Summer Vacation at the Disneyland Resort!
Summer Vacation at the Disneyland Resort!
By: Nick Sottile
The summer season is upon us at the Disneyland Resort, and with the recent opening of Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge in Disneyland Park (and more exciting offerings!), we thought we’d share some tips and tricks on how to make the most of your visit to Walt Disney’s original Magic Kingdom.
Why Disneyland Resort this summer?
Is that even a question? Although I’m impartial in the belief that every day is a great day to be at Disneyland, the summer months offer some great experiences and magic along the way.
New Experiences: If you haven’t heard, a new, little land called Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge opened in Disneyland Park on May 31st. While some may prefer to wait until the crowds die down, there’s something extra special about seeing a new land when it first opens, and from initial impressions, this one doesn’t disappoint! Heading across the esplanade to Disney California Adventure, check out the Walt Disney World fan-favorite, Mickey’s Philharmagic, which recently opened its doors for the first time to the California crowds. Over in Grizzly Peak Airfield, the classic Soarin’ Over California has returned for this summer only and is a must-see for fans of the original. Finally, if you’re a fan of the Lion King, check out the new Tale of the Lion King, a theatrical outdoor adaptation of the classic film located at the World of Color seating area.
Longer Park Hours: One of the best perks when visiting the parks in the summer is having longer park hours. Most days this summer Disneyland Park will be open until 12 pm-midnight and Disney California Adventure will be open until 10 pm. These are great days to check out Fantastic! and the Disneyland Forever Fireworks (my personal favorite, returning for a limited time only) at Disneyland Park or World of Color at Disney California Adventure. If you’re staying on-site, you can also find Extra Magic Hours at Disneyland on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays, and at California Adventure on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, and Sundays. Be sure to check the Disneyland app before your visit for any changes!
Take a break from the heat:
Don’t let anyone fool you…Disneyland Resort and Southern California can be HOT in the summer. I know, it’s a “dry heat,” but a 90-degree dry heat while waiting in an uncovered Peter Pan’s Flight queue for 60 minutes will get to you. Due to the mostly sunny year-round weather in Anaheim, the Disneyland Resort parks have mostly outdoor and often uncovered queues, so give yourself a break from the sun when you can. Fortunately, the parks and resorts have some great places to take a break or cool down right in the middle of the magic! Here are a few of my favorites…
Disney California Adventure
Carthay Circle Lounge & Tour: One of my all-time favorite restaurants at any Disney property is the Carthay Circle Restaurant (OK, I may be a little biased since this is where I had my wedding dinner) and specifically the lounge is a great place to wind down and have a few cocktails in a wonderfully themed location. But the real treat here is the widely unknown and free (yes, free!) “The Story of Carthay Circle Restaurant” tour. This tour is typically offered daily at 10:30 am…simply keep an eye out for a Cast Member out in front of the restaurant accompanied by a sign advertising the tour. You’ll be given about a 20-minute tour detailing the history of the restaurant, the original building in Hollywood and how it relates to Walt Disney. It’s truly a gem of a tour full of Disney history and gives you a nice break from the hustle and bustle of a typical park day.
Animation Academy: If you make your way down Hollywood Boulevard you’ll come across the Animation Academy, which is a great place to rest up, listen to your favorite Disney songs, and have some fun in the process. While there aren’t as many benches and seating areas inside as there used to be, this is a great place to get into some much-needed air conditioning and enjoy clips on the giant wraparound screens of your favorite Disney songs from animated movies. Once you rest up, you can veer off from the lobby and take an animation class, enter the Sorcerer’s Workshop, meet Anna & Elsa, or join Turtle Talk with Crush, all great indoor and interactive experiences!
Honorable Mentions…Grizzly River Run, Frozen: Live at the Hyperion & The Lamplight Lounge
Disneyland Park
Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln: Located in the Town Square section of Main Street U.S.A., this 15-minute stage show is a great way to get a break from the heat, sit in an air-conditioned theater, and watch Abraham Lincoln as one of Disney Imagineering’s most impressive Audio-Animatronics. (Fun Fact: Different iterations of this show have been featured in Disneyland Park since 1965, after it was originally showcased in 1964 as part of the State of Illinois Pavilion at the New York World’s Fair).
Mark Twain Riverboat: One of the more relaxing places to take a break in Disneyland Park is on the Mark Twain Riverboat, located across from the entrance to Big Thunder Mountain Railroad in Frontierland. This 18-minute boat ride around the Rivers of America offers some great views of the recently renovated shoreline and has a small, mostly enclosed seating area on the top deck that serves as a great resting (and napping!) place.
