8. Park Strategy, Part 1 - Disneyland

Question 8: Once we're finally in the park, is there any kind of strategy to make the best of our day?

Simply put...of COURSE there is strategy involved to get the best out of your time!! There are different strategies I have in mind depending on what rides or shows you might want to experience. I'm going to split this subject into a few different posts, one for each park as well as one for the ultimate park hopper. Because whether you have Park Hopper passes or One-Park-Per-Day passes, you're going to need a strategy to make the most of your precious time. And please note that these are my own personal strategies...I'm talking completely from experience here. If you know there is a way that you like to do things, go ahead and do it! I'm not your mother! Now let's get down to business.

Disneyland

While both parks have a lot to do, Disneyland definitely takes a lot more time to sift through. Especially if you're like me and you love to do all the little exploration activities and see every possible bit of entertainment. But here are my tips to make the most of your time.

• Where to go first: My observations over the years have shown that when people rush in at rope drop they all gravitate to Tomorrowland and Fantasyland. If you want to walk on to a few rides right when you get there in the morning, head to Adventureland and New Orleans Square. Then go back later to hit up your favorite Tomorrowland rides! No joke, one morning I walked on to Indiana Jones, Pirates, Haunted Mansion, and Indiana Jones AGAIN in about an hour. That is AMAZING in Disneyland time. Not to mention I did all that just in time to grab a Mint Julep right when the Mint Julep Bar opened up for the day!

My dear old dad getting excited for some morning Beignets!

• Another option however, if you simply MUST meet Mickey....Toontown isn't very crowded in the mornings. If Mickey (or Minnie, or their other classic friends) is your must-meet character you might want to zip straight for T-town.
• Breakfast: Depending on how early you got to the park, you'll probably be thinking of either breakfast or lunch after your first few rides. If you didn't have breakfast before you went to the park, I have a couple of favorite places. 
• River Belle Terrace is a personal favorite of mine, right across from Tarzan's Treehouse in Adventureland. They have tasty pancakes, potatoes, and the crowd favorite....cinnamon roll french toast. Yum!
• Update Sept. 2016: River Belle Terrace no longer serves breakfast!! The food that was previously served there has been moved to Rancho Del Zocalo where you can get the traditional American breakfast, or a Mexican breakfast. Definitely hit it up because the chorizo breakfast burrito is awesome.
• Plaza Inn is a great place if you're into character dining. You'll need to make a reservation for breakfast, but if you are wanting to fully immerse yourself in all things Disney early on in the day this is your place!
• Lunch: Go ride more rides! You're going to get hungry again soon enough though...warning, there is a big ole lunch rush from 12 to 2, just like you'll find literally anywhere else in the world. Choose your time wisely! Here are my favorite lunch spots:
• Hungry Bear Cafe. This cozy restaurant is right near the entrance of Critter Country. I like to stop by after I've done my early afternoon ride on Winnie the Pooh and Splash Mountain. This place has chicken sandwiches and chili burgers, among a few others, and they are typically accompanied by sweet potato fries. 
• Bengal Barbecue. If you like meat on a skewer, this is the place for you. Located across from Indiana Jones in Adventureland.
• Tomorrowland Terrace. This is your run-of-the-mill burger, hot dog, french fry joint. Located around the corner (if you're headed towards Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage) from Buzz Lightyear Astro Blasters in Tomorrowland. 
• Cafe Orleans. I love cajun food. I just do. Cafe Orleans, as you can guess, is smack in the middle of New Orleans Square. Make sure you get a reservation, and make sure you order some Pommes Frites! If you're eyeing the Monte Cristo sandwich, know that it is freaking HUGE and you're going to want to share it with someone else. Top that meal off with some delicious beignets and you just had the best meal ever!

Blackened Chicken sandwich and sweet potato fries...love Cafe Orleans!

