3-Day Disneyland Itinerary (With & Without Park Hopper)
Spending three days at the Disneyland Resort is an ideal amount of time to see and do almost everything. You can visit Disneyland and Disney California Adventure (DCA) to experience the best of both parks.
I created this three-day Disneyland itinerary for both people with Park Hoppers and people without. You will find two options on each daily itinerary to suit both types of tickets.
My 100+ visits to Disneyland Resort have given me a good idea of how to plan out a day at the parks.
It’s best to have a light plan and lots of flexibility when planning your trip. Wait times for rides, eating schedules, and even bathroom breaks may alter your itinerary; just be prepared to go with the flow.
This is my recommended 3-Day Disneyland Resort itinerary to make the most of your Disneyland vacation!
3-Day Park Hopper Tickets
You can get discounted Disneyland Resort tickets through Klook. They have Park Hopper tickets and standard Single-Park tickets. Once you purchase the tickets, you will need to book your dates through the Disneyland Resort website or app.
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View Ticket DealsWhere to Stay for 3 Days at Disneyland
Staying close to the parks is more of a need than a want. Having a hotel close by that you can walk to midday for a change of clothes, an afternoon nap, or whatever else is a convenience I would not recommend skipping!
We always stay near Disneyland, and I’m thankful for it every night as we walk back to the hotel. There are many hotels in the area to choose from, though some are far better than others!
Hotels in Disneyland Resort
You would think hotels on the actual property would be closer to Disneyland, but they’re not. The main reasons to stay at these hotels are the themed rooms, Disney staff, and 4-star accommodations.
Grand Californian Hotel & Spa: This Craftsman-style hotel has an on-site spa, restaurants, and three pools. It’s just steps away from the California Adventure entrance, but you must go through Downtown Disney to reach Disneyland.
Disneyland Hotel: With three themed “towns,” this hotel exudes the Disney magic. It has upscale, themed rooms and pools with waterslides! Walk through Downtown Disney to reach the Disneyland entrance. I’ve stayed here, and while the hotel is wonderful, the price is extravagant for a hotel you won’t spend much time in.
Pixar Place Hotel: This is the newest hotel at the Disneyland Resort, located just behind California Adventure. The entire hotel is Pixar Animation Studios themed! While it used to have a special entrance into DCA, you now must walk through Downtown Disney to enter either of the parks.
Hotels Near Disneyland
These hotels are some of the closest accommodations to Disneyland Resort that you can find. If you don’t need a luxury, themed hotel and want to save some money, these are great options.
Best Western Plus Park Place Inn: You can’t get much closer to Disneyland than this hotel. It’s nothing fancy, but who needs that when you spend all day in the parks? Walk across the street, and you’re immediately on Disney property!
Tropicana Inn and Suites: Across from the Disneyland entrance, this hotel offers standard rooms and rooms with kitchens for extra convenience. Though it’s just your basic hotel, the location is incredible.
Park Vue Inn: Another hotel just across the street from the parks, this inn is a simple, clean accommodation. The rooms are bright and spacious — some even have bunk beds for kids!
Candy Cane Inn: This has been my family’s favorite hotel since we first visited when I was just one year old. We’ve stayed here dozens of times because we love the complimentary breakfast and free shuttle service to/from the parks. In recent years, the prices have skyrocketed, and rooms are booked up far in advance.
Tips for Spending 3 Days at Disneyland
You can accomplish a lot with three days at Disneyland, but these tips will help you get the most out of your time. You can choose to follow these tips or not. They come from my experience over many visits to the parks and I highly recommend following them for a more fun-filled, satisfying Disney trip.
Use the App
The app is the best way to navigate the parks while you’re there. It has all the ride wait times, an excellent map, food ordering, character meet and greet info, and show schedules.
Download it ahead of your trip and tap around to get acquainted with its features.
The app is also where you connect your Disneyland Resort ticket, which you will open and scan each time you enter the parks!
Start Early
To get the most out of your three days at Disneyland Resort, arrive at your starting park about 30 minutes before it opens.
This is called “rope drop,” where you line up behind a rope just inside the park after making your way through the front entrance gates.
The benefits of arriving this early are the extra short lines for even the most popular rides. Early bird gets the worm, as they say!
Prioritize Your Favorites
Everyone is going to have different rides at the top of their favorites list. Determine which rides are most important to you and whoever you’re visiting Disneyland with before you go to the parks.
Once you have a list of 3–5 favorite rides in each park, you can better plan your days around them.
You miiight be able to go on all the rides in each park in just three days, but it’ll be almost impossible without extremely low crowds and a Lightning Lane Multi-Pass.
