How to get the most out of your vacation to Disneyland

So your kids have been begging you every day for months, "When can we go to Disneyland?" Whether your kids are babies, toddlers, kids, teens or even if the family is all grown up, Disneyland definitely lives up to its title of being "The Happiest Place on Earth." If you have never been to Disneyland before there are lots of secrets to the Magic Kingdom that make your stay much more enjoyable for everyone, and many guests do not know about them.

Many people wonder, when is the best time of year to go to Disneyland? That all depends on what you wish to see and do. Disneyland is much less crowded in the Fall and Spring months, on weekdays when school is normally in session. However the park does not stay open as late, and one misses out on fireworks, Fantasmic! and other nighttime attractions. For a family with small children this is ideal because the little guys are usually completely wiped out by the time the sun goes down, and lines are shorter with the smaller crowds. But if you are a true night person you may want to consider going to Disneyland in the late Spring and Summer months getting more for your admission price, where the park stays open until midnight and the Magic Kingdom comes alive in the dark.

So now that you are inside, what should you do first? There are several options. Disneyland provides guided tours, taking anywhere from between 2-4 hours each and costing anywhere from $16.00 per person to $75.00 per party. The tours introduce you to all of the eight themed lands at Disneyland and also fill you in on several historic and just neat-to-know facts about Walt Disney and his park.

If you would rather be your own tour guide you are not alone. Most people wish to experience the park in their own way. Depending on your group, your course of action may differ. If you have "big" kids you may want to first head straight for the "big" rides such as Space Mountain, Star Tours, Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, or The Indiana Jones Adventure. If you have smaller children, you may want to head for Fantasyland or Mickey’s ToonTown and spend most of your day there. In the first couple of hours after the park opens, lines tend to be relatively short; however they become increasingly longer as the day progresses.

Disneyland has created a free guest service that proves to be very convenient to anyone who does not want to spend all day in lines. It is called the FASTPASS. Here’s how it works: You obtain a FASTPASS by inserting your admission ticket into a machine at the entrance to the attraction. Above the machine will be a sign reading the "return time". For example if it is ten o’clock in the morning, the FASTPASS return time may read 12:00pm-1:30pm. This means that you must bring the FASTPASS back during that allotted time which will be printed on your FASTPASS ticket. You may then walk right up to the front of the line, show it to the employee and you will be allowed to walk right ahead of the others. Now some others may have a FASTPASS during your time as well so there may still be a line, but it is a much more minimal wait. This allows you to enjoy more of the park while you wait for your allotted time to go on the ride. The FASTPASS, however, only works on selected attractions: Space Mountain, Splash Mountain, The Indiana Jones Adventure, Autopia, and Roger Rabbit’s Car Toon Spin. Though that may seem like very few participating attractions, these are some of the most popular rides and the amount of time you save by obtaining a FASTPASS rather than standing in line will allow you to see more of the less popular, but just as exciting, attractions. On a crowded day the average wait for Splash Mountain or The Indiana Jones Adventure can be about 2 hours. FASTPASSes can decrease that wait to less than 10 minutes.

If your kids are searching the park for their favorite Disney characters, check the pamphlet you were given when you entered the park. Usually they list the characters and where they will be throughout the day. Most of the main characters can be found in Fantasyland and are most likely going to be out to greet guests in the morning or late afternoon hours, especially if it is a scorching hot California day. If you want to meet the original Disney characters such as Mickey and Minnie Mouse, Pluto, Donald Duck and Goofy, head out to Mickey’s Toontown. You will find Mickey and Minnie in their perspective houses and the others close by. They are always eager to take pictures or sign autographs but their time out in the park is short, and only the "human" characters such as Belle, The Little Mermaid, Pocahontas or Peter Pan will do the talking.

If you were not able to leave the baby at home, not to worry. Disneyland Guest Services has a Baby Center located at the end of Main Street near the Cinderella castle. Nursing mothers can go there to nurse their babies in quiet, cool rooms with soft rocking chairs. The main room is lined with wooden highchairs for older babies’ mealtime and there is a full supply cabinet with items such as bottles, baby wipes, diapers and rash ointment available for purchase. Access to a sink, microwave and restroom is also available. Disneyland also provides "stroller parking" near attractions, particularly in Fantasyland so you can leave your stroller and take the little one on the ride.

What would Disneyland be without its daily parade? Whether they are celebrating an anniversary or the release of a new film, Disneyland parades are extravagant, beautiful and filled with music. Almost every Disney character makes some sort of appearance in the parade whether they are riding on a float or walking down the street. Many characters will even shake the hands of children in the front row and you can always expect them to wave. Most people gather on Main Street to watch the parade and sometimes wait for hours to secure a front row seat. The parade route actually winds throughout the park and ropes are set up to keep that pathway clear. Some of the best seats you may find are sitting just behind one of those ropes on the ground. Disney employees are scattered throughout the park just before parade time. It never hurts to ask, "Can I sit there?" when you think you spot a great seat. Chances are the answer will be yes unless you are in the direct path of the parade. If the answer is no, ask where you can sit. You are likely to be given good direction.

So by now you are hungry. Where should you eat? Many people pull out their maps and look for the nearest food joint. There are so many varieties of foods at Disneyland you can get anything from soup in a bread bowl to a box of popcorn. Carts are located throughout the park with drinks, ice cream, popcorn and other quick fixes. If you are looking for fine dining, head over to New Orleans Square. Hamburgers, hot dogs, french fries, and chicken strips can be found in many places at Disneyland, but the price is high. Extremely high. Other options may be to bring your own lunch or snacks and store it in a locker found at the front of the park. Or you can exit the park (don’t forget to get your hand stamped!) and eat at a local restaurant close by. Many people find it very inconvenient to leave the park to eat, but sometimes it can be a nice break from all the Disney-ness to get away for half an hour or so, and it’s a lot less expensive!

For most kids the excitement can get overwhelming. Some poop out after only a few hours. Need a break from the heat of the sun or standing in long lines? Go see a show! Disneyland has plenty of attractions where you find yourself sitting in a darkened air-conditioned theater. Attractions such as the "Bear Country Jamboree", "Woody’s Round-Up", or "Honey, I Shrunk the Audience", all prove to be nice places to relax and enjoy fun entertainment the whole family will appreciate. And it will give your little ones (and you!) that second wind.

Well, you can’t leave Disneyland without some kind of souvenir! Your map will tell you where all the shops and merchants are located. If you do not want to spend all day shopping, a smart way to get those souvenirs is to shop on your way out. Allow yourself a good half an hour at the end of your day to shop Main Street. One of the largest stores at Disneyland is the Emporium located on Main Street right near the entrance (and exit) to the park. The Emporium has virtually any and every Disney character in stuffed animal form along with T-shirts, hats and other clothing, picture frames, dishes, games, key-chains, magnets, books and many other specialized souvenirs. It will be crowded-very crowded- if you wait until the last half hour of the day. But for most this is the easiest way to purchase souvenirs because you get them on the way out and do not have to lug them around with you for the rest of the day. Unless, of course, you wish to don your pair of Mickey Mouse ears as you wander around the park.

While these are just some suggestions, they are a pretty good guide to making the most of your day trip to Disneyland. Everyone must choose their own way to satisfy their individual or family needs, but sometimes it saves time and money to know a few little secrets. Good luck, have fun and don’t forget to bring the camera!