Disneyland Mickey's Halloween Party Tips

Its that time of year again! Halloween time at the Disneyland resort! I went around this time and had a blast. If you're a fan of fall or Halloween, this is one of the best times to go to Disneyland. Not only is Disneyland in September less busy, its still quite warm.

Halloween Parties at Disneyland usually start mid to late September, and if you can I highly recommend making a Halloween Party one of your days in Disneyland.

Halloween Party entry is basically the same as a park entry ticket. Halloween Parties start at 7 p.m., at which time regular park guests must leave Disneyland (they may still visit California Adventure park) Halloween Party guests also gain early entry to the park, allowing you to start your day around 4 p.m.

Halloween costumes are encouraged during these parties and even adults are allowed to dress as Disney characters! They just have one condition- you don't do autographs or pose for photos as if you were the character. They also ask you not bring anything sharp or wear masks that would make it difficult to breathe. Basically use your brains! Its still California- it's going to be hot out! And there are children in the park, so dress appropriately.

There are several things that are exciting about Mickey's Halloween Party. First of all, there are meet and greets with villains and other Halloween characters. If you want to meet Jack and Sally, I either recommend starting with this or doing it at another time- ie not during the Halloween Party. Their line will be constantly long during the party.

Villains also do meet and greets in the Main St. Square right near the entrance to Disneyland, and I suggest getting the jump on these as well if its something you want to do.

Trick or Treat lines are the next cool thing about the party. It doesn't take long to fill your complimentary treak or treat bag from these lines. They have both healthy treats and normal candies, pretzels, etc. I got a huge mix and variety of candy and treats and I only went through about three treat lines. It doesn't take long to fill your bag, so I'd save going to get treats until later at night.

The Halloween Party is also a great time to get on some rides that tend to be busier- with the exception of Haunted Mansion of course, this one is still quite busy during the party. So get on a bunch of rides during the party!

You can find various entertainment around the park during the party as well, but by far the best entertainment is the Halloween fireworks! This past year, Zero flew over the castle and there was plenty of fire, and some fireworks I had never seen before. The fireworks alone are more than worth going to the Halloween party.

So, all in all, this is my recommended plan of action for the Halloween party:
1. Start with any character meet and greets you want to do.
2. Ride the rides that tend to be busier on regular park hours
3. Save trick or treating for close to the end- it won't take long to get plenty of candy!
4. Make sure not to miss the Halloween fireworks. They are a real treat.

How and where to get character photos in Disneyland

Characters can be fairly elusive in Disneyland- they don't have a comprehensive app like Disney World to tell you when characters will be present. Thankfully, Disneyland's website now lists approximate times and locations to find characters. I wanted to bring some of my own insight to this and help you and/or your little ones make the most out of finding characters in a less typical situation.

1- Finding Mickey and Minnie
There are a plethora of places to find Mickey and Minnie. The biggest one is their homes in Toontown- all you need to do is take a tour of their home and wait in line to get your photo with them! They aren't always guaranteed to be here- but it is certainly your best chance at finding them.

You can also find these two at the character breakfasts- these include breakfast at the Grand Californian, Paradise Pier, and at the Plaza Inn. If you're looking for the most character variety, Plaza Inn is your best bet.

Sometimes, you may also find them in the plaza of Main St. right when you enter Disneyland park. I've only seen these two available to meet and greet on Buena Vista St. as far as California Adventure goes.

2-The gang
You can also find most of the main gang somewhere in Toontown at different points of the day- I've seen Goofy outside of his house, Pluto outside of the jail, etc. These guys will also be found on Main St, most commonly near the fire hall.

I've seen a few of them at the character breakfasts as well.

If you're lucky you can catch Goofy as a conductor outside by the World of Color fountains- I believe it's a fun way they test the fountains to make sure they are working for each night's show!

I've also seen Pluto near Soarin' in California Adventure.

A secret spot I've happened to see Chip n' Dale is the big empty space right near the Hollywood Tower of Terror! You may spot other characters here as I believe it is close to a backstage area for cast members.

Oswald is easy to spot as he is usually on the main st into California Adventure- definitely in the shade if it's hot out. I found him hanging out there mid day, not far from the shop that sells only Oswald merch.

3- Princes and Princesses
The biggest spot Princesses do meet and greet is at the Fantasy Faire- but these lines can get quite long and I wouldn't say its the most unique experience to meet the Princesses.

