20 Cool Tips for Visiting Disneyland in Summer 2026

It's time to plan for summer at Disneyland Resort, and there is so much extra fun hoppening in 2026! Disneyland celebrates its 70th birthday through Aug. 9, 2026. There's a little planning ahead to be done before the fun! Summer is one of the peak seasons at Disneyland, and in 2026, we have more to celebrate with a parade, a new Bluey show, dance parties, special fireworks, a new Soarin' version, new characters to meet and so many new foods to enjoy.

At Disney California Adventure, World of Color Happiness! lights up our night. At Disneyland, Paint the Night Parade and Wondrous Journeys fireworks show are back. Plus, both Disney California Adventure and EPCOT are getting a brand-new version of Soarin' to help celebrate the 250th birthday of America. Soarin' Across America will highlight some of the natural beauty and iconic cityscapes in the United States, and it debuts July 2, 2026, at Disney California Adventure.

Not only that, there's a frogtastic Kids' Ticket deal for summer 2026. Kids can visit with a Park Hopper ticket for as low as $48 per day through Undercover Tourist! This summer, kids rule at Disneyland. That means dancing with Bluey, eating vegetables that are really made of chocolate, staying up late to see parades and fireworks and deciding which rides to go on ... and when it's time to hit the pool.

If you're gearing up for a summer vacation or staycation, no doubt you're looking for a few tips to maximize your time. Never fear, the Frog Family is here! We bring you our trusted tips for tackling Disneyland in the summer.

The Frog Family's Hop Tips for Disneyland in Summer 2026

1. Stay Close or On-Site

Whether you live locally and are looking for a staycation or are coming from more distant areas, if there's ever a time and reason to stay on-site or close by, it's during the summer months to beat the crowds. We prefer to stay within walking distance of the parks so we don't have to worry about parking and can easily hop back to the hotel in the afternoon for a nap or a swim. It's so nice to escape the afternoon crowds and heat for a bit to make the most of morning and evening time. Our guide on where to stay at Disneyland explores your on-site and off-site options.

We've stayed at Disney's Grand Californian Hotel and Spa and the Disneyland Hotel on some warm weekends. It was so nice to hit the pool midday! The Grand Californian is right next to the hotel entrance to Disney California Adventure, with its very own entrance into the park. After cooling off, we hopped back to the theme parks, refreshed and ready for nighttime entertainment. Mommy Frog and I eased our aching flippers with a foot massage at the spa, which is also right near the pool and theme park entrance. It really helped us make it from rope drop to fireworks with hoppy feet.

The Disneyland Hotel has so many kid-friendly pools. The tadpoles loved the Steamboat Willie splash pad and the Monorail waterslides.

Undercover Tourist offers discounts for Disneyland Resort hotels! Disney's Grand Californian Hotel, Pixar Place Hotel, Disneyland Hotel and Disneyland Villas guests have more access to theme park reservation availability than other park guests. In fact, through Sept. 8, 2026, you can save up to 30% on hotel stays of three nights or longer. For one of our stays, we looked at booking two nights versus three nights. The three-night stay was even less than staying two nights!

Hotel guests receive one complimentary Lightning Lane Multi Pass selection per person, per stay. We used ours to skip the line when wait times were longest in the afternoon.

Several off-site hotels are within walking distance of the parks, and they can also help you save money. Did you know you can book your hotel near Disneyland with us for a hoppin' good discount?

2. Get Park Hopper Tickets

Disneyland usually offers special summer ticket deals. In summer 2026, there's a hoppin' deal on Kids' Park Hopper tickets for under $50 per day through Undercover Tourist!

As summer days start to book up, you may notice that Park Hopper tickets have better theme park availability than 1-Park per day tickets. This hopful link to the availability calendar shows current availability for 1-Park, Park Hopper and Disneyland Resort hotel guests. You may notice that hotel guests have the best availability of all. That's just one of the perks of staying on-site!

Speaking of Park Hopper tickets, you will no longer need to wait until 11 a.m. to park hop, as of June 9, 2026. While you will still need to make a theme park reservation for your starting park, you can hop anytime as of park opening.

