Money Saving Secrets to Planning a California Disneyland Vacation.

Effective Disneyland Travel Planning

• Get maps and brochures from the park to identify which attractions you can and can't miss. Many offer elaborate "planning guides" for free; check their Web sites.
• Consult unofficial Web sites devoted to the park for tips and tricks. Some to try: Mousesavers.com, TheMouseForLess, AllEarsNet, AmusementPark.com and Theme Park Insider.
• Consider investing in a guide, if one is available. I like Bob Sehlinger's books, "The Unofficial Guide to Disneyland" and "The Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World." These books can stand in for the knowledgeable friend who knows how to whisk you to the park's best attractions while bypassing the chaff.
• Don't buy at the gate. Most parks give you at least some discount for buying tickets online at their Web sites, and promotions have become common even during "high" seasons.
• Consult the Web sites for deals. Check the parks' own deals with those touted on the unofficial sites listed above. Pay attention to expiration dates and other details that could limit the usefulness of the discounted offers; you don't want to get to the gate and find your ticket has expired.
• Consider waiting. If you're planning to attend a theme park during July or August, you might hold off on buying tickets until the latter part of June. Theme parks typically don't decide whether to roll out summer promotions, Niles said, until they see how much attendance they get during the first couple of weeks of summer. If you're willing to gamble a little by waiting, you could take advantage of a deal.
• Exploit your ZIP Code. If you're a local, you may be able to score significant discounts. Disneyland regularly offers cheaper tickets to Southern Californians, and some other parks sell annual passes for the price of a one-day ticket. Also, many corporations and government agencies located near theme parks offer discounted tickets to their employees; ask your human resources department. If you attend college near a park, check with your student union for discounted tickets.
• Use your memberships. Your AAA, AARP or warehouse club memberships could win you discounts. Also, you may be able to trade frequent traveler points for tickets. Hilton and Marriott hotel chains, for example, allow you to trade points for 3-Day Park Hopper tickets at Disneyland. (The exchange rate for tickets isn't great, though; you'll typically get a better deal if you use the points for your hotel room instead.)