Visitors Share Their Best Day at Disneyland and What Made It Memorable

Some of my favorite core memories have occurred at the Disney theme parks. Between visiting Disneyland as a kid and watching some of my favorite movies come to life, to taking my husband to Disney for the first time and watching a 28 year old become a kid again. Although there are so many fun things to do at Disneyland, some of the best memories can take place because of who you're with or when a cast member goes out of their way to create a little extra magic.

We asked our Facebook page followers about their best day at Disneyland and what made it so special. Many guests claimed their favorite day is everyday at Disneyland, or when they took their kids or grandchildren to the parks for the first time. Other guests claimed riding classic Disneyland attractions or meeting their favorite Disney characters contributed to their favorite day at Disneyland. Many stated their most memorable Disneyland trip was getting engaged in front of Sleeping Beauty castle or even getting news that they were expecting a new baby!

We read so many amazing stories that we had to highlight some of our favorites along with our recommendations on how to recreate some of these magical moments. Although spending time with loved ones, or even by yourself, at Disneyland can be an incredible experience in itself, there are also certain extras you can book to make the trip extra special! Below are some several examples of what visitors say were their best days at Disneyland and what specifically made these trips so memorable.

Visiting Disneyland During Christmas

Several followers claimed that their favorite Disneyland trip was during Christmas. Facebook user Michael Danner stated their favorite trip to Disneyland was, “The first time my wife and I were able to bring all four of our kiddos to Disneyland. It was our first major family vacation. It ended up being during Christmas time and we were able to spend Christmas Day at Disneyland. We never thought that we would be able to do something like that, but we worked so hard to get where we are and to be able to give our kids a memory like that was truly amazing!”

We absolutely love visiting Disneyland during Christmas, and I can see why many others do too. The special holiday decorations, parades, fireworks, and holiday overlays on several attractions make Disneyland extra magical. I personally love the holiday overlays during Christmas on Haunted Mansion and it's a small world, as well as Mater's Junkyard Jamboree and Luigi's Rollickin' Roadsters in Disney California Adventure.

The holiday season usually kicks off shortly after Halloween, and guests can see holiday decorations as early as Halloween night. Disneyland goes all out during the holiday season, and guests can experience the season throughout November, December, and early January.

Meeting Favorite Characters

I always love hearing stories about guests meeting their favorite characters at Disneyland, whether they are five years old or 50! Facebook user Susan Hebert commented her favorite day at Disneyland was: “Going to Galaxy's Edge and meeting my favorite Star Wars characters! Especially Ahsoka Tano!”

Disneyland is known for having some of the best character meet and greets. Not only are there designated meet and greet areas that you can find on the Disneyland Mobile App, but there are also many characters that wander around the parks and interact with guests. Additionally, guests can have opportunities to meet special characters are various after hours events at Disneyland, known as Disney After Dark. These events range in various themes which in the past have included Star Wars Nite, Sweethearts' Nite, Pride Nite, Villains Nite, and Disney Channel Nite. Each of these events are truly one of a kind experiences and give guests a different view of the park. The events take place either at Disneyland or Disney California Adventure and usually run somewhere between 9 PM and 1 AM. Guests with tickets to these events can enter the park three hours early and take advantage of seeing the fireworks or riding attractions before the event begins! Most importantly, there are almost always rare character meet and greets during these events that can make your next trip to Disneyland extra memorable.

READ MORE – We Wish These 8 Rare Disneyland After Dark Characters Would Appear in the Parks Year-Round

Many also said their favorite day at Disneyland was when they got to celebrate a special occasion such as an anniversary or birthday. Facebook user Michelle Stewart wrote “I went with my parents on my birthday and we got the dessert package for the fireworks. The cast member in our section had everyone sing happy birthday to me!”

We always recommend that guests make time to enjoy all of the fireworks and nighttime shows at Disneyland and Disney California Adventure. Although these shows are included with the price of admission, there are a couple of options to upgrade your fireworks experience through a dessert party or dining option. The nighttime show at Disney California Adventure is called World of Color and is one of my personal favorite nighttime shows. It is absolutely breathtaking and features many beloved Disney characters and songs in a colorful water display in Paradise Bay in front of Pixar Pier. There is an option for a dessert package to enjoy World of Color in preferred seating along with delicious refreshments, including both alcoholic and non-alcoholic, as well as an assortment of snacks. This dessert package can make celebrating a special occasion at Disneyland extra memorable!

