Finally. You are at Disneyland.

Congratulations on your arrival. Let’s get started on why we came here .

Fun. Family fun. The kind we will remember and talk about for years.

So… a few suggestions.

Did you get that rental car? Parking at Disneyland isn’t inexpensive – $15 a day for cars. If your hotel is close enough, walking may be an option to consider. If you didn’t get a rental car, there are shuttles from area hotels. $4 a day gets you unlimited use of the ART bus system. And your hotel will have the passes for sale.

Cell Phone(s). Do you really need to have it turned on? Are you “on-call” for work, even though you’re on vacation? If so, well, I share that pain. But if I didn’t have to have it, I wouldn’t. Got by for a long time before just fine without it.

Best to plan ahead and turn it on later to check for messages. Personally, I really don’t like waiting for an attraction, only to hear someones phone go off with that unilaterally annoying ring tone. And your oh so important conversation? Ditto.

As to Sissy and her texting fixation? Give her one to make her friends jealous that she’s at Disneyland and then, cut her off. She can experience the Park just fine without the need to text every 30 seconds. Remember, she’s here with family. She can check in later in the day as well. And cell service in some areas of Disneyland, truly sucks. I don’t have time to go into all the details, but in some places, we’re talking no bars of service. Dead, dead, deadski…

Another word on electronics. Don’t try to spend your day seeing Disneyland through the viewfinder of a camera. Still or video. Make a few photos or videos here and there. Quality not quantity. If you want a memorable family photo, look for the Disneyland PhotoPass photographers all about the parks. You will also find them with most character meet and greets around the park. A great way to get that picture with the favorite character. Have the photographer take the picture with their camera and then ask for one to be taken with your camera. Get the whole family into the shot. (There is no commitment to purchase the photo, but you might want to after seeing how it comes out.)

Planning your day. Remember those park maps I mentioned? Get yours at the admission gates. And grab a schedule of park entertainment, too. These small paper treasures will easily answer more questions than a Disney message board weasel in a fit of wild rabid fandom. Trust me, that ain’t a pretty thing.

Disney also offers a free DVD to help you plan you time at the parks. A good way to help cut down on some of the in person overload is to watch this and see what lies in store.

While we’re on the subject of questions, if you want to know anything, ask a cast member. These folks are easily spotted by their Disneyland name tags. If they don’t know they answer to a question, they will find out for you. Also the best people to turn to if you need help of any kind. Especially emergencies.

Now, another tidbit of wisdom. Don’t expect to do everything at Disneyland in one day. On a normal busy summer day, no one can. So don’t hurt yourself trying to. Instead pick and choose things that the family can all do together.

Now some attractions do have a height restriction. The famed “You must be at least this tall to ride this attraction.” Safety is the reason for this and a darned good idea too. They tend to vary by attraction, so check this list to be sure what rides will be among those everyone in the family can enjoy.

What to do first? Remember that the most popular attractions will have the longest lines. Don’t worry about those. Instead, take advantage of the Fast Pass system. This allows you to get a pass to skip the wait by returning at a specific time. Example? Star Tours. Right now, the hottest of the hot attraction in Disneyland. If I were you, this is the first Fast Pass of the day to get. And once in hand, it tells you how soon you can get another one for another attraction. These can be your best friends on a busy day.

Food? Oh, I thought you would never ask. Let’s eat! Except, everyone else in Disneyland has the same idea at the same time. Try to think out of the box here. Don’t plan lunch at noon or dinner at six. You’ll be able to enjoy meal times if you eat earlier or later. Disneyland has far more to offer than just hamburgers or deep fried snacks. Again, from the web site, choices that meet every taste. Even heart healthy meals and tasty, too! Not to say that Disneyland doesn’t offer all kinds of tempting treats. A must try is the newly opened Jolly Holiday Bakery. Oh, those desserts! Yumola.

Disney offers reservations for some of the more popular dining choices. If you are looking to enjoy a sit-down meal inside either park or in Downtown Disney, this is a good option. Giving yourself a break by sitting and enjoying the meal can be a treat all it’s own.