Get Lightning Lane
Back in the day, this used to be called Fast Pass and was a physical card you collected at each ride. Then they introduced the Genie Pass, which has since been renamed to Lightning Lane.
This pass lets you book time slots for rides, one at a time, through the Disneyland app. For example, if you book a ride for a 3-4pm window, you can book a second ride as soon as you scan into the Lightning Lane for the first ride.
It’s an additional cost per person, per day. You can get it for just one day, two days, or all three days.
We usually just get it for the one day that will be most crowded. There are ways to fully optimize it so your whole day is only Lightning Lanes, but you need to be okay with being on your phone and very involved with the planning/booking.
Bring Your Own Food
Food at Disneyland and California Adventure is not cheap. Like most theme parks, the prices are inflated. Disneyland doesn’t have the best food, but it’s not terrible.
You can bring your own food and drinks into the park to save some money, or just to have quick snacks on hand for when you/your group get hangry.
I always bring a full reusable water bottle to avoid paying $7-10 for plastic water bottles. Sometimes I’ll bring a can of coke to drink with lunch instead of buying one.
Snacks are always nice to have in your bag. They’re an easy way to immediately satisfy hunger while you plan where to get lunch or dinner.
Book Experiences in Advance
For special dining experiences like character dining or sit-down restaurants, make reservations in advance. These things can book up far ahead of time, especially during busy times like summer and the holidays.
3-Day Disneyland Itinerary
This three-day itinerary covers both Disneyland and California Adventure. I include options for those with park hoppers and those without, doing one park per day.
Day 1: Start in Disneyland
Your first day will begin at Disneyland with an early morning, if you can manage it. Whether it’s your first time in Disneyland or you’ve been a hundred times, I recommend spending your first day checking off as many “must-do” rides as you can.
Morning at Disneyland
Get that list of favorite Disneyland rides ready and head to the park about 30 minutes before the park opens. You can usually get through the entrance gates at this time and head into the park for rope drop.
Once the park fully opens, hurry over to the #1 ride on your list!
This is the best time to go on rides that usually have long lines later in the day. These are the rides I would prioritize first thing in the morning:
Indiana Jones: The line for this ride is often 30–45 minutes minimum, and it occasionally closes down throughout the day. This is the first ride I would hit if you want a fun thrill ride to start your day.
Haunted Mansion: You can usually find a window when this line is shorter, without going first thing in the morning. If it’s your top must-ride attraction, then prioritize it for the morning.
Space Mountain: You can expect long lines for Space Mountain all day and evening. Morning will be your best bet for short lines, or as the last ride of the evening.
Rise of the Resistance: Rope drop is hit or miss for this, as it’s not always open at the same time as the park. It also temporarily closes throughout the day. We tried to go on as our first ride, and it was closed with no reopening time. Then we came back after riding something else, and it had just reopened with a short wait time.
Big Thunder Mountain Railroad: This is another popular thrill ride that regularly has a long wait. Lightning Lane was perfect for this, but picking this as your first ride after rope drop almost guarantees a <10-minute wait time.
Peter Pan’s Flight: It always surprises me how long this line is all day long. Families with small kids who want to ride this should prioritize it as the first ride of the day. Otherwise, wait time usually hovers around 45 minutes.
Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Rail: One of the newest rides in the park is in Toontown. It’s a high-tech ride with immersive projections and smooth movement on the trackless course. The elaborate line design is almost as cool as the ride itself, making that 45-60+ minute wait time go by a bit faster.
You can usually get in a few “big” rides within the first hour before the park starts getting more crowded. Most wait times at park opening are only 5–10 minutes!
For a full list of Disneyland rides, read my Complete Ranking of the Best Disneyland Rides.
Option 1: Lunch and Rides at California Adventure
If you have a park hopper, then hop on over to California Adventure for lunch!
As I mentioned before, Disneyland doesn’t have the best food (it’s by no means bad, though!). California Adventure has a wider variety of options, including fresher, healthier dishes that are delicious!
I love the food at Smokejumper Grill. Plus, it’s a nice spot to sit while you eat and plan out your next activities/rides.
There are some upscale, sit-down restaurants, like Carthay Circle Restaurant, if you prefer that to a walk-up counter.
After lunch, check wait times on the app for rides at California Adventure to see which ones have the shortest lines (or wait times you’re willing to deal with).
Some of my favorite rides in the park are Soarin’ Over California/Around the World, Guardians of the Galaxy, and Radiator Springs Racers. If you eat a big lunch, you may want to stick to calmer rides for a couple of hours!
