Top 9 Disneyland Tips for Your First Visit [what I learned from my first visit, so you don't make the same mistakes]

Visiting for the first time and want some helpful Disneyland tips?

I recently visited Disneyland for the first time, and learned (usually the hard way) these Disneyland tips that made my life easier (or would’ve made my life easier if I’d implemented them during my Disneyland vacation!).

Walking into Disneyland for the first time is magical, but it can also feel overwhelming. Between the long lines, crowded walkways, and endless attractions, it’s easy to make mistakes.

Despite visiting both Walt Disney World and Disneyland Paris numerous times, I was not automatically equipped to be a Disneyland pro off the bat (and think I need to visit a good few more times to earn this status!).

However, with these tips, you should be able to avoid feeling too overwhelmed during your trip to the happiest place on earth.

Let’s make your first visit as smooth and fun as possible!

This post is all about the top 9 Disneyland tips and tricks 2025 for your first visit.

Disneyland Tips

1) Plan Your Visit Ahead of Time

Spontaneity is fun, but to get the most of your Disneyland trip, you’ll want to do some planning.

I can’t overstate how helpful it will be to have a few of the best Disneyland tips and a level of knowledge before you go.

So, what do you need to plan/know before your visit:

The best time to visit for you – This is not a one size fits all situation. It depends largely on what you want from your Disneyland trip. Do you want to visit when crowds are at the lowest? Do you want to visit during the holidays? Christmas? Halloween? Do you want to visit during a festival at Disney California Adventure? This post may be helpful if you’re not sure yet.
Book your Disneyland tickets online – Whilst you can purchase tickets at the gate, there are two main reasons you don’t want to do that: 1) It’s a waste of time on your park day and 2) If a park reaches capacity, you won’t be able to buy tickets for that day. You can purchase tickets on Disneyland’s website or by an authorized third-party seller. I purchased my 5-day Park Hopper Tickets with Lightning Lane MultiPass from Undercover Tourist in 2024, and saved $121 compared to Disney’s site (so, it’s worth doing your research to find the best deal!).
Park Reservations – As of the time this post is published, you still have to make park reservations to visit Disneyland. So, do this as soon as possible, as the parks may reach capacity some days of the year.
Park Hopper? – Want to visit both parks in one day. Consider upgrading to a Park Hopper ticket. But remember, this costs more (depending on the length of your ticket). It can cost an extra $65-$75 to a one day ticket or up to $105 more for a 5-day ticket (working out at $21 each day).
Lightning Lane? – Lightning Lanes are essentially Fastpasses that you pay for at the Disneyland parks. Disneyland has three Lightning Lane options: 1) Single Pass, 2) Multi Pass and the ridiculously expensive 3) Premier Pass (it costs $300-$400 in 2025!). For most people, I’d recommend a Multi Pass (if you’re interested in using Lightning Lanes at all). You can purchase this at the same time as your ticket (or on the day, subject to availability). Not all rides are included, but 23 of the 50 currently are (it will only be worth it if you’re interested in the majority of these). Unlimited PhotoPass downloads are included with MultiPass, which is another perk. MultiPass starts at $32 per day, so it can get expensive.
Download the Disneyland App – This free app can be home to your park ticket (if you don’t want to purchase a MagicBand +). You can also use it to check wait times, purchase and book Lighting Lanes, mobile order food, make dining reservations and more!

2) Arrive Early

This is a good tip for most theme parks, and Disneyland is no exception.

If you’re staying at an on-site Disneyland Resort, you will have access to Early Entry at Disneyland – allowing you to enter one park 30 minutes early (one day it will be Disneyland, the next it will be Disney California Adventure).

Although not every ride is open during Early Entry, you can usually begin queueing regardless.

For example, I went to DCA for Early Entry and got in line for Radiator Springs Racers (arguably the most popular ride in the whole of Disneyland) between 7.30 AM and 7.40 AM.

The ride opened at 8 AM, and I had been on Radiator Springs Racers by 8:10 AM.

Yes, Early Entry can work well.

If you are not staying at an on-site Disneyland hotel, no worries. Just try to enter the parks as soon as possible to avoid the worst wait times.

It’s also magical to see the beautiful parks without the crowds!

3) Prioritize Your Must-Do Rides & Beware of Lightning Lanes

This is especially important if you’re only visiting for a day or two.

You may not have time to experience every attraction during your first Disneyland trip.

The good news is that not all Disneyland rides are made equal, and there will probably be some that don’t appeal to you.

I recommend making a list of your must-experience rides, and devising a park strategy to experience these.

For example, you may choose to purchase Lightning Lanes or to rope drop every morning, so you can experience the rides that are important to you.

That being said, don’t assume that you’ll get to ride everything just because you purchased a Lightning Lane Multipass.

Not all attractions offer Lightning Lane access, and sometimes return times for popular rides fill up fast.

This means you’ll still need to wait for many attractions, especially if you’re visiting during peak seasons.

4) Don’t Expect the Evenings to Be Quiet at the Parks

Like the early mornings, you may expect evenings to be quiet at the parks after the late morning – afternoon rush.

From my experience, this is not true – even on weekdays.

This is partly because Disneyland is known as a “locals park”, meaning that a lot of guests visiting Disneyland live relatively nearby. Therefore, plenty of guests visit Disneyland after work/school, meaning that crowds can be high in the evening.

Disneyland also has a plethora of nighttime shows, encouraging more guests to stay at the parks later:

Fireworks (the show changes throughout the year, depending on when you visit) at Disneyland Park.
Fantasmic! at Disneyland Park.
World of Color – One (changing to World of Color – Season of Light during the Christmas season) at Disney California Adventure.

disneyland tips and tricks 2025 — World of Color – Season of Light

(Please be aware that nighttime shows may not be on every single day, so check this before your visit).

