Disneyland is one of the most popular places that people from all over the world want to see. It is one of those place that people considered traveling half-way across the world to visit. If you want to embark on a Disney adventure, here are some of the things you have to know on traveling and how you can get there.

By Car Or By Plane?

There are generally two ways in which you can reach Disneyland/World. One is by car and the other is the plane. With gas prices going up, traveling by plane is thought by majority to be a practical choice. Here are the basics of arriving either way.

Going There Through Plane

You can arrive in one of the five commercial airports located in Los Angeles area. These include: Los Angeles International (LAX), Long Beach (LGB), Burbank (BUR), John Wayne/Orange County (SNA), and Ontario (ONT). Disneyland is closer to Orange County however a lot of park goers still opt for LAX. LAX has more airlines serving it and more flights scheduled.

You should consider San Diego if you’re planning on having a short period of your vacation there. It is best that you get a map and see how the different locations are related to Disneyland.

Once you arrive at an airports in Los Angeles, it is easy to get a shuttle to Disneyland. You will encounter local shuttle companies such as: Golden West Express and Super Shuttle. It is better if you make a reservation in advance. You can get one at the curbside in larger airports.

You can find a car rental service in the airport and drive. If Disneyland is your only destination this can be price and unnecessary.

The Disneyland Resort Express bus is operated by Grayline Anaheim. It runs from John Wayne or LAX Airport to the park. It leaves every 30 minutes. You will need to make a reservation 48 hours advance. You are traveling in a group a rental car is suggested. This can be much cheaper than going for a shuttle.

Going There By Car

You can get to Disneyland by car via I-5 in Anaheim. Take the exit at either Disneyland or Harbor Blvd. It is suggested that you have a good map in hand. Another suggestion is to check out traffic reports first before setting out to save time.

You can also enter the address of Disneyland to the car’s GPS system. The GPS system would bring you to the Parks front gate. You can see signs that lead you to the parking areas. Follow these signs so you do not get lost.

Hassle Free Parking

Parking at Disneyland is very efficient. As long as you know how to follow signs and directions from friendly staff members you couldn’t go wrong. If ever someone in your party has problems with mobility, just inform the parking attendant in the entrance. They will provide you with special parking near the entrance or a van will bring you to the entrance.

Coming From San Diego

If you are coming from San Diego, you can opt for a bus service going to Anaheim; provided by Viator.com. There are tour companies that offer transportation and ticket packages for Disneyland from San Diego. They can cost you as much as $40 per ticket with no chances for discounts. There can be a time limit. It may be better to rent a car instead. There are companies like Fox Rent-a-Car in the area that you can call to get one.

Hotel To Disney

If you’re in your hotel going to Disneyland will not be a problem. From the hotel, there are a number of ways to get to the park such as the monorail, free shuttle services, and trolleys. If your hotel is near enough, you can even walk!

Buying tickets at Disney World is not that hard. Given that there are different types, you have to know which one is the right for you.

The first is called the Magic Your Way ticket. This saves you as much as 50% because the average price per day for a 7 day Magic Your Way Base ticket is half the price of a single day ticket.

You can also use the Park Hopper Option. The difference between this and the Magic Your Way is that you can visit the same park multiple times while the other allows you to do it once and then skip down to another park. Just keep in mind that this must be used within 14 days and it costs $45 each.

There is the Magic Plus Pack Option which allows visitors to choose from two Water parks, DisneyQuest and a few other attractions. This ticket costs $50 each and the number of plus admissions varies depending on the length of the ticket.

If you are staying longer than 14 days, you can go for the No Expiration Option. This means you will have to pay extra like $10 for a 2 day ticket and $55 for a 7 day ticket.

If you are staying at a Disney World Resort, there is the Magic Your Way package plus dining option which entitles each family member to get a combination of meals and snacks from one out of 100 restaurants in Walk Disney Parks and hotels.

There are two types of meals being served. The first is the table service meal consists of an appetizer, entr‚es, dessert, and non-alcoholic beverage, or a full buffet plus non-alcoholic beverage. Then there is the counter-service meal that has an entr‚e and a side dish or a combo meal plus dessert and non-alcoholic beverage. There are also snacks available that consists of a frozen ice-cream novelty, or a popcorn scoop, or a large beverage.

If you want free meals, there is a deluxe package known as the Magic Your Way premium that gives you options to perhaps take a theme park tour or see a Cirque de Soleil show.

