Disneyland Day Plan After Park Opening
For those that decide to sleep in…….this is a general guide of how to make the most of your day.
Fast passes are a must! This is the order of priority for myself in booking fast passes based on popular attractions on a busy day, and the return times:
- Space Mountain
- Splash Mountain
- Matterhorn
- Indiana Jones
- Thunder Mountain
- Haunted Mansion
- Small World
- Star Tours
- Buzz Lightyear
- Roger Rabbit’s cartoon spin
My usual plan if I arrive late to Disneyland goes something like this:
10:00am-12:00pm:
*buy Max Pass ($10) at ticket booth near main gate or on your mobile app after you enter the park. You can add other friends or family to your Max Pass account for $10 each.
*mobile order breakfast from the Jolly Holiday Bakery if you didn’t eat yet (I get the croissant egg sandwich and raspberry macaroon)
*book Space Mountain fast pass from phone app
*head for Fantasy Land and grab some pics from a photopass photographer in front of the castle on the way
*ride Peter Pan (wait time is almost always 40-45 min unless you arrive at park opening)
*rides to choose from in Fantasy Land are Snow White, Pinocchio, Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride, Dumbo, Storybook Land Canal Boats (the Whale), or any other ride that does not offer fast passes until your next fast pass booking is allowed.
*ride the tea cups at Mad Hatter Tea Party
*ride Alice in Wonderland
*for girls age 3-12 a princess makeover at Bibbidy Bobbidy Boutique (reservations must be made in advance)
*grab a churro from the cart between Matterhorn and Small World if you are hungry
12:00pm to 2:00pm
*book fast pass for Splash Mountain if you didn’t ride it yet
*grab a corn dog from the Little Red Wagon on the way to Tomorrowland. It’s located on Main Street near the Plaza Inn and Tomorrowland entrance.
*Head over to Space Mountain to use fast pass
*Ride Autotopia
*optional to ride the Finding Nemo Submarine, and it’s not worth a long line.
*If wait times are under 30 min, I will ride Star Tours or Buzz Lightyear in stand by, but you can always get a fast pass later on for those rides if the wait times are too long. On a busy day the wait times go up to an hour.
*head to Toon Town and check out the Gidget’s roller coaster or Roger Rabbit’s spin ride. There is also Minnie and Mickey’s houses where you can meet and tour. But it’s not worth a line longer than 35 min for any of these attractions. If Roger Rabbit has a long line, wait and book a fast pass for it after all the other higher priority rides are booked. That ride is not a high priority.
2:00-4:00pm
*book fast pass for Matterhorn
*eat a late lunch at Blue Bayou (reservations must be made in advance) Plaza Inn is great for lunch or dinner so switch with that restaurant depending on what reservation time you get with Blue Bayou.
*ride Pirates of the Carribean either before or after lunch depending on reservation time.
*after lunch tour Tarzan’s Tree House
*use Splash Mountain Fast Pass
*ride Winnie the Pooh if wait time under 20 min.
*ride Jungle Book
*check wait time on Haunted Mansion. Can book fast pass later if line is longer than 30 min.
4:00-6:00
*book fast pass for Thunder Mountain if you haven’t ridden it yet.
*tour Sleeping Beauty’s Castle
*visit the Mad Hatter shop
*Do any rides in fantasy land you missed from the morning
*use Thunder Mountain fast pass
6:00-8:00
*ride the train
*grab some Mickey Beignets and Mint Juleps at the Mint Julep Bar of New Orleans Square near train stop by Haunted Mansion
*book fast pass for Haunted Mansion or wait in stand by line if you missed it. If wait is over 30 min, get a fast pass.
*use Matterhorn fast pass
*shop Main Street
*if hungry, eat dinner (or share one) at Plaza Inn on Main Street for some amazing fried chicken and mashed potatoes with gravy! Reservations are not needed. Or mobile order at Red Rose Tavern in Fantasy Land.
*book a Small World fast pass if you didn’t ride it yet. The return time is usually the same time you book it!
*if you have time for another fast pass ride, try Buzz Lightyear, Star Tours, or Roger Rabbit’s cartoon spin if you missed those ones.
~If staying for the Pixar Fireworks show, Main Street is a great place to stand. There are projections on the buildings and a surprise pop up. Snagging a spot in front of the castle is the best viewing location, but you will need to save a spot around two hours ahead of time. We will often take turns holding the spot with our stuff and letting the rest of our group do rides.
Magical Tip:
*If a ride is broken down temporarily, it is advantageous to book a fast pass for it anyway. If the ride does not open back up during your reservation time, the pass turns into a “magical pass” to be used on any ride of your choice!
