Disneyland Kennels

An indoor kennel is available to the right of the entrance to Disneyland Park. Food and water are provided however, you must return to the Kennel to walk your animal. The Kennel does not provide overnight boarding.

DOGS: You must produce proof of vaccinations for rabies, distemper, hepatitis and leptospirosis for dogs over four months old.

CATS: You must produce proof of vaccinations for rabies, panleukopenia, rhinotracheitus and calcivirus.

Price: $20.00 Per Day

If you are traveling with your pet, you must park in the Mickey & Friends parking structure if you wish to board your pet at the Kennel. If you park in a different area, you will not be allowed to board the shuttle since they are not owned by Disney.

Reservations are required by calling (714) 781-7662, the Disneyland Kennel is not open for Magic Morning.

Below are some additional options outside the Disneyland Resort:

Animal Friends Pet Hotel
13220 Euclid Street
Garden Grove, CA 92843
(714) 537-4500
Near Euclid and Paloma Avenue
Notes - All animals must have up to date vaccination records.

Animal Inns of America
10852 Garden Grove Blvd
Garden Grove, CA 92843
(714) 636-4455
Near Brookhurst Avenue and Euclid
Notes - All animals must have up to date vaccination records.

Check with your hotel to see if they allow pets.  The hotels at the Disneyland Resort do NOT allow pets.

*****ONE MORE THING TO THINK ABOUT, THE FIREWORKS ARE VERY LOUD AND SCARE DOGS, PLEASE TAKE THAT INTO CONSIDERATION.*******

Our Favorite Disney Sites

Be sure to check out "Our Favorite Disney Sites" and "Our Favorite Disney Blogs" on the left side of this blog.  Here you will find links to sites we recommend for further reading.  They are organized in alphabetical order but we have broken them down by type here: 

Time Saving
Ridemax (Sign up to receive a daily plan to save you time)

Disney Official Sites
D23 (The Official Disney Fan Club)
Disney Movie Club (Become a member and find hard to find Disney movies)
Disney DVD Official Site (List of all Disney DVD's)
Disney Parks Mobile (See what is going on in the park right now and check out other Travel offers)
Disney Movie Rewards (Receive merchandise by signing up and entering the code from purchased movies)
Disney Parks (The master site for all Disney Parks)
Disney Parks Blog (The Official Disney Blog)
Disney Vacation DVD's (Click here to read our post on these free DVD's)
Disneyland Resorts (Disneyland, Disney World, Paris, Hong Kong, Tokyo)

Cost Saving
Get Away Today (Vacation planning and travel booking)
Mouse Savers (Save on vacation and travel expenses.  Sign up for Email Notifications)

Disney Fan Blogs / Souvenirs
AllEars (News and events at the parks)
Daveland (News and events at the parks)
DISboards (News and events at the parks)
Disney Frontier (News and events at the parks)
Disney Mouse Links (News and events at the parks)
Disney Music Loop (Want to know what music plays in the park?)
Disney Stationary (Want Disney stationary to print from home?)
Disneyland Postcards (See what old postcards were sold at the park)
Hidden Mickeys (See where the hidden Mickey's are hidden throughout the parks)
HV10N90 (Great Youtube site with many great videos from the park)
INTERCOT (Disneyworld Information)
Laughing Place (News and events at the parks)
Miceage (News and events at the parks)
Mickey Avenue (Download Disney fonts on your computer)
Mouseplanet (News and events at the parks)
Name Tag Museum (News and events at the parks)
RU42 Video Production (Purchase top quality videos to remember your trip)
Vintage Disneyland Tickets (See older tickets and programs from years past)
Walt Disney Quotes (Great quotes from Walt Disney)
WDWmagic (Disneyworld News)
Yesterland (See what's changed at the parks)

Check back for updates and changes on the left side of our blog.  As new sites are found we will update.

Don't Forget

Be sure to check out the section "Don't Forget..." on the left side of our blog.  You will find a list of items you will want to remember while preparing for your trip.  You can also click on may of the items to read our blog posts on them or be directed to other sources.

Disneyland Discount Tickets

Here are some things you need to know about Disneyland Tickets:

•Children under 3 get in free, and anyone 10 years old or over pays adult admission for Disneyland tickets.

