The Disneyland Resort

Getting There -- To reach the Disneyland Resort by car from LAX, take I-105 east to I-605 north, then I-5 south. From Los Angeles, take I-5 south until you see signs for Disneyland. Dedicated off-ramps from I-5 lead to the attraction's parking lots and surrounding streets (follow signs leading to THEME PARKS). The drive from LAX takes approximately 40 minutes with no traffic (right!).

If Anaheim is your first -- or only -- destination and you want to avoid L.A. altogether, consider flying directly into John Wayne Airport in Santa Ana (tel. 949/252-5200), Orange County's largest airport. It's about 15 miles from Disneyland at the intersection of I-405 and California 55. Check to see if your hotel has a free shuttle to and from either airport (some will pick you up at LAX), or call one of the following commercial shuttle services: Disneyland Resort Express (tel. 714/978-8855; also online) fares are adults $19 one-way, $28 round-trip; children $16 one-way, $20 round-trip; Xpress (tel. 800/427-7483), Prime Time (tel. 800/733-8267; or visit their website); or SuperShuttle (tel. 800/258-3826). Fares are generally $14 to $16 one-way from John Wayne, and $19 to $25 from LAX. Car-rental agencies located at the John Wayne Airport include Budget (tel. 800/527-0700) and Hertz (tel. 800/654-3131). To reach Anaheim from the airport, take California 55 north to I-5 north, and then take the Harbor Boulevard exit and follow signs to theme parks. You can also catch a ride with American Taxi (tel. 888/482-9466), whose cabs queue up at the Ground Transportation Center on the lower level; reservations are not necessary. Expect the fare to Disneyland to cost about $30.

Visitor Information -- For information on the Disneyland Resort, including show schedules and ride closures that apply to the specific day(s) of your visit, call tel. 714/781-4565 for automated information or tel. 714/781-7290 to speak to Guest Relations (but expect a long wait). Better yet, log on to the Disneyland Resort's official website.

For general information on the entire Anaheim region, contact the Anaheim/Orange County Visitor and Convention Bureau, 800 W. Katella Ave., inside the Anaheim Convention Center (tel. 714/765-8888). It's open Monday to Friday from 8:30am to 5:30pm. Staffers can fill you in on area activities and shopping, as well as send you their Official Visitors Guide and the AdventureCard, which offers discounts at dozens of local attractions, hotels, restaurants, and shops.

You can find out everything you need to know about the Disneyland Resort online, beginning with the official site, which contains the latest information on park improvements and additions, plus special offers (sometimes on airfare or reduced admission) and an interactive trip planner that lets you build a custom Disney vacation package. If you prefer human interaction, contact a Walt Disney Travel Company specialist at tel. 866/60-DISNEY (866/603-4763) and ask about money-saving package deals.

There are numerous unofficial Disney websites as well, which provide very detailed -- and often judgmental -- information about the Disneyland Resort. The best we've found are: Disneyland: Inside & Out, an active and friendly website filled with detailed information on every corner of the Disneyland Resort; LaughingPlace and MouseInfo, which both feature daily updated headlines and columns on all things Disney; Mouseplanet, a comprehensive Disneyland information resource that offers features and reviews by guest writers; and MouseSavers, which offers in-depth information on Disney theme parks and helps users save money on lodging and admissions.

Admission, Hours & Information -- As of press time, admission to either Disneyland or Disney's California Adventure, including unlimited rides and all festivities and entertainment, is $63 for adults and children over 10, $53 for children 3 to 9, and free for children under 3. Parking is $10. A 1-Day Park Hopper ticket is $83 for adults and $73 for children. A 2-day Park Hopper ticket, which allows you to go back and forth as much as you'd like each day, is $122 for adults and children over 9, and $102 for children 3 to 9. Other multiday, multipark combination passes are available as well. In addition, many area accommodations offer lodging packages that include admission for 1 or more days. Be sure to check the Disney website, for seasonal ticket specials.

If you plan on arriving during a busy time (when the gates open in the morning, or between 11am and 2pm), purchase your tickets in advance and get a jump on the crowds at the ticket counters. Advance tickets may be purchased through Disneyland's website, at Disney stores in the United States, by calling the ticket mail-order line (tel. 714/781-4043), at any nearby Disneyland Resort Good Neighbor Hotel, or as part of your travel package.

Disneyland and Disney's California Adventure are open every day of the year, but operating hours vary, so be sure to call for information that applies to the specific day(s) of your visit (tel. 714/781-7290). The same information, including ride closures and show schedules, can also be found online at the Disney website. Generally speaking, the parks are open from 9 or 10am to 6 or 7pm on weekdays, fall to spring; and from 8 or 9am to midnight or 1am on weekends, holidays, and during winter, spring, or summer vacation periods. Tip: The park's operating hours can give you some idea of what kinds of crowds Disney planners are expecting: The later the parks close, the more people will be there.