For this to work, again you have to be a guest at a Disney World Resort. Given that some of these places are cheap while others are expensive, these are categorized as Value, Moderate and Luxury. Whichever you choose, you will get Extra Magic Hours which allows you to enter the park early or leave late.

Disney World has a lot to offer to both adults and kids. If you are planning to spend your vacation visiting the amusement park, one of the things you have to consider is where to stay. There are pros and cons staying at the Disney World Resort and here are some of them.

1. If you decide to stay, you don’t have to worry about parking or even bringing around your luggage because a representative from the hotel will take care of everything. There is free transportation to and from the amusement park so you can take the boat, the bus or the monorail.

2. Guests will get good value for their money because they are given extra magic hours which means they can enter the park an hour early or stay up to three hours after the official park closing.

3. If the adults want some time alone, the hotel staff can watch over the kids.

4. For those who are traveling from out of town and brought or rented a car, they can park in the amusement park for free.

5. Since the amusement gets really crowded during the peak season especially during the summer, Thanksgiving or Christmas, hotel guests are given preference to enter over those staying off site.

Now it is time for the cons.

1. Despite the wonderful amenities that are offered at Disney World hotels, there are places outside that are much cheaper to stay for the night. Some may be 2 or 5 miles away but the short drive is worth it.

2. Although guests have nothing to worry about because of the free shuttle service to and from the amusement park, the problem for them is that they cannot go anywhere else unless they hail a cab, take the bus or rent a car. Remember, there are other things to see like perhaps SeaWorld and a host of other places in the city.

3. If you think room rates are expensive, the same goes for the food served in the restaurants. You may eat a heavy breakfast and then skip through lunch but come dinner time, you will have to shell out a lot of money when you can probably have a similar meal at a cheaper establishment outside.

There are pros and cons of staying at a Disney World Resort Hotel. But if the issue is about money, perhaps you should stay off site then or book during the off season when the rates become very affordable.

Disney World’s Grand Floridian Resort is considered to be the flagship resort of the Disney Empire. Located across the lake from Magic Kingdom and along the Monorail line, guests will not have a hard time getting to the amusement park and back.

There are 2,112 guest rooms. You can choose to stay at the standard guest room that has a maximum of 5 guests, the club concierge room and the suites that can have up to 8 guests.

Each room has turndown service, complimentary comfortable robes to use, 24 hour room service, cribs, refrigerators or microwaves if requested, irons, ironing boards, make up mirrors, in house safe, cable, high speed internet access, laundry services and facilities as well as newspaper delivery.

Rates at the hotel start at $385 nightly. If you get a club concierge room, you get free access to the exclusive Royal Palm Club or the Sugar Loaf Club Concierge Lounge that offers continental breakfast, snacks and wine. You may also get the chance to participate in a wildlife discovery excursion which is only offered to a limited number of guests for an additional fee.

But the best thing about it is being able to use the extra magic hours which entitle you to enter the park an hour earlier before opening or stay up to three hours after the park officially closes.

In the hotel, you can eat in one of 4 restaurants. Only one is considered character dining namely 1900 Park Fare. The rest are fine dining establishments; Victoria and Albert’s, Citrico’s and Narcoossee’s. If you want to relax, the Floridian has a full service spa as well as a fitness center inside.

The hotel has activities for kids. They have Lady Bug Release every Thursday at 11 am, Adventure Time daily at 3:30 pm, Arts and Crafts four days a week at 12:30 pm, Wonderland Tea Party, Pirate Cruise and Kids’ Adventures in Cooking.

If you don’t want to wait until closing time at the theme park for the fireworks show, you have an excellent view by the docks or by the beach.

Disney World’s Grand Floridian Resort is 25 miles away from Orlando International Airport. By booking in advance, a shuttle will be there to pick you up once you disembark from the plane then pull up the driveway so can check in.

Should you stay at a Disney World Hotel or not is one question that many ask when they plan to visit. To help you out, you should know what are the advantages and disadvantages of staying off site.

1. Guests who decide to stay off site are sure to save money when the cost of a standard room in a Disney World Hotel is more than $200 nightly. Most hotels outside will charge less than half the price.

2. Hotel rooms off site are can be larger than those in the Disney World Resort even if they claim to use queen size beds because you can get one good for 5 to 6 people while at Disney, they can only accommodate 4 at the most unless you get a suite.

