ITINERARIES
Southern California: Major Attractions
1 Week Trip for Families
Southern California is the land of perfect weather and lots of fun! This itinerary is a fun-filled week of some of the top attractions in Southern California for families with kids. It’s no where close to everything you could do, but it includes many family-friendly activities around San Diego and Los Angeles.
Advanced Prep
- Deciding when to go – Weather: The great thing about Southern California is the weather is perfect most of the year! It rarely gets too hot or too cold, and is drier then other parts of the country. With that said, winter (Dec. – March) will still be a bit cooler and wetter overall. If you’re hoping for some warm days so you can swim in the cool Pacific, consider going in June – September. Crowds: Summer sees more tourists then other parts of the year but it’s not so bad that you should avoid going in summer in our opinion. Spring and Fall are the most ideal for crowds and weather.
- Flights – we recommend flying in and out of LAX. If you fly into San Diego instead, adjust the days in this itineray accordingly.
- Car Rental – unless you can drive to California, you will need to rent a car for this trip. Budget is usually the cheapest, but shop around. I recommend renting a minivan if you have a family of 4-6 people. I don’t care if you think minivans “aren’t cool”, they are the most spacious and convenient for road trips with kids and have plenty of room for luggage.
Check the prices on car seat rentals at your car rental place. I have rented before and sometimes got great seats and other times did not. Sometimes they are unavailable or too pricey and it may be better to bring your own. You can pack them in a car seat travel pack or a big suitcase and check them as luggage. - Lodging – this trip involves hopping around to a few different places. Our family prefers hotels over vacation rentals for short stays because they are more flexible, check in and check out are always easy, and they have more services. We like to book within the same hotel family as much as possible to earn points and usually do Marriott Bonvoy. If you want more flexibility to choose different hotel brands, I recommend signing up for a hotels.com membership and booking everything through them so you earn 1 night for every 10.
Hotels to Book:- 3 Nights in San Diego
- 3 Nights near Disneyland (either a Disney or hotel or one of the many hotels in walking distance)
- 3 Nights in Los Angeles (preferably near Hollywood)
- Tickets – buying advance tickets for some attractions will save time. We recommend buying these in advance (all links below lead to direct sources, not 3rd party sellers, and no affiliate links thanks to your membership fee):
- Sea World – buy the date-specific ticket to save on cost. You can add an all-day dining deal to your ticket if you’d like but think about your group’s eating habits to calculate if it’s a good deal for you.
- San Diego Zoo – get the 1-day pass or the 1-day pass plus if you want to do the 4D theater.
- Disneyland – for this itinerary, you’ll need the 2-day, 1 park per day tickets.
- Warner Brothers Studio Tour – unless you have kids under age 5
- Universal Studios Hollywood – purchase 1-day general admission. If you’ll be visiting during the summer or on a weekend, you may want to consider doing the Universal Express ticket or adding the Super Nintendo World early access ticket (see day 13 for details).
Advanced Prep
Deciding when to go
Weather: The great thing about Southern California is the weather is perfect most of the year! It rarely gets too hot or too cold, and is drier then other parts of the country. With that said, winter (Dec. – March) will still be a bit cooler and wetter overall. If you’re hoping for some warm days so you can swim in the cool Pacific, consider going in June – September.
Crowds: Summer sees more tourists then other parts of the year but it’s not so bad that you should avoid going in summer in our opinion. Spring and Fall are the most ideal for crowds and weather.
Flights
We recommend flying in and out of LAX. If you fly into San Diego instead, adjust the days in this itineray accordingly.
Car Rental
Unless you can drive to California, you will need to rent a car for this trip. Budget is usually the cheapest, but shop around. I recommend renting a minivan if you have a family of 4-6 people. I don’t care if you think minivans “aren’t cool”, they are the most spacious and convenient for road trips with kids and have plenty of room for luggage.
Check the prices on car seat rentals at your car rental place. I have rented before and sometimes got great seats and other times did not. Sometimes they are unavailable or too pricey and it may be better to bring your own. You can pack them in a car seat travel pack or a big suitcase and check them as luggage.
Lodging
This trip involves hopping around to a few different places. Our family prefers hotels over vacation rentals for short stays because they are more flexible, check in and check out are always easy, and they have more services. We like to book within the same hotel family as much as possible to earn points and usually do Marriott Bonvoy. If you want more flexibility to choose different hotel brands, I recommend using booking.com. They have great customer service, free cancelations, good prices, and there website and app have a good user interface.
Hotels to Book:
- 3 Nights in San Diego
– Beach: Bahia Resort Hotel – located on the Mission peninsula, you get water views all around you, a beach, outdoor pool, and hot tub.
– City: Holiday Inn Express Downtown – walk around downtown, close to the zoo, has an outdoor pool, clean and nice but more affordable than other downtown options. Or try Residence Inn downtown for more space.
– Marina: Best Western PLUS Island Palms Hotel and Marina – close to downtown but on the marina! - 3 Nights near Disneyland (either a Disney or hotel or one of the many hotels in walking distance).
– Check the prices on the Disneyland resorts. There isn’t as big of an advantage to stay at an official Disney resort (unlike Walt Disney World), but there are still some nice perks.
– For Marriott people, we like the Courtyard Anaheim Theme Park Entrance because it’s very close to the park and has a fun pool area with waterslides (when it’s warm enough). We also like Fairfield Inn Anaheim for it’s proximity and Element for it’s family suits with bunk beds for kids.
– Another great option is the Howard Johnson by Wyndham Anaheim. It has an outdoor water park and very close walking distance to the park entrance. - 3 Nights in Los Angeles (preferably near Hollywood or Burbank to be close to studios, Universal, and Griffith park)
– Hilton Los Angeles – Universal City – beautiful hotel with a nice pool and close to Universal Studios if you plan to do that park.
