This 2023 Disneyland trip planning information covers what’s new & subsequent, when to go to to keep away from crowds, greatest eating places, lodges in Anaheim, money-saving ticket ideas, Halloween & Christmas within the parks, and extra. It’s an amazing useful resource for first-timers to Southern California or lifelong WDW followers. (Updated January 1, 2023.)
Rather a lot is altering as Disneyland enters the brand new 12 months. Normally, the subsequent couple of months can be the low season, except vacation weekends and different dates right here and there. That received’t be the case in Winter 2023, with the 100 Years of Wonder celebration in honor of the corporate’s one hundredth Anniversary kicking off on January 27, 2023 and bringing with it new nighttime spectaculars in each Disneyland and DCA, plus way more.
We are Magic Key Passholders who go to Disneyland and DCA repeatedly to refine this information (and our different Disneyland posts) to offer you the perfect data. In addition to park visits, we do frequent resort stays, plenty of consuming, and testing of Genie+ and Lightning Lanes in addition to different technique for beating strains on the parks. If you need to obtain updates when reductions are launched, new issues are introduced, and so forth., signal as much as obtain our free Disney e-mail publication.
Before we get to the nuts and bolts of Disneyland trip planning, let’s supply some fast background. Disneyland is “Walt Disney’s original magic kingdom.” It’s the fortress park that debuted in 1955 and paved the best way for different such theme parks across the globe.
However, it’s the one park that Walt Disney himself set foot in and had an energetic position within the growth of. Beyond its historic legacy that makes it a California establishment, Disneyland is extremely attraction-dense, with sufficient rides to fill two full days or extra (for those who’re so inclined).
Directly throughout from Disneyland is Disney California Adventure (DCA), the second gate of Disneyland Resort. DCA is ostensibly impressed by the Golden State, however is extra only a catch-all park with some sights having a imprecise California connection and others being pushed by Marvel, Pixar, and different Disney franchises.
In addition to the Disneyland and Disney California Adventure theme parks, Disneyland Resort is residence to Downtown Disney and three official lodges. Downtown Disney is a buying, eating and leisure district simply exterior the 2 parks. The aforementioned resorts are Paradise Pier Hotel, Disneyland Hotel, and Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel–which is straight linked to DCA. The entirety of Disneyland Resort is walkable, with no transportation apart out of your ft wanted to get wherever inside the property.
Now let’s dig into planning, beginning with what’s new and subsequent at Disneyland Resort in 2023…
What’s New & Next at Disneyland
The largest change of the final year-plus is that paid Lightning Lane line-skipping changed free paper FastPass. Everything you’ll want to know, together with experience priorities, the place it’s NOT mandatory to purchase Genie+ or Lightning Lanes, and way more is roofed in our Guide to Genie+ and Lightning Lanes at Disneyland and DCA.
We’ve used Genie+ and Lightning Lanes a number of occasions, and canopy our experiences and technique there. If you’re a Walt Disney World common, the excellent news is that Genie+ is way simpler to make use of at Disneyland. It’s nonetheless not fairly nearly as good as MaxPass, however thanks to higher experience capability and the introduction of recent options, it’s significantly better.
In phrases of recent rides, the largest comparatively current addition is Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge and its two sights, Millennium Falcon Smugglers Run and Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance. The latter is Disneyland’s largest blockbuster addition since 1995, a contemporary masterpiece of Imagineering that’s immensely in style and well-worth the multi-hour waits.
Over at Disney California Adventure, the newest growth is the Avengers Campus Marvel Land. This options one experience, one restaurant, meet & greets, and buying. It’ll additionally showcases a Stuntronics Spider-Man, which is a sight to behold.
As famous above, 2023 will kick off with the Walt Disney Company’s one hundredth Anniversary, generally known as the 100 Years of Wonder Celebration at Disneyland Resort on January 27, 2023. On that date, two new nighttime spectaculars debut–World of Color: One at Disney California Adventure and the Wondrous Journeys fireworks at Disneyland. But that’s not all–Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway will open in Toontown! The land itself will formally reopen a bit over a month later, on March 8, 2023.
If you’re curious in regards to the specifics of different additions on the horizon, seek the advice of our What’s New & Next for Disneyland in 2023. This offers you an thought of when you would possibly need to go to for those who’re nonetheless selecting dates, looking for the perfect time by way of particular occasions, new rides, and extra.
