How to Avoid Long Lines at Disneyland
Timing Helps Park Visitors Enjoy Popular Rides Without Long Waits
Nov 14, 2008
A little bit of timing - and planning - makes it easy to avoid long lines and enjoy Disneyland and the neighboring Disney's California Adventure park.
Early Morning Disneyland
In-the-know Disneyland visitors get to the park when it opens and walk right onto popular rides, such as The Matterhorn, Splash Mountain, Space Mountain and Indiana Jones Adventure.
From opening - usually 8 a.m. most of the year - to 10 p.m., Disneyland is just waking up. All the cast members are there, but day visitors are still navigating Southern California's freeways, and those staying at nearby hotels are still sleeping. Disneyland usually closes at midnight during peak tourist times, while California Adventure usually shuts down at 8 p.m.
An early start means no lines. And that means a lot when a two-day ticket to both parks costs $143.
Disneyland After Dark
Veteran visitors often leave the park by noon and head for their hotels for a refreshing swim, meal and nap. This break gets visitors ready for a fun evening in the park.
Night is a great time to avoid lines. Many people don't like getting wet after the sun goes down - even though Southern California nights are often very warm. Rides such as Grizzly River Run in California Adventure and Splash Mountain in Disneyland are often nearly deserted after dark.
Other rides, such as Space Mountain, Pirates of the Caribbean and the Haunted Mansion, have short lines during the evening fireworks displays. But the two hours before closing is the best time to get on popular rides - over and over again.
Big Thunder Over and Over
Most park visitors - exhausted from standing in lines and navigating through crowds during the heat of the day - leave after the nightly fireworks. But the wise few that rest in the afternoons and go back to Disneyland or California Adventure in the early evening are ready to close down the parks.
At California Adventure, which usually closes earlier than Disneyland, savvy visitors hit ultra-popular rides, such as the Twilight Zone Tower of Terror - which features a zero-gravity drop down an elevator shaft - during the last 90 minutes before closing.
This is also a good time to ride California Screamin', which is a big, fast roller coaster with a 360-degree loop.
In Disneyland, lines are skimpy for the Big Thunder Mountain Railroad roller coaster and all the other attractions that had 90-minute waits a few hours earlier. Visitors can board popular rides over and over again without a wait.
Using FastPass - and Avoiding Lines!
Many popular attractions at Disneyland and California Adventure offer FastPass, which allows park visitors to get a ticket that allows them to return at a set time and get on the ride with a minimal wait.
Visitors insert their park entry ticket into a special machine to get the FastPass ticket. The ticket is usually good for a one-hour window. The FastPass ticket will also show when you can get another FastPass for a different attraction.
FastPass is a good way to explore Disneyland and California Adventure without worrying about lines. Visitors can eat lunch or dinner, watch a parade, browse shops or enjoy some of the quiet charms of Disneyland while waiting for their ride time.
Many attractions, such as the Matterhorn - Disneyland's original bobsled ride down a twisting mountain course - don't have FastPass. The free park guide map, which is regularly updated and available all over Disneyland, has FastPass listings.
Don't Follow the Crowd
An early start, an afternoon break, staying until closing and use of Disneyland's FastPass system helps savvy visitors avoid the crowds and get the most fun from their trip. Going in the opposite direction of the crowds is the way to go. The shortest lines are always during the middle of the week.
 |
 |
 |
 |
