Hotels near Disneyland, Anaheim

Stay at a hotel within ten minutes of the park. Leave your hotel at least an hour before the park opens; you will avoid the huge lazy crowd coming in to the parking garage 1-2 hours after opening. It can take 45-60 minutes just to get into the parking garage during that time, so come early if you'd rather spend that time in the park. Weekdays are always better than weekends for getting on more rides, but the time of year is important, too. Try to avoid major holidays or vacation times such as Spring Break. Do the most popular rides as soon as the park opens when crowds are thinner; you won't have to wait as long. Try waiting 1-2 hours after the stereotypical "lunch" and "dinner" times to eat your meals in order to avoid a long line for food. Bring your own lunch and keep it in a locker to avoid such lines completely and save a few bucks. Snacks, food, and water are all allowed in the parks. Always wear comfy (not brand-new) tennis shoes for maximum walk-abilty. When you arrive, check the times for the daily parades and if you don't care about them, FOR THE LOVE OF GOD, avoid Main Street and Fantasyland during that time!! If you are entering Disneyland during that time, you will not be able to get anywhere, the crowds take up the entire sidewalk and you will feel like a salmon trying to fight your way up against the current of people. Stay in California Adventure during that time if you have park hopper passes, or get some Main Street shopping done, because you will not get anywhere at all otherwise.

Take a special someone to Disneyland before you make little special-someone children. If you are both in decent shape and willing to power-walk around strollers, you'll be faster than most of the seemingly intimidating crowds. It's like a 16-hour hike but with air-conditioned pacing breaks for ghost pirates and talking cars. Maybe that's not your ideal date, but my special someone and I never tire of it. And our calves look fantastic.

Enough time in your trip to explore all that Disneyland contains other than just the rides, at least several days is good.

A hotel close to the park that is affordable, clean, safe, comfortable, and has plenty of parking, makes the time spent at Disneyland so much more enjoyable. Disneyland is always a pleasure, particularly when there are good bands playing on the property. An awesome hotel is like having home a short walk or drive away.

Be prepared to spend at Disneyland. There are shops outside Disneyland that offer souvenirs a lot cheaper. Bring your walking shoes.

We went to Disneyland and Californian Adventure in one day ,almost 10hrs at Theme Parks was to much for my poor old legs , however our teenage daughter's would have stayed for 24hrs. Longer at each Park would have been better .. 2-3 days