Planning a trip to Disneyland or California Adventure in the near future? Here are the top 30 must-take Disneyland picture ideas with the most Instagramable Disneyland spots to help you capture the magic!
Planning a trip to Disneyland Resorts and ready to capture the magic with your camera? We’re sharing the must take Disneyland picture ideas with the 20 most Instagramable Disneyland spots (and most Instagramable California Adventure spots) for your next Disney Vacation!
We’ve fallen in love with Disneyland Resort so much, we’ve become Magic Key holders! But before this year, you’d find us regularly at the parks documenting at least one week-long trip a year. And, as a photographer, my eyes can’t help but notice fun photo spots and the perfect background when I see it!
We love experiencing the magic as a family. If I’m being honest, we enjoyed Disneyland almost as much before we became parents. We’ve experienced a few Disneyland date nights together, and we’ve realized there are just some spots that make the best picture locations at Disneyland Resort. They document your trip, and set you up with the best Instagram material.
We love riding rides, but snagging a few of the most Instagramable Disneyland spots is always on our list too. So we’re compiling those favorite must-take Disneyland Picture Ideas and most Instagramable picture locations at Disneyland and California Adventure. All so you can plan where to take the best pictures at Disneyland Resorts for your next big trip!
Disneyland Picture Ideas
In front of Sleeping Beauty’s Castle.
In Front of the Seasonal Setup on Main Street
The Entry to Mainstreet swaps with the seasons. You’ll find a giant Christmas tree during the holiday season, Blinky the Mickey pumpkin during Halloween Time, and other fun season setups throughout the year. There are usually photopass photographers set ready to take photos from rope drop to close.
Carve out some time to capture this moment!
Best Couple Disneyland Photos Spot: “And They Lived Happily Ever After” mural.
Disneyland Pictures
The “Partners” Statue with Walt and Mickey
Stand next to the famous Walt and Mickey statue in the center of Main Street and get a picture with this classic Disney piece of history. And if you’re not into being in the picture, they are pretty photogenic on their own!
Near A Bunch of Mickey-shaped balloons.
People used to get shots holding a bunch of balloons while a cast member assisted behind them. But this one became so trendy, cast members have been encouraged not to let guests pose holding the balloons anymore. But that doesn’t mean you can’t still grab a balloon pic standing below hundreds of strings for a picture filled with balloon magic. Pose yourself near the balloons, and used them as a background for some amazing photos!
And if all else fails, buy a balloon and document your inner child smiling while you hold it!
Show the hustle and bustle of Main Street USA.
There’s an energy and excitement of almost everyone walking into Disneyland. It’s hard to beat capturing that crowd with your Disney apparel on and looking great before a possibly very warm and or wet day (I’m looking at you Tiana’s Bayou!). Turn around when you walk into the park and let someone snap a picture of the excitement of starting your day. Main Street USA pictures are a must!
Disneyland Character Pictures
Get a picture with Mickey Mouse.
There are several locations to do this. He’s always at his house in Toontown at Disneyland. He’s often just inside the main entrance by Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln. And, he’s almost always in the center of California Adventure. There’s nothing like a picture with the mouse, and photographers are usually ready to capture it for you.
Document a Matterhorn near the Matterhorn
Buy a Matterhorn macaroon shaped like the Matterhorn mountain at the Jolly Holiday bakery and take a picture with the Matterhorn mountain next to it. It’s a delicious treat. And it also definitely lets the world know where you are and what you happily consuming with the amazing Disneyland treats.
Most Instagramable Disneyland Locations
The Mickey Ferris Wheel/ Pixar Pier Skyline
Right next to the Pixar Pier bridge and outside Ariel’s Undersea Adventure you can get the perfect shot of California Adventure’s Ferris wheel with Mickey’s head on it. It’s the perfect shot location for one of the most Instagramable locations at California Adventure.
And it is probably the best photo spot in all of Disney California Adventure Park.
Almost anywhere in Cars Land.
There’s just nothing quite like the Cars movie being completely recreated in one area of the park. Each spot shows a very Disney-esque photo drop. It can be the welcome to Cars Land sign (with a photographer typically standing by), a view of the street, getting a churro in front of the Cozy Cone Motel, or standing by the Route 66 sign.
Flo’s Diner is darling and iconic. And the mountain backdrop near Radiator Springs Racers is such a pretty and iconic spot- particularly at sunset!
Swinging Around Pixar Pier
Get on the Silly Symphony Swings with someone armed with a camera behind you. There’s a perfect shot that overlooks the lake, the pier, and grabs the Mickey Ferris Wheel perfectly.
Buena Vista Street Skyline
Head down Buena Vista Street at California Adventure for all kinds of Disneyland picture ops! At the end next to the Hyperion Theater, there’s a billboard set in the alley ready for the perfect picture to show you’re spending the day at California Adventure.
And as you can tell, Santa and reindeer make an appearance during the holiday season.
Must-take Disneyland Pictures
The Star Wars Wall
Head to Tomorrowland and find the Galaxy Wall. It’s right where you go to attend the Darth Vader meet and greet.
Fun tip: You can also purchase two churros and take a churro lightsaber picture with a galaxy far far away as your backdrop.
In a Teacup
There are two fantastic ways to do this! The first is riding the Mad Tea Party ride. Hello, perfect boomerang opportunity! They are so quintessential and so cute it’s hard to beat the fun and bright background! And if you can’t get the perfect Instagramable Disneyland pic riding the cups.
The second makes your life a lot easier! There’s a stationary pink teacup for photo ops across the ride by the Mad Hatter Shop. Grab this one early in the day to avoid long lines that form later.
It’s a Small World
Put on your ears and head to It’s a Small World. A close-up shot with the iconic shapes of white and sky blue make it an easily recognizable location. Add your Mickey/Minnie Ears and you’re all set for classic Disney.