– The Adler a Hollywood Hotel – fun Hollywood charm near Hollywood Blvd.
– Best Wester Plus Media Center & Suites – nice hotel near studios in Burbank
Tickets
Buying advance tickets for some attractions will save time. We recommend buying these in advance (all links below lead to direct sources, not 3rd party sellers, and no affiliate links thanks to your membership fee):
Sea World – buy the date-specific ticket to save on cost. You can add an all-day dining deal to your ticket if you’d like but think about your group’s eating habits to calculate if it’s a good deal for you.
San Diego Zoo – get the 1-day pass or the 1-day pass plus if you want to do the 4D theater.
Disneyland – Purchase tickets in advance to save money. If only doing Disneyland, buy a one day, 1 park pass. If doing both Disneyland and California Adventure, buy a 2-day pass. You could buy a park-hopper pass but there is so much to do in each park that we don’t think it’s necessary unless you have teens and no little kids and will be skipping a lot of the kid stuff.
- We recommend adding the Genie+ add-on if it’s in your budget and if you’re visiting on a weekend, summer, or a typical school break time when the crowds will be bigger. Genie+ allows you to skip some lines and will allow you to get more done in less time.
- We also highly recommend downloading the Disneyland app before your trip and familiarizing yourself with the map so you generally know the lay of the land and where the different sections are.
- Consider booking an advanced dining reservation for lunch at Disneyland. It’s nice to have a sit-down meal in the middle of a park day. Try to book Blue Bayou (it’s inside the Pirates of the Caribbean ride building and has a great ambiance) or Cafe Orleans (similar menu and you can dine outside). Dining can be reserved 60 days in advance.
Warner Brothers Studio Tour – unless you have kids under age 5
Other theme parks – see the itinerary for days where you have options and preplan what you want to do and what park tickets you need to buy. Buying in advance almost always saves you money.
Packing
Here is what we packed as a family of 5 with kids aged 9, 9, and 6. If you have younger children you’ll of course need to add a bit more to this list.
- Backpacks for each person as a carry-on. Inside the backpacks:
- Change of clothes, water bottle, tablets/eReaders, headphones, books, other things to entertain in plane and car rides
- We managed to pack into 4 large suitcases. 1 for husband, 1 for myself and the 6 year old, 1 for my 9 year olds to share, and 1 we used to put all the booster seats in (renting was expensive and all 3 still needed boosters at the time). We then used that “extra” suitcase for dirty clothes during the trip.
- Clothes that match the season. Which in California will probably mean warm days and cool evenings. Check the 10 day weather forecast.
- Athletic shoes (something good for walking)
- Tevas or other shoes that can get wet
- All Toiletries
- Fanny Pack or cross-shoulder bag (I love a fanny pack for packing the essentials and staying hands free and not putting stress on shoulders)
- All chargers – phones, watches, tablets, etc.
- External phone charger (most useful if you plan to do Disneyland)
- Sunscreen
- Sunglasses
- Medicines
- Coats/jackets
- Ponchos or rain coats
- Bug spray
- Sound machine (if you’re sharing a hotel room with your whole family a sound machine really helps!)
Budget
Prices are always going to vary! But here are some ranges/estimates to help you budget:
- Flights – $300-600 per person
- Rental Minivan for the week – $500
- 7 hotel nights – $150-300 per night
- Food (if you’re eating breakfast at your hotel and not doing fancy dinners every day) – $60-80/adult per day, $30-40/kid per day
- Sea World – $65 – $115 per person
- San Diego Zoo – $69 for ages 12+, $59 per child
- Disneyland 2-day tickets – $285 for ages 10+, $270 per child
- Warner Brothers Studio Tour – $70 for ages 11+, $60 per child
- Universal – $109 – $149 for ages 10+, $104 – $144 per child
- Gas – this will really depend on the car you rent and the price of gas, but keep it in mind!
- Shopping – this can vary a lot depending on your shopping habits. It’s best to have a shopping budget in mind to stick to.
Jump to a Day
Day 1
Arrive in LA, Drive to San Diego
1. Fly into LAX and pick up your rental car
- If you can get a flight that arrives before 3pm that is ideal.
- Pick up your bags at luggage claim then walk outside and look for the purple “Rental Car Shuttles” sign.
- Take the shuttle for the company where you reserved a vehicle.
- Pick up your vehicle from the rental car facility.
(Skip this step if you can drive to Southern California)
2. La Jolla Cove
- Plug in “La Jolla Cove” to a map app and begin the 2 hour drive toward San Diego
- When you arrive in La Jolla, there are free 2-3 hour parking spots along Coast Blvd. and the side streets. If you can’t find a spot you can park in this garage: 1200 Prospect St., La Jolla, CA
- Walk down to the beach and look for sea lions! Many like to come to the Cove Beach area, but make sure you keep your distance.
- Walk along the coastline and stay for a gorgeous sunset
3. Dinner
Kid-friendly but nice dinner options nearby include:
- Cody’s (American cuisine)
- Duke’s (Hawaiian-inspired cuisine with great ocean views)
- Bubba’s Smokehouse (BBQ)
- or just grab some quick food on the way to your hotel
5. Drive to your hotel
Check in to your hotel and sleep!
Day 2
Sea World San Diego (Or see alternatives below)
- Download the SeaWorld app to use the interactive map
- Arrive to the park 15-20 minutes before opening time so you can get through security and ticket-checking before the park opens.
What to Wear and Bring to the Park
Dress for the weather, which could mean needing layers or a jacket for the evening. There’s also a penguin exhibit that is quite cold so you may want a jacket for that also.
There are several water rides at the park and the option to sit in “splash zones” at the dolphin and orca shows, so either wear shoes that can get wet and quick-drying clothes, or bring a poncho and a change or shoes.
