Disneyland Itinerary: How We Did 25 Rides in One Day

Our first time at Disneyland California was at the tail end of an exciting California road trip. We had a BLAST but boy oh boy, is it complicated to plan a Disney vacation these days (and expensive too!) Disney has overhauled their skip-the-line system since our visit, so I’ve updated this guide to reflect everything that’s changed. The good news? The strategy still works. Follow this step-by-step itinerary and you can still knock out 25+ rides in a single day, even without a full day in the park. We got to the hotel for a long midday nap.

Last updated: June 2026

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Where to Buy Tickets and Make Reservations

Park reservations are no longer required for most ticket types, so that’s one less thing to stress about. When you are ready to purchase your tickets, you can head on directly on Disneyland’s website. Disney tickets are notoriously expensive and discounts are scarce. If you want to save a little bit, I recommend getting your tickets from Undercover Tourist. The discount might not look like a lot, but trust me, every bit counts. Furthermore, I was able to score an awesome car rental deal in conjunction with the admission ticket purchase. If you have MagicBand+, you can link your tickets to your bracelets (more on that later)

The biggest change since our last visit is that Disney has replaced Genie+ with a new system called Lightning Lane. Here’s what you need to know before you buy:

Lightning Lane Multi Pass is your go-to for most rides. Starting at $34 per person per day (price varies by date), it lets you book up to 3 Lightning Lane selections per park in advance, then add one at a time after you tap into your first selection. It also includes PhotoPass photos, which is a nice bonus. Buy it when you purchase your tickets to lock in the lowest price.

Lightning Lane Single Pass is for the 2 big headliner attractions Rise of the Resistance and Radiator Springs Racers. These are purchased separately per ride (starts at $15) and sell out fast, so snag them as early as possible.

Lightning Lane Premier Pass covers everything in one purchase for both Disneyland and California Adventure on the same day. Worth it if you’re park hopping and want zero hassle. It’s no surprise that it will come at a price $300+ per person.

Where to Stay When Visiting Disneyland

Once you purchased your tickets, it is now time to figure out where to stay. If you’re doing Disneyland in one day, where you stay matters almost as much as your itinerary. And I have the best spot for you. I highly recommend the Howard Johnson Anaheim. The Howard Johnson by Wyndham Anaheim Hotel & Water Playground or simply called the “HoJo”, is a fantastic family-friendly hotel only a 8 min walk from the Disneyland gates.

We stayed in the newly renovated building 2 which has a retro Disney touch. The rooms are spacious, bright and clean. Beds are very comfortable. The resort is full of amenities: there is a Keurig, microwave and fridge in every room. The Hojo is also known for its water play activities: you can find a heated pool and their famous water playground on site.

And the best part is that I have a discount code you can use at this link

💜 20% off for Disneyland Magic Key Holder
Corp code: 1000025935

💜 15% off for everyone
Corp code: 1000022077

What to Pack for Disneyland

Disneyland is a full day on your feet, so packing smart makes a huge difference. Here’s what we never show up without:

What to Wear

• Comfortable, broken-in sneakers. This is non-negotiable. You will walk miles. These are our favorite walking sneakers for theme parks
• Layers. Mornings at Disneyland can be cool but afternoons get warm. A light zip-up hoodie you can tie around your waist works perfectly.
• A sun hat and sunglasses for the afternoon sun.
• Matching outfits or coordinating colors if you want those photos to pop! Check out these cute Disney family matching tees

What to Pack

• A lightweight backpack or crossbody bag.
• portable phone charger. Your phone will be working overtime all day.
• Sunscreen  and lip balm.
• Reusable water bottles. There are water fountains throughout the park and staying hydrated saves you from buying overpriced drinks all day.
• Hand sanitizer and a small first aid kit with band aids for unexpected blisters.
• Ponchos. Lightweight and compact, a lifesaver on water rides or if weather turns.