•The lowest-priced, single-day Disneyland tickets are good for only one park. In other words, you can't visit Disneyland in the morning and Disney's California Adventure in the afternoon of the same day.

•Multi-day Disneyland tickets and one-day Hoppers allow you to visit both parks on the same day. Park Hopper Disneyland tickets expire 13 days after the first use, no matter how many days you buy.

•An easy way to get Disneyland tickets and stay out of line at the park is to order online from Kijubi.com. They guarantee a rate as low as you'll get by buying direct, offer online and postal mail delivery.

•If you buy from Disney, you can have them held at Will Call or mailed to your home. You'll pay a shipping fee that varies depending on your location and lead time. These tickets come with a risk - they cannot be replaced if they're lost, even if you have a copy. Checked bags can go astray, so pack them in your carry-on luggage.

•A better option is to order online and opt for eTickets which you can print out at home. This saves shipping costs, but even more important, an eTicket can be replaced if you forget or lose it, as long as the person who bought it is present and has the credit card they used with them. If that happens, just head for Guest Services at the Main Entrance Will Call window with the credit card and a photo ID and they can issue a new ticket.

•Order by telephone at 714-781-4400.

•Once you start your Disneyland visit, lost tickets cannot be replaced, even if you have a copy of them. Keep them safely tucked into a secure pocket while you're in the park.

•Southern California visitors will find discount tickets for Universal Studios and Sea World everywhere they look, from tourist magazines to the paper lining their dinner trays at the local fast food joint, but getting Disneyland discount tickets isn't quite as easy. The good news is that you can still get some Disneyland discount tickets, and you'll do best if you plan in advance.

•All Resort tickets can be upgraded to annual passes.  Present your ticket on the last day of your trip (to get the most days possible on the year pass) and pay the difference from the price of your tickets and the price of the annual pass.  There are a few options for annual passes and remember to consider a parking pass for all passes other than the Premium.  If you are not from Southern California and have someone in your party who does have a Southern California zip code, that person can purchase a Southern California pass for you.  They need to be the ones who pay for the pass.

•Learn about the regular prices before you get started looking for bargains. There's more about visiting Disneyland here, too.

Disneyland Discount Tickets - Options

•Free Admission For Volunteer Service: During 2010, you can get into one Disneyland theme park ticket free for one day as your reward for doing a day of volunteer service. Find out how to do it.

•Southern California CityPass: If you're planning on visiting some of Southern California's other attractions during your trip, this one is your best bet. You can get 3-Day Disneyland Tickets, tickets for one day each at Universal Studios, SeaWorld and your choice of a ticket to the San Diego Zoo OR San Diego Zoo's Wild Animal Park. The total discount is approximately 30%, and you can buy the passes online in advance, or at the gate of any of the participating attractions.  You can also find these at most Costco's.

•ARES Travel offers small discounts on Disneyland California tickets and you can also reserve character breakfasts through them. They deliver by e-mail only. You can order online or by phone at 800-434-7894.

•Buy online not at the ticket booth: You can get Disneyland discount tickets if you buy them online in advance. Prices can be up to $50 per ticket less than what you'd pay at the gate. Print at home or to get them in the mail.

•Disneyland Specials: From time to time, Disney offers special discounts. The most common is adding a couple of extra days to a multi-day ticket for free. See what's available and buy it online.

•Shorten Your Stay: Another way to save money is to spend fewer days in the parks, but this doesn't mean you can't do everything. Normal visitors spend more time in line than doing anything else, but you know better. With an inexpensive subscription to Ridemax software, you can stay out of line and easily do in two days what it takes most people three to four days to cover. In fact, I once used it to do almost all of Disneyland in a single day and had time to spare.

•Stay Away from Auctions: Some people buy 5-Day passes, use two or three days and try to sell the remaining time in online auctions. However, these tickets state in writing, "Not For Sale. Non Transferable, Must be used by the same person, all days," and this practice is not recommended.

•Adults Pay Kids' Price: Some years, Disney offers special pricing for visits from January through early spring, with everyone paying the kids' admission fee

•Southern Californians: If you live in zip codes 90000-93599, Disney offers frequent special deals and discounts for online purchases along with special discounts on annual passes. Your local Costco, Von's or Ralph's store may also offer lower-priced passes.