What to bring into the park:
- Phone and extra external charger
- Sunscreen
- Ponchos
- Sunglasses
- Jackets
What to Wear and Bring to the Park
Dress for the weather, which could mean needing layers or a jacket for the evening. There’s also a penguin exhibit that is quite cold so you may want a jacket for that also.
There are several water rides at the park and the option to sit in “splash zones” at the dolphin and orca shows, so either wear shoes that can get wet and quick-drying clothes, or bring a poncho and a change or shoes.
What to bring into the park:
- Phone and extra external charger
- Sunscreen
- Ponchos
- Sunglasses
- Jackets
Sea World San Diego Touring Plan with Older Kids & Teens
This plan is for people with kids over 48″ in height that want to do both thrill rides and animal shows. If you have some kids over 48″ and some under, you can talk to ride attendants about swapping adults so one adult can ride with the older kids while another is with the smaller kid(s), then swap without having to wait in line again.
- Head to Arctic Rescue, this is the newest ride in the park and gets the longest lines. This is straddle roller coaster with a 48″ height requirement and tops speeds of 40mph. It has no big drops, no loops, but 3 fun accelerated starts and it’s a great family coaster.
- Journey to Atlantis – part dark ride, part water flume ride, all fun! You will get wet but not soaked. Similar to Splash Mountain at Disney parks. 42″ height requirement.
- Emperor – a thrilling roller coaster with a 52″ height requirement
- Walk through the Wild Arctic exhibit to see beluga whales.
- Walk through the Penguin exhibit
- Eat at Calypso Bay Smokehouse. View menu >
- Arrive between 12:40-45 for the 1pm Dolphin Show
- Check out the Sloths exhibit
- If you have any kids still interested in the rides or play areas in the Rescue Jr. kids area, check that area out for a bit. Others may be interested in riding Electric Eel, a roller coaster with a 54″ height requirement.
- Head up behind the dolphin theatre to see the Sea Turtle and Sharks exhibit
- Ride Riptide Rescue if desired, a classic spinner ride near the sharks
- Arrive between 3:40-45 for the 4pm Sea Lion & Otter Show
- Ride Manta, a family rollercoaster with a 48″ height requirement and a fun multi-media launch.
- Check out the dolphins in Dolphin point
- Arrive at 5:40 for the 6pm Orca Show
- Get Dinner at the Shipwreck Reef Cafe
- Ride Shipwreck Rapids if desired. You may get very wet on this ride so wear a poncho if you prefer. This ride is set later in the day in this itinerary because it is low capacity and often gets a long line during the heat of the day.
- If you have time and don’t mind an extra fee, you can ride the Bayside Skyride. It give you great views (especially at sunset) but the line can get long and it costs an extra $6 per person.
- Check the app to see if there are fireworks the day you are there.
Sea World San Diego Touring Plan with Younger Kids
This touring plan prioritizes kid rides and animal shows and does not include thrill rides. If you have some people in your group that want to ride some of the thrill rides, you may need to divide and conquer. One adult can be with kids in a kids play area while another rides a roller coaster.
- Head to the Rescue Jr. kids area first. This area will get crowded and kid rides are low-capacity so do some of the kid rides first, then let kids play in the play area.
- If you have kids over 42″ interested in trying a big kid ride, head to Journey to Atlantis early in the day before the line gets too long
- Walk through the Wild Arctic exhibit to see beluga whales.
- Walk through the Penguin exhibit
- Eat at Calypso Bay Smokehouse. View menu >
- Arrive between 12:40-45 for the 1pm Dolphin show
- Walk through the Sea Turtle and Sharks exhibit. This is an indoor exhibit that is pretty quiet and a good time for a stroller nap for kids of napping age.
- Ride Riptide Rescue if desired, a classic spinner ride near the sharks with a 45″ height requirement. There is also a little play area next to the ride for smaller kids.
- Checkout the sea lions at Sea Lion Point
- Visit the dolphins at Dolphin Point
- Arrive between 3:40-45 for the 4pm Seal and Otter Show
- If you have kids over 42″ and don’t mind getting wet or wearing a poncho, ride Shipwreck Rapids, a classic circular raft white water rafting ride.
- Touch sea stars and other critters in the Tide Pool
- Arrive at 5:40 for the 6pm Orca Show
- If your kids are worn out by now, you can leave the park to get dinner and be done for the day.
If they still have energy, get dinner in the park and do more kid rides (the lines should be shorter in the evening). You could also choose to ride the Bayside Skyline or the SkyTower which offer great views but cost $6/person. Also check the app to see if there are fireworks in the evening.
If you’re not interested in Sea World, we recommend doing Legoland on this day instead. Our family loves animals and had recently done Legoland Florida so we chose to do Sea World. If the weather is warm enough, another option is Sesame Place, a fairly new theme park with waterslides, a handful of kid rides, and Sesame Street character meet-n-greets. Reviews are much better for Legoland over Sesame place, but if your kids loves Elmo more than Legos it may be perfect for them!
Day 3
San Diego Zoo
- Purchase your tickets online in advance
- Download the San Diego Zoo app for an interactive map
- The zoo typically opens at 9am, but check the website or app. We recommended getting there when it opens because there is so much to see and younger kids may get tired.
- If you have kids 5 or under – bring a stroller! It’s a big zoo with hills.
You can do the zoo many ways, but if you’d like to minimize walking up hills a lot and minimize crowds, we recommend following this plan:
Touring Plan for the San Diego Zoo
- From the entrance, head to the right and do the guided bus tour first. It gives you a give overview of the zoo and it can get longer lines later. The tour is included with your ticket.
- Head to the left of the entrance and do the reptile house, then keeping heading left toward the Wildlife Explorers area. This area has places for kids to play and a splash area.
- When you’re done with that area take the Skyfari Aerial tram to the back of the zoo.
