Any guidebook you read will tell you that you should
begin your day at Disneyland enjoying the attractions
found in Fantasyland. There are several important
reasons as to why this advice is given, and it is
advice that you should strongly consider following.
Fantasyland is one of the most popular areas at
Disneyland because there are no age or size
requirements. The only height restriction is a 35
inch requirement for the Matterhorn. As the day
progresses, Fantasyland will fill up. Getting there
first thing in the morning will help you avoid the long
lines that others will encounter later in the afternoon.
None of the attractions in Fantasyland have
FastPass. This is another reason as to why you
should go there first. FastPass allows you to more
or less ‘set an appointment’ to ride certain rides –
but none of the attractions in Fantasyland have this
option. Cover Fantasyland first, then go get
FastPasses for the other attractions that you want
to ride.
The crowds and the lines will start growing within a
few hours of Disneyland opening each day. Make
sure that you arrive before the park opens so that
you can be one of the first ones through the gate –
and head straight to Fantasyland before going
anywhere else.
Since all of the guidebooks suggest this, many
other early risers will also be headed for Fantasyland.
Even so, the lines won’t get really long for two or
three hours, and by then, you will have already ridden
all of the rides there.
From Fantasyland, you should start collecting
FastPass tickets for the other attractions that have
FastPass throughout the park. It is best to collect
these early in the day – the longer you wait, the l
onger it will be before your appointed time comes
around, depending on how many FastPasses have
been issued for each ride.
While you are waiting for the appointed time for your
first FastPass, you should enjoy other attractions,
visit the shops, or get a snack. Times between
FastPass appointments are great for visiting the
restrooms or sitting down to rest with a cool
beverage.
Just remember that in order to enjoy the most
attractions at Disneyland you should start with
Fantasyland, followed by gathering FastPass tickets.
Enjoy other attractions between FastPass attractions,
but make sure that you don’t put yourself on such a
tight schedule or such a rigid itinerary that you forget
to have fun! Some people simply like to spend some t
ime wandering around the park.