3. Make Use of Disneyland Resort Hotel Perks

Guests staying on-site are close to the action, but guests staying on-site also get the benefit of one complimentary Lightning Lane Multi Pass selection per person, per stay. Aim to use your Lightning Lane for a busy time of the day, when it will be most useful. Pick a popular ride (such as Space Mountain, Guardians of the Galaxy, Toy Story Midway Mania! or Soarin') rather than a ride with much shorter wait times (such as Star Tours).

Guests at Disney's Grand Californian Hotel have a dedicated entrance to Disney California Adventure Park, making it easy. All Disney hotel guests with a room key can access that entrance to Disney California Adventure.

4. Stay Three to Five Days at Disneyland in Summer

During the busy summer months, three days will give you enough time to experience the best attractions in both parks. We suggest at least two days at Disneyland and one at Disney California Adventure. Park hopping is cheaper per day with a multi-day ticket. So, it really makes more financial sense to park hop with a multi-day ticket, especially if you can take advantage of the Kids' Park Hopper ticket offer in 2026. As much as we love park hopping at Disneyland, if you don't have kids in your party and can visit each park over a few days, one way to save money on tickets is to stick with 1-Park per day tickets.

If you have small children, a longer trip allows you to slow down and let your tadpoles explore all the discoveries in Toontown. A longer trip allows "Star Wars" fans the time they need to fully experience Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge. ICYMI: the timeline has changed in Batuu. You can now meet Darth Vader, Leia Organa, Luke Skywalker and Han Solo in Galaxy's Edge. Kylo Ren has moved to Tomorrowland's Launch Bay. You'll want to budget some extra time to see these characters. Waiting for parades and nighttime spectaculars involves time, so a multi-day ticket allows you to take the time to experience all the amazing entertainment.

Also, a multi-day ticket saves money per day and is not subject to tiers and blackout dates like the 1-Day tickets are. You have 13 days after the first use to visit. You still need to reserve all days in advance, as days do fill up. (Psst ... if you've purchased discount Disneyland Resort tickets from your favorite froggy friends, just remember to make a theme park reservation as soon as you receive your tickets via email!)

5. Arrive Early

The first few hours of the day in the parks see the very lowest crowds. The last few hours in the evenings during shows and after fireworks are also light. If you are walking from your hotel, you should plan to arrive an hour early to get through security and entrance lines. If you are driving, the parking lots open one hour before the earliest theme park opening time. Arriving before the park opens is another one of our tips for visiting Disneyland in summer. You'll avoid the lines and the heat. Then you can focus on shows, characters, food and other experiences midday once the lines get long.

6. Pinpoint Attractions with Water 

Hop on Tiana's Bayou Adventure for a big splash to help cool down. In Toontown, the CenTOONial Fountain has low water tables for tadpoles to play with on hot days. Head to Grizzly River Run in California Adventure for a rapids ride with lots of geysers and splash surprises.

With the summer heat in full effect, Grizzly River Run and Tiana's Bayou Adventure will see the highest crowds in the afternoon. Stave off the wait by using Lightning Lane or by riding earlier or later in the day. Or hop in a Single Rider line. Before you head to the parks and make your plans, check our Disneyland ride refurbishments.

7. Learn How to Find the Shortest Waits

We frogs know a few ways to skip the lines. We've already discussed arriving early and staying late. We also offer park plans to help you find your way through the most attractions. While we do enjoy a bit of spontaneity in our day, having a park plan in place helps us hit the popular attractions before lines form, enjoy rides with consistent or low wait times (and do other things) midday and jump in dwindling lines before park closure. Consult the wait times in the Disneyland app to find the shortest waits. You can also use the free Genie feature in the Disneyland app in "My Plans." You can input your interests and Genie will make suggestions for when to ride attractions with the shortest wait. Don't get this confused with the optional Lightning Lane Multi Pass service (at an extra cost), which we will get into shortly.

If all the riders of your party are at least 7 years old and OK with being separated on rides to fill empty seats, using Single Rider lines can shave hours off your day. If you have smaller tadpoles who are not tall enough or brave enough to ride, ask the cast member at the ride entrance about Rider Switch before riding. Our posts on Disneyland height requirements and Rider Switch can get you up to speed. One more thing: You can skip food lines with Mobile Order. We will get into more detail about that in a little bit too.

