Disneyland is billed as the happiest place on Earth. It’s hard to argue otherwise.

A cast member helping visitors climb into a canal boat in Storybook Land told my family that Walt Disney’s vision for his theme park was to “have every person, whether 9 or 90, feel like a kid again.”

Were he alive today, Disney would see that vision in action.

Disneyland itself has not changed that much in the 15 years since we last visited. The mainstay attractions — Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, an updated Pirates of the Caribbean, a refurbished It’s a Small World, a higher-tech Space Mountain, and Splash Mountain — are still as exhilarating as ever. They are central to the Disneyland experience.

What’s new in the last 15 years is California Adventure, the theme park across the plaza from Disneyland that features big thrill rides such as California Screamin (a breath-taking roller coaster), Maliboomer (which propels riders 180-feet skyward in four seconds) and the thoroughly enjoyable Soarin’ over California that takes riders on an IMAX-created, simulated hang glider tour of the state, complete with the smell of fresh citrus as visitors soar over a fruit orchard.

We spent six days bouncing back and forth between the two theme parks in mid-May, a week before the summer crush began. At times there were no lines even at the major attractions. Crowds thickened considerably Friday through Sunday, and the waits got longer, though not intolerable.

Because it is the happiest place on earth, even the waiting can be fun.

Most park visitors are in a joyous mood. They are happy to tell you where they are from and share their favorite ride experiences. The cues, where patrons are herded through rope-lined walkways en route to the front of the line, can be a great source of information.

It’s where you learn that certain rides are down for maintenance, or find out about the best place on Main Street to watch the parade and fireworks, or the location of a good shady spot for a little rest and relaxation after a day of rushing from one attraction to the next.

It was in line to ride the Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage that I learned that I was entitled to a $69 Disneyland gift certificate because I was spending my birthday in the park and had pre-purchased my admission ticket.

A visit to City Hall produced the gift certificate, which was spent on a Mickey Mouse watch and other souvenirs.

Sweet!

TIPS

The Disneyland adventure is something that has to be experienced to fully understand. It’s impossible to capture the joy and excitement and rush associated with each attraction. Adults will enjoy Roger Rabbit’s Car Toon Spin as much as their kids. And who would think a 2-year-old would want to go into the Haunted Mansion for repeat trips?

The best way to describe the Disneyland experience is with that vision of Walt Disney — where everyone becomes a child again the moment they set foot inside the gates and hear the whistle of the Disneyland Railroad blow for the first time.

But there are some simple tips to enhance the Disneyland experience:

Pack your food: It’s expensive inside the gates. A corn dog with chips is $6. A bottle of Dasani water that costs $3 inside the park can be purchased for 99 cents at the Denny’s across the street from the Disneyland entrance.

The best way to avoid the poor house is to eat breakfast outside the park and to carry a small backpack stuffed with bottled water, granola bars and other snacks. Most attractions have a place to stow the backpack. The key is to not forget it when climbing off the ride. (About 140,000 items are turned into Disneyland’s lost-and-found department each year.)

Take a break: Going nonstop from morning until night can take a toll after the first couple of days — on adults and children. Many visitors get up early to beat the crowds, then take a break at midday — heading back to the hotel for some pool time or an afternoon nap. A handstamp and your Disneyland pass will get you back in the park in the evening at no additional charge. In mid-May, the evening temperature cooled considerably, so the snacks in the backpack were replaced by sweat shirts.

Get your FASTPASS: New to us was the FASTPASS, which electronically holds your place in line at major attractions while you enjoy other rides. Simply insert your ticket into a FASTPASS machine at the attraction and a “return time” ticket is printed. You return within the designated hour and go to the front of the line.

The FASTPASS is a great shortcut, and saves a lot of time in exhausting lines.

Plan of attack: On especially busy days — remember Disneyland has served more than a half billion visitors since its opening 54 years ago — it’s good to have a plan of attack. Arrive early and know what rides you want to get on quickly. There’s generally a mad dash when the park opens. Knowing in advance what rides you want to scramble for and the order of attractions can save time waiting in line.

While we thoroughly enjoyed our Disneyland vacation — hosted by our children in honor of our 30th anniversary — what made the trip extra special was sharing the experience with friends and grandchildren. Their joy — after a little hesitation in the beginning — added incredibly to the trip.

It also opened my eyes to one area where Disneyland needs an improvement.

Asking young children — say, 3- to 8-year-olds — to wait 90 minutes to see a Disney princess is simply asking too much.

The cast members at the Disney Princess Fantasy Faire admit that there are serious problems with the wait time.

Youngsters and their family members are escorted into an area to meet and have their photo taken with three Disney princesses. While Belle or Cinderella or Snow White might be a child’s favorite, there’s no guarantee that princess will be on duty. A different system is needed – one that cuts down on an excruciating wait time for little kids.

Cast members say that their bosses are working on the problem.

That’s good because there is no room for frowns at the happiest place on earth.

SHOP AROUND

If you’re heading to Disneyland, it pays to look for the latest deals, of which there often are many.

This summer, the resort itself is offering good online deals for those who are willing to spend a chunk of time at Disneyland and California Adventure.

For example, right now you can get two more nights free when you purchase a three-night hotel-and-ticket package. Some stipulations: You must stay at a Disneyland Resort Hotel or participating Good Neighbor Hotel, and buy 3-Day Disneyland Resort Park Hopper Bonus Tickets to qualify. It is valid for arrivals through Sept. 26 with travel completed by Oct. 1, but you must book the package by Aug. 11. The deal is good if you just want to purchase the three-day ticket without the hotel as well.

A deal like this might seem like too much Disneyland for your family, but it does offer flexibility if you want to see other sights in Southern California or if you want to take a day or two off to just relax and swim. It also allows you to stop into Disneyland for shorter, less-exhausting stays. Or you can just go in for the evening parade or fireworks without feeling like you’ve wasted a day.

Staying in an official Disneyland hotel has its perks. There are opportunities to meet many of the characters, which can be important to some kids. And it does reduce the amount of time and energy you spend just walking or riding to and from the parks. But there are many hotels within a block or two of the parks that offer shuttle service during park hours. Ticket prices

Visiting Disneyland and/or California Adventure is no bargain, but you do get a lot of choices for how much you want to spend. Here’s a sampling from the range of prices:

One day, one park: This is the cheapest way to go, but you get to spend just one day in either Disneyland or California Adventure, so be prepared for a long, tiring day if you’re worried about getting your money’s worth, especially during the busy days of summer. Kids 3 to 9 years old get in for $59; those over 10 (including adults) get in for $69. Kids younger than 3 always get in free, mostly because they can’t ride on many of the attractions.

One day, two parks: You can have one even more exhausting day at both parks for $84 for kids, and $94 for those older than 10.

The granddaddy visitor pass: Other than an annual pass (which goes for almost $400), the longest pass is for six days. Right now, the sale price online is $179 for kids and $209 for adults.