• Entertainment: After lunch is typically when I like to slow it down a little and see some shows. There is a lot to do in the afternoons by way of park entertainment, and it's a lot easier on your now-full stomach than blasting off to Space Mountain! You can find a full entertainment schedule on the Disneyland website, the Disneyland app, and in the brochures you can pick up at the park entrance. Here are some of my favorites:
• Enchanted Tiki Room. Alright real talk, parts of this show creep me out. It's not necessarily a scary show, definitely kid-friendly... There are just a lot of strange tiki dudes pounding on drums for extended periods of time. But I have got to admit that I simply love this show. I could listen to "The Tiki, Tiki, Tiki Room" fifty times in a row and still love it. This show is absolutely classic... try to see it at least once during your stay. 
• Mickey and the Magical Map. This show is new, as of Spring 2013. It takes place in the new Fantasyland Theatre, and it is simply delightful. My favorite thing about it is all of the older Disney movies incorporated into it. I'm talking Pocahontas, Mulan, and even Jungle Book! Don't worry, it's got Tangled in there too, so even the younger kids will enjoy it. Great show for all ages.
• Captain EO. 3-D Michael Jackson tribute. Need I say more?
• Update 2016: When Season of the Force came to Tomorrowland, we had to say goodbye to Captain EO. However, the theater is in use! Now you'll be able to see Path of the Jedi. It's essentially a supercut of Anakin's path to the Dark Side, and it's really awesome. It uses all the special effects in the theater, and it's one of my new favorite ways to take a rest in the parks!
• Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln. Animatronic Abraham Lincoln show... again, no further description needed. 
• Storytelling at the Royal Theatre. This is a delightful show featuring either Rapunzel & Flynn, or Belle, and their storytelling companions as they do a little theatre version of their story. It's the most adorable thing, and extremely hilarious as well.
• Places to explore: If you have small, rambunctious children, sitting down for some shows may not be your easiest option. I was sure fidgety as a child, I know how it goes. If you're still worried about your full stomach getting upset by rides, there is another option for you! There are lots of fun things to do and see in every area of the park.
• Adventureland: Tarzan's Treehouse! I absolutely adore this attraction. You get to walk around in an awesome treehouse, and see the story of Tarzan! And at the end, you get to "trash the camp."

Nothing wrong with a sword fight up there, either!

• Frontierland: This area is home to one of my all-time favorite exploration locations. Pirate's Lair on Tom Sawyer Island is a treat. This is a GREAT sword fight location, if you're into that stuff. Which I definitely am. This is one of my favorite places to just completely let go of my dignity and be as a child. Love it.
• Toontown: Toontown has a lot of fun places, such as Goofy's house and Donald's boat, the Miss Daisy. Plus the entire area is chock full of wacky architecture that I find to be quite enchanting.
• Fantasy Land: So, you know that super-iconic castle that everyone dreams of walking under? Well, go walk through the castle gate and then take a left and you'll go right to the Sleeping Beauty Castle Walkthrough! Yes, that's right, you can go INSIDE the castle! And as you walk through, you see all sorts of cool displays aimed at telling you Sleeping Beauty's story.

This is what you'll look for! The entrance to the Castle :)

• Tomorrowland: Innoventions is a really cool place. Or at least it used to be...ever since Disney's acquisition of Marvel, Innoventions has been fairly superhero-oriented, which isn't quite my jam. There are also lots of Xboxes, strangely enough. But, if you or your kids really like the newest superheroes this is the place to check 'em out. There is a rather impressive display of all of Iron Man's suits, and you can even meet Thor! And in the downstairs area of Innoventions is the Dream House, an interactive area with lots of cool ideas that I do actually hope make their way into homes all over the globe.
• Update 2016: Innoventions and Dream House are gone! The building is now occupied by the Star Wars Launch Bay and the Hero HQ. So you can still meet your favorite Marvel heroes, but the best part is that you can meet Kylo Ren and Chewbacca! There's also a lot of really cool models and replicas from the Star Wars movies. The Launch Bay is SUPER cool. 
• Main Street, USA: One of my favorite places to go on Main Street is the Main Street Cinema. It is on your right as you are walking into the park, and it is quite obvious. However I am alone in there almost every time I give it a go. You'll walk past the creepy ticket lady, through a turnstile, around a curtain into a room with six screens. Each is showing a vintage Mickey cartoon, one of which is the ultimate classic, Steamboat Willie! I love old-style cartoons so this place is a dream for me. It is so much fun to take a load off, get out of the sun, and bask in the strange nature of vintage Disney.
• Must-hit rides: So, I've given you things to do when you're not riding rides...now I need to tell you which rides to hit! I mean, these things are probably 75% of the reason you came to Disneyland in the first place. Hint: If you want to ride in a certain seat on the ride, i.e. the front, all you have to do is ask! Cast members, in my experience, are always kind and accommodating. You might have to wait for an extra ride cycle or two to get the seat you want, but it's totally worth it if you want the best view.
• Indiana Jones Adventure: FastPass available, Single Rider line available. Awesome thrill ride, one of the most unique experiences ever. Make sure the kids are tall enough!
• Jungle Cruise. This isn't the most exciting ride, but it is definitely a Disneyland classic. And I'm such a sucker for puns, of which this ride is absolutely full.
• Pirates of the Caribbean. This is an absolute classic, and a very peaceful ride. Keep an eye out for the new Jack Sparrow additions!
• Haunted Mansion. FastPass available during peak attendance. Another classic, and my personal favorite. Mid-September to the beginning of January it transforms to Haunted Mansion Holiday, based upon Nightmare Before Christmas! Lots of fun to ride, but because of this transformation the ride is closed for the weeks following and preceding the holidays.
• Splash Mountain. FastPass available. Before you ride, try and come up with a fun picture to take! Google can certainly help you with ideas. Make sure the kids are tall enough!