- From there, go through the Northern Frontier area to see Polar Bears
- Take the Lower Parkway toward the Leopards and Red Pandas
- Take the elevators up to Treetop Way and wind through the monkey trails and aviaries until your back at the front of the park
- Take the Skyfari tram again but this time do the right side of the park
Touring Plan for the San Diego Zoo
- From the entrance, head to the right and do the guided bus tour first. It gives you a give overview of the zoo and it can get longer lines later. The tour is included with your ticket.
- Head to the left of the entrance and do the reptile house, then keeping heading left toward the Wildlife Explorers area. This area has places for kids to play and a splash area.
- When you’re done with that area take the Skyfari Aerial tram to the back of the zoo.
- From there, go through the Northern Frontier area to see Polar Bears
- Take the Lower Parkway toward the Leopards and Red Pandas
- Take the elevators up to Treetop Way and wind through the monkey trails and aviaries until your back at the front of the park
- Take the Skyfari tram again but this time do the right side of the park.
- Do the Elephant Odyssey area, then head up through the African Rocks exhibit, ending with the penguins.
- From there head down Center Street to see the sun bears and other bears.
- Turn to the left to do the Outback area to see koalas and the Urban Jungle section where you’ll see rhinos and giraffes.
- At this point you have covered most of the zoo with as little uphill walking as possible!
If you still have energy after the zoo, you can explore Balboa park (right outside the park). There is a miniature train and a carousel kids can ride.
Day 4
San Diego Beach Day, Drive to Anaheim
1. Take it easy
After 2 days of a lot of walking, and before you walk more the next day, take this day a little slower. Sleep in if your kids will let you!
2. Beach time
Pick a local beach to enjoy that fits the vibe you like. Some of the beach options include:
- Mission Beach – this is a classic urban beach with a boardwalk with shops and activities, and Belmont park where you can pay per attraction to ride a few amusement park rides. There are lots food options around the beach.
- Coronado Beach – this beautiful beach on Coronado Island has a backdrop of gorgeous homes and resorts like the famous Hotel del Coronado. You can rent chairs and umbrellas from the hotel for the day, even if you aren’t staying there. You can also get food at the resorts.
- Torrey Pines State Beach – this beach lies within a nature preserve so it has less of an urban vibe then the others and more natural beauty featuring gorgeous cliffs and rocks. This beach won’t have as many food options around, so you may want to bring a picnic or plan to get lunch before you arrive.
3. Drive to Anaheim
Take I-5 north to Anaheim (about 1.5 hour drive). I’d suggest leaving around 5pm. Eat dinner on the way or when you arrive in Anaheim. The area around Disneyland has many dining options to choose from.
5. Check into your hotel
There are many hotels within walking distance to Disneyland so pick one of those! There are also official Disney hotels (the Disneyland Hotel, the Grand Californian, and Paradise Pier) but those may come with a higher price tag. The main benefit of a Disney hotel is you can enter the parks 30 minutes early. It’s a nice benefit, but not as essential at Disneyland as it is at Disney World. We usually choose to stay in a Marriott hotel (we collect Marriott points) that’s within walking distance to save on cost.
Get to bed early if you can! You have a big day ahead! Don’t forget to set an alarm and charge your devices and external chargers. No sleeping in or dead phones allowed
tomorrow.
Day 5
Disneyland
What to wear and bring into the park
What to wear:
Dress for the weather and for comfort. This could mean layers. Pick layers that you can tie around your waste or fit in a backpack.
If you or your kids have any Disney-themed clothing, this is the place to wear them! It’s also smart to dress in bright colors or even matching colors so you can easily spot each other in crowds.
Shoes: Wear what you can walk many miles in. For most, that means socks and a good pair of running/walking sneakers. Make sure your shoes are broken in before your trip.
What to bring into the park with you:
- Smartphones
- Stroller if needed (recommended for kids age 6 and under, even if they don’t use a stroller at home anymore) Ideally bring or rent one that reclines, has an under-compartment for storing things, and folds easily so you can bring it on a bus or pack it in your car.
- A comfortable backpack or fanny pack packed with:
- Sunscreen (Face or body stick is great for putting on your family quickly on the go)
- External phone charger and correct chord (really important…trust me)
- Ponchos or packable rain gear (take out if there is no chance of rain)
- Band aids
- Medicines (Ibuprofen, Dramamine, allergy, kids Tylenol, anything you might need that comes in a small pill or chewable form)
- Chafing Stick (helpful for thighs if wearing shorts, helpful for males on sweaty days)
- Sunglasses
- Lip balm with sunscreen
- Snacks (plenty of snacks to purchase in the parks, but if you have picky kids or young kids that need snacks to entertain them at times, bringing your own will be helpful!)
- In hot months, neck fans or portable fans are really helpful
- Suckers (obviously not required but if your kids are getting bored in a line or waiting for a show to begin, hand them a sucker for instant delight that helps pass the time)
- Water bottle(s) (They give out free water at quick service restaurants, but having a few water bottles you can fill on your own is helpful. Use ones that won’t leak if they’re knocked over or bumping around in a stroller and ones that will keep water cool on a hot day.)
- Stroller rain cover (no one wants to sit in a wet stroller)
- Baby/toddler gear if needed. (You know what you need…diapers, bottles, pacis, etc. If your little one will need to nap while at the park, bring something you can drape over the stroller and consider bringing a portable sound machine. This will create a good nap environment while in the parks while older kids and adults can still enjoy the fun. This is often a lot easier than going all the way back to your hotel for a nap. Even if your kid doesn’t usually nap in a stroller – they might once they’re Disney tired.)
Before the park opens
Times based on 8am park opening:
6/6:30am – Wake up! It’s going to be a magical day! But not a day to sleep in! Get ready for the day and eat some quick breakfast at your hotel if you can. Why so early? The first hour of the day at Disneyland is the best and least crowded and you don’t want to miss it!
7am – leave you hotel and start walking to the park. We are assuming you are staying within a 15min walk to the park. If not, adjust times accordingly.
