Trucks tips

Before You Buy Your First Truck, Have Some Excess Cash

Now let's get into getting your own truck- one of the game's first big milestones. It can be exciting and tempting to want to buy a truck right away; you can design it how you want (check out my pink truck above!), you can go where you want on your own time, and pick a bigger variety of jobs. However, trucks are expensive, and you need to have at least $120,000 before buying one. On top of that, you'll need to give yourself some extra money, for damages, fines, and gas. I'd recommend not buying a truck until you have at least $150,000 saved up. You can also take out a loan (which you will automatically pay back daily at 12:00pm), but just make sure you have some money leftover before making the big purchase.

Use the GPS to Plot Your Own Route

This is more for when you have your own truck and can "free drive", but the GPS isn't just used for getting from one job to another. You can plot pretty much anything on the game's map by dropping pins. Want to drive from the dealership in LA to a rest stop in Vegas? Drop the pins in the menu map and let your GPS show you the way. This is also great to do when you're trying to get to towns you haven't discovered yet.

If You Get "Lost" Or Stuck Somewhere...

If you miss your freeway exit or get lost somehow, don't fear—the GPS will automatically redirect you and find you an alternate route. Also, If you get in a bad accident or can't get "unstuck" from a ditch, call assistance services. It'll cost a fee and take some time out of your job, but they will drive you to a nearby town and you can get your truck fixed, or just continue on with your journey. I don't recommend doing this during quick jobs, though, unless absolutely necessary.

Be Aware of Your Surroundings

Much like driving in real life, it pays to be aware of your surroundings in the game. Some of the highway exits (particularly in Arizona) are a bit confusing so be sure to check your map for your turns in advance. Also beware for things on the road like sudden traffic, accidents, road work, and road closures. All of these random events can impact your journey as well. Don't worry about tumbleweeds, though. Unlike real life, you can run over them without messing up your tires!

New Roads Are Highlighted As You Discover Them

Check out your GPS while driving- if you're in an area you've never been before, you'll see all the roads are grey, but as you drive down them ("discover" them), they'll turn yellow. You can see the same roads on the menu map. This is a great tip for completionists who want to reach 100% coverage in the game!

Bring a Stroller to Disneyland for the Younger Kids

If you are thinking, “Should I bring a stroller or not,” bring one. Even if your child walks around all the time, going to theme parks is exhausting and a ton of walking. Younger children will wear down and pushing them in a stroller is much easier on everyone than carrying your worn-out kiddo. There are stroller parking areas near most of the attractions with tons of strollers there. I believe it to be totally safe to leave your stroller parked amongst them. I’ve never heard from anyone I know or anyone I talked to at the parks about any theft issues. I feel it’s very safe, however, as always, use your best judgement. Another smart thing to do is to mark your stroller so it stands out in the parking areas. A popular way of doing this is by attaching a balloon to the handle. As an added bonus, you can pack up your stroller with sweatshirts, sunblock, hats, and other extras you won’t have to carry. Which brings me to my next Disneyland tip…

Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge Tips and Tricks

Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge has finally opened, and boy, is it awesome! Once you walk into the Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge (commonly referred to as Star Wars Land) you are transported to the Black Spire Outpost on the planet Batuu. The first thing that stands out is the giant life-sized Millennium Falcon docked at the space port. The level of detail is unreal and makes the Millennium Falcon look totally authentic and real. Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge is open, and it will be packed for sure. The best Disneyland tip I can give you is to get over to Star Wars Galaxy’s Edge right away. However, be prepared for massive lines.

Do Disney California Adventure First Before Going to Disneyland Park

A Disneyland top tip for anyone with a Park Hopper ticket is to visit Disney California Adventure first before going into Disneyland Park. DCA has fewer big-draw attractions and is smaller. Because of that, there are fewer people inside the park. Disney California Adventure also closes much earlier than Disneyland Park. DCA will close at between 6pm-10pm, 2 to 6 hours before Disneyland Park closes. Just hop in to DCA, ride all the rides you want, then cross over into Disneyland to tackle the rest. You’ll find that typically around 5-7pm there will be a rush of people in Disneyland coming over from DCA. However, after that, the lines tend to get shorter because a lot of people are eating dinner or leaving for the day.

Use the Single Rider Line to Cut Down Wait Times

One of the best Disneyland tips and tricks is to utilize Single Rider Lines. Single Rider Lines can be even faster than using a FASTPASS on rides. In fact, there are times where your whole group might get on the ride at the same time. My family always uses the Single Rider Lines when we go to Disneyland for maximum efficiency during the day. I highly recommend using the Single Rider Lines for Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run, Space Mountain, Radiator Springs Racers, and Incredicoaster. Those rides have the longest lines and you’ll really save time in your day.

Stay on Top of Your FASTPASS Times

It works best to have 1 person in your group have all the tickets and be the main person to get the FASTPASSes. This just ends up being easier for everyone and way more efficient. Pay attention to your FASTPASS times. You cannot get another FASTPASS during the same time period you already have one. An awesome trick is to see when the FASTPASS return times are, then get one for the next open window. That way you can just go from ride to ride without having to wait in the main line. You might be able to get a 10-15 minute window on either side of your return time to still use that pass. I did return outside the time range for one ride and was still allowed to enter, though. This will not always happen. I was very polite and explained the reason for my lateness and was allowed through. A main goal of visiting Disneyland is to go on as many rides as you can. One of the best Disneyland tips and tricks is to stay on top of your FastPass times. Grab more when they are available is vital to maxing out the number of rides you go on.