so we are what most people call
01 | always.. always take the time to see the billy hill and the hillbillies show! it’s the perfect spot to sit down, rest your feet and have a meal. plus the show is h.i.l.a.r.i.o.u.s.!!
02 | have a churro or frozen banana everyday. it’s a rule! if you are an over achiever like me have both!
03 | if you have a tiny freezer in your tiny fridge at your hotel, freeze as many water bottles as you can, to take into the park. it’s also good to know that anywhere that serves fountain drinks in the park will give you free ice water.
04 | our favorite spots to sit for the parades are in front of the candy shop or the ice cream shop. for obvious reasons. 🙂
05 | make sure to get one special keepsake. traditional mickey hats. an autograph book. a collectible pin. something to take home and remember your trip by.
01 | take advantage of the extra magic hour if you’re staying in one of the disneyland resort hotels. you get early admission, to select attractions, in either park one hour before they open to the public.
03 | when you’re thinking about a trip to disney, order yourself a free vacation planning dvd to watch ahead of time (even if you’ve been several times before). watching the dvd with my kiddos gets us all really excited for an upcoming trip.
04 | on the walk back to the hotel at night, grab a bag of kettle corn, an ice-cream cone from haagen-dazs, a treat from marceline’s confectionery or all three. 😉 (all can be found in downtown disney)
05 | set aside some time to explore the redwood creek challenge trail in california adventure. my family had a blast the last time we were there. (and so many times before that, we just walked right on by the thing thinking it wouldn’t be that fun)
06 | eat at the cafe orleans to enjoy the pommes frites and the monte cristo sandwich (which can easily be shared with a friend). make sure to ask for some vanilla sauce on the side. this is the only place at disneyland that gives free refills.
We’d love to hear!!
Latest posts by Jodie and Jen (see all)
- Our Friday Five 9.30 - September 30, 2022
- Our Friday Five 12.3 - December 3, 2021
- Composition Book Christmas Planner - November 28, 2021
Get the photopass+ before you arrive by 14 days for 69.99 and when you get there hand them that pass to take your picture. When you arrive home you have 30 days to edit pictures and they send you all the picture that were taken on a cd and you can get them printed. It is way less expensive that way.
If your kids want a stuffed souvenir but aren't to picky, try one of the arcades! They're usually pretty empty, so you know one of you will win if you're only playing each other. Not only do they get the prize, but also the joy of winning it! There's cute Toy Story prizes by Toy Story Mania in CA Adventure!
I love the Baby Care Center. It's a nice, quiet place to feed and change your baby. They even have little toilets for those who are still a little scared of the big ones!
My boys (5 & 8) both wore fanny packs in the park. They carried their own gum, hard candies (not chocolate, it melts!) and goldfish or granola bars each day. They had total control over their snacks throughout the day. They loved it and they weren't asking me a million times for something.
Instead of an autograph book we buy an inexpensive Disney book. Like a Brave or Tinkerbell. What ever is there favorite story at the moment and let the characters sign those. That way when we get home and have reading time they can look through them and remember all the fun they had. Then we take a picture from that trip and stick it in the front and date the book for that trip. If you go a lot than you can make a whole collection. We love Disney Land. And I love your idea of a Die Hard button! We also buy matching Disney shirts at Walmart for 7$ before we go to save some money.
Priceline has the best air/hotel combinations. Alaska Airlines has really great air/hotel/park tickets deals.
We always get a hotel close enough to walk or that has a free shuttle.
When the kids are overstimulated, we head straight for California Adventure. It is always less crowded than Disneyland and they calm right down when going on a ride like Soaring Over California or a visit to Ghirardelli.
We always stay for at least three days. The price gets cheaper the longer you stay for the park passes, and we never feel rushed.
My daughter has type 1 diabetes, and I was thrilled to learn that they have sharps containers in each bathroom. It definitely makes our trip easier to be able to dispose of the five or so needles she uses each day.
I used to work at Disney's California Adventure and have seen and heard of many fun traditions and "must do's." We grew up going to the parks frequently.
One thing my sister's family did was instead of buying an autograph book, they purchased a matte that went into a large frame and had the characters sign it. After their trip, they put a cute family picture from the trip in the frame with the signatures all around. It's super cute!