I dare you to have as much fun as we did on this ride! FOR NARNIA!!

• Big Thunder Mountain Railroad. FastPass available. This is a surprisingly thrilling roller coaster. I don't know why its thrill surprises me, but it's an awesome ride. Keep an eye out for the goat holding the dynamite, and make sure the kids are tall enough!
• Peter Pan's Flight. I absolutely adore this ride. I love Peter Pan and everything he stands for, so of COURSE I'll join him on his flight to Neverland! This ride takes you up in a flying pirate ship over the London skies. Lines are always long though, I would recommend heading there right after the nightly fireworks, when Fantasyland opens back up. 
• Space Mountain. FastPass available. Everyone knows that this is one of the greatest roller coasters of all time. You zip around in the dark, surrounded by stars and not knowing when the next turn is going to arrive. Every time you ride it is just as exciting as the last. Make sure the kids are tall enough!
• Update 2016: Disneyland is currently celebrating "Season of the Force" in Tomorrowland. This began just before The Force Awakens hit theaters. There hasn't been an announced end date, so until further notice (maybe until Star Wars Land opens up?) Space Mountain has transformed into Hyperspace Mountain, which is even more fun than you're imagining. However it still will be converted to "Space Mountain Ghost Galaxy" during Halloween Time!
• Star Tours. FastPass available. This ride is a dream for the Star Wars lover. It recently got a big overhaul, so if you haven't been to DLR for a while be prepared for a different experience. It is now in 3D, so you'll be wearing some SWEET glasses. The other big change is that every ride is different - there are lots of different locations to visit (now including Jakku from The Force Awakens!), and you'll get a couple different ones each time you ride. The other big change is that C3-P0 is your pilot, rather than that goofy droid from years past. Don't worry though, you can still see that little guy in the queue line! Get ready for a seriously cool ride, and make sure the kids are tall enough!
• Dinner: I already told you my favorite places to eat, but I've got to put a plug in for the Blue Bayou. You may not have heard of it, but you've probably seen it... you know that very first area in Pirates of the Caribbean, when you're in that quaint little bayou and you can see all those people eating in a restaurant INSIDE the ride? Yeah, that's the Blue Bayou...and my goodness if it's not one of the best restaurants I have ever eaten in. Not just in Disneyland...best out of anywhere I've been. Period. You'll definitely need a reservation, which you'll need to secure at least a month in advance. Two if you know the park will be busy. Little hint, there are free refills on the Mint Juleps. 

Look how delicious! And as you can see, I'm not joking about the Mint Juleps :)

