PART TWO

ESSENTIALS

The BARE NECESSITIES

CREDIT CARDS

AMERICAN EXPRESS, MASTERCARD, VISA, Discover, and Japan Credit Bureau credit cards are accepted for theme-park admission. Disneyland shops, fast-food and counter-service restaurants, sit-down restaurants, and the Disneyland Resort hotels also accept all the cards listed above. Some vendor carts accept credit cards while others do not—ask before you order. Disney Visa cardholders can get a private character meet and greet in Disney California Adventure’s (DCA’s) Hollywood Land for the first 2 hours of each morning; the voucher you receive (one per card per day) is valid for a free 5-by-7-inch print of any PhotoPass photo with a character. Instant application kiosks can be found in Downtown Disney, with $50 gift cards often offered as an incentive to approved applicants.

RAIN

IF IT RAINS, GO ANYWAY; the bad weather will diminish the crowds. Additionally, most of the rides and attractions at the parks are under cover. Likewise, all but a few of the waiting areas are protected from inclement weather. Some outdoor attractions—such as Tom Sawyer’s Island, Mad Tea Party, Alice in Wonderland, Tarzan’s Treehouse, and Gadget’s Go Coaster at Disneyland Park, and Redwood Creek Challenge Trail and Golden Zephyr at DCA—may close for safety reasons in inclement weather. Roller coasters such as Big Thunder Mountain and California Screamin’ can operate in a drizzle but will close down if lightning is nearby. Fireworks are rarely canceled solely due to rain but may be scuttled by strong winds, and parades may be shortened or modified for safety. A father from Petaluma, California, recommends some supplemental supplies for wet weather, writing:

Ride operators make a token effort to use a shop vac or towels, but it’s good to have your own towel even on sunny days for the water ride seats. For multiday park touring in the rain, it is good to have a second pair of shoes to switch off every night at the hotel, allowing 24 hours to dry.

If you get caught in an unexpected downpour, raingear can be purchased at a number of shops. Whatever you do, don’t flee for the parking trams during a sudden thunderstorm, or you may find yourself in an unpleasant scene like this mother of two from Los Angeles:

It was pouring rain and the park rapidly emptied out with everyone heading for the trams that take you to the parking structure. There was complete chaos by the tram loading area [with] hundreds of people pushing and shoving—desperate to get on a tram and get out of there. The trams were arriving very sporadically and tempers were rising.

Instead, wait out the storm inside a self-paced indoor attraction, such as Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln, Main Street Cinema, or Innoventions at Disneyland Park, and Boudin bakery tour or Disney Animation at DCA.

VISITORS WITH SPECIAL NEEDS

DISABLED VISITORS Rental wheelchairs are available if needed just inside both parks’ main gates. Daily wheelchair rentals are $12 (manual) or $50 (electric); a $20 refundable deposit is required. Note that wheelchairs and electric convenience vehicles rented inside the parks are not permitted beyond the Esplanade. A limited supply of nonelectric wheelchairs which may be taken through the Downtown Disney district are available to rent at the three Disneyland Resort hotels.

Most rides, shows, attractions, restrooms, and restaurants are engineered to accommodate the disabled. For specific inquiries call image 714-781-7290. If you have an impairment that makes it difficult for you to stand in line and navigate stairs, or otherwise need special assistance, go to City Hall on Main Street in Disneyland Park or Guest Relations in the entrance plaza at DCA and ask for a Guest Assistance Card. These passes are free and available for the disabled visitor and up to five additional guests. You should not have to show a doctor’s note or proof of disability, but the card does not entitle you to skip the lines at attractions, as a traveler from Santa Clara notes:

Keep in mind that the Guest Assistance Pass will not necessarily cut down the time that you have to wait to board a given ride, but it will provide you with a more accessible way to board.

For guests with visual or auditory impairments, digital audio and Braille guides, assistive listening devices, captioning, and sign language services are also available through City Hall and Guest Relations. Trained service animals are welcome but must be kept on a leash at all times.

Close-in parking is available for the disabled; inquire when you pay your parking fee. Parking trams can accommodate guests who bring their own wheelchairs, and a special transportation van is also available (ask a parking lot cast member). Curbside drop-off is only available at the Harbor Boulevard entrance, near the stops for hotel shuttles and local buses. It may be challenging for disabled guests who don’t bring their own wheelchairs to walk from there into the parks. If you don’t think that you can travel the necessary distance, consider renting a chair or scooter for the length of your vacation from a third-party vendor who can deliver it to your hotel.

VISITORS WITH DIETARY RESTRICTIONS Guests on special or restricted diets, including those requiring kosher meals, can arrange for assistance at City Hall at Disneyland Park or at Guest Relations at DCA. These locations can also provide information on gluten-free menu options at restaurants in the resort. For special service at Disneyland Resort restaurants, call the restaurant 1 day in advance for assistance.

FOREIGN-LANGUAGE ASSISTANCE Translation services are available to guests who do not speak English. Inquire by calling image 714-781-7290 or visiting City Hall at Disneyland Park or at Guest Relations at DCA.

LOST ADULTS Arrange a plan for regrouping with those in your party should you become separated. Failing this, you can leave a message at City Hall or Guest Relations for your missing person. For information concerning lost children.

MESSAGES Messages for your fellow group members can be left at City Hall in Disneyland Park or at DCA Guest Relations.

CAR TROUBLE If you elected to decrease the chance of losing your keys by locking them in your car, or decided that your car might be easier to find if you left your lights on, you may have a little problem to deal with when you return to the parking lot. Fortunately, the security patrols that continually cruise the parking lots are equipped to handle these types of situations and can quickly put you back in business.

