Welcome to Part Two of my series about Disneyland!
RIDES
Plan on getting to the park at least a half hour before it opens. It can take many families awhile to get out the door in the morning so you can get in a lot of rides if you go early. Cast members will let the crowds into Main Street first before the rest of the park opens. One the rest of the park opens, plan your strategy. If you have more than one adult and it looks like the park will be crowded, send one adult to a Fast Pass ride to grab passes for later and then meet up with the rest of the family at your first ride of the day. Expect long lines at rides like Peter Pan.
Fast Passes are so great for busy rides! They are an absolute MUST for Radiator Springs Racers. If you are going to California Adventure, be there before it opens and head to the left hand side of rope drop. Once they drop the rope, head directly to the Radiator Spring Fast Pass machines. They WILL run out of passes so get this out of the way first.
Although Disney does a brilliant job with lines, plan on bringing a small activity to keep the kids busy while waiting. My son had a small "Cars" tractor that kept him completely occupied. My friend's little one had a small lunchbox-sized container with little plastic figures. Although there are lockers with charging stations throughout the park, we decided to conserve energy on our phones and did not let the kids use them. Charging stations are often full and we wanted to keep our phones charged up in order to check the wait times at different rides.
Kids ages 7 and up can ride on their own. The rides with the strictest height limits are California Screamin' and Tower of Terror. My 7-year-old was able to do all the rides this year.
ENTERTAINMENT
Do not miss the evening parades and fireworks!!! Each part of Disneyland has something special. Disneyland has its evening parade and Fantasmic! show as well as fireworks. California Adventure has the Pixar Parade and World of Color. We have found the Pixar Parade to be less crowded than the Disneyland parade.
We always indulge in a World of Color dining package that gets you preferred viewing for World of Color. There are various packages but we typically get the Carthay Circle package. It is a fixed price dinner. At the end of dinner, you get Fast Passes for the preferred viewing area. It is still standing room so prepare accordingly. There is now also a Fantasmic! dining package but we have yet to try that one.
When it gets hot and crowded, take the time to explore the many other entertainment options in the park. Although we haven't seen it yet, the Aladdin show is supposed to be amazing!
SOUVENIRS
Stop by City Hall when you first enter the park and ask for a button. They have all kinds such as a Birthday button, an "I'm Celebrating!" button, First Time Visitor buttons and more. They are free and make a great souvenir. When they write your name on the birthday button, cast members will tell you Happy Birthday all day long!
You can always buy Disney themed t-shirts and other merchandise in advance to save money but there are some things you will only find in the parks. My one souvenir from this last trip was the Disneyland "I am Here" Starbucks mug because you can't get it anywhere else. I also happen to believe that every visitor needs a pair of mouse ears.
Even though it can be pricey, make sure and take advantage of the various Disney photographers throughout the parks. After they take your photo, they will give you a Photopass card. You can reuse this same card every time you get your photo taken.
If you have a Star Wars fan, do not miss the Jedi Training Academy! My son loves it!!! Try to hit the very first show if you can. Go early and make sure your kids sit in front. If they are wearing Star Wars apparel, it can help them get chosen. And enthusiasm goes a long way! If your child get picked, they will participate in the show and get a special certificate at the end. **2016 UPDATE--You must now register your child for the show as soon as the park opens to ensure a spot!**
One of my son's favorite souvenirs this year was his Autopia driver's license. After riding the ride, you will exit past the booths where you can get this card made. I think it costs about $5. He carries it in his wallet all the time!
Little girls will most likely want a makeover at the Bibbity Bobbity Boutique. They have a knight package as well. VERY PRICEY. But it may be an important one-time experience for your child. ($60-$195)
My family also loves pin trading. You can get a starter package in the park or at the Disney Stores. They usually come with a lanyard and a few pins. My son loves to trade pins! It has been good for his self-confidence. We only trade with Cast Members. Trades are one-for-one and cast members will not turn down your child. Just watch for cast members wearing pins. Some people buy giant lots of pins through eBay and other discount outlets to save money. I do not recommend this because the pins are almost always fake. Invest in a few inexpensive ones and let your kids trade for ones they really want.