Some suggestions, you ask? In Disneyland, I like to enjoy the places that are a bit off the beaten path. That doesn’t mean less crowded, just less along the main routes through the park. Redd Rocketts Pizza Port in Tomorrowland offers pizza, pasta and salads and a place to sit down inside or out. Rancho del Zocalo in Frontierland carries on offering the usual Americanized versions of Mexican food – tacos, enchiladas, burritos and the tostada salad. Again seating inside or out. Disney makes good use of what they call “buffeteria” style dining all throughout the park. Passing along the line, you can order or select your meal choices. Others include the Plaza Inn on Main Street, the River Belle Terrace in Frontierland and the French Market in New Orleans Square. The last offers some great “live” jazz at various times throughout the day.

Shopping? A mixed blessing in my mind. You can find plenty of the same merchandise all throughout both Disneyland and California Adventure. In fact, you can find the same items for sale all over the parks. Think over a purchase that will require you to carry it with you for more than a few hours. Especially it the item is something breakable. Disney does have storage lockers you can rent for the day. Some of them are now even equipped as charging stations with 110v outlets and USB ports. A good place to stow sweatshirts or jackets for later if the weather might cool down enough.

Disneyland’s busiest time for shopping? Would you believe after midnight??? The shops on Main Street stay open one hour after park closing. And on some nights, they need every minute to make those last minute sales. Do yourself a favor and avoid those moments if you can.

And if you are shopping and you are asked if you have an annual pass, not to worry. Those folks who are lucky enough to live close enough to visit more than once in a while may have annual passes. These offer admission (some with restrictions on dates available, especially in the summer) and some discounts – especially for merchandise and food. Don’t feel left out as Disney sometimes offers special discounts to everyone. Check those receipts to see if one is mentioned.

The best advice I can offer is to take a break. If you start your day at park opening (usually 8 am during summer months), a trip back to the hotel can be a great restorative. Think 2 pm or so. A dip in the hotel pool or just getting off your feet for a while can do wonders. Of course, if the hotel has a bar, a smart cocktail won’t hurt either. Thus refreshed, you can hit the parks ready to go until closing (again usually at midnight in summer months). I’ve also seen both kids and adults for whom that afternoon nap would have been a good idea. You’ll see them too, dragging themselves around the park as the night grows longer. Even a hour can work wonders!

Night time at Disneyland! Some of the most magical moments of the day are during this time. Check the Entertainment schedule to see what is offered on the days of your visit. Fireworks at Disneyland have been a summer tradition for years. 9:30 pm. You can set your watch by them.Good places to see them from? Try a spot on Main Street near the Partner’s statue (Walt and Mickey) in the middle of the Hub (so called because the lands of the Park extend like spokes on a wheel from there). Best to find a spot to stand and expect to stay there until after the fireworks end.

Now a word of warning about fireworks. Disneyland will cancel shows if winds above the park make fireworks unsafe for the night. Same for rain or even low fog. So, on nights like these, don’t be surprised if you hear an announcement before the show starts about possible cancellation.

If you happen to walk through Frontierland or New Orleans Square before dusk, you may notice a lot of people lining up along the Rivers of America. Why? Well, this is where Fantasmic is performed. A night time spectacular makes the river and Tom Sawyers Island into the stage where it happens. It makes extensive use of images projected on fountains of water. On windy nights, all those folks who have waited and are standing next to the river? Oh, they get wet. And even some folks further back, too. My hint for seeing this show? Wait for the second performance at 10:30 pm. You can come in after the first show and find a good spot to watch from either the River Belle Terrace or from one of the terraces in front of New Orleans Square. But be nice! Plenty of other folks will have the same ideas.

Across the way in California Adventure  you will find World of Color. Call this Fantasmic’s big brother if you will.  A great show with plenty of action using lights, fountains and again images projected on screens of misting water. Lot’s and lot’s of misting water. Odds are if you see this show, you will get wet. If you don’t already have one, get a rain poncho before the show or you’ll probably buy that souvenir beach towel after the show.

