**With these changing times, Disney has gone through multiple changes and updates. Always make sure to check Disney’s official website for current info during your time of visit.**
Editor’s Note: This post has been updated on 6/10/22.
Get the Disneyland App!
Make sure you download the Disneyland app from your play store here! Not only do you need to link your tickets to the app, but it is necessary to join virtual queues, for mobile ordering food, and to make your visit more convenient and enjoyable!
Purchase Tickets AND Reserve Your Days
It is helpful to plan your days in advance with their new reservation and ticket system. It is necessary to purchase your ticket AND reserve the days/parks you are interested in going to. They will refuse your entry if you do not have the appropriate reservation even if you have a ticket!
Here are the steps:
- Check their calendar to see park reservation availability.
- Select and purchase the ticket.
- Book your park reservation. It is necessary to sign up for a Disney account in order to link your tickets and book your reservation.
Virtual Queue with Timer–Every Second Matters!
Use a timer on another phone or device such as from clocktab.com that shows the current time down to the seconds! The other phone will be dedicated to landing tickets for the attraction.
- Refresh the button right before the hour hits.
- Once in, there will be multiple buttons to push–click to accept as fast as you can or have tickets snatched right from under you!
- Depending on the attraction and availability, the typical times to try are 7 am and 12 pm.
***Since the original post, a virtual queue is used from time to time on certain attractions. Click here for the most up-to-date info on Disney’s website. ***
Disney Genie + and Lightning Lane Passes
Disney decided to retire the awesome free FastPass service and now offers Disney Genie + and Individual Lightning Lane Passes. With the purchase of this service, it could help by skipping part of the line to popular rides. There are two choices: 1) an all-day pass for $20, or, 2) a la carte with special pricing that ranges from $7-$20 per ticket for each ride with a cap of two rides a day.
It may be worth the extra purchase if traveling during the high season, but there is always referring to the Disneyland app for approximate current wait times to help you decide which ride is worth waiting for next.
Refer to Wait Times on the App
Make use of the current wait times on all the rides! Some of the ride times fluctuate. Keep an eye on what you want to ride, and see when it is a good time to ride!
Mobile Food Ordering
Make sure you order before actually wanting the food. Some wait times can be long, and if lucky, it’ll be about 15 minutes. If you miss your pick-up time, you can move the pick-up time later if there are still open slots (another great time to set up alarms to help you remember!) If unlucky, such as at the end of the day, there would be no more time slots left and your order could be canceled entirely and you would be unable to order food. There’s always Downtown Disney though if that ever happens.
Set-up Phone Alarms
Don’t make the mistake of forgetting to pick up your mobile food order or even worse–your chance to get on an attraction!
Set up multiple alarms for a few minutes before you need to:
- Check-in for virtual queue reservations.
- Your boarding pass time if you are able to land a reservation group!
- Mobile food order pick-up time! (I’ve missed mine thinking I didn’t need an alarm)
- Anything else you want reminders for!
Bring a USB External Battery to Charge Your Phone
With all things going tech these days, it is necessary to use your phone all day to have a great time at the park and to use your time effectively. Remember, your tickets are linked to the app and if you want to use Disney Photo Pass Service or just take a ton of photos and videos with your phone, make sure you have enough battery power!
A good quality USB external battery with the right cord will help you last through the entire day. You can grab one from Amazon like this one:
If you do forget or run out, fret not, there will be some guest service areas that have charging kiosks or a Fuel Rod portable battery that can be purchased for $30, but why waste the extra time and money when you can be making more magical memories instead?
Avengers Campus–Don’t Wait in Line to Get In
While we were there, everyone wanted to get into Avengers Campus first thing–there was a 45-minute line wait to just get into the area. Come back later and you would be able to walk right in – no lines in the afternoon. If you have a virtual ride ticket, that would also be able to let you in even if there was a wait to get in. **Since this original post, they may no longer have a line to enter the area or use virtual tickets for this ride.**