7:15am – arrive at the entrance and get in lines for security and ticket checking
Once you enter the park – book your first Genie+ attraction for Indiana Jones Adventure. Aim for a time around 10am. Modify it if it’s too early.
7:30 – gates open! The park doesn’t officially open until 8am but being there when the gates open gives you a chance to enjoy the sights and sounds of mainstreet and get photos before heading off to attractions. If you are staying at an official Disney resort, you can (and should) go straight to rides at 7:30!
Basic itinerary/touring plan to maximize your day
This general plan assumes you are only spending 1 day at Disneyland and are using Genie+ to maximize your day. This plan helps you avoid waiting in long lines AND avoids crisscrossing the park all day. With that said…crowds vary, people’s priorities vary, rides go down, kids meltdown – you need to be flexible!
This plan will not work on really crowded days – on those days focus on getting Genie+ attractions in the order of priority listed in the Genie+ tab below instead of going by proximity like this plan does. You will crisscross the park a lot which isn’t the most fun, but you will spend less time in lines.
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As soon as the park opens – Peter Pan’s Flight – We recommend heading to Fantasyland first because most of the attractions don’t use Genie+, plus they are delightful and a great way to start the day! Start with Peter’s Pans Flight because this one gets the longest line and is low capacity.
Early morning in Fantasyland – Do as much as you can in Fantasyland while crowds are low in the morning and before your first Genie+ return time. A good order to do things in:
- Snow White’s Enchanted Wish
- Alice in Wonderland
- Dumbo
- Casey Jr. Circus Train
- Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride
- Storybook Land Canal Boats
- Pinocchio’s Daring Journey
As soon as you tap in at Indian Jones, book your next Genie+ attraction. Try to book something that is on the side of the park you are in – as of 5/1/24 we would recommend booking Pirates of the Caribbean (return times should be pretty immediate) or once Splash Mountain re-opens, book that.
More Adventureland – Ride Jungle Cruise! While you’re waiting, mobile order some Dole Whip from the Tiki Juice Bar. When you get off Jungle Cruise, pick up your mobile order and head into the Enchanted Tiki Room and watch the first-ever animatronic show designed by Walt Disney while you eat! Next head to Pirates of the Caribbean and ride using the Lightning Lane if you booked it with Genie+. As soon as you tap into Pirates, book Haunted Mansion using Genie+.
Lunch – In the advanced prep section we recommended getting an Advanced Dining Reservation for either Blue Bayou or Cafe Orleans. It’s nice to have a sit-down meal break in the middle of the day. If you did not get a reservation, mobile order food at Tiana’s place.
Haunted Mansion with Lightning Lane. As soon as you tap in, book Millenium Falcon Smuggler’s Run.
Winnie the Pooh
Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge – If the line for Rise of Resistance isn’t too long and you’re not concerned about making it to the parade at 3, then you could do it now! If that’s not the case, skip this and come back to do it late tonight or buy an Individual Lightning Lane for it if it is a absolute must do for you. Head to Millenium Falcon Smuggler’s Run using your Lightning Lane. As soon as you tap in, book Big Thunder Mountain if there is a return time close (refresh the screen a few times if not to see if any pop up). If not, go ahead and book Space Mountain (the return time will be a bit later but that’s ok).
Big Thunder Mountain Railroad – if you got a Lightning Lane for it or if the line isn’t too long and you have time to ride it before the parade, do it now while you’re still on that side of the park. If you use a Lightning Lane, book Space Mountain immediately after you tap in.
Parade – if you want to see the parade, it starts at 3pm from Toon Town and goes down through Main Street USA. You’ll be headed to Tomorrowland next so try to find a place around the hub (the circle in front of the castle).
Tomorrowland – Ride Astro Orbiter (or skip it if the line is long – it’s just Dumbo in rockets and is low capacity so the line moves slow). You could do Buzz Lightyear and Star Tours if the lines aren’t too long, or wait until later and you can try to book Lightning Lanes for them. You can go into Star Wars launch bay and meet Star Wars characters, let your kids drive a car at Autopia, and board a submarine at Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage. Ride Space Mountain as soon as your return window comes up using the Lightning Lane. As soon as you tap in, book Matterhorn Bobsleds.
Matterhorn Bobsleds using Lightning Lane. As soon as you tap in, book Roger Rabbit’s Car Toon Spin.
More Fantasyland – As you wait for your Roger Rabbit return time to arrive you can meet characters (check the app to see what characters are around), ride the Mad Tea Party, ride any Fantasyland rides you didn’t before, get a snack, then head up and ride It’s a Small World.
Dinner – Mobile order food from Troubadour Tavern (near Small World), Cafe Daisy (Toontown), or grab food from a stand for a quick dinner.
Toon Town – Ride Roger Rabbit when your return time arrives, then immediately book Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway. If it’s a busy day and the return times are out, choose whatever you’d like! In between Roger Rabbit and Mickey & Minnie’s Railway, you can meet Mickey and Minnie, ride Chip n’ Dale’s GADGET coaster (this low-capacity coaster can get a pretty decent line) and play in Goofy’s Play Yard.
Fireworks – Usually at 9:30pm (but check the app for times), get a spot to view them in front of the castle around 9pm to ensure you get a good spot. If you still need to ride Rise of the Resistance, or if there’s another ride you want to quickly get to after fireworks for one last ride of the day, try to position yourself on that side of the hub and do not go down Main Street.
After Fireworks – If you’re ready to leave, follow the massive slow crowd to the exit. But what’s even more fun is to run (actually just walk quickly) to one last ride! If you get in line even one minute before closing time you get to ride it! Rise of the Resistance is a good candidate to ride at the end of the night so there is little wait, but there is always a chance the ride could be down. Another fun ride to do one last time at night is Big Thunder Mountain Railway.
