Visit Los Angeles: Thanksgiving Day at Disneyland

When we first planned our Thanksgiving weekend trip to Los Angeles, Disneyland wasn’t even on the agenda. But a few weeks before our flight, the idea of spending a holiday at the Happiest Place on Earth started sounding really tempting. The only dilemma: Should we go on Thanksgiving Day or brave the crowds on Black Friday?

After scanning the internet for advice, the consensus was clear—Thanksgiving tends to be less crowded than the day after. So we made a spontaneous decision, bought Park Hopper tickets, and committed to spending Thanksgiving at Disneyland… even though we were landing that morning on a red-eye.

Because we’d already booked a great hotel deal near LAX (and didn’t want to give that up), we took an Uber to Anaheim so that I wouldn't have to worry about driving back to the hotel late at night. The ride cost $79 to Disneyland, which felt worth it for the convenience.  After landing, picking up our rental car, and dropping our bags at the hotel, we headed straight to Disneyland and arrived just before 9 a.m.

The entrance lines looked daunting at first, but we managed to spot a tucked-away queue that no one else seemed to notice. Five minutes later, we were inside—and the magic began.

From there, the day was a whirlwind of rides, treats, and holiday cheer. At one point, we even had our own version of Thanksgiving dinner: sharing three giant turkey legs because, honestly, you can’t go to Disneyland without getting a turkey leg!  We didn’t get to do or eat everything on our list, but it didn’t matter. Disneyland is always special, but during the holidays, it becomes something extraordinary. The Christmas décor, the festive music, and the holiday parade could put even the Grinch in the holiday spirit.

Check out the photos to see what we rode, where we wandered, and what we ate.  It was an unforgettable Thanksgiving, and now I totally understand the hype about visiting during the holiday season. I already can’t wait to go back next year!

Disneyland's 70th Celebration D Glow Cube

We LOVE the popcorn at Disneyland (we even stashed some to snack on for the plane ride home)

The Lightning Lane Multi Pass included unlimited downloads of Disney PhotoPass

Churros are another one of our favorite snacks at Disneyland

Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance - we bought Lightning Lane Single Passes to bypass the 85 minute standby line.

Chicken Tenders Plate from Hungry Bear Barbecue Jamboree

Classic Cheeseburger

A Christmas Fantasy Parade (3 PM showtime)

Sleeping Beauty Castle Walkthrough at night

California Adventure

Thanksgiving Dinner!

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

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Our Experience with Lightning Lane at Disneyland Resort

I didn't hesitate to buy Lightning Lane Multi Pass (available for a number of rides) and Single Pass (available for Radiator Springs Racers and Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance) for rides we wanted to go on while at Disneyland Resort (prices and availability vary by date for both pass types).  It was my first time using Lightning Lane - the last time we visited Disneyland the MaxPass was in place, but it was the same concept.  

After reading through numerous FB groups and blogs, I tried my best to maximize our Lightning Lane usage, and I think I did well.  

Basically, you can book only once you (and all members of your party) are in the park.  You can only book 1 Lightning Lane every 2 hours, or you may book once you use your pass. 

Immediately upon entering I booked a Multi Pass ride, and throughout the day I kept track of when I could book another Multi Pass ride and checked redemption times to make sure there were no conflicts.

The only downside to Lightning Lane is constantly monitoring times or being on your phone.

To redeem, simply scan your ticket via the app, or scan your MagicBand+ at the Lightning Lane entry.

