The Magic Is Back at Disneyland

The magic is back at the Disneyland Resort or is it? We visited the happiest place on earth the first week it reopened after being closed for over 14 months and found though many things stayed the same several have changed. Planning a visit to Disneyland soon? I have a breakdown of what to expect from parking to dining and everything in between along with some tips we picked up along the way.

First things first. You will need to purchase a ticket. Once you have a ticket you must then make a reservation to visit. Not all tickets are equal so be sure to plan accordingly. If you have a specific date in mind check to see what tier ticket is required to visit then make sure the specific park you want to visit is available. Some days one park might be booked. There are single park and park hopper tickets available. Find out about all the ticket options park hours and more HERE.

Once you have your ticket and reservation, be sure you have the Disneyland App installed and your tickets are linked. A visit to the park will require you to use your phone as you will read.

• The day of your reservation: If you are looking to join the boarding group for Rise of the Resistance there are 2 opportunities to do so. One is at 7am from wherever you are and the other is at 12 noon. I literally signed into the Disneyland App 2 minutes before 7am and refreshed my screen till it was 7am. Added my 2 tickets to the virtual queue and we were in! It was just that simple.

• Arriving: It’s up to you. Park hours are reduced so it’s really up to you as to when you arrive. Park hopping begins at 1pm if you have a park hopper. Parking is $25 and you can use cash, ATM or prepay for your parking and scan the code via your app. There are NO TRAMS currently running so keep that in mind. To arrive at the park turnstiles you will walk the tram route if you parked in the Mickey and Friends Structure.

• Have your park tickets ready. The code will be scanned at the turnstiles and you will be issued a paper ticket.

• If you are a Legacy Passholder (Legacy pass holders are annual pass holders who held a valid pass before the March 2019 park closure), be sure to get your discount code by reaching out to Disneyland via their customer service number or via the chat option on the app. The discount barcode will automatically be added to your account and applied when applicable.

• Mobile Ordering: Plan ahead for all your meals and snacks! This really is a convenient option. Upon your first order you can link the payment method and save it for the rest of your purchases during your visit if you choose. I highly recommend utilizing Mobile ordering and setting up your desired food upon arrival. The later in the day, the later the pick up times there are available.

• Rides: Almost all of the rides are open. Currently there is no Fastpass or Maxpass option, just good old standby lines. Check the app for the latest times. I recommend hitting the most popular attractions first. You can easily find this out by checking the app a day before and look at the wait times. Since Snow White and Haunted Mansion both recently had improvements done, they had a longer wait time. Also consider that even though park capacity is reduce so is the capacity of the rides.

• There are no locker rentals so pack light.

• Your phone will be used a lot so I highly recommend turning off apps or notifications that drain your battery and bring a portable charger. FuelRods are still in the park and exchangeable if you have one.

• You can bring in your own water and snacks but again I recommend packing light.

• Shoes… That extra walking from the parking thru the esplanade, into security and out to the tram route then back to the parking structure at the end of the day adds a lot of steps.

• Stroller and wheelchair rentals: They are conveniently located just as you approach security screening area where the tram pick up area was inside the Pixar Pals structure.

• Characters: They are scattered around the park and set back from the public. They still interact with you and pose for pictures but there are no autographs currently being done.

• Main Street vehicles: They are up and running giving lifts from the start of Main Street to the hub as usual with limited capacity.

Whew! Now for the changes to the DAS. The disability system they former had in place has remained the same. Guest Service booths are still generally in their same locations and return times once you link your park tickets are found on the Disneyland App. Redeeming them is also done via the app. If you manage to score a boarding group for the Rise of the Resistance head to the center entrance to Galaxy’s Edge and there Guest Services will issue a return time. Once you get to the entrance you will scan the primary ticket from the app that is linked to the DAS and every other ticket after that. All of the access points remain the same. Wheelchair access and return times are as they were before as well. Find a cast member at the attraction you wish to ride, or visit a Guest Service booth/City Hall. There they will scan all the tickets in your group and give you a time to return. I would avoid City Hall honestly, there you need to make a virtual appointment to get service, so if it is just for the DAS they can take care of that at any booth.

So the big question is…. is it worth visiting now since capacities are reduced? I will admit even with ride capacities limited due to social distancing the standby times were diffidently less than normal. As for the overall crowds, that was nice! Downside there are no parades or fireworks and park operation hours are shorter. Wearing a mask for a full day even with breaks was uncomfortable and with the heat upon us, well I can’t imagine it’s not fun. I saw many children struggling to keep their masks on as well as some adults. For me that is what kinda killed the magic, that along with the spontaneous ability to just walk up to a cart or food location and order on a whim. Our visit albeit smooth felt like work. The planning, the social markers and of course the masks. If I had a pass I wouldn’t have felt so pressured to try to squeeze it all in aka get my moneys worth. With my daughters autism and lack of endurance and the overall changes it’s hard to stay a full day now and even before the pandemic. The experience is very stimulating in both a good and a bad way but it takes a toll.

So will we return? I would definitely consider returning for my daughters birthday in September because that’s been our tradition but I would much rather wait till the new pass program is offered. It will be interesting to see how this plays out when capacities are increased and out of state guests are allowed to visit in regards to social distancing. So much of the areas are now being used as ride queues and sit down eating areas have also spread out to create more space between tables. I will be honest in admitting was anxious to return, not because of Covid but due to the changes made to the operations of the park and having to learn them on the spot. Ultimately I left feeling confident that things will return to pre pandemic and hopefully we can get all the magic back!