be very long. You should plan

to leave at least an hour earlier than you had originally

planned if you have packages to pick up.

You can also have your purchases sent directly to

your hotel if you are staying at one of the Resort

Hotels. This offers even more convenience, because

you won’t have to leave the park earlier, or stand in

the package pickup line. Another option is to rent a

locker, and put all of your purchases in it until you

are ready to leave. However, this means that you will

have to walk back to the locker after each of your

Tips for Planning a Disneyland Vacation

For many people, planning a Disneyland Vacation

is part of the fun of the vacation itself! For others,

however, it can be a headache. Before you start

planning your vacation, determine whether or not you

are really up to planning the trip yourself or not.

If you don’t want to plan your own trip, you have

several options. Of course, you can have a travel

agent make all of the arrangements for you, but for

the best Disneyland experience, you might be better

off using the Disney Vacation Planning Services.

Either way, you can have every single aspect of your

trip planned for you. Once you get there, all you will

need to do is follow your Itinerary.

If you prefer the fun involved in planning your

Disneyland vacation yourself, there are some things

that you absolutely must not leave out of the planning

stage. Before you can decide what you will be doing at

Disneyland, you must determine which dates you will

be there. The parks offer different things at different

types of the year, with many different themes and

entertainment to choose from.

Once you know when you will be at Disneyland, the

next step is to figure out what you will be doing each

day that you are there. Once you’ve set up your travel

arrangements and your hotel reservations, there are a

few more things you must consider.

Food is one thing you might want to arrange in

advance. Disneyland is a very popular place, and

having reservations at some of the more popular

restaurants is recommended. These reservations can

be made well in advance – before you ever leave home.

When planning which attractions at Disneyland you

want to visit, use a map of Disneyland as a guide.

This will make it easier to schedule time for

attractions that are near each other. You want to see

and do as much as possible, so as much walking or

travel time as you can.

Keep your budget in mind. Often, by making

arrangements through travel agents or through the

Disneyland Vacation Planning Services, you will be

able to get better deals – which can save you money.

Look for these deals, and save as much money as

you can on your hotel and food. If you have small

children with you, keep their priorities in mind – they

have less interest in where they will sleep and the

food that they will eat, and more interest in what they

Disneyland Ticket Security

You must have your Disneyland ticket in order to

enter the park. You must also have the ticket to get

FastPass tickets. Because this ticket is so

important, it needs to be kept in a safe place. Along

with the Disneyland ticket, you also need a safe

place to keep money or the Disneyland Merchandise

Card.

A wallet or purse is not very practical at Disneyland.

Instead, you should purchase a FastPass holder –

even if you don’t get any FastPasses. This is a small

plastic pouch that hangs from a cord, which is worn

around the neck. These can be purchased at

Disneyland, and they are very inexpensive.

If you think you might not want to spend a little bit of

money on the FastPass holder, you should consider

what a new Disneyland ticket will cost. If you lose

your Disneyland ticket, you will not be allowed to

enter the park the next day without purchasing a new

ticket. When you look at the small cost of the

Disneyland FastPass holder, you will see that it is

Start Your Day At Disneyland in Fantasyland

Any guidebook you read will tell you that you should

begin your day at Disneyland enjoying the attractions

found in Fantasyland. There are several important

reasons as to why this advice is given, and it is

advice that you should strongly consider following.

Fantasyland is one of the most popular areas at

Disneyland because there are no age or size

requirements. The only height restriction is a 35

inch requirement for the Matterhorn. As the day

progresses, Fantasyland will fill up. Getting there

first thing in the morning will help you avoid the long

lines that others will encounter later in the afternoon.

None of the attractions in Fantasyland have

FastPass. This is another reason as to why you

should go there first. FastPass allows you to more

or less ‘set an appointment’ to ride certain rides –

but none of the attractions in Fantasyland have this

option. Cover Fantasyland first, then go get

FastPasses for the other attractions that you want

to ride.

The crowds and the lines will start growing within a

few hours of Disneyland opening each day. Make

sure that you arrive before the park opens so that

you can be one of the first ones through the gate –

and head straight to Fantasyland before going

anywhere else.

Since all of the guidebooks suggest this, many

other early risers will also be headed for Fantasyland.

Even so, the lines won’t get really long for two or

three hours, and by then, you will have already ridden

all of the rides there.