•California Teachers: Members of ACSA, CTA, CRTA and First Financial Credit Union can get Disneyland discount tickets through TSA Special Services by phone or mail. The excellent discounts they once offered are getting less impressive every year, nearly vanishing when you add their processing fees, and you have to order far enough in advance to allow for mail delivery.

•Southern California University Students: Some area universities offer discounted, one-park, one-day Disneyland discount tickets for their students. Check with your Student Union.

•Employee Discounts: Some large corporations and government agencies in Southern California also offer discounted, one-day, one-park Disneyland discount tickets to their employees. Ask your Human Resources department.

•AAA and CSAA Members: These California automobile clubs sometimes offer discounts, but grab your calculator before you buy. Some of their "packages" cost the same as the individual parts at full price.  Plus, if you buy only tickets to the park, they include fee parking at the Mickey and Friends Parking Structure!  This will save you over $10 a day!

•Some area hotels offer discount Disneyland tickets with a room rental.

•Military Discounts: Active duty, Reserve, National Guard, Retired, and DOD employees can buy Disneyland discount tickets, with the amount depending on the time of year. Check with your base MWR for information. Bring your military ID to show at the gate.

•United Kingdom Residents: Theme Park Direct offers some good discounts, but check the current exchange rate and which way it's heading before you buy. It may be cheaper to buy in U. S. dollars.

•Hotel Points: This isn't exactly a discount, but you can redeem Hilton HHonors Points for Disneyland passes.

Unofficial Guides

 

For many Disney travelers The Unofficial Guide To Walt Disney World and The Unofficial Guide to Disneyland by Bob Sehlinger and Len Testa are simply known as the Good Books. For many years the Unofficial Guides has told you everything you ever wanted to know about visiting the Disney theme parks and resorts and a lot more. These are essential books for trip planning and it is no wonder why they remains the best selling Disney books on Amazon.

Last year the books were enhanced with practical color photos. One series compares the crowd levels at different times of the day and another compares a Disney burger to one from McDonalds. You can see examples of the various Disney transportation modes, the Fastpass system, and what the differences are in amenities between a value, moderate, and deluxe resort.

They are “unofficial” for a reason as they pay for everything themselves. While in the parks researchers wear logo shirts and are very talkative with other guests.  They are always asking questions. There is balance and it is refreshing. The authors recognize that these trips are not inexpensive and you want to get the best value possible in these tough economic times.

The books are updated each year and the text does change. I have noticed in these editions they are especially critical about rising ticket prices, the bus transportation systems, and the increase in dining prices. Much of the analysis is quantitative and measurable unlike other travel books. Want to book one of the in-demand dining spots? There is a chart that tells you how many days in advance each place gets filled. They even measure pillow fluffiness.

Another fun feature embedded in the attraction descriptions are side notes from Jim Hill. My impression is that most of the rumors of potential ride upgrades are connected to some sort of Disney property in order to get the greenlight. Synergy.

If you plan on visiting Universal Studio, this book has a very comprehensive section for those parks and resorts as well.

Here are five unofficial ways to prepare for your trip to a Disney Park by the author, Bob Sehlinger:

1. Select the time of year for your visit: The parks are busiest Christmas Day through New Year’s Day. Thanksgiving weekend, the week of Washington’s birthday, the first full week of November, spring break for colleges, and the two weeks around Easter are also times when visitation can peak at 92,000 visitors in a single day. The park is far less crowded during the off season, but be advised that the parks often open late and close early during that time.

2. Shape up: Visiting Disney Parks require levels of industry and stamina more often associated with running marathons. As you plan your time at Disney Parks, consider your physical limitations. It’s exhausting to rise at dawn and run around a theme park for 8 to 12 hours day after day. Every Disney vacation itinerary should include days when you don’t go to a theme park and days when you sleep in and take the morning off. Plan these to follow unusually long and arduous days.  There is also information about hotels in the area.

