UPDATED FEBRUARY 17, 2020 There are so many things for you to discover at the Disneyland Resort. Check out our top 25 Disneyland secrets, the list that will make sure you have the most magical vacation yet!
25 Disneyland Secrets
At Get Away Today, we know Disneyland inside and out. Our agents all visit the park on at least an annual basis and have had some really amazing experiences. They have been to the park before it opens to the public, been invited to backstage areas, done the “Walk in Walt’s Footsteps Tour,” dined at Club 33, been invited to private events and more. With all of these experiences and then some, we’ve learned a thing or two about Disneyland.
It was difficult to narrow down, but we’ve put together what we think are some of the best 25 Disneyland secrets, including things that we think are cool and things you can get and do for free. We hope you learn a thing... or 25!
Disneyland Secrets to Saving Time
#1 FastPass Secrets: Most regular Disneyland visitors know about the Fastpass, but it’s one of the most frequently asked questions by Disneyland newbies. For those unfamiliar with the Fastpass system, it’s available for everyone with any type of Disneyland ticket. Just look for an attraction or entertainment option with a Fastpass distribution area, slide your ticket into the machine, and you’ll get your ticket back with a reminder ticket that has a return time to ride the attraction using the much shorter Fastpass line.
Although it’s one of the most popular Disneyland ticket features offered, there are some misconceptions, even among Disneyland frequenters. Many Disneyland goers assume that you can only have one Fastpass out at a time. Not necessarily. Pay attention to the small print on the bottom of your Fastpass ticket. It will tell you when the next Fastpass is available, normally two hours after collecting a Fastpass. That way, if your return time is six hours later, you can get a Fastpass for a different attraction hours before using your first Fastpass. Also, Fastpass tickets for Fantasmic and World of Color don’t count as a Fastpass attraction ticket, so you can grab another one right after collecting your show Fastpass.
#2 MaxPass Secrets: Our next secret has to do with FastPass. It’s the new-er MaxPass system, which allows you to make FastPass reservations from your smartphone. Not only does the MaxPass have all of the same features as the FastPass system, it has shorter return time windows. For example, with the traditional FastPass system, you normally have to wait a minimum of two hours to get your next FastPass. However, with MaxPass, you’ll normally wait no longer than 90 minutes to get your next FastPass, regardless of your return time.
#3 Rider Swap Secrets: Rider Switch is your best friend if you have young kids who don’t measure up to certain attraction height restrictions. It is available on any ride that has a height restriction. One person in your group will stay back with the small kid(s) while the riders have their ticket scanned at the beginning of the attraction, wait in line as usual, and then ride the attraction. Then, whoever stayed back with the smaller kids will be able to go to the front of the line with up to two ride partners with the original scanned ticket. One secret is that Rider swap can be combined with Fastpass tickets for ultimate flexibility.
#4 Single Rider Secrets: Single Rider lines are another lesser known option to reduce wait times. Single Rider works best with adults only or families with older kids. Select attractions have a single rider line option where your party can wait in a MUCH shorter line together and then take the next available seat on the attraction. It works especially well with Radiator Springs Racers and goes really quickly in the morning. Single Rider lines are currently available at the following attractions:
Disneyland
- Indiana Jones Adventure
- Matterhorn Bobsleds
- Millenium Falcon: Smuggler’s Run
- Space Mountain
- Splash Mountain
- Star Tours - The Adventures Continue
Disney California Adventure Park
- Goofy’s Sky School
- Grizzly River Run
- Incredicoaster
- Radiator Springs Racers
#5 Magic Morning Secrets: Magic Morning isn’t so much of a secret, but there are a LOT of questions around it. Magic Morning comes with 3-day and longer Disneyland tickets only and is good for an hour of early theme park admission on select days – right now those days are Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays. Magic Morning is good for admission to select areas of Disneyland Park only, normally Fantasyland and Tomorrowland.
