Saturday, January 23, 2010

In June my youngest sister is graduating from high school (crazy!) And to celebrate our family is heading off to the ever fabulous Disney Land for a few days. We just started the trip planning process and I am getting more excited by the day!!!
It's been years since I've done Disney Land and I've never done it with two kids, one only two years old. So, to all of you Disney Land experts, please send me your survival tips on Disney Land with a 2 year old. Best places to stay, best rides and areas of the park, best places to eat and any other tips and tricks. Pretty please?

6 comments:

aubrey said...

Well, I have never experienced Disneyland with a 2 year old, but we went this last fall and this is what we did. I found the most inexpensive place to get tickets and hotel was through getawaytoday.com. I also planned out daily meals, we brought lunch to the park and headed back to the hotel to eat our dinner. This served as nice break in the day and gave us a chance to rejuvinate a bit before heading back for the night. It saved us a ton of money on food - the food in the park is over priced and only ok. I felt I had more control over what my family was eating. I was able to make healthy meals and we all felt better for it I think. We did plan two meals in the park for the nicer restaurants, it can be expensive but you definitely pay for what you get there: fresh,balanced meals. There is a Walmart just on the other side of the freeway so if you are driving to California it makes for an easy run to the store. I purchased sports bottles for all of us - TJMaxx, Old Navy, they had some really cute one - and just refilled them at night and put them in the hotel fridge. This saved money and the planet! I also looked around town, Walmart, Target, even the DI and found Disney paraphernalia. I found the cutest tinkerbell shirt and the DI and some really cute Ariel pj bottoms for Caitlyn. I packed them and gave them to her on our trip, she never knew the difference! I also found a little scrapbook at Walmart on sale, bought some tinkerbell stickers for the front and made her her own autograph book. She loves it! And the best part was how unique it was, no one else had one like it!

That is a lot of information! Those were the main things I found that helped save money. We suprised Caitlyn with the trip so I wasn't able to do this with her, but it was another idea I had. I was going to goal sheet for her, have it be a thermometor and the top part was going to be shaped like Mickey's head. I was going to put a jar underneath it and every time she added a dollar to her trip spending money she could color a red line. That was she could see her money adding up! Since she didn't know I just pulled the money from her allowance and set it aside my self.

Okay, there are some ideas! If I think of more I will email you!

Oh, you guys are going to have sooooo much fun! I LOVE DISNEYLAND!

Phillip and Mary said...

I recommend a binkie! Ha! Just kidding! Good luck with that!

Susan said...

You'll probably hear this from a bunch of people, but the "baby swap" or "rider swap" passes are the best! They are available for all the larger rides, in which younger kids can't ride ('cause they're too short!) - you just go up to the attendant at the ride you want and ask for one. They'll give you a little slip of paper that says baby/rider swap or something on it. Then one half of your party goes on the ride (waiting in the regular line) and then when they are done, the other half of your party uses the baby swap pass and can get right into the fast pass line. That way some of the adults can stay out and watch the little kids, and it speeds up the process so everyone can ride. OH - and even better, if you get fast pass tickets for the first half of your party (ask a worker at the park and they'll explain how to get them) then no one will have to wait in the longer line for the big rides.

Anyway- that's all I got. :) But it works out well... and if there is a little kid ride near a adult ride, then part of your party can keep the kids busy with something like that till it's their turn on Space Mountain or whatever. And the bugs life section of California Adventure is the best for little kids and I think it's fun too! Have fun on your trip! I'm jealous!

erin said...

Emily (Goodman) has a whole blog dedicated to Disneyland: http://www.tipsfromadisneygirl.blogspot.com/

Trevlyn said...

Oh, how exciting!!! We haven't gone since Tessa was born, so I'm looking forward to reading all these wonderful comments!

Nunes Family said...

When we go to Disney we always stay in the Anaheim Desert inn. Here is there add. www.anaheimdesertinn.com

Anways its right across the st. So you can walk. And when I mean right across it is right there soooo nice. I love it. Then you don't have to worry about packing up your stroller every time to get on those dang buses. Its not fun. You can usally get some good prices. Just keep checking they have indoor pool and spa. Its the only place we stay when we go now. It worth paying a little extra in my opion then having to wait for a bus if you have just missed it. I hope this helps.

Also look in the Target dollar section and keep looking. Everyonce in awhile they will put disney stuff in this section. Then at the park when the kids really want to buy something we would always pull something out that i got and give it to them. They love it!! Have tons of fun. I love Disney Land