5) Don’t Turn Up Late to Watch Fireworks or Parades (if you want a great view)

Speaking of shows, the folks at Disneyland take their shows seriously!

It’s not surprising to see people claiming their spots well over two hours before show/parade time!

(As a Disney World/Disneyland Paris person this shocked me, but I saw this every day of my trip).

People bring blankets especially to reserve their place.

So, if like me, you expect to turn up 10 minutes before a show or parade and get a pretty good view, I’m sad to tell you that this probably won’t be the case at Disneyland. 😭😂

disneyland tips for adults — POV: you turn up late for Disneyland fireworks

6) Dress Comfortably for a day at Disneyland (& be mindful of the weather)

As a UK guest, I was surprised by how cold California could feel in December (apparently California isn’t always sunny and warm!).

Luckily, I had packed jumpers, coats, jeans, leggings etc., so I could dress comfortably (and warmly) when required (in the mornings and evenings especially).

Regardless of when you’re visiting, make sure to check the weather forecast, and pack accordingly!

And, like you would at any theme park, be aware that there will be plenty of walking involved. Comfortable shoes are a must!

7) Take Breaks and Find Quiet Spots (it doesn’t have to feel like a waste of time)

Disneyland is an exciting adventure, but it’s also a high-energy experience that can wear you out quickly if you don’t pace yourself.

If you want to spend a full day at the parks, you may want to find some time to sit – whether that’s during a more leisurely meal, or if you want to take half an hour to watch the world go by on Main Street.

And if you’re staying at a hotel near Disneyland, you can always relax there partway through the day.

Although there’s plenty to see and do at Disneyland, it will probably be more enjoyable if you feel well-rested!

8) Remember You Can’t Do Everything on One Disneyland Trip (unless your visit is weeks long)

This is a truth I don’t want to believe, but is true nonetheless.

Although a Disneyland trip is expensive and we want to get the most we can out of our time there, it probably isn’t possible to experience EVERYTHING.

And after my first Disneyland trip, I’m starting to learn that’s okay. After all, it’s better to experience a little less and enjoy the experience more, than the alternative.

If you really enjoy your first Disneyland trip, maybe you’ll visit again, and you’ll get to experience the rest then.

And if not, hopefully you’ll have amazing memories of your Disneyland visit (even if there are rides you didn’t experience, shows you didn’t see and food you didn’t eat).

9) Research Menus & Make Sure You Get Food You Actually Want!

Before you visit, look at the different Disneyland menus, and write a list on your phone of the food you want to try and where you can find it.

I did this and it saved us so much time aimlessly walking.

However, one evening we ignored the list, and decided to spontaneously order kids meals at Flo’s V8 Cafe in Cars Land (DCA).

As adults (me in my 20s, my Mum in her 50s), we often order kids meals at Disney World, and find the portion sizes to be pretty reasonable.

Well, our portions were SO MUCH SMALLER here. (To the point that other people dining at Flo’s V8 Cafe were laughing at how comically small the food was for two adults 😂).

disneyland tips 2025 — Micro Burger at Flo’s V8 Cafe (this also came with a small bag of carrot sticks, a small drink and maybe one extra fry … yeah, it’s small!)

disneyland tickets — Mack’s Mac & Cheese from Flo’s V8 Cafe (this also came with a small drink)

If I had researched better and read reviews, I would’ve avoided this mistake (in the end, it was just about filling enough, but if you have a larger appetite, it probably wouldn’t be)!

So, do your research before you dine somewhere and order a meal you might not actually want.

Other Dining Tips:

Learn how to Mobile Order (and which locations provide you with this option).
Make your dining reservations as close to 60 days in advance as possible if you’re dining at any table service restaurants (this is particularly important if you’re hoping to dine at the more popular restaurants).

Frequently Asked Questions about Disneyland Tips for Your First Visit

What should I pack for a day at Disneyland?

This depends on your plan for the day. Consider some of these things before you pack for a Disneyland day:

What is the weather like? Do I need to wear layers or bring extra clothes?
Will I be out in the sun? What do I need (e.g. sunscreen, baseball caps, fans etc.)
Am I going on a water ride (e.g. Tiana’s Bayou Adventure or Grizzly River Run)? Will I need spare clothes/shoes or ponchos?
Am I going to wait a couple hours before a show? Should I bring a blanket?
Will I buy food at Disneyland or am I taking it with me?

Are backpacks allowed in Disneyland?

The majority of backpacks are allowed in Disneyland. For more details on backpacks that are not allowed, see this post.

Can I bring water into Disneyland?

Yes, you can bring water into Disneyland, as long as it is not in a glass container.

You cannot bring alcoholic drinks into Disneyland.

What is the biggest secret in Disneyland?

There’s no easy way to answer this, but if you’re interested in Disneyland secrets, I recommend booking the Walt’s Main Street Story Tour (which allows you to tour Walt Disney’s apartment on Main Street! We took this 90-minute tour and it was AMAZING. The only con was the $160 + tax price tag per person).

Can you tip at Disneyland restaurants with gift card?

Yes, Disney gift cards can be used for gratuity at Disneyland restaurants.

Ta Ta For Now

Planning your first visit to Disneyland can feel overwhelming, but with the right tips, it becomes so much easier.

I hope these Disneyland tips help you avoid the mistakes I made so your trip is unforgettable. Now, it’s time to start planning your adventure—happy travels, and enjoy!

Top 9 Disneyland Tips for Your First Visit [what I learned from my first visit, so you don’t make the same mistakes]