More is coming in 2023 and past, however these are the principle issues to know. Now, let’s get all the way down to enterprise: what you’ll want to plan a Disneyland trip…
When to Visit Disneyland
The single most necessary a part of planning a visit to Disneyland is figuring out when to go to. Our completely free 2023 Disneyland Crowd Calendars supply daily guides as to when the parks will probably be least busy and busiest.
Our crowd calendars are influenced by quite a lot of elements, together with advertising and marketing, reductions, park hours, new attraction openings, particular occasions, Anaheim Convention Center occasions, and even climate (good or dangerous). We attempt to maintain our Disneyland crowd calendars up to date to mirror adjustments in attendance traits.
If you’re on the lookout for one thing easier, we even have the Best & Worst Months to Visit Disneyland listing, which ranks each month of the 12 months. Even extra to the purpose, this covers our 3 favourite weeks of the 12 months to take a Disneyland journey. That’s extra qualitative, and thus extra helpful on this period of reservations and the parks hitting capability.
Our crowd calendars and month by month rating assets have been up to date to consider altering attendance patterns introduced on by Magic Keys, make-up journey, discounted SoCal tickets, returning leisure, and extra. Crowds have already modified, and we are going to proceed to watch and replace accordingly sooner or later. Just be warned that crowd calendars are much less dependable proper now on account of pent-up demand, capability limits, and all the pieces else.
As for seasonal occasions, we have now two favourite occasions of 12 months. Going in chronological order, we’d advocate contemplating Halloween–take a look at our Ultimate Guide to Disneyland at Halloween for help planning a visit throughout that particular time of 12 months. We’re already wanting ahead to the return of Oogie Boogie Bash – A Disney Halloween Party, which will probably be again for September and October 2023.
Before solidifying your journey dates, you’ll additionally need to take a look at our 2023 Disneyland Refurbishment Calendar to verify any must-do sights received’t be closed for renovations throughout your go to. Keep in thoughts that the longer term standing of many initiatives–together with refurbishments–is up within the air.
Beyond crowds, the largest consider selecting when to go to ought to be seasonal occasions. There are lots of nice occasions of 12 months to go to Disneyland, however our favourite by a large margin is the vacation season at Disneyland.
Read our Ultimate Guide to Disneyland at Christmas to be taught extra about what makes this time of 12 months so particular–and see pictures of the parks in all of their Christmas glory!
Where to Stay
There are a ton of choices by way of the place to remain close to Disneyland: Good Neighbor Hotels, official Disney resorts, close by lodges inside driving distance, sprawling resorts in close by seaside cities, and extra.
For most trip planners, the choice comes down to picking amongst Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa (our favourite!), Disneyland Hotel, and Paradise Pier Hotel, or one of many cheaper lodges on Harbor Boulevard. We cowl the professionals and cons of every alternative in our Where to Stay at Disneyland: Off-Site v. On-Site Hotels publish.
There’s additionally a brand new on-site perk for visitors staying at any of the three official Hotels of Disneyland Resort. See our Guide to Early Entry at Disneyland for what you’ll want to learn about this pre-park opening entry to Disneyland and DCA.
If you’re on the lookout for one thing extra thorough, we’ve stayed at each on-site Disneyland lodge and many of the Good Neighbor Disneyland lodges and different off-site lodges inside strolling distance of the Disneyland Esplanade.
All of those are coated in our Rankings & Reviews of the Best & Worst Hotels Near Disneyland. This publish ranks ~50 lodges close to Disneyland at which we have now stayed, together with room pictures, execs & cons, and different helpful data. That additionally particulars methods to rating an excellent deal on a lodge that’s near Disneyland.
Park Tickets
Our Money-Saving Guide to Disneyland Tickets is a big useful resource with suggestions on what sort of Disneyland tickets you can purchase, together with what number of days, whether or not you need to get Park Hopper, and the place you should buy Disneyland tickets to avoid wasting cash.
There are some nice presents proper now–we advocate bundling park tickets and your lodge keep to avoid wasting much more, particularly with the third and 4th night time free specials at lodges close to Disneyland. These package deal offers can prevent some huge cash.
For the overwhelming majority of visitors visiting Disneyland, we advocate the Park Hopper ticket possibility. This means that you can bounce forwards and backwards between the 2 parks all through the day, which is straightforward to do on condition that their a couple of soccer discipline aside.
