Not my usual content here, but I just got back from a quick trip to Anaheim with 8 of my family members! I had to share this perfect 3-day Disneyland vacation itinerary because I don’t think we could have done it any better.
Where to Fly
First thing, unless you’re saving hundreds per ticket on flights, flying into Santa Ana will save you time, hassle, and money on shuttle/Uber/Lyft expenses. Especially with kids, SNA (John Wayne) is much MUCH smaller and easier to get through. It is the obvious best option in my opinion. Besides size and ease, it’s also only 15 minutes from Disneyland. Of course, you have to weigh the pros and cons of cost and convenience for your family.
Where to Stay
Second, staying on the resort has its perks, but it’s expensive as hell. Find a hotel close by or near one of their free shuttle services. We stayed at Cambria Hotel and Suites in the Anaheim Resort Area. The location could have been a little bit closer for my family, but overall, it was a great option!
The “Toy Story” parking lot is about a quarter mile from the hotel. There, you can get on a shuttle that takes you straight to the park entrance. They also do the security checks before you get on the bus, so when you get to the park, you don’t have to wait in the lines there.
This hotel also had suites big enough for my entire family. We got a 2 room combined space with a kitchenette and a pull out couch in the middle of the 2 rooms. We were all able to stay in the one space, but still have our separate privacy. They also have a free continental breakfast, which, for a big family made a big difference! I would definitely recommend a stay here!
When to Go
Third, do a multi-day ticket, but space the days out. We decided not to do park-hoppers because the kids are too small for most of the rides in California Adventure. However, we did get 2 day passes. We decided to go to Disneyland on the Saturday and the Monday that we were there. Pro tip(s): Check to see if there are any holidays. We thought Monday would be less crowded, but didn’t realize kids were out of school for Indigenous People Day. Also, from a local friend who has a season pass, going on Tuesday and/or Wednesday are the slowest days during the school season. During summer- good luck!
On the day we took off from the park, we played and relaxed at the water park/pool at the hotel. It was seriously perfect! Even as an adult, doing 2 straight days of Disney in a row is a lot. With kids, it’s miserable! Make the most of your fun by splitting it up. Another reason to stay at Cambria Hotel and Suites-the pool and water park are great!
In the evening of our water park day, we decided to go into Downtown Disney. Not required, but we did have a good time walking through some of the shops and getting dinner there. Note: if you plan to have dinner, put your name in somewhere and then go shop. It will likely be an hour or more wait depending on the time of day. We ate pizza at Napolini (the to-go version of the restaurant Napoli), which was really good. After, we got ice cream at Salt and Straw. They have a bunch of fun, weird, delicious flavor options!
What to Eat
Speaking of food, here are some of my favorite things to eat at Disney.
Turkey leg. Yeah, unless you don’t eat meat, don’t skip this one! It is a massive hunk of meat, so you can definitely share one unless it is all you plan to eat. The stand in Disneyland Park also sells corn on the cob and big pickles. Delicious!
A caramel apple- specifically one covered in chocolate, too!
Blue or green “milk” in Star Wars land. This is a nice cold drink on those hot days (and when we were there it was almost 90 both days!) Plus, it’s kind of a quirky thing. If you know Star Wars, you know the significance. FYI these aren’t really milk-I hate real milk, but I really liked the blue milk.
A corndog. You read that right. It might not be the most delicious-sounding option in Disney, but it’s something I always crave there and it’s quick and easy. And what’s more American than a hot dog?
Besides that, there’s of course tons of sweet shops, ice cream carts, beignets, etc, etc!
If you’re driving to LA from the South or the Midwest, be sure to check out my other post on how to make that roadtrip a fun one!
Most importantly, have so much fun and enjoy the happiest place on Earth!
