Anaheim – The Disneyland Resort
The Disneyland Park in Anaheim was the birthplace of all themed amusement parks in 1955. Over the years, the park rightly earned the reputation of being the happiest place on Earth and became a crucial part of the Disney brand. In the early 90s, the single park transformed into a large resort – Disneyland Resort, inspired by Disney World Resort in Orlando, Florida. Another themed park also opened – Disney's California Adventure Park, along with themed hotels and Downtown Disney. Today, the entire area is one of the most popular tourist destinations in California and Los Angeles, attracting a massive amount of visitors of all ages.
How much time should you spend at Disneyland?
It's recommended to dedicate two days to enjoy Disneyland Resort, one day for each theme park. In the evening hours, it's a good idea to enjoy the fireworks shows and Downtown Disney.
30 things you absolutely must see and do at Disneyland
- The parades on Main Street USA beneath the iconic Sleeping Beauty Castle
- The fireworks show at Fantasmic!
- Indoor cruise on Pirates of the Caribbean
- Take a spin with Buzz Lightyear Space Ranger
- Dive into Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage
- Ride the Space Mountain
- Thrilling experience at Star Wars: Millennium Falcon – Smuggler's Run
- The spinning Astro Orbiter
- Sail to Tom Sawyer Island on the Mark Twain Riverboat
- The trolleys of New Orleans Square
- Spend time with the little ones on the many adventures of Winnie the Pooh rides
- A Disney classic: It's a Small World ride
- Journey through mini Disney worlds on the Storybook Land Canal Boats
- Epic battles at Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance
- The fast-paced roller coaster Big Thunder Mountain
- Indiana Jones Adventure
- An alpine journey on the Matterhorn Bobsleds
- Canoe through Davy Crockett's Explorer Canoes
- Soar over California in the thrilling Soarin' ride
- Spin fast on the Silly Symphony Swings
- Fly on the speedy Incredicoaster
- Enjoy the fun Pixar Pal-A-Round Ferris Wheel
- Experience a free fall on the Jumpin' Jellyfish ride
- Rush through the water on Grizzly River Run
- Hang out with Cars movie characters on Radiator Springs Racers
- Join Goofy on a high-flying adventure in Goofy's Sky School coaster
- Engage in an interactive ride in WEB SLINGERS: A Spider-Man Adventure
- Explore San Francisco and Tokyo in San Fransokyo Square
- Dine and relax on Buena Vista Street
- Experience the California nature on Redwood Creek Challenge Trail
What is the Disneyland Resort?
The Disneyland resort is located in the city of Anaheim, in the southeastern part of the Los Angeles metropolitan area. Anaheim is the largest city in Orange County, with a population of about 350,000 residents.
- As the name suggests, the city was founded by German immigrants in 1857 and was named after the Santa Ana River that flows east of it
- The main development of the city occurred in 1955 when Walt Disney purchased a large piece of land south of its center
- On this land, he opened Disneyland Park, the first of what are now two parks in what is called the Disneyland Resort
- With the opening of the park, the city experienced an enormous economic boom and developed rapidly
- Today, the Disneyland resort is still the mainstay of the city's economy, attracting a staggering amount of more than 15 million visitors to the city
- Until the 1990s, only Disneyland Park operated in the area
- During this period, Disneyland decided to expand the park, similar to a process that took place at the larger park in Orlando – Walt Disney World
- Disney opened another themed amusement park to the south – Disney California Adventure. At this time, Disney Downtown and the three Disney-themed hotels between the two parks in the west were also opened.
- The park is not as vast as the resort in Orlando, but it is the origin of the Disney theme parks that have opened worldwide.
- To this day, it's one of the best places in California for a family outing with the kids.
What does Disneyland Resort have to offer?
Disneyland Resort includes two themed parks:
Adjacent to the parks is Downtown Disney – an entertainment center and mall, a great place to enjoy the evening, along with three Disney-themed hotels.
Map of Disneyland Resort
How to get to Disneyland?
How to fly to Disneyland?
Los Angeles International Airport (LAX)
The main airport of Los Angeles is one of the largest and most important airports in all of North America. It's considered the second busiest airport in the USA (after Atlanta's airport) and the third busiest in the entire world. Known fondly as LAX in popular culture, it's located near downtown Los Angeles, between Inglewood and Playa Del Rey Beach, right next to Highway 405.
LAX is superbly connected to every point across the USA and the entire world, including direct flights from Ben Gurion Airport or many transfer options through airports in Europe. The travel time from the airport to the Disney resort in Anaheim is about 45 minutes (traffic permitting).
