The parks:
Highly reccomend purchasing lightening lane passes for your family so you can speed past most of the lines! We were able to schedule which rides we wanted to use the lightening lane on once we entered the park and continued to after we got on each ride. Disneyland was amazing! My daughter is a huge Elsa fan and we couldn’t believe we got to meet her and Anna inside the Royal Hall. The line is longer for that one and not available for lightening lane passes but definitely worth the wait although you do not know which princesses you’ll get to meet until you’re inside. I reccomend booking a dining reservation on the app in advance so you secure a dinner spot. Firework shows are typically during weekend only but they have other shows available during the week or holiday seasons. California Adventure is the best for food and drinks! So many more options and San Fransokyo is fun to check out for unique cuisine. Cars Land is my son’s favorite and our favorite ride there is the Cars Land ride, so fun! Try the different cone snacks in that area as well, I tried a macaroni flaming hot Cheeto cone and it was surprisingly really good! We met so many characters out and about at each park so don’t forget to bring your kids autograph books!
My favorite place to stay:
Grand Legacy at the Park Hotel
This hotel is PERFECT for families. It is located quite literally across from the park entrance (3-5 min walk to be exact) with lots of parking access. I recommend driving your own car or getting a rental so you can drive to the beach after your long Disney adventures but you don’t need to have a vehicle at this location since it’s so close to both parks. We stayed in the new Luxury Plus Two Queen Room which had 2 cozy queen beds, a modern bathroom with really good lighting in the mirror, and the housekeeping came everyday when we were gone without asking. I loved that we could walk back to our room quickly to get a break or nap from the parks having it so close by.
The lobby gives you access to an elevator leading to The Fifth Rooftop Restaurant & Bar and the food, drinks and vibes were everything. We had a Boogie Man Punch for Halloween time! This bar has a view of the entire California adventure and you can see fireworks at the parks. There is restaurants and little convenient shops right next door as well where you can buy knockoff accessories or waters etc. PS you CAN bring your own food and drinks into the parks!
We also drove to Legoland so that morning we decided to swim in the heated pools and chill in the hot tub! So nice after a day at Disney.
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