8. Don't Head to the Most Popular Attractions First

What? Really? Yes! Especially if you are using Lightning Lanes. You can hit some of the less-busy attractions first because their lines will be very short. The most popular rides will have everyone heading there first. Book a Lightning Lane. Then go ride a lot of rides without Lightning Lanes in a short period of time instead of standing in one hour-long (or longer) line for the most popular rides. Then, use your Lightning Lanes strategically to ride those rides when the lines are long.

To make the most of your time, follow our park plans for Disneyland Park and Disney California Adventure (including Park Hopper plans). In short, here's our advice: At Disneyland, hit Indiana Jones Adventure and Haunted Mansion first as soon as the park opens. An alternative is to hit all the Fantasyland rides at park opening but save the most popular one, Peter Pan's Flight, until the end of your run since the line is instantly long if you are not one of the first people on it. Go ride it when all the other lines are long, since it stays pretty consistent.

Go ride a lot of rides in a short time at park opening instead of waiting in one long line. At park opening, everyone else will be heading to Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance. Matterhorn Bobsleds has a short wait in the morning. It's also the best time to hit Space Mountain. We discuss all the options in our Rope Drop strategies for Disneyland and Disney California Adventure.

At Disney California Adventure, you'll want to ride Mater's Junkyard Jamboree and Luigi's Rollickin' Roadsters before hitting the Radiator Springs Racers Single Rider line. An alternative plan is to head straight to Pixar Pier and hit Incredicoaster, Toy Story Midway Mania!, Pixar Pal-A-Round and other rides in that area before the lines develop. Guardians of the Galaxy has its shortest wait of the day in the first hour of park opening. Everyone else heads to Radiator Springs Racers. With a new version of Soarin' in summer 2026, it will make a good first stop as well.

9. Use Lightning Lane Multi Pass and Lightning Lane Single Pass

There are two main ways to access Lightning Lane lines, which bypass the standard queues for a shorter time in line. Lightning Lane Multi Pass is an optional paid service that allows you to make Lightning Lane selections on your phone for 20+ rides across the resort. Multi Pass also comes with unlimited PhotoPass photo downloads. Most thrill rides and a few other popular rides are on Multi Pass, but there are a lot of rides that just have one standby line. Two of the most in-demand rides are not on Lightning Lane Multi Pass, but they have Lightning Lane access too. For those rides, you can pay for individual access to skip the line if you wish (Lightning Lane Single Pass), whether or not you use Multi Pass.

Guests cannot start making Lightning Lane selections until they have entered a theme park for the day. You can purchase discount Disneyland tickets already loaded with Lightning Lane Multi Pass or purchase Multi Pass each day through the Disneyland app once you have entered the park (price may vary by day). We have a couple of hopful posts to explain Lightning Lanes in more detail:

• Our Complete Guide to Genie and Lightning Lanes at Disneyland (a beginner's guide to understanding these services and the free Genie planning features)
• Answering Your Disneyland Lightning Lane Frequently Asked Questions (for more advanced users who want to know more)

If you are familiar with Lightning Lanes at Walt Disney World, definitely read up on how to use these services at Disneyland, as things operate differently between the parks. The good news is that there are a lot more choices throughout the day at Disneyland.

10. Save the Longer Indoor or Shaded Rides for the Hottest Part of the Day

During the afternoons when it's especially warm and crowds are at their peak, cool off inside on a longer ride or show. Pirates of the Caribbean, Soarin' Over California and "it's a small world" fit the bill. "it's a small world" has a new verse and new characters introduced for the Disneyland 70th Anniversary Celebration! A visit to the Enchanted Tiki Room with a Dole Whip may be in order! Explore the fun indoor queue in Mickey & Minnie's Runaway Railway before boarding the ride. We have a few more tips to beat the heat in our post on hot tips for cool trips to Disneyland in summer.

Watch the second parade run of Paint the Night, because it is much cooler and less crowded. The same goes for Fantasmic! and World of Color. The second show is the less-crowded way to go if you can stay up late.

11. Join In On a Dance Party or Sit For a Show

At Disneyland, dance with characters and watch Bluey's Best Day Ever! This new show is in the shaded Fantasyland Theatre and has themed snacks nearby for purchase and plenty of seating. It's a great place for families to escape to in the middle of the day. You can dance, play games like Keepy Uppy and explore.