John Wayne Airport (SNA)
John Wayne Airport is the second largest airport (by a huge margin) in the Los Angeles metropolitan area, following LAX. This airport serves Orange County and primarily the county's #1 attraction – the Disneyland Resort. It is located a twenty-minute drive south from Disney's amusement parks in Anaheim.
John Wayne is well-connected with major airports on the West Coast of the USA and several key airports in the Midwest and on the Atlantic Coast. There are also flights from airports in Canada and Mexico. This airport is an excellent solution for those who want to mainly reach Disneyland and less so Los Angeles itself.
How to drive to Disneyland?
The Disneyland Resort in Anaheim is located near the I-5 freeway, which runs along the Pacific Coast from San Diego to Seattle and north towards Vancouver, Canada. This road heads towards Downtown Los Angeles and passes just east of the city center, continuing north to the eastern edges of Griffith Park.
The drive from Downtown Los Angeles takes about half an hour and from northern neighborhoods and cities such as Santa Monica, Beverly Hills, and Hollywood it's approximately an hour.
When to Visit Disneyland? – The Seasons
- The weather in Anaheim, much like the greater Los Angeles area, is Mediterranean. It's nearly perfect unless there's smog buildup or other common weather nuisances in the area.
- Any season, any time of the year, visiting Anaheim means enjoying great weather, usually sunny and not too hot or humid.
- Southern California's summer is ideal, with average temperatures of 25-26°C and plenty of sunshine. The pleasant weather is what sets the Anaheim resort apart from Orlando, where summer can be unbearable.
- Winter in Anaheim and throughout Los Angeles is cool, but there are some truly warm days even in the heart of winter.
- On the whole, the city is also quite dry with not much rain throughout the year. Like in Israel, there's practically no rain in the summer.
- Spring and fall also boast fantastic weather, very pleasant throughout both seasons and not too rainy.
How to Plan a Trip to Disneyland?
- It's highly recommended to include Disneyland as part of a longer trip throughout California. The Disney resort is one of the must-see destinations in the vast western state and can easily be incorporated into any California itinerary, as an integral part of the Los Angeles metropolis.
- Disneyland is easily accessible from downtown Los Angeles with a 40-minute drive and also from San Diego, which is only an hour and a half away by car.
- Disneyland is a must-visit on a trip to the southwestern edge of the USA, along the route from Los Angeles to San Diego and Tijuana across the border in Mexico.
- Disneyland can also be incorporated into a trip between Los Angeles and San Francisco along the legendary Highway 1.
- When planning a trip to Los Angeles, it's worth dedicating at least a full day to Disneyland as part of an array of nearby cities worth visiting, such as Long Beach and Pasadena
What do you need to know about hotels and lodging at Disneyland?
There are plenty of lodging options within the Disneyland Resort, nearby, and even throughout Los Angeles. It's advisable to dedicate at least two full days to the Disneyland park, one day for each theme park, including time to wander around Downtown Disney in the complex. Therefore, it's recommended to stay at least one night close to the resort.
Click here to check availability and prices at Disneyland hotels…
Disney hotels within the resort complex
- Disneyland Hotel
- Disney's Grand Californian Hotel & Spa
- Disney's Paradise Pier Hotel
Disney's hotels offer the Disneyland experience 24/7, including Disney-themed rooms and breakfast with Mickey Mouse. This lodging experience is truly unique and super fun, and the cost reflects that. The advantage of these hotels is the direct access to the parks bright and early, without the hassle of driving, traffic, and parking.
Map of Recommended Lodging Areas in Disneyland
Hotels and Motels on the South Harbor Boulevard Strip
Although Disney's hotels are located right within the resort area, there are plenty of hotels of all levels and great motels adjacent to Disneyland, just across the street.
- Along the South Harbor Boulevard strip that runs on the eastern side of the park, there's a sequence of dozens of accommodations from all the international chains and at all levels.
- These hotels range from two-star motels to four-star hotels by Marriott, Westin, Sheraton, and more, also offering a great lodging experience at a much more affordable price than resort hotels.
Accommodation in Los Angeles
For those planning a trip to Los Angeles who don't intend to visit Disneyland separately from their city tour, you can definitely stay in Los Angeles and drive to Disney resort. The drive from downtown Los Angeles is a bit over half an hour, and from Hollywood and Beverly Hills, it's just about three-quarters of an hour. Be sure to pay attention to the timing of the drive because traffic can be significant during peak hours.
Click here for all the information on where to stay in Los Angeles and recommended hotel locations…
The Themed Parks of Walt Disney World: Disneyland Park
Disneyland Park is one of the two theme parks that make up Disneyland Resort in Anaheim, California, near Los Angeles. This is the original Disney park and the foundation for the company's worldwide theme park empire.
