Planning Your Meal Times During Your Visit

Taking out time to eat at Disneyland can take a lot of your precious time when visiting the park. It's a really good idea to plan ahead of time and eat meals a little early or a little late to avoid long lines. I generally try to eat lunch as late as possible, knowing that the park is only going to get more crowded as the hours go by. This can be kind of hard if you have kids and a potential melt-down from hunger is really not worth it. Also, if you have explored the Disneyland website, which also has a wealth of information, they specify that no outside food or drink is allowed in the park. They are pretty strict when it comes to picnics, but I always throw a few snacks and water bottles in my backpack and no one ever bothers me about it. This also saves a ton of time if your not having to stop and stand in line to get a snack. You can just grab something out of your bag and eat it in line while you're waiting to go on a ride. This also frees up your budget to buy a few extra souvenirs if you aren't spending all your money on food.

Many of the park's restaurants also let you make reservations well in advance of your visit. This is really important if you want to eat at one of the fancier restaurants like Blue Bayou. Your chances are not very good to get a reservation if you wait until the day of your arrival. If you have any questions or would like to make a reservation you can call Disney Dining at (714) 781-DINE, or (714) 781-3463.

If you are Jewish and need to have kosher meals it can take even longer for a meal break, which I found out this weekend. There is only one restaurant that kosher meals can be ordered and it takes 15-20 minutes for it to be heated and delivered. The couple that I went with were very irritated about the wait and they didn't seem very crazy about the food. If you chose to order a kosher lunch and dinner at the park, you can order it at the Rancho del Zocalo Restaurante. I personally would not do this if I were a park guest. It is much quicker to pack a picnic in a small cooler and put it in a locker outside the park and take advantage of the beautiful picnic area that the park provides. It's much quicker to get a handstamp and grab your lunch out of the lockers than to wait for a special meal to be prepared for you. It also provides a quiet break, which can be really nice on a crowded day, not to mention that what you bring is probably going to taste much better as well.

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Getting an Early Start

The most important tip we can give anyone who is planning to visit Disneyland is to get there EARLY. If you are driving to the park, it is a good idea to get there well before the park opens. We suggest you get there a good hour before the park opens. The line to pay for parking can be very long if you get there right at opening, not to mention the line to get on the tram. There is also another security line you'll have to go through after you get off the tram and if you haven't bought your tickets ahead of time (which we suggest you do), then you still have to wait to buy a ticket before you can get in line to enter the park. If you get there early, all these lines will be short and you will be able to enter the park right at opening. Now you might be wondering why it's so important to get your day started early, especially if you don't plan on spending that many hours at the park. The reason you want to get in early is that with every passing hour, hundreds of people will be entering the park and the lines get longer and longer as the day passes. If you're the first into the park, you can hurry and get several rides in before it gets crowded. If you're a Disneyland hotel guest you're at an even better advantage, as you are allowed early admission into Disneyland. In our opinion it is well worth the extra cost to stay at one of the hotel parks if you want to get a lot done and your vacation is on the shorter side. If you are going to the park on a crowded holiday it is an absolute MUST to get there early. It is not uncommon for the park to sell out by 11:00 am during the week between Christmas and New years, Thanksgiving weekend and 4th of July.

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All You Would Ever Need to Know About the Happiest Place on Earth

Being artists, Angela and I have numerous spots around Los Angeles that we frequent for inspiration. Without question, our favorite inspirational spot is Disneyland. The care that Walt put into it is evident in every detail and is the reason why it is loved by so many. It is also why it's known for big crowds-especially in the summer months. Being an annual passholder has given us the advantage of learning how to avoid the crowds and make the most of our day.

I had never considered doing much of anything with the information though, until my most recent trip with family from back east. They were telling me what a wonderful "guide" I had been for the day and that I should take people on tours of the park. While that does sound fun and I'm not completely against the idea, it would take me away from my art far too much. I really liked the idea though and it sounded really fun, which led me to the idea of a blog. While it's not the same as having your own personal guide, Angela and I do have a wealth of information that we would love to share. We hope the information makes your day run smoothly and that you get the absolute most of the park! Check back often, as we will post new tips regularly.

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