Disneyland Resources
We do have a love for Disneyland (and World as well). However, how to best visit the parks and strategies for your visit change or adjust yearly so the exact details of what we do every year isn't exactly applicable for future trips. However, resources we use to plan our trips are very helpful so this page is dedicated to that.
Since 2020, we have favored going to Disneyland over Disney World. In late 2020, we had a daughter and have found the better weather, the more manageable parks, more characters in the parks and family in the area as reasons we have preferred Disneyland.
The way pricing works is that (as of early 2026) multi-day tickets are good value and adding the 4th and 5th days is relatively low cost. So our trips normally have 4 or 5 park days. We have done park hopper tickets before and since the parks are so close they are useful. However, we have gone without and it is fine to do it without.
We did our first 'rest / resort day' on our 2025 visit. This was because E had broke her ankle in April 2025 causing us to move our May 2025 trip back to August. The 70th anniversary tickets we bought had to be used by mid-August. We enjoyed this a lot. Downtown Disney has enough to do for an excursion to get us out of the room and the resort pool is always relaxing. Not saying a rest day is a must but if you can make it work time-wise, it is nice.
We have visited Disneyland in:
Since 2020, we have favored going to Disneyland over Disney World. In late 2020, we had a daughter and have found the better weather, the more manageable parks, more characters in the parks and family in the area as reasons we have preferred Disneyland.
The way pricing works is that (as of early 2026) multi-day tickets are good value and adding the 4th and 5th days is relatively low cost. So our trips normally have 4 or 5 park days. We have done park hopper tickets before and since the parks are so close they are useful. However, we have gone without and it is fine to do it without.
We did our first 'rest / resort day' on our 2025 visit. This was because E had broke her ankle in April 2025 causing us to move our May 2025 trip back to August. The 70th anniversary tickets we bought had to be used by mid-August. We enjoyed this a lot. Downtown Disney has enough to do for an excursion to get us out of the room and the resort pool is always relaxing. Not saying a rest day is a must but if you can make it work time-wise, it is nice.
We have visited Disneyland in:
- August 2025 - Disneyland 70th Anniversary - Daughter was 4.5 years old - E had a broken ankle 14 weeks on the mend
- December 2023 - Daughter turned 3 on the trip
- November 2022 - Daughter was 23 months old.
- August 2015 - Disneyland 60th Anniversary
Disneyland Web Resources
We have several YouTube channels, Websites, Message Boards and Podcasts that we use to keep up with Disneyland news and strategies.
YouTube Channels (Disneyland Specific):
Podcasts:
Message Boards:
Websites:
YouTube Channels (Disneyland Specific):
- Fresh Baked - This channel focuses on state of the parks, park strategy and park construction news amongst others. They do regular state of Disneyland and State of Disney California Adventure where he walks through the park talking about the lines and what is going on.
- How to Stack Lightning Lanes - This video is one the leading ones I use to trip plan and shows how to stack and get the most out of lightning lanes.
- How to Rope Drop with Lightning Lane - This video shows now to plan your park day when you pay for lightning lanes.
- SoCal Disney Dad - In my opinion, second to Fresh Baked but still has some great stuff. I would add this to the rotation of videos to check to both plan and get excited for your trip.
- Provost Park Pass - More on news, trip reports and interesting insights on the rides.
Podcasts:
- Market House - Mostly Disneyland and I am listening to them more and more.
- Rope Drop & Park Hop - Disneyland specific but doesn't normally make my rotation…
- DL Weekly Podcast - Disneyland specific and another that I check on occasion but I don't listen to regularly.
- Addicted to the Mouse - More Disney World but still good news and content
- DIS Unlimited - The original! Focuses mostly on Disney World now and the new crew gets off topic some but still a good listen for general Disney news. It would be the go to for planning Disney World trips. This and Addicted to the Mouse.
Message Boards:
- DIS Boards - Same group that does the DIS Unlimited podcast. This has many boards for Disneyworld but does have a very active Disneyland section too. Great place to ask questions and get help.
- 2026 Disneyland Resort Calendar - A user on the message board always keeps up a resort calendar for each year. This is great to know what is going on when.
Websites:
- Thrill-data.com - A website that tracks the ride's wait times and the lightning lane return and sell out times. Very good way to see how busy the parks are and how popular the big rides are for days. Great way to help plan your park day in the days leading up to your visit.
Disneyland Hotels We Like
For us, we normally stick to Hilton hotels and have a few criteria that we try to have in a hotel.
Some of the favorites we found and our thoughts on them:
- Location - Close to a Disneyland parking lot for a shuttle or a close walk.
- Free breakfast - Our daughter loves breakfast food and it is a good meal to start the day.
- Pool / Splash pad - This depends a bit more on if we are doing a rest day or not.
- Kitchenette / Refrigerator & Microwave - Our trips are normally 4 - 5 park days so we are at the hotel 5 - 6 nights. Having a good fridge & microwave setup allows us to reheat leftovers and fend for ourselves a bit food wise. Because sometimes you just don't want to eat out anymore.
Some of the favorites we found and our thoughts on them: