Plan your Disneyland trip like a total pro
Plan your Disneyland trip like a total pro
We know: there's nothing like a visit to the Disney parks, but it can all be a tad bit overwhelming.
Our Essential Disneyland Mini-Guide will quickly teach you everything you need to know about the parks & the area—including how to avoid the crowds and long lines, of course.
Nothing beats a good day at the OG park:
Walking down Main Street USA and taking it all in, laughing yourself silly with your family on Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, waving hi to your favorite characters during the parade, and of course, chomping on fresh churros all day long.
But planning a trip out West can quickly become expensive, confusing, and stressful.
Our mission? To ensure your Disneyland getaway is a seamless and unforgettable experience.
Elevate Your Disney Experience: Your Easy Guide to Stress-Free Fun
This 35-page PDF guide along with itineraries cuts to the chase to bring you everything you need to know to stay out of long lines, maximize the Lightning Lane Pass, dine at the best spots and eat the best snacks, and just generally friggin' rock your vacation.
Essential Disneyland: A Mini-Guide to the Magic
Essential Disneyland:
A Mini-Guide to the Magic
01 Pre-trip Planning
- The scoop on the local hotels (which to avoid and which are best), how to get around, and airport stuff you need to know
- How many days to plan for the parks and which type of ticket we recommend
- If the Park Hopper and Lightning Lane Multi-Pass add-ons are worth your money
02 Park Primers
- Attraction Priorities at each park — and a list of "Anytime Attractions"
- DisneyLAND vs Disney WORLD (what to know if you're used to the FL version!)
- Our best parade viewing spots and nighttime show viewing spots — so you're watching like a pro and not standing around for hours
03 Dining & Snacking
- Quick-service restaurant overviews and our favorite spots in both parks
- Our "Top Snacks" list for each park
- The best table-service meals in both parks as well as Downtown Disney and the resorts (because some of the best spots aren't even in the parks). And a quick overview of all the character dining available!
04 Touring Strategies
- Full day, flexible itineraries for each park (Disneyland and California Adventure)
- The most important things to know about booking Lightning Lanes, Early Entry & Rope Drop, and how to strategize for the biggest rides
- How to tour the parks at all times of day: Morning, Afternoon, and Evening Strategies
Lightning Lane Crash Course
This bonus chapter includes everything you need to know about the paid Lightning Lane pass, including a video crash course that deep dives into the system. It walks you through everything you'll need to know to quickly become a power user — including a hack that no one talks about that is critical to know.
"Thank you for the Lightning Lane crash course and hacks. It was a complete game-changer for our trip."
"We did everything and more at the two parks over two days. Including re-riding our favorites, which I didn't think could happen!"
"Using your guides, we have taken so many trips where my husband or our traveling partners have commented on how much we can get done without feeling stressed. "
Immediately after your purchase, you'll receive your (cute) new copy of the mini-guide directly in your inbox. Download, print, or pull up on your phone on vacation - whichever!
We know everyone's busy, so we break down everything you need to know about all of Disneyland without the fluff. You can read the e-guide in just one hour.
Complete confidence walking in the parks? Check. Relaxing Dole Whip break in between Lightning Lanes? Check. Scream laughing while you ride Guardians of the Galaxy? Check.
How it works
Spend your afternoon devouring lobster nachos and drinking margaritas instead of waiting in hour long lines...
Quickly understand which attractions your group should be prioritizing...
LEARN WHICH SECTIONS OF THE PARK TO HIT WHEN - WHERE TO GO IN THE MORNING, afternoon, and THE EVENING...
walk into the parks as a Lightning Lane, getting every ride you want with ease...
Know exactly which ticket to get and what to splurge (and save) on...
Essential Disneyland: A Mini-Guide to the Magic
This 35-page PDF guide along with two flexible itineraries cuts to the chase to bring you everything you need to know to stay out of long lines, maximize Lightning Lanes, dine at the best spots and eat the best snacks, and just generally friggin' rock your vacation.
this guide and churros, please! >>
Essential Disneyland:
A Mini-Guide to the Magic
Don't "wing it" on your expensive vacation —
Hellllloooooo there! I’m Ali Wigle, founder of Wish Upon a Planner and creator of Essential Disneyland: A Mini-Guide to the Magic. I'm the brains behind everything Disney strategy (and I'm usually eating or longing for chips & queso paired with a salty margarita).
At Wish Upon a Planner, we use our love of numbers and data to analyze crowd patterns, wait times, and pricing trends to help people like you plan Disney visits while minimizing the stress and overwhelm and maximizing the fun. And now, we're bringing y'all the Disneyland guide after many requests!
At disneyland, i'm probably riding on the left side of matterhorn or eating lobster nachos at lamplight lounge ;)
Tried and Tested Disney Expertise You Can (Literally) Count On
Our “How Far You’ll Go”
100% Money-Back Guarantee
We want you to have the most epic trip ever – that’s the magic of what we do!
If for any reason you’re not totally satisfied with your mini-guide and the quality of information, just email us and we’ll happily issue you a full refund.
Our #1 priority here is our customers (you know, like businesses were in the '90s!)—which means we stand by all of our planning products 100%.
money back guarantee
Our “How Far You’ll Go”
100% Money-Back Guarantee
sounds good - Let's get to planning!
One-time payment of $29
Is there a difference between this mini-guide and your other guides?
While we have a three-tiered planning system and comprehensive strategy guide for Walt Disney World, the Disneyland Mini-Guide is just that: more compact and briefer. This mini-guide consists of a digital guide (e-book) and full itineraries to give you a strategic overview of the essentials: rides, food & dining, parade & show viewing, hotels, Lightning Lanes, and how to tour the parks strategically.
Frequently Asked Questions
I've already booked my trip and started planning. Do I need this?
Yes! While we briefly touch on pre-planning tips for tickets and hotels, the bulk of information teaches you how to strategically navigate the parks so that you're reducing your time in lines. We also go over the best spots to eat, snack, and drink (and what to skip that's not worth it). Anyone heading to the parks, no matter how long or where they're staying, will save themselves significant time and money using this.
I'm only going for one day. Should I still get this?
YES — if you're only going for one day, it's even more critical to know exactly what you're doing so you can maximize your time and money that day. There's so much to do, and having a solid plan and knowing how to optimize your day so you can experience as much as possible is critical!
Does this work for Disney World in Florida?
This guide is specifically for the Disneyland Resort — including the two parks Disneyland and Disney California Adventure along with tips on the entire Disneyland Resort Area - and is not applicable to Walt Disney World in Orlando, FL. We have a separate strategy guide + system for planning a visit there!
"I loved the guide! It was so helpful and saved us so much time! Planning Disney is stressful and this made it manageable!"
"Thanks for all of your tips and tricks. I’ve learned so much that have made our family vacations successful. "
"We didn't wait long in lines, we were able to get reservations for dining during the middle of the day and enjoy a place to relax and eat. We were able to enjoy all the parks and ride all our favorite rides. Most of the rides we were able to ride twice with good planning and app awareness. Great product, worth every penny!"