So I finally ticked the big one off my bucket list - Disneyland. I just got back from my first trip to the OG theme park in Anaheim - almost a week of pure adrenaline, cardio and plenty of churros.
And look, I knew it was going to be magical, but I was NOT prepared for just how intense, emotional and straight up sweaty the whole trip would be.
As a Kiwi adult who’s never even been overseas before, I learnt heaps, stuffed up plenty, and now I’m here to save you some hassle for when you decide to do Disney.
PREP YOUR FEET
I rocked up full of energy, ready to take on the park after studying the map on the Disneyland app like I was preparing for an NCEA exam. Little did I know, I had underestimated the whole walking thing.
Let’s get one thing straight: You’re not just “strolling around the park.” Disneyland is HUGE - and I mean like, up to 30,000 steps a day kind of huge.
We weren’t just navigating around the park in a strategic order, we were power walking from ride to ride, trying to get the most out of our precious Lightning Lane Passes (more on that later).
I legit did laps around the park, which meant my feet - which usually do no more than 5,000 steps a day - felt the maximum punishment by day three. We’re talking blisters, heel pain and pure fatigue.
So to avoid my mistake, you’ll need:
Blister patches/band-aids (PLURAL)
Comfy shoes - the cushiony, supportive sneakers that can withstand the hours of standing, walking, and even getting wet (yeah, that happens).
A foot mask - to let them know you're still thinking about them
If you’re boujee enough, a massage gun would have done me wonders at the end of each day back at the hotel
Tip: If you’re staying at Disneyland Hotel, the monorail from Downtown Disney into the park is a huge saver of steps (and lines) getting into the park.
HACKS TO GET THE RIDES DONE
A Lightning Lane Pass isn’t just a “nice to have” - it’s essential. But if you don’t plan it right, you’ll end up running from one end of the park to the other like a headless chook.
The Lightning Lane is the skip-the-line system that gives you shorter wait times so you can make it around the park quicker - it’s an additional $36 USD ($60 NZD), but I genuinely think I wouldn’t have had the patience without it.
You just book the closest allocated time slot for a ride, and you can scan and head on through when it rolls around. As soon as you redeem your booking, you can book another one, which means (if you’re lucky), hopping from one popular ride to the next is a breeze.
If you’re staying at a Disney hotel, the early access to the parks perk is ELITE. You can book up your Lightning Lanes before the gates even open and get a few rides in before the lines get too busy.
Don’t be deterred by major event days at Disney because you think the crowds will be bigger than Christmas in the Park in the Domain. It turned out, attending on event days actually resulted in shorter ride queues (but longer lines for merch and food, so pick your poison).
I headed along for Disneyland's 70th Anniversary celebrations and was shocked at how much shorter the lines were on the first day it all kicked off vs the regular days in the lead up to the events.
Especially between the two parks, California Adventure was a breeze to start our day - we’re talking getting on the Incredicoaster five times - when the usual wait can be up to two hours.
If you’re on a limited time, don’t stress - I’ve got a breakdown coming soon of which rides are actually worth it.
THE HOTEL HAD ME IN MY FEELS
We stayed in the original Disneyland Hotel - the only tower Walt Disney visited. It still has that old-school charm with sneaky Mickey touches everywhere - the carpet, the lamps, the bedspread, heck, even the taps were shaped like him.
But the part that had my inner child kicking and screaming with joy was a switch that, when flicked, started playing the Disney theme track. After a few seconds, the bed head engraved with the iconic Disneyland castle lit up with LED fireworks. They seriously looked like they appeared out of nowhere, and the surprise I experienced will forever be ingrained in my memories - it was magical.
And yes, the Disney scent in the hotel is so iconic, they’re actually bottling it this year for sale. One whiff and I’d be emotionally teleported back.
PLAN FOR A FOOD COMA
As you can imagine, the Mickey-shaped items were immediately a hit, the drinks were the size of my head, and the combinations were out the gate. Seriously, the hardest part of your trip will be sussing what food vendors to visit and how many snacks you can fit in before attempting ‘The Incredibles’ Incredicoaster loop-de-loop.
BEING A KIWI AT DISNEYLAND
Despite the minor - and often hilarious - accent confusion, as a Kiwi, you start to notice the little things, like how polite we are.
I’ve never noticed myself saying “thank you” or "sorry" so much, but the whole Disney experience took it to a new level - I even apologised for someone else running my foot over with their stroller.
I ended up linking with a few Aussies and a couple of other Kiwis to explore the park, and we probably sounded like the seagulls from ‘Finding Nemo’ to all the Americans with how often we’d repeatedly say thanks for simply allowing us on the ride we’d just waited in a long line for.
I will say, I was offended to find out that New Zealand was left out of the pre-show map for the ride Soarin’ - I know we’re a tiny country in the corner of the world, but I felt personally victimised.
But then I saw a couple of kiwi birds representing us on It’s a Small World, and all was forgiven - a true moment of pride, which I made sure to let EVERYONE know on my boat as we floated round the rest of it.
WOULD I DO IT AGAIN?
100% yes - Disneyland was one of the most exhausting, wholesome, joy-filled trips I’ve ever had. My legs may never forgive me, but my inner child is still pinching herself.
Even with the blisters, late nights and early mornings, five days was perfect to soak it all in.
Sophie travelled to Anaheim and stayed at Disneyland Resort as a guest of Disney.