Honorable Mentions…Splash Mountain, The Tropical Hideaway (Hello, Dole Whip!) and Mickey & The Magical Map
The Resorts
Hotel Lobby at Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa: Quite possibly my favorite mid-day retreat at the Disneyland Resort is right in the middle of the hotel lobby at the Grand Californian Hotel & Spa (only a 5-minute walk from either park entrance). Similar in design to Wilderness Lodge at Walt Disney World Resort, the six-story lobby offers a ton of comfortable couches and seating areas to rest on, all while listening to some great Disney music often being played by the resort’s pianist. Done resting? Head over to Storytellers Cafe, inspired by California folklore, for a great buffet with character dining.
Honorable Mentions…Afternoon Tea at The Disneyland Hotel
Dates to keep an eye on:
Let’s face it, there are little to no quiet months in the parks anymore, and Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge has probably put an end to any that were left. While the busy summer months can require a little more planning and touring strategy, there are a few events happening at the Disneyland Resort this summer to be aware of that could impact your visit….
4th of July Holiday: If you’ve ever experienced the 4th of July at Walt Disney World, then you probably know what to expect. Disneyland Resort is not much different and if you’re traveling to the parks on or around the 4th, be sure to get there early. Disneyland Park will typically meet capacity very early on in the day and remaining guests will be asked to go to sister-park, Disney California Adventure. If you like being there for the rush, go for it. If you have the flexibility to avoid it, good idea!
CHOC Walk (Sunday, August 11th): This is an excellent organization that brings the community together with the goal of raising funds for health care programs, education and research for Southern California’s kids. This 5K is typically finished before the park opens, but it brings tens of thousands of extra individuals to the Resort, which can often clog up traffic around the property. We’ve personally tried to brave the crowds a few times, and found ourselves stuck in our car for 2+ hours in an attempt to park at the Mickey & Friends Parking Garage. My advice? Avoid this day if you’re looking to rope-drop the parks.
D23 Expo 2019 (Sunday, August 23-25th): The ultimate Disney fan event continues this year between 8/23-8/25, and with a wealth of exciting new announcements and presentations comes with just as overwhelming crowds. Many Expo-goers, specifically those from out-of-town (myself included!), will combine their Expo trip with a few days at the theme parks, so you can expect to see some heavier than normal crowds both before, during and after the 2019 expo dates this year.
Helpful Disneyland Resort Touring Tips:
Resort Accommodations:
One of the biggest recommendations that I can’t stress enough is to stay either close to the resort or on-site, especially in the busy summer months. Parking at the resort can be a pain on those busy summer days and having the option of a hotel in a 10-minute walking distance can provide some much-needed relief on those hot summer days. Unlike Walt Disney World, the Disneyland Resort only has 3 hotel options if you want to stay on-site…The Disneyland Hotel, The Grand Californian Resort & Spa, and Disney’s Paradise Pier Hotel. All are great options, give you the advantage of Extra Magic Hours (one-hour early access to the parks) and are in walking distance to both gates. If you decide to stay off-site, there are some excellent Good Neighbor Hotel options that are not only at a much more economical price than the Disney hotels, but many even closer to the parks.
Arrive Early:
If you’re an early morning riser, be sure to get the parks for rope drop and before the heat sets in. The first few hours of the day at Disneyland Resort typically have extremely low crowds, even during the summer (though Galaxy’s Edge will likely cause an increase this summer). The majority of Disneyland park-goers are locals and most locals don’t arrive for rope drop, so make the most of the first few hours of park opening and enjoy the rest of your day!
MaxPass:
At $15/day per person, Disney MaxPass (purchased on the Disneyland App) can be a valuable add-on depending on how you and your party prefer to tour the parks. This will allow you to immediately book a FASTPASS for your party on your smartphone once you enter the parks. You can continue to book a new FASTPASS once you reach your next eligible window, and more importantly, there is no need to rush around the parks on a hot summer day in order to reserve your next FASTPASS (for those unfamiliar, both Disneyland parks still use individual FASTPASS kiosks outside of each attraction). If you’re interested in seeing either nighttime spectacular, Fantastic! or World of Color, both can be reserved via the MaxPass system and will not count toward your current FASTPASS (if you’re not using MaxPass, you can still pick up a FASTPASS for both shows outside either The Little Mermaid in California Adventure or near the Frontierland dock in Disneyland Park). Bonus? MaxPass also comes with unlimited PhotoPass downloads. It’s also worth noting that Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge attractions will not be participating in the MaxPass or FASTPASS system for the foreseeable future.
At the end of the day, this is a great summer to visit the Disneyland Resort with tons of new and exciting experiences. There is no right or wrong way to tour the parks, only what works best for you and your party. My biggest advice? Take some time to slow down and appreciate the details — remember you’re in the only park where you can walk in Walt’s footsteps.
Have your own tips for visiting the Disneyland Resort this summer? Let us know in the comments below!
Need help booking your next (or first!) Disneyland Resort trip? Then look no further than Once Upon A Time Travel! They are the official travel agent of the Disney Nerds Podcast! Also, they’re fee-free so it doesn’t cost anything extra for their expert advice!