I bought my son an autograph book from the Disney Store for our first trip. Any book will do. He loved getting autographs from all his favorite Disney characters and it has been a special souvenir for him.
Although this isn't technically a souvenir, don't miss rubbing Aladdin's Magic Lamp in the Bazaar shop in Adventureland across from the Jungle Cruise. And have your video camera ready! For 50 cents, my son got his fortune told with great theatrics!
In California Adventure, grab a newspaper on Buena Vista Street. They are free and make a fun souvenir. If you need a break for your kids to run around, head over to Grizzly Peak for the Redwood Creek Challenge Trail. Kids figure out a variety of challenges in order to earn their Wilderness Explorer Badge. It feels like being in a really fun park right in the middle of Disneyland! Kids can run around and climb and do zip lines. A great hidden treasure.
There is so much to do and see at Disneyland!!! Make sure to take in all the little details around the park. Do not force yourself to try and ride as many rides as you can. You will all be miserable. Take your time. Don't stress. Focus on the rides with the shortest lines and the ones you absolutely must do because your kids love the characters. Don't worry about the rest. Have a great time. Because it really is one of the happiest places on Earth!
SOUVENIRS
Stop by City Hall when you first enter the park and ask for a button. They have all kinds such as a Birthday button, an "I'm Celebrating!" button, First Time Visitor buttons and more. They are free and make a great souvenir. When they write your name on the birthday button, cast members will tell you Happy Birthday all day long!
You can always buy Disney themed t-shirts and other merchandise in advance to save money but there are some things you will only find in the parks. My one souvenir from this last trip was the Disneyland "I am Here" Starbucks mug because you can't get it anywhere else. I also happen to believe that every visitor needs a pair of mouse ears.
Even though it can be pricey, make sure and take advantage of the various Disney photographers throughout the parks. After they take your photo, they will give you a Photopass card. You can reuse this same card every time you get your photo taken.
If you have a Star Wars fan, do not miss the Jedi Training Academy! My son loves it!!! Try to hit the very first show if you can. Go early and make sure your kids sit in front. If they are wearing Star Wars apparel, it can help them get chosen. And enthusiasm goes a long way! If your child get picked, they will participate in the show and get a special certificate at the end. **2016 UPDATE--You must now register your child for the show as soon as the park opens to ensure a spot!**
One of my son's favorite souvenirs this year was his Autopia driver's license. After riding the ride, you will exit past the booths where you can get this card made. I think it costs about $5. He carries it in his wallet all the time!
Little girls will most likely want a makeover at the Bibbity Bobbity Boutique. They have a knight package as well. VERY PRICEY. But it may be an important one-time experience for your child. ($60-$195)
My family also loves pin trading. You can get a starter package in the park or at the Disney Stores. They usually come with a lanyard and a few pins. My son loves to trade pins! It has been good for his self-confidence. We only trade with Cast Members. Trades are one-for-one and cast members will not turn down your child. Just watch for cast members wearing pins. Some people buy giant lots of pins through eBay and other discount outlets to save money. I do not recommend this because the pins are almost always fake. Invest in a few inexpensive ones and let your kids trade for ones they really want.
I bought my son an autograph book from the Disney Store for our first trip. Any book will do. He loved getting autographs from all his favorite Disney characters and it has been a special souvenir for him.
Although this isn't technically a souvenir, don't miss rubbing Aladdin's Magic Lamp in the Bazaar shop in Adventureland across from the Jungle Cruise. And have your video camera ready! For 50 cents, my son got his fortune told with great theatrics!
In California Adventure, grab a newspaper on Buena Vista Street. They are free and make a fun souvenir. If you need a break for your kids to run around, head over to Grizzly Peak for the Redwood Creek Challenge Trail. Kids figure out a variety of challenges in order to earn their Wilderness Explorer Badge. It feels like being in a really fun park right in the middle of Disneyland! Kids can run around and climb and do zip lines. A great hidden treasure.
There is so much to do and see at Disneyland!!! Make sure to take in all the little details around the park. Do not force yourself to try and ride as many rides as you can. You will all be miserable. Take your time. Don't stress. Focus on the rides with the shortest lines and the ones you absolutely must do because your kids love the characters. Don't worry about the rest. Have a great time. Because it really is one of the happiest places on Earth!
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