I get asked all the time about how to plan a successful Disney trip. Here’s my recommendations for planning a trip to Disneyland with little to no planning time:
We decided last minute that we were going to take a Disneyland Trip with our two boys (9 months and 2 years). When I say last minute I mean 1 month out. I typically plan 6 months ahead, so this was a first for me. This was something we had bribed my son with to complete his potty training. Little did we know that would happen pretty suddenly after many failed attempts.
First things first- I needed to solidify a hotel, plan our days, and figure out the best ways to have fun and stay sane during our trip.
We were going on our “1st” family vacation since having a second child, so the thought of handling both a toddler and an infant at the happiest busiest place on Earth took a lot of the magic out of the trip. Enter my mother-in-law. If you are fortunate enough to have a parent, in-law, or sibling that can and will join, DO SO!
- Bring along a family member (grandparent, Aunt/Uncle, Cousin)- my MIL isn’t very fond of all the rides so she was able to sit back with the infant while everyone else rode ride after ride. They can also help with saving seats for parades and allowing “date nights” for the parents. For us this was also a great opportunity to create lasting memories that include their Yaya, since my in-laws live out of state.
- Figure out the best time to go
Since my son was potty trained by September we decided the best time to go would be in October. Not only would we avoid huge Holiday (Thanksgiving & Christmas) crowds but also be able to experience Halloween at Disneyland.
TIP ALERT: Tuesday-Thursday are the least busy days of the week. If you are able, go then, if not try to make it on Monday or Friday. Stay clear on weekends during Halloween time (really anytime)….it is a mad house!!
My husband couldn’t get off any other time than Thursday-Sunday, so unfortunately we were going to have to handle Disneyland over the weekend. We will never do that again! Lines were ridiculous, parade spots had to be held AT LEAST 2 hours prior, and walking through Tomorrowland or New Orleans was pretty much impossible.
TIP ALERT: Extra Magic Hour holders (those staying at a Disneyland Resort or a 3-day or more park hopper ticket holder) are able to enter the following parks an hour early on the selected days below:
- Disneyland Park- Tuesday, Thursdays, and Saturdays
- Disney California Adventure- Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, and Sundays
Try to go to a park on a day that isn’t an extra magic hour day. The park will be a little less busy, especially in the morning.
- Find a place to stay with EASE and CONVIENCE in mind without breaking the bank!
I researched hotel after hotel and so many different travel sites that my head started spinning. Was Disney really going to cost me $300 a night to stay on site…YIKES!! I was looking for a suite, which for some hotels means the front room has a pull out couch. I mean come on, really! Do you seriously think it’s a great idea to put a 2 year old in the front room by himself where he can escape at any moment (insert eye roll)! I didn’t want them in the same room as us, because unfortunately our kids AREN’T the type that can sleep with us.
I’m also a bit high maintenance when it comes to Hotels. Side note- I’m a huge germ freak and have extremely OCD. Most of the hotels looked like the rooms hadn’t been cleaned in centuries, may be questionable with bed bugs, and not much cheaper than Disney Resorts and only a two-three star. If I was going to stay off site it needed to be easy and comfortable, and worth the money.
Enter Hotels.com. I searched everywhere and ended up snatching up a 2 room suite at the La Quinta Anaheim, only .7 miles from Disney for under $160 a night. The place had just been remodeled and included breakfast (however it was a breakfast full of carbs). There’s a choice of 1 king or 2 queen beds in the first room with a kid’s room that was closed off including a full trundle bed and TV with plenty of room for a pack n’ play. $$$ saved and easy walk = not paying for Disney parking, and was located right across the street from tons of restaurants and a CVS.
TIP ALERT: Search HomeAway or VRBO for houses close by. If you have a large party this is a great way to save money by splitting the cost of a house while also getting the luxury of having a kitchen on hand and within walking distance to Disney.
- Make a list of things to do
I’m all about planning my trip out ahead of time. I like to know what to expect and don’t want to miss out on a single thing. For this reason I created a list of things we had to do and tips along the way. I color coated my list so I could easily look in the midst of madness and see if a show was starting soon or if a parade spot needed to be grabbed in the near future. I had a color for shows, parades, fireworks, and rides. Here’s an example of what my itinerary looked like:
- Make a packing list
I always do this because those who know me know that I think about a million things at a time and tend to forget things in between. Be intentional with your packing list, put down things you think you may want at some point, even if you never use it. My moto is I’d rather be safe than sorry! I included beach attire (even though the water was cold), hats for the kids (it is sunny all the time in Cali), stuffed toys for the kids to sleep or play with in the hotel room, and soap and sponges to clean bottles and spoons for my infant instead of packing multiple bottles.
TIP ALERT: find glow in the dark items at the dollar store or the AMAZING dollar section at Target. Take them with you to Disney for the night time parades. I popped out this glow stick for my son once the parade started and he didn’t know the difference between this and the $30 glow in the dark sticks the other kids were buying from the street vendors. I’m all about money saved without missing out on the experience.
One item I recommend purchasing is the Child ID Tattoos from Amazon. Your child can’t rub them off and it eases the worry of losing your child. I was stopped at least a dozen times by mom’s wanting to know where I got them.
PHEW…that was a lot! I hope this can help you prepare for your upcoming Disney trip! Make sure and check out Disneyland Tips for Making the Most of Your Experience.