3. Off site hotels provide free transport not only to Disney World but also to other amusement parks such as Universal Studios and SeaWorld. After all, this is not the only tourist destination in the city as there are also great places to shop, eat and even play certain sports.

4. You can get discounts on Disney World tickets and other places if you decide to book a reservation with them.

5. When you book a room, part of what you pay for already includes free breakfast and sometimes last minute specials even during peak season.

Now it is time for the disadvantages of staying off site.

1. A lot of people have said that there is a big difference when it comes to the quality and service in these places.

2. Disney hotels provide free transportation not only to the amusement park but also for guests who have to fly out from the airport. If you think it is hard to get a ride or it is crowded, think again because shuttles run their routes every 30 minutes.

3. Guests who stay at the Disney World hotel are entitled to Magic hour. This allows guests to enter the park before the official time and leave hours after the park is closed.

4. Employees who work in offsite hotels are not familiar with Disney World so they could give you wrong directions unlike those who work inside the complex who know the park inside and out.

5. As a guest of one of three Disney World hotels, you don’t have to shell out cash when you buy something since this will be charged to your room.

6. Lastly, Disney World hotel guests especially the kids can be tucked in at night by one of their favorite Disney characters.

Going to Disneyland/Disney World can be your vacation of a lifetime. As Children, you may have had a phase in which you yearned to go to this magical place. Now, you have all the opportunity to go and stay how long you please!

Getting The Best Out Of It

If you are spending your vacation with your family or friends, you will want to have everything run as smoothly as possible. You may need to know what may be the best time for you to visit Disneyland/Disney World.

Here are the essentials that you need to know on when is the best time of year to schedule our magical Disney dream vacation.

The Parks Busiest Days

There are seasons in which Disney Parks are very busy. It depends on your preference on whether to go to Disney World when there are a lot of people or not. If you believe that its the more the merrier, then here are the times that you should go to the park. However, if you are not much of a crowd person, then these will be the times that you should avoid going to the park.

The busiest time of the year is the busiest time for the park, which is Christmas day. The number of people that flood the park gates seem to never cease. The park will get the same number of crowds from Christmas day onward through New Year’s Day as the summer.

Thanksgiving season is good time for the park to attract more people. Crowds peak during the whole Thanksgiving weekend. The weekend holidays make Disneyland crowded like President’s Day weekend and Memorial Day weekend.

Expect to see a lot of college students in the month of April throughout the College Spring Break. A lot of people go to the park during the 2 weeks around Easter. Lastly, you will get to see a lot of families and students with their friends making the best out of the heat during June, July and August.

Not Going With The Crowd

If you are not much of the crowd person, you will like the park when there are a tolerable amount of people, here are the dates that you should consider going.

Surprisingly, the week once Thanksgiving is done attracts low levels of crowd. Additionally, due to the Christmas season shopping hype, there are only a few that go to the park during the whole week before Christmas arrives. If you are not to busy with your preparations for Christmas then that whole week before will be the best time to go.

Park gates are crowd free during November up until Thanksgiving Day. September and October offer you a crowdless Disney vacation. Starting January 4 up to the 1st week of February is a great time for you to go, along with the week after Easter up to the early days of June.

Weather Issues

Having a bad weather during your Disney vacation can really be a bummer. This is why scheduling your trip will mean you should take into consideration the weather. Pursuing the trip when it’s too hot, too rainy and cold will likely ruin the whole trip for you. Thus, making the average weather the best option.

Months that offer you average daily temperature will be: November, February, March and April. October is good however it is still hurricane season. There is still some chances for rainfall.

If you like it warm, the best months to go will be May, June, July, August and September. Accordingly, mildest months will be December and January.

You should remember that there is still some risk of rainfall because the parks location is in an area that has a tropical climate.

If it is your first visit to Disneyland, one of the best ways that you can enjoy it would be by taking a tour. Tours are specially organized activities in which a park tour guide will assist and tell you interesting to know facts and juicy secrets about the matter in hand.

There are several kinds of tours that you can get. If you are wondering why there are different kinds, this is because each tour will be highlighting a different aspect of the park. The tours will be different from each other. Thus, you get to learn a new secret or fact with each tour that your on.

Here are some of the most favorite park tours and the essentials that you need to know about them.

