Disneyland is one of the busiest places on earth.  From eight o’clock in the morning to midnight this magical place is full of thousands of people ready for an experience they will never forget.  Many people that make this trip to Disneyland want a successful and a memorable experience without wasting time and exhausting their credit card.  The key to making this dream come true is very simple- plan ahead and follow a couple of these tips from my previous experiences at Disneyland, and your trip can be a success.

  The first step is to plan a couple of months ahead or at least a month to buy tickets and reserve a hotel room.  In order to search for the best deals, you need to look at seasonal specials that Disney offers on their websites for tickets and their hotel resorts.  If the season that you are attending Disneyland has specials that do not benefit your budget, then you can go on websites such as Expedia, Priceline, etc. that give special deals on hotel rooms around Disneyland and their hotel resorts. One way to save money on tickets is getting tickets at Valley’s First Credit Union where they give special discounts on Disneyland tickets for just having a bank account with them and AAA Insurance gives out discounts to their members.  Another option is looking at Costco’s vacation for special family packages to Disneyland.  To compare deals to make sure you are getting the best deal is surfing the web and comparing prices at all traveling websites.

  The second step is to research the opening and closing hours of the park, special events taking place, shows, fireworks, places to eat, and rides that your group or family is interested in.  This way you can get an idea of what you really want to experience in Disneyland and you won’t decide last minute when you are in the park wasting time and arguing with your family or group.

  The third step that can save you money and time is looking up the weather and buying small snacks and drinks the day before you leave.  Looking up the weather beforehand can give you an hourly look on the weather in Disneyland from morning to midnight. Depending on if it gets cold or there is a weather surprise, then you can bring  jackets or any items needed with you to the park. This saves you time as you will not have to buy an overpriced sweater or you will not need to run back to the hotel to get any necessary items.  Bringing small snacks and drinks can just be your life saver in Disneyland.  If you bring your favorite drinks on this day, you will not have to pay four to five dollars for a soft drink or a bottle of water that only cost a dollar at a regular store.  Furthermore, you will not have to waste time on your way to a ride to get a drink when you are thirsty and if you are in line for a ride, you can have something to drink as you wait. However, just remember that Disneyland does not allow glass bottles in their park. A small snack can keep you from going hungry and giving you a boost of energy as you are running around going from ride to ride in the park.  One great thing about a small snack is that you will not have to spend money on expensive snacks and you can eat something if you get stuck in a long line.

  The fourth step is that the night before you should get lots of sleep, take a shower, put the items you will need for Disneyland in your backpack, and prepare your clothes for the next day. This will help you be on time, remain stress-free, and well rested for the exciting day that awaits you. This is also a perfect opportunity to make sure you have your entire group or family’s phone numbers just in case you get lost or separate. The next thing to do is to gather your group or family and set up a time to wake up and depart from the hotel, so that you can arrive on time to the park. The last thing you want to do is to get a Disneyland map and plan out at least the first rides you want to ride and a place to eat lunch at. 

  These are some final tips to save time and money in Disneyland:

• One theory that is recommended when you go to the opening of the park is to go to the left instead of the right because people tend go to the right when they enter the park. This way, you will avoid a big crowd.
• Download the free Disney Parks Mobile Magic App on to your phone. This App gives you all the information you need for show times and maps of the park.  The App’s best feature is that it tells you what the waiting time for all the rides are and what is closed in the park. This feature can help determine what rides you should go on next after each ride, so you can go on many rides and save time.
• Get fast passes every other hour to help you save time and not wait in long lines.
• Eat lunch between gaps between fast passes.
• Go on the most popular and long waited rides during parades and popular shows because there will be very short lines or no lines at all.
• If you do not care much for fireworks, then going on rides during this show is the best time because the lines for rides are empty.
• When you see a souvenir that you like get it when you see it because it will be hard finding the same exact item at another shop and you will waste time finding it.
• If you love amusement park snacks and food, but do not want to spend a lot of money satisfying all of your cravings, then split the cost of food between friends and share. Sharing items in this way will give you a taste of everything and you will also save money.