What is Genie+, should you buy it, and how it works
- Once you enter the park, open the Disneyland app and click the Lightning Lane button.
- This will open up the Tip Board. You can scroll through the Tip Board to see what attractions are available and at what time. You are not able to choose your time, it’s simply the next time available. Click on the button for “Book Experience” to select that attraction for that time.
- If the return time for the attraction you chose is more than 2 hours away from the current time, you can book another attraction in 2 hours. When you open the Tip Board, it will tell you what time you can book your next Genie+. Set an alarm on your phone for a few minutes before that time so you don’t forget.
- When the time arrives for your attraction, you have 1 hour to head to that attraction and enter through the Lightning Lane entrance. You will tap your card or app at the touchpoints to confirm that you have a valid Lightning Lane. Your wait should be much shorter than the standby queue.
- As soon as you tap into your attraction, open the Disneyland app and book another attraction.
- Continue to use and book attractions one at a time.
- Before you arrive at the park, open the app, click on the Lightning Lane button to open the Tip Board, and click on the tab for “My Day”. Click on the button for “Get Started Now”, then click “Start Now” on the next screen. Select the day and park you’re visiting, then it will ask you to select the attractions you are most interested in. You do not need to select everything you want to do. Just select the top few attractions you want to book Lightning Lanes for first and skip the rest. This will pin those attractions to the top of your Tip Board so you don’t have to scroll alphabetically through all of them.
- Some attractions go faster than others and can run out. At Disneyland, keep an eye on these popular attractions in case the return times get too late or run out: Space Mountain, Indiana Jones Adventure, Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway, and the Matterhorn.
- Set alarms for the times you can book your next Lightning Lane. If you book an attraction and the return time is more than 2 hours away, set an alarm for 2 hours from when you last booked an attraction so you don’t forget to book another.
- You can have multiple bookings at the same time and the times can overlap. We call this “stacking” and will happen a lot on crowded days when booking the more popular attractions and having to wait 2 hours to book your next one. It can make a fun 2nd half of your day as you hop from Lightning Lane to Lightning Lane with little wait, but you have to be diligent about booking new attractions every 2 hours.
- You can modify times. Once you have an attraction booked, your My Day tab will show you all the Lightning Lanes you have booked and their times. You can click on the attraction and choose “Modify” and select a different time (if available) or a different attraction. If you don’t see the time you want, pull down on the screen to refresh it and see if any new times pop up. You can pull down on the screen as many times as you’d like to check for new options that could open. But be warned…the perfect time may pop up and you click select, but by the time it goes through that time slot is gone and it will give you the next time available, which may be later then you wanted. Modifying can really help but it can also be risky is you modify and let go of your current spot you may not get a better one.
- Refresh the screen. People’s plans are constantly changing and Disney sometimes adds more Lighting Lane availability, so keep checking the app and pull down to refresh the Tip Board and see if new times and attractions pop up.
- Space Mountain (40″ height requirement)
- Indiana Jones Adventure (46″ height requirement)
- Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway
- Matterhorn Bobsleds (42″ height requirement)
- Roger Rabbit’s Car Toon Spin
- Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run (38″ height requirement)
- Big Thunder Mountain Railroad (40″ height requirement)
- Haunted Mansion
- Buzz Lightyear Astro Blasters
- Pirates of the Caribbean
- Star Tours – The Adventures Continue (40″ height requirement)
- “it’s a small world”
- Autopia
Day 6
Choose Your Adventure!
Option 1: California Adventure
This is the other park at Disneyland! It’s located directly across from Disneyland park. If you feel like you didn’t get enough of Disneyland park the day before, you could opt for a parkhopper pass and do more Disneyland on this day plus some of California Adventure. Highlights of this park include: Cars Land, Marvel’s Avengers Campus, Pixar Pier, a large California Redwoods-themed kids play area, and much more!
Option 2: Knotts Berry Farm
This is a classic amusement park owned by Cedar Fair that features lots of roller coasters and classic kid rides. If your family loves roller coasters, this may be the park for you! But it does not have the level of theming or immersiveness as a Disney or Universal park. (For our family, we have a Cedar Fair-owned park near where we live that we have annual passes to, so we usually choose something else since they have similar rides, but it is a great park and my Dad’s favorite.)
Option 3: Universal Studios Hollywood
This theme park is a real working studio plus has immersive lands and exciting attractions. Highlights include the new Mario Land, Harry Potter World, and a studio tour. There are also attractions for Minions, Secret Life of Pets, and dinosaur-themed areas that younger kids will enjoy. Kids under 40″ won’t have much to do, and kids between 40-48″ can do most but not all the attractions.
Option 4: Sleep In and Aquarium of the Pacific
Theme-parked out? That’s ok! Take it easy this morning, then drive north and check out the Aquarium of the Pacific. Learn all about Pacific Ocean wildlife at this great aquarium in the Long Beach area.
Which to choose:
If you have young kids, choose California Adventure, or maybe just choose another beach day if the weather is warm. If you have kids over 40″, choose based on what interests them more – Pixar (California Adventure) or Mario (Hollywood Studios)? Marvel (California Adventure) or Harry Potter (Hollywood Studios)? Or does your family prefer lots of roller coasters and classic kid-rides (Knotts Berry) or immersive attractions (CA or HS)? If you don’t want another theme park, sleep in and check out the aquarium. Want to do it all? Extend your trip longer!
Hotel consideration:
If you choose California Adventure or Knotts, we recommend staying one more night in your Disneyland/Anaheim-area hotel. If you choose Hollywood Studios or the aquarium, we recommend checking out of your hotel that morning before driving to the park and checking into a Hollywood-area hotel that evening.
Universal Studios Hollywood Ticket Options
Be sure to buy your tickets in advance at https://store.universalstudioshollywood.com/
You can also buy tickets through some discount places but make sure they are legitimate. There really aren’t discounts on one day tickets so if it seems too good to be true, it is.