From Fantasyland, you should start collecting

FastPass tickets for the other attractions that have

FastPass throughout the park. It is best to collect

these early in the day – the longer you wait, the l

onger it will be before your appointed time comes

around, depending on how many FastPasses have

been issued for each ride.

While you are waiting for the appointed time for your

first FastPass, you should enjoy other attractions,

visit the shops, or get a snack. Times between

FastPass appointments are great for visiting the

restrooms or sitting down to rest with a cool

beverage.

Just remember that in order to enjoy the most

attractions at Disneyland you should start with

Fantasyland, followed by gathering FastPass tickets.

Enjoy other attractions between FastPass attractions,

but make sure that you don’t put yourself on such a

tight schedule or such a rigid itinerary that you forget

to have fun! Some people simply like to spend some t

ime wandering around the park.

Entertainment at Disneyland

There is always something to see or do at

Disneyland, but Disneyland adds to this with nightly

entertainment during the peak season, and weekend

entertainment during the off-season. There is also

special entertainment during special occasions, such

as the Fourth of July and Christmas.

Fantasmic is held twice each night during the peak

season, and on weekends during the off-season.

The show takes place on Tom Sawyer’s Island, and

features many characters, music, and fireworks. For

the best seating possible, purchase tickets for

Fantasmic in advance, but note that free seating is

also available, and is included in your Disneyland

park admission price.

The Parade of Dreams features large colorful floats

accompanied by many Characters. This parade

takes place twice each day. During the parade, the

entire parade will stop three times to do a

choreographed show, and most of the Disney

Characters are portrayed in the Parade of Dreams.

In the Fantasyland Theater, you can see a musical

of Snow White. This show is held several times

throughout the day. This show should not be missed

– especially if you love Snow White. Since the show

is held several times each day, reservations are not

necessary.

These are just a few of the shows that are available

at Disneyland. Again, entertainment is an ongoing

thing at the park, with each day bringing something

new. One thing that you can definitely count on, of

course, is the fireworks! The fireworks show is held

late each night – before the park closes for the day.

Even if you can’t stay for the fireworks, you can

probably see them out of your hotel window! Try to

get a view of the Fireworks from in front of Sleeping

Beauty’s Castle for the greatest effect. The fireworks

on the Fourth of July are out of this world.

To find out if there are any special shows or events

during the time that you will be at Disneyland, visit

the website, call the park, or ask your travel agent to

find this information out for you. You may also want

to inquire about special events during specific

months, so that you can plan your stay at

Disneyland for those days.

Most entertainment is provided free of charge, and is

part of your admission price. However, special

seating, or priority seating usually requires a fee, as

well as a reservation. Some events require an

admission price that is separate from your park

admission. Again, check the website, call the park,

or discuss events and fees with your travel agent

when planning your Disneyland vacation.

Disneyland Weddings

Your wedding day is the happiest day of your life.

Wouldn’t it be wonderful to have the happiest day of

your life at the happiest place on earth? Of course it

would – and Disneyland has made that possible with

Disneyland Weddings.

Women start dreaming of their weddings from the

time that they are little girl’s. Now, you can really

have a fairy tale wedding that is truly unique,

romantic, and enchanting – and you can have your

very own ‘happily ever after’ wedding day at

Disneyland. Disneyland weddings include a magical

ceremony and a creative reception that you can’t

find any place else on earth.

You won’t have to stress over the details. Like

Cinderella, you can have your very own God Mother

to take care of the details – although in this case, it

will actually be a fairy God Planner.

Disneyland weddings are not last minute events.

The planning stage starts one year before the date

of the wedding with a meeting with the Disney

wedding planner, a site tour, and a selection of the

possible locations for the wedding. Eleven months

before the big day, the letter of agreement must be

signed and returned with a deposit. At ten months,

announcements are mailed out to the guests who

are to be invited.

Eight months before the big day, the planning steps

up. Planning sessions are held by phone or in

person with the wedding planner, and ceremony and

reception event orders are prepared. Everything starts

falling into place, and the planning continues until one

month before the big day. Final payments are due

thirty days before the wedding date, and the final

guest count is due four days before the wedding is

to take place.

Everything is planned with your input, and all of the

details are handled without any stress being placed

on the happy couple. Flowers, invitations, and

catering are all included. After a ceremony that will l

ive in your memory forever, you and your new spouse

will enjoy the reception of your dreams.