• Nightly Entertainment: At night there are a couple of big things to top of your visit at Disneyland. There are parades, as well as fireworks. These all vary depending on the time of year you decide to visit. In December, the fireworks also includ an awesome California snowfall! Which means of course that it was fake. I'm from Utah, so their snow didn't exactly impress me, but I've got to say that there is something absolutely magical about a peaceful snowfall at the end of a long day at Disneyland. They really make it special. And most of the year you'll score the "Remember Dreams Come True" fireworks, which feature the wonderful Julie Andrews. I don't usually care to watch fireworks, but I will ALWAYS stop to watch that show. Another great nighttime show is Fantasmic!, which takes place on the Rivers of America. They recently started using a FastPass system to get tickets to the show, so make sure you get those sometime during the day in Frontierland.
• Update 2016: A couple of changes to the nightly entertainment at Disneyland. There is a new fireworks show for the Disneyland 60th anniversary Diamond Celebration. I believe the show is called Disneyland Forever, and it is truly incredible. Anywhere you want to watch the fireworks promises a truly captivating experience. I don't always make time for fireworks, to be honest, but I would 10/10 recommend this one. Same for the new parade for the same celebration. It's called the "Paint the Night" parade and my goodness it is beautiful. Make time to watch it. You won't regret the decision. 
• Still with the update: No more Fantasmic! for a little while. They had to close down the Rivers of America (where the show takes place, as well as a few attractions) for the construction of Star Wars Land. 
• Shopping: I like to spread my shopping throughout the day, so that I don't feel the heavy weight of the obligation to get everyone I know a souvenir on my way out of the park. My shopping tips are as follows:
• If you don't want to actually buy stuff throughout the day, at least make note of items you wish to purchase. Ask a cast member if the item you like is at the Emporium - the huge shop on Main Street. If it is, that's something you can probably wait on and grab on your way out of the park.
• Being on your way out of the park doesn't have to mean at the end of the night. If I have multiple days in the park, and especially if my hotel is within walking distance, I like to go take a midday nap. I will usually buy a few items right before doing this. Not only do I avoid the nighttime rush, but I don't have to carry it around all day.
• Some food stands will issue a coupon with your meal purchase. It typially will give you 20% or so off your purchase at certain merchandise locations, as long as you purchase before 2:00 or so. 20% can really add up at Disneyland, so take advantage and make your purchases early! This also helps you to avoid the nighttime rush right after the parades and fireworks.
• If you want to avoid the night rush but can't go back to your hotel during the day AND you don't want to carry everything around all day...there is still a solution for you! You can actually check your items at the Newsstand at the front of the park and pick them up later. In California Adventure you can check them at Elias and Co. I have done this every single time I've made a midday purchase (ever since I knew about the bag check, of course) and it has proven to be very rewarding. And the best thing is...IT'S FREE! Take advantage, y'all. (note: You can't just check any old thing you want. Just Disneyland purchases. You'll have to get a locker if you wish to stow your personal items.)
• Snacks: Honestly, one of my favorite things about Disneyland is all of the delicious treats and snacks. Something that I tend to do, especially with a small group, is to have the group go get in line for the ride and have one person go grab a snack for everyone to share. It's time-saving, and it will also keep everyone fueled throughout the day. Here are some of my personal favorites:
• Churros. This is a Disneyland classic. Please get at least one. They can be found at little stands around the park.
• Dole Whip Float/Pineapple Whip. You'll find these beauties at the Enchanted Tiki Bar, which is right between the Adventureland entrance and the Enchanted Tiki Room. Who knew! The Pineapple Whip is a pineapple-flavored soft-serve ice cream, and the Whip Float is said ice cream on top of fresh pineapple juice! I always go for the Whip Float myself, but either is perfect on a hot afternoon. Be warned though, the line gets really long on hot days! 

I'm cooling off just looking at 'em! These are the Whip Floats.

• Frozen Bananas. This is another great treat for a hot day. Just a simple frozen banana with chocolate and peanuts. They're super frozen though, so if you have problems biting into popsicles and things like that they can take quite a while to eat! Make sure you have time before your next ride. You can usually eat food in the outside sections of queue lines though. You can find these at various frozen treat kiosks throughout both parks.
• Mint Julep and Mickey Beignets. Alright this is my absolute favorite snack in the whole world. I've mentioned a few times so far already, for good reason. The Mint Julep is a delicious and refreshing mint-lemon-lime beverage, topped off with a lemon slice and two maraschino cherries. I could drink about two billion of these. You know how I mentioned the free refills on these babies at Blue Bayou? Yeah, I had 4 1/2 of them at that one meal last time I ate there. If you've never heard of Beignets (pronounced ben-yay), they are the New Orleans version of what many people would call a scone. It's a much lighter, fluffier version and it is covered in powdered sugar. For real...they serve it to you in a paper bag that is filled with powdered sugar. It's completely awesome. The Julep-Beignet combo is my favorite mid-morning snack on the park, hands down. And during the holidays you can find variations on the Beignets, such as pumpkin and gingerbread flavors! They're all delicious. You can get all these fantastic items at the Mint Julep Bar, located near the Disneyland Railroad New Orleans Square station. 

Ahh, the always-coveted (at least by me!) Mint Julep. Doesn't it look so refreshing? :)

