This is a sponsored post written by me for CHOC Walk as an observer.
This year, CHOC Walk in the Park presented by Disneyland Resort is on Sunday, August 3, 2025, at the Disneyland® Resort. The event brings the community together to raise funds to treat CHOC kids through award-winning programs, education and research.
My 12 TIPS for CHOC Walk:
You can decide if you want to become a fundraiser, a walker, or team leader. I suggest forming a team. One of the first year I learned about CHOC Walk, I registered to walk and fundraised but did not have a committed person to walk with me so I ended up not walking that year because I talked myself out of it closer to the date. It’s just really early in the morning and I think I had a toddler at the time too. This is my third year walking and I love it!
- Personalize Team Shirts because it’s fun to match. Pick a color that no one else will have (don’t pick white). You’ll also need a design, time to print them, and collect funds if needed. An online spreadsheet will help collect and keep track of orders. Schedule time to distribute shirts ahead of time.
- Wear comfortable running or walking shoes.
- Bring balloons. It’s crowded and members might wander off taking pictures but it might be easier to spot that McQueen or Moana balloon. Pick your favorite character.
- Agree on a Meeting Spot at the entrance of the park and if you have constant late arrivers, give them an earlier time. Hint: It always takes about 30 minutes to walk from Downtown Disney to the entrance. Plus don’t forget security now too.
- Consider staying the night before at the Disneyland Resort or at a nearby hotel. Traffic from LA will be unpredictable.
- Send out itineraries and always communicate with your Team Members. Be as detailed as possible. Don’t forget to add a meeting point at Downtown Disney. Maybe add a place for breakfast to celebrate your accomplishments.
- If you are a Team Leader, it might be helpful to keep a team roster with cell phone numbers in case someone gets split up from the group. Do a headcount at the beginning, during, and end if you have too.
- Remind everyone to keep an eye out for their own children.
- You don’t have to pack water because they hand out water bottles but pack a light snack in case some did not eat breakfast before the walk.
- Make note of the restrooms and if you have a large group, stop to give everyone a break.
- Be a cheerleader! Your team will be hungry, tired, and maybe annoyed. Stop and take photos but be mindful of others in the group. Keep it at a good pace. Rest if needed.
- Have Fun! It takes about one hour to speed walk through both parks but you’ll want to stop and take photos of the park and characters. The walk will be over before you know it. Remind yourself you’re doing it for a good cause.
2025 Event Details:
Event Schedule
4:00 a.m. | Parking lots open, trams available for guests
Security checkpoints open
CHOC wristband replacement opens in ticket booth #6 in Esplanade
*Note: participants will not be able to check in and pick up swag items, ONLY wristbands
4:50 a.m. | Disneyland® park main gates open to CHOC Walk participants
5:15 a.m. | CHOC Walk Opening Moment begins on Main Street U.S.A.®
5:30 a.m. | CHOC Walk steps off on Main Street U.S.A.®
6:45 a.m. | Last walker permitted entry into Disneyland® park
7:25 a.m. | Last walker permitted entry into Disney California Adventure® park
9:00 a.m. | CHOC Walk ends
Event elements are subject to restrictions, change or cancellation without notice.
Parking
Complimentary parking is available to all CHOC Walk participants at the Mickey & Friends parking structure with shuttle & tram service available to the Main Entrance.
Parking lots will open at 4:00 a.m.
A pedestrian bridge is also available on the second level of the Pixar Pals parking structure (that is accessible via the Mickey & Friends parking structure), if you prefer to walk through the Downtown Disney District® to the Main Entrance.
In order to receive free event parking, please show your event wristband or pre-arrival confirmation email at the toll plaza. Pre-arrival confirmation email will be sent on July 28 to the address that you used to register for the CHOC Walk in the Park.
Team Photo Locations
Disneyland® park
Sleeping Beauty’s Castle (Fantasyland), Rivers of America, Droid Depot
Disney California Adventure® park
Cloud Wall (Hollywood Land), Obelisk (near Paradise Pier)
Downtown Disney District®
Special discounts* in the Downtown Disney District® are also available to all CHOC Walk participants, who present a valid CHOC Walk wristband, including:
- Beignets Expressed – 10% off purchase until 11am. Excluding tax. One discount per order. $40.00 max discount allowed.
- California Churro – 10% off purchase
- Blue Ribbon Corn Dogs – 10% off purchase
- Lovepop® – 15% off purchase, does not combine with any other offers or discounts
- Parkside Market: Sip and Sonder – buy a 20oz coffee and get a free cake pop or butter croissant
- Wetzel’s Pretzels – 20% off purchase
Special Offers
- Jazz Kitchen Coastal Grill & Patio – Special CHOC Walk Breakfast buffet starting from 7:00-10:00 AM:
- Reservations highly recommended
- With delicious menu items such as Bananas Foster French Toast, Shrimp and Grits, Cinnamon Rolls and more!
