Welcome to Ask The Duchess – Vol. 100, a monthly Q&A post covering a variety of resort-related topics. Ask The Duchess answers questions submitted by readers. If you have a question you’d like answered, send me a message here.
1. How many miles should I expect to walk at Disneyland in a full day? (submitted by Chad)
This obviously varies wildly depending on crowds, weather, if you’re one to do everything in a land or race back and forth between Lightning Lanes, etc. For me, I generally end up averaging approximately 10 miles a day.
2. What are examples of things a lot of people bring that aren’t allowed? Trying to create a packing list. (submitted by Doreen)
Anything sharp or fragile (no glass), anything that could harm others even unintentionally (weapons obviously, but selfie sticks too), or anything too bulky you can’t really bring with you on and off rides – those types of things should stay off of your packing list!
3. Is there a way to tell what characters are available that day? (submitted by Kendall)
Yes! While Disneyland will always have “surprise” free roaming characters throughout the day, the app will also post times and locations for popular meet and greets.
4. Do you have to stay on-property to get the most out of your visit to Disneyland? (submitted by Danielle)
No, you don’t. Many off-property hotels are just as close (a few are even closer) to the park gates than the on-property hotels. There are added benefits for resort hotel guests, but you can still see and do everything you want to do without staying on property. These benefits include:
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- Early entry – 30 minutes extra time in the morning for the participating park that day
- Package delivery from park shops to your hotel room
- Access to the pools
- Access to lounges/clubs (depending on what level you’re staying on)
- Assistance with hotel restaurant reservations
5. Any pro tips for finding hidden Mickey’s?
Unfortunately, no. I’m HORRIBLE at finding them. The only ones I know of were pointed out to me by others!