Extra Magic Hours are completely separate from Magic Mornings and are a perk exclusive to guests staying at one of the Disneyland Resort Hotels. Extra Magic Hours include an hour of early entry each day of your stay into a pre-selected theme park. Extra Magic Hour is good for Disneyland early entrance on the same days that Magic Morning is offered. It is also valid for early entrance into Disney California Adventure Park on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays. Staying at one of the Disneyland Resort Hotels is the only way to get into Cars Land - or anywhere else in Disney California Adventure Park - before it opens to the public.
Disneyland Secrets for Saving Money
#6 Outside Food: Families always want to know about bringing food and drink into the parks. Disneyland allows food and drinks as long as you follow the no alcohol or glass containers rule. You can bring in small coolers (nothing full-sized), as long as there is no loose ice in them. You can bring ice packs, or even ice in baggies as long as it’s not loose.
#7 Free Food in Disneyland: You can get a free cup of ice water from any quick service restaurant whether you purchase something or not. Just ask. You can score a free sample of sourdough bread from the Boudin Bakery Tour in the Pacific Wharf in Disney California Adventure Park. Nearby, you can also get a free chocolate square from Ghirardelli Soda Fountain and Chocolate Shop. Chocolate squares used to be handed out as you walked in the door, but they no longer do that. Instead, just ask an employee, and they’ll give you one right away.
#8 Express Restaurants: If you love to eat out like I do, but don’t love spending a ton of money, consider the “express” restaurants in Downtown Disney. Most of the main restaurants in Downtown Disney, like La Brea Bakery, Tortilla Jo’s, Ralph Brennan’s Jazz Kitchen and Napoli’s Ristorante have a quick-service version next door to the main restaurant. The express restaurants serve a limited menu of the exact same food for a fraction of the cost. P.S. The beignets from the Jazz Kitchen Express are amazing and make a great quick breakfast!
#9 Shared Kitchen: One of the most popular and spendy restaurants in Disneyland is the Blue Bayou, located inside Pirates of the Caribbean. If you want the same great taste for less, you can make a reservation for Cafe Orleans. This restaurant is located right across from the Blue Bayou - and they share a kitchen. The atmosphere is authentic New Orleans and they serve many of the same menu items, including the Blue Bayou’s famous Monte Cristo sandwiches for a fraction of the cost.
#10 Kids Eat Free: You probably already know that kids two and under get into the Disneyland free. But, they also eat free at any of the all-you-care-to-eat restaurants at Disneyland, including the character dining locations. When making a reservation, you’ll list everyone in your party. For example, if you have two adults and two children ages two and younger, you’ll make a reservation for four people. When you get to the restaurant, you’ll only pay for the two adults.
#11 Restaurant Clubs: One of my favorite restaurants at the Disneyland Resort is Earl of Sandwich. It is tasty and cheap. What you might not know is that each adult can get a $5 off coupon for your Disneyland trip. Just sign-up for the Earl of Sandwich Royalty Club a couple of weeks before your vacation and you’ll be emailed a one time use coupon just for you. Keep in mind, you can sign-up for discounts for many of the area restaurants like Jamba and Starbucks before you go and that will help you save too.
#12 Annual Pass Savings: Disney doesn’t offer any discounts on their Annual Passes, however if you are planning on getting one, you can purchase multi-day tickets at a discount before you travel and get all of the perks that come with the pre-arrival tickets. For example, at Get Away Today, you can save on each ticket depending on what special is going on, plus you get over $300 in coupons and freebies for booking your Disneyland package with us. Then, upgrade your ticket to an Annual Passport at any of the ticket booths during your vacation - as long as you do it before your last day is used.
You’ll get the full ticket value – not the discounted price you paid – and you get to keep all of the extras that came with your package - including Magic Morning. Just be sure you use your Magic Morning before you upgrade. If you upgrade at the beginning of your vacation, you’ll be able to score the Annual Pass discount at many of the Disneyland Resort restaurants. It’s the best of both worlds and it’s the only way to get a discount on your Annual Pass.