The reception will be handled by a white gloved staff,

complete with elegant resort table settings, a head

table, floor length linens, and place cards. Your

wedding cake will be like nothing you could imagine

in your wildest dreams, selected by you from a variety

of choices.

There are also honeymoon packages available at all

of the Disneyland Resorts. From start to finish, your

Disneyland wedding will have all of your dreams

coming true, so you and your spouse can start your

road to happily ever after.

How to Dine With Disneyland Characters

If you really want to delight your child – or yourself –

you should arrange to have a Disneyland Character

meal. This will allow you and your whole family to

have quality time with one or more of the

Disneyland characters. In fact, this is the best

way to really get to interact with them for any

length of time.

Start by making a reservation. This can be done

through the Disneyland Vacation Planning Services

Department. Reservations can be made up to sixty

days in advance, so don’t leave this to the last

minute. Make these reservations while your

Disneyland vacation is being planned.

Character breakfasts take place each morning at the

park. You do not need a reservation for these meals.

These breakfasts take place in many of the parks

restaurants, but Goofy’s Kitchen is a great place to

start. It is located in the Disneyland Hotel, and there

are dishes to please everyone. Children under three

years of age get to eat free, which should be

considered when you are planning the budget for

your trip. Goofy is always there, with Pluto, but

other characters come and go all throughout the

day. You should definitely make reservations for

Goofy’s kitchen, as it is quite popular, and the wait

can be very long.

If dining with Princesses is important, than Ariel’s

Grotto is the place to be. Serving three course meals,

this is elegant dining that both kids and adults can

enjoy. Each princess will come spend a little time at

your table during your meal – one at a time.

Reservations for Ariel’s Grotto are also recommended.

This is one place in the park where both alcoholic and

non-alcoholic drinks are served.

The Storyteller’s Café is another place that is highly

recommended for Character Meals. Characters are

only here during breakfast, however. While time is

not spent at each individual table, the Characters do

interact with the children as a group. Both buffet and

menu dining are available, and again, reservations

are recommended. Lilo and Stitch also have a

Character Breakfast, as does Minnie Mouse.

Breakfast with Minnie and Friends is extremely

popular, so make reservations.

You should definitely include a Character Meal or

two in your Disneyland Vacation plans. This is

something that your child will remember forever and

interacting with the famous Disney characters that

we all know and love is part of what Disneyland is

all about! Be sure to make reservations as far in

Disneyland and Disabilities

Even if you are confined to a wheelchair or on

crutches, you can still enjoy Disneyland. If you are

on crutches, you should consider renting a

Disneyland Scooter to get around the park. The

rental fee is $35 per day, with a $20 deposit. A valid

driver’s license is required, and you must be

eighteen years old or older.

You can also choose to rent a wheelchair, which is

not electronic. The rental fee for a wheelchair is $8

per day, with a $20 deposit. You do not have to rent

your wheelchair or Scooter from Disneyland. You can

choose to rent the apparatus from a private company,

and have the wheelchair or scooter delivered to your

hotel room. You may find that it is cheaper to rent

from a private company, as opposed to renting from

Disneyland.

All of the restaurants and shops are wheelchair

accessible, as are the entertainment areas. When it

comes to wheelchairs, your problem will be

accessing some of the rides. Some rides are not

appropriate for people who are in wheelchairs,

while others are perfectly suitable. For instance, you

will not be able to enjoy Donald’s Boat, Sailing Ship,

or Tarzan’s Tree house.

However, there are many attractions that you can

enjoy, such as The Disney Gallery, Disneyland

Monorail, the Disneyland Railroad, the Tiki Room,

The Golden Horseshoe, It’s A Small World, Mark

Twain Riverboat, and Tom Sawyer Island. Some

attractions will require you to be transferred from your

wheelchair, such as Alice in Wonderland, Indiana

Jones, and the King Arthur Carrousel.

Cast members and service personnel will be happy

to help with Guest wheelchair transfers, and if you

should lose a wheelchair or scooter that you’ve rented

from Disneyland, simply show the ticket for the

wheelchair or scooter, and Disneyland will happily

supply you with another one. However, if you lose a

wheelchair or scooter that was rented from an outside

company, Disneyland will not be able to help you

replace it, and you may have to pay the rental company

the full value of the chair. This is something to consider

when you are trying to decide whether to rent from

Disneyland or a private company.

