One of the most important decisions you can make when planning a Disneyland vacation is deciding how long to visit and which Disneyland ticket to buy. While there are quite a number of options when it comes to Disneyland tickets, thankfully there aren't too many. Today, we'll explore all of the options so you can decide which Disneyland ticket is right for you! And you might have heard our good news, but we've made it a little lighter on your wallet by now offering discount Disneyland tickets.

Deciding Which Disneyland Ticket and How Many Days at Disneyland

The first thing you should determine when deciding on which Disneyland ticket is how many days you want to spend at Disneyland and Disney California Adventure. While families routinely spend a week or longer at Disney World, Disneyland's size lends itself to shorter visits. At Disneyland, the entrances to the two parks plus Downtown Disney are within a minute or two of each other. And many of the hotel options (both on-site and off-site) are within a few minutes walk to several minutes drive. Keep in mind that there are no Disneyland water parks and that many families planning a Los Angeles vacation may visit other nearby theme parks such as Universal Studios Hollywood, Knott's Berry Farm or Six Flags Magic Mountain and do other sight-seeing during their visit as well. (We always plan at least one day for the beach, and Flora is always set on doing a tour while we're there.)

Disneyland Resort offers 1-, 2-, 3-, 4- and 5-day tickets. Most families opt to spend about three days in the Disneyland parks, and two is the recommended minimum. First-time visitors should plan at least a three-day visit and maybe a four-day visit, depending on how busy the park is (see the best times to visit Disneyland for suggestions on when to go). If it's a less busy time of year, it will be easier to experience all of the major park attractions. During the busiest times of year, it will take longer to experience the major attractions.

Disneyland Magic Morning

It's worth noting that if you purchase 3-, 4- or 5-day Disneyland tickets in advance, you will have the option of attending one Magic Morning early admission. You get one early admission to Disneyland Park during your length of stay on Tuesday, Thursday or Saturday with Magic Morning.* Tomorrowland and Fantasyland attractions are currently the areas of the park open during the Magic Morning. Guests staying at one of the three Disneyland Resort properties also enjoy Extra Magic Hour, which is early admission during every day of their hotel stay, at either Disneyland Park or Disney California Adventure Park. (Read more about the benefits of staying at a Disneyland Resort hotel.) Currently, the Extra Magic Hour schedule is:

• Disneyland Park: Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays
• Disney California Adventure Park: Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays

We have one really important Frog Family tip regarding the Magic Morning or Extra Magic Hour: Arrive early! For Magic Morning, arrive at least 30 minutes ahead of early opening time. For Extra Magic Hour, arrive at least 15 minutes ahead of early opening time. Because lots of people take advantage of the benefit, you don't want to spend that first hour of early opening waiting to get into the park!

* Subject to capacity, cancellation and other restrictions.

When Deciding Which Disneyland Ticket, Should You Purchase a Park Hopper?

We think Park Hoppers are unequivocally a good idea at Disneyland, and not just because we like hopping! The biggest reason is convenience. Because Disneyland and Disney California Adventure are so close by, it's no big deal to just walk or "hop" between the two parks. In fact, you could spend your day hopping back and forth between the parks if you wanted. That's what we tend to do when we visit. Some people hop as part of their touring plan strategy since you can hold FastPasses for both parks at the same time.

It doesn't cost that much to add on Park Hoppers at Disneyland, so that is another consideration as well. You want to maximize your time in the parks. And Disneyland often staggers the park closing times. By purchasing Park Hoppers, you would be able to hop to the park open late, catching World of Color at Disney California Adventure or Fantasmic! at Disneyland on the nights that it is shown. The only reason we can think to not purchase Park Hoppers is if budget just absolutely doesn't allow for it or you are not able to spend full days in the park. For example, if you were attending a nearby convention for a few days and could only spend evenings at Disneyland, then adding on Park Hoppers probably doesn't make sense.

So there you have it, the full scoop on Disneyland tickets and our recommendations on which to get as you plan your trip! Don't froget, we're now selling discount Disneyland tickets.

Have questions about which Disneyland ticket is right for you? Share in comments below! You'll find even more helpful information in our Disneyland and Disney California Adventure park plans. 

Related: Best Time to Visit Disneyland

Keep hopping!