As wet as folks get, this is one popular show. On some peak attendance nights in summer, Disney may even add a third show to the schedule. Best bet is to get that Fast Pass earlier in the day to save your place for a performance later that night. Again, go with the second or third show and spend your time doing something other than waiting. Disney also offers some dining packages just for World of Color that include passes. From sit-down dining to picnic meals, there are options that work well for everyone.

So, a second park at Disneyland? Indeed there is and that is why the 3-day Park Hopper pass was invented. This pass lets you do just what it says. You can hop between the two parks at any time during the length of the pass. Busy at Disneyland? Think about checking out California Adventure. Some really fun attractions here with something for everyone. Originally, the park was designed to offer guests a glimpse of California without having to make the trip away from Anaheim. Now, the theme has guests visiting the California that Walt Disney encountered when he came west from Kansas City in 1923. It also mixes in some of the newer parts of the Disney canon with the addition of Carsland (a.k.a. Radiator Springs) from the Pixar “Cars” films. That opens this summer (June 15th to be precise) after a major renovation of the park. Expect plenty of folks looking to check the park out this summer with everything new to take in.

I’ve been asked from time to time about how young is too young for Disneyland? Well, as a parent, you should have an idea as to how your little campers will react. A day at Disneyland can be a sensory overload – even for adults! To a small child, Mickey can frightening simply because he is bigger and something never encountered before. Consider past experience your guide. If your child has done well in situations with a lot going on all the same time, that first Disneyland visit should be a good one for all. If not, you may want to think about waiting a while.

And with children of any age? That mid-day break is the right thing to do. I have seen far too many small children being carried through the parks at night as limp bundles. When they are worn out, it is time to head for for the hotel. You’re not creating memories for anyone by carrying a sleeping child around Disneyland. Same goes for cranky. Small children, tweens, teens and adults all have a point where too much is enough. Better to rest and enjoy tomorrow than continuing on.

I know this is only the tip of the proverbial iceberg of secrets about a visit to Disneyland. But I hope that some of these things will help make your time in Anaheim go that much smoother. I said it before and I’ll say it again.

Remember. You’re at Disneyland. Not everyone can say that.

Relax and enjoy yourself. Don’t try to do everything. You can’t. And you will only end up miserable if you try to.

Take it all one step at a time. You’ll be glad you did.

So, yesterday, we followed our mythical family of 4 from Peoria on their whirlwind trip to Disneyland. And saw all of the wrong things to do. Today, you will reap the benefit of many years and many visits to the Happiest Place on Earth.

First and foremost, remember one very important point.

Your visit to Disneyland is supposed to be fun for everyone.

Second, no plan for a Disneyland visit succeeds with out flexibility. If something doesn’t go exactly to the minute as planned, don’t worry about it. After all, you are at Disneyland. Not everyone can say that.

Moving forward, let’s return to yesterday’s misadventure and try to set things right that once went wrong.

There is nothing wrong with the “once-in-a-lifetime” visit to Disneyland. But two days may not be enough time to take it all in. Especially if you plan to enjoy California Adventure and Disneyland. Start here and think about adding that third day or even a half day.

I know that everyone likes to think about making a trip just after school lets out. That is the problem. Everyone does. So look down the calendar a bit and consider something later in the summer. If you have never been to Anaheim before, you might want to start here – the Anaheim/Orange County Visitors and Convention Bureau. Plenty of good information here to give you an idea of what to expect. Remember, Disneyland is part of Anaheim – not the other way around. One item that may really help on the web site is the conventions calendar. Once you have a date in mind, check there to see if a big convention may be in town during your chosen dates. During these larger events, convention attendees will likely bring families so hotels may be full near the Anaheim Convention Center as well as Disneyland. Once you have spent time checking the web site and have dates in mind, move on to airfares.

Don’t be shy here. Use those Internet search tools to do the work for you. Priceline, Expedia, Travelocity, Orbitz… all of them. And look into a package deal while you are searching. Consider booking airfares, hotel and rental cars or airport shuttles all at the same time to save money. But don’t just book on what you find. Compare pricing for yourself to see if you really save.