There are numerous tips and tricks that people offer, but here are mine:

• Always refresh your Tip Board in case earlier times open up.  Several times I was able to snag an earlier time and I could modify a Pass.  This also helped when I needed to modify to a later time (eg when we took a break and went back to our room - we ended up taking a longer break than we thought so I had to get a later time for a Pass).  Modifying the times do not affect the 2-hour window of selecting another Pass.
• Set your alarm to obtain another Lightning Lane at the 2-hour mark, where applicable
• If a ride breaks down while you are on it, waiting in line, or during your redemption time, you will be given a Multiple Experience Pass good for that ride, or any other ride specified on the pass.  This happened to us twice:
• On Rise of the Resistance, the ride broke down, so we were given passes.  I noticed, however, that the Cast Member was having trouble scanning our MagicBand+ and / phone, and he had a hard time viewing his unit from the glare of the sun.  Luckily, I checked my account as we were still in the area and noticed only 3 of us (out of 5) had passes.  I went to a different Cast Member and told her what happened, and she scanned the other 2 into our account.  
• Mickey & Minnie's Runaway Railway (a new-to-us ride), broke down before we got in line, but during our 1-hour redemption period.  When the ride opened back up, the wait was only 10 minutes, so we decided to just go standby and save the pass for something else.  We ended up riding that same ride again with our Pass later that night.
• If you leave the parks (eg go back to your hotel to nap) - you can book / modify Passes.
• Review "My Day" for your ride and dining times so you don't miss anything, and this is also where you can find the Multiple Experience Passes as noted above.

By the end of the second night, we had already ridden everything we wanted to, and we didn't need to secure any more Lightning Lanes.

The first day we rode 20+ rides, including a few repeats.  The second day we rode 15+ rides, including a few repeats (we also took a longer midday break).

Definitely get the Lightning Lane Multi Pass to reduce your wait time, especially during a peak attendance day.  If you are still on the fence, you can wait until you get into the park and see how standby lines are as the day progresses (since we went during Spring Break, we bought passes ahead of time) .  

And of course, Single Rider lines may be an option for you as well for certain rides, should you not wish to fork over $ for Lightning Lane passes.

Get up to 8% off on Disneyland tickets via Klook through 11/15/25.  Use code DLTCAL8 at check out! (affiliate link)

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Disney Gift Cards for Less

When Nadia had posted about her cruise tips 7 years ago, one of my favorite tips that goes for just about anything Disney is the purchasing of gift cards.  She stated:

"Pay off your cruise fare with Disney Gift Cards. You can expect to save 5% off Disney Gift Cards if you purchase them with a Target Red Card. We also purchased Disney Gift Cards through Sam’s Club when our credit card company offered a bonus cash back on wholesale clubs. We saved hundreds of dollars so the extra work was worth it, in my opinion."

Gift Cards can also be used for tickets, hotel stays, dining, shopping, and more.

We used gift cards for our recent stay at Pixar Place Hotel, and I bought them through Sam's.  The $200 card for $190 was the best deal at the time, equivalent to a 5% discount.  Combine that with credit card bonuses or app perks, the savings can really add up!  As Nadia mentioned in her post, you can also get 5% off with the Target Circle (previous Target Red) card.  

Although as of this writing there was no way to use gift cards online to pay off our balance for a Disneyland Resort hotel-only reservation, you could either call an agent or use the gift cards at check-in.

Also, I read in many articles that often times only one gift card can be redeemed at a time, so you should transfer your gift card amounts to a single card (note: when I checked in at Pixar Place Hotel, the cast member said she could take multiple gift cards).

Simply go to DisneyGiftCard.com to add your gift cards, and you can then transfer gift cards to a single card for a total of up to $1000 per card.  You can only save up to 6 cards at a time on the DisneyGiftCard.com website.  This is not a mobile wallet, it's simply to keep track of your gift cards.

The Disneyland app itself cannot store gift cards (I am unsure if this is the same for other apps), so you can store the gift card information in notes or copy the information from a screenshot so you can input the card numbers when needed for mobile dining, shopping, or other purchases.

Buying gift cards for less equals to savings that really add up!

