Disneyland Park

This, park fans, is where it all began. Sure there were amusement parks before Walt Disney mortgaged the farm in the 1950s to develop his dream, but nothing compared to the grandeur, the scope, the sheer audacity of Disneyland. It uses a "hub and spoke" layout to connect the iconic Sleeping Beauty's Castle at its center with the themed lands: Fantasyland, Tomorrowland, Mickey's Toontown, Adventureland, Fronteirland, New Orleans Square, Critter Country, and Main Street, USA. To walk the same streets that Walt himself walked and ride the attractions he helped design imbues Disneyland with a special, enchanting charm. It is the prototype theme park and it retains its magic even in these more jaded times.

Tickets

• Find out about discounts, deals, and how to purchase passes in About.com's Disneyland tickets overview.
• Get Disneyland tickets before you visit, and check for online discounts to save money and time.

Disneyland Highlights

Yes, there are some spectacular attractions here. But the timeless lure of say, hopping aboard Dumbo -- essentially a pedestrian kiddie ride -- shows that nearly everything at Disneyland is a highlight. Winnowing the list down to the E-Ticket attractions:

• Pirates of the Caribbean
• The Haunted Mansion
• Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage
• it's a small world
• Indiana Jones Adventure
• Space Mountain
• Splash Mountain
• Fantasmic!
• Honey, I Shrunk the Audience
• Star Tours
• Believe: There's Magic in the Stars fireworks

See the Park

• Disneyland Park Photo Gallery
• it's a small world Photo Gallery
• Pirate's Lair on Tom Sawyer Island Photo Gallery
• Disneyland History Photo Gallery

Original About.com Videos

• The Top Five Disneyland Park Rides
• Disneyland for Wimps
• Star Tours: The Adventures Continue Video
• The Holidays at Disneyland Park Video

Dining

There are a bunch of places to eat in the park as well as at Disney California Adventure, at Downtown Disney, and at the hotels.

• Learn where you should be eating in the Best Disneyland Dining overview
• The 10 Best Table-Service Restaurants at Disneyland
• Disneyland Character Dining
• Disneyland restaurant reservations
• The Top 10 Best Counter- and Quick-Service Restaurants at Disneyland
• The Top 10 Best Snacks and Desserts at Disneyland.

Tips

• Grab a spot for Disneyland's parades at least 30 minutes before they start or you'll be stuck three rows behind mouse-eared guests.
• Check Disneyland's Fastpass attractions and learn how to make the most of the Fastpass program.
• Prime viewing spots for Fantasmic! (along the Rivers of America in Frontierland) are limited. Stake yours out at least 45 minutes before the show begins.

New for 2013:

• New Fantasyland Theatre show, Fantasy Faire, and Limited Time Magic
  There will be a new stage production debuting in the summer at the Fantasyland Theatre. At the new Fantasy Faire opening in the spring, you can greet and meet Disney princesses. There will be special events throughout 2013, known as Limited Time Magic.

New for 2012:

• Let the Memories Begin
  The memory-making event, including a nightly show projected onto it's a small world, that began in 2011 will continue throughout 2012.

Disney's HalloweenTime
Info about the resort's Halloween events.

Christmas and the Holidays at Disneyland
Info about the resort's holiday events.

• Christmas at Disneyland Park photo tour

Best Rides

The Best of Disneyland
Top picks for attractions at Disneyland (and Disney California Adventure).

Official Site

Disneyland Park