Before Your Vacation to Disneyland

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Collected from personal experience and hundreds of websites, these tips were chosen as the most useful "before your vacation to Disneyland" tidbits-- Things you'll wish you knew ahead of time such as which rides are closed, where you should have bought your tickets, etc.

• Only children under 9 can wear costumes into the park.

• Rides may be closed for maintenance, so prepare yourself (and your kids) or even change your trip dates if your favorite ride will be out of order. To view a list, go to the Disneyland website, click "Calendar", enter the dates of your visit, and click "Get Schedule". Or call (714) 781-4565 and and press 5.

• Anyone 10 or older pays adult admission for Disneyland tickets. Children under 3 get in free, and children ages 3-9 pay child rates.

• Flying in? Reserve your LAX parking online. No extra charge for reserving, plus you get Web-only rates:

• Don’t rent a car if you fly into town, even if you're not staying on Disneyland grounds. Most hotels offer a shuttle and some are within walking distance of the park.

• Order a free Disney DVD from the Disneyland website. It's got info on rides, planning guides, lodging, things to do, and upcoming special events. (Only available for U.S. and Canada residents.)

• Buy tickets from the Disneyland.com website because
  • You can print them on your computer, so there’s no waiting for tickets in the mail or shipping fees to pay.
  • You’ll get a 20% off merchandise coupon.
  • Your "eTicket" can be replaced if you forget or lose it.

• Rent the Disney classics for young children before your trip if you haven't already. Your library might even have them for free. The park is even more fun if kids are familiar with important characters such as Dumbo and Peter Pan. I doubt my kids would have been as excited about the Flying Dumbo ride or Casey's Circus Train had they not seen those movies.

  Or buy them from Disney Movie Club. They have a special where you can get 3 movies for $1.99 each plus free shipping. Click below for movie choices:

• Bring a sweater and extra socks. Even if the weather is warm, a wet ride and/or early evening can make you cold. You can put them in the lockers outside the entrance. (Lockers cost between $7 and $15 per day, depending on the locker's size.)

• Pack a lunch. You're not allowed to bring it into the park but you but you can keep it in the lockers outside the entrance.

• Bring bottled water. Vending machine water and soft drinks are $2.75 each which really adds up. Plus, you can't bring bottles onto rides so you end up throwing most of them away.

• Bring healthy snacks for your kids and have them carry them in their own fanny packs.

• Birthday guests can get a phonecall from Goofy at City Hall and a sticker so everyone knows it's their special day. (After you enter the park, go to the first building on the left.)

• Pets can stay in air-conditioned kennels outside the main entrance.

• Call Disneyland directly at 714-781-7290 if you have specific questions. You'll get a real person.

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