When to Go -- The Disneyland Resort is busiest in summer (between Memorial Day and Labor Day), on holidays (Thanksgiving week, Christmas week, Presidents' Day weekend, and Easter week), plus weekends year-round. All other periods are considered off season. Peak hours are from noon to 5pm; visit the most popular rides before and after these hours, and you'll cut your waiting times substantially. If you plan to arrive during a busy time, buy your tickets in advance and get a jump on the crowds at the ticket booths. Advance tickets may be purchased through Disneyland's website, at Disney stores in the United States, or by calling the ticket mail-order line (tel. 714/781-4043).

Attendance falls dramatically during the winter, so the park offers discounted or 2-for-1 admission to Southern California residents, who may buy up to five tickets per zip code verification. If you'll be visiting the park with someone who lives here, be sure to take advantage of this promotion.

Another secret time-saving tip is to enter Disneyland from the turnstile at the Monorail Station in Downtown Disney. The line is usually shorter and the Monorail will take you straight into Tomorrowland (but it doesn't stop in Disney's California Adventure). Another time-saver is booking your vacation through the Walt Disney Travel Company -- those package guests can enter Mickey's Toontown and Fantasyland 1 hour before the general public.

Once in the park, many visitors tackle Disneyland (or Disney's California Adventure) systematically, beginning at the entrance and working their way clockwise around the park. My advice: Arrive early and run to the most popular rides -- the Indiana Jones Adventure, Star Tours, Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, Splash Mountain, the Haunted Mansion, and Pirates of the Caribbean, all in Disneyland; and Twilight Zone Tower of Terror, Soarin' Over California, California Screamin', Grizzly River Run, and It's Tough to Be a Bug rides in Disney's California Adventure. Waits for these rides can last an hour or more in the middle of the day.

This time-honored plan of attack may eventually become obsolete, thanks to Disney's complimentary FASTPASS system. Here's how it works: Say you want to ride Space Mountain, but the line is long -- so long the current wait sign indicates a 75-minute standby. Instead, you can head to the automated FASTPASS ticket dispenser, where you pop in your park ticket to receive a free voucher listing a computer-assigned boarding time later that day. When you return at the assigned time, you enter through the FASTPASS gate and only have to wait about 10 minutes (to the envy of everyone in the slowpoke line). The hottest features at Disney's California Adventure had FASTPASS built in from the start; for a complete list for each park, check your official map/guide when you enter and look for the red FP symbol. Note: You can obtain a FASTPASS for only one attraction at a time. Also, the FASTPASS system doesn't eliminate the need to arrive at the theme park early because there's only a limited supply of FASTPASSes available for each attraction on a given day. So, if you don't show up until the middle of the afternoon, you might find that all the FASTPASSes have been distributed to other guests.

The Art of the (Package) Deal -- If you intend to spend 2 or more nights in Disney territory, it pays to investigate the bevy of packaged vacation options. Start by logging onto the Disneyland website to peruse their standard package offers, take a virtual tour of Disney hotel properties, and get online price quotes for customized, date-specific packages -- including airline tickets. The packages are value-packed time-savers with abundant flexibility. Rates are highly competitive, considering each package includes multiday and multipark admission, plus keepsake souvenirs, preferred seating at Disney shows, Disney pocket guides, and coupon books. If you're staying in a non-Disney hotel (even those in Los Angeles or San Diego), ask whether they sell Disneyland admission packages; many hotels offer inclusive vacation packages that include Disneyland and Disney's California Adventure (and other attractions). To make sure you're getting the absolute best deal, call the official Disney travel planners at Walt Disney Travel Co. (tel. 866/60-DISNEY or 714/520-5050) and compare their package deals with the ones you've already been quoted.

Knott's Berry Farm

Getting There -- Knott's Berry Farm is at 8039 Beach Blvd. in Buena Park. It's about a 10-minute ride north on I-5 from Disneyland. From I-5 or California 91, exit south onto Beach Boulevard. The park is about half a mile south of California 91.

Visitor Information -- The Buena Park Convention and Visitors Office, 6601 Beach Blvd., Suite 200, Buena Park (tel. 800/541-3953 or 714/562-3560), provides specialized information on the area, including Knott's Berry Farm. To learn more about the amusement park before you arrive, call tel. 714/220-5200 or log on to their website.

Admission Prices & Operating Hours -- Admission to the park, including unlimited access to all rides, shows, and attractions, is $44 for adults and children 12 and over; $19 for kids 3 to 11; and free for children under 3. Admission after 4pm (on any day the park is open past 6pm) is $25 for adults and $18 for kids 3 to 11. Parking is $10. Tickets can also be purchased at many Southern California hotels, where discount coupons are sometimes available.

Like Disneyland, Knott's offers discounted admission -- $32 for adults -- for Southern California residents with zip codes 90000 through 93599, so if you're bringing local friends or family members along, try to take advantage of the bargain. Also like Disneyland, Knott's Berry Farm's hours vary from week to week, so call ahead. The park generally opens daily at 10am and closes at 6 or 7pm, except Saturdays, when it stays open until 10pm. Operating hours and prices often change with seasonal promotions, so it's always a good idea to call Knott's Info at tel. 714/220-5200 for specific hours on the day you plan to visit. Stage shows and special activities are scheduled throughout the day; pick up a schedule at the ticket booth.