The last time I was at Disneyland was for my high school grad night celebration more than 20 years ago. Now that I’m married with two kids and creeping up on 40 years old I had a feeling this visit might be slightly different.

We had planned to take the William (age 8) and Henry (age 5) sooner but Covid-19 had other ideas. This two-year delay actually worked in our favor since Henry would now be tall enough to ride all the rides so nothing was off-limits.

We thought it would be fun to surprise the boys so on a random Wednesday morning in the middle of May and we were cruising down the 5 freeway with the boys in the backseat as they wondered why they weren’t in school.

As we prepared to exit the freeway we asked Will to read one of the road signs indicating Disneyland was the next exit - Happiest Place on Earth, here we come!

Planning the Trip

While our family enjoys the Disney films, shows and characters, we aren’t a Disney-crazed bunch so there was never a big desire or urgency to take the boys to Disneyland.

Once we made the decision to go, Genna and I started asking some of our friends who are Disneyland regulars for some tips and suggestions on how to make the most of the day.

Not surprisingly, everyone had something helpful to contribute.

From pre-planning to navigating the park, even bedtime routines, we felt well-prepared as we followed the stream of packed cars heading into the Pixar Pals parking lot.

Here are three of the most helpful tips…

Tip 1: Download the Disneyland App

The first tip was to download the free Disneyland app as that would serve as our guide for the day.

I started using the app a few days before and found it very easy and intuitive. It includes a full list of rides, attractions and restaurants, as well as maps and access to all the Disney Genie+ services.

There’s the paid Genie+ service (more on that below) and then there are some complimentary Genie Services that anyone can take advantage of. I used this service to put together a list of the rides and attractions we wanted to make sure we hit - Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, Matterhorn, Hyperspace Mountain, Splash Mountain - eventually using this daily itinerary to book our ride reservations.

For those rides that we didn’t book or when we were looking to fill time between reservations, map and Genie Tip Board came in handy as we narrowed down the rides and attractions that were nearby and didn’t have long lines.

Throughout the day we also used the app to find restaurants and order food. This saved us a ton of time not having to walk from spot to spot trying to find things for everyone to eat.

It also allowed us to schedule when we wanted to pick up our food.

With our orders placed and paid for, we simply checked a box to let them know we arrived and our food was ready for pickup minutes later.

We even used the app to buy souvenirs. With a quick scan of a barcode and seamless payment directly through the app we were walking out of the gift shop in minutes, showing a Cast Member our QR confirmation code as we exited.

Tip 2: Get the Genie+ Service

We were on the fence about getting this pass as it was an extra $20 per ticket. But after some last-minute encouragement from friends, we decided to do it and it was worth every penny!

I can’t imagine going to Disneyland without it.

Thanks to the Disney Genie+ service we were able to reserve our spots on all the rides well in advance. This freed us up to explore other parts of the park and not wait in long lines.

Five minutes before our scheduled ride time - you’re given an hour-long arrival window - we could “redeem” our reservation and head to the Lightning Lane entrance.

After scanning our barcodes we walked right up and never had to wait more than a few minutes to get onto our scheduled ride.

Throughout the first few hours of the day we checked off half of the rides on our list, which surprised us all.

The one downside of the Disney Genie+ service is that you can only schedule one ride at a time.

This wasn’t an issue in the morning but after Noon the arrival windows started to move further and further out. It was still a big help but not nearly as efficient as it was during the morning hours.

In addition to ride scheduling the pass allowed us to download all the ride photos with the Disney PhotoPass. These turned out to be quite entertaining and almost worth the extra money on their own!

Tip 3: Bedtime Prep

After an action-packed 12 hour day we were all beat.

Knowing the boys would likely (hopefully) fall asleep on the ride home we were given the tip to have them change into their pajamas and do a quick parking lot tooth brushing before we made the trek home.

We brought some wipes to remove some of the sunscreen, kept a cup and bottle of water in the car to use for the brushing and rinsing, and had them bring their blankets and a small pillow.

