Compiled by FatPassport's travel experts

Disneyland is the standard by which all other family vacations are measured, and with good reason. This is the original Disney park, and still just about the best family vacation spot in the world.

Disneyland Resort includes the famed Disneyland Park, which is of course an amusement park with games, shows, and rides that appeal to kids of all ages; and California Adventure, a theme park which appeals to older kids and young adults, and which has some fantastic rides.

Families flock here for this wonderful experience, so in summer you'll fight the crowds. Costs can also be a challenge: hotels within the resort are not cheap (and should be booked well in advance), though there are plenty of places outside the park that are more economical.

Tickets for a single park start around $60 for a single visit. Various packages and multi-day/multi-park passes become much more cost-effective, but those on a budget will feel the pinch. Regardless, the Disneyland resort is a genuine lifetime highlight and it’s uncommon to find someone who didn’t think they got their money’s worth.

You'll have no problem spending a solid three days at the Disneyland resort and it's two parks. Many make an entire vacation out of Disneyland, though if time permits, there are other good family attractions nearby, including beaches up and down the coast, as well as SeaWorld and the San Diego Zoo two hours down the road.