Disneyland Special Experiences
#13 VIP Tours: Affectionately referred to as “the plaids” because of their uniforms, the Disneyland Resort has VIP Tour Guides available. If you spot them in the park, see who they’re with… it could be a celebrity. But the VIP Tour Guides are not just for the famous. You can set up your personal VIP tour guides for approximately $450-$600 per hour with a 10 person maximum and six hour minimum. VIP Guides will tell you all sorts of insider secrets and get you VIP access to any attractions you wish. It’s a splurge for sure, but an unforgettable experience.
#14 Performing at Disneyland: Your kids can perform in Disneyland as part of the Disney Performing Arts (DPA for short) program. Dancers, musicians and more can take workshops taught by Disney artists and then take the skills that they learned in class and apply it to their live in-park performance. Tickets normally have to be booked as part of a group package, but occasionally Disney will offer select dates where individuals can sign up without a group. What’s more, these special youth tickets are a pretty big discount off of regular prices – and your kids get such awesome experiences that you can’t get anywhere else.
#15 School at Disneyland: Disney also offers a Youth Education Series (YES for short) Program where your school aged children can take a number of interactive classes about science, leadership, history and/or art. These classes last a few hours and take place throughout the resort. They include unique hands-on experiences, discounted admission and something you can not find anywhere else. These programs are normally only available as part of a group, but will offer open enrollment opportunities on select dates. Our Group Department can give you information on all of Disneyland’s youth tickets.
General Disneyland Secrets
#16 Hidden Mickeys: No Disneyland secrets list is complete without mentioning hidden Mickeys. Disney imagineers and artists will often stamp their work with a Mickey silhouette. These hidden Mickeys can be found throughout the entire Disneyland Resort – in attraction queues, inside attractions, on store signs and more. It is fun to see how many hidden Mickeys your family can find.
#17 First Aid and Baby Care: If you ever find yourself in need of an aspirin, band-aid, ice pack, saline solution or even an antacid, you can head to the First Aid station near the Plaza Inn in Disneyland and get assistance and medication from RNs for free. There's also a Baby Center next door where parents can change diapers, nurse, heat bottles, purchase baby goods/needs, etc. in peace and quiet. In Disney California Adventure Park, you can find a First Aid station near the Chamber of Commerce on Buena Vista Street. The DCA Baby Care Center is conveniently located near the Ghirardelli Soda Fountain and Chocolate Shop.
#18 Starbucks History: The first “Disney” Starbucks opened in Disney California Adventure. Also, the Starbucks in Downtown Disney is one of three premiere Starbucks locations in the world – the other two being in London and Times Square in New York. It’s also one of the only places that you can order a $139 cup of coffee with its exotic coffee beans.
#19 Balloons that never pop. Kind of.: Disneyland is full of can’t-pass-up souvenirs and one of the most “pop”-ular is the balloons. Parents who have ever consoled a child over a popped balloon will be glad to know that Disneyland will replace any popped balloon free of charge. Just bring the damaged goods to any balloon vendor and they’ll give you a new one on the spot.
#20 Meet Mickey with NO Line: Mickey’s Tales of Adventure Breakfast is definitely one of the best kept Disneyland secrets. It is one of five Character Dining experiences offered at the Disneyland Resort and it is the ONLY character dining location where you’ll meet Mickey Mouse. Save your time waiting in line to meet Mickey and let him come to you at breakfast. As an added bonus, it’s inside Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa, so you don’t need park admission the day of your character breakfast if you don’t have it.
#21 Meet Minnie with NO Line AND Get Into Disneyland Early: Breakfast with Minnie and Friends is the only character dining experience located in Disneyland Park. Make a reservation for the first seating of the day, and you’ll get in before the crowds. While other families are lined up waiting to get inside, you can enter the park in the gates to the far left hand side just by having a breakfast reservation. You’ll only have access to the Plaza Inn for your breakfast until the park opens, but seeing as you’re already inside the park, you have a pretty great head start on your day!
Disneyland Secrets - Exclusive to California
#22 Disneyland History: Since Disneyland was the only park that Walt Disney lived to see, there is a special feeling in the park. There is also a fair share of memorabilia. One fun thing you can do is sit on the original park bench that Walt was sitting on when he dreamed up Disneyland. It can be found on Main Street, U.S.A..
