Fun Things To Do In Disneyland

Taking our son to Disneyland has always been at the top of our travel wish list. He is a Disney nut and loves Mickey Mouse, Doc McStuffins, Handy Manny, Toy Story, Cars & more! We knew he’d be amazed at all of the attractions but we didn’t know there would be so many fun things to do in Disneyland that are perfect for his age. Before you make a trip to Disneyland, I’d recommend you make a plan of all of the attractions you want to check out. Planning your time with FASTPASS, Rider Swap, times for special attractions, etc. is a great way to make the most of your trip. Of course, try not to be too scheduled because part of the fun is the spontaneity of it all and in Disneyland you never know what fun things you’ll come across!

In the Disneyland Resort, there are two parks to enjoy – Disneyland Park and Disney California Adventure. Both are packed full of fun attractions for all ages. In this post I’ll focus on the Disneyland Park side but you can visit the Disney California Adventure post to learn more about the other side. Also, if you are traveling with toddlers you’ll want to check out this informative post on Disneyland for Toddlers.

Fun Things To Do In Disneyland – Main Street, U.S.A.:

After entering through the main entrance of Disneyland Park, you’ll find Main Street, U.S.A. which is filled with a gallery, a cinema and loads of delicious restaurants and markets. One thing you’ll notice on Main Street, U.S.A. is the wide variety of Main Street Vehicles. These vehicles include a Horseless Carriage, a Fire Engine, Horse-Drawn Streetcars and an Omnibus. My son loved the horses and he always wanted to follow them while trying to talk to them in his best “horse language”.

Fun Things To Do In Disneyland – Adventureland:

Do you have some little monkeys that would love to live in the jungle? Then you’ll want to head straight to Adventureland to explore Tarzan’s Treehouse, go on the Jungle Cruise and more! We didn’t make it to this area but I’ve highlighted it for our next trip. I know my husband would love the wild Indiana Jones Adventure attraction.

Fun Things To Do In Disneyland – New Orleans Square:

My husband loves haunted houses and had a blast in The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror on the Disney California Adventure side of the resort. We didn’t have a chance to make it to the Haunted Mansion in New Orleans Square but it’s another one on our list for our next trip.

Your little pirates will love the Pirates of the Caribbean attraction while you’ll enjoy the variety of New Orleans-inspired dishes in the dining areas. My husband was so busy eating the delicious sourdough bread bowls from the Pacific Wharf Cafe (seriously – three of them in one day!) that he missed the chowder and gumbo in bread boules at the Royal Street Veranda.

Fun Things To Do In Disneyland – Critter Country:

Splash Mountain is such a fun ride! Have you ever wanted to race down the side of a mountain in a hollowed-out log? Well, you will when you see this ride! Anytime I talk to anyone about being in Disneyland, they always talk about Splash Mountain. It’s not a ride for the young ones (you must be at least 40″ tall to ride) but your older children and the adults will have a lot of fun on this one. Be prepared to get wet!

In Critter Country you’ll also find Davy Crockett’s Explorer Canoes and The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh.

Fun Things To Do In Disneyland – Frontierland:

Did you know that Disneyland had a ranch where your little ones could meet and pet cows, pigs, goats, sheep and more? You’ll find the Big Thunder Ranch in Frontierland along with wilderness island adventures, wild west shootouts, sightseeing down the Mississippi River and more! For little ones who enjoy adventures in the outdoors, Frontierland will have them amazed!

Fun Things To Do In Disneyland – Fantasyland:

Do you have a little one who dreams of being a princess? Then you’ll want to reserve time in the Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique where your little ones will be transformed from head to toe into a beautiful princess. While in Disneyland, you’ll see little princesses running around everywhere! It’s so cute to see their excitement.

While in Fantasyland, we tried the Mad Tea Party (which my little guy loved) and the Alice in Wonderland attractions. In my Disneyland for Toddlers post, you’ll find a short video of my family enjoying the fun Mad Tea Party attraction. There are plenty of attractions perfect for little ones within Fantasyland.

Fun Things To Do In Disneyland – Mickey’s Toontown:

I played a lot of piano growing up…actually, a lot would be an understatement! My mom was obsessed with me taking piano lessons and actually had me up at 4:30am each morning practicing before school. I still tease her today that she totally overdid it and that I get a nervous twitch every time I hear a piano playing! Well, it seems like the “piano bug” was transferred to my little guy because he couldn’t get enough of the silly piano in Goofy’s Playhouse. I won’t dare tell my mother or she’ll move my old piano into my basement! Goofy’s Playhouse and Donald’s Boat are great areas for little ones to run around, crawl over and under things and play with some items that are about their size. The only time my little guy really had a crying fit in Disneyland was when we tried to take him away from that piano!Also in Mickey’s Toontown you’ll find Mickey’s House and Meet Mickey along with Minnie’s House. You can’t have a trip to Disneyland without seeing Mickey Mouse, right? There are lots of places for the little ones to run around in Mickey’s Toontown like Goofy’s Playhouse, Donald’s Boat, Chip ‘n Dale Treehouse and more. This is the perfect spot for parents who want to take a break off their feet and little ones who want to run around and burn off some extra energy after eating those delicious churros!

Fun Things To Do In Disneyland – Tomorrowland:

The first ride my son tried was Buzz Lightyear Astro Blasters. He’s a huge fan of Toy Story so we thought he’d like seeing some characters he recognized. It was so much fun that we went on it twice before venturing out to see the other attractions. Once in the gift shop, he fell in love with a Rex toy dinosaur from Toy Story so this was the one gift we brought home for him. Rex is currently lounging on our couch with his buddy, Buzz Lightyear.

We were always early morning visitors to the park. Since we were staying in Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa, we were able to take advantage of the Extra Magic Hour where Disneyland resort guests are allowed to enter one of the parks one hour before it officially opens to the public. It’s a great time to try a lot of attractions with little or no wait time. Also, my son discovered that it’s a great time to chase the ducks who are up and looking for breakfast. In the video below, you’ll see just how determined he was to catch that duck!

There is so much to see in Disneyland Park and I feel like we only started to explore all there is to see and do. This definitely calls for another trip sometime soon! For more information on Disneyland including special deals for Canadian travelers, visit www.disneyland.ca.

For more fun posts on our Disney adventures, check out our special page dedicated to Disney fun!

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*Disclosure: My family was invited on a magical vacation to the Disneyland Parks and the beaches of Orange County. My flight, our hotel, park passes, meal vouchers and other various perks were provided to me as part of this adventure. All opinions expressed here are 100% my own.