If it’s outside your budget, look at our Disneyland Area Hotel Reviews and pick a hotel that’s a 10-15 minute walk to the parks. If budget is no issue, we recommend staying at Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel for your visit. If you need comprehensive help for planning every aspect of your visit to Disneyland Resort, from where to purchase discount tickets to transportation from the airport and more, read our Disneyland Resort Trip Planning Guide. If you’re only after our ride ratings and reviews of each attractions, read our comprehensive Best Disney California Adventure Attractions & Ride Guide post. On a really busy day, you might not be able to finish this entire touring plan… Note that this assumes moderate crowds ( check out our When to Visit Disneyland post for more on crowd levels). In other words, this is a rough blueprint of our favorite things to do in an “ideal day” at Disney California. Slowing down to stroll through the neon of Cars Land or Pixar Pier at night, or having some lobster nachos during a midday break. DCA is the second gate–the ambiance park–at Disneyland Resort, and that’s how its best enjoyed.
It continues our series of single-day park plans designed to answer the frequently asked question, “what would you do if you only had one day in Disney California Adventure?” While this itinerary offers an efficient plan, we try to balance quantity with quality. This updated 1-day DCA itinerary for 2024 as a result of our research and experiences in the park. We’ve visit Disney California Adventure regularly, monitoring wait times and fine-tuning our strategy accordingly. Consequently, this has caused changes in guest behavior, with certain attractions now having longer-and shorter-wait times than before. There’s also a park reservation system in place, overhauled Annual Pass program called Magic Keys, Park Hopping is limited to afternoons, and virtual queues have been eliminated (except for World of Color, where one has been added). Major changes have occurred–in particular, FastPass is now paid (see our Guide to Genie+ and Lightning Lanes at Disneyland & DCA) and some entertainment is still dark. Fortunately, things are almost entirely back to normal…or rather, new normal, at DCA. This DCA itinerary has been overhauled multiple times following the park’s reopening. This covers attractions, restaurants, shows, including the new Marvel land, Avengers Campus. And if you're interested in saving, there's no better list than our 53 Ways to Save on your Disney trip from start to finish.Our 1-Day Disney California Adventure itinerary offers an efficient plan for park touring & strategy for minimizing time waiting in lines, maximizing rides, and avoiding crowds at Disneyland Resort’s second theme park. Even without those bonus hours, you’ll need to know Rope Drop Strategy at Disneyland and Rope Drop Strategy at Disney California Adventure.įinally, before you head out, be sure to check out our to-the-point packing list, 10 essentials you forget to pack for every Disney trip. If you can get access to Extra Magic Hour at Disney California Adventure or Extra Magic Hour and Magic Morning at Disneyland, you’ll have the most time in the parks.
We always recommend arriving at the parks early. And just as important, know how to get on the best rides without the wait with our Disneyland and Disney California Adventure FASTPASS and MaxPass Strategy! For the complete guides to a day at the park, we have a One Day Disneyland Itinerary and a One Day Disney California Adventure Itinerary.
Know what to ride with our: Disneyland Rides Guide and Disney California Adventure Rides Guide. As for tickets, check out where to find discount Disneyland tickets. When it comes to hotels, we’ve got reviews of all three Disney hotels: Disneyland Hotel, Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa, and Disney’s Paradise Pier Hotel. If you're still picking dates, we've got everything you need to know about Disneyland crowd calendars.
Just starting out? Check out our Disneyland Planning Guide. Updates to All Posts Coming Soon! All Your Other Disneyland Planning Questions Answeredĭon't be overwhelmed by Disneyland planning! Take a second to check out our most important content and you'll not only be an expert, but you'll save big $$$ along the way.