We recently just returned from a fun packed trip to visit friends back in Los Angeles. So we thought it would be fun to spend one day at Disneyland. Back when we lived in Los Angeles we had Disney Season Passes and would go quite a bit. The nice part was that with a 3 year old at the time, we would just go for part of the day, see the princesses, ride a few kiddie rides and go home. So planning for one day with a now 8 and 6 year old was quite a bit different! The other difference was after moving to the South we have had a few trips to Disney World, and usually map out our itinerary weeks in advance and if you haven’t been to both parks, Disneyland is totally different!
For starters Disneyland has 2 parks, the main Disneyland park and California Adventure. Disneyland is half the size of Disney World, so while it is a bit rushed you can do both parks in 1 day! Both entrances are literally right across from each other, so no need to take a bus or monorail to get to the other. So that is a time saver. The other difference is the fast passes. At Disney World you plan out your fast passes months in advance, at Disneyland you can’t book a fast pass until you enter the park. When you purchase your ticket you have the $10 Max Pass option which includes the photo pass and the ability to book fast passes from your phone. Once you enter the park you can book your first fast pass and then an hour or so later you can book your next fast pass, and continue throughout the day. Most of the fast pass selections were gone by about 6 pm when we went, but I’m sure varies with how busy the park is that day. You can also get fast passes at the front of some of the attractions.
My husband would probably say his favorite thing was the new Guardians of the Galaxy Ride. It’s basically Tower or Terror but with a few modifications and of course the ride and atmosphere being all about Guardian of the Galaxy. I had one who was a little scared but then said he loved it after! If you ask the kids what the best part was, I’m sure they would say the cars ride or star wars. If you ask me what my favorite thing was this trip to Disneyland….the Food & Wine Festival of course! If you haven’t been to Disney during the Food and Wine Festival I highly recommend. At California Adventure they have multiple food stands, I think about 16 with all different flavors from around California. Everything from a wine tasting stand to all things avocado! We had the beef tenderloin sliders with a chimichurri sauce, a cheese and nut plate, a salmon poke, a nacho plate and I’m sure I’m forgetting something but it was all really good! Of course we topped it off with some wine and local craft beer. For a foodie like me it was a fun way to top off the day!
Overall we had a great day but if you have the time plan for 2 days and enjoy both parks!