While there's nothing quite like planning a Disney World vacation, planning a trip to Disneyland Resort can be nearly as significant an undertaking though the resort is a fraction of the size. There’s a lot of planning to do. Which Disneyland Hotel do you want to choose? How many days in the park do you need? Do you need to purchase the new Lightning Lane Multi Pass? Should you buy a MagicBand+? What stuff will you need while you're there?
The bigger the group, the more stuff you’re probably going to need to make it through a long day at the happiest place on earth, but then, planning to bring a lot of gear into the park requires knowing just what you can bring into Disneyland Resort in the first place, and what you can’t.
There isn’t a lot that is completely prohibited from bringing inside the theme parks or other parts of the resort, beyond things that are actually illegal. However, there are some key limitations on what you can bring, so it’s important to know what those are so you don’t find yourself sent back to your car or hotel room once you’ve made it to the gate.
What Bags Are Allowed Inside Disneyland?
First and foremost if you’re carrying a lot of stuff inside the parks, you need a bag to carry it all in. Any bags, coolers, or even suitcases that are 24" long x 15" wide x 18" high (61 cm x 38 cm x 46 cm), or smaller, are allowed inside the theme parks as long as they don't have wheels. That’s still a significantly sized bag, about the size of what's allowed as a carry-on suitcase on an airplane, so the ability to carry everything you need shouldn’t be a problem.
Of course, while bags of that maximum size are allowed in the park, that doesn’t mean that carrying them throughout your day is easy. Not every attraction will be able to accommodate bags of that size along with all the people in your group, and you don't want to miss the best rides at Disneyland because your bag is a problem. Lockers are available to rent at both Disneyland and Disney California Adventure, so you may want to consider storing excess gear there rather than taking large bags all over the park.
What Food Can You Bring To Disneyland Resort?
Food is something you're going to need throughout your day, and while Disneyland would certainly prefer that you buy your food inside the park, and Disneyland Resort has incredible food you won't want to miss, buying all your meals at the park might not be feasible.
Doing that can get pricey, so bringing food is one major way many guests try to save, especially those with large families. The only restrictions on food and drink are that you can’t bring in alcoholic beverages, and nothing in glass jars or bottles is permitted. However, small glass containers, such as baby food jars, are still allowed. Just make sure you pack any ice in your cooler in bags, as loose ice is not permitted. Beyond that, you're welcome to bring whatever food you desire.
There is one exception to the alcoholic beverage rule. Wine bottles can be brought into the Downtown Disney district. If you are eating at a table service restaurant and would like to provide your wine, you may do so, providing you pay all corkage fees, of course.
What Strollers Are Allowed Inside Disneyland?
If you have little ones that aren’t going to be able to spend the day walking everywhere, then you’ll almost certainly need a stroller. Stroller rentals are available at Disneyland Resort if you want to keep things simple, as there are limitations to what size strollers are allowed inside the theme parks if you bring your own.
Strollers greater than 31" (79 cm) in width and 52" (132 cm) in length are not permitted inside the parks, and that also includes any sort of wagon-style stroller, regardless of size. Most single-seat, single-child strollers are going to fit within those measurements, but a fair number of strollers that carry multiple children are going to be too big to be allowed inside the parks, making this one of the biggest potential stumbling blocks for some guests headed to them.
What Mobility Devices Are Allowed?
Small children may not be the only ones having difficulty with a long day of walking all over Disneyland Resort. For the adults that need assistance most mobility devices are allowed inside Disneyland Resort. Either manually powered or electric ones are fine as long as they are only meant for single riders and are no larger than 36" (92 cm) in width and 52" (132 cm) in length.
Disneyland Resort provides electric mobility device rentals, as do several third-party companies that will deliver the device to the park or your hotel room. These devices must have at least three wheels. Anything that cannot maintain its balance when unused is prohibited, as are any other wheeled conveyances, from bikes to skateboards, to roller blades or wheeled shoes. Folding chairs are also prohibited, so guests who have difficulting standing in line for long periods will need to consider other options.
No Cremated Remains Are Allowed
While it may seem like an obvious thing to say that cremated remains are not allowed at Disneyland Resort, they are specified on the list of banned items, and that's because unfortunately, it is a problem.
Disneyland is a special place for a lot of people, and it's not actually that surprising that some would love to make a part of themselves a part of Disneyland. Unfortunately, this has led many people to attempt to dump human remains on attractions, most frequently the Haunted Mansion.
Other Key Items Not Allowed At Disneyland
Beyond the items that are over the size limitations of what’s allowed, there are a handful of items that are also not permitted at Disneyland that you should be aware of. Illegal drugs are obviously prohibited, but that also includes marijuana, which, despite being legal under some circumstances in California, is still banned at the Disneyland Resort.
It also shouldn’t be a shock that firearms, as well as things that look like firearms, are not sanctioned at Disney Parks. However, this seems to be a shock to dozens of people every year who, either accidentally or intentionally, try to bring guns to Disney World.
Basically anything with wheels that isn't a stroller or mobility device is banned. That means no skateboards, scooters, rollerblades or wagons.
If you’re a serious photographer you might want to get some great shots inside the park. However, tripods must fit inside a backpack when retracted, and cannot extend further than six feet in length. Selfie sticks are also completely banned, regardless of the extension limits, so keep those back in the hotel room.
At the end of the day, Disneyland Resort gets to decide what comes into the park, so even if your gear technically falls in line with these rules, the park can still decide not to allow anything that it feels would be disruptive to other guests. And rules do change from time to time, so keep an eye here on us, or the Disneyland website for the most current list of what's restricted.
