Naps: they’re not just for toddlers anymore!
There is so much to do in Disneyland’s two parks that you might need to take a break to refresh and recharge, or at least escape the Southern California heat. Disneyland doesn’t have nap pods (yet – I’m working on a letter-writing campaign to correct this injustice), but there are places to take a quick power nap and prepare to tackle the rest of the day.
In Disneyland, there are two separate parks: Disneyland Park and Disney California Adventure Park. There is only a small courtyard area connecting the two, so if you hold an annual pass or a park hopper pass you can easily move between them. We’ll cover options in both parks for maximum nap opportunity.
Ready to learn where to nap in Disneyland? Here are my favorite places to catch a few ZZZs:
The Enchanted Tiki Room
Do the words “air conditioning” mean anything to you? To me, it’s on par with “free samples” and “speedy boarding”. As long as you don’t mind a bit of background music, the Enchanted Tiki Room is the perfect place to catch a 15-minute catnap. Pro tip: choose a seat on the benches along the wall for extra back support and maximum darkness.
The Animation Academy Building
Here is the creme de la creme of nap spots! In California Adventure the building that houses Turtle Talk and Anna & Elsa’s meet and greet has the perfect nap foyer. Be serenaded to sleep with Disney music videos playing on one of the fluffy couches. It’s air-conditioned, dim, and no one is going to come to kick you out if you need an extended rest.
Main Street CinemaÂ
This theater on Main Street shows a loop of 6-8 minute animated Disney shorts. With no wait, AC, and a dark environment, this place is practically begging for tired guests to come in for a snooze!
As an added bonus, many of the shorts are quiet or silent, so the vibes are immaculate for a cat nap.
Grand Californian Lobby
Unlike Disney World, the hotels at Disneyland are very close to the parks. You can easily walk to and from all three in anywhere from 5 to 15 minutes. The Grand Californian hotel, however, is connected to California Adventure and is a quick 2-minute walk from Downtown Disney to the front entrance of the parks, making it the perfect place to slip away for a nap.
Great Moments With Mr. Lincoln
No offense to President Lincoln, but this show has been known to put people to sleep even if they weren’t trying to nap. Plus, it’s dark and air conditioned!
Dark Rides
Taking a rest AND knocking rides off your FastPass list? It’s called multitasking. Certain gentle dark rides are great to relax, like the Haunted Mansion or Voyage of the Little Mermaid. The only downside is that you will have to get out at the end of the ride, so no extended REM cycles here.
Pirates of the Caribbean is another option, but there are two small drops and not a lot of back support, putting this ride in second place.
Disneyland Railroad
All aboard! The Disneyland Railroad is a great nap option. Select a seat near the back as far inside as you can go to that passengers aren’t climbing over you when it’s their stop. There are overhead announcements with fun facts about Disneyland, but minimal music and noise otherwise. One full trip around the park is about 19 minutes, but you can stay on as long as you need.
While you may not be able to catch a nap, you can unwind and relax at various other locations around the parks.
Here are some other relaxing rides and shows:
Disneyland Park
it’s a small world
Mark Twain Riverboat
Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln
Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage
The Many Adventure of Winnie the Pooh
Snow White’s Scary Adventures
California Adventure
Rogers: The Musical Live at the Hyperion
Mickey’s PhilharMagic
Soarin’ Over California
Turtle Talk with Crush
After you’ve recharged, head over to Disneyland park and uncover the secrets of the Haunted Mansion for yourself.
