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Disneyland Planning Guide 2024

Anyone who is planning a trip to Disneyland will want to make sure that they understand everything there is to know about the park before they go. That is why we created this Disneyland planning guide to help make sure you are prepared!

Disneyland planning guide

Disneyland Planning Guide

History of Disneyland

Disneyland is the first amusement park created by Walt Disney and opened on July 17, 1955.

Walt Disney came up with the idea for Disneyland after visiting Tivoli Gardens in Copenhagen, Denmark.

He then bought a 160-acre site in Anaheim, California in 1953 and construction began a year later.

2023 Disneyland Map

2023 Disneyland Map

Today, Disneyland is home to 9 lands and over 50 rides & attractions!

The lands include Main Street U.S.A., Adventureland, Frontierland, Fantasyland, Tomorrowland, New Orleans Square, Critter Country, Mickey’s Toontown, and the newest addition, Galaxy’s Edge!

Each land has its own rides & attractions.

Disneyland Main Street USA
Courtesy Disney

MAIN STREET USA

Main Street USA is built to look like a small town in the 1920s. You will find souvenir shops, restaurants and different places to explore.

Indiana Jones in Disneyland

ADVENTURELAND 

Adventureland is full of adventurous rides! This is where you will want to make sure you have Lightning Lane for one of the most popular rides, Indiana Jones.

Disneyland New Orleans Square

NEW ORLEANS SQUARE

New Orleans Square makes you feel like you have arrived in the bayou. Walk along the water and enjoy the shade of the trees!

There are two rides that you will want to make a point of getting Lightning Lane for Pirates of the Caribbean & the Haunted Mansion.

Thunder Mountain Railroad Disneyland

FRONTIERLAND

Frontierland takes you back in time to the Wild West where you will get the chance to take a ride on Big Thunder Railroad (one of my favorite rides in Disneyland).

Critter Country in Disneyland
Courtesy Disneyland

CRITTER COUNTRY

Critter Country is where you will find one of Disneyland’s two water rides: Splash Mountain! This log ride is currently getting an overhaul and will soon tell the story of Princess & the Frog!

Carousel Disneyland
Courtesy Disney

FANTASYLAND

Fantasyland is the main focal point of all of Disneyland and this is where you will find most of the crowds and the iconic ride, It’s a Small World.

Mickeys Toon Town Disneyland

MICKEY’S TOONTOWN

Are you planning a trip to Disneyland with small kids? You will want to visit Mickey’s Toontown.

It is where you will find Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse and other Disney characters.

Tomorrow Land in Disneyland

TOMORROWLAND

If you are visiting Disneyland for the first time, you are going to want to ride one of the most popular rides in all of the Disney theme parks: Hyper Space Mountain.

Galaxy's Edge Opening in Disney World
Courtesy Disney

Galaxy’s Edge

You don’t have to be a Star Wars fan or on your first trip to Disneyland to enjoy the newest addition to Disneyland Park.

This place is pretty amazing and filled with plenty to do and see as it is now the largest land in all of Disneyland.

Disneyland Tickets

Disneyland Ticket Prices

  • Value $104
  • Value with Hopper $154
  • Regular $129
  • Regular with Hopper $179
  • Peak $149
  • Peak with Hopper $199
  • 2 Day $225
  • 2 Day with Hopper $280
  • 3 Day $300
  • 3 Day with Hopper $355
  • 4 Day $325
  • 4 Day with Hopper $380
  • 5 Day $340
  • 5 Day with Hopper $395

As you can see, the more days you visit Disneyland, the cheaper the per-day ticket is.

Get Away Today Disneland

Looking for tickets to Disneyland or Disneyland California Adventure? Get Away Today is the best Discount Disneyland Ticket broker and the one we use when booking our Disneyland Resort stay.

You can take an additional $10 discount off your vacation package when you use our exclusive promo code INSIDER .

Do yourself a favor and make sure that you purchase your tickets to Disneyland before you arrive.

Disney Genie System Breakdown

Disneyland Genie+ Lightning Lane

Disneyland Genie+ system is an app that helps you plan your time in Disneyland. The Lightning Lane feature is paid tool that allows you to “Jump the line” for various rides & attractions for an additional $20 per ticket per day.

Disney Genie+ Lightning Lane Attractions

  • Autopia
  • Big Thunder Mountain Railroad
  • Buzz Lightyear Astro Blasters
  • Haunted Mansion
  • Indiana Jones Adventure
  • “it’s a small world”
  • Matterhorn Bobsleds
  • Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run
  • Roger Rabbit’s Car Toon Spin
  • Space Mountain
  • Splash Mountain
  • Star Tours – The Adventures Continue

You can also purchase individual Lightning Lane Entrance passes. These vary in price (depending on time of year & day your visit)
Attractions include*:

  • Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway
  • Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance
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