Bring From Home to Save Money

• Breakfast items to store in your hotel room fridge. Grabbing a quick meal before the park saves $30-40 easily.
• Snacks like granola bars, fruit pouches, and trail mix. Outside food is allowed as long as it’s not in a hard cooler.
• Mickey ears or Disney gear from Amazon before your trip. The same ears cost significantly more inside the park.

Your Disneyland Itinerary

Before You Leave Your Hotel

With the practical matters taken care of, we can now focus on building up an itinerary to make the best of your visit to Disneyland. It’s difficult to do everything at Disneyland in a single day, even with smart planning and Lightning Lanes. However this tried-and-true itinerary will allow you to do as much as possible.

First thing first, you will need to download the Disneyland Mobile App and familiarize yourself with it. Most importantly, make sure you know how to book a Lightning Lane.

At 7am sharp on the day of your visit, open the Disneyland app and purchase your Lightning Lane Single Pass for Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance. Do this before you even have breakfast. It sells out quickly and you do not want to miss it. Set a phone alarm for 6:55am the night before so you don’t forget.

If you have Multi Pass, you’ll activate your first selection once you’re inside the park gates.

The First Hour at Disneyland

Now onto the game plan. For it to work, you must arrive at the security checkpoints 45 mins prior to park opening. So if the park opens at 8 am, arrive at security checkpoint no later than 7:15 am.

As soon as you enter the park, book your first Multi Pass selection for Matterhorn Bobsleds for a 9-9:30am return window. Premier Pass holders can skip this step and just show up.

You will start your day at Fantasyland and spend about an hour there. The good news about Fantasyland is that most of these classic rides are standby only, no Lightning Lane needed. That means your Multi Pass selections are free for the bigger rides later. If you followed my plan so far, you should be at the Fantasyland rope drop by 7:30 am (if park opens at 8 am). Now you have a couple of choices ahead of you: if you are towards the front of the line, you will start with Peter Pan’s Flight. If you are not at the front of the line, start with Snow White first.

As soon as they open the park, do the following rides in order. If there is more than a 10-min line, move on to the next ride immediately. If you have time later, you can circle back to the rides you skipped.

• Peter Pan’s Flight
• Snow White
• Alice in Wonderland
• Dumbo
• Mr Toad’s Wild Ride
• Pinocchio’s Daring Journey
• Mad Tea Party
• Casey Jr Circus Train and/or Storybook Land Canal Boats but only if wait is less than 10 mins

The Rest of the Morning

After spending the first hour in Fantasyland, it’s time to move to Frontierland. Again do the following rides in order:

fter Fantasyland, head to Tomorrowland and Frontierland. Same rule: if the wait is over 10 minutes, skip and circle back.

• Use your Multi Pass (or Premier Pass) for Matterhorn Bobsleds. The moment you tap in, book your next Multi Pass selection for Big Thunder Mountain Railroad for around 10am.
• It’s a Small World (standby, line moves fast and it’s worth it)
• Winnie the Pooh (standby)
• Use your Multi Pass (or Premier Pass) for Big Thunder Mountain Railroad. The moment you tap in, book your next Multi Pass for Star Tours around 10:30am.
• Use your Multi Pass (or Premier Pass) for Star Tours. The moment you tap in, book your next Multi Pass for Space Mountain around 11am.
• Use your Multi Pass (or Premier Pass) for Space Mountain. The moment you tap in, book your next Multi Pass for Indiana Jones for the afternoon session.

By now it should be around 11-11:30am (in our 8am scenario) and crowds will be noticeably heavier. This is your cue to wrap up the morning. Grab a snack, head back to your hotel for a rest, or slow down and enjoy the park at a casual pace. Watch a show, meet some characters, browse the shops. Just make sure you’re back at least 5 hours before closing.

Pro tip: This midday break is where staying at the HoJo really pays off. Being an 8 minute walk from the park gates means you can actually go back, nap, and recharge without losing half your day to transportation.

Second Part of the Day

Head back to the park at least 5 hours before closing. As soon as you walk through the gates, check the app and book your next available Multi Pass selection if the Indiana Jones window hasn’t opened yet.