Whether you can enjoy a ride in your wheelchair, or

you must be transferred from your wheelchair to the

ride, you can actually enjoy most of the rides at

Disneyland. Do not allow the fact that you can’t walk

around the park keep you from planning a Disneyland

Vacation. Again, Disneyland was designed with

Celebrate Birthdays At Disneyland

If you want to celebrate your birthday, or the birthday

of a child at Disneyland, you can easily do this – and

it doesn’t even have to be done on the exact date of

birth! Start celebrating by going to City Hall, which is

located in Town Square, upon your arrival to

Disneyland. Here, you will receive a Birthday Sticker

or button. This sticker tells everyone on at Disneyland

that you are to receive special treatment.

On your birthday celebration day, make sure that

you eat in one of the full service restaurants, and that

you order the Birthday Bucket. It will be full of

Disney treats, and it includes a cake. This costs

around twenty dollars. Eat breakfast at Goofy’s

Kitchen and you can get a Birthday Bag for five

dollars.

There are many ways to enjoy your birthday at

Disneyland. You will receive special treatment from

all of the Disney Characters in the park. This can be

a memorable birthday celebration for you or your

child – so make sure you take lots of pictures, and

don’t be shy about telling people who work at the

park that it is your birthday – if they don’t notice

Disneyland Vacations for Toddlers

Disneyland was designed for kids of all ages – and

toddlers are no exception! There are many things

that you can enjoy with your toddler – so many

things in fact, that unless you will be staying for

several days, you won’t have time to do them all.

Start with Toon Town. Here is where you will find

your toddler’s favorite Disney Characters, including

Mickey and Minnie Mouse. All of the Characters

have homes in Toon Town, full of things that will

amaze your toddler, and make them laugh.

Your toddler will definitely enjoy the Disneyland

Railroad. This is a great way to get around the park,

because there are stations in New Orleans Square,

Toon Town, Tomorrowland, and on Main Street. This

will amuse your toddler, and give you a chance to

see some sights and rest a bit.

Its A Small World is very appropriate for toddlers.

Music and colors will keep your child mesmerized

while you enjoy a relaxing ride across the water. The

Storybook Land Canal Boats is another good choice,

as it will take you through the miniature villages that

your child will be quite familiar with from their story

books.

Rides that you and your toddler must not miss

include all of the rides in Fantasyland, King Arthur’s

Carousel, Dumbo the Flying Elephant, the Circus

Train, and the Mad Tea Party. Rides that are

appropriate for youngsters, but that may cause a

little fear are the rides that are dark. These include

Peter Pan’s Flight, Pinocchio’s Daring Journey, Alice

in Wonderland, and Snow White’s Scary Adventure.

Buzz Lightyear is a popular ride for all toddlers.

There are other areas of the park that have

attractions and rides that are appropriate for toddlers.

Remember that Disneyland is a place for kids of all

ages. Pay attention to the height and age requirements

for each attraction, and avoid taking your toddler to

rides that they will not be able to enjoy. This will only

cause your child disappointment.

Stick to the areas where the toddler appropriate

attractions are located as much as possible. As an

adult, you realize that some rides are simply not safe

for small people – but your small person will not

comprehend this! Your Disneyland vacation should

be enjoyable for everyone, and Disneyland has

made sure that there is something for everyone at

the park. It is up to you to keep your child happy,

and to keep them interested in the rides and

attractions that they are meant to enjoy.

The Disneyland Hotel

For the ultimate Disneyland vacation, you should

definitely stay at the Disneyland Resort Hotel. With

990 rooms in three high rise towers, this is the

original Disney Hotel, located in Downtown Disney.

If you want to truly experience all that Disneyland

has to offer, you must stay at the Disneyland Resort

Hotel.

The guest rooms in the Disneyland Hotel are

astounding. Offering standard rooms and suites,

each room has either a king size bed or two queen

size beds, room service, phones with voicemail, irons,

ironing boards, refrigerators, hairdryers, make up

mirrors, and safes. Cribs and roll away beds are

available, as well as smoking and non-smoking rooms.

The rooms are even sprinkled with Pixie Dust! For

families, the suites are highly recommended. Suites

contain one, two, or three bedrooms, and have all

of the amenities of a standard room as well.

The Concierge service at the Disneyland Hotel

cannot be topped. Concierge service entitles you to

priority check-in, admission to an exclusive lounge,

a continental breakfast, an evening wine and cheese

reception. Nightly turn-down service is included, as

well as DVD players and complimentary movies.