You can find a full ranking of all the rides in my Best Rides at California Adventure guide.
Option 2: Lunch and Rides at Disneyland
If you don’t have a park hopper, stay at Disneyland to grab lunch and continue going on rides.
The best food at Disneyland by far is in Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge. I always get the ronto-less wrap from Ronto Roasters. It’s incredible — I even make it at home because I love it so much.
Pizza Planet is an easy spot to grab salad, pizza, and pasta, which usually works best for families with kids.
As for rides after lunch, check wait times for your next tier of rides. The park will likely be more crowded by this point, with long wait times for the most popular rides.
Evening at Disneyland
Whether you have a park hopper or not, spend the rest of your evening/night at Disneyland. This is when the park lights up, and it feels even more magical!
Grab a quick dinner at Disneyland or leave the park for a sit-down dinner in Downtown Disney. I prefer to just stay in the park for convenience, but this would be a good time to check out Downtown Disney if you want to and haven’t already.
If weather conditions are good, you can watch the nightly Disneyland fireworks from the Disney Esplanade (between the two parks), Main Street, or Star Wars Galaxy’s Edge. There’s typically a nightly parade as well that you may want to catch.
If neither of those is your thing, wait times are usually shorter when everyone is watching the parade or fireworks! Just note that some rides close during the fireworks show.
Optional: Late Night at Disneyland
The park is open until midnight in the summer — you’ll have many hours left of going on rides and exploring the park if you stay until closing.
The hour before the park closes is typically when wait times drop again. You can get in line for a ride any time before the park closes, even if you’re not off the ride until well after closing.
This means you can get in line as late as 11:59pm when Disneyland closes at midnight. If we stay this late, I’ll save the best ride as my last ride of the day for the shortest wait time on it.
It can be exhausting to stay in the parks from opening to closing, especially during the times when the park stays open late.
It will likely be the most doable on your first day when you have the most energy. If you want to do rope drop on your second day, you may want to head back early to get a good night’s sleep instead.
Day 2: Start in California Adventure
After a full day at Disneyland (and park-hopping if you have those tickets), start your second morning in California Adventure. This will be the only day you start in this park, so take advantage of this.
Arrive for rope drop, or as early as possible if you can’t make it 30 minutes before the park opens. This will be your best chance for shorter wait times on the most popular rides.
Half-Day at California Adventure
Even if you visited California Adventure on your first day with a park hopper, spend the first half of this day at California Adventure.
This will give you a good chunk of time to explore the park and go on all the rides you want to. If you don’t get a park hopper, then your full second day will be spent at California Adventure!
If you make it for rope drop, then head straight to your must-do rides that typically have the longest wait times:
Radiator Springs Racers: This is my favorite ride in the park, and it often has an extremely long line. It starts with a smooth ride through the Cars movie landscape/sets, then finishes with a race against another car of guests.
Guardians of the Galaxy: For a thrilling start to your day, get on an elevator that sends you free-falling multiple stories and shoots up at incredible speeds.
Soarin' Over California/Around the World: Hop aboard a leisurely flight around the world (or California if you visit during the Food and Wine Festival) with an immersive curved screen and added scents.
Incredicoaster: This is your classic roller coaster with one upside-down loop, twists, turns, and drops.
Toy Story Midway Mania: For a kid-friendly interactive ride, Toy Story Midway Mania is a great option. It has multiple games on screens that you play as the buggy moves you through the ride.
After the morning rides (or before if you don’t go for rope drop), grab breakfast at the Fiddler, Fifer & Practical Café. It’s a nice spot on Buena Vista Street (the main street) that serves Starbucks coffee and has an assortment of pastries and breakfast sandwiches.
From there, I recommend walking around the park to get acquainted with it if you’ve never been before. Check out Cars Land, San Fransokyo Square, Pixar Pier, and Avengers Campus for the major themed lands.
Check wait times in the app to see which rides have short wait times and pick your favorites from there.
If you need to cool off, Little Mermaid, Toy Story Midway Mania, and WEBSLINGERS are all indoor and air-conditioned. Keep in mind that the lines are mostly outdoors, though.
You can also head into Animation Academy for a break from the sun, heat, and lines
When all the rides have long wait times in the afternoon, and the weather is nice, the Redwood Creek Challenge Trail in Grizzly Peak is a unique area to explore.
For lunch, you have a variety of great options in San Fransokyo Square. It’s nice if your group all have different tastes since there are multiple walk-up restaurants to get food and you can still all sit together at the outdoor seating.
Option 1: Hop Over to Disneyland
After lunch at California Adventure, you can park hop to Disneyland if you have a park hopper.