3. Formulate your park plan: First-time visitors should see Epcot first; you’ll be able to enjoy it without having been preconditioned to think of Disney entertainment as solely fantasy or adventure. See Animal Kingdom second. Like Epcot, it’s educational, but its live animals provide a change of pace. Next, see Disney’s Hollywood Studios, which helps transition from the educational Epcot and Animal Kingdom to the fanciful Magic Kingdom. Also, because DHS is smaller, you won’t walk as much or stay as long. Save the Magic Kingdom for last; it’s the park that epitomizes Disney World for most visitors.

4. Create your touring plan: Which rides and attractions appeal most to you? What are you willing to forgo? Planning your day in advance can save you up to four hours of waiting time in line. We have developed a hierarchy of categories that will help you evaluate each ride and plan the best way to enjoy them all. For example, SUPER-HEADLINERS are the best attractions the theme park has to offer – and they usually have the longest lines. MINOR ATTRACTIONS are midway-type rides, small “dark” rides (cars on a track, zigzagging through the dark) and walk-through attractions—which can be a lot of fun, without the long wait. Remember that bigger and more elaborate doesn’t always mean better. See examples of touring plans (and create your own) in The Unofficial Guides.  Also includes are height requirements, and best times to visit attractions.

5. Getting hungry?: There are three lessons to learn before you dine in the parks. One: Theme-park restaurants rush their customers in order to make room for the next group of diners. If you want to linger over your expensive meal, don’t order your entire dinner at once. Order drinks. Study the menu while you sip, then order appetizers. Tell the waiter you need more time to decide among entrees. Order your main course only after appetizers have been served. Dawdle over dessert. Two: If you’re dining in a theme park and cost is an issue, make lunch your main meal. Entrees are similar to those on the dinner menu, but prices are significantly lower. Three: Disney adds a surcharge of $4 per adult and $2 per child to certain popular restaurants during weeks of peak attendance, including Easter, Thanksgiving, and Christmas, and in 2009 every day from Memorial Day through July 4.  There is also information about eating outside the park.

Check out these books!  They are an amazing addition to your Disney library and are very helpful in planning a successful trip.  If you would like some additional reading by Bob Sehlinger check out the following:

-The Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World With Kids

-Beyond Disney

Give a Day, Get a Disney Day Reminder!!!

***This promotion is now over.  Read below to see what was offered in 2010***
Sign up for "Give A Day, Get A Disney Day" today!!! Click here to access Disney's website to sign up!

Give a day of service and get a free ticket to a Disney Park! Only one million tickets are available. What a great opportunity to serve and get a great reward! Click here to see what service you can do in your area.

Meeting Location

While planning your trip make sure to establish a meeting location in each park as a location to assemble if someone in your party gets lost.  Make sure everyone in your party knows this location.  It is best to use a place that is not usually packed with people.  Avoid parade routes and popular attractions.  Some people even have meeting locations in each land.

It is also very important to show children what Cast Members look like and help them know that they can speak to them if they get lost.

Lost children can be found at the following locations:

-Disneyland (The end of Main Street, next to First Aid)

-California Adventure (Next to Mission Tortilla Factory in the Pacific Wharf)

-Downtown Disney (Children are taken to location in Disneyland)

Check with Disneyworld.com to see where their locations are located.

The most important thing to remember is that the park is one of the safest places to lose a child but it can still be very scary.  Also, don't be embarrassed that you have lost your child.  They deal with this multiple times a day and are very willing to help your child find their lost parent.

Ziplock Bags and Ponchos

While packing for your trip make sure to grab some ziplock bags.  Take snack size, sandwich size and gallon bags.  There are many uses for ziplocks.  They are great for snacks that you take into the park, sandwiches and for holding your electronics and wallets on water rides.

For those who don't want to get wet but do want to ride the water rides, buy a poncho to stay dry.  You can buy them at the park or you can find some at the Dollar Store and put them in your back pack.

Park Calendars

Before planning your trip to a Disney Park review the park schedules for park hours, events, refurbishments, and show times.  Click here for Disneyland and here for Disney World.  Having a copy of the park schedules will help you plan your day more efficiently and prepare you for any closures that are planned for the parks.
You may also want to check our posting about weather and attendance for more information about the best times to go to Disneyland.  You will also want to check weather.com for more current weather conditions in the area.