• Caramel apples. This may not sound too special, but anyone that has had a Disneyland caramel apple will tell you that there is something magical about them. They are hand-dipped, using the most perfect, crispy-est Granny Smith apples and the sweetest, smoothest caramel you've ever sunk your teeth into. There are lots of cute character-themed variations on these apples of course, but I just like the original. Nothing wrong with simplicity.
• Cashew Pretzel Rod. This is an adventure to eat. And by adventure, I mean that your dentist will be able to take a great adventure vacation once he is done working on the damage this thing has done to your teeth. Worth it though. It's a big ole pretzel rod, dipped in caramel, rolled in cashews, and then dipped in chocolate. My dad loves these so much that the only souvenir he wanted from my most recent trip...was a cashew rod. My dad is a little strange, I'll admit, but these things are mighty tasty.
• Update 2016: Sadly, I have not been able to find these tasty treats anywhere this entire year. If anybody manages to find them, let me know in the comments!
• Pineapple Spear. While there are just some straight up pineapple spears for the healthy-minded throughout the park, the one I'm talking about can be found in candy shops because it is a giant pineapple spear that is DIPPED IN CHOCOLATE. I don't know why I never had pineapple and chocolate before, but it is messy and delicious and I love it.
• Popcorn. I can guarantee you right now that the most prominent smell you will experience in the park is popcorn. Delicious, buttery, popcorn. There are little popcorn stands scattered throughout each park, and they all project their smell to great distances. And man does it smell good. If you decide to finally give in, you won't be disappointed. Unless you have completely ridiculous popcorn standards. Fun fact, each stand has its own little figure that turns a little crank. No joke, every single stand has a different one and they match the land they're in. Cute!
• Turkey Leg & Corn Dog. Alright it's a stretch to call these things snacks. But I had to put them somewhere. You can get a turkey leg at a few different food stands throughout the park. There are definitely some in Fantasyland between the Matterhorn and It's A Small World, as well as on the Hub on Main Street. The Corn Dog stand on Main Street near the Plaza Inn usually has a ridiculously long line, so if you want one of those I would suggest going to the Golden Horseshoe in Frontierland. Each of these items are extremely classic, delicious, and HEAVY. Whatever you do, do not ride a thrill ride within about 45 minutes of eating either of these. Ha! Just trust me, alright? (Warning, the Turkey Leg actually tastes more like ham than turkey.)

Isn't that just a pretty sight? No other way to eat a classic Disneyland Turkey Leg!

• FastPass System: I've been mentioning FastPasses this whole time...but not everyone knows what they are, I'm sure. Simply put, they are Disney's way of letting your hold your spot in line and coming back for it later. Here's how it goes: 
• Walk up to a FastPass Distribution area. Above the entrance you'll see a return time, typically a one-hour range. This is when you'll be coming back to ride that ride.
• Walk up to a machine and insert your park ticket. The machine will give you a slip of paper with the ride name, the date, and your return time. It will also tell you when another FastPass will be available for you.
• You can only hold one FastPass at a time. You can get a new one as soon as your current one becomes valid (at the return time), or two hours after it was distributed, whichever comes first. For example:
• It's 11 am. I want a FastPass for Star Tours, for which the return time is 12:15-1:15. I get the FastPass. At 12:15, I can both use my Star Tours FastPass and then get a new FastPass for another ride (or for Star Tours again - there's not a limit [that I know of] on how many valid passes you can receive for a certain ride in one day). 
• Again, it's 11am. But this time I want a Space Mountain FastPass. This ride is more popular, so their FastPasses get claimed much faster.... The return time is 2:45-3:45. I get the FastPass. However, since I got it at 11am I can get a new one at 1pm since the two-hour rule happened before the return time rolled around.
• If this stuff ever confuses you....just take a look at your current FastPass. It says right on the ticket when a new one is available.

Here's a FastPass for ya! See, all the information you need is right on there.

• FastPasses are limited. Only a certain amount will be made available for each time slot. That is why the more popular rides have return times much farther away from the current time... the sooner ones have all been taken! For example, in the summer you'll usually have to wait a few hours to use your Splash Mountain FastPass. But in the winter, your FastPass for Splash Mountain will probably be ready to go about 40 minutes from the time you got it. 
• If you have a large group, it might be easiest for you go give one person all the park passes and have them make a run for FastPasses. Think about the system and which rides you want to FastPass and devise a strategy. I want to help, but every group is different...I can't do EVERYTHING for you!

In summary, there is an awful lot to do (and eat!) at Disneyland, and every trip is different for each group. Your specific strategy is going to vary a great deal depending on your group's size, age range, time on the park(s), and general priorities. To make the most of my tips, I would recommend talking to your group and deciding what is the most important. Do you want to hit all the best rides, or are you more interested in exploring every corner of the park? Do you need to have all the best food, do you want to see all the entertainment? I will tell you right now that you can indeed have it all, but I have only been able to accomplish such a feat with very small groups over multiple days in the parks.

And of course, I am not able to post every single detail about the parks up here. Do plenty of research before you go. The Disneyland website is actually quite good, it has all the entertainment, attraction, and dining info you'll need. I'm mostly here to give you some real-life input and strategy tips. Hopefully it all helps!

Now go do some research, and happy planning! :)