Planning a Disneyland Vacation

Copyright (c) 2009 Sherry Tingley

Considered as the "Happiest Place on Earth," Disneyland is a child's utopia. For adults, planning a trip to Disneyland or even to other amusement parks can be a nightmare. Following these tips will hopefully bring the fun back into visiting these places.

Avoid the front gates - Although naturally, these would be the places parents turn to for purchasing tickets, it is possibly the least cost effective. The regular amount is multiplied depending on the number of people you are with. With the Disneyland Resort, there are multiple theme parks, at least two located in California alone. For each of the Disneyland resorts, a separate admission fee is required unless a Park Hopper Pass is purchased.

Park Hopper Pass - This pass allows the user to visit both Disneyland parks in California. These passes are valid between one to five days. Similar to the idea of annual passes, the prices becoming cheaper as the longer days are purchased. Try purchasing these on ebay to save money.

Buy online - You can get tickets online before you go to the park. These can be directly printed or sent through mail.

Annual Pass - Amusement parks usually offer these passes to encourage visitors to come more often. For residents living near Disneyland, this is the most cost effective if utilized more than five times during the entire year.

Package Deals - Sometimes you can get discounted tickets from the hotel you will be staying with. Disneyland has three seasons: Value Season, Regular and the Peak Season. If you plan your trip during the value or off peak seasons you can get more discounts.

Special Adults Price - For some years during the months of January up until early spring, adults can get some of the same admission prices in Disney as kids do.

Discount Passes for Residents in California - Disney offers special discounts specifically for residents in South California, teachers who are members from various state unions, university students, some employees, retired individuals as well some car organizations in the state.

Birthday Passes Started in 2009 - Disneyland has offered a special discount for birthday celebrants. To get this discount claim it at the front gate and be sure to bring a valid ID. Unfortunately, this pass is only given to the celebrant and valid only for that day. Military Passes For soldiers in the military, whether in active duty, National Guard, Reserve, DOD or retired, Disneyland also offers special discounts depending on the time of the year. This requires presenting their military ID at the gate.

Travel Agency Discount - ARES, a travel agency of good reputation offers discounted tickets on its website which can be purchased and used for admission into Disneyland. Do research and inquire about other local travel agencies on whether they offer discounts on other amusement parks or tourist spots.

Foreigner discount - Residents from the United Kingdom can avail of discounts from Theme Park Direct. UK residents intending to purchase must take caution and compare conversion rates before buying.

Being aware of these options will hopefully make planning the trip to Disneyland a less stressful and burdensome task.