Grocery Shopping in Anaheim

We have not had much success with grocery shopping in Anaheim.  There is nothing right near the park and it is sometimes scary to explore other areas near Anaheim.  So here are some places we suggest when you need to go shopping.

Target (No grocery products)

101 S Euclid St

Anaheim, CA 92802
(714) 422-1120
 
Target (No grocery products)
12100 Harbor Blvd
Garden Grove, CA 92840
(714) 971-4826
 
Vons
130 W. Lincoln
Anaheim, CA 92805
(714) 535-2288

Vons
12961 W. Chapman
Garden Grove, CA 92840
(714) 750-3663

Vons
2684 N. Tustin Ave
Orange, CA 92865
(714) 637-6651

Smart & Final (Warehouse Grocery)
620 N Euclid St.
Anaheim, CA 92801
(714) 956-7981

Food 4 Less (Warehouse Grocery)
1616 West Katella Ave.
Anaheim CA 92805
(714) 539-7497

Food 4 Less (Warehouse Grocery)
914 W. Orangethorpe Ave.
Fullerton CA 92832
(714) 773-0238

o There are also 7-Eleven's on almost every corner.

o For Pharmacy information refer to our Medical Post for more information.

o It can also be very overwhelming deciding what you will buy and take into the park.  Refer to our Dining Posts for more ideas.

o There is a lot of new shopping, restaurants and hotels in the city of Orange.  If you are wanting to drive into the park we recommend finding a place to stay here.  Once you reserve your hotel check online to see what is around the hotel and map out what grocery stores are close by.

Random Park Hints, Part 1

There are not a lot of discounts on Disneyland tickets, but you can save money by combining a visit to Disneyland with other southern California theme parks using the Southern California CityPass. These are available at Costco.  You might also find discounted tickets through employee organizations, colleges, or at Kijubi.com.

Buy your tickets in advance to save time waiting in the ticket line. Pay attention to whether your tickets (such as annual passes) have to be picked up or validated at Guest Relations. Guest Relations does not open until the park opens. Will Call tickets can be picked up before the park opens.

Get to the park early. Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday are the least crowded days at Disneyland.  The ticket booths open about half hour before the gates open. Be in line with your tickets already in hand when the gates open to ride some of the non-FASTPASS rides like Dumbo the Flying Elephant, Pirates of the Caribbean, Matterhorn Bobsleds, or Toon Town before the lines get long.

Lines 13, 20, or 21 move fastest at the Disneyland park entrance.

Some Disneyland Resort packages include early entry into Disneyland. This allows you to enter the park one hour before the gates open and ride some of the more popular rides before the lines get long. This can mean 7 am in the summer. Usually this offer only applies to guests of the three Disney Resort hotels, but occasionally the promotion will include guests at "Good Neighbor" hotels as well.

Use RideMax to minimize time waiting in lines and walking between rides at Disneyland and Disney's California Adventure.

Ride during parades and use Fastpass. If you've already seen the parade or you don't mind missing it, this is a good time to get on rides since so many people stop riding to watch the parade.  Ride at dinnertime. Most people eat dinner between 4:00 pm and 6:00 pm, so lines will be shorter.  Go to Adventure land and New Orleans at night.  When riding the Matterhorn, remember that the line that wraps around the Tomorrowland side is almost always shorter.

Lines that move quickly even though they look crowded: Haunted Mansion, Buzz Lightyear, Pirates of the Carribbean, Jungle Cruise, Indiana Jones, and Tower of Terror.

Afternoon Break. If you have a hotel in the area, plan to go to the park early, take a break at your hotel in the afternoon and come back to spend the evening at the parks. Since most families with small children leave early, the lines for popular kiddie rides like Dumbo and Peter Pan are shorter at night. This mostly applies during the summer when the park is open from 8 am until 11 pm or midnight.

The best view of the fireworks is from Main Street in front of Sleeping Beauty's Castle. Most of the Fantasyland rides close down during fireworks and reopen afterwards. If you watch the fireworks from Fantasyland near Dumbo the Flying Elephant and the Carrousel, the fireworks will appear both in front of you and behind you, so you have to watch in two directions, but you'll be first in line when the Fantasyland rides re-open. The Fantasyland rides outside the roped off area re-open first, so you can ride Dumbo and then be ready when they take down the ropes to the rest of Fantasyland. Otherwise there's usually a 40 minute or longer wait for these rides.