Work through this order:

• Castle Walkthrough (no wait, great photo opportunity)
• Astro Orbitor (standby, usually short)
• Autopia (standby)
• Use your Multi Pass (or Premier Pass) for Indiana Jones. The moment you tap in, book your next Multi Pass for Jungle Cruise. Note: both Indiana Jones and Jungle Cruise sell out of Lightning Lane early, so if availability is gone go standby and save Multi Pass for Star Tours or Haunted Mansion.
• Use your Multi Pass (or Premier Pass) for Jungle Cruise. The moment you tap in, book your next Multi Pass for Millennium Falcon.
• Use your Single Pass (or Premier Pass) for Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance. This is the crown jewel of the whole day. Take your time and soak it in!
• Use your Multi Pass (or Premier Pass) for Millennium Falcon.

If you couldn’t get on Rise of the Resistance (for whatever reasons), hope on the wait line 5 mins before the ride closes. Just be aware that the ride usually closes before the park does so you might have to adjust your plan.

You should now be in the last hour of park opening. Lightning Lane selections will likely be exhausted but standby lines get shorter as crowds thin out. Use this window to re-ride your favorites or knock out anything you missed. We were able to ride Matterhorn Bobsleds and Big Thunder Mountain a couple of times each during that time, to the delight of my little one.

Pro Tips to Maximize Your Time at Disneyland

In addition to the tips I’ve shared so far, I recommend the following ones to optimize your time at Disneyland (and frankly get your money’s worth)

• Pick the best times to visit the park by using a crowd calendar. I like the ones from Undercover Tourist and Touring Plans
• Take a screenshot of your itinerary and use it as your lock screen. This way you won’t have to unlock your phone every time you want to check on the plan
• Put your phone on battery saver mode and bring a power bank
• Purchase a MagicBand+ bracelet and link your park ticket to it
• Purchase Multi Pass when you buy your tickets to lock in the lowest price. Buying day-of costs more
• Book your next Multi Pass selection the moment you tap into a ride, not after. Every minute counts
• Get in a ride queue just before park closing and you’ll still be able to ride it
• Watch the fireworks during the second showing, not the first. Crowds thin out significantly and you’ll have a much better spot
• Use Mobile Order on the app to pre-order food and skip the restaurant lines entirely
• Save souvenir shopping and sit-down shows for the midday break, not prime riding hours
• Disneyland Resort hotel guests receive a complimentary Lightning Lane Multi Pass selection per person per stay. Note this does NOT apply to Rise of the Resistance, which is Single Pass only.

Where to Eat at Disneyland

There is no shortage of food at Disneyland, but these are our tried and true favorites. Use Mobile Order on the app to skip the line and have your food ready when you arrive.

• Raspberry Rose Mickey Macaron at Jolly Holiday Bakery Cafe (Main Street)
• Pineapple Dole Whip at Tiki Juice Bar (Adventureland)
• Churros available at carts throughout both parks
• Hand-dipped corn dogs at Blue Ribbon Corn Dog (Main Street) or Stage Door Cafe (Frontierland)
• Turkey legs at Edelweiss Snacks (Fantasyland) or various carts around the park
• Mickey-shaped pretzel near Big Thunder Mountain, It’s a Small World, or Space Mountain
• Bao buns at Tropical Hideaway (Adventureland)
• Fried chicken dinner at Plaza Inn (Main Street)
• Skewers at Bengal Barbecue (Adventureland)

Hope you find this itinerary helpful. It is only one of the many strategies available online. If you do decide to follow it, please tag me or leave me a comment. I would love to see how it works out for you. If you decide on another plan, no worries. I am just as happy you have a game plan to follow and you can make the most of your time at Disneyland.

As always, thank you for reading!

FOR MORE ABOUT DISNEY PARKS, READ:

• Orlando, FL: How to do Disney World on a budget?
• Anaheim, CA: Where to Stay on a Disneyland vacation?

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