Mickey and Friends Parking Structure vs. Hotel Shuttles vs. Walking

When you park in the Mickey and Friends parking structure you will want to remember the following items: 

Always remember where you parked. You will get a ticket like the one below. If you are not familiar with the structure, make sure to document your location and bring it with you into the park.

It seems like every time Cast Members guide you to your parking space, it is in the very furthest section of the structure. After you have parked you will want to wait till your row is full and Cast Members have moved to another section. You can then pull out of your parking place and search for a closer spot. (Make sure to avoid the exits, and stay on the same level they have guided you too.) During the day you will have done so much walking that being closer to the escalators at the end of your day is just that much closer to your bed.

 

The parking structure is pretty shaded (except for the top level.) If you want to bring your own food to the park but not carry it around all day, keep your food in the trunk of your car and return to the structure for lunch or dinner. (This is another great opportunity to pull your car closer to the escalators.)

You are allowed re-entry if you drive out of the parking stucture. Make sure to keep your pass showing you paid for parking on that day. This is not recommended during busy times at the park.  Night life (fireworks and Fantasmic) lines getting into the parking structure get very long and can cause a lot of delay.  Do not leave the parking structure at night and expect to get back in easily.

Many hotels and motels in the Disneyland area have shuttles that will take you to and from the park.  They usually are on a half hour schedule.  Check with your hotel to see if they have any additional fees at check in (parking, etc.) and if they have a shuttle and if there are fees to ride the shuttle.

 

Make sure to check the shuttle schedule to allow plenty of time after the park closes to return to your hotel so you don't get stuck at the park.

If you are staying near the park and want to walk, make sure you think about tired children in the evening and that the city blocks are much larger than you think.

With the price of parking at the Resorts, you can save a lot of money by walking or taking the shuttle to the park.  However, nothing beats the ease of being able to go back to the car.

Did You Know?

The drawbridge to Sleeping Beauty’s Castle really works. It’s been raised only twice: once on opening day, and once in the l980's when Fantasyland reopened.

Here is a great photo of Walt walking thru the castle before the park opened for the day.  Sleeping Beauty's Castle is actually flipped.  The front of the castle is actually on the side of Fantasyland.

The crest above the entrance to Fantasyland is the Disney family coat of arms. 

The castle itself is open to visitors.  Inside you will find the Sleeping Beauty story displayed in many animated panaramas.

Glow Necklaces and Lollipops

One of our favorite things to bring into the park are glow necklaces purchased at The Dollar Store.  When we were younger they were the most important item to have while enjoying night life at the park.  They now have many new battery powered glow items and even balloons that have LED lights in them.  At The Dollar Store you can buy lots of glow items for a huge fraction of the price you can get glow items at Disneyland. 

One of the other items we have purchased at The Dollar Store were large lollipops.  It seems like every store in Disneyland has a lollipop display rack.  They have every design, every flavor and a Disney character on the plastic!  They are not very expensive at the park but if you want to save some money try The Dollar Store first.

On our last trip with our family we suprised the kids on their last night with lollipops, glow necklaces, glow hats, and glowing magic wands.  All for the price of one glow necklace purchased at the park.

Even adults were wearing the glow necklaces.  You can always be a kid in Disneyland.

Drinking Water

We do not enjoy the taste of Southern California water.  We also do not drink much soda.  We have come up with a few ways to enjoy the park without spending tons of money on drinks.

Option 1:  Before your trip you will want to stop at Wal Mart to buy a big 12 pack of water.  The goal is to have atleast one water bottle per person per day.  (Larger families may need more than a 12 pack.) 

While at Wal Mart you will also want to purchase a few packs of individual water flavoring packs.  Some are colored flavoring and some are not.  (We recommend getting colorless or light colored flavoring.  It is much easier and you will not dye your hands)

While starting your day you will drink the water from the new bottle and when you run out you can refill at a park drinking fountain and add your flavoring.  You can also split a pack of flavor depending on taste.  By using this method you can enjoy some flavor to your water, save money on sodas (or their bottled water) and be much healthier by not drinking the soda! 

Option 2:  If you don't mind having water every day of your vacation you may want to bring a Camelbak or other type of hydration pack. 

Instead of buying small water bottles you will want to buy a few gallon sized bottles of water.  We have found them for under a dollar at Wal Mart.  You can refrigerate the bottles in your hotel room and fill your Camelbak before your day in the park.  You can also get some ice from the ice machine at your hotel and add ice to your pack.  It will stay cold much longer this way. 

Some tips on the Camelbak:

- Make sure you get a cover for the mouth piece.  You will be taking the back pack off for rides and it is a lot better knowing that the mouth piece is covered.

- Most rides have plenty of foot room to allow for the pack to be secured at your feet.  If you are going on a high movement ride you may want to step through one of the straps to secure your bag.

- If you are planning on buying a hydration pack buy one with plenty of room inside for food and other items.  We also do not recommend any more than a 2 liter sized bladder.

- If you want to collect pins you can decorate your bag with them. 

Option 3: Just drink the water!  It is free and there are drinking fountains everywhere in the park.  You can also ask for a cup of water with ice when you are eating in the park.

We never buy their drink products.  Even when eating in the park we enjoy our flavored water, Camelbak, or ask for ice water. 

The biggest thing to remember is to drink water!  It can get very hot in the park and your trip will be much better if you can stay hydrated!  You can get very sick, very fast if you are not drinking plenty of water.  There are plenty of clean bathrooms in the park and you do not need to worry about drinking too much water. 

Did You Know?