The best place to find the main Disney Princesses is at Ariel's Grotto when you book a meal there. Be warned, this place is ALWAYS busy so you do need to make reservations. You won't find the Princes here, but you can see Ariel, Belle, Sleeping Beauty, Cinderella, and Snow White. I believe some of these Princesses can also be seen at the Plaza Inn, depending on the day.

Another place you can find these gals is right inside the entrance to Disneyland Park. Sometimes they can be found under the shade of the trees near the flower arrangements.

Tiana can be found in New Orlean's Square- because of course that makes the most sense. I've seen her on the raised platform near the Rivers of America and I've also seen her on the staircase hidden in between the shops.

Merida still has her own meet and greet spot near it's a Small World, unless that has changed recently.

Anna and Elsa can be found at their Royal Welcome in Animation Academy in California Adventure. As far as I'm aware the line is constantly long for this and its the only place to see them. Whereas Olaf can be found outside in Hollywoodland.

Jasmine can only be found with Aladdin at Aladdin's Oasis- along with Genie at times and even Jafar. It's never known who will be here at any given time- and I've rarely seen them here on hot days.

4- Disney Jr.
These characters are most commonly found outside the shops near the Disney Jr. Stage or outside Disney Jr. Itself.

5- Sulley and Mike
These two have their own special meet and greet spot not far from their ride- before you get into the Mad T. Party area, there is a small apartment made to look like it is from Monsters Inc. If Sulley or Mike are doing meet and greets, you will find them standing here. I've never seen them at the same time, just one or the other.

6-Marvel Superheros
Most commonly found in Tomorrowland, but apparently they can now be found in Hollywoodland as well. I believe that is a recent development.

7- Character breakfasts, a good chance to see rare characters
Paradise Pier's Breakfast roster includes Stitch! So if you're looking for him, make sure you book this breakfast. I don't believe I have seen him elsewhere, but I wouldn't put it past him to be at Plaza Inn every now and then. I've also seen Daisy here, and she seems to be a more hard to find member of the gang.

The Grand Californian Sports more rare characters- especially those from Brother Bear. There isn't a plethora of characters here, but the food makes it well worth a visit.

I haven't been to Goofy's Kitchen- but I imagine you'd see Goofy here no matter what!

Plaza Inn has a great roster too- the time I was there I saw Captain Hook, Eeyore, The Fairy Godmother, Minnie, and more! I believe a lot of them change day to day but it is fairly certain you will see Minnie here no matter what.

8-Seasonal Events
If you go during a certain season I can almost guarantee you will see more of the rare characters. Halloween you will spot more villains, as well as Jack and Sally. Christmas tends to bring out some more rare characters, and the gang in special costumes. But also consider events such as Valentine's day- where you will find some special characters out just for the day.

This has been my guide to find characters more outside of their norm locations. Hopefully my experiences can help you find who you're looking for in the parks!

                                                   Meeting Minnie at the Plaza Inn!

Best Photo Spots in California Adventure

Hi and welcome to the companion list of the best photo spots in Disneyland, and today we are covering California Adventure park.

1- In front of Carthay Circle Restaurant
a short walk down Buena Vista St. when you first enter Disneyland will find you at the Carthay Circle Restaurant. This is a great piece of Disney history as its design and name are based on the movie theatre where Snow White was first shown, the true start of Disney films.

2- Walt and Mickey Statue on Buena Vista St.
I love this statue, where Walt looks like he's just arrived in Cali, Mickey and his suitcase in tow and his coat over his shoulder.

3- In front of the Hyperion
The Hyperion is a huge theatre where they used to perform the Aladdin show for many years. It is now home to a Frozen stage show, which I haven't had the opportunity to see for myself. We won't get into the debate about the show changing, as I know there are people that both love and hate Frozen now making its way into so many places in the parks.

4- At the end of Buena Vista St.
Here, right next to the Hyperion, you will find an illusion painting that makes it look as if the street continues for a long distance, making it a good photo op!

5- On Route 66 in Cars Land
If you can, take this photo at night! The bright neon of this street at night is incredible- it feels like you have stepped right into the Cars movie.

6- The walkway next to Radiator Springs Racers
they did an awesome job recreating the landscape of this ride and there are plenty of awesome photo spots along this walking path.

7- Cove Bar at Paradise Pier
If you're wanting the best view of Paradise Pier in your backdrop, snag yourself a seat at the Cove Bar. Not to mention, they have some of the best food and drink this side of the park. (did somebody say cocktails?!)

