Managing Expectations

Good Morning! 

Little Jack did not expect the sword to be so difficult to remove from the stone!

Over the last few weeks, I have had the opportunity to help several people in the planning process of their Disneyland vacations - one of my absolute favorite things to be able to help with! It's given me the chance to think about the most important piece of advice I can give to those going for their first time - and today I'm going to share that with you!

It all boils down to one word: expectations. It's never pleasant when we go somewhere with high expectations, just to find that reality is not at all what we had in mind! It always makes me sad to see guests who did not go with the right expectations, because they often leave having a sour experience that could have been prevented. Planning a Disney trip with the proper expectations in mind can help reduce stress and avoid unpleasant surprises! Here are a few things to keep in mind:

1. Lines are long!

In my experience, this is the #1 dashed expectation that a lot of new guests just weren't planning on. I have often heard the frustrated complaint, "This line is too long, I want to find a ride that doesn't have a 30 minute wait!" They march off to the next ride only to find that this line, too, is 30+ minutes long. "It's too busy here!" "There are too many people!" "These lines are ridiculous!" Doesn't sound like a very good day, does it? 

The fact of the matter is people LOVE Disneyland. It's always going to be crowded, there will always be lots of people in attendance. If you go in not really thinking much about lines and expecting to hit every ride on your check-list in one day, you WILL be disappointed. My advice? Plan on every line being 30-45 minutes long. That being said, there will be tons of attractions that have much shorter lines. Think of those attractions as magical bits of pixie dust being sprinkled upon your vacation. There will be lots of pixie dust, and the lines that end up being at that 30-45 minute mark won't surprise or discourage you! If a line is longer than 45 minutes, that's when you should start deciding if the attraction is worth the wait to you or not. Some totally will be, some won't. 

Remember, there are tons of fun ways to spend your time in line! While the lines are not as interactive as the lines at Disney World, many have fun little hidden gems to discover. You can also download the Heads Up! game (not an ad, just an app we love). When in the parks, you can download the Disney Parks card pack for free! It's a blast and is a great way to kill time. Click here for other ways to make lines fun!

The line to get a Fastpass for Guardians of the Galaxy: Mission Breakout! during opening week. This is not a typical line for something like a Fastpass, but it is a typical (I may even say "short") line for the ride!

Also be aware: as of the writing of this post, Fastpass and Maxpass are gone, and have not yet been replaced by the new Genie+ and Lightning Lanes services. That means the only way to get around long lines is if the attraction happens to have single rider. This is something you'll want to discuss with your group - do you all like the idea of single rider? Would any of you rather wait in line to ride with the whole group, rather than by-passing the line to possibly ride with a stranger? If you have younger kids, you may want to skip single rider as they make no guarantee that they'll be able keep your group together!

2. Bring WALKING shoes!

Disneyland may not be Disney World large, but you're still going to get your steps in before noon. Plan on spending more than half your day either walking or standing. If you come wearing shoes that are not comfortable, you will be miserable - trust me, I've been there myself. There is nothing magical about sore feet! I would also suggest talking to your party ahead of time to discuss how everyone wants to spend their day - will anyone need or want lots of sit-down breaks? Will some be driven insane by sitting at a restaurant for more than an hour to rest? Plan to spend some time throughout your day on longer rides like Small World, Pirates, or Tiki Room to rest your feet! 

3. Prices!

It should come as no surprise that Disneyland has "Disney Prices". It's not just the tickets that are expensive! Plan to spend far more on merchandise, food, and experiences than you would outside the park. Let's get some sticker shock out of the way right now on some popular items. Sweatshirts and jackets can range from $50 - $80. Christmas Ornaments will be around $20 - $30. The super cute mini Loungefly backpacks you see everywhere will be between $60 & $80. Mugs will be around $15 - $20. Minnie Ears will be about $30. Oh, and those really fancy lightsabers you can build in Galaxy's Edge? Plan about $200 for those bad boys. (But honestly, the experience just might be worth it...)

Now, you may be thinking, "I don't need to get lots of merchandise! That's not a big deal!" Well, you know what you do need? Food! If you plan to eat in park (rather than going off-property or bringing in your own food), then plan to spend accordingly! We typically plan $50 per person, per day when budgeting things out. If we plan to do a nicer dining experience, we'll plan on spending more that day. Take a look at the Disneyland App, where you can find menus and pricing for all the restaurants. This can help you get an idea ahead of time of how much you'll be spending. As a quick guide: 

• Food at a quick service restaurant typically starts at $15 per person. 
• Food at a sit down restaurant will be closer to $30 per person. 
• If you want a really nice experience-based dining (like a character breakfast or the Blue Bayou, for example) plan to spend about $60 - $70 a plate. 
• Most items at snack carts (ex. churros, pretzels, or ice cream bars) will be around $5 each. 

It's a lot to take in (and dish out), but if you go in expecting it, then you won't be disappointed when you get there. 

4. Park food is park food.

On the subject of food...We often get wrapped up in this magical world that we often forget that we're really just in a theme park. A really nice theme park, but still a theme park. With as much as you pay for food, you might be thinking, "This had better be the best burger I've ever had!" Spoiler alert: it's just a theme park burger. Don't get me wrong, Disney has some AMAZING food (Plaza Inn for example has absolutely delicious options at pretty decent prices), but I would take the cautionary side in setting expectations for this one. Expect average theme park food, and if you get something out of this world, then it's a pixie dust bonus!

Keep in mind that "nicer restaurant" doesn't always mean better food. Sometimes you truly are paying for the experience or the atmosphere. At Blue Bayou, for example, you are largely paying for atmosphere (which is pretty cool, to be honest). At a character breakfast, you are paying for the experience. I will add in a side note here: Plaza Inn's Minnie & Friends Character Breakfast actually has delicious food, and I do feel like I'm getting what I pay for. Plaza Inn always delivers where food is concerned. Also something to keep in mind for these nicer restaurants: reservations start to fill up 60 days in advance, so plan accordingly! Try to get your reservations as soon as they come available to you. You might be able to score a walk-up reservation, but it isn't always possible. 

P.S. Please be nice to cast members if you can't get a reservation. It's frustrating when guests become furious with cast members because they can't get a reservation. They truly are the magic makers - if they could get everyone in who asked, they would. Be kind.

5. Hot Days & Cool Nights!

Last one before I sign off for the day! Southern California, in the summer especially, is very toasty. Wear sunscreen. Wear sunglasses. Bring a fan - heck, bring a misting fan if you have one. Remember all the walking and the standing I mentioned? Most of that takes place outside! Rides will be blessedly air conditioned, as will most buildings, but definitely expect quite a bit of heat in between. Something else to keep in mind is that the evenings can get quite a bit cooler. I am generally cold enough to put on a light jacket as it gets dark. If you are like me and get cold easily, then I would suggest packing one with you, or plan on purchasing a light jacket in the park.

What other tips do you have for new Disneyland guests? Leave us a comment below! 

As always, if you have any tips, tricks or questions you would like to submit to our blog feel free to send us an email at enchantedpumpkinblog@gmail.com! And don't forget to follow us by hitting "Subscribe" at the top of the page! You can also follow us over at Facebook & Instagram @enchantedpumpkintravel 

-Lindsay Prout