Disneyland trip checklist: what to book, and when
Enter your first park day and get the date of every step, from booking dining to the morning of. It fits on one phone screenshot.
The short answer
Disneyland dining reservations open 60 days before your visit. Lightning Lane Multi Pass and Single Pass are bought in the Disneyland app on the day, once you've entered a park; you can also add Multi Pass to your tickets before you go.
Rules change. Check Disney's official site before you book. GoParkDay is not affiliated with Disney.
The timeline
90 days before
Book your hotel and park ticketsOur tip
Book a few months ahead, before the dining window opens. Where you stay decides your booking windows, and you need tickets in the app to buy Lightning Lane.
60 days before
Book dining reservationsDisney rule
Disneyland restaurants take reservations up to 60 days before your visit, in the Disneyland app or on Disney's website. Popular ones go fast.
14 days before
Get the app readyOur tip
In the Disneyland app, link everyone's tickets and park reservations, check park hours, and decide each day's park and first ride.
The night before
The night beforeOur tip
Check tomorrow's opening time, charge phones and a battery pack, pack the stroller bag (snacks, water, sunscreen, ponchos), and agree on your first ride.
The morning of
The morning ofOur tip
Once you've entered the park, buy Lightning Lane in the Disneyland app (unless it came with your tickets) and book your first ride right away. Be at the gate 30 to 45 minutes before opening.
Rules change. Check Disney's official site before you book. GoParkDay is not affiliated with Disney.
Lightning Lane: grab these first
Our ranking by typical demand: the rides whose Lightning Lane times usually go first. It's not a prediction or a guarantee for your day.
Disneyland Park
Grab Space Mountain (40 in (102 cm) and up) first.
Then: Tiana's Bayou Adventure (40 in (102 cm) and up), Mickey & Minnie's Runaway Railway, and Indiana Jones Adventure (46 in (117 cm) and up).
Sold separately (Single Pass): Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance (40 in (102 cm) and up).
Disney California Adventure Park
Grab Guardians of the Galaxy - Mission: BREAKOUT! (40 in (102 cm) and up) first.
Then: WEB SLINGERS: A Spider-Man Adventure, Soarin' Across America (40 in (102 cm) and up), and Toy Story Midway Mania!.
Sold separately (Single Pass): Radiator Springs Racers (40 in (102 cm) and up).
Heights converted to cm (1 in = 2.54 cm, rounded). The measurement at the ride is what counts.
With little kids
- Strollers
- Bring your own or rent one in the park. Disney allows strollers up to 31 in (79 cm) wide and 52 in (132 cm) long; wagons aren't allowed.
- Baby Care Centers
- Every park has one, free during park hours, with a nursing room, changing tables and a feeding area.
- Rest and naps
- Our tip: plan a midday break at the hotel (or a quiet indoor show) for nap-age kids, and come back for the evening.
- Rider Switch
- If a child is too small for a ride, one adult rides while another waits with the child, then they swap without queuing again.
- Disability Access Service (DAS)
- DAS is for guests whose disability makes it hard to wait in a regular queue. Disney decides who it's for, in a live video chat you can request up to 60 days before your visit; see Disney's DAS page for the details.
Disney's rules on this page
Rules change. Check Disney's official site before you book. GoParkDay is not affiliated with Disney.
- Dining: 60 days before the visit · disneyland.disney.go.com, disneyland.disney.go.com ·
- Lightning Lane: bought on the day, after entering a park · disneyland.disney.go.com ·
- DAS: video chat up to 60 days ahead · disneyland.disney.go.com ·
- Rider Switch · disneyland.disney.go.com ·
- Baby Care Centers · disneyland.disney.go.com ·
- Strollers: up to 31 × 52 in, no wagons · disneyland.disney.go.com ·
Questions families ask
- When can I book Disneyland Resort dining reservations?
- Disneyland restaurants take reservations up to 60 days before your visit, in the Disneyland app or on Disney's website. Popular ones go fast.
- When can I buy Lightning Lane at Disneyland Resort?
- On the day of your visit, in the Disneyland app, once you've entered a park. You can also add Lightning Lane Multi Pass to your tickets before you go.
- Which Lightning Lane should I book first at Disneyland Park?
- By typical demand, Space Mountain usually goes first, so grab it first. That's our ranking, not a prediction or a guarantee.
- Is there a place to nurse or change a baby at Disneyland Resort?
- Yes. Every park has a Baby Care Center, free during park hours, with a nursing room, changing tables and a feeding area.
- What is DAS at Disney?
- DAS is for guests whose disability makes it hard to wait in a regular queue. Disney decides who it's for, in a live video chat you can request up to 60 days before your visit; see Disney's DAS page for the details.
Want help with the bookings?
Our free trip planner builds your day-by-day plan. Or our Disney planners can book your hotel, tickets and dining for you, at no cost.