8- World of Color Viewing area
This area will get you a great photo of Mickey's fun wheel during the day! Not to mention there isn't a lot of foot traffic on these boardwalks, ensuring you can get an uninterrupted photo.

9- Entrance to Paradise Pier
At the start of the boardwalk there's a great photo op- as there is a sign for Paradise Pier! At night, its even lit nicely, making it a good photo spot both day and night.

10- Under the replica San Fran bridge
this one's hard to miss- as you will see it right as you come into the park!

11- Bridge entrance to Pacific Wharf
This is another great spot thats well lit at night- great for a photo both day and night!

12-In front of the Bear at Grizzly River Run
Pretty self exploratory- great shot to take in front of a huge wooden bear statue! A great way to get a "before" shot before getting on Grizzly River Run.

13-In front of Ariel's Undersea Adventure
The building for this ride is gorgeous! You can get a good photo under the giant dome or in front of the beautiful glass windows on the side.

14- The exit of the Art of Animation building
this is a cute little photo op because the wall reads "... and they all lived happily ever after" a very sweet and very Disney sentiment.

15- Inside the main room of the Art of Animation building
This room is breathtaking, showing a panoramic of images and video from different classic Disney films, accompanied by a song from the film. It changes about every minute or two and besides photos its the perfect place to relax and take a break.

Photos you need to take in Disneyland

Hey all! I'm back with some more info on Disneyland, and today I'm covering good spots to get your photo taken in the park. We will cover some of the biggest ones as well as some lesser known areas.

1- the classic, in front of Sleeping Beauty Castle
The only problem is, it can be hard to get this photo depending on the time of day. There's always a lot of people crowded around here trying to get this opportunity. For a fresh take, try taking the photo closer to the bridge and from a lower angle, or even go back into the garden where the Walt and Mickey statue is- it will be less crowded here and you may even get more of the castle in your shot!

2-On Main ST, USA
Try getting this photo at either the busiest or least busy time of day! Other people won't ruin the shot, it will just show how this truly is the happiest place on earth. Get yourself in the middle of main st to pose.

3- The fire hall on Main ST
When you first enter the park and go through the tunnel, you will be at the tail end of main st in a plaza. On the west side you will see the fire hall- the location of Walt's private apartment! He used to turn the light on in the top window so that workers of the park would know when he was visiting.  This is an excellent opportunity to take a photo- since Walt's passing, they always leave he light on in his apartment- symbolizing that he is with the park in spirit.

4- the flowers at the entrance to Disneyland
This is another classic- here you will see the flowers have been grown into a design, which is usually the shape of Mickey's head! Its a great photo opportunity, but I recommend doing this later in the day so you aren't trying to wait in line or beat a crowd of people to the punch. This is actually also a great place to find a couple of characters to take photos with- Mostly Disney Princesses. This is the place I actually found Ariel and had one of the best interactions with her.

5- Finding Nemo lagoon
This lagoon is so pretty- and if you love Finding Nemo, you can get a shot of yourself with the seagulls from the movie. You will also have plenty of time to take this photo if you're waiting in line- this ride can have long wait times during the day!

6- Entrance to Tomorrowland
Here at the entrance to Tomorrowland, there is a rather large ride called the Astro Orbiter, which is complete with a sign for Tomorrowland!

7-The Sword in the Stone- in front of King Arthur's Carousel
A few times a day, there is an event involving the sword in the stone- otherwise, its a great place to take a photo, and try your hand at removing the sword! You can also get a shot of the carousel in the background.

This photo is a young me on my first visit to Disneyland- still one of my favorite photos from the trip!

8-At any of the Disneyland Railroad stations
You usually have to wait for the train anyway- so take some time to stop and pose in front of the station!

9- Toontown Entrance
Since the entrance to Toontown is under a tunnel, this is a great spot to get some photos taken . Above the tunnel there is a sign for Toontown as well as a population counter that's a little wacky!

10- Mickey and Minnie's homes
If you're having trouble getting a photo with Mickey or Minnie, go through the tour of their homes in Toontown and if you're lucky Mickey or Minnie will be waiting at the end to take a photo with you! The line can sometimes be long, which also leaves you plenty of chances to take photos inside their homes.

11- Around the gag shop
Toontown is full of silly photo opportunities, such as bending jail bars, weights stuck in the ground, and gas pumps that are actually fish tanks! Take a minute to wander around here and take a silly photo or two- it's never to busy to get a few in.