Disneyland Park offers entertainment and enjoyment for both kids and adults. The place features iconic attractions like Thunder Mountain or the Matterhorn, Sleeping Beauty's Castle, countless fantastic amusement rides, play areas, and meet and greets with Mickey Mouse and all his friends.
Click here for everything you need to know about the attractions at Disneyland Park…
What is Disneyland Park?
Disneyland Park is the official start of everything we know as Disney theme parks and beyond. Disney's economic and tourist empire was built on the transition Walt Disney made in the 1950s, from a production studio creating stars on the big or small screen, to the tangible possibility of touching those characters and experiencing movie plots in the most magical place on earth.
- The basis for Disneyland is the Tivoli Gardens park in Copenhagen, Denmark, which itself was based on the Tivoli fairs held in Paris in the 19th century. They were based on Villa d'Este in the town of Tivoli in Italy, near Rome
- Disney aspired to build a large park that would combine the attractions of Tivoli Park with the traveling carnival fairs popular in the USA
- The goal is to establish a place with amusement rides and entertainment options also suitable for adults
- Disney later added the element of themed hotel stays to provide a 24-hour experience.
The park opened on July 17, 1955, and has since become a must-visit destination in Los Angeles. Disney also replicated this themed park in Orlando, Florida, where he opened the Magic Kingdom in 1971, followed by the unique Epcot Park, which embodied Disney's fantastic future world.
- In the 1990s, both the California park and the Orlando park underwent significant expansion. In Orlando, a massive resort and two additional themed parks were built, and in California, hotels were added and the park expanded for a Californian experience.
- During those years, Disney also opened parks in Europe and Asia.
The Structure of Disneyland Park
Disneyland Park is centered around the main street – Main Street, leading from the park's entrance gate (the main transportation hub that also leads south to the Disney California Adventure Park) towards the central round plaza, dominated by Sleeping Beauty's Castle. From the central square, paths lead to the park's eight sections:
- Adventureland
- New Orleans Square
- Critter Country
- Frontierland
- Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge
- Mickey's Toontown
- Fantasyland
- Tomorrowland
Map of Disneyland Park
Disney California Adventure Park
Disney California Adventure Park is the expansion of Disneyland park in Anaheim, California. The park is located in the southern part of Disneyland and is entirely dedicated to the natural landscapes and cities of California. The park offers rides for all ages, lots of entertainment options, and movie experiences. You can hop on extreme rides or attractions suited for young children too.
Click here for all the info on the attractions at Disney California Adventure Park…
What is the Disney California Adventure Park?
Disney California Adventure Park, an amusement park, opened in 2001 as part of a significant expansion of the veteran Disneyland park.
The foundation of Disneyland in Anaheim was the legendary park that opened in 1955 and served as a model for a series of Disney theme parks around the world, including the world's largest park at Disney World Resort in Orlando, Florida.
- The park was built alongside the resort's large hotel complex, which includes three themed hotels that allow you to experience Disney's fantasy world 24 hours a day (for those who want, can, and are willing to indulge themselves and their children)
- Originally, the park was planned to be a Californian version of Epcot Park in Orlando, named WestCOT
- In the end, the plans for WestCOT were integrated into the current park, and the main theme became a miniaturized replica of California (inspired by miniature parks such as Madurodam Park in The Hague in the Netherlands or Swiss Miniature Park in Melide in Ticino)
- The park combines scenery inspired by the nature, cities, and landscapes of California, excellent attractions for all ages based on Disney's iconic movies, entertainment spots, restaurants, and many memorabilia shops.
The structure of Disney California Adventure Park
Disney California Adventure Park is somewhat of a mirror image of Disneyland Park to its north. The shared entrance complex of the park leads from the north to Main Street USA, the main street of Disneyland. Mirroring it to the south, Buena Vista Street stretches into the heart of Disney California Adventure Park. The street leads to Carthay Circus, a round plaza named after the neighborhood at the heart of Los Angeles.
From the central square, paths lead to the park's seven distinct areas:
- Hollywood Land
- Avengers Campus
- Cars Land
- San Fransokyo Square
- Pixar Pier
- Paradise Gardens
- Grizzly Peak
Map of Disney California Adventure Park
Downtown Disney
Downtown Disneyland was also built in the '90s alongside the park's development beyond Disneyland Park. This is an entertainment and shopping area for all times of the day and evening, with lots of Disney memorabilia, places to eat, and more. It's a spruced-up mall, not quite at the level of Downtown Disney in Orlando, but still a charming spot to enjoy as part of the resort.