It may seem like a lot of back and forth, but California Adventure is a much smaller park, and hopping between the two keeps the day exciting! It’s only a 2-minute walk between the park entrances.
Check wait times for any rides you haven’t gone on yet or want to go on for a second time. If they’re all too long, then you can explore the park instead.
Check out the castle walk-through, explore Galaxy’s Edge, or hang out in Mickey’s Toontown.
Option 2: Stay in California Adventure
If you don’t have a park hopper, then you’ll stay in California Adventure for the rest of the day. Continue checking ride times and going on any rides that sound good to you.
When wait times are too long, try going single rider! Some rides have a clearly labeled single-rider line (like Radiator Springs Racers), while others you may need to ask the cast member if you can go single rider.
Evening at California Adventure
As the sun sets, Pixar Pier lights up spectacularly with the Ferris wheel reflecting in Paradise Bay.
World of Color is a nightly water show that takes place in Paradise Bay. But it’s not just a simple fountain display! They use projections on the water spray, paired with music and dialogue for a full storytelling experience.
Many of the rides at California Adventure are outdoors, which makes for a completely different experience at night. The Incredicoaster, Radiator Springs, and the other Cars Land rides are even more fun once the sun goes down.
Enjoy dinner in the park at one of the sit-down restaurants for a fancier experience, or grab something from one of the quick service restaurants.
Optional: Late Night at Disneyland
California Adventure closes 1–2 hours earlier than Disneyland, depending on the season. If you’re content with calling it a night once the park closes or don’t have a park hopper, then skip the late night at Disneyland.
Have a Park Hopper and not afraid to use it? Then hop your way over to Disneyland to squeeze in an extra hour or two of nighttime park magic!
Get a late-night snack from Bengal Barbeque, Little Red Wagon, or a churro or popcorn cart (not all carts are open until park closing — check the app for opening hours).
Enjoy shorter lines and the fun, late-night energy at the park!
Day 3: Start in Disneyland
Spend your last day with a half-day in Disneyland if you have a Park Hopper, or a full day if you have single-park tickets.
If you’re satisfied with everything you’ve done the first two days, then this can be a laid-back day in the parks.
Otherwise, you can do your best to maximize your time in the park(s) and fit in any last rides, shows, or other activities you still want to do.
Half-Day at Disneyland
Arrive for rope drop to make the most of your morning, or arrive as early as you can manage after a late night at the parks. Check off any rides you’ve yet to go on that are on your must-ride list.
Go on your favorite rides again, explore corners of the park you haven’t yet ventured, and try new foods that you didn’t have a chance to eat the previous days.
If you haven’t done any character meet and greets, this would be a good time to do it! The Disneyland App has all the schedules and locations for the characters that will be out that day.
Option 1: Hop Over to California Adventure
For those with a Park Hopper, you can either:
Get lunch in Disneyland, then hop over to California Adventure.
Hop over to California Adventure to get lunch.
If you’re enjoying your time in Disneyland, then stay in the park for lunch and another ride or two before hopping over.
Once in California Adventure, check your list of top rides and go on any you haven’t been on yet. Or go on your favorite rides again! Those single rider lines for the popular rides will save you tons of time.
This would also be a good time to pop into any shops, check out the Redwood Creek Challenge Trail if you haven’t already, enjoy an adult beverage (for 21+), watch the short Spider-Man stunt show at Avengers Campus, and explore the Animation Academy.
Option 2: Stay in Disneyland
No park hopper, no problem! Stay in Disneyland for a full day of whimsy.
Take the quick raft trip to Pirate’s Lair on Tom Sawyer's Island if you haven’t already. It’s a cool spot, especially if you’re a fan of pirates. The Sailing Ship Columbia and Mark Twain Riverboat are also fun activities on the Rivers of America!
When ride lines are long, explore the shops along Main Street, U.S.A. and throughout the park. These are also great spots to cool down on hot days since they’re well air-conditioned.
The Disneyland Railroad is a nice break from walking when your feet get tired. It’s a ride in and of itself, but it is also transportation to other parts of the park.
Evening at Disneyland
One of my favorite areas to explore at night in Disneyland is Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge. It feels like the most realistic town of all the lands, with all the buildings, lit-up ships, and food spots.
Catch the fireworks and/or evening parade for a fun show, or find some rides to go on that are extra exciting at night. I love the vibes of Indiana Jones, Mad Tea Party, Haunted Mansion, and Rise of the Resistance at night.
Optional: If you’ve got any energy left, close out the park for your last night in Disneyland. Squeeze in those last few rides and soak up the last bit of Disney magic.
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