The Disneyland Resort has officially reopened after more than a year of being closed. Guests were greeted by Disney cast members ranging from candy makers to CEO of the Walt Disney Company Bob Chapek as they walked down Main Street U.S.A for the first time in over a year. We went to the Disneyland Resort twice during their opening weekend and will do our best to answer several of the burning questions on guests minds as they prep for their own Disneyland Resort trips.
Where should I park?
We wrote a short article highlighting several parking options for guests. That being said, our experience on opening day was vastly different from Sunday morning. Opening day was a special day, so we arrived much earlier than we normally would. Sunday is a better indicator of what the experience will be like going forward. On Sunday, I arrived in the vicinity of the Disneyland Resort at approximately 8:15 a.m. (park opens at 9:00 a.m.) I first drove by the Harbor locations to see what their parking situations were like (Anaheim Hotel had overflow parking available, Tropicana was full, and Fairfield was full, and the Anaheim Garden Walk was open). I then drove over to Ball Road to see what the situation was like for Mickey & Friends Parking. I proceeded to sit on Ball Road for approximately 10 minutes while only moving a few hundred feet in the process. I ended up parking at Anaheim Hotel for the day. I entered the queue for the Disneyland Resort on the Harbor entrance side at approximately 8:50 a.m. and made it through the final security checkpoint at 9:20 a.m. The process of waiting in line for the health screening checkpoint and security took 30 minutes. If you decide to park at Mickey & Friends I would recommend pre-purchasing your parking for the day which you can do HERE. Remember that Mice Chat has a great coupon for a $15 or $20 per day rate at the Anaheim Hotel. The Anaheim Garden Walk presents the furthest walk, but has the least amount of slowdowns on an average day – you park and walk in (pay when you leave).
What Time Should I Arrive?
This is entirely dependent on how quickly you want to get inside the Parks. The process of finding parking, walking in, and going through the screenings took about an hour for me yesterday. A bit earlier (the same day) a friend told me it took them over an hour just in the security and health screening line. So the point I’m making is this – bring your patience, and plan on arriving early if you want to get in by opening time at 9:00 a.m. I can’t give a precise time to arrive because every day has its own flow and challenges, but for my next visit I know that I need to arrive earlier than I did this past Sunday if I want to get inside by 9:00 a.m. Another factor to consider is where to park since Mickey & Friends parking won’t open until 8:30 a.m. now. The structure opened earlier this weekend than they are planning to open moving forward. So plan ahead, pick a parking place (with a backup option in mind), and do what you can on your end to maximize your day in the Parks.
Are Vaccine Cards Required?
No, Disneyland is not requiring guests to show proof of vaccination.
Are IDs Being Checked At The Gate?
We asked our followers to respond if they had their IDs checked at the gate, and we had lots of people respond saying that they had their IDs checked at the gate. It is best to follow the rules and not risk being turned away at the gate. Hopefully, word will come soon about when out-of-state guests can return to Disneyland. Stay tuned on this one.
Mask Questions
Can you take your mask off for photos like they do in Florida? Not at this time. Are there mask relaxation areas like in Florida? No, guests are only allowed to take their masks off when actively eating or drinking (and stationary). Basically, masks are mandatory above the nose and under the chin during your entire visit except for the aforementioned eating/drinking times during your day. If you have a special consideration about masks it is best to contact Disneyland guest services for official confirmation for your question.
Did You Feel Safe?
We felt very safe on both visits to the parks. Disneyland has done as much as they can on their end to protect both cast members and guests. There are hand sanitizer dispensers at the beginning and end of each attraction (start of the queue and when exiting the attraction). Handwashing stations dispersed throughout the parks. Mask requirements. Temperature checks upon entry to the park. Physical distancing markers throughout the park. Lastly, we never saw anyone not complying with the rules. I think people want Disneyland to be able to stay open!
How Were The Wait Times For Rides?
One word – phenomenal. On opening day we were able to ride the following attractions: Snow White’s Enchanted Wish, Peter Pan’s Flight, Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride, Dumbo the Flying Elephant, Pinocchio’s Daring Journey, Alice in Wonderland, It’s a Small World, The Mad Tea Party, The Haunted Mansion, Pirates of the Caribbean, Space Mountain, Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, Splash Mountain, Star Tours, Millennium Falcon: Smuggler’s Run, and Rise of the Resistance. We probably could have gone on a few more rides if we weren’t doing livestreams and blogging content for our various pages. On Sunday in DCA, I was able to ride every attraction that was open. Radiator Springs Racers broke down in the morning, so that was the only ride in the entire park that I missed out on doing. Most lines were 5-10 minutes. Space Mountain and Haunted Mansion were about 30 minute waits. Rise of the Resistance was boarding groups only. So yeah, ride wait times are fantastic during the limited capacity era of Disneyland.
How Was Mobile Ordering?
We planned ahead and mobile ordered our entire day of eating and drinking before 9:00 a.m. There were two instances where we were in the area and wanted to see if we could pick up our items early. Both times the cast members pushed our orders through early. NOW – they told us both times that this wasn’t always available (it depends on how busy they are), but it is nice to know that there is a small level of flexibility with your mobile ordering. Another time we went to the location (Mint Julep Bar) and found that they were doing mobile ordering only. I opened the app and remarked to the cast member “Wow, it’s a two-hour wait to return.” The cast member said “Since we have no line right now you can place the mobile order and we will push it through for you.” Again, this won’t be possible every time, but its nice to know that the cast members really do want to serve us and get us our eats, treats, and drinks as soon as they possibly can. We experienced a slow pick-up of our items twice out of over a dozen mobile orders in the two visits. Cocina Cucamonga had over a 25 minute wait after I clicked “I’m Here Prepare My Order” on the Disneyland app. Galactic Grill had about a 15 minute wait after I clicked that I was ready for my order. Overall, mobile ordering was much better than at A Touch of Disney. My tip for you is this – plan what you want to eat and drink and mobile order early in the day. It takes more planning than most of us are accustomed to, but it is worth it.
How does Park Hopping work?
Guests with Park Hopper tickets may visit the other park after 1 PM. When you are making a reservation the only theme park available to make the reservation for might be “Disney California Adventure park,” but that doesn’t mean you won’t be able to visit Disneyland. It simply means that you will have to start your day in DCA. Each day park hopping opens at 1:00 p.m. (subject to park capacity limits/rules). A park reservation must be made for each day of entry. If you have a multi-day ticket, you will be required to make a park reservation for each date of your visit separately. Park hopping can be a great way to visit Disneyland on a day you might not have gotten to visit otherwise. Park hours expand to 9:00 p.m. starting Friday, May 14th, so you’d still have at least 8 hours inside Disneyland.
Final Thoughts
It is good to have the Happiest Place on Earth back in our lives. Stay tuned to Food at Disneyland for more updates about the Disneyland Resort theme parks as they continue to adjust, reopen, and slowly return. If you are curious – we compiled a list of every attraction, restaurant, and shop both open and closed in both parks (Disneyland HERE and DCA HERE), so you know what to expect when you visit. Remember to download the Disneyland app, and that you can get official answers to your questions by utilizing the chat feature within the app!