How to Plan a Trip to Disneyland

While it is possible to show up at the gates of Disneyland and secure both tickets and a hotel room, it is not a good idea to do so. The Disney Company routinely offers discounts and specials designed to lure tourists to the Disneyland Resort; the three on-property hotels are frequently booked to capacity. Booking early does more than just secure your room; you will get the best possible rate by booking your vacation in advance.

Things You'll Need

• Park ticket

Instructions

1. Visit the Disney vacation planning website and request a free DVD. The DVD will take about a week to arrive, depending on where you live; it will give you an overview of the DIsneyland theme parks and resorts.

2. Watch the DVD when it arrives. Select the Disneyland resort that suits your budget and needs best. There are three to choose from, and each has its own specific style and rates.

3. Check your yearly calendar and select a time for your trip. If you have kids in school or work commitments, select dates that don't interfere with your schedule. If you want to make a budget-friendly Disneyland trip, consider visiting in the winter months; this is considered Disneyland's value season.

4. Visit Disneyland's reservations system to book your hotel reservation. You will be given some package options to review at this time as well. You can book an entire package that includes park tickets, or book just the hotel room and purchase tickets when you arrive. You will need the names and ages of every person you are traveling with to book your trip.

5. Determine if you need to purchase airplane tickets or a rental car for your Disneyland trip, then book these as well.

6. Select restaurants and make dining reservations at Disneyland about six months before your trip. Make any character meal or fine dining reservations well in advance; popular locations book up quickly.

Tips & Warnings

• If you plan on flying to California, research flights and prices a few months in advance to get the best rates.

• Buy your Disneyland tickets in advance to save five percent on each ticket.

• Never buy Disneyland tickets secondhand or through unofficial channels. Fraudulent tickets are frequently offered for sale and will not be honored at the gate.

• Disneyland vacation packages often have travel insurance included automatically. Uncheck this option on the vacation planning page if you do not want to purchase it.

References

• Disney Vacation Planning: Free Vacation DVD
• Disney Vacation Planning Center
• "Los Angeles and Disneyland for Dummies"; Marcy Hertzog; 2010
• Disneyland: Tickets and Reservations