This year’s NNA 2016 Conference is taking place in Anaheim, California — and attendees won’t want to miss the chance to visit nearby Disneyland. As a regular visitor to the “Happiest Place on Earth,” I thought I’d share some hard-earned tips to help Notaries and their families get the most out of their trip.
1. Plan ahead — use the Disneyland mobile app
Trying to fit in all the rides, shows and events you want to experience at Disneyland can be overwhelming, especially if you’re on a tight schedule. Disneyland’s free mobile app is an indispensable tool to help you plan your visit.
The app provides you with a map of Disneyland and the adjoining California Adventure theme park with the location of rides, restaurants, guest services such as ATMs or storage lockers and where you can take photos with popular characters like Mickey and Minnie Mouse. The app will even let you know how long the current wait time is for each ride.
2. Take Advantage Of NNA 2016 Disneyland Perks
Special ticket prices for Disneyland are available for confirmed NNA 2016 registrants — please email conference@nationalnotary.org for more information. For the convenience of Conference attendees, the Hyatt Regency Orange County also provides a shuttle service to Disneyland every 30 minutes for hotel guests.
An all-day shuttle pass is $5 per person for hotel guests ages 11 and older, and $2 for children ages 4-10. Guests can purchase shuttle passes at the hotel front desk.
3. Use the FASTPASS system for busy rides
Popular rides like Star Tours, It’s A Small World and Pirates of the Caribbean tend to be swamped with long lines throughout the day. However, many rides have an option called FASTPASS, which allows you to reserve a time to come back to the ride later in the day in exchange for a shorter wait.
FASTPASS distribution booths are found near the entrance of busy rides. Select a time option at the booth that works for you and you will receive a printed pass with the time you’ve chosen. Come back to the ride then and you’ll be admitted to the FASTPASS queue to get on the ride more quickly.
4. Choose where you want to eat before your visit — and make reservations early
Mealtimes can be very busy at Disneyland and the adjoining California Adventure theme park. The Disneyland park restaurants tend to fill up very quickly at peak lunch and dinner times.
Some of the more popular dining venues, like the Blue Bayou restaurant in New Orleans Square, may require making a reservation weeks or even months ahead, so if you know you want a fancier dining experience, be sure to contact the restaurant well before your trip. The Disneyland phone app also provides information on restaurants in the park, including price, availability and type of food and service offered.
If the restaurants in the parks prove too busy, consider visiting the restaurants at Downtown Disney, the shopping area next door. There are several good restaurants located there, and it’s sometimes easier to exit Disneyland, grab a meal at Downtown Disney and return rather than trying to eat inside the park.
Downtown Disney is only a few minutes’ walk from the parks, or you can even use the Disneyland monorail to catch a ride to the shopping area and eateries and then return to the park when you’re done. However be advised: The monorail is closed temporarily at night during the evening fireworks show. Also, be sure to get a hand stamp when you exit the park so that you can re-enter after your meal.
David Thun is an Associate Editor at the National Notary Association. He frequently visits Disneyland at the insistence of his daughter, who’s a big fan of Minnie Mouse.
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