- Splitsville Luxury Lanes™ – CHOC Walk Breakfast Buffet: 7:30 a.m. – 10:00 a.m.
- Adults: $35 /person | Children (Age 10 & Under): $20/child
- Reservations are required thru Eventbrite
- See location for details and availability
*Offers valid only on 8/3/2025 at participating locations in DOWNTOWN DISNEY® District for CHOC Walk in the Park participants. Must present 2025 wristband at a participating location to receive offer. Offer may not be combined with other offers or promotions and cannot be bought, sold or exchanged for cash. Offers are subject to availability and change without notice. Disney is not responsible for offer or its fulfillment.
Early Opening Locations:
- Starbucks® – 4:30 a.m.
Avengers Reserve – 7:30 a.m. - Beignets Expressed – 7:00 a.m.
The D-Lander Shop – 7:30 a.m.
Disney Storyland Boutique – 7:30 a.m.
Disney Wonderful World of Sweets – 7:30 a.m.
Disney Pin Traders – 7:30 a.m. - Jazz Kitchen Coastal Grill & Patio – 7:00 a.m.
- The LEGO Store – 9:00 a.m.
Lovepop® – 9:00 a.m. - Parkside Market Sip & Sonder – 6:30 a.m.
Splitsville Luxury Lanes™ – 7:30 a.m. – 10:30 a.m.
Star Wars™ Trading Post – 7:30 a.m. Wetzel’s Pretzels – 7:00 a.m.
World of Disney® – 7:30 a.m.
Do’s and Dont’s:
- DO’s
- Signs/totems*
- Banners*
- Balloons*
- Personal wheelchairs/scooters
- Double wide strollers
- DONT’s
- Coolers
- Weapons
- Costumes that cover your face
- Selfie sticks
- Glass containers
- Wagons
- Strollers that are greater than 31″ (79 cm) in width and 52″ (132 cm) in length
- Wheeled mobility devices with less than 3 wheels or devices that cannot maintain stability and balance when stopped, unpowered and/or unoccupied.
- Disneyland® Resort rules and regulations state the following about mobility devices: “Training wheels and/or modifications are not permitted. Devices must be manually or electrically powered and operated at a walking pace. Devices should be single rider and not exceed 36″ (92 cm) in width and 52″ (132 cm) in length.”
- For a full list of Disneyland® Resort rules and regulations, click here.
- For the most updated information on health and safety guidelines at the Disneyland® Resort, click here.
*Signs, banners and balloons cannot be brought back into the parks if you have purchased or received a ticket to re-enter the Resort as a ticketed guest after the CHOC Walk.
Experiencing the Resort After the Event
Admission to the Disneyland® Resort after the walk concludes is not included with your CHOC Walk event wristband. To experience the Disneyland® Resort theme parks after the event ends, you will need to reach the $375 CHOC Walk Day* fundraising level by event check in or purchase a separate park admission ticket. For more details on CHOC Walk Day tickets, click here.
*Fundraising deadline for the $375 CHOC Walk day package closes on July 25, 2025 at 6pm.
See the event incentives page for more details. For purchased tickets, theme park reservations must be made in advance, if available – reservations could book up weeks or months in advance, so plan accordingly.
To purchase a ticket to the Disneyland® Resort and make a theme park reservation –click here.
*Note: specially priced tickets will NOT be available with your CHOC Walk wristband on the day of the event.
My 2017 CHOC WALK RECAP:
Here is a recap of one of the walks I’ve done in the past.
What another amazing year at CHOC Walk in the Park! It was an early rise for all of us, but we were so anxious to get started, we couldn’t even sleep the night before. I think my team slept 1.5 to 3 hours because we stayed up all night talking. You’d think we never see each other. What was it really? Was it because we didn’t want to miss our alarms or maybe it was because we haven’t had a slumber party in so long? We needed to check in at Downtown Disney by 5:00 a.m. PST to make it to the Opening Ceremony at 6:15 a.m. at Main Street USA. Coffee was a must, but other things that took time was find parking, getting through security, and walking over to the front of the Disneyland park entrance alone takes about another thirty minutes. There were a lot of walkers waiting already, but no one was complaining.
I think the ceremony is one of the best parts of the whole experience so if you arrived too late, you might be one of the last groups still trying to get in. They fill Main Street USA to the max and even then, as we were exiting the first park, there were still walkers at the entrance. They select a Walk Ambassador every year and the family’s story is always heartfelt and remarkable. As I look into the faces of the crowd, everyone is holding signage declaring why this cause is important to them. The DJ plays music to get you all pumped up, Disney cast members are out giving high-fives and some are handing out water. Various youth groups, school bands, and cheerleaders are out there with their bright smiles and encouraged us to finish. Plus who doesn’t love seeing Mickey Mouse and friends bright and early?