Disneyland, California
Everything the RV Renter Needs to Know
Everything the RV Renter Needs to Know
You’ve without a doubt heard of the Happiest Place on Earth. It’s iconic, the first of Walt Disney’s dreams made into reality. And it’s also the dream vacation of millions of kids and adults alike. As a huge draw for millions of tourists every year, Disneyland in Anaheim, California, is a vacation quite unlike any other.
Whether you’re going there for the characters, the rides, the fully immersive experiences, or to just get lost in your dreams for a while, Disneyland gives you a chance to open your mind and be a kid again—or to watch your kids have the time of their lives. Disneyland is flexible enough to create a trip that you want to have. Spend a day, or spend a week. The experiences are seemingly endless.
Walt Disney was born and raised in a small town in Missouri, and Main Street U.S.A. is an homage to that. It’s modeled after a Main Street in the midwest, with classic mid-American architecture. There are shop fronts and shows, art galleries and arcades, and a number of other draws—including an audio-animatronic show with President Lincoln, a mainstay at Disneyland since 1965.
Main Street U.S.A. also acts as a kind of gateway into the rest of the park. It’s a great way to put you at ease in the middle of a cozy environment before things open up into the thriving amusement park. It’s also a perfect spot for a few photo ops, as Sleeping Beauty Castle sits at the end of the street.
Star Wars has long been a world where millions of people have wanted to experience, and now you can. Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge is a relatively new area inside Disneyland, having opened in 2019. Its 14 acres consist of movie-themed props and full-size replicas of many iconic ships and locations inside the Star Wars universe, like Han Solo’s Millennium Falcon ship.
You can also experience what it’s like to be Han, and pilot the Falcon in the ride called Smuggler’s Run, or take part in a battle with the Rebels in Rise of the Resistance. Otherwise, you can just immerse yourself in the atmosphere. Enjoy a drink at the infamous Cantina, have a meal at any number of themed restaurants, or become a Jedi yourself and purchase a lightsaber (The Force not included).
Who doesn’t love a little adventure on their vacation? Adventureland has been a popular area of Disneyland for years, and it keeps the thrills coming. Based on the remote jungles of Africa, the Caribbean, the South Pacific, and other exotic locales, you can be your own kind of adventurer when you visit Adventureland in an RV rental.
Take a spin on the Jungle Cruise, a boat trip where you’ll see animatronic jungle animals and more. Take your turn as Indiana Jones and solve your own historical mystery and have quite an adventure while you’re at it. And of course, be sure to visit the Enchanted Tiki Room, where you can get yourself a Dole Whip, the famous pineapple soft serve snack, and enjoy a Hawaiian music show.
The parades at Disneyland have always been a major draw, with people lining up on both sides of the streets to see the floats, the marching bands, and to see their favorite characters. These parades change in theme over the course of the year, and some are very special events that only occur during a limited time, often in conjunction with major anniversaries and other events.
Whether day or night, any parade you experience at Disneyland has a little bit of magic infused right in it. The parades may feature whatever major film is currently released. The holidays also offer unique parade experiences with themed floats. These are great photo opportunities, so be sure to bring a camera.
Most nights at Disneyland end in a celebration. And what’s a celebration without fireworks? A mainstay at Disneyland, these fireworks displays often feature Disney characters (like Tinker Bell) flying high above the park. The fireworks display always happens above Sleeping Beauty Castle, acting as the ideal backdrop for Disney’s celebration.
Much like the parades, the fireworks shows change over the course of time. There’s usually a mainstay fireworks display during most of the year, but with seasonal changes and holidays, the park will deploy unique fireworks on-theme. During its busy periods, which are spring through late summer, there are nightly shows. In its off-seasons, you’ll see fireworks on weekends with occasional other days thrown into the mix.
As one of the closest RV parks to Disneyland, Anaheim Harbor RV Park is literally walking distance away. Of course, there’s also a free shuttle that runs to the park, so you don’t have to walk since you’ll be doing plenty of that inside. There’s a heated swimming pool, a five-hole putting green, and a mini-market for all of your RV and snack needs. This is in addition to full hookups. And best of all, there’s a great view of the fireworks without even leaving the park.
Bonelli Bluffs is in San Dimas, California, about 30 minutes away from Disneyland. It’s a little more scenic RV resort than others you may find in Anaheim, with some reprieve from the amusement park’s traffic—though you trade that for the drive-in. In addition to full hookups for your San Dimas California RV rental, there are also two pools on-site, one of which is adult only. A resort store keeps you well-stocked, and there are also volleyball nets and horseshoes available on site as well.
Want a more waterfront camping experience? You’ll get it at Newport Dunes Resort. This camp offers beachfront RV sites, so you can wake up and enjoy the salt breeze every morning of your stay. There are also full hookups, free wifi and TV channels, and hydrotherapy pools. There are also planned, fun-filled activities for your kiddos, perfect for days when you need a break from Disney.
Again a close-in-proximity to Disneyland RV campground, Orangeland RV Park is loaded with fun amenities. Located in nearby Orange, you’ll find full hookups, plus free wifi and cable TV throughout the park. There’s a heated pool and spa for guests, and tiled restrooms and showers. For fun, enjoy shuffleboard, a mini-golf putting green, a playground, and an exercise room to work off the extra calories from the Dole Whips at Adventureland.
Fairplex RV Park is much more than just a place to park your RV—or even one that’s near Disneyland. Want to mix things up from All-Disney-All-Day? Fairplex is a close-to-Disney RV park that has a wide number of events that may appeal to you. Otherwise, it’s a short distance to the mountains or the beach. There’s a heated pool and jacuzzi on-site, plus free wifi throughout the park. Time it right, and you’ll get to experience the LA County Fair, held at the world-famous Fairplex just across the street.
There are dozens, perhaps hundreds, of restaurants, beverage stands, and dining carts inside Disneyland. Each themed area has its own restaurants that play into the area’s attractions. Adventureland, for example, has several Tiki-style restaurants and juice bars in keeping with its South Pacific vibe. There are Cajun restaurants across New Orleans Square.
There are burgers and pizza and anything else you could possibly imagine, including lots of foods for picky eaters. And don’t forget about snacks and sweets, like hand-dipped ice cream, coffee, churros, and the famous Dole Whips. Visiting as an adult and feeling like something a little harder? There are several breweries inside the park, plus lounges and bars to relax and escape some of the hectic feelings. And if you’re looking for something higher class, Disneyland has plenty of fine dining options as well. The food here, among everything else, is magical.
If you need a reprieve from Disneyland and its bountiful food options, fear not. Southern California and Anaheim, in particular, have plenty of other delicious food options for you as well.
You’ll find plenty of fresh fish being so near the ocean, but more than that, southern California is known as a foodie’s paradise. Enjoy trendy sandwiches, steakhouses, and more. And again, if you’re looking for an adult beverage, California is known in part for its fantastic craft breweries, so feel free to enjoy responsibly.
The food at Disneyland will not only keep you running on a long day, but it will also help immerse you in the fantastical worlds in which you’ll find yourselves. From a galactic sandwich at a cantina to a simple slice of pizza at a cartoony cafe, let yourself live a little. Eat up.