A Walk In Walt’s Footsteps Tour

This is one of the favorite tours of people visiting the park. It is a 3+-hour guided tour that will cover Walt Disney’s life. It talks about how his vision transformed into reality. Explore the park while listening to stories about the life of the man behind the magic. You get to know behind-the-scene secrets regarding the theme of various lands and attractions. See the special touches that were placed by Imaginers and Walt Disney himself.

The tour will include passage on Disney Railroad. You get to have an exclusive tour at the famous Club 33’s lobby. A private lunch will be catered to you on Disney Gallery’s patio. You get to have an exclusive Disney collectible trading pin, as a freebie.

The meal would entitle you to choose from a selection of scrumptious meals like: Chili Cornbread Souffl‚, Greek Salad, Cobb Salad, Turkey and Bacon Cheddar Croissants, Hawaiian Chicken Salad Sandwiches, and Albacore Salad Sandwiches. Whatever choice you make would be served with either a canned Sprite, Diet Coke, Coke, or bottled water, along with a “Walt’s Favorite” dessert.

Disneyland VIP Tours

This tour gives you the ability to experience Disneyland in an innovative and carefree way. Just try to imagine discovering all the adventure and magic that await you with your very own VIP Tour Guide as your personal ambassador. This kind of tour can be customized to include special seating arrangement for live stage shows and parades. You get to have good seats at distinctive restaurants at the park. Your professional and knowledgeable VIP Tour Guide will share with you their personal insights, along with experiences throughout the tour.

Discover The Magic Tour

This two and a half hour tour would give you an adrenaline rush as you go through Disneyland. Sharpen and practice your sleuthing skills as you team up with your friends and family to discover clues. You get to hunt for hidden treasures and outwit villains in the process. It is a very unique Disney tour. You can feel that you are really participating, instead of just being a spectator like.

You get to experience 6 classic Disneyland attractions! You get to have a delicious frozen treat, along with and exclusive collectable souvenir pin. Feel the magic as you and your companions save the day and have a fun-filled experience to remember!

Welcome To Disneyland Tour

This tour is a special tour specially crafted for first time park visitors along with those who have not visited the park recently. It runs for about 2.5 hours and costs $25 per person. You can learn fascinating information and hear enchanting stories. You get to discover great tips throughout your journey in Disneyland and Disney’s California Adventure.

A priority seating arrangement is done for you in one of the parks most sensational stage shows or parade. You will be introduced to the FastPass ticketing system and they would also give you two complementary FastPasses. Be able to discover important tips and suggestions so that you can make the most out of your visit.

Where To Get A Tour

For you to receive a tour package, you need to make reservations first. If you are staying in a Disney Resort, all you have to do is talk to the hotel accommodations officer, ask him/her about the tour packages and offers. Tell them which tour you would want to have. Choose from the available time and dates and they can arrange everything for you. If you won’t be staying at a Disney Resort, then you could call (714) 781-4400 and book a tour.

Being safe is good. Staying safe in any trip is very important especially during Disney world vacations. To completely enjoy the places you want to visit you must remain safe for the remainder of the trip.

As one of the most family friendly theme parks in the world it is an absolute priority that people stay safe inside and outside the attractions that they have.

There are several concerns that people have during theme park related vacations. Some of those concerns are directly related to safety issues and some of it directly linked to equipment and facility safety. To understand what and why some people are concerned over things during vacations, you have to understand the reasons they are always on their toes.

Security issues within the park. People who visit theme parks are usually families. If there is anything that is important to these people it’s making sure that they can sleep well at night knowing nothing is wrong. For people who are on a trip and staying in a hotel, the top priority of a family is making sure that the hotel they are staying in does not get broken into and that there is a tight security procedure for non customers of the hotel.

Another concern of travelers and tourists is the safety of the facilities of the hotel they are staying in. They are concerned about the security policies of the building. It is not bad to be concerned about what kind of living environment the hotel has, in fact one of the most important thing you have to remember is to check on the hotel and see if it is following certain industry standards for their facility.

Now, the rides on the park are another concern of people going on vacations to theme parks like Disney World. Even though there hasn’t been much occurrence of accidents in the past, you can never tell when you will have your first time. The main concern of people is how durable the equipment used in the construction of the rides.

Aside from the fun and excitement, staying safe during Disney world vacations is one of the primary things that should be in mind. Always remember that your still in a place full of strangers so remember to keep a watchful eye on your kids. Be aware of the things going on around you and lastly always be prepared for the worst.

