Signing you up...
- Download the Disney App. It’s a great app with an interactive map of shops, dining, entertainment, facilities and attractions, Disney Fastpass, information about queue times, character location times, and much more. Disney App enabled us to easily navigate the park, although please note that there isn’t Wi-Fi coverage everywhere in the park
- Pack Disney costumes. This helps avoid children wanting to purchase costumes at Disneyland: the average price there is around US$60
- Let Disneyland know on arrival if you’re celebrating a child’s birthday – then all the characters will make an extra effort to notice them throughout the day
- Wear comfortable shoes, with Jandals as a back-up
- Pack a spray bottle for water, or a fan, and an umbrella for rain or shelter. Water costs around US$3.50 a bottle in the park
- Take a backpack with a change of kids’ clothes
- Buy or take a book for character signing
- Try to get character signing and photos done in one day, or use the Disney PhotoPass Service
- Buy a Fastrack ticket early in the day to the 8.15pm World of Color evening show and eat beforehand
- There’s an off-peak firework show during weekends at 9.30pm (check the seasons)
- Pre-book for Character Dining at 9-9.30am. Character Dining gets entry priority vs the main queue. Check the location of the restaurant beforehand as well
- Off-season Mondays and Tuesdays are quieter days with fewer queues
- Try and have a rest day
After researching options, I chose Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa for Anaheim accommodation because for me it was all about convenience, especially since we were travelling on our own and once in a lifetime. The hotel gives easy and convenient access to Disney California Adventure Park and Disney Downtown, early admission with Extra Magic hours, Disney Character Dining, discount vouchers and much more. The hotel has a classic, high-ceilinged wood and stone décor. It felt like we were in a story book – in fact it has a restaurant called Storytellers Café.
