Engagement photos are best enjoyed doing something fun and memorable, so why not at the happiest place on earth? If you’re looking for the best aesthetic and timeless backdrops in this theme park, I’ve put together my top 10 Disneyland engagement photo spots to inspire you.

There are a lot of things to consider when taking photos in the parks. What time of year is best? Should we bring multiple outfits? Is Disneyland busier at night? I’ll be answering all those questions, sharing the prettiest backdrops, and what not to do during your session.

Factors to Consider:

• Time of Year: Disneyland has many holidays and events throughout the year, so knowing what is happening in the park during your session is crucial. The holidays will be the busiest time of year, while Summer will be the warmest. You may be visiting while on vacation and these things are out of your control, but this will help you keep expectations in check.
• Day vs. Night: This is the most common question I am asked about. Do you start your session in the morning or at golden hour? For me, my favorite time is one hour after opening. Golden Hour seems like a good idea, but the parks will be at their busiest with locals popping into the parks after work to hang out. If you get to the parks too early, you’ll run into an overcrowded security area as well as busy esplanade/ticketing area.
• Flow of Session: You will not be able to get to every single area in the parks for photos. But if you pick your 5 must-have spots, you’ll be able to achieve everything (and anything else can be a bonus on top).
• Outfit Changes: While having multiple outfit changes for your session sounds fun, my personal recommendation is to keep this number low. Start in one outfit, and change into a second. You don’t want to eat into your session time by having to visit busy bathrooms to change and going back and forth to lockers. And honestly, one outfit is great too!

Let’s take a look at my top 10 photo spots in Disneyland…

Top 10 Disneyland Engagement Photo Spots

1. Main Street

This spot is a given, among a few other iconic spots in the parks to make it on the list. Main Street just has that vibe that is so charming to walk through. I love the pastel-painted shop fronts, porches and striped overhangs – it’s the perfect spot to start your session! My main tip here is start early on Main Street. As the crowds begin spilling into the parks, some of the walkways become impossible to stand still on (as people busily walk by and bump into you).

2. Sleeping Beauty’s Castle

Another iconic space. While this is a typically busy spot, if you plan correctly you can achieve some images that don’t have people directly in any shots. I think Disneyland lends itself to lots of movement in photos to create that special moment in time. My tip is to take these early in the morning to avoid any harsh noon lighting later in the day.

3. King Arthur’s Carousel

The super fun and colorful carousel ride is the best. It’s a good excuse to go on a ride during your session (if you want), and is especially pretty at nighttime.

4. Refreshment Corner

The red and white striped umbrellas of this Coca Cola spot make everything so picturesque. This is one of my favorite, underrated spots to shoot. In the morning, tables are generally empty so grabbing a few photos here is easy.

5. Small World Area

It’s A Small World is so playful and fun with its Mary Blair flare that I could practically spend a whole session in this part of the park. You have the gold topped fence backdrop, ride backdrop and the famous blue small world wall….so much to work with! So much cute!

6. Haunted Mansion

One of the more iconic parts of Disneyland, this area makes for moody photos. If you can frame it just right, the ride facade in the background looks like we’re right in front of it. Moody and quirky!

7. New Orleans Square

First of all, I have to reiterate how important the morning is. New Orleans Square was EMPTY. You see any people in this photo? Amazing. It’s a gorgeous spot in the park (that is shaded, hallelujah) and with the wafts of beignets & gumbo – there is really nothing better.

8. Star Wars Galaxy’s Edge

There are DOZENS of nooks & crannies in Galaxy’s Edge for photos. This land is really made for photos and I love finding new spots to photograph. I thought it would be cute to have my couple above sit at a table by docking bay 7 so it looked like they were just hanging out in front of the Millennium Falcon.

9. The Tain Station

Everyone loves the train at Disneyland! And the station has a few backdrops that make this a cool spot. I recently captured the photo of above as a child had walked by with their bubble wand on blast. The result was a couple of very-cutely placed bubbles in the shot. For another look at these two, you can see their Disney California Adventure session here.

10. Thunder Mountain Wall

Disney re-opened the back walkway in 2019 where Thunder Mountain is, and this wall has so much texture! Not only was it gorgeous to photograph, the light it reflected off of it and blew me away.

BONUS: Eat a snack

The smell of churros and freshly popped popcorn would make anyone hungry on a good day…but buying a treat or a space coffee to enjoy during photos? That’s the vibe!

What Not To Do:

• Forget your patience: This seems like common knowledge but is the most important (and only) reminder I’ll share. If you’re going to be in the parks with other guests – pack your patience. Everyone is there to create memories, so enjoy the moment and be mindful of others.

Thanks so much for reading my top 10 Disneyland engagement photo spots. I hope this article was helpful and that it inspired some ideas for you. Happy engagement season! Enjoy every bit of it. For more information about Disneyland, visit the link here.