And if you belong to an Auto Club like AAA, they have some deals from time to time that you might want to check into. Especially if your trip is off-season!

Another resource not to overlook when searching for less expensive airfares? Family and friends. Does Uncle Fred ever use all of those Frequent Flyer miles he has accumulated over the years? Some plans allow miles to be gifted. Maybe he will share some with you. Never hurts to ask before you go buying tickets.

In these days of high fuel costs, airlines don’t offer some of the deep discounts they used to. And they have fewer flights now meaning fuller aircraft. But if you check, some airlines offer deals for flying on certain days. Southwest, as an example, has a calendar on their web site to search for such dates. If you can be flexible in your travel dates, you might save a bit on those four airfares that way.

A final point on air travel. Anaheim is not exactly right next to any airport. Orange County or John Wayne may be the closest in Irvine. But don’t diss other choices. Long Beach is almost as close and has freeway access almost as easy as Orange County. Los Angeles? Worth considering if you get a deal. Burbank and Ontario are also in the LA basin but both a bit farther out than one would like. Having made far too many trips from Burbank to Anaheim by freeway, I would say pass on that as a choice if your Southern California visit will be solely to Anaheim.

Which leads to rental cars. To rent or not to rent? That is the question. Depending on if you found a good deal or not may decide for you. The rental companies all have customer loyalty programs that you can sign up for any time. Many offer discounts or upgrades that will help you decide what works for you and yours. Also worth considering are airport shuttle services. Again, shop around and see who may have pricing that works best for you.

All done planning? Not yet. Travel Insurance. For this “once-in-a-lifetime” experience, this may be the best thing you can do. Anything that you can think of that might go wrong has already done so for thousands of others. Everything from canceled or delayed flights to lost luggage and unexpected hospital stays (another story for another day) is covered by some of the plans offered. Again, if you belong to an Auto Club, check into the coverage they offer. You won’t have to buy one of their Disney packages to get the travel insurance. You might even have some coverages already you don’t know about such as AAA Plus membership.

Don’t forget the family pets when planning. Will a neighbor or friend who has met them before be coming over to take care of their needs? Or is boarding the cat or dog a best option? This is as important as anything you do for yourself in planning for this event.

Disneyland tickets. Yes, there are plenty of scam artists out there. The rule here is if something seems too good of a bargain, it likely is not a bargain. Don’t buy partially used tickets from anyone or participate in sharing tickets with someone. You just don’t know what you are getting. Especially on eBay or Craigslist. You stand a good chance of them being expired or not honored by Disneyland.

Instead, make use of some of the same resources mentioned above. Your Auto Club or Costco may have discounted Disneyland passports. But you cannot go wrong by buying them direct from Disneyland through the web site. You will receive an e-mail with a confirmation that you will show at the ticket gate. The cast member (Disney staff are called cast members as they bring the magic of the show to guests, just as if this were a performance; which of course, every day at a Disney theme park is.) at the gate will scan the confirmation and exchange it for your pass, good for the length purchased. In the case of our family of four, I would suggest that the 3-Day Park Hopper Pass is just right. That gives time to take things in at a less hectic pace.

Many hotels in the area are part of Disneyland’s Good Neighbor program and may have passports available for sale in the lobby. If you want to avoid waits buying tickets at the Parks, this is another good option.

At this point, you should also see what Disneyland has to offer. Check out the web pages and get to know the lay of the lands. Pick some things that you really want to do in advance and plan the day around those. Also note the Entertainment calendar. It lets you know about parades, shows and fireworks. Don’t be surprised, be ready to enjoy!

Disneyland also now has smartphone apps and a mobile website. Plenty of information to check out before you go as well as a resource when you are at the Parks.

All set? The big day is coming. Do yourself a favor. Pack intelligently. Pack light and only what you really need. Think over what is going into that suitcase. Same goes for a carry on bag or backpack. Don’t over do it.

Plan to pack ahead. Don’t wait until the night before to do that last load of wash. Get a good nights sleep and be ready to travel the next day. (If you can. You’re going to Disneyland!!!)

