The Happiest Place On Earth Just Got A Little Easier

The Pre- Disneyland Preparation

It is not a secret that Disneyland is the more than an expensive place. The tickets, the food, the snacks, the drinks, and of course the very “necessary” Disney souvenirs. So, for starters let’s break down the preparation (focused on traveling with babies and toddlers).

• • Tickets

• Keep an eye out for the dates you are planning on going
  • Weekdays are usually cheaper than the weekends
  • Holiday prices usually rise (But, as a plus, the park is decorated!)
• Look at discounts
  • AAA offers some discounts for tickets as well as hotels!
• Buy the tickets ahead of time
• Make sure you buy a hopper pass so you can go between the two parks
• Purchase the MaxPass!
  • It is $10 extra but I promise it is worth you!
  • The MaxPass allows you to download Fast Passes for rides and it also allows you to download all of those professional pictures that the Disneyland photographers take of you and your family throughout the day.

• The photos was a definite plus for our trip! We rarely had to take out our phones for pictures because whenever we wanted to take pictures with characters, or just a picture with scenery, if there was a Disney photographer we just had them snap a picture of us and we were able to instantly download it onto our phone!

• Disney Outfits
  • I like to buy my son Disney theme clothing to make the trip a little more fun! But I would suggest buying the clothing ahead of time, if that is something you are interested in.
  • Pj’s and family themed shirts are definitely cheaper to order online, or at other stores, than waiting to buy them when you are at Disneyland.
• Snacks
  • You are able to bring in food and snacks to Disneyland! TAKE ADVANTAGE! I am all about getting the special treats, such as the famous Dole whip, but no need to waist money on the simple snacks.
  • The last time I went to DIsneyland I majorly snack prepared. I wanted to make sure to pack snacks I new my son loves. I did not want him to get hangry!
  • I put everything is zip block bags so the snacks were ready to go
  • I put together snack backpack so it would be easy access
  • Simple snacks I packed:
    • Veggie straws
    • Granola bars
    • Gold fish
    • Cheese Its
    • Pretzels
    • Popcorn
    • I made sure not to pack anything that could melt or go bad

• Accessories
  • Stroller (depending on your child’s age)
  • “Piggy- Back”- A “skateboard” type thing that hooks up to the back of a stroller which allows the child to stand up while still being pushed
    • This was 100% the best purchase I could have made for this trip! I have a 2- year- old son who does not exactly like to sit in the stroller so this allowed him to still feel like a big boy while allowing me to push him around so we could get where we had to go fast!
  • Snack backpack
    • I put all the snacks in one backpack so they were easy access but also so I could leave it under the stroller and not have to hall a big backpack on to the rides.
  • “Important” backpack
    • I put together a smaller backpack that had all the important essentials in it, such as:
      • Wallet
      • Sunglasses
      • Change of clothes for my son
      • Jackets
    • This backpack I always brought onto the rides with me so nothing important was misplaced

It is more than nice to have all of these things put together and separated so that when you get to Disneyland you do not have to worry about a thing. Don’t forget, we are trying to make Disneyland as easy as possible for you and your young kids!

Disneyland

Surprisingly, there are a lot of things your baby and toddler can do at the theme park! I will provide an outline below explaining what rides and activities your tot can do! There are also baby rooms if you and your little one needs to take a break from the hectic environment ( you can check the Disneyland website for more information!)

• Disneyland Rides (For those 35″ and smaller)
  • Fantasy Land
    • Alice in Wonderland
    • Casey Jr. Circus Train
    • Dumbo the Flying Elephant
    • It’s a Small World
    • King Arthur Carousel
    • Mad Tea Party
    • Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride
    • Peter Pan’s Flight
    • Pinocchio’s Daring Journey
    • Snow White’s Scary Adventure
    • Storybook Land Canal Boats
  • Tomorrowland
    • Astro Orbit
    • Autopia
    • Buzz Lightyear Astro Blasters
    • Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage

• Mickey’s Toontown
  • Chip n’ Dale Treehouse
  • Donald’s Boat
  • Gadgets’ Go Coaster (35″ height requirement)
  • Goofy’s Playhouse
  • Mickey’s House and Meet Mickey
  • Minnie’s House
  • Roger Rabbit’s Car Toon Spin
• New Orleans Square
  • Haunted Mansion Holiday
  • Pirates of the Caribbean
  • Adventureland
  • Jungle Cruise
  • Tarzan’s Treehouse
• Critter Country
  • The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh
• Frontierland
  • Mark Twain Riverboat
  • Sailing Ship Columbia

California Adventures

• California Adventure Rides (For those 35″ and smaller)
  • Pixar Pier
    • Games of Pixar Pier
    • Pixar Pal-A-Round
    • Toy Story Midway Mania!
  • Paradise Gardens Park
    • Golden Zephyr
    • The Little Mermaid- Ariel’s Undersea Adventure

• Cars Land
  • Luigi’s Honkin’ Haul-O-Ween (32″ height requirement)
    • (name change occurs per seasons)
  • Mater’s Graveyard JamBOOree (32″ height requirement)
    • (name change occurs per seasons)
• Hollywood Land
  • Monsters, Inc. Mike and Sulley to the Rescue!
  • Turtle Talk with Crush
• Grizzly Peak
  • Redwood Creek Challenge Trail

Extra Tips

• Eat your meals outside of the park (if you want to save a little money)
• Pack your own meals, because you can bring your own food and drinks into the park!
• Buy the fun “have to” snacks! (It’s part of the fun!)
• Dress for comfort (walking shoes, walking shoes, walking shoes)
• Never pass up a bathroom (especially with those newly potty trained toddlers because you never know how long the lines for the rides are!)
• Drink lots of water and make sure the kiddos are fed
• Look up any “events” the parks may be having
  • Check holidays
  • Look up parade times and other shows
• Let your babies and toddlers nap!
• Remember that not every day you get to go to Disneyland, it’s okay to eat some junk food and spoil the kids.
• Your toddlers will probably have a meltdown or too, and that’s okay! Let them have their moment and handle it like any other (even if you and the toddler need to step away and sit down for a second to calm down)
• Remember, let your kids be kids! And yes parents, you can be kids here too!

Enjoy your time at the park. It is easier than you may think, it is just important to go with the flow. Embrace this magical place! If you get overwhelmed try and relax (a glass of wine at the park is acceptable if needed). Regardless of how hectic of a day it may be, I can promise you that seeing your children’s joy at Disneyland is one of the own rewarding things to witness as a parent. My greatest memory at Disneyland was watching my two- year- old son laugh, jump, sing, dance, and eyes sparkle while watching the light parade at the end of the night. At that moment I remembered how rewarding being a mom is. Watching that happiness shine out of my son almost brought me to tears. Disneyland is a magical place! No matter how old your child is, Disneyland will be more than worth it for you and your family.