LOST AND FOUND The lost-and-found office is located in the Guest Services building in the Esplanade to the west of the park entrances. This location services both theme parks and the Downtown Disney complex. If you do not discover your loss until you have left the parks, call image 714-817-2166.

EXCUSE ME, BUT WHERE CAN I FIND …

SOME PLACE TO PUT ALL THESE PACKAGES? Lockers are available at both parks for $7–$15 per day, depending on size. A more convenient solution, if you plan to spend a minimum of 2 or more hours in the park, is to have the salesperson forward your purchases to Package Pickup. When you leave the park, they will be there waiting for you.

GROCERIES? Several convenience stores are on Harbor Boulevard near Disneyland, but no supermarkets are within easy walking distance. The closest store with a good selection is Food-4-Less at 1616 W. Katella Ave. about a mile west of Disneyland Resort. See food4less.com or call image 714-539-7497. Target is about a 5-minute drive south of Disneyland on Harbor. The adjacent Viva Bargain Center dollar store is a good place for cheap snacks and supplies.

A MIXED DRINK OR BEER? If you are in Disneyland Park, you are out of luck unless you’re lucky enough to have an ultraexpensive membership to the exclusive Club 33 hidden in New Orleans Square. You will have to exit the park and try one of the hotels or Downtown Disney. At DCA alcoholic beverages are readily available.

SOME RAINGEAR? At Disneyland, raingear is available at most shops but is not always displayed. You have to ask for it. Ponchos are $7 for adults and $6 for kids, and umbrellas are $10 and up.

A CURE FOR THIS HEADACHE? Aspirin and various other sundries can be purchased on Main Street at the Emporium in Disneyland Park and at Elias and Co. at the DCA entrance plaza (they keep them behind the counter, so you have to ask).

A PRESCRIPTION FILLED? Unfortunately, there is no place in Disneyland Resort to have a prescription filled. The nearest full-sevice pharmacy is the Walgreens on Harbor Boulevard at Chapman Avenue, about 1.5 miles south of Disneyland.

A DOCTOR? HouseCall Physicians (image 800-362-7911) will make house calls to your hotel room 24/7. The fee is $350 per house call plus incidentals (such as medications dispensed) payable at the time of the visit. The closest hospital to Disneyland is the University California Irvine Medical Center, which is about 2 miles distant at Chapman Avenue and City Drive. For dental emergencies, there is 7 Day Dental at 637 N. Euclid St. in Anaheim, image 714-793-8986 (24 hours).

SUNTAN LOTION? Suntan lotion and various other sundries can be purchased in Disneyland Park on Main Street at the Emporium and at Elias and Co. at the DCA entrance plaza (they keep them behind the counter, so you have to ask).

A SMOKE? You won’t find cigarettes for sale at Disneyland parks, and you’ll have a hard time finding a place to smoke any you bring with you. Smoking is strongly discouraged throughout the parks and resorts, though there are a few designated smoking areas.

FEMININE-HYGIENE PRODUCTS? These are available in most women’s restrooms at Disneyland Resort.

CASH? Basic banking services and foreign currency exchange are provided at City Hall in Disneyland Park, Guest Relations at DCA, Travelex in Downtown Disney, and the front desks of Disneyland hotels. At Travelex you can also exchange travelers’ checks or receive cash advances on MasterCard and Visa credit cards. ATMs can be found:

AT DISNEYLAND PARK

AT DOWNTOWN DISNEY

AT DISNEY CALIFORNIA ADVENTURE

A PLACE TO LEAVE MY PET? Pets are not allowed in the parks (except for assistance dogs). Kennels and holding facilities are provided for the temporary care of your pets and are located at the parking garage. If you are adamant, the folks at the kennels will accept custody of just about any type of animal. Owners of pets, exotic or otherwise, must themselves place their charge in the assigned cage. Small pets (mice, hamsters, birds, snakes, turtles, alligators, and the like) must arrive in their own escape-proof quarters. Kennels cost $20 per pet per day and are located at 1313 Harbor Blvd. For more information, call image 714-781-4565. There are several other details you may need to know:

A PLACE TO CHARGE MY CELL PHONE? Disneyland Park now offers special cell phone charging lockers under the Main Street train station. They cost $2 per hour, and you can pick one with common connectors built-in (iPhone, Android, and Blackberry) or a standard power outlet to use with your own charger. A few free accessible power outlets can be found around the parks (our favorites are along the stage in Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln, inside Miss Chris’s Cabin at Big Thunder Ranch, and in the balcony in the Golden Horseshoe); just be sure not to block traffic or remove any installed plugs or covers.

CAMERAS AND FILM? You can buy a disposable camera, with or without a flash, in both parks. You can buy film, digital memory cards, and batteries throughout the parks. If you’d rather let professionals take the pictures, Disney PhotoPass photographers are stationed at scenic spots around the parks. They’ll take your snapshot with their camera (and yours, if you request) for free, and then hand you a PhotoPass identification card, which you can continue using during your vacation. Then stop by Main Street Photo Supply in Disneyland Park or Kingswell Camera Shop in DCA (go at midafternoon to avoid long lines), or log onto disneyphotopass.com within 30 days of your visit to preview and purchase all your pictures. You can purchase prints individually ($15 and up) along with books, mugs, and mouse pads. Or order a photo CD with all of your high-resolution pictures for about $70, and print them at your local drugstore for less. For $100 ($70 if ordered online in advance of your trip) Photopass+ combines your PhotoCD with a CD of stock images and free printed photos at select rides and character restaurants.