The sensible upsides of that is beginning on the park that opens first and ending your night time on the park open later (Disneyland is usually open 2 hours later than Disney California Adventure). You may eat within the park with the eating choices you favor, seize a beer in DCA (there’s no alcohol in Disneyland exterior of Oga’s Cantina in Star Wars Land), and benefit from the nighttime spectaculars in each parks.
Disneyland Strategy & Itineraries
There are over 75 sights between Disneyland and Disney California Adventure. On a traditional day, the common visitor will solely expertise 10-11 of these. It would thus take you not less than 6 days to expertise all the pieces within the two theme parks, assuming you didn’t need to re-ride something. Obviously, not many individuals are devoting over every week to their Disneyland trip.
As such, we’ve developed a number of step-by-step Disneyland touring plans, every of which can allow you to effectively expertise the parks, whereas additionally having fun with their leisurely choices and environment. More to the purpose, you’ll be capable of do 20+ rides per day–and skip those not price your time.
Here are our greatest and really helpful itineraries:
- Disneyland 1-Day Itinerary – Only have in the future to go to Disneyland? This is a step-by-step plan of assault for which sights you need to do, the place you need to eat, what to see, and extra. This covers all of Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, together with Rise of the Resistance.
- Disneyland 2-Day Itinerary – Same thought, however unfold over two days. We advocate most visitors allocate two full days to Disneyland.
- Disney California Adventure 1-Day Itinerary – Unlike Disneyland, DCA is less complicated to completely expertise in a single day. This touring plan contains technique for beating the crowds at Radiator Springs Racers, Guardians of the Galaxy: Mission Breakout, Web Slingers Spider-Man Adventure, and extra!
We are at present engaged on extra multi-day itineraries for journeys of 4+ days at Disneyland Resort. For now, for those who plan on spending extra time at DCA, seek the advice of our Disney California Adventure Ride Reviews & Guide. The article opinions each attraction at Disneyland, giving every a numerical rating out of 10, plus highlights key sights that we take into account the perfect ones, which ought to be prioritized in case you have restricted time.
Our Disneyland Ride Reviews & Guide does the identical factor for the fortress park, in case you need to spend 3+ days there. (Which you completely may, particularly now that Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge is open!)
Dining at Disneyland
Food is half the enjoyable at Disneyland. Both parks have nice eating places, iconic snacks, decadent desserts, and nice drinks. We sometimes go all-out when visiting the parks, doing breakfast at one of many lodges (or generally within the park), adopted by a mid-morning snack, counter service lunch, and desk service dinner.
The stereotype that every one Disney meals is unhealthy meals like burgers and sizzling canines is fully false. Disneyland has cheap distinctive eating choices in addition to costly wonderful eating. Good eating might help outline a visit! Read about which eating places are greatest & worst, and see meals pictures in our Disneyland Restaurant Reviews.
Beyond full meals, we have now a number of assets that may enable you plan memorable meals at Disneyland. If you will have youngsters, we extremely advocate consulting our Disneyland Character Dining Guide, which covers the perfect character buffets within the lodges and parks.
Looking for the perfect fast meals? Our Top 10 Disneyland Counter Service Restaurants listing ranks the perfect meals within the fortress park, whereas our Top 10 Disney California Adventure Counter Service Restaurants listing presents the identical for DCA.
Want to have enjoyable together with your meals at Disneyland? Our Top 10 Delicious Desserts at Disneyland covers scrumptious treats, together with some hidden gems, plus model new gadgets and recently-added eating places in Downtown Disney!
If you’re into ingesting, we even have posts about a number of of our favourite lounges: Trader Sam’s, Lamplight Lounge, GCH Craftsman Bar, and Carthay Circle Restaurant. The final one is especially noteworthy as a result of–along with the lounge downstairs–the restaurant upstairs is the perfect in-park restaurant in both park.
Transportation
Should you fly or drive to Disneyland? Rent a automobile or use public transportation? What about getting round Southern California? There are a ton of questions you might need, and our Guide to Disneyland Transportation covers all the pieces you’ll want to know, answering these questions for you primarily based on our first-hand experiences visiting Anaheim as vacationers and dwelling close by as locals.
If you’ve already selected flying to California however aren’t certain of the professionals & cons of every possibility, take a look at our Guide to Airports Near Disneyland. That covers the strengths and weaknesses of the 5 airports in Southern California which might be comparatively handy to Disneyland.