This is a favorite place for professional photo shoots, gender reveals, and engagement shots because there’s often a great patch of shade and soft light at any time of the day. It’s one of the best places to capture a shot in the Disney parks!
Any angle of The Dumbo Ride.
Do you remember the classic Disneyand ad with Darth Vader riding Dumbo? They know what they were doing setting an iconic character in one of the most magical places and iconic Disneyland photo ideas in the park!
Hop in with your favorite friend, significant other, or child and have someone ready to snap this memorable spot!
Pictures turn out great from a bystander perspective outside the ride. They also work great from the elephant in front of you looking back, or even a selfie that shows some elephants behind you. It’s another great place to capture the moment and you don’t want to miss it!
Best Picture Locations at Disneyland/ Disneyland California Adventure
Fantasyland
There’s something so classic and special about the vibes in Fantasyland. Stand in front of the carousel, frame yourself with Dumbo, or walk over by the Storybook Canals. You can also capture images of the backside of the castle. The bright colors and pink undertones are ironically Disneyland!
ToonTown
Toontown was recently imagined and expanded, and the photo locations got even better! This is a favorite photo spot for influencers and creators to capture content. Not only is the theming darling, but there are cars and toon areas meant to interact with perfect for a cute more candid style photo.
Millenium Falcon at Galaxy’s Edge
Star Wars fans and casual enthusiasts alike will love the setup in Star War’s Land! Head to the Millennium Falcon right by Smuggler’s Run. There are usually photo pass photographers there ready to grab some pictures.
The lighting in this area that’s typically shaded creates for some excellent lighting at any time of day.
Plus, there’s something so iconic about the magic shots and Star Wars poses you can capture here.
Avenger’s Campus
Avenger’s assemble with so many excellent photo spots! Right as you enter the Campus off Buena Vista Street there’s a sign with a photographer ready to go! But we also love the main plaza and vehicle shots.
Avenger’s Campus is a particularly great place to capture some photos at night!
Get Magic Shots
This is one of those Disneyland insider tips you’re going to be so glad you know! Disney photographers typically have a “Magic Shot” at most locations. This is essentially a magical element or character added into your shot.
They will often do several cute pictures in a family photoshoot, and then ask you to pose in a specific way so editors know to add in a magic shot. But if they don’t, you can always ask for one!
They change by location and often by season. But they’re such a fun way to make your vacation photos even more memorable. And any place they’re offered belongs on the top of the Disneyland photography ideas list!
Get Artistic with Your Tickets as a Prop
Take a picture of everyone in your group holding their ticket in a circle together from an overhead shot. There’s no denying where you are and that you’re keeping great company at Disneyland (or Walt Disney World if you’re recreating this list there)!
Posed Ride Photo
There are several rides that take your photo during some of the most exciting parts. Namely, Space Mountain and it’s expected Tiana’s ride, formerly Splash Mountain, will capture your photo. In CA Adventure, Radiator Springs Racers, Guardians of the Galaxy, and the Incredicoaster are included in Disneyland photography.
Take a moment and plan a pose to capture together with your crew for a photo you’ll laugh about and treasure!
A Character Shot
You can never go wrong with your favorite character! Check out the park map or app and times characters appear and plan time to get a picture with your favorite.
With Your Favorite Ride
Even if it’s a cheesy selfie, capture that feeling of excitement right before you go on or get off your favorite ride.
Disneyland Hotels
The Disneyland Hotel itself is stunning! But the Pixar Place and Grand Californian have equally great grounds, lobbies, and photo ops. If you need a break from the crowds, go explore the hotels. You don’t even have to be a guest to enjoy the properties!
Photo Ops in Downtown Disney
One thing Disneyland Resort does really well is set up great photo ops as seasons change. We’re talking photo walls, topiaries, and even construction signs with photo spots. Don’t sleep on Downtown Disney for plenty of creative photo fun!
Holiday Photos
If you’re lucky enough to visit the Disneyland Resort during the holiday season, don’t miss out on the holiday photo opportunities! The classic one is seeing Santa near the Grand Californian hotel by Grizzly River Run at the Redwood Creek Challenge Trail.
They always have a darling Santa, and it’s one of the cutest holiday pictures filled with Disney magic!
I don’t think there’s a bad place in the Happiest Place on Earth to take a picture, but these are definitely some of the best picture ideas at Disneyland and Disney California Adventure. Therefore they make the most of your trip and be Instagram-ready to share your Disneyland vacation!
Booking Disneyland Vacations
One more thing, as much as we love Disneyland and taking new and fun pictures every time we go, we really love getting a good deal on Disney tickets and hotels so we can go more often! We’ve booked all our trips the past two years with Getaway Today. They are one of the only discount Disneyland and Disneyworld ticket providers out there.
They make vacation packages so easy, and so much more affordable than anywhere else we’ve found! We really love putting the $125 down and locking in the current prices and booking our trip on layaway. It doesn’t cost any more to do. It just gets our foot in the door while we come up with the rest of the trip.
Seriously, if you’re looking into an upcoming Disneyland trip, you should look into a Getaway Today package and use code: FridayLove for an extra $10 off your package!
Disneyland Photo Ideas Frequently Asked Questions
Opt for softer lighting in the morning or before sunset. Find a location with fewer people are distractions. Look to the sides of popular photo spots for less traffic.
Don’t be afraid to get Disneyland photographers to help you look your best!
You can absolutely take your own pictures on your phone at Disneyland. A camera is completely fine to bring too!
Just not that tripods and selfie sticks are not allowed at Disneyland.
If you purchase Genie+ Disney pictures are included in your package. Ride photos are free and available for download in the Disneyland app. Photo passes can be purchased for pictures. But all other photographer pictures are an extra charge.
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