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Originally Posted On: https://www.travoh.com/articles/5-tips-on-planning-trip-to-disneyland-for-first-time-visitors/

Family vacations are a lot more common than you might expect. In a normal year, around 100 million Americans go on a family vacation.

For some, the goal is an overseas trip that ticks a bucket list item or offers their kids some cultural breadth. Others look for educational opportunities, such as visits to national monuments or major historic sites. Some parents just want their kids to have a fun vacation and plan a trip to Disneyland.

If you’re in that last category and a first-time visitor, keep reading for five tips that will help you plan a successful trip.

1. Budgeting

A Disneyland vacation budget will look a bit different for every family. If you live in the Midwest or New England, you must budget around plane tickets and a hotel. You must also budget for buying Disneyland passes.

If you live locally, you can look for deals like the Disneyland packages Costco offers sometimes.

If you don’t live locally, you can also look online and through travel sites for Disneyland discount tickets and Disneyland hotel options.

2. Schedule

You should also give some consideration to the schedule. Like most major theme parks, Disneyland has busy periods and slower periods. If possible, you should aim for one of the slower periods, since it will prove less crowded and more enjoyable.

You can find crowd calendars that can help pinpoint the best time for you to go.

3. Consider the Attractions

While not as massive as Disney World, Disneyland is still a very big place. You should look at a map of the park and make some plans for which attractions you want to visit and the rides at Disneyland you or your kids want to go on while there. You can make a tentative schedule for the things you want and the must-visit places in the park.

4. Packing List

California always looks sunny and warm in commercials and movies, but it can get wet and chilly there. Keep an eye on the forecast for the Anaheim area in the lead-up to your trip. At the very least, make sure you pack at least a warm hoodie or two for everyone, some long pants, and a raincoat.

5. Reservations

You can just walk into many of the eating establishments at the park. For nicer places or character eating experiences, make a reservation. In fact, make them as soon as you know the dates for your trip or you may find yourself out of luck.

Planning Your Trip to Disneyland

Planning your trip to Disneyland isn’t really that different from planning any other trip. The real trick is that you must start thinking ahead.

The farther ahead you plan, the easier you will find it to lock in good deals on hotels, plane tickets, and tickets for the park itself. If you can swing it, start about a year in advance.

Looking for more tips on planning a trip or visiting a specific destination? Check out some of the other posts over in our Articles sections.