You will also have an unlimited supply of bottled

water and soft drinks. The Concierge serves to

make your vacation as enjoyable and trouble-free

as possible.

Disney touches are everywhere, and this is the

closest you can actually come to living in Never Land.

The swimming pool even has a Never Land theme,

and there are several cove pools and a sandy beach.

The hotel also features a children’s playground, a

volleyball court, and Koi fish ponds. The recreational

area encompasses a 5000 square foot area inspired

by Peter Pan. There are many scenic waterfalls,

tropical foliage, and mysterious caves on the property.

There is even a Team Mickey work out room full of

state-of-the-art gym equipment.

At the Disneyland Hotel, you will feel like your

Disney experience has truly already started as soon

as you walk in the door. This is where the famous

Goofy’s Kitchen is located, as well as The Captain’s

Galley, The Coffee House, Crocs Bits ‘n’ Bites,

Granville’s Steak House, Hook’s Pointe, The Wine

Cellar, and The Lost Bar.

When you stay at the Disneyland Hotel, your

vacation continues even after a day of sight seeing

and attractions in the park. In fact, your Disneyland

vacation begins each and every morning when you

wake up in the Magic Kingdom that the Disneyland

Disneyland Magic Music Days

Disneyland has always contributed to the education

of young people in one way or another. This tradition

is continued with the Disneyland Magic Music Days

program, which is an educational program for

students of music, vocal arts, or dance.

Your group has the opportunity to showcase your

talent and to improve even more in a setting that

promotes learning – and you can have fun doing it!

The program is available all year, and is open to

schools, studios, and other organizations worldwide.

Auditions for the program are required.

There are many workshops held to help improve the

specific talents of each member of your group. These

workshops are taught by professional actors,

choreographers, comedians, dancers, composers,

singers, arrangers, musicians, and conductors.

Where else will your group have access to

professionals in these fields – all in one place? To

sweeten the pot, many of these professionals are

famous in their fields, performing in both Hollywood

and New York, among other famous places in the

world.

Instrumental groups can audition to perform on one

of the Disneyland stages. Marching bands can

audition for the famous Disneyland parades. Along

with performing in the happiest place on earth,

which is an experience you will remember and talk

about your entire life, you will also receive the

benefits of world-class workshops, conducted by

world-class professionals. Vocal groups and dancers

audition to perform on one of the Disneyland stages,

and are also offered the world-class workshops

designed for vocalists and vocalist groups or dancers.

This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for your group.

The performance alone will be unforgettable, but the

information that these young performers will learn in

the workshops is invaluable. Instrumental groups

and marching bands will benefit from the

soundtrack/instrumental workshop, the soundtrack

jazz workshop, the tune in seminar, and the

percussion workshop.

Vocalists are offered the industry show choir

workshop, academy show choir workshop, the

academy vocal workshop, the industry vocal

workshop, and the express yourself workshop.

Dancers can take advantage of the industry dance

workshop, academy dance workshop, and the

express yourself workshop. There is something for

all performers as Disneyland Magic Music Days!

Each member of each group will receive an 8 x 10

glossy picture of their entire group, dressed in

performance attire, in front of the Sleeping Beauty

Castle. Although you won’t need any help

remembering your time at Disneyland Magic Music

Days, you can share this photo with your friends

and loved ones when you return home from the most

unforgettable performance you will ever have!

Get More Out of Your Disneyland Vacation With

FastPass

You don’t want to spend your entire Disneyland

Vacation standing in long lines. This can be avoided

by using Disneyland FastPass. FastPass can be

obtained from machines located near the rides that

accept FastPass. This doesn’t mean that you get to

immediately move to the front of the line. It is more

like scheduling an appointment for the ride later in

the day – at which time you actually will move to

the front of the line. In the meantime, you are free

to go enjoy other sites and rides around the park.

When you obtain a FastPass ticket, you will be

given a one hour time in which to enjoy the ride. For

instance, your FastPass ticket may say 11am to

12pm. This means that you can show up and move

to the front of the line between the hours of 11am and

12pm. You must have your Disneyland ticket in order

to obtain a FastPass ticket.

At Disneyland, FastPasses are available for Indiana

Jones, Splash Mountain, Big Thunder Mountain

Railroad, Roger Rabbits Cartoon Spin, Autopia,

Space Mountain, and Buzz Lightyear.

