In honor of Disneyland’s Diamond Celebration and its 24-hour kickoff (which starts tomorrow at 0600), here are 10 free ways to boost your Disney vacation:
- Scavenger Hunt – enhance your transit/queue time with a fun scavenger adventure (like this one for the Disneyland’s 60th anniversary!)
- Hidden Mickeys – Mickey ears are hidden all throughout the parks and resorts, so compete to see who can find the most
- Celebration Buttons – go to City Hall (or equivalent) to pick up free buttons for birthdays, anniversaries, weddings, graduation, or just to celebrate
- Imagineering Field Guides – while you can buy park field guides at bookstores/Amazon, you can also browse Wikipedia while waiting in lines to learn fun facts about the development of the rides (could be a fun trivia game)
- Photo Ops – if you ask, the professional photographers will take photos of you and your family using your personal phone/camera for no cost
- Ride Times App – search for a simple app that will keep you updated on estimated queue lengths (so you’ll know if it’s worth it to trek across the park)
- Autograph Book – decorate a notebook with your child to bring when they meet all the characters in the park
- Ride Souvenirs – supposedly if you ask a skipper on the Jungle Cruise they will give you a free map, but otherwise you can always make your own ride tokens to give to your kids if they brave some of the larger rides (like a printable death certificate for surviving the Haunted Mansion)
- “Broadway” Shows – At several parks you can see a 45 min Broadway quality show (included with admission): Aladdin at California Adventures and Beauty and the Beast at Hollywood Studios
- “DisneyBound” – Create an outfit based on your favorite Disney themes/characters using suggestions from DisneyBound (great for kids’ outfits that are more functional than princess dresses)
For an automatic enhancement, visit Disney during one of the holiday seasons, particularly around Halloween (Sep – Nov) or Christmas (Nov – Jan). These times include special edible treats, holiday overlays of several rides, and added shows.