In a nutshell, our robust advice can be flying into SNA (and even LGB) over LAX. Even if the flight is a bit more costly, it’s price it. Not solely is SNA nearer to Disneyland, however LAX has tons of chaos, development, and crowds.
We like LAX and its eclectic vitality, nevertheless it’s greater than a bit overwhelming for a first-timer. If you’ve by no means been to Southern California or a big metropolis like Los Angeles, it may be a bit a lot and begin your journey off on the fallacious foot. Meanwhile, SNA is laid again and quiet. If there have been an inventory rating the perfect airports for napping, it might be close to the highest and LAX can be close to the underside.
In addition to this, SNA is way nearer to Disneyland than LAX, which makes it simpler to easily take an Uber or Lyft from the airport to wherever you’re staying close to Disneyland. In most circumstances, we’d advocate rideshare over renting a automobile on the airport, because the overwhelming majority of lodges close to Disneyland now cost for parking. So not solely will you be paying to lease the automobile, but additionally to park it.
The overwhelming majority of lodges close to Disneyland are inside strolling distance, so that you received’t want a automobile in the course of the theme park portion of your journey to Southern California. If you’re staying at one of many lodges we advocate in Anaheim, it’s actually counterproductive to drive to Disneyland for the reason that parking constructions are all farther away than many of the close by lodges.
If you’re venturing past Disneyland to one of many locations mentioned beneath–and we strongly advocate that you just do–whereas visiting Southern California, our recommendation can be to e-book a rental automobile in Anaheim. There are quite a few rental automobile corporations inside strolling distance of Disneyland, and most supply one-way leases to the close by airports. Walk over to a kind of in your checkout morning, decide up your rental automobile, and proceed your California journey!
We do not advocate counting on rideshare for those who’re heading to Los Angeles. However, for those who’re doing Laguna Beach or one other coastal neighborhood, a rental automobile is probably not wanted in any respect. Many coastal cities have free trolley service that’s incredible. Simply take an Uber or Lyft from Disneyland to wherever you’re staying within the seaside cities.
Southern California BEYOND Disneyland
If you need to enterprise past theme parks, you’re in luck. Southern California is likely one of the greatest locations on the planet to go to! Thanks to Los Angeles, San Diego, and the seaside cities in between, there’s a ton to do within the space.
In addition to this web site, we have now non-Disney weblog: TravelCaffeine with assets for on an eclectic mixture of the locations the place we’ve lived or visited extensively. California is one such emphasis, as we’ve spent a ton of time exploring our residence state. If you’re planning on heading to LA after Disneyland, be sure you take a look at our Ultimate Guide to Los Angeles.
While LA is likely one of the best cities on the planet, we’re significantly keen on Laguna Beach. It’s residence to the perfect stretch of coast in California, has small-town attraction and persona, and tons of issues to do. To that time, see our Ultimate Guide to Laguna Beach, California for in depth recommendation. If you’re feeling overwhelmed by the concept of visiting Los Angeles, then Laguna Beach is for you!
In addition to those planning assets, we additionally give away a free eBook, 101 Things to Do in Southern California over on TravelCaffeine, so be sure you obtain that completely free useful resource!
If you’re considering of visiting different theme parks in Southern California, we even have guides to these…
Universal Studios Hollywood Trip Planning Guide – In just some years, USH has reworked and improved dramatically. The opening of the Wizarding World of Harry Potter was the ‘big’ factor, however many different additions have made this an amazing park. Our favourite new attraction is Secret Life of Pets: Off the Leash, a brand new family-friendly darkish experience. (Read our overview of it in Universal’s New Dark Ride Rivals Disney’s Best!) Next up in early 2023 is Super Nintendo World.
The Studio Tour is our favourite attraction, which is a 45-minute plus tram tour via the working backlot of Universal’s studio. If you might be solely on this Studio Tour, you would possibly broaden your potential choices past simply USH, and likewise take into account the Warner Brothers Studio Tour and Sony Pictures Studio Tour as alternate options.
Guide to Knott’s Berry Farm – An Orange County establishment that proudly proclaims itself as “America’s 1st Theme Park.” Really, Knott’s is a story of two theme parks. It has trendy curler coasters and different fare for thrill-seekers. Thematically, this leaves quite a bit to be desired.