When Is The Best Time To Be At Disneyland?

When you are planning your Disneyland vacation,

you should note that some days are better than,

others at the park. The days that you choose to be

there will depend greatly on whether you are more

interested in attractions or entertainment – or both.

For instance, Tuesday’s, Wednesday’s, and

Thursday’s are the days when you will have shorter l

ines for the attractions, because there will be fewer

people there. On the other hand, the entertainment

on those nights cannot compare to the entertainment

that is offered on the weekends. If entertainment is

important, plan your visit to Disneyland for the

weekend.

If you will be at Disneyland for several days, however,

plan to ride the attractions on Tuesday, Wednesday

and Thursday, and then enjoy the entertainment, as

well as the other things the park has to offer on the

other days. If you are visiting during the off-season,

you should note that entertainment usually isn’t

offered on weekdays. Also remember that the park

really fills up as the day wears on, so try to ride the

attractions in the morning if possible!

Disney Dollars and Disneyland Merchandise Cards

When it comes to kids and money, we all know what

happens. The money either gets spent the wrong way,

or it gets lost. With Disney Dollars and Disneyland

Merchandise cards, you may be able to cut down on

some of this.

Disney Dollars work just like cash at Disneyland.

They can be used anywhere in the park, and at

certain hotels. They can even be used at local

Disney stores in your area. The Disneyland

Merchandise Card works more like a credit card. The

amount of money you load on the card is how much

is available. All of this fits quite nicely into the

FreePass holder, so there will be less chance of

losing the dollars or the card.

You can also purchase a Disneyland Resort Gift

Card. This card can only be used at the Disney

Resorts, as well as stores that accept credit cards

at Disneyland. These cards also make great gift

items for anyone who loves Disneyland, or for

anyone who is planning a trip to Disneyland. This is

a great way to budget money for souvenirs as well

as snack items while at Disneyland.

Christmas at Disneyland

Christmas is one of the happiest times of the year

for a child. Spending the happiest time of the year,

at the happiest place on earth, could be a dream

that comes true for many children and adults.

Christmas at Disneyland is an experience that will

never be forgotten, and can never be matched.

Disneyland works to make Christmas very special.

Santa’s Reindeer Roundup is especially fun, allowing

children to decorate Christmas cookies with Mrs.

Clause, play Reindeer Games, and make holiday

souvenirs. Between seeing all of the characters

dressed up in their holiday costumes and enjoying

the ‘snow’ after the Fireworks, Christmas at

Disneyland cannot be topped!

Make sure that you visit the Christmas Shoppe and

buy a special holiday ornament. Also, take part in

all of the special holiday rides. Visiting Disneyland

at Christmas time is unlike any other Disneyland

vacation you will ever take. Make sure you get a

picture of the Christmas tree!

Even though Christmas is considered to be

‘off-season’ you should be prepared for crowds.

Christmas is a very popular time to visit

Disneyland. Make reservations well in advance.

Family Reunions at Disneyland

Everyone looks forward to family reunions – and who

doesn’t love Disneyland? You can bring the two

together by having your family reunion at the happiest

place on earth. It is really easier than you might think

to arrange this!

Start by calling the Disneyland Vacation Planning

Services Department. Let them help you book rooms

at the Resort hotels, and admission tickets to the park.

You should be able to get discounts on the tickets by

purchasing them in bulk.

The specific service that you need to accommodate

all of your family members is the ‘Happiest Place on

Earth Picnic.’ This service is offered year round, and

includes admission to the park for your entire party.

You also get a choice of fully catered meals for the

event. For 100 – 300 people, your event can be held

at Big Thunder Ranch. For 300 – 1000 people, the

event will be held at the Festival Arena.

If there are less than 100 people in your party, you

may not be eligible for the catering services. This is

at the sole discretion of Disneyland, and you will

need to discuss this with Guest Services or the

Planning Services Departments. If catering is not

available, reservations in the many restaurants can

be made instead.

You may be able to get a discount on your family

member’s rooms at the Resorts as well, if you book

well in advance, hold your event during the off-season,

and book a block of rooms. Airline tickets for those

who will need to fly to Disneyland should also be

purchased well in advance, and in bulk for additional

discounts.