Storytelling at the Royal Theatre is another fun way to get out of the sun.

At night, shake it off at Stitch's Interplanetary Beach Party in Tomorrowland.

Over in Disney California Adventure, hop into the Disney Jr. Mickey Mouse Clubhouse Live! for a fun-filled dance party in the Disney theater. Then, after the shows are done for the day, come back for the all-new Disney Friends Dance Party in the evenings. The Animation Building and Mickey's PhilharMagic are also great places to beat the heat in Disney California Adventure.

In summer 2026, head to the indoor Tomorrowland Theater to watch some Pixar shorts!

12. Bring Tools to Keep You Cool (and Take a Break from the Sun)

Sunscreen up, wear a hat and sunglasses and stay hydrated. That means taking frequent water breaks. You can refill your water bottles at fill stations or get free ice water from most restaurants. Our favorite self-fill ice water locations are Alien Pizza Planet and Pym Test Kitchen.

Wear or bring a rechargeable fan to stay cool. Bring spray bottles or purchase a spray fan in the park to stay cool in lines. Cooling towels also make a huge difference in keeping you comfortable in the heat! You can even bring an umbrella for shade.

When crowds are at their highest levels, take a break. This is when having a hotel close by comes in handy. Let the kids rest, swim or relax for a few hours. We stayed at the Disneyland Hotel and Disneyland Grand Californian on hot summer days, and it was so nice to jump in the pool, slide down the water slides and take a shower before heading back to the park for nighttime fun. Keep an eye out for afternoon pool parties in July and August 2026!

If you do not have a nearby escape, make dining reservations for an indoor restaurant during the afternoon, such as Blue Bayou or Lamplight Lounge, to get out of the sun and relax.

13. Cool Off with a Frozen Treat

In the heat of summer, nothing beats an ice cream cone from Gibson Girl Ice Cream Parlor or a Dole Whip from the Tropical Hideaway (both offer Mobile Order)! You can find more Dole Whip flavors at Tropical Hideaway in Adventureland. Adorable Snowman’s Frosted Treats at Pixar Pier has lemon, raspberry or mango Dole Whip. We love making a pit stop for ice cream at the Cozy Cone Motel or milkshakes with road gravel topping at Flo's in Cars Land. Of course, a Mickey bar or ice cream sandwich is always good too! The Frozen Banoffee Banana at Clarabelle's is sticking around due to popularity this summer!

14. Use Mobile Order Service

Especially during the summer months, the quick-service and table-service locations get very full during standard lunch and dinner times. You can skip the lines by using the Mobile Order service at several quick-service locations in both parks and in some of the hotels.

One of our biggest tips for Disneyland in summer 2026 is to order food in advance. You can plan ahead with Mobile Order. Order dinner early so that, come dinner time, you are ready to tap, "I'm here, prepare my order," instead of facing long food lines and hangry family members. In the morning, go ahead and order lunch, snacks and maybe even dinner through Mobile Order. Choose the times you expect to get hungry. If you wait until you're hungry to order, you might find that the first available pick-up window is a couple of hours away.

If you plan to camp out to watch the Paint the Night parade, plan your mobile order pick-up window in advance to acquire food in the vicinity where you expect to wait for the parade and have a small picnic.

15. Bring Snacks and Refillable Water Bottles

Don't let hunger creep up on you or the little ones. Pack snacks such as dried fruit or crackers to keep the munchies at bay. And like we said before, bring a refillable water bottle — the refill stations are open! You can usually get a small cup of iced water at quick-service restaurants, too.

16. Use a MagicBand+

If you plan to use Lightning Lane Multi Pass, we recommend getting MagicBand+. It allows you to enter the theme parks or Lightning Lanes with a tap of your wrist instead of pulling out your phone all the time. Phones tend to overheat in the summertime, and there's nothing worse than having to use your phone constantly and not being able to. Spare your device the extra power and on-time for scan-ins and grab a MagicBand+ instead! As a bonus, there are MagicBand+ interactions specifically for the 70th Anniversary Celebration. That being said, purchase MagicBands online before arriving at Disneyland because MagicBand+ sales are being phased out.