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Visit Disneyland: Our Experience with Early Entry

I always thought the people who rope-dropped or did the "Magic Hour" or "Magic Mornings," as it was called years before, were crazy.  Whenever we would visit Disneyland, we'd just take our time getting to the park, maybe around 9am or 10am.  Even though our kids would wake up early (until this day they are always up by 6am; 7am at the latest), we'd just have a leisurely breakfast at our hotel, then walk across the street to Disney.  We did have Annual Passports which eased the pressure off of us having to wake up early or rushing for Fast Passes (as it was called back then), but since it seems way more competitive now to get on certain rides, we thought we'd try and experience Early Entry, while also using Lightning Lane Multi Pass.  

Guests staying at Disneyland Resort hotel get Early Entry.  Early Entry is now only 30 minutes, and parks are designated Early Entry depending on the day of the week.

In terms of Early Entry, the Magical Tour Guide YouTube videos helped immensely in guiding us where to go.

Through her videos, I discovered how to get to the security checkpoint to Downtown Disney via the Grand Californian from Pixar Place Hotel, where we stayed.  

The first day of our Early Entry was a Thursday, which meant Disneyland.  We got to the security checkpoint at 620am, and the line was already about 15 people deep!  The security guards will brief everyone about going through the checkpoint and ask to see everyone's hotel keys or online confirmations, as only the Early Entry guests would be allowed through at 645am.

In just a few minutes we were at the main gates for Disneyland.  The gates do not open until 720am, even though Early Entry starts at 730am.  Also, there is no designated gate for Early Entry guests.  All rope-dropping and Early Entry guests are mixed in with each other, unlike at Universal Studios Hollywood, where only SNW Early Entry guests can enter through the admission gates before the general admission guests.

Once through the gates, you have to look for the roped off areas for Early Entry guests, at which you will have to swipe your key card and let a cast member know how many in your party.  

I haven't dug deep enough as to why they do the entry this way (combined with rope-droppers), especially since I've read how some people were not able to get through security and / or the gates until 15 minutes already into Early Entry since they are mixed in with rope-droppers, so it's highly recommended you get through security and line up at the gates really early.

We went to Tomorrowland and Fantasyland and got through four rides (Buzz Lightyear Astro Blasters, Mr. Toad's Wild Ride, Snow White's Enchanted Wish, Pinocchio's Daring Journey).  Early Entry rides may not always be operable during the 30 minutes (Space Mountain was not yet open during Early Entry).

When it was DCA Early Entry day, it was the same process, but some of us got to security earlier (by 6am and ended up being the second in line), and the rest of us joined in by 630am.  We ended up doing two rides - Guardians of the Galaxy - Mission Breakout! and Web Slingers (a new-to-us ride) during Early Entry.  We also tried rope-dropping Radiator Springs after the rides, but the line was already 2 hours long by the time some of our family members got in line. so we just decided to buy Lightning Lane Single Pass (one of two rides at the resort you can buy passes for).

As stated in the Magical Tour Guide videos, there is a separate entrance / security to DCA, but she notes that's not the quickest way to get into DCA for Early Entry, especially if you're trying to get to Guardians or Web Slingers, or Rope Drop for Radiator Spring Racers.  

Even the security guard and another guest in line confirmed this - the quickest way is to go through Downtown Disney and enter through the main gates.

I am glad we experienced Early Entry, but I will say that during our visit, because we had Multi Pass Lightning Lane, the Early Entry wasn't worth it.

We were able to secure Lightning Lane passes for everything we wanted to go on both days we were there (we also had Park Hopper), and the rides we did Early Entry for, with the exception of Guardians, had decent wait times throughout the day (for me, decent means less than 30 minutes).  

There were rides we did multiple times even without Lightning Lane too (Astro Blasters, Star Tours).

And of course there are the Single Rider lines as well that minimize wait times.

If you don't buy Lightning Lane Multi Passes, the Early Entry could definitely be worth it for you,  But for us, we think we'll stick to Lightning Lane and spend some extra time in bed the next time. 

