5 Tips to Maximize Your Amusement Park Experience
If you are visiting Los Angeles during the summer, it is likely that you might head to one of our many amusement parks. From Disneyland in Anaheim to Magic Mountain in Valencia and Universal Studios in Los Angeles, there is a lot of magic and fun to be found with your family and friends at these well known and popular destinations. With summer, however, comes the heat and big crowds. While these factors shouldn’t be a deterrent, you should prepare yourselves before heading to the parks so you have the best and most memorable time possible. So slather on some sunscreen, put on your sun hat and grab your backpack filled with amusement park provisions and check out some great tips and tricks for heating up your amusement park experience in a good way!
Hydrate!
OK, we know this is an easy one. Making sure you are well hydrated when you go out in the sun is a no brainer. But we really want to stress the importance of it… especially at an amusement park. Some of these areas can get well above 100 degrees at the height of summer and drinking a lot of water can solve some of the many problems that can occur when dealing with the heat. You can bring water bottles on the rides so a good tip is to drink water while in line. And really, while you are waiting to ride with Peter Pan or scream your way down Colossus or wave your wand at Harry Potter, there isn’t a lot to do — but you can drink water while you are in line. And, of course take selfies. You can even take selfies of you drinking water.
Take some breaks
While the goal is to get on as many rides as possible, it is important to take a break. We know you want to speed walk to the next attraction, because we do too! But by finding a shaded area or restaurant to sit down for a few minutes and re-group, you are doing yourself a favor. The heat and navigating yourself through thousands of people takes a ton of energy and you will need to store some of that for your 12 hour day of rides, parades and more. In fact, a parade is a GREAT way to sit down for a while and get some entertainment. Many of the parks have indoor shows you can enjoy as well. So you don’t just need to take a break and stare at each other. Unless you want to. That is totally fine too. PS… this is also a good time to hydrate (see above!) AND reapply sunscreen.
Strategize
Do you have “can’t miss” rides on your list? Then prioritize your time at the park. Disneyland has Fast Passes. You can reserve a time to come back to the ride and get in faster than anyone else — and believe us when we say that getting through the line quicker than anyone else is priceless. And so is the Fast Pass (it’s free!). You can use your tickets for up to 3 rides during the day at the park. So decide on what you don’t want to wait for, and pick up those passes. There is also a great app on wait times at each ride for Disneyland. If you are headed to Magic Mountain, you can purchase a FlashPass, which allows you to get on a list of rides in a reasonable time frame. Also, take a look at what time the parades and other attractions start. That is always a good time to ride as there are so many people checking out the parade. Good news is, there is usually more than one parade so you won’t miss out if you decide to zoom down a roller coaster instead of watching Mickey march down Main Street, because it is likely there will be another parade just around the corner. Look at it this way, you have spent months planning the perfect vacation to Los Angeles, just take a little more time and plan your day at the park. It is well worth it in the end.
Eat, drink and be Merry!
You probably wouldn’t believe how many people forget to eat while at amusement parks. Crazy since there is food everywhere. And we mean everywhere. But you have to keep your energy up while you are jumping from ride to ride. Figure out when you want your lunch or dinner break and where you want to eat. Try and go on a ride close to that eatery during that time so the moment you get off the ride and you can go order your food. You can also bring snacks with you. Nothing like a couple of bags of trail mix to stave off hunger and keep you going until your next meal. Snacks also help keep kids occupied in line. And we all know that an occupied kid in line is a happy kid in line.
Cool off in more ways than one!
You don’t have to save your cooling off for the water rides. There are some fantastic inventions out there that will help you keep cool in the heat and keep your cool when everyone else is melting down around you. The first is a spray bottle with a fan attached. Give yourself a cooling mist anytime you feel the heat. And if you use it while standing in line, you are a fan of the people around you. Kids love it, too and its another thing to help keep them occupied. So you are popular and kids are happy. Win Win. Another win is a neck cooling wrap or bandana. They help keep you cool from the outside in while walking from place to place. Plus they are perfect for the whole family.
Of course these are just a few ideas to help your amusement park experience be the best it can be. Once you are done exploring the parks, come on a tour with us and we will help you explore the rest of Los Angeles in our air conditioned vans that stock plenty of cold drinks and lots of fun facts about this great city. You can call, email or visit our website today to book your tour of Los Angeles!