Stay at a Disney area hotel. Even if you live in Southern California, you can save time and money by staying at a hotel close to the Disney Resort. Stay at a hotel with free parking and breakfast and it can equal what you would have paid for parking, gas and breakfast at Disneyland if you drive in for the day. If you're checking in the same day, most hotels will let you park at the hotel in the morning, take the shuttle to Disneyland, come back at check in time to have a rest, then shuttle back to the park. The shuttle will bring you back to the hotel up to half an hour after the park closes, so you don't have to drive home when you're wiped out after a long day in the sun.

Start with Adventureland and go clockwise.  This helps prevent criss-crossing the park so many times because it will usually plant you near parades, shows and restaurants around the times you need them. Also, most people tend to go counter-clockwise (i.e. starting with Tomorrowland), so you somehow seem to encounter less crowds going clockwise.  The Disneyland Train does a circle around the park, so use it for transportation.

Disneyland Attendance Tips

So what is the best time to go to Disneyland?  Here is some information to help plan your trip.

As you can see, if you go in May or early September you'll have the best chance of light crowds and balmy weather.

The days with heaviest attendance at Disneyland are:
o The 4th of July
o Thanksgiving weekend
o Christmas day through New Year’s Day

The days with lightest attendance are:
o The first week in January until the President’s Day weekend in February
o After Labor Day weekend to the week before Halloween. (But watch for those half-school days around this time!  See link below to access District Calendar)
o After Thanksgiving weekend until the week before Christmas
o Some say Super Bowl Sunday is light but others say it's the same as any other Sunday.

In general, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday are the least busy days.

If you go when Disneyland is less busy, be aware that:
o The park hours are shorter
o More rides may be closed for maintenance
o FastPasses may not be offered

Weekends are about twice as busy as weekdays, and 3-day weekends are 3 times as busy
o Saturdays are busier than Sundays
o Schools have random Fridays off and half-days, which can impact attendance. Consult the local School District Calendar before your trip. Click here to access their calendar.

Avoid the Following Times of Year If You Don't Like Crowds
o Martin Luther King Jr. weekend
o President's Day weekend
o Easter weekend
o Spring Break for the local schools
o Memorial Day weekend
o 4th of July week
o Labor Day weekend
o Gay Days Anaheim
o Columbus Day weekend
o Veteran's Day weekends
o Thanksgiving break for schools
o Christmas break for schools

Disneyland Temperature Trends

In general, Disneyland temperatures fall between 70 - 86 degrees during the day for most of the year (45 - 63 at night). There is some variation however, from extreme heat (over 100) to rainy and relative cold (40's). For an overview of Disneyland temperature trends, see the temperature graph below.

Disneyland Rainfall Trends

Does it rain in Disneyland? Yes but it does not rain often, and when it does, most rides keep operating. To see the rainfall trends, see the rain chart below.

More Weather Tips for Disneyland:
o The warmest month is August.
o The coldest month is January.
o The rainiest month is February.
o The highest recorded temperature was 108°F in 2004.
o The lowest recorded temperature was 30°F in 1990.
o The best time to visit Disneyland is early September, when the weather is warm but not hot and crowds are light.
o The second best time to visit Disneyland is May.
o If you prefer cooler weather, go in early November before the Thanksgiving traffic rolls in. (This is our favorite time to go.  Christmas decorations are up and the crowds are usually low.)
o Check the Weather forecast before you pack your bags.

Disney Park Maps and Customized Disney World Maps

If you are looking for maps of the Disney Parks to prepare for your trip, click here for a very nice website with great maps of the parks.

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Map Out the Magic!

Customized Maps are FREE and great for planning your vacation! Use them to highlight your family's favorite Disney World activities and explore all that the Disney World Parks have to offer.

Print them out today or order online!