Then there are the quainter areas, paying homage to Frontierland at Disneyland. We love these areas–and the park’s annual Boysenberry Festival. All issues thought of, we love each Knott’s Berry Farm and Universal Studios Hollywood, and along with Disneyland Resort, these 4 gates make for an amazing theme park trip in Southern California!
Other Disneyland Planning Resources
Now that we’ve coated the necessities to make sure you have an amazing journey to Disneyland, we have now a bunch of different assets that may information you thru the planning course of to make your go to to Disneyland extra pleasing, serving to you save money and time. Armed with all of this information, you’ll have a significantly better trip.
Disneyland Discount Guide – There are quite a lot of methods it can save you cash on a visit to Disneyland. From trip packages to Costco reductions to low season share off reductions to even reductions for army personnel, this web page covers each manner you would possibly be capable of lower your expenses on a visit to Disneyland!
If you’re on the lookout for a fast option to save on a complete trip package deal, lots of our favourite lodges close to Disneyland could be booked through Get Away Today at a reduction. If you bundle tickets into your lodge keep, you’ll get a fair higher deal. You can verify package deal costs right here.
What to Pack – Packing for Disneyland is akin to packing for any trip, however with a number of twists. Here’s our listing of “unordinary” gadgets to pack that may assist improve your Disneyland journey!
Guide to Downtown Disney – We form of gloss over it right here, however Downtown Disney is a large space inside Disneyland Resort’s safety perimeter. You can simply depart both park and get to certainly one of these eating places for a meal…or a few of the greatest ice cream you’ll ever have…in beneath 10 minutes.
Our 101 Best Disneyland Tips – This shouldn’t be almost as structured as our different recommendation, however the following pointers supply nice recommendation and generally obscure little issues that may enable you go to the parks like an area. This is extra granular recommendation than what you’ll discover in our different planning articles, however we’ve had lots of constructive suggestions from readers who actually received much more out of their journeys due to these ideas.
Tips for Buying Discount Disney Gift Cards – Want to avoid wasting not less than 5% on each single factor you purchase at Disneyland? These hacks are for you. Some are comparatively easy and simple (like utilizing the Target RedCard) whereas others require a bit extra effort.
Renting DVC Points to Save Money on Accommodations – This is written from a WDW perspective, however there are additionally Disney Vacation Club villas on the Grand Californian. Booking there is usually a problem (it’s extremely in style), however it can save you a ton of cash in case your timing is true and also you get fortunate.
Best Credit Cards for Disney Travel – Leveraging bank card rewards could be an effective way of getting free airfare or lodge rooms, and there are a number of choices close to Disneyland you could e-book at no cost due to signup bonuses.
Between this weblog and TravelCaffeine.com, try to be completely coated with what you’ll want to know for those who’re serious about visiting Disneyland Resort and Southern California someday in 2023 or 2024. We can’t encourage folks sufficient to present Disneyland a strive, particularly Disney followers who’re biased in direction of Walt Disney World as their “home” park. Disneyland is a very totally different, way more relaxed expertise. It’s intimate in each measurement and really feel, and is oozing with historical past and unbelievable sights.
I may go on for pages and pages about why I really like Disneyland, and why everybody owes it to themselves to go to Disneyland, however hopefully it is a good-enough leaping off level. If you’ve by no means been to both Walt Disney World or Disneyland Resort, it’s an excellent place to start out as we try and weigh the strengths and weaknesses of every in an unbiased method. If all of that is nonetheless overwhelming otherwise you need customized suggestions for Disneyland Resort, click on right here to get a trip quote from a no price Authorized Disney Vacation Planner.
Your Thoughts
Are you planning a Disneyland Resort go to now that the parks have reopened? Thinking about visiting for the beginning of the 100 Years of Wonder Celebration early in 2023? Or, will you wait till Halloween or Christmas? Have you already visited Galaxy’s Edge and achieved Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance? What about Avengers Campus? Are you excited for the debut of Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway or the reimagined Toontown? What in regards to the different comparatively new additions, resembling Incredicoaster or Guardians of the Galaxy – MISSION: Breakout? Have you beforehand visited Disneyland? Have any ideas of your personal so as to add? Any questions you continue to have that this information didn’t reply? We actually respect reader suggestions and your ideas, so please share within the feedback beneath! ????