How Many Days Do You Need for Disneyland? I Travel to Parks Multiple Times Per Year

When booking a Disneyland vacation one of the most common questions we hear is how many days do you need for Disneyland?

Disneyland Resort includes two theme parks: Disneyland Park and California Adventure which combined have more attractions than all four theme parks at Walt Disney World! This is a fact that often surprises first-time Disneyland visitors, there are just so many different attractions to experience at Disneyland.

Our Mickey Visit team is at Disneyland every week and has years of personal experience in the parks. But I also remember my first Disneyland vacation with my son and what it felt like as a first-time visitor trying to figure out what type of ticket to get. Based on that experience of planning a family vacation and our weekly experiences of being in the park, I have the best answer on the perfect amount of time to spend at Disneyland. I still travel into Disneyland for all of my personal trips, so I can easily speak to the experience for those trying to decide how long to visit for.

Disneyland Ticket Types & Prices

Disneyland offers ticket types of up to five days. So this is naturally why guests will begin wondering how many days do you need for Disneyland? What is the perfect amount of days to spend at Disneyland?

Guests can purchase a 1-day, 2-day, 3-day, 4-day or 5-day ticket. Cost comes into play when figuring out how many days you need at Disneyland. For our purposes, I am going to look at the increase in price for each day you add to a Disneyland park hopper ticket. Here is the full breakdown of Disneyland ticket pricing for 1 Park per Day and multi-day tickets with park hopping.

Disneyland Adult Ticket Pricing 

Number of Days	1 Park Per Day	Park Hopper
1-Day Tickets	$104-$206	$169-$281
2-Day Tickets	$330	$415
3-Day Tickets	$415	$505
4-Day Tickets	$474	$569
5-Day Tickets	$511	$616

The tier of your ticket type is determined by the time of year that you visit. Busier times of year (Halloween, Christmas, Spring Break) will see more consistent highest-tier pricing while slower times of the year will reflect the lower-tier pricing.

See also which dates to avoid at Disneyland.

To increase your 1 Park Per Day multi-day ticket by one day, it's $85 between a 2-day and 3-day ticket while it only costs $59 to jump from a 3-day ticket to a 4-day ticket and $37 from a 4-day to a 5-day ticket.

So from a cost perspective, a 4-day or 5-day ticket becomes a good value as it costs less to add that extra day. Our travel partner, Get Away Today, also offers discounted tickets exclusively for our readers that have been price-matched to reflect the lowest Disneyland ticket prices we could find. They also often run specials where guests can get a 5th day free which is another good way to add another Disneyland day for a discount price.

Click here for our exclusive discount ticket pricing through Get Away Today!

Once you've decided on the max you're willing to pay for tickets, this will help give you the first indication of how many days at Disneyland you need.

Is Disneyland Park Hopping Worth It?

Whether or not you need a park hopper ticket depends on how many days you decide to spend at Disneyland. If you are only doing one day at Disneyland then you will need a park hopper ticket if you want to see both theme parks. Otherwise, you will only get to see one!

See our 1-day Disneyland itinerary for the best way to do just one day at Disneyland.

Disneyland and California Adventure are located directly next to each other so it takes literally less than five minutes to hop over to the next park. This is why park hopping at Disneyland is so much more convenient than park hopping at Walt Disney World where the theme parks are far apart from each other.

One instance where a park hopper ticket can easily be skipped is if you plan on doing at least 2-days at Disneyland but ideally 3 days or more. In this scenario, you could focus on each individual park on each day of your ticket and save that cost to park hop. It costs $65+ more per park ticket to add park hopping but this add-on cost varies depending on 1 day ticket tier and ticket duration. So while this cost isn't too expensive, it's still a cost that adds up especially if you have a larger family. For a family of four, that would be an additional $260+ for park hopping that could easily go towards the cost of other splurges like a World of Color dessert party!

How Many Days Do You Need at Disneyland?

Now that I've covered the Disneyland ticket prices and the benefits plus the price of park hopping, let's get to the heart of the issue. What is the perfect amount of days to spend at Disneyland?