17. Make Reservations for Dining and Special Experiences in Advance

Reservations for table-service restaurants can be made up to 60 days in advance at 6 a.m. Read more about the ins and outs of Disneyland's dining reservations. You'll want to reserve early as restaurants are in high demand, especially Blue Bayou. You might want to reserve dining packages that include vouchers for viewing areas for Fantasmic!, Paint the Night parade or World of Color Happiness. There is even a seated World of Color Happiness dessert party! We discuss the Disneyland dining packages in a separate post (and can help you determine which ones are worth it for your family).

The least expensive Fantasmic! dining package is actually at a quick-service restaurant. You get great food and a great view of the show for less than the table-service packages. Additionally, if you're interested in any special experiences, such as Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique or Savi's Workshop, make sure to book reservations ahead of time (up to 60 days in advance).

18. Join the Free Virtual Queue for World of Color Happiness!

There is a virtual queue to access a reserved area to watch certain nighttime shows such as World of Color Happiness. The free virtual queue gives you access to great viewing areas. You have to have entered a theme park that day to join the virtual queue. You can join the virtual queue in the Disneyland app right at noon each day. You'll also need a theme park ticket and reservation that is valid for accessing Disney California Adventure in the evening. That means having a Park Hopper ticket or a reservation for that park. Hop over to our Disneyland virtual queues post for all the details and tips for joining. All the virtual queue spaces are distributed quickly, so read up, set an alarm a few minutes before go-time and move quickly. At this time, no attractions utilize a virtual queue to ride, but that is subject to change.

19. Stay Late to Catch Fireworks and Other Shows

Disneyland Park closes at midnight most days in summer. Disney California Adventure closes at 9 or 10 p.m. (Check the hours online or in the Disneyland app before you visit.) You'll want to stay late to catch these amazing shows. If you don't love shows, take advantage of shorter ride wait times during them.

The Wondrous Journeys nighttime fireworks show is back for the 70th Anniversary Celebration through Aug. 9, 2026. Wondrous Journeys is beautifully set up with projections both on the castle and on the storefronts along Main Street, U.S.A. That means you don't need to spend hours staking out a spot for the best view. We like to watch from right before the Starbucks for the optimal 360 experience.

Our biggest time-saving advice is to catch the later show or parade when offered. (There is only one fireworks show, though.) The second show is much less crowded, and you can hop in place without investing a lot of wait time. If you cannot join the virtual queue for World of Color Happiness or get a dining package, see the later show because many people who joined the virtual queue don't show up, and that leaves plenty of space for you! Our guide to the best Disneyland shows will help you decide which shows not to miss.

At the end of the night, shops on Main Street, U.S.A. and Buena Vista Street stay open an hour after the park closes for shopping. This is a great way to have bonus time in the park. You can enjoy the beautiful lights, take uncrowded photos, shop and relax. Remember that as long as you are in line for a ride when the park closes, you can stay in line and ride.

20. Decide Where to Watch Fireworks

There is only one fireworks show, but there are two ways to experience it. "Wondrous Journeys" is the main show with music and projection throughout much of the park. However, if you watch the same fireworks in Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge, it's called "Fire of the Rising Moons," and it is set to the music of John Williams. Bard the droid introduces the show! It's a much less crowded place to watch the show. So, if you need some breathing room or are a "Star Wars" fan, definitely check it out this summer!

Additionally, the projections from "Wondrous Journeys" are shown on a water display at Rivers of America and on the facade of "it's a small world." If you want to avoid a crowd and standing on your feet waiting, these are great options.

Bonus: Join in on Disney Celebrating America!

The Walt Disney Company is celebrating the nation's 250th birthday. And to mark the occasion, Soarin' Across America will open on both coasts in summer 2026. At Disney California Adventure, Soarin' Across America launches July 2, 2026.

The Fourth of July weekend has three days of patriotic fireworks, July 3-5, 2026, at Disneyland Park.

We hope you've found these tips for Disneyland in summer most hopful. Have a tip we didn't mention? Share it in the comments below! Be sure to check out the summer ticket deals!

Related: The Ins and Outs of Disneyland Dining Reservations

Related: Top Tips to Maximize Your Time at Disneyland

Keep hopping!