Welcome to the wonderful world of Disney planning! So happy to have you here & so thrilled to hear you are coming to the original magic of Disneyland (I do love WDW but something about DL is more inimate, homey & special).
Here are my additions to your questions:
- There are actually more rides infants can do than can’t! Going by no height restriction is a great starting place. I also caution parents with infants to have their infant skip Golden Zephy & Roger Rabbit’s Cartoon Spint. Even though have zero height restriction, there is no lap sitting allowed & even infants must be “seated” on their own seat (next to you so you can prop them up with your arm around them, but still is really tough when they can’t even sit up yet.
- The Good Neighbor Hotels that are directly across the street (Harbor Blvd) from DL’s pedestrian walkway are closer to the parks than 2/3 onsite hotels- Disneyland Hotel & Paradise Pier Hotel (Grand Californian is adjacent to DCA so nothing beats in proximity but as it’s the most expensive of the on-site hotels it is NOT budget friendly). We started going reg to DL when my kids were 1 & 3 yrs old & at that age it was imperative to be close. For a recent run-down of the off-site options read my responses on the following link: Hotel Information/Suggestions. If you have ANY questions about hotels in the vicinity, please ask. There’s bound to be someone who’s tried the hotel or knows someone who has & can get the answer.
- My advice for first-timers is 3 days minimum in the parks (2 for DL, 1 for DCA) & if you have children that will need to nap then 4 days because you will feel like you need more time at the end of 3. And even if your kids don’t nap at home, be prepared for them to need one in DL (another reason staying close is imperative with little ones) My kids are night owls at home without naps but at Disney they don’t make the full day. Even my 7 & 5 yr olds still need to decompress in the middle of the long Disney day & if they don’t nap then there’s no keeping them up for whatever nighttime show we do. Also, with a 3 day or more ticket purchased in advance, you also qualify for 1 Magic Morning where you can enter Disneyland in the extra magic hour that the park is open before regular park open. It’s an awesome perk & the one thing I miss most about being a Passholder is not getting this on my DL trips.
Let us know if you have more questions!