If you want to see all the top attractions, shows, and nighttime spectaculars at both Disneyland and California Adventure then a 3-day park ticket is the perfect choice. If you add park hopping to that, you have even more flexibility. If you decide not to do park hopping, then you should plan on spending two of your park ticket days at Disneyland and one day at California Adventure. See our Disneyland 3-Day itinerary with Lightning Lane Multi Pass for guidance on how to best manage your time to see all of the top attractions, entertainment, and more during your vacation. 

If you want to see absolutely everything at Disneyland, this means all the attractions plus the hidden gems, character meet and greets, shows, and all the nighttime or seasonal experiences, a 5-day park ticket is the perfect choice. There is a nice benefit to a 5-day park ticket as you can really relax during your Disneyland trip and repeat your favorite attractions and experiences.

My first time taking my son to Disneyland, after I had not been since childhood, I chose a 5-day park ticket, and looking back it was the perfect amount of time for a first-time Disneyland visit. We were able to take long afternoon breaks to swim at our local Disneyland hotel and still managed to see everything we wanted to. I never felt too overwhelmed or rushed and had time to really feel comfortable navigating the theme parks. This is really the best way to see Disneyland!

But most guests might feel happy with just a 3-day park ticket which is why it's the most popular ticket type! This gives you extra time to incorporate other experiences into your Southern California vacation like a day at Universal Studios Hollywood or a trip to the California beaches.

Disneyland Busy Season

If you are visiting Disneyland during the popular Halloween season or Christmas season then this would be a reason to consider opting for the 5-day Disneyland ticket. These two holidays are becoming more popular than any other time of year which makes navigating the parks a bit more time-consuming and having the longest ticket type will help ensure you have the most time possible to see everything.

Seasonal holidays at Disneyland also come with different entertainment, food options, and sometimes ticketed parties. Allowing extra park days to see the special offerings can also be helpful so you do not miss out on anything special to that holiday.

The Halloween season, arguably one of the most popular times of the year, includes a special ticketed event called Oogie Boogie Bash which is a Halloween party at California Adventure. This Halloween party has different offerings from the regular theme park so you would also want a day at California Adventure to see the rest of the typical rides and shows. Having the 5-day ticket type really works out best when visiting during a holiday season so you can fit in all the must-see attractions and entertainment that is available year-round plus the special offerings.

How Many Days Do You Need for Disneyland Park?

Disneyland Park has over 50 attractions not including character meet and greets, parades, and fireworks. This doesn't even consider all the available dining options in the parks. There is so much to see and do in Disneyland that at a minimum I recommend at least two days to experience all the rides and entertainment plus take advantage of the best Disneyland dining.

How Many Days Do You Need at California Adventure?

California Adventure has fewer rides than Disneyland but it also features some of the most popular rides like Radiator Springs Racers. California Adventure is also known for its great dining options and its nighttime spectacular World of Color. California Adventure can be done in one day at a minimum but two days is the best to see everything in the park.

Do You Need a Ticket for Downtown Disney?

Downtown Disney is the free shopping and dining district that helps connect both Disneyland and California Adventure. It is easy enough to access since it is directly next to the parks. You do not need a theme park ticket for Downtown Disney.

Downtown Disney can easily be incorporated into your arrival day or added to a park day. It is so close to the parks that it takes no time at all to walk over and check out the shopping and dining. Read our thoughts on the best Downtown Disney dining to see why so many guests choose this area to dine in.

The best way to do Disneyland is with a 3-day park ticket to see all the top attractions in the resort but if you really want to see everything then I recommend a 5-say park ticket.

Ready to Plan Your Trip to Disneyland?

Keep reading our blog to keep you updated on everything you need to know to prepare for a Disney Parks vacation! We have a team of writers working hard to keep you updated weekly on events in the parks and tips for navigating the magic. Subscribe to our free deals newsletter to receive helpful planning information, exclusive Disney deals, and access to the lowest-priced Disney tickets anywhere. You can find more information on planning your vacation here:

• Discount Disneyland Ticket Guide
• Guide to Parades at Disneyland
• 1-Day Disneyland Itinerary
• Best Disneyland Hotels & Reviews
• 1-Day California Adventure Itinerary