Again, allow Disneyland Vacation Planning Services

to help you with the arrangements, and use a travel

agent to handle any arrangements that planning

services doesn’t cover. For best results, choose one

family member to work with the planning services

and the travel agent, and relay information back and

forth between the services and the family members.

Having one person collecting and sharing information

will cut down on a great deal of confusion and

misinformation when you are trying to make travel

arrangements for a large number of people.

It may take work and planning, but in the end, this

will be one family reunion that will never be forgotten.

Talk with the Vacation Planning Services Department

to find out what other services are available to make

this an even more special experience for you and

your family members. The Surprise services would

Pamper Yourself at Disneyland

You may think that Disneyland is only about fun,

excitement, and activity – but you would be wrong.

Disneyland is also about relaxation and pampering.

The pampering you receive at Disneyland may not

be the same that you would receive at a world class

spa, but it is relaxing and makes you feel special

just the same.

The easiest way to get pampered on your Disneyland

vacation is to book your room at one of the

Disneyland resorts, and upgrading your room to one

that includes Concierge services. The difference in

the price may startle you a bit, with rooms costing

up to $300 per night, but the service you receive will

be out of this world.

First, your room will be much nicer if you have the

Concierge service. You will have free bottles of water,

soft drinks, coffee, and tea at all times. You will be

able to check in and out faster at the Concierge

check in counter, and a nightly turndown service is

included.

Access to the Concierge lounge is where the

pampering really starts! You will enjoy a continental

breakfast in the lounge each morning. You can also

opt to take your breakfast back to your room. In the

afternoon, while the kids watch Disney Videos, you

will enjoy a wine tasting in the lounge as well.

There are many more perks available with the

Concierge service, differing at each resort. To

determine whether the Concierge service will benefit

you and your family, call the resort that you are

considering, and simply ask what perks are included

with this service. Ask to be connected with the

concierge desk to ensure that you are getting

accurate information.

Again, the cost of this upgrade is a bit high, but

when you close your eyes and dream of all of the

pampering and special treatment that you and your

family will enjoy, and you tally up the cost of the free

breakfast and drinks, you may find that the cost is

well worth it. In fact, depending on the size of your

family, you may even discover that the value of the

free breakfast and the free drinks even makes the

entire Disneyland trip a little less expensive for you!

Once you’ve experienced the Concierge Service on

a trip to Disneyland, you may not be satisfied with

anything less on future Disneyland trips. The

service is out of this world, and can only serve to

make your trip more relaxing and enjoyable.

Getting Around Disneyland with Your Toddler or

Baby

As a parent, you already know that you don’t want

to have to carry your child around in your arms all

day. You couldn’t possibly make it through the day!

You also can’t expect your child to walk all day long.

The obvious choice is to have a way to transport your

child – without wearing you or the child completely

out.

Strollers are not only welcome at Disneyland, they

are highly recommended. In fact, Disneyland rents

strollers for a reasonable fee. Strollers can be rented

for less than $10 for the day, and you can get a huge

discount on a second stroller if it is needed. The

strollers are clean and well-maintained, but they do

all look alike. Tie something on the stroller, such as

a brightly colored ribbon, to help identify it from all

of the other strollers in the park.

Never leave your child unattended in the stroller, and

never leave any material items of any value in the

stroller either. Even if you bring your own stroller,

you should have some easy way to identify it – there

will be other strollers that look just like it at

Where Are The Disneyland Characters?

A Disneyland vacation would not be complete

without the Characters that we all know and love so

well. Often, however, people leave Disneyland

disappointed – simply because they never found

their favorite character. The key to finding the

characters you love is in knowing where to look for

them in the first place.

Start with the Character Breakfast. Here, you will

probably see Sleeping Beauty, Cinderella, Snow

White, Mary Poppins, Jasmine, Ariel, Minnie and

Mickey Mouse, and many others. If you miss your

favorites at the breakfast, don’t despair – simply go

find them! Many characters will be on hand, right

inside the gates, to greet you as you arrive in the

morning as well.

Start in Toon Town, where all of the Disney

Characters live. Visit their homes to see if you can

get a glimpse of them. Go early, while they may still

be at home! Be sure to visit Goofy’s Kitchen as well,

since many characters pop in and out throughout the

day. If you’ve been through Toon Town, and you still

haven’t seen your favorite character, your next stop

should be Fantasyland. Different characters can be

located telling stories throughout Fantasyland.