12- Eating a Dole Whip
a Dole Whip is without a doubt a quintessential element of any Disney trip. Dole Wips + Tiki Room= Happiest day ever! You can get a Dole Whip while waiting for the Tiki Room- this area is full of Tiki statues and will make for a great photo.

13- The Rivers of America in New Orleans Square
The front paths closest to Rivers of America usually aren't too crowded- and if you catch this right you can also get the Mark Twain Riverboat or the Pirate ship in the background!

14- The stairs in New Orleans Square
Tucked away in the shops of New Orleans Square, there is a set of stairs! You can't ascend them all the way, but you can get a nice photo here as well as a break from some of the crowds. The odd time you may also find Tiana here.

15- Club 33
Club 33 is more well known than it used to be. If you don't know what Club 33 is, its an exclusive restaurant inside Disneyland, where only members of Club 33 can eat. Members include mostly the wealthy or families that have had a membership for a long long time- the waiting list is quite long to get in the club and the club fees per year are quite hefty. Regardless, you can find the entrance to Club 33 hiding in plain sight next to the Blue Bayou Restaurant.

These are some of the best photo spots in Disneyland- be sure to look out for my guide for California Adventure as well as a future guide to finding Characters for photos.

Dining Events in Disneyland- everything you need to know

Hey guys!

So this week, we booked our dining reservations. The first few times I went to Disneyland, we had no dining reservations and did not even eat at a sit down restaurant. However, I have to say, since doing so, that it is definitely worth it to book at least one fancy lunch or dinner while in Disneyland. You are on vacation, after all!

Along with standard dining reservation, Disneyland also allows you to make dining reservations that include premium fast passes for Fantasmic! in Disneyland park and World of Color in California Adventure. From what I am aware of, the Fantasmic! Dining package is fairly new, as it was not in place when I was at the park 2 years ago. But I am really happy to see they have started a fast pass system and look forward to seeing what it will be like this time around. Previously, you just had to find a spot to stand/sit in New Orleans Square and hope you got a good view and someone wouldn't be shoving you over to see.

For Fantasmic! You are only able to book a dinner, and the time you eat will decide on which showing of Fantasmic your fast pass will be for.  The two showings are 9:00 and 10:00, so if you have dinner before 6, it's guaranteed you will be getting the 9:00 passes, With the Fantasmic! Dining option you have two restaurants to choose from:

Blue Bayou Restaurant, at $61.00 per adult and $23.00 for children ages 3-9
Dining starts at 4 pm and includes a starter, entree, non alcoholic drink, and dessert. It's a Prix-Fixe menu, but I'm pretty sure it's almost all the same options you get otherwise. Based on the prices of their dinner this is actually a very good price, depending on what you are planning on eating. Not only do you not have to worry about picking up Fantasmic fast passes, but you also get a great three course meal for almost the same, if not less what you would be paying to eat at the Blue Bayou anyways.

Blue Bayou is in high demand and it is always recommended that you make reservations if you want to eat there, whether fantasmic or not.

River Belle Terrace,at $41.99 per adult, $21.99 per child ages 3-9
If you're bringing kids, the price for children is not much different. River Belle Terrace is also a buffet style meal, so it all depends on whether you would like a fancy meal or something more casual such as this.

We decided on Blue Bayou purely for the atmosphere. I feel that even if the food isn't perfect, its something everyone should experience at least one time in Disneyland. However, I was planning to book our Fantasmic! meal on a Tuesday, but it just wasn't popping up, even when I waited until less than 60 days before I wanted to eat there. We called to discover that they do not do fantasmic shows during the week in their slower seasons. So if you are planning to go in the fall or any slow season, make sure you have a Friday, Saturday, or Sunday in the park, as those are the only showing days.



Now for World of Color. With World of Color, you have your choice of three restaurants. Two offer lunch or dinner, and one only dinner. The lunch option will most certainly get you into the first showing of World of Color. Once again, menus are Prix-Fixe but include a starter, entree, non-alcoholic drink and dessert. Here are the options:

Ariel's Grotto: DINNER ONLY $45.35 Adults and $23.75 children ages 3-9
Ariel's Grotto has mediocre food at best, and the service is not the best, as they are constantly busy. I can only recommend this option if you or your children REALLY want to meet all the Disney Princesses, as this is the easiest way to meet Snow White, Belle, Aurora, Cinderella, and of course, Ariel. Other than Ariel, whom you must meet and take a photo with before you are seated, each princess makes the rounds during dinner and will come to your table to chat, take photos/ sign autograph books. If this is a must for you, then choose this restaurant.