Cleaned up and ready to roll, Henry was out before we even hit the freeway!

Will didn’t sleep much but being able to transfer both of them directly into bed once we got home took away a lot of the stress and headaches that often occur around this time.

Bonus Tip: Get a Stroller

Henry hasn’t been in a stroller for years so the thought of renting one never would’ve crossed our minds. But when we were told it was a “must” we didn’t question it!

For $18 we rented a single stroller and used it to store our backpacks with extra clothes, water and snacks. There was stroller parking throughout the park so we’d drop everything off and be free bag-free anytime we went on a ride.

To be safe we didn’t leave anything valuable or important in the stroller when we left it but a good number of parking areas had Cast Members organizing and keeping an eye on things so we were never concerned that our stuff would be stolen.

Later in the day, as Henry’s energy began to fade, the stroller came in handy as he was able to hop in and chill, allowing us to move at a reasonable pace without having to drag and keep track of a tired five year old throughout the park!

What About The Rides

Big Thunder Mountain Railroad - this was our first ride and it set the tone perfectly for the day. Fast and smooth, we all had a blast and it helped settle the boys’ nerves as they were unsure what to expect from the full-sized coasters.
Matterhorn Bobsleds - maybe we’re getting old but Genna and I didn’t recall this ride being so jarring! I’m glad we did it but had we started with this I’m not so sure the boys would’ve been excited about the other rides.
Hyperspace Mountain - a longer ride than I remember but thrilling from start to finish as you rip through the pitch-black darkness. This ride and the accompanying photo were my favorites of the day.
Buzz Lightyear Astro Blasters - an entertaining and mellow ride that was a nice chaser to the excitement of Hyperspace Mountain. I had the highest score, just saying…
Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run - despite not being big Star Wars fans, the entire Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge area was impressive. Henry said he liked this ride the most as he and William were the pilots navigating us through a simulated run through space. We even got to see Chewbacca!
Jungle Cruise - this was the first ride we didn’t book with the Genie+ service but we practically walked right up and hopped into the boat despite the wait time saying 45 minutes. Our Jungle Cruise Skipper had no shortage of dad jokes, which I appreciated very much, as we meandered through the rainforest landscape. The ride dates back to 1955 and while some of the animatronic animals look a bit dated, the attraction has held up well and was the perfect mellow post-lunch ride.
Splash Mountain - fortunately we saved this one for the early afternoon once it had warmed up because we all got soaked! Genna was the real champ, taking one for the team and sitting right up front. Surprisingly it wasn’t the big drop at the end but the mid-ride dip that flooded us and our log!
Haunted Mansion - this was the only ride we didn’t reserve and actually had to wait in line for. Despite that, we still made it through in good time. The initial elevator ride is still a trip and the ghosts were as entertaining as ever.
Indiana Jones Adventure - the theme of this ride was a little lost on the boys but they still enjoyed racing the Jeep through the temple, dodging boulders, darts and of course, snakes!
Star Tours - The Adventures Continue - as one of the original simulations this one brought back memories but felt a bit dated compared to the interactive Smugglers Run from earlier in the day.

For an overview of the park and a mellow way to cap off the day we climbed aboard the Disneyland Railroad.

The route was only supposed to take about 20 minutes but we experienced some unexpected stops and delays along the way. This was the first time we had any sort of hiccup throughout the day but the Cast Members were friendly and kept us updated on the status.

This helpful and friendly demeanor was something we experienced from every person working at the park. From the moment we walked through the gates to when we exited the parking garage, there was no shortage of employees smiling and eager to offer help.

We’ll Be Back

Discussing the adventures of the day on our ride home, Genna and I agreed that we aren’t quite ready to be official members of D23: The Official Disney Fan Club, but it was still a special day that exceeded both of our expectations.

Thanks to Brandon, Kolina, Stephanie, Shayla and everyone else who shared their Disneyland expertise.

I know there are many more tips and tricks so please feel free to share your favorites in the comments below - I don’t think it will be 20 years before we’re back!

3 Tips for Returning to Disneyland with Kids