Get up to 8% off on Disneyland tickets via Klook through 11/15/25.  Use code DLTCAL8 at check out! (affiliate link)

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Visit Disneyland Resort: MagicBand+

Not too many people had MagicBand+ at Disneyland Resort, from what I noticed, but that didn't stop us from getting them.  

You can use the MagicBand+ to scan into the entry gates or scan your Lightning Lane passes.  No need to take out your phone and open up the Disneyland app or your photos app for a screenshot of your admission ticket or Lightning Lane pass. 

It's easy to sync the MagicBand+ to everyone in your party through the Disneyland app.

It's rechargeable, and one full charge is supposed to last 1-3 days, but we'd charge them at the end of each night.

Another fun thing about the MagicBand+ is that it'll blink and flash in all sorts of colors depending on where you are, whether at certain rides or shows.  You can also use to link PhotoPass photos and other experiences.

It's totally not a necessary thing to have, but it's a nice-to-have for the convenience.  

One thing I did read prior to getting them is that they have a tendency to fall off your wrist, especially on certain rides.  So, I brought mini rubber bands and hair ties to secure the ends on everyone's wrist just as an extra precaution.  

You can find the MagicBand+ at various shops throughout the resort (we bought ours from World of Disney at Downtown Disney, but also saw them at STOR-E in Pixar Place).

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Visit Anaheim: Pixar Place Hotel

We usually stay at a Good Neighbor Hotel when visiting Disneyland Resort, but for the first time, we stayed at a resort hotel - Pixar Place Hotel, and it was primarily to get Early Entry (which I will blog about later).

We reserved two rooms because we need two bathrooms, but one room can easily fit 5 with 2 queen beds and a sofa-day bed.  I called Customer Service to get guaranteed connecting rooms.

We arrived before noon, and one of the rooms was ready so we were able to check-in.

A note on payment - if you've read about the Disney Gift Cards and transferring to one for up to $1k since only one can be used - that's actually incorrect, as the team member was willing to take multiple cards that I hadn't yet transferred to one.  

Cleanliness is taken seriously!  I loved that they offer hand soap - something we usually bring on our own to hotels.

As you can imagine, there are Pixar touches everywhere.

We had connecting Standard View Rooms, from which we could see Disney California Adventure.  At night, we could even watch the fireworks at Disneyland, as well as see some of the World of Color show at Disney California Adventure.

There were lots of places to charge your tech (and your MagicBand+).  There was a mini fridge, and I love how easy it was to put the sofa-day bed back into a sofa (I never saw a sofa bed like it before - you just flip and unzip! 

Excuse the wrinkles - I took the pic after it was slept in.

You can also go to the pool deck to watch the fireworks.

The pool was undergoing refurbishment while we were there, but they do have a Pixar Shorts Court, where you can Play foosball, shuffleboard, and more!  

There is an atrium on the second-floor with art. 

And there are character appearances!  

Noise wasn't an issue except for the surprising sounds of kids running through the hall at 11pm (why do parents allow their kids to do that?).

Everything you read about the inefficient "smart" elevator system is true.  It's one of those systems where you press the floor on a touch pad and you are designated a specific elevator to enter (vs pressing the up or down button and going to whichever elevator opens up).  

I'm sure it cost a lot of $ to implement, so I don't know if anything will ever change with the elevators, but guests will just have to grin and bear it.  There was one time during our stay where I saw a team member guide people to the correct elevator, and although the waits weren't exhorbitantly long, the elevator system is far from perfect. 

To access the amusement parks, we were able to go through the Grand Californian to get to Downtown Disney to get to the main entrances for DCA and Disney (more on that in a future post) and there is also a separate DCA entrance just right across the street from the hotel.

I loved Great Maple, the sit-down restaurant inside Pixar Place.  

Parking was never an issue.

The rooms were pricey, as expected, but I thought it was worth it to experience.

Pixar Place Hotel
1717 Disneyland Dr

Anaheim, CA 92802

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