Another tip is to get familiar with the FastPass system in the parks. Most people don't know about it. The tickets say to return between 2 specific times. Secret: you can return any time AFTER the first time. The best thing to do is get the FastPasses right away in the morning, so by the time the park is crowded and all of the FastPasses are gone, you still have a bunch. And you can hold more than one FastPass at a time! So awesome!
We discovered that it helps young families to last longer into the evening if you head back to the hotel room for a nap (if that's still something you're kids might do). So instead of calling it a night around 5-6pm. Take a break mid-day, and then you might last long enough for fireworks. Or at the very least, the night time ambiance.
Great pics, by the way. ALL of them!
Jason
The Cheeky Daddy
great tips! disneyland is the best!
The Plaza Inn, main street Disneyland, is a great place to stop and take in a "real" meal served on real plates with flatware. The adult meals are HUGE, large enough to share especially if you tack on a salad. Entrees are about $18, but if you're sharing, that's $9 for real food! American/also Vegetarian Plus the fountain drinks are free refills. You can eat in the beautiful restaurant or out on the patio , and before you leave you can ask for a "to go" cup to refill your fountain drink for free! If you plan it right, it's also a sweet spot to check out the parade and/or fireworks.
If you want a quiet view with lunch, walk out of the park, grab a meal "to go" and head into the Grand Californian Hotel (there's an entrance on Downtown Disney near Sephora). If you go through the lobby and up to the fourth floor there is a large private patio that over looks the parks. It's quiet, pretty, and spacious with patio style tables and space heaters in the cold weather. And yes, it's o.k. to be up there even if you are not a guest at the hotel.
Speaking of the Grand CA., the lobby is also a great place to just sit and "chill out". They have story tellers near the fire place at specific times, pianists who play beautifully, there are historic displays in the curios, the couches and easy chairs are the perfect place to sit a minute or twenty. (Plus, there are several hidden Mickeys in there!)
If you are in the Grand CA. there's no need to walk all the way to the front gates -you can go through the gardens to get into California Adventure, the gate lets you in very near the Grizzly River Run.
we just got back! the ride app is must tells wait times! we freeze water bottles too and pack them with a few apples and oranges-LOVE Florida fruit! the frozen water keeps our fruit cold too! (great for in between meal snacks!)
Great post – whats the best age for a trip to Disney – my kids are 2 and 4.5 right now and I want to take them but not sure when
Does anyone have a disney Credit card? We got one in the mail and I was thinking of using that the next few years to get points/money to use at Disney
Did no one have a Dole Whip??? They are a family favorite for us!!
Besides the Plaza Inn already mentioned, you can also get free drink refills when you dine at Rancho del Zocalo in Frontierland and Pizza Port in Tomorrowland.
You can only go in the special entrance to CA from inside the Grand Californian hotel if you are a hotel guest. You can go out (from inside the park to the outside) however, and it puts you a bit further down into Downtown Disney if you're going that direction–saves time from having to trek all the way back to the entrance of CA just to leave.
Our favorite secret tip: There's a little cafe in the Grand Californian, tucked away across from the swimming pool. They sell Premium Mickey ice cream bars there, so our last morning when our park passes have run out and we're wasting time walking around Downtown Disney before we catch the airport shuttle–we always go have one last Mickey ice cream bar before we have to leave! 🙂
@Rachelle – Disney is now enforcing fast pass times. If you don't return during the time on the fast pass, they will turn you away. DL started this in Feb., and it is being enforced.
Great tips! Thanks!
Our first stop in the morning at Disneyland is now the new-ish Jolly Holiday Bakery right at the end of Main Street, they have the most delicious blended mochas! YUM! If you are a frappucino fan or need some caffeine, that is a great treat. Also, my son loves the Dole Whip float from the Dole stand. And if you are needing a break in the afternoon, the Tiki Room is a great place to relax, catch a fun show and definitely bring a treat with you since you can eat in there. Also, the Aladdin show at Disneyland California Adventure is a must-see in my opinion. My family and I think it is awesome. 🙂 I love reading everyone's fun tips!