Consider buying the Express pass on really busy days. The busiest days are usually summer weekends. The express pass allows you to skip the line and gets you entrance into Super Nintendo World without joining a virtual line. It will definitely help you get everything done in the park in one day on busier days, but it’s expensive. We have yet to justify the extra cost with 5 people, but we’ve also never been on a super crowded day.
Another option currently offered is a ticket add-on that gets you early entry into Nintendo World. If Nintendo World is your main priority, this may be worth doing. The cost starts around $20/person.
California Adventure Touring Advice
This park is more chill and doesn’t need a detailed plan of attack, but here is our general advice:
- It’s always best to get a park before it opens to beat the crowds, but if you stayed up late the night before, it’s ok to sleep in a bit. Especially if you’ll be using Lightning Lane MultiPass.
- The attraction with the longest line is Radiator Springs Racers. Do this one in one of these ways:
- First thing in the morning (also know as rope dropping) which means arriving at the park before it opens and following the crowd also trying to hit this ride first thing.
- Jump in line for it during the last few minutes the park is open (if you’re in the queue before close – you get to ride! And it’s beautiful at night.)
- Purchase an Individual Lightning Lane. This option allows you to get a return time where you can enter through the Lightning Lane entrance and have a much shorter wait. Which sounds great, but the price can range from $15-20/person for just this one ride and that can add up with a bigger family.
- Lightning Lane MultiPass is available to purchase and is usually $30-35/person. This pass allows you to skip the regular queue and enter through the Lightning Lane at select attractions. If the crowds aren’t bad, this may not be necessary, but if you want to save time it is very helpful. It also gives you all your photos for the day. These are the attractions available with LL MultiPass in order of priority (based on average wait time savings and how quickly they Lightning Lanes “sell out” but this can vary A LOT):
- Guardians of the Galaxy: Mission Breakout
- Toy Story Mania
- Web Slingers
- Goofy’s Sky School
- Soarin’
- Incredicoaster
- Grizzly River Run (if it’s a hot day move it up in priority, if it’s cold, move it down)
- Monster’s Inc.
- Little Mermaid
- The best part of the Avengers Campus area are the shows. In the Disneyland app, check on the showtimes for the day and make a plan to see the ones you want around the same timeframes so you don’t have to keep crossing the park. For example:
2:30 – Dr. Strange: Mysteries fo the Mystic Arts (only offered in the afternoon and evening). Get in line for this one about 15 minutes early. This is the only one that fills up, the others are outside and easier to see.
2:50 – The Amazing Spiderman (no shows in the evening)
3:15 – Avenger Assemble (no shows in the evening) - If you have kids under age 12, they will probably want to spend a good bit of time in the Redwood Creek Challenge Trail area. It’s a really cool area, but can end up being a big time suck as some of the activities like the rock climb and tire swing can get a line. If you wait and go to this area in the evening it will be less crowded. Set a time and place for everyone to meet up because it can be hard to wrangle multiple kids in this big play area.
Universal Studios Hollywood Ticket Options
Be sure to buy your tickets in advance at https://store.universalstudioshollywood.com/
You can also buy tickets through some discount places but make sure they are legitimate. There really aren’t discounts on one day tickets so if it seems too good to be true, it is.
Consider buying the Express pass on really busy days. The busiest days are usually summer weekends. The express pass allows you to skip the line and gets you entrance into Super Nintendo World without joining a virtual line. It will definitely help you get everything done in the park in one day on busier days, but it’s expensive. We have yet to justify the extra cost with 5 people, but we’ve also never been on a super crowded day.
Another option currently offered is a ticket add-on that gets you early entry into Nintendo World. If Nintendo World is your main priority, this may be worth doing. The cost starts around $20/person.
Universal Studios Hollywood Touring Plan
Make sure you have the Universal Studios Hollywood app so you can see a map and ride wait times. Doing everything on this list is only possible on lower crowd days, days with long hours (and you staying from park opening to close), and/or using an Express Pass. If that is not your scenario when you are here, you will need to pick and choose what you do. The 2 most popular lands are Nintendo and Harry Potter. This plan has you do Nintendo first (less crowded in the morning) and Harry Potter last (better ambiance in the evening) with everything else in between.
- Breakfast. Eat breakfast at your hotel to save time.
- Park. Plan to reach the parking entrance about an hour before the park opens. This gives you enough time to park, walk through City Walk to the park entrance, go through security, and get a good spot in line. They occasionally open the gates early so you can start heading toward the lower lot before the park actually opens.
- Check for virtual lines. As you wait to enter the park, pull up the app and see if there are any virtual lines needed that day. Sometimes Nintendo World requires a virtual line to enter, and occasionally others.
- Enter the park. When the park opens, don’t just do the first attraction you see, head to the lower lot (you will be entering on the upper lot).
- Head to Super Nintendo World. If there is no virtual line needed, if you have an express pass or an Nintendo early entry pass, head straight to Super Nintendo World. Find a kiosk selling Power Up bands or go into the store and purchase Power Up bands. I do think these enhance the experience, but at $40, you may not want to buy one for everyone. Parents can buy them for their kids and enjoy watching their kids rack up points and do experiences without having to have a band for yourself.
- Mario Kart Ride. Get in line for Mario Kart: Bowser’s Challenge. While in line, make sure you sync your Power Up bands to the app by scanning the QR code on the back of the bands. Explore the app while in line and start earning points! The ride itself is awesome and everyone should try it! There is a 40″ heigh requirement but rider swap is offered.
- Nintendo Games. When you’re done with Mario Kart start playing games in the land and collecting keys. If you collect 3 keys you get to do the finale in Bowser’s Castle. Parents can accompany their kids in the finale even if they don’t have a Power Up band.
- Food. Get some food at the Toadstool Cafe! You may have to scan a QR code to join a wait list but there is plenty to do in this land while you wait.