Disneyland does not sell gum.  At other amusement parks visitors often find themselves scraping off gooey gum from their shoes.  Disney didn't want guests to be bothered with this nuisance so gum is not sold at Disneyland.  There are also costumed maintenance crews that continually walk the park keeping it clean.  Litter and gum that is carelessly discarded by guests is quickly cleaned up by the maintenance crew. The costumes they wear changes to fit the land they police.  For instance in Frontierland the crew wears western wear.  This helps add to the magic and blend with the land.

River Belle Terrace / Fantasmic

Fantasmic is one of our favorite things to do in the park.  It is a live action night show revolving around Mickey Mouse's dreams.  Seating is around the Rivers of America with a majority of the events happening on Tom Sawyer's Island.  You must see Fantasmic during your stay in the park.   

Many people wait to see Fantasmic up to three hours before it is scheduled to begin.  This is common and the areas get very packed with people.  You can join the rest of the people and sit on the ground uncomfortably for 3 hours or you can enjoy the show from a distance with the same effect. 
Our suggestion is watching the show from the River Belle Terrace restaurant.  It is directly across from Tom Sawyer's island and they have tables and chairs for more comfort. 
You will want to sit at the tables closest to the water for the best view of the show.  You can see the show from any table however, umbrellas are near each table and can have some effect on your view.  Do not remove the umbrellas.  You will get yelled at by Cast Members.  You will still need to arrive hours before the show but you can scope out a table and grab some dinner and have a few people wait for the show while the rest go explore the park. 

We find that if you buy food in the park or at the restaurant you feel better about saving a table for hours and you don't feel guilty.  We have eaten at this restaurant and the food is good.  One of our favorite things to buy here is the hot cocoa.  You can sip it while enjoying the show and it is pretty good deal.

If you see Fantasmic on a night that also has a fireworks show, you can stay seated at your table and watch the fireworks show.  You may have an obstructed view due to the trees but the experience is pretty great!

During the busy days at the park Fantasmic has multiple showings.  The above information is in relation to the first showing.  If you plan on attending the second showing of Fantasmic you probably should head the the River Belle Terrace as soon as the first show ends to claim your seat.

People tend to leave the park after the fireworks.  This is another great opportunity to get on some of the rides you missed during the day.  The park is completely different after dark.
For a listing of what items are offered at The River Belle Terrace click here.

Fast Pass

In early 1999, Disney introduced the FastPass system to allow theme park guests to bypass the waits on more popular attractions. By using the FastPass, you can bypass most of the standby line in the busiest Disney attractions. This genius idea can be used by anyone in the park by simply:

1.Heading to the ride you want to "skip the line"

2.Look for the FastPass Box (pictured above)

3.Insert your Disney Park ticket, and that of everyone in your party

4.Grab the receipt (see below)

5.Head back to the ride during your allotted time!

This is a great way to experience the entire Disney park. For more information on the Disney FastPass, be sure to check out FastPass.info.
Below you will see an example of a FastPass receipt. It states that you must return between 4:30-5:30pm. You may return to the FastPass line anytime from 4:30pm until the the park closes for the day.

Disney Cast Members will allow entrance through the FastPass line any time after the first time period listed on your receipt.

If you don't return to the ride make sure to keep your receipt until after you leave the park for the evening. Rides like Space Mountain tend to have longer wait times in the evening and you can use that FastPass before you leave the park. If you don't use the tickets share with some strangers and make someone's day! It is a great thing to do!

If a ride breaks down anytime after you receive your receipt make sure to keep it.  They may let you use it the next day.  This has happened to us a few times and we have never been denied entrance.

Click here to see what attractions currently use the FastPass feature.

 

A WARNING:  You can not get another FastPass until after the first time listed on your last receipt.  Example:  Let's say it is 10:00am.  You head to Space Mountain and see that the FastPass clock shows a return time of 4:30pm - 5:30pm.  You get your pass.  You may not get another FastPass until 4:30pm.  Be very careful not to waste your time on lines that are 20-30 minutes long.  If the return time is 4-6 hours later than the current time, you may want to use FastPass on another ride and wait for your current ride.

Disney Planning DVD's

If you are planning a trip to a Disney Park or a Disney Cruise click here to order a vacation planning DVD.  They are free of charge and provide you a great look at things to do and places to go.  If you have a small child or it has been many years since your last visit, this is a great way to prepare for your trip.  You will want to order atleast a month before your trip.

Disney Character Warehouse

If you are wanting Disneyland swag and don't want to pay the Disneyland Prices, try the Disney Character Warehouse in Fullerton, California. It is very close to the park and has merchandise from the park from prior years.

In the pictures above Debbie and Scout are wearing Disneyland shirts from previous years that we bought at a very discounted prices at the DCW.  

Here is the address:

243 Orangefair Mall

Fullerton, California 92832-3038
714-870-9363

There are temporary locations that we have seen in Northern California and Utah.  They also have a store in Las Vegas (which we think is more expensive and not as good.) 
Their address is:
7680 Las Vegas Blvd S @211
Las Vegas, Nevada 89123-1044
702-260-8144

You can also search the web for discounts and special offers.  Make sure to sign up for their mailing list when you visit a store to receive updates when a store will be in your area or special discounts.  They also have a discount card when you spend a certain amount of money with them. 
To view additional locations of the Disney Character Warehouse or check store hours, click here.

Welcome to "Disney Parks: Tips and Hints"

We are not Disney freaks, we are Disney Park fans. There is a big difference. Disney freaks love the characters and have to own everything Disney. Disney Park fans love the parks and the feeling you get while visiting. We have made this blog to help our family and friends have the best time at "The Happiest Place on Earth."