Wow, so much useful knowledge. Thank you for sharing. I remember going to Disney at the age of 5, I don't remember too many details, but I remember having fun! My boys are 5 and 7 now, we're waiting a few more years to take them, oh how I can't wait!! I'll be sure to use all your notes when planning our trip. Thanks again for the post, and to all the others who commented.
Trading Pins! We discovered these last year. I got a large lot on eBay (25 pins for $12, free shipping). When it came, the kids picked out a few they wanted to keep, and then we took the rest to Disneyland. You can look up the procedure online, but the main plus is that you can trade with any cast member with pins- and they HAVE to trade with you! You can trade up to 2 pins per CM. We always approach them and ask if we can see their pins. They are always super happy to show us, and the kids LOVE picking out their own- or some for each other. They got pins in their stockings and Easter eggs…it is SO fun! Our kids are on the younger end- 3 and 5. I've seen several articles recently from people saying this is perfect for their kids, tweens, and teens. We always spot lots of CMs and we end up with REALLY nice pins! The kids rarely ask for any souvenirs since they get to trade several times throughout the day, which is more fun!
* Also, I agree with others, Dole Whip is the best treat there, and we tried the Aladdin show two weeks ago and it was amazing! 45 min live show, inside of a theater, in awesome seats! You have to wait outside until about 10 min before (we got there 75 min early, but it was spring break) then they finally let you in to your seats. Our new favorite thing in C.A.!
You guys could NOT have done Disney Week at a more perfect time for me! We're surprising our three girls with a trip there next week, and we'll be there on my birthday, too! Thanks for posting all the great insider info. I already loved you girls, and now I love you even more! 🙂
This is perfect! We are going in 2 weeks and I can't wait!! Thanks for the tips 🙂
These notes are for the Disneyland Resort (Anaheim, CA)
– Baby Swap Passes: Have a little one who's not tall enough for Space Mountain? One adult stays off the ride with the little one, while another adult goes on the ride with everyone else. At the entrance to the ride ask the Disney Employee for a Baby Swap Pass (they have to actually see the little one). He'll give it to the first group who goes on the ride and when they exit, the two adults can swap. The person who stayed behind plus one more person can now go to the front of the line. OR, what my husband and I always do, we save up our baby swap passes all day long, then hand the kids over to Grandma at dinner time and us "big kids" go the front of one line after another with all our baby swap passes in a row.
– Sweepers: All the sweepers around the park have a stack of maps and event calendars in their pockets.
– Photos: Every Disney employee is required to stop what they are doing and take a picture of you and your family if you ask them to.
– FASTPASS!!!: Learn it and use it well! The bigger rides have the FastPass system. The map will indicate which rides have it. You insert your park ticket into the FastPass machine and it spits out a ticket that says "Return from 3:00pm-4:00pm" You must return in that hour block (they are being more picky these days) and you go to the front of the line. You can only have one FastPass in your pocket at a time. Once 3:00pm comes up, run and get another FastPass, then go on the 3:00pm ride. Always have a FastPass in your pocket. The only two attractions that allow you to have an additional FastPass are Radiator Spring Racers and World of Color. Occasionally the pass will say "Return from 3:00pm-4:00pm" and then down below in smaller print it might say "Your next FastPass will be available at 1pm" – so check!
– Favorite Place to Eat in Disneyland: The chicken dinners at the Plaza Inn. Big enough to share with someone else. Located at the end of Main Street, touching Tomorrowland.
– Favorite Place to Eat in California Adventure: White Water Snacks. Actually located inside the Grand Californian Hotel. You can go through the hotel turnstiles located across from Grizzly River Rapids (just remember to get your hand stamped). Hang a left at the end of the hallway. Quiet, little known lunch spot. Only employees were in there when we were last there.
@Stacey kaphan-tonzi how did you get the photopass+ for $69? I saw the where you can purchase it ahead of time, but it was $149. I would consider paying the $69. Thank you to everyone for these great tips. We're taking a family road trip from Michigan to California in August and looking forward to 3 days at Disneyland.
Earl of Sandwich is the BEST! I love the thanksgiving sandwich the best! {they have it year round} it's located in downtown Disney. It's a must try!!