Wine Country Trattoria: Lunch $32.39 adults $20.50 ages 3-9
                                            Dinner $45.35 adults  $23.75 ages 3-9
Speaking from experience, Wine Country has amazing food and good service. This is a great choice for your party whether it includes children or not. This is the option we chose, and we chose to go for lunch. We also chose this option for our World of Color dining when we went to Disneyland two years ago. Lunch is very reasonably priced. We also found that it wasn't super busy, and it's also nice and tucked away, so if you're wanting a little quiet and a great view of the park, this one's a winner.

Carthay Circle Restaurant: Lunch $42.13 Adults $19.44 ages 3-9
                                           Dinner $63.73 Adults $21.60 ages 3-9
This is by far the most expensive option for World of Color and the only one I have not eaten at myself. However, if the menu itself and the look appeals to you, go for it! The blurb suggests that the food is the flavors of Southern California.

All in all, I feel that if you are going to book a more expensive dinner, or were planning to eat at one of these restaurants anyways, it is certainly worth it to make it a Dining Event reservation and get a little extra. It saves the stress of remembering to pick up your own Fast Passes, and you get much better viewing areas then others do. There are tiers within the restaurant options, with the most expensive options being closest to the action. So prepare to get a little wet!

Halloween in Disneyland - September 2015

Hello all! We are still planning out our trip to Disneyland this September, and as we do so,more events are popping up!

Last week, Disneyland finally announced their dates for the Mickey's Halloween party in 2015! The very first party falls when we will be in the park, and we decided we will attend!

If a Halloween party falls on a day you go, you have a couple options. You can just get a regular day ticket/park hopper, but the park will close around 7 to non- Halloween ticket holders. You are still free to visit California Adventure park.
Your other choice is to purchase a ticket for the party, which generally goes from 7 pm - midnight. However, they allow entry up to 3 hours before the party, meaning you can enter the park at 4 p.m.! The price for the tickets increases as it gets closer to Halloween, but based on what's included, I feel that it will be worth it.

So, for the purchase of a ticket, here's what you get this year:

-Early entry into the park (so you get 4pm to midnight in the park!)
-Complimentary parking
-Lots of characters only present during the party! (If you love Villains, this party is for you!)
-Access to almost all rides (I'm not sure which ones will be closed for the party, but I will update as soon as I can figure out that information. I'm pretty sure the biggest and best rides will remain open,and I'm mainly hoping to ride Indiana Jones and Jungle Cruise a few times that day.)
-Special Halloween Screams fireworks (These will only be shown during Mickey's Halloween party, regardless if you are there close to Halloween and not at a party.)
-Trick or Treat stations- stocked with both candy and "healthful" treats. Which I assume to be dried fruit or something of the like.
-Paint the night parade (which I believe is also what they do on regular nights during the 60th anniversary)
-Dance Party with characters from Monsters U!

Another important thing to note as that there is NO SMOKING in the park WHATSOEVER during the event. However, they will be allowing exit and re-entry for those who need to smoke. I find it quite interesting that they wouldn't just leave the designated smoking areas as they are, but I'm sure they have their reasons.

I'm not going to be trick-or-treating myself, but I will definitely be dressed up for this event. We have decided to go as Ariel and Eric, with my husband's mom as Ursula, with a little twist! (Which is extra funny, as my husband was terrified of Ursula growing up.) Being that Halloween and dressing up are two of my favorite things, I could not be more excited.

A couple things you need to consider with your costume:
1. COMFORT. You want to be able to make it from 4pm to midnight in this costume. That means you might want to re-think wearing high heels, uncomfortable makeup, or tight/restricting clothing.
2.CHILD FRIENDLY. If you're an adult, you need to make sure that your costume will not frighten children, and also covers your body appropriately. It's better not to risk it if you are unsure of your costume choice, as if your costume cannot be altered, you WILL be denied entry, even though you paid. Also, cannot drag on the ground, for obvious reasons.
3. NO WEAPONS that can be mistaken for the real thing. I assume foam swords and nerf guns would be acceptable. Though, another thing to consider is that you might not want to be toting something like that around the park all night long.
4. MASKS are okay, as long as they aren't obstructing vision. I was actually surprised at this, as I figured masks would be a no-go. I wouldn't be wearing  a mask for comfort reasons, but to each their own!
5. If you dress as a Disney character, you cannot pose for photos with other guests or sign autographs. This one is most likely because they don't want people mistaking you for a cast member, whom are properly trained for those sort of interactions. They have an image they wish to uphold.