Documents. Have copies of all of your flight, hotel, rental car information. You don’t need a briefcase to carry it all in, but be sure you can provide information when asked for it.

Bringing a camera? Digital or film, have supplies for both before you go. Batteries especially.

Medications. A lesson learned here. Always travel with a list of your medications. Over the counter as well as perscription. If something happens and you don’t have your medications, you can refer to this as a back up. On that list be sure to include perscription numbers. If you use a national chain pharmacy, that helps expedite replacement. And be sure you have your doctors information on that list as well. Trust me. You never know…

The day has arrived. It is time to go.

Don’t panic.

Breakfast? Something healthy and quick at home if time allows. Just as they say, it is the most important meal of the day. If not think options. Breakfast bars or something simple you can munch at the airport or on the plane works. My Disneyland traveling companion likes to pack a fritatta for those mornings. Can’t beat that for simple and healthy, too.

A good rule of thumb these days is to be at the airport two hours ahead of your scheduled departure time. That gives you plenty of time for the following. Parking, airline check in, TSA screening, getting to your departure gate, aircraft boarding and take off. But you would be surprised just how many people think that they can do all of this in less than an hour before the departure time. That, my friends, is the easiest way to start your trip on one very sour note.

Again, plan ahead. Are you parking on or off of the airport property? Many airports have off-property parking lots. Some even offer discounts on their web sites. The Internet, who knew… And they have shuttles that take you from parking to the airport. Even better, have someone drive you to the airport and pick you up when you return.

Airline check in. Did you know that many airlines offer you the opportunity to do this from home? Especially if you are not checking any luggage. The Internet, who knew… But if you have the time and your airline offers checked luggage service (with out cost) this is not the evil one might assume. Personally, that is one less item I have to worry about dragging through the airport. And it allows me to bring on one smaller carry on bag (and one personal item such as my camera or laptop bag). Be sure to double check your departure gate assignment. It may have changed.

TSA screening. You’re on your own here. If you want to fly, you can’t avoid this. So, just go with the flow. Photo ID and boarding pass out, just grin and bear it. I try to dress so that this can be a minimal disruption. Shoes that don’t require laces to start. Clear out the pockets and don’t wear a belt. Remember, any thing metal sets off the alarms and slows the process. I tend to load up the pockets of my coat with everything I need including the cell phone. If I have done everything right, two plastic tubs carries all my stuff through the bag scanner – including shoes, hat, jacket and camera. The small carry-on bag can go solo without the tub. But if you bring the laptop, it has to come out of the bag and go in a tub for processing. Seriously, if you don’t really need it, leave the laptop home. I use my smart phone to read e-mail and do Facebook on the road without too much trouble.

All done? Gather everyone and head off to that gate. But a bathroom stop before boarding is always a good idea. And if you’re thirsty don’t spend that $5 on a bottle of water before boarding. Ask a flight attendant for one when you board instead. Depending on your flight time, you may not want to fill up anyway.

So, there. You’ve done it. You’re on the plane ready to go. But maybe your aircraft isn’t. Don’t worry. You can’t help fix the plane, even if you’re an aircraft mechanic. Sit back and relax. You’ll get there eventually.

Okay, so I can hear you asking. What airline does Roger fly and what airports to and from. Being in the San Francisco Bay Area, I have three choices of airports. San Francisco, Oakland and San Jose. As to airlines, it tends to be Jet Blue (to Long Beach) or Southwest (to Orange County). Over the years, I have flown to LAX (LA), Burbank and Ontario as well on a number of air carriers. Way back when, PSA (later US Airways) had service from Buchanan Field in Concord to LAX. And deals could be had. I miss only living 10 minutes away from the airport. Now it is price that decides what and when we fly. (My one and only Walt Disney World trip was on United from San Jose via Denver to Orlando. Again price was the major factor.)

If available out of Oakland, Jet Blue wins most every time. It is just easier all around. And Long Beach (so far) is easy to get into and out of, even with all of the construction of new terminal facilities.

I’ll be back tomorrow to finish up with some tips on how to enjoy your days at Disneyland.