#23 Visit Walt’s Apartment: If you’ve spent a good amount of time on Main Street, U.S.A., you may have noticed a candle above the fire station. It is placed in the window of Walt’s apartment that he used during his time in the park. The candle always stays lit in his honor. Formerly unavailable to the public, anyone can now visit Walt’s apartment as part of the Walk in Walt’s Footsteps Tour. These morning time tours are available daily for approximately $109+ per person not including theme park admission.
#24 Disneyland Resort Hotel Amenities: The Disneyland Resort Hotels are incredible, but you don’t have to be a guest at one to enjoy some of the amenities. Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel has a grand lobby with a warm fireplace, live piano music and a children’s area playing Disney cartoons that anyone can enjoy. They also feature a free “Art of the Craft” hotel tour daily. Also, the Disneyland Hotel has live island music, tiki torches and a fire pit nightly available to anyone at the Resort. All three hotels are typically decorated for the holidays and are worth checking out.
#25 Interactive Dining Experiences: Trader Sam’s Enchanted Tiki Bar is one of my favorite restaurants at the resort. It is completely themed after the Jungle Cruise and there are a number of interactive drinks. If you want to see some action order a Shipwreck or the Uh-Oa. Keep in mind the tiki bar is family friendly until 9pm (the appetizers really are delicious), and then becomes an adult only bar.
Booking Your Disneyland Vacation
One thing that is no secret is that we would love to help you plan your upcoming Disneyland vacation. We'll help you save the most with our discount Disneyland tickets and hotel specials. We'll also be with you every step of the way. Book any of our Disneyland vacation packages online or give us a call. Our vacation experts can be reached at 855-GET-AWAY. Or, explore our blog for even more Disneyland secrets, tips and tricks.
Join the Conversation!
Leave A CommentGet Away TodayMay 02 2018
Hi Roxanne! Disney gift cards can be used almost everywhere in the park. The only restrictions may be if any of the souvenir or snack carts take cash only. This isn't common, but can sometimes be seen at the carts that go around before the parades.
Get Away TodayMay 02 2018
Hi TK! Yes, you can add MaxPass to any tickets purchased through Get Away Today by using the Disneyland app when you are inside the park. We think it depends on your family, but definitely recommend it for busy days and at least one person purchasing it per day for the free PhotoPass downloads.
RoxanneMay 02 2018
Hi. I will be bringing Disney gift cards. I am hoping to use these to purchase souvenirs and meals through out the parks. Do you know if there are restrictions?
tkApril 28 2018
can we add maxpass to our tickets we buy through you? also do you feel its worth the money?
Get Away TodayApril 11 2018
Hi Marty! Happy birthday to your girlfriend - that's going to be such a fun trip. :) We'd definitely suggest getting a birthday button and making specialty dining reservations. You can check out more things to do in our birthday article, found at https://www.getawaytoday.com/blogs/2016-09-21/5-things-you-must-do-on-your-birthday-at-disneylan.
MartyApril 10 2018
I’m flying my girlfriend for her bday.....we will be there the day after her actual day. Is there anything there that will help make her visit a special one?
Get Away TodayMarch 06 2017
Hi there! The Magic Morning is when three day and higher ticket holders get to enter the Disneyland park an hour early before the public. For more information on that, check out our blog post here: https://www.getawaytoday.com/blogs/2016-08-02/disneyland-magic-morning-your-complete-guide. Or give our agents a call at 855-GET-AWAY. :)
AnonymousMarch 04 2017
What does it mean by Magic Morning?
Get Away TodayFebruary 17 2017
Hi Jan, They may have changed the offer to $5 off. At the time of the article, they were offering a free sandwich. Sorry for any confusion!
JanFebruary 16 2017
I went to the Earl of Sandwich to see what you were talking about regarding the "free" sandwich. All I saw was a $5.00 coupon after you sign up. Am I missing something?