Disneyland's nighttime spectacular, Fantasmic!, is also a must-do! This show takes place on select nights on Rivers of America in Frontierland. This show starring Mickey Mouse features daring heroes and villains battle on a grand scale inside Mickey's imagination. Disneyland recently announced various Fantasmic! dining packages in which guests can pre-pay for dinner and preferred seating for Fantasmic!. For guests planning on dining at a table service restaurant and enjoying the popular show, we highly recommend considering a dining package.

Special Cast Member Interactions

While you can't necessarily plan on special interactions with characters or cast members, you can always count on them going out of their way to make your day special. Despite working long hours on their feet, you can always count on Disneyland cast members doing their very best to make your trip special. Facebook user Amy Lovejoy stated that one of her favorite Disneyland memories was when “a cast member asked my daughter, dressed as Aurora, for HER autograph!” These and many other cast member interactions are a huge part of what can make Disneyland trips stand out from other vacations.

Another Facebook user, Erica Westphal, stated “making friends with cast members got me and my friends some real amazing experiences, and fun souvenirs! Did you know that all of the vehicles at Luigi's have a personality and a name? Ask one of the cast members to look at the car sheet that shows the different names and license plates! And ask them about the inside display at Luigi's! I cannot say enough about the cast members in Cars Land”. The cast members at Disneyland are top notch with their passion for the Disney parks, knowledge, and magic-making abilities for guests, and it's always so important to show our appreciation in return!

During any trip to the Disney parks, I try to use any opportunity to give a cast member an official compliment. There are several ways to do this, including through social media with the hashtag #CastCompliment, however a much easier way is through the Disneyland mobile app! To access the mobile cast compliment feature, search “cast compliment” in the Disneyland app. From there, you can choose a compliment category from a drop-down menu, along with adding the cast member's name and hometown which is featured on their name tag. Guests can also add the date of the interaction which made their day special, and that cast member's leader will be alerted so that the cast member can receive a special recognition. Even if you didn't catch the cast member's name or hometown, you are able to describe the interaction as well as the location, and they can usually narrow down the cast member. 

Eating Disneyland Snacks

Last but certainly not least, many guests wrote that eating Disneyland snacks made their trip memorable! I definitely agree that going to Disneyland for the amazing restaurants and snacks makes for a great trip. Comments related to snacks included eating dole whip, the fried pickles at Carnation Café, churros, and even getting a prize for buying the first pickle of the day, like Facebook user Sarah Gilmour experienced. Disneyland brings a whole new meaning to theme park food that simply can't be recreated at other parks.

Although it can be extremely hard to decide on which restaurants you want to enjoy during your Disneyland vacation, it's hard to go wrong with whatever restaurant you choose. If you plan on making table-service restaurant reservations, we highly recommend doing so 60 days before your trip. Also, be sure to check out our ranking of the best Disneyland restaurants to help you decide! For those with a sweet tooth, we've also compiled a ranking of our favorite Disneyland desserts.

I have many close friends and family members that simply love going to Disney for the snacks because of their unique and ever changing menus throughout the year. For those who consider themselves foodies, definitely make sure to plan a trip to Disney California Adventure Park during their Food & Wine Festival, where there are even more unique food and drinks to enjoy. Guests can also enjoy beverage education and tasting seminars during the Food & Wine Festival, which takes place in March and April each year.

READ MORE – Here Are the Attractions We Want Disneyland to Bring Back to the Parks

There are several retired Disneyland attractions and entertainment offerings from the past that visitors remember fondly. While some may be gone for good, there are others that could eventually return…see if you agree with our list of the attractions and shows we wish would return to Disneyland!

READ MORE – Disneyland Pros Know Not to Ignore These 10 Overlooked Food Items at the Parks

We visit Disneyland weekly and have tried all of the most popular food items at the parks. Although you are probably familiar with the popular items such as dole whip or churros, there may be others that are easy to miss. Therefore, we've compiled a list of the top 10 most overlooked food items at the Disneyland parks that you absolutely must try on your next trip!