9 Mistakes Disneyland First Timers Make That Have Fans Cringing

Being a Disneyland first-timer doesn’t mean you need to make the usual mistakes. The AllEars team AND our readers are here to help!

We’ve spent literal decades visiting the Disneyland Resort on a weekly basis, so it’s safe to say we’ve accumulated a few tips over the years. From restaurant recommendations to ride hacks, we’ve got you covered. That said, we know many of our readers are also Disneyland experts, and that’s why we turned to YOU to help folks who are making their first-ever trip to The Happiest Place On Earth.

We asked our AllEars readers over on Facebook, “What are some mistakes you’ve seen people make in Disneyland that just make you feel…bad for them?” We got a bunch of thoughtful responses that will hopefully save some families from making unfortunate mistakes during their first visit to Disneyland!

Starting us off is Reader Jan’s note that “Packing for the park like it’s a three-week trek into the wilderness” is not exactly the best idea.

A lot of vacationers pull from Disney World experiences or other vacations, and come almost too prepared. Disneyland may have Frontierland and Grizzly Peak, but it’s far from a wilderness area that requires tons and tons of packing.

The Disneyland Resort is located in Orange County, California — home to a dense population of people and things to do. This ain’t the middle of nowhere, folks.

And the resort is only a fraction of the total scope of Disney World. It’ll take you five to ten minutes to walk/drive off the Disneyland property to find a CVS or a local grocery store to buy essentials for a reasonable price. So — in short — you’re visiting one of the most popular locations on Earth. You really don’t need to overthink the whole packing thing.

I already brought up the fact that Disneyland is not Disney World, and Reader Michael hit the nail on the head when calling out the mistake of “Skipping rides just because [you] ‘already did them in Disney World.'” 

It’s true that Disneyland and Disney World have a lot of attractions with the same name. While some attractions might be identical clones, others — like Pirates of the Caribbean, Tiana’s Bayou Adventure, Haunted Mansion, Space Mountain, Big Thunder Mountain, and the Jungle Cruise — are all pretty different in various degrees. Some rides like Pirates and Space Mountain are VASTLY better (debatably, of course) at Disneyland, and skipping these attractions would be a MASSIVE mistake.

It’s undeniable that both Disneyland parks are packed with tons of fun. However, you shouldn’t sleep on the fun that can be had at your hotel. Reader Ed called out this mistake, writing, “All the fun isn’t in the parks. Did you look at the great pool at your hotel? Maybe the kids would like it.”

This point is especially true if you’re staying at one of the three Disneyland Resort hotels on-property. These hotels offer tons of fun activities, dining options, and lively pools that promise fun for the whole family. If you’re doing an off-day at Disneyland, your hotel still offers plenty of relaxing, yet fun options.

This may seem counterintuitive to the last point, but Reader Amy suggested that “Staying on campus [on-site]” is a mistake.

While Disney hotels do offer perks like great theming, top-notch amenities, ideal locations, and theme park perks like a free Lightning Lane pass, they are VERY expensive compared to the nearby Good Neighbor Hotels (local non-Disney hotels that partner with Disney to accommodate guests) — which generally offer their own set of perks for a much cheaper rate. In a perfect world, yeah, you’d probably want to stay at a Disney hotel. But Good Neighbor values are impossible to ignore.

Let’s talk about mistakes that are often made inside the parks. The first has to do with wasting money on a ticket add-on. Reader Anna wrote, “I met a family that bought Lightning Lane and didn’t know how to use it.” If the family had three or more people in it, that’s $100+ wasted already.

Disneyland’s Lightning Lane systems are available in Multi Pass, Single Pass, and Premier Pass. Passes are accessed and bought through the Disneyland app — giving you digital tickets to skip the standby lines at Disneyland and Disney California Adventure.

Multi Pass lets you access most rides one at a time through reservation windows, Single Pass lets you reserve Lightning Lane access to Radiator Springs Racers or Rise of the Resistance, and Premier Pass gives you one-time access to every single ride whenever you want throughout a day (for a MUCH heftier fee than the other two).

We are constantly testing out Lightning Lanes and keeping up-to-date on any changes, so make sure you’re checking back here at AllEars frequently for Lightning Lane tips and updates.

I mentioned the Disneyland app, which makes this a good time to bring up a huge mistake most guests make. Reader Danelle brought up a common mistake, writing, “Stand in long lines for food instead of mobile ordering.” 

Disneyland and California Adventure have really come a long way when it comes to embracing the digital age — so much so that the majority of quick-service restaurants at both parks offer mobile order through the Disneyland app. As long as you have a card on file, you can select the restaurant you want, pick a time frame you want your food, order, and then go about your day without worrying about food lines. If you have a discount like a Magic Key, the app even auto-applies it!

And when you’re considering where to eat, Reader Steve is right, writing that it’s a mistake when people “skip the churros.”

While Disney World has a complicated relationship with its churros due to the humidity and struggles maintaining churro freshness, Southern California avoids that problem altogether. In fact, I’m betting most Disneyland locals would say a Disneyland churro is their favorite snack in the park!

While Disney World is sort of a vacation that requires tons and tons of planning, Disneyland leans more into that California, tie-dyed, relaxed vibe. You don’t need to go 100 miles per hour here to get a lot done. In fact, that’s an easy way to burn yourself out. Disneyland has a lot to offer despite its relatively smaller size compared to Disney World. It just compacts everything — which also makes it easier to slowly walk around and still find something to do, eat, or see fairly quickly.

Reader Jimmy wrote that it’s a mistake by “not taking the time to *SLOW DOWN* and *enjoy* things. Days at the parks are not always going to be “perfect”. Rides break down. Weather gets yucky.”

And as Jimmy said, despite Southern California having that ideal Mediterranean climate, there are hot and rainy days. Add that to park crowds getting overwhelming at times, rides breaking down, and life not being perfect every second of the day — you may run into some emotional obstacles.

Those obstacles are easier to overcome if you attack them with chiller vibes. Slowing down, remaining calm, and trying to be positive will result in those downsides being pushed aside like water off a Disneyland duck’s back.

Finally, one big mistake is staying so true to Disney World that you never give Disneyland a chance. Reader Christy wrote, “The mistake we made was not going sooner. Once we went for the 60th celebration we became pass holders there and never went back to WDW.”

It’s this writer’s opinion that BOTH Disney World and Disneyland are VERY different — and both have plenty to offer for everyone. Disneyland may be significantly smaller, but it’s still got plenty of fun rides, delicious eats, and a historic nostalgia you can’t get anywhere else in the world. You may prefer one, or you may fall in love with both equally.

If you’re looking for a travel agent to help with your vacation, we recommend our friends at Mouse Fan Travel. They’re experts in the field with over 20 years of vacation planning experience, and they can help take a bunch of the stress out of the entire booking process for you!

What are some first-timer mistakes you’ve seen at Disneyland? Let us know in the comments and continue to follow us here at AllEars for all the latest Disneyland tips, tricks, news, and more!

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