Get Away TodayNovember 18 2016
Hi Linda! You will need to have each person over 13 in your party register. The coupon is only for one person. Please let us know if you have any other questions! :)
lindaNovember 17 2016
The earl of sandwich offer says when you register you can get a free sandwich for everyone over 13 in your party and the next line says you'll be emailed a coupon just for you. Is my registration good for a sandwich for each in my party (over 13) or does each person have to register separately?
Get Away TodayAugust 22 2016
That's a great idea - we'd love to put together an article on the new Photopass options. Stay tuned!
AnonymousAugust 21 2016
Would you please do a blog post on the changes to the photopass programs. I'm curious to see how it works now and the differences in WA h of the packages? Do you still have to pre-purchase, etc?? Thank you!
jayJune 22 2016
Do we have to come to the park at the exact day of travel or it is flexible
JimmyJune 14 2016
Have been going to Disneyland for many, many years, since my romantic husband, almost 46 years, took me there for our honeymoon. Kimberly's post is very informative.
She mentioned about dining at Club 33. Would appreciate more info. Some years ago, had reservation, (hubby returning from Gulf War). Had to cancel. His Dad became very ill and died shortly after. Would really like to arrange. We kind of switched roles - he's the house husband and I deploy to disasters. Would appreciate some assistance. Thanks
Get Away TodayApril 11 2016
Hi Nz, To really maximize your time, you could do either a 3-day Park Hopper and start your first day the evening you get in. Because it's summer, they park will likely have much longer hours so you can get a few good hours in. If you don't want to do that, I would recommend starting your trip with a character dinner reservation at Goofy's Kitchen, which is located inside the Disneyland Hotel and a 2-day Park Hopper ticket. Yes, if you stay at a Disney property, you'll get early entry into Disneyland OR Disney California Adventure Park each day of your stay. Goofy's Kitchen and the Princess Celebration lunch or breakfast are the two most popular character dining options. If you have any other questions, our agents would LOVE to help at 855-GET-AWAY. :)
NzApril 08 2016
Hi we only be in disneyland from 5th June arrive 6pm 6th June full day 7th June fly out 7pm what ticket do you advise we can probably only do disneyland if we stay at disney resort do we get early entry? And what's the best place for character dining. Many thanks.
Get Away TodayMarch 20 2016
Hi Lauren, Yes - all 3-day and longer tickets including both the Park Hopper and the 1-Park per Day tickets include one Magic Morning. Enjoy! :)
LaurenMarch 15 2016
Hi! We just ordered 3 Day 1 Park at a time passes for Disneyland. Do we get a magic morning with that? Or is it only come with the 3 day Hopper passes?
Get Away TodayMarch 07 2016
Hi Mary, Kids who are ages two and under eat free at any of the buffet options offered at Disneyland, like the character breakfasts. This is of course subject to change, but only kids 3 and up are charged for meals. If you're at a counter service or table service restaurant with a kids menu and you wanted to order something for your two year old, you would have to pay for that.
MarychuyMarch 02 2016
What do you mean byvkids 2 and under eat free
Get Away TodayDecember 23 2015
Hey Dizmom, That's a great question. We put together a list of area restaurants that do free birthday offers. Many of these restaurants may also do other offers, so it would be worth it to check them individually. Here's the link to the article with the restaurant list: https://www.getawaytoday.com/blogs/2014-09-24/ways-to-celebrate-at-the-disneyland-resort
DizmomDecember 22 2015
What other restaurants that you mention should we sign up for goodies? We aren't familiar with the area any help would be great!! Thanks
Get Away TodayAugust 13 2015
They may have changed the offer, but it was valid at the time this was posted. Also, it may have just been a standard coupon that you get as a member. It took a couple of weeks until the completely free coupon came, so depending on their current offer or what they are sending, it may still be on its way. We hope so!
AnonymousAugust 12 2015
I signed up for the Earl of Sandwich e-club to receive my free sandwich. All I got was a coupon for a free drink and chips with a purchase of a sandwich. What gives?