Our D100 Park Plan at Disneyland Resort

by Mommy Frog on March 29, 2023 Los Angeles

D100 Park Plan at DisneylandDisney 100 brings new shows, food, merchandise, character outfits and a new ride (in a newly reimagined land) to Disneyland Resort this year! We’ve come up with a D100 park plan to take you through your day, so you don't miss out on any platinum celebration fun. You can do it all in one day with a park hopper ticket, or split it up between two or three days, so you can see one nighttime spectacular per night and take your time. No matter how you divide your time, our D100 park plan will take you through your magical day seamlessly.

Our D100 Park Plan at Disneyland Resort

1. Set Alarms

There is a virtual queue you can attempt to join for World of Color — ONE. Set your alarms the night before. If you have a Disney California Adventure reservation or a park hopper reservation starting at Disney California Adventure, set your alarm for 11:55 a.m. to be ready for the chance to join the virtual queue at noon. Read more about this process in our virtual queues post, as these boarding groups can fill up quickly.

You must be inside one of the theme parks to be eligible to join this queue, whether it be Disney California Adventure, or starting in Disneyland with a park hopper. If you want to watch fireworks and then World of Color, aim to watch the second World of Color showing. Unfortunately, there is not a tried-and-true way to accomplish this. What we usually do when trying to join the virtual queue for the second show is delay hitting the “Join” button for a couple of seconds once the queue becomes available. But the groups can fill up at different speeds on different days.

2. Arrive at Rope Drop

D100 Park Plan at Disneyland - Donald and Daisy

Arriving at rope drop, which is the actual park opening time, is the best way to maximize time at Disneyland. Whether you want short ride wait times for the next hour or two, or to meet all the characters in Town Square in their D100 outfits, being at the park for rope drop is the way to go. It's also one of the best times to get that pristine castle photo.

D100 Park Plan at Disneyland

3. Get Genie+ or Purchase Individual Lightning Lanes

If you do not have a Genie+ ticket, you can purchase it in the Disneyland app on the day of your visit. It will allow you to use the Lightning Lane for select rides and save time by skipping the lines.

4. Do Souvenir Shopping Early

D100 Park Plan at Disneyland - Goofy and D100 merch

You can drop your packages off in a locker, for free (with a receipt) at a few stores in the park, or at the stroller shop in the Esplanade, for later pickup. You can even wear your new items in the park if you want! Don’t save D100 shopping until the end of the night when they may not have your size or style. Here's a guide to the Disney 100 merchandise.

5. Plan Ahead for Meals and Snacks

If you do not have dinner reservations, you are probably relying on quick-service restaurants. Order lunch in the morning and order dinner around lunchtime. Assess the best time for you to eat between entertainment and pre-order your food. You’ll be glad you did when food lines are long and mobile order windows are long after dinner time.

6. Visit Mickey's Toontown and Have a Picnic

D100 Park Plan - Mickey's Toontown

The new ride, Mickey and Minnie's Runaway Railway, debuted Jan. 27, 2023, when D100 kicked off, but now all of the reimagined Mickey's Toontown is open! Because there is so much for the tadpoles to do, we suggest spending a good chunk of time in the afternoon, as a way to recharge. You could even grab a picnic lunch, as there are two brand-new eateries to dine from.

7. Watch the Magic Happens Parade

D100 Park Plan at Disneyland - fairies

The Magic Happens parade usually kicks off at 3:30 and 6:30 p.m. Check the show calendar for your visit. Generally, you’ll need to get in place early for this parade.

8. Have Dinner

D100 Park Plan at Disneyland - D100 potato cheeseburger

Don't froget to eat dinner before you need to get in place for nighttime spectaculars. We suggest making reservations or mobile ordering in advance to eat around 5 to 6 p.m. That way, you'll have time for a quick bathroom break, and can enjoy a show with a satisfied belly. Plan your dining experience between the parade and nighttime spectacular showtimes. Once you get in place for shows, it's hard to move around the park.

9. Get in Place for Wondrous Journeys (running through Aug. 31, 2023)

D100 Park Plan at Disneyland - Wondrous journeys

This show features fireworks on select nights and only projections on others. Nights with fireworks (usually weekends) will naturally be more crowded. You may need to stake out a spot hours in advance, especially if you want to watch the show from a spot near the castle. While it is a little less intense viewing the show from Main Street, U.S.A., you can see Blue Fairy and Baymax appearances every night from both of those locations. For a less-crowded spot, head to "it's a small world" or Rivers of America, where the projections are displayed on water screens. Our post on Disneyland fireworks lists the pros and cons of each location.

10.  See the Second World of Color — ONE Show

D100 Park Plan at Disneyland - World of Color — ONE

Showtimes for World of Color — ONE are generally at 9 p.m. and 10:15 p.m. at Disney California Adventure. We always recommend the 10:15 p.m. show because it is less crowded and allows you time to catch Wondrous Journeys at Disneyland beforehand … if you are fast enough. Wondrous Journeys ends at about 9:45 p.m. and Disney California Adventure closes at 10 p.m. sharp. To make it on time, you must leave the Wondrous Journeys crowd as soon as the show ends, exit Disneyland Park and enter Disney California Adventure by 10 p.m. or you won’t get in. We watch Wondrous Journeys from the curbs of Main Street, U.S.A. (or the beginning near the park entrance) and as the last fireworks are shooting up, we book it to the park exit. Do not hesitate or you’ll be stuck in the crowd.

Chances are, you’ll be pretty exhausted by the end of this day. If you don’t like to visit the parks from open to close, you may prefer to split your visit up over two or three days. There are just so many amazing rides, shows (such as Fantasmic!) and fun in the parks that you won't want to miss.

Don't froget to pick up any merchandise you dropped off or stowed in a locker before you exit the park! We prefer using the stroller shop to drop off merchandise, especially if we end the night in a different park. It's easier to grab it in the esplanade than to enter the other park.

Hopfully, this D100 park plan helps you plot out your day and tackle everything you want to see and do. If you need Disneyland Resort tickets, purchase with Undercover Tourist to hop on the best prices available. We recommend the Genie+ tickets, which lock in the lowest rate available for Genie+.

Related: All the Magical Details of the Disney 100 Years of Wonder Celebration

Hoppy planning!

Keep hopping, Mommy Frog!
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