I’ve been getting this question pretty frequently, so I think it’s time to address it!
Can you do all that Disneyland has to offer in just one day?
Short answer: No. Not even close.
You can’t do everything Disneyland has to offer in an entire week!
BUT! You can get a lot done in one day at Disneyland if at the right time of year, and if you go in with a plan! And that’s what I’m here to talk about today!
Depending on the age of your kiddos, you will have a different set of priorities for your visit to Disneyland. If you have teenagers, you’ll want to focus on getting as many of the bigger thrill rides done as possible. Younger kids might like the kiddie rides and meeting the characters, or you might want to go just for the snacks and photo opps!
In this post, I am talking about How to do Disneyland in one day IF your priority is taking pictures!
General tips you should ALWAYS FOLLOW:
1. Get to the park for rope drop
2. Do not go in the peak months (mid-June-mid August) Too many people to get anything done and it’s way too hot.
3. Get a feel for the park layout beforehand, so you don’t have to constantly be looking at a map.
4. Go with, and stick to a plan!
Photo Opps
1. Small World Wall – the famous blue and white wall is just to the left of Small World! Grab yourself a snack prop and take all the pictures!
2. Gates in Toon Town – there is a set of gates next to Minnie’s house in Toon Town that are always painted super cute and change frequently! We like heading here to check out what the new gates look like! There are tons of cute photo spots in Toon Town, all the doors and walls are fun colors and make super cute backdrops.
3. Castle – you obviously have to get a picture in front of the castle! For a less crowded and cluttered shot, go just to the left of the castle. There’s a railing and small bench you can sit on with a full view of the castle without all the people!
4. Dumbo, Teacup, Sword in the Stone – these are all in Fantasyland and make for fun pictures. See if you can grab a Disney photographer to take the pictures for you, if you have a Maxpass you get free access and downloads to all the professional pictures taken in the park!
California Adventures
1. Buzz Wall – the famous Buzz Lightyear wings and the Balloons from Up are located next to each other, tucked away to the right of the Monsters ride! Captain America hangs out here too, so if you see him you’re in the right place.
2. Carousel and Coaster – the view of the coaster, the ferris wheel, and the pier at California Adventures is my favorite! It’s beautiful night and day, and there’s a great place to get everything in one shot. It’s right across from The Little Mermaid, and there’s a little plaque marking it as a photo op spot!