In his speech for the opening day of Disneyland Park, Walt Disney himself said that the park would be a place for people of all ages: “Disneyland is your land. Here age relives fond memories of the past—and here youth may savor the challenge and promise of the future.” Walt Disney’s dream of creating a place where people of all ages could have fun together is now realized in two parks, three resort hotels and their accompanying shopping and dining corridor. Still, visiting Disneyland Resort with multi-generational group can present its own challenges, so here are five tips for helping your visit be fun for all ages.
Talk with your multi-generational group before your Disneyland visit.
Talking with your group before your visit to Disneyland Resort can be a great way to share the excitement, and it can also help everyone in the group understand each person’s expectations and limitations.
Ask each other: What are you excited to experience? What is making you nervous? Do you have expectations for how early we will arrive at the parks and how late we will stay? What times do you like to eat? Do you have dietary restrictions? What disabilities do you have that we need to keep in mind when making our plans? Name three “must-dos.” Do you have any won’t-dos?
Disney+ has some great videos about the parks, and you can also find plenty of content (of varying quality) on YouTube. Watching select videos together may be helpful for starting the discussion. For another powerful tool…
Download the Disneyland mobile app in advance.
We like the Disneyland app for many reasons, so we always recommend downloading it before your visit and becoming familiar with its many features. In this situation, we encourage you to check-out the list (or map) of attractions at the parks. On the top left corner of your screen, you should see an option to filter these attractions. Filter categories include age, height, physical considerations, mobility disabilities and hearing and visual disabilities as well as things like location and interests. Of course, no one fits neatly into any category, but this is a great starting place for previewing and discussing which Disneyland Resort attractions will likely be enjoyable for each member of a multi-generational group.
We have a list of our favorite all-ages attractions for Disneyland Park here, and a list for Disney California Adventure Park here.
If you find that height restrictions or nerves limit some members of your group from riding certain attractions…
Use Rider Switch!
Rider Switch is a free-with-admission service at both parks. If a member of your group will not be experiencing an attraction, and is unable to be alone while the rest of the group does, you can request a “Rider Switch” from a cast member at the entrance to the attraction.
With a Rider Switch, an adult can supervise a non-rider while the rest of the group waits in the queue and experiences the attraction. When that riding-group reunites with the non-riders, the adult who has not yet experienced the attraction may use the Rider Switch to return to the attraction entrance with a riding-companion and bypass the regular queue. Those not riding are free to experience other attractions and entertainment, so non-riders do not have to wait around for a ride they will not be experiencing, and they can have their own special experiences: we find this very effective in reducing disappointment or conflict in the group.
The policies around this service seem to shift over time and as new technology has entered the parks, so follow the directions of the cast member at each attraction to make use of it.
Have a place to take breaks.
Everyone has different needs. Try to make it easy for some members of your group to arrive late, leave early or take breaks during your visit. There are plenty of hotel choices within a short distance of the parks.
If you are not staying at a nearby hotel, preview some places where members of your group may find a little rest. Good options include restaurants, quiet benches (try the ones in Grizzly Peak), or for the youngest members, Baby Care Centers. We have a list of our favorite places to relax in Disneyland Park here and our favorite places to relax in Disney California Adventure Park here.
Make reunion plans!
We think you will find that most experiences at Disneyland Resort can be enjoyed as a group, but if you do find yourselves going you own ways for a bit, try scheduling a fun time and place for the group to reunite. Ideas include viewing nighttime entertainment like Fantasmic! together. You could also make a special dining reservation for somewhere like Blue Bayou Restaurant or Lamplight Lounge. Dining reservations and parades or nighttime spectaculars can even be combined into a dining package for a special “dinner and a show” experience. Lightning Lane reservations for a specific all-ages ride like Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway or The Little Mermaid – Ariel’s Undersea Adventure can also serve as a joyful occasion for reunion. (Remember, if you link your group in the Disneyland app, you can make group reservations.)
We hopes these tips help you plan a wonderful visit to Disneyland Resort with your multi-generational group.
Disneyland Resort is a wonderful place for people of all ages to have fun together. Do not forget to check-out our favorite all-ages attractions for Disneyland Park here and for Disney California Adventure Park here.
As Walt Disney continued his Disneyland opening day speech, he said that he hoped “it will be a source of joy and inspiration to all the world.” Here’s hoping you all have a joyful visit!
For more help planning your trip, check out our step-by-step guide.