- Transformers: The Ride. When you are done with Super Nintendo land, move on to the other big attractions in the lower lot. First up – Transformers: The Ride. This ride has a 40″ height requirement but may be a bit scary for smaller children. It combines physical sets and 3D simulation.
- Jurassic World: The Ride. Animatronic dinosaurs are out to get you as you ride through a river and splash down a 84′ drop. You will get splashed on this ride so plan accordingly. There is a 42″ height requirement.
- DinoPlay. If you have any kids under 12 with you, they will enjoy this dino-themed play area! It’s also a great spot for smaller kids to play while older kids and adults ride the next ride, Revenge of the Mummy.
- Revenge of the Mummy. The Mummy is an indoor roller coaster thrill ride with a 48″ height requirement. It is dark and pretty scary but older kids, teens and adults will love it!
- Head back up to the Upper Lot.
- The Simpsons Ride. 3D simulator ride with a 40″ height requirement. If you get motion sick this ride might bother you. If it does, close your eyes!
- Studio Tour. This is a highlight of the park and is not to be missed! This tram tour takes you backstage to the working Universal lot to learn about how movies are made, plus takes you through the King Kong 3D experience and a finale with Fast & Furious. There’s no height requirement. The experience takes about 45 minutes so plan accordingly.
- Water World Show. Check the times for when this show is offered. You’ll need to arrive at least 15 minutes before the show. It’s a very exciting show that all ages should enjoy! The show is back toward the entrance so it’s a bit of backtracking, but the it’s good to do a show in the late afternoon when other lines are long.
- The Secret Life of Pets. A dark ride that takes you through physical sets and has a fun queue. This ride is a delight and only has a 34″ height requirement.
- Despicable Me Minion Mayhem. A fun 3D simulator ride that takes you on an adventure with the Minions, Gru, and the girls. 40″ height requirement.
- Silly Super Fun Land. A kids area themed after the amusement park from the Despicable Me movies. The area includes a splash area where kids can get soaked if they want, a small dry playground area, and the Silly Swirly ride (classic Dumbo-style ride). Personally, unless it’s really hot and you brought bathing suits with you, skip this area because your kids will be tempted to get very wet. I would also skip this area if you don’t have younger kids.
- Enter Harry Potter Land. Check out the shops and grab a butter beer at the Hogs Head.
- Flight of the Hippogriff. This small kids coaster is great if you have kids under 12. It only has a 39″ height requirement and is a great “first coaster” for many kids.
- Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey. The main Harry Potter attraction that is inside Hogwarts Castle. The queue takes you through the castle and the ride itself is a unique dark thrill ride that is so much fun! There is a 48″ height requirement and rider swap is offered.
- Check to see if there are any nightime shows on the day you are there. If not, head back to your hotel. If you did everything in this list then you had a long day but awesome day and you deserve some rest!
Day 7
Los Angeles
1. Check out of your hotel and drive to LA
Unless you already switched hotels, check out of your Anaheim hotel and drive to Los Angeles.
2. Chinese Theater and Hollywood Walk of Fame (1-2 hours)
It’s touristy, but it’s an LA classic! The area can get crowded, so I recommend doing this in the morning. There are several parking garages around the Chinese theater. Walk along Hollywood Blvd. for a bit to see some of the stars on the sidewalk, then explore the area in front of the Chinese theater to see the handprints of celebrities. There is a tour that takes you inside the theater, but I don’t think it’s worth doing with kids.
3. Warner Brothers Studio Tour (3-4 hours)
4. Griffith Park and Observatory (2+ hours)
Come see the real stars! Or at least enjoy the views! The Griffith Observatory gives you great views of LA and the Hollywood Sign. Inside the observatory, there are several exhibits, free telescopes, and a planetarium. Planetarium tickets can be purchased at the observatory. Planetarium shows are $10 for ages 13+ and $6 for ages 5-12. Shows are not recommended for children under age 5.
If it’s a nice day, there are many trails in the park that you can explore. They are rugged trails though so they are not stroller-friendly but good for kids with extra energy to burn!
If you get hungry, you can eat dinner at the Cafe on the bottom level of the Observatory.
Depending on the time of year and how your kids are doing, plan to stay for sunset and until the starts come out. The sunset views from the top are fantastic!
5. Get some rest
Drive to your hotel and get some rest. Pack up if you are leaving early the next day.
Alternative Ideas
There is not shortage of things to do in LA! If the 3 activities above don’t interest you, no problem! Consider any of these:
Knots Berry Farm – classic amusement park with some great roller coasters (owned by Cedar Fair). This would take the full day.
Los Angeles Zoo – an excellent zoo with lots of animals. The only reason it’s not included is because the much larger San Diego Zoo was already part of this itinerary. This could be done in half a day.
Natural History Museum of Los Angeles – dinosaur bones, stuffed animals, gems – all the natural history museum classics!
Aquarium of the Pacific – learn all about Pacific ocean wildlife at this great aquarium in the long beach area
Alternative Ideas
Day 8
Travel Home
Make sure you calculate what time you need to wake up and what time to leave your hotel based on how long it takes your family to:
- get dressed and pack
- eat breakfast (about 20 minutes)
- load your car (about 10 minutes)
- get gas and throw away all the trash in your rental car that your kids stashed everywhere (about 10 minutes)
- drive to the rental car return (depends where you are staying so plug it in your map to get a time)
- unpack the rental car and do the return process (15 minutes)
- get a shuttle to the terminal (averages about 20 minutes)
- get through ticketing, bag check, and security (depends on date and time, could be anywhere from 30 min to 2 hours)
- take all kids to the bathroom, get some food or snacks if needed (15-20 minutes)
- get to your gate with a little time to spare before boarding (about 45 minutes before your scheduled departure time)
Try to balance erring on the side of caution but also not getting to your gate 3 hours early with bored kids!
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