An Unforgettable Daycation in Disneyland

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Walt Disney was a genius. To take an animated mouse and turn him into a dynasty is mind-boggling. Yet this is just what Disney did, first with cartoons and then with theme parks. While visiting Griffith Park in Los Angeles with his daughters, Disney was inspired to create Disneyland. He would also bring a new standard to the definition of a theme park. Although there are Disney parks and resorts located in six cities worldwide, there is something special about visiting the 1955 original.

Last summer, Sean, the kids, and I visited the original Disneyland, and it was magical. We want to share our experience with you in case Disneyland is in your future. Although I am discussing our day at Disneyland, many of the same tips and ideas can apply to any theme park where you are spending only one day.

Why One Day?

We had a limited amount of time in the Los Angeles area on this trip. In planning, we wanted to take a tour of Los Angeles, visit Six Flags Magic Mountain, and Disney. If there is one thing we have learned while traveling, it is to build in some recovery time after big tourist attraction days. Considering all of this, Sean and I gauged that we had one full day to spend at Disney.

Cost is also a factor. For example, when we visit Disney World in Florida, we usually spend a week visiting the parks. We will stay at a Disney Resort, add meal plans, and pay one lump sum for our vacation. However, we were only looking at park tickets for this visit, and we would be paying for our dining out of pocket.

We did contemplate two days in Disney, one for Disneyland and one for California Adventure. However, the cost for two days at the park tickets for the four of us came to $900. This $900 was without the Park Hopper option, meaning that there would be one dedicated day for Disneyland and one for California Adventure.

In visiting for one day, to purchase a Park Hopper and travel between the parks, our cost was right at $800. I do want to note that the parks are directly across from each other, so you can easily walk back and forth all day with no issue.

Although there was only a $100 difference in park tickets, you know if you have ever paid out of pocket to eat in a theme park, there are some serious costs involved. Add in an extra day of food, parking, and whatever souvenirs that my kids would talk us into buying, and we could easily spend an extra $300 with two days in the park. Of course, if we had more time, additional days at the park would have been a must. However, for the amount of time we had to visit Disney and the cost per day, one day seemed to work best on this trip.

A note on food- I know that amusement park food is overpriced, but Disneyland is not a place where you can quickly run back to the car and eat a picnic lunch. We spent 17 hours between the parks on this visit. Your family needs body fuel so that Disney remains the happiest place on earth and not the whiniest place. It is better to allot money for dining before you go instead of getting by and worrying or having a foul trip.

The Parks

I LOVED Disneyland and California Adventure. Actually, California Adventure is my most favorite theme park that I have ever visited. The parks are smaller than Disney World, but there is so much detail given to the California parks that I was just in awe.

When visiting any Disney Park, it is essential to maximize your time. To ensure as much time as possible at the parks, begin early and end the day at the park that is open the latest. 

Disneyland

Debuting in 1955, Walt Disney built Disneyland on a 160-acre parcel of land that was once an orange grove. If you are from the East Coast or visited Disney World before you visited Disneyland, you may be expecting to see Cinderella’s castle upon entering the park. Instead, you will see Sleeping Beauty’s castle in California.

The park is divided into sections, including Main Street USA, Adventureland, Frontierland, New Orleans Square, Critter Country, Fantasyland, Mickey’s Toon Town, Tomorrowland, and the new Star Wars-themed Galaxy’s Edge.

Our Favorites in Disneyland

Brandi: My favorite part of Disneyland was the preservation of many original Disneyland rides from 1955. Having the chance to visit attractions such as the Jungle Cruise, Autopia, or Mister Toad’s Wild Ride and visualizing how these rides would have looked to visitors in 1955 is amazing. It also shows you how advanced the park was when it opened.  

Sean: I loved the nostalgia of Disneyland as exemplified by Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride and Snow White’s Scary Adventure. As far as attractions, the Matterhorn Bobsleds was the best. It is incredible how Disney can transport you to a different world by hopping on a ride.

Lucy: My favorite was the Indiana Jones Adventure. I literally felt like I was on an adventure, and that trouble was on our heels.

Jackson: I liked the Pirates of the Caribbean ride the best. I thought it would be the same as the ride in Disney World, and it was neat that the ride was completely different.

California Adventure

I can’t say enough about how much I loved California Adventure. The park is themed from the different regions of California, and no detail was left unnoticed. When I first entered the Grizzly Peak area, my mouth dropped at how beautiful it was. Sections of the park include Buena Vista Street, the Pixar Pier, Paradise Gardens Park, Grizzly Peak, Pacific Wharf, Hollywood Land, and Cars Land. A Marvel section is currently under construction.  

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Our Favorite at California Adventure

As impressive as the entire park was, we all had the same favorite section, Cars Land. When Jackson was little, he was a Cars fanatic. Maybe it is the memory of his love for Lightning McQueen and Mater or the anticipation of visiting that section of the park, but Cars Land was unbelievable. Honestly, if that were the only section of the park that existed, it would still be worth the visit!

What to Take to the Disney Parks?

I remember the first time we visited Disneyworld with the kids, and before we ever entered the gate, I had purchased a $17 fan that sprayed water because of the sweltering heat. Much to my surprise, we had a few rain showers, and I did not need to use the fan that much. In Florida, you have a nice cooling rain shower at least once a day. However, rain is not as frequent in California. You definitely need to think of body cooling when visiting Disneyland, especially with small children.

We always recommend certain travel essentials (9 Travel Essentials We Never Leave Home Without). However, we also recommend cooling towels to stay cool on hot days (check them out on Amazon).

Our daycation at Disney was amazing. I couldn’t have asked for a better time or place for family memories than Disneyland. Although we only visited for one day due to time constraints, that day was just as magical as a week in another location. We recommend Disneyland for anyone who has family fun on their travel lists!

Are you interested in Disneyland? Check out Trip Advisor for fantastic lodging in the area!

Looking for other travel destinations with theme parks? Check out Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, and San Antonio, Texas.

Do you have tips when taking daycations? We would love to hear from you. Please drop us a line in the comment section below!