You will receive:

-Five full-color, keepsake-quality Customized Maps (14" x 20" format):

• Walt Disney World Resort Overview
• Magic Kingdom
• Epcot
• Disney's Hollywood Studios
• Disney's Animal Kingdom Park

-Each Map includes:

• Most Park highlights, plus your family's favorites
• A set of golden stickers to mark new Favorites

-Delivery time: 2-4 weeks

Click here to order your set of FREE Customized Disney World Maps.  We have ordered them and they are very fun!

Give a Day, Get a Disney Day

***This promotion is now over. Read below to see what was offered in 2010***

There are so many reasons to celebrate in 2010! Birthdays. Anniversaries. Reunions. Or any of life's most special moments. But this year, Disney Parks is celebrating something new and that’s the good things people do for their communities. In 2010, Disney wants to inspire one million people to volunteer a day of service to a participating organization in their communities and celebrate their good works by giving each of them one day admission to a theme park at Disneyland Resort or Walt Disney World Resort, free.

Starting January 1, 2010, Guests can click here to search for volunteer opportunities made available through HandsOn Network and sign up for a day of volunteer service. As the nation’s largest volunteer network, HandsOn Network has 250 on-the-ground volunteer action centers across the country and connects volunteers to more than 70,000 nonprofit agencies that need their help. Many of the opportunities will be projects that entire families can participate in together.

You must pre-register and sign up for eligible volunteer opportunities here. Ticket quantities for this program are limited. Must be at least age 6 to participate. Other terms and conditions apply. For details, see DisneyParks.com.

Volunteers can now share in the fun and excitement of the Give A Day. Get A Disney Day. Tour. Visit http://disney.prizelogic.com/ for photos, videos, tweets and more.

Christmas

Disneyland takes on a special look from Halloween to Christmas with seasonal decorations adding to its already considerable charm. With the kids out of school for their holiday break, it's a fine time to consider making a trip. Years ago, people said Disneyland was not very busy at Christmas, making it an even more ideal time to visit, but that has changed. It's still a great time to go, and our tips for planning ahead will help you make the most of it.

•Christmas Decorations: Christmas decorations appear everywhere in Disneyland and California Adventure, but they're the best in Toontown and New Orleans Square. Town Square at the end of Main Street boasts a 60-foot Christmas tree covered with thousands of lights and ornaments and Sleeping Beauty's Castle sports snow-topped turrets and more than 50,000 lights.  There are many places to take pictures during the holiday season and lots of holiday merchandise to purchase.

•Haunted Mansion: The special Christmas decorations here, based on Tim Burton's "The Nightmare Before Christmas" are extensive, with changes from the attractions' normal sights that range from the ghostly dinner party scene to the hitchhiking ghosts that make this Disneyland's best Christmas spot. Ride it twice to take it all in, and be sure to stop by after dark when candles flicker on the outside.  See my post about Halloween at Disneyland for more pictures.

•Small World: Also specially decorated for Christmas and with a special Christmas music track.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9VRcE1pNwe8

•Christmas Fantasy Parade: This special Disneyland Christmas parade runs from Small World along Main Street yo Town Square. Check the entertainment schedule when you arrive to find the parade times and which direction it will be traveling. The most crowded place to watch is along Main Street, but it's also the most beautiful.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vt6Pj8FiX6w

• Fireworks: Believe in Holiday Magic featuring your favorite Christmas music and a wonderful display of fireworks.

•Snowfall: Just as the fireworks end, snow falls in selected spots through the park. Pick up a Disneyland map at the gate to find out where it happens. The best spots for watching the fireworks are taken as much as two hours before the show, especially in the snowfall locations.

•Santa: Frontierland's Big Thunder Ranch becomes a "West Pole" getaway where Santa can unwind with Mrs. Claus and his team of reindeer. In Toontown, Goofy does the honors for Mr. Claus, and over in California Adventure, you'll find Santa wearing a surfer's shirt and waxing his board.

TIP:

We love to go to Disneyland the week before Thanksgiving week.  All the Christmas decorations are up and you may catch the filming of the "Disneyland Christmas Day Parade."  The park is a little less crowded and Christmas time is the most magical time of the year to go to the park.  Do not go the week of Thanksgiving, Christmas or New Years.

 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bdJHsDb-O7Y