Aside from the experience and the attractions, one way of making Disney world vacations truly memorable is through souvenirs. Indeed, it is through souvenirs that remind people that they have been to a specific place at one point of their lives.

Buying souvenirs in places such as Disney world can be expensive but rest assured that you couldn’t find these items outside the area. If you are looking for themed merchandise or items, you can easily find these in the exits of each attraction. If you prefer a place where you can do all your shopping, it is best to go at Disney’s Hollywood Studios because it has products and pieces that are unique and cannot be found anywhere else.

Some of the notable stores that can be found inside Disney’s Hollywood Studios include the “Animation Gallery,” which displays gallery and art pieces such as one-of-a-kind animation collectibles, cels, and prints; the “Indiana Jones Adventure Outpost” which has Indy-branded souvenir items designed for ultimate Indiana Jones fans; the “It’s a Wonderful Shop,” which is a Christmas store that is open 24/7 for the whole year and showcases items such as Disney decorations and ornaments; the “Sid Cahuenga’s One of a Kind,” which is a neat and cozy store where you can find seemingly countless memorabilia especially autographed pictures of famous celebrities; the “Stage One Company Store” that is whole store of merchandize inspired from the Muppet show; and the “Tatooine Traders” which Star Wars fans can find almost all merchandize they are looking for.

Inside the Animal Kingdom, you can find the “Discovery Island,” where you can find animal-related items; and the “Chester & Hester’s Dinosaur Treasures” which is the only store that has tons of prehistoric items.

In Magic Kingdom, stores to visit include the “Pirates Bazaar,” where you can find pirate-inspired and themed items; and the “Mickey’s Star Traders” which is considered as the one of the greatest souvenir shops inside because you can find almost anything here.

The Epcot Center has the “World Showcase” is considered an international shopping area wherein you can find native items, merchandise, products, and souvenirs that are imported from various nations; the “The Art of Disney,” which has the similar store in Downtown Disney; and the “MouseGear” that has lots of souvenirs that are inspired from the Disney characters or the theme parks themselves.

The ultimate shopping during Disney world vacations is not complete without visiting “Downtown Disney” which is considered as the largest shopping haven inside Disney world, next to the World Showcase. You can find the many stores located in separate areas such as “The Marketplace,” which is a 50,000-square foot where you can literally find all the souvenirs and merchandise related to Disney world. Then, there’s the “Lego Imagination Center” that houses lots of items made-out of Lego’s; the “Disney Tails” which is meant for people who love animals, the “Rainforest Cafe,” which is wonderful gift shop, and other specialty retailers such as the “Harley-Davidson shop,” the “Virgin Megastore,” and many more.

One of the most beautiful places on earth that is perfect for all people regardless of age, gender, or nationality is the Disney World. This is because it offers all kinds of activities and amenities that anybody will surely enjoy. What better way to experience the magic it that goes on at a Disney world vacations?

Here, you and your family even your friends can have a wonderful vacation because it is a place where you can unwind while breathing in a new environment. But, before getting engrossed in the ultimate fun and relaxation that awaits you in your Disney world vacations, here are some pertinent pieces of information on Disney world vacations with some tips that you may follow:

1. A dose of history. Being the world’s largest theme park resort, Disney World is located southwest of Orlando in Lake Buena Vista, Florida. In 1971, Disney World opened with only one theme park, the Magic Kingdom but now, they have more.

2. Activities that you can enjoy. Here, you can visit various parks that have different themes depending on your mood and field of interest. Aside from the Magical Kingdom, you can also visit: Epcot, Disney-MGM Studios and Disney’s Animal Kingdom not to mention water parks, the shopping and entertainment district. Open every day of the year, the opening and closing hours of Walt Disney World vary by season.

3. Handling kids on a trip. Since your Disney vacation world is more for the kids than you, you must be prepared for the long travel with your little buddies. Prepare some sanity savers like putting a box of toys, a soft suitcase, or a diaper bag between two kids in the back seat that will give them boundaries.

4. Keeping the itinerary flexible. During a Disney world vacations, it is always best to keep your itinerary quite flexible for the interesting sites you want to share with your kids. Since the Disney vacation may require long hours of travel, you should take every couple of hours to give leeway to everybody’s needs.

5. Finding time to rest and bond. Although you must make out the most during Disney world vacations, make time to bond with friends, family members, or kids. You can do this during stops for meals during or stopping at sites that others find interesting. By doing these, you can rest, breathe, and truly enjoy the things around along the way.