Though, I feel that if you're going to a Disneyland Halloween party, wouldn't your first choice be to dress as a Disney character? Maybe that's just me.

As we had already purchased a 5 day ticket plan when we booked our trip, this now means that we will also be able to go to the park the first afternoon we arrive, which it will be my first time doing so in Disneyland! I'm actually kind of glad, because then we can see the fireworks, or possibly ride some of the busier rides during fireworks. At first, we planned to visit Uva in Downtown Disney for dinner on the first night, but that plan may change as we will want to maximize our time in the park.

But I'm rambling. This leaves us half the day on Friday to go shopping or just relax if we wish. Then we will enter the park as soon as we can and make the most of our last day in Disney by enjoying a Halloween Party! Sounds pretty great to me!

Also, you will be given wristbands to identify that you are a Halloween party guest. Anyone not found to be wearing one after 7 pm will be escorted from the park. Make sure yours is visible at all times!

Mickey's Halloween party tickets for Disneyland go on sale July 29th to the general public, and can be purchased at Disneyland's website. This is recommended as you save money by buying in advance!
https://disneyland.disney.go.com/tickets/events/

Disneyland Diamond celebration and ride tips

If there's one thing to know, it's that any crowd forecasts or ride closure expectancy calendars will not necessarily be accurate for this year at the Disneyland Park.They planned refurbs to take place before the 60th celebration was underway to ensure that maximum rides could remain open for the remainder of the year. Therefore, you can safely go any time of year and assume that the rides will be open.

Of course, there are often ride closures during the day. What you have to remember is that these rides are on all day, almost every single day. There is bound to be some mechanical issues or a problem every now and then. What I recommend in this case is that if the line is short, stand in line for a little while. When we went to Disneyland in June 2 years ago, Splash Mountain's line was constantly a few hours long. Which makes sense because of the weather. However, one day, the line was unusually short. So, we overheard that the ride was closed down. I told my husband that we should wait in line as it probably would not be long, as I could hear that they were already doing testing within the ride. And to our surprise, within ten minutes the ride was functional and there were only about 20 people ahead of us in line!

And of course, I always recommend getting fast passes for the busiest rides of the day. Matterhorn doesn't have fast pass option, so I always recommend making a beeline for that ride first thing in the morning. Finding Nemo also doesn't have a fastpass, so I always make that my second ride of the day to ensure shortest lines for both.

If you're a big fan of Indiana Jones, I highly recommend getting a fast pass for this ride. It routinely has some of the longest wait times in all of Disneyland Park. Another good option is to try and get in line during a parade or other show when the lines are destined to be short. Of course, other big fast pass musts are Radiator Springs Racers, Space Mountain, and Tower of Terror. And during the hot months, add Splash Mountain and Grizzly River Run to that list.

In hot seasons, I recommend avoiding waiting in line too long in Jungle Cruise. It is an all outdoor queue, and can get extremely hot when packed full of people. Same goes for Toy Story's midway Mania. If you can, I would ride these in the early morning or evening when the heat is not as severe outside. In fact, riding jungle cruise during the fireworks can be an awesome experience!

If you're looking for a quick way to cool down, I can always suggest Pirates. It's refreshing and relaxing and even if the line is long it usually moves quite quickly. Same goes for the Haunted Mansions. These rides are designed to take a large amount of people better than any ride.

The best rule of thumb is that if there are some rides you absolutely want to do that day, then get up and get to the park as early as you possibly can.

During the 60th anniversary, it's going to be a little more tough to predict how busy it will be. But you can bet that any long weekend and the Christmas season will be busier than ever, so avoid these times at all costs. September is generally a low season month and it is another reason I chose to go at this time. I have only experienced Disney at high volume times so I will be interested to see the difference. If you are debating between Christmas and Summer, I vote summer. While it can be quite hot, the lines are significantly shorter than in the Christmas/New Year's window. Any time this year will be special because of the Diamond Celebration,

Planning a Disneyland trip: 2015 edition

Hello all! It's that time again where Disneyland has been on my mind. I'm not sure if i'm ever going to get enough of a fix that I wouldn't want to try and go at least once a year, but we will see what next year holds!

For now, we decided that this year we would make our way to Disneyland in September. I purposefully picked a time when I knew the decorations would already be up, as my husband hasn't been during any holiday season before, and I haven't seen it during Halloween time (my favorite season and holiday) While we now have to wait 6 months until the trip, it will be worth it!

Since I have been booking these trips on my own, I have always booked through Disneyland's website. I find it the easiest to get the full trip booked through them and not have to worry that I might have missed something. Another added benefit to booking through Disneyland directly is that you only need to put down a deposit at the time of booking and then you are allowed to continue making payments up until 30 days before your travel date! You also receive a pin, lanyard, and luggage tag for each person in your party (last time we went, we got cars themed merch as Cars land had just opened.) as well as some coupons and discount cards, such as a discount card for the parks, voucher for one free 5x7 memory photo (which can be a ride photo if you wish!) and an ESPN Zone game card.

We thought about staying in one of the three Disney hotels again, but I decided if I could find a good hotel very close to Disney that we would save our money and stay elsewhere. I decided to stay at Best Western Park Plus Inn. It was well over 1,000 cheaper and with breakfast and free wifi, I couldn't pass up the deal. It is an extremely short walk to the park as it is THE hotel that is LITERALLY right across from the gates. The room doesn't matter to me so much, as I'm there for the time in the parks!

This time our trip is going to special, however, as we have family coming with us! I'm very excited to get the chance to share this special place with my husband's family. We booked our package, however, and an hour later his mother decided she wanted to join and share a room with us! That presented a little problem, as she couldn't book through Disney as she would then have to pay for a separate room! So, with a little sleuthing, I found out how you can add another member to your party, and this is how we did so. (My husband's sister and her partner will be booking their own room, so they will still be able to book their own package on the Disneyland website.)

First, have them book the same flight through the flight provider's website or a third party website if you prefer. Of course this step only applies if they are travelling from the same place or want to travel at the same time. Next, you can order Disneyland Express tickets online at graylineanaheim.com as they are the ones that provide the service to disney and good neighbor hotels! It is $48.00 for a round trip for one person, which is reasonable. Of course, you will only need this step if you weren't planning on renting a car.

And finally, up to that person's discretion, they can order Disneyland tickets online or purchase them from the hotel once they arrive. Most good neighbor hotels sell park tickets at their front desk. I only recommend ordering directly from DISNEYLAND'S website or from a good neighbor hotel in person. Never trust places like ebay or craigslist or someone on the street in Anaheim. You never know if those tickets will actually be valid or previously used.

Once their flight is confirmed, you can either contact Disney or the hotel itself to let them know that you're adding one person to your room. Some additional fees might apply, but I believe that will be up to the hotel to say. Our room already included enough sleeping space for up to 4 people, so it didn't need to be upgraded or changed.

This year is also going to be different because beginning in May is the 60th anniversary celebration of Disneyland Park! I was there for the 50th and I have to say it was very special. They had signage all over the parks saying '50' and I imagine it will be similar for the 60th. I don't recommend visiting before may, because currently the closed ride and experience list is quite long while they prepare for the 60th celebration. There will also be three new shows during this time.

Decor: The Carthay Circle Restaurant and Sleeping beauty castle will 'glisten and gleam' with it's own diamond medallion featuring the letter D." The entire resort will sparkle with Diamond celebration decor and banners in blue.

1. World of Color will re-open with a special new show for the Diamond Celebration. (I will probably cry, as world of color made me cry last time too) Called World Of Color- Celebrate! The Wonderful World of Walt Disney.

2. In Disneyland park, there will be a new parade called "Paint the Night" A state of the art parade featuring over 1.5 million LED lights! The photos featured Tink, Sulley, and Mack from Cars.

3. At Disneyland park, there will also be a speical fireworks show for the occasion coined 'Disneyland Forever' (hello, Disneyland and fireworks go together, there is no way they would miss the chance to make a crazy cool fireworks show to celebrate!) It will feature pyrotechnics, projections, and 'other effects'. But they do say it will be using the largest projection mapping technology. The photo features concept art of projections on main street buildings, so I imagine the best place to view will be from somewhere on main st.!

The Disney Parks Blog also promises that there will plenty of specialty foods and merchandise during this celebration. I would say if you are debating when to take a trip to Disneyland, it should be between now and this time next year!