New Here and New to Disney!

[madasax12]

Hello - I am glad I found this forum. I am a father of 2 younger kids and we are planning out our trip to Disneyland in september. We are going around the 18th and staying 4nights at the Disneyland hotel -
I guess my question is just looking for some tips/tricks/hints -

My daughter absolutely LOVES frozen (dont they all) so seeing that set of cast is a must. She will also be getting a "princess makeover" - the full blown deal. Will this help for frozen charatures or just the normal princess wait times?

Anything that will help us out to have as much fun as possible - our kids will be 4 and around 1 1/2 at the time of the trip.

 

[mummabear]

Hi!, We will be leaving just as you are arriving
If you are doing the castle package at BBB this will help with the wait time for the usual princesses but not Anna/Elsa.

You could also consider doing Ariels Grotto. At this age our kids love love loved Minnies Breakfast in the park and collecting character autographs in the books, they look at these regularly at home.

How long are you staying for? Where are you staying?

 

[madasax12]

We are staying in a standard room at the Disneyland hotel for 4nights/5days - park hopper passes for all days and booked through costco and got character breakfast and some other goodies.

 

[mummabear]

Great! We are staying at DLH for our first time this trip.
If you want to see A&E I have read that the thing to do is go straight there at emh and then you will be in the first few once it opens.

What sort of tips are you looking for?

 

[madasax12]

Just really anything to lookout for as far as tips go - such as seeing the Frozen girls, fun things for our kids, things that my son can do at a younger age. Just any tips and hints from people that have been a few times can give us to help! I have been but not for a loooooong time....and not as a Dad I am super excited, so is our daughter.

 

[mummabear]

Your 4 year old will probably be tall enough for most of the rides however you may want to have her watch you tube videos of Tower of Terror and Space Mountain Ghost Galaxy before she rides, she may find these two particularly frightening.

There is a lot for your one year old as well even outside of Toontown/Fantasyland. Don't miss the Disney Junior Live on stage show at DCA.

Food: There is a kids power pack that is great for lunch (or dinner) for kids this age, it has a yogurt, goldfish crackers, apple slices, milk and a cookie in it. They are all over the place at WDW but I have read they can only be found at Red Rocket's Pizza Port in Tomorrowland (someone correct me if I am wrong?)

There is a baby care facility in both parks. My husband says there are change tables in the mens rooms (as well as the ladies, you don't normally find them in NZ in the mens room)

Do you have a double stroller? Even though your 4 year old may be out of the stroller normally, they may want to rest with all the walking at the parks.

 

[talentedmummy]

We went last January and our dd turned 2 on our last day there. A Bugs Life was popular with her, with the exception of the spinning bugs. Also loved the carousels, little Mermaid ride and the Jungle Cruise.

A tip: take a small cooler bag, the kind that holds a 6 pack, freeze juice boxes in your room and pack snacks in it. I also took small Tupperware containers and a small knife to cut up fruit in our room for snacks. I only bought a toddler meal for her once, most of the time she shared some of her brother's (6) and ate some of ours. She wasn't crazy about the costumed characters and a little stand offish with the princesses but she still talks about meeting the little mermaid now. The Disney Jr show in CA was a hit with both of

 

[CourtFool]

Welcome! Assuming you are going with another adult, rider swap allows one of you to go on a ride the little one can not, and then switch to let the other adult go on the ride without having to wait again.

 

[ClosetDisneyJunkie]

Welcome! You might consider swinging by City Hall in Main Street USA and getting First Time to Disneyland pins for your kids, or at least your older daughter. She might get a kick out of it.

Also, when you check in to DLH be friendly and maybe casually mention that it's a first time trip for your kids (and if you've never stayed at DLH before, for you too). You might have a chance at a free room upgrade. It's very much dependent on the person who checks you in and room availability and far from a sure thing, but I got a room upgrade without even asking for it last time I stayed at DLH. In my experience it's better NOT to actually ask for it, just see if they do it, but others may have had different experiences. Either way your kids will love DLH.

 

[YukonMommy]

My tip is all in reference to a stroller!!!

Take (or rent) a double stroller. Your 4 year old may like to walk a lot but by the end of a day your feet will be tired so odds are she will want to ride!

Remember to take some brightly colored ribbon to mark your stroller as in the sea of stroller parking they are sometimes hard to find.

To pack in your stroller:
-hoodies for evening
-enough diapers and wipes (I base it on 1 for every 2 hours and then 2 extra)
-change of clothes for the 18 month old in a big Ziploc bag
--2 extra soothers with clips (if used)
-extra sippy cup
-small snacks
-a bottle of water (more if you don't plan on buying drinks in the park)
-a small first aid bag with Tylenol, kid/baby Tylenol, band-aids,
-small hook on to the handle hand sanitizer
-small toys that can be attached to stroller
-small blanket (great for covering baby when napping and staking out spots for parade and F!)

When we went on rides we left everything in the stroller except small crossbody purse I wore (with camera in it) and DH wallet. We never had any problems with anything being stolen.

Have a magical time!!

 

[crystal1313]

You have gotten some great advice, some that I will second!

First, baby care centers for your DS. They are SO nice. Padded changing tables! There is one in each park. In DL on Main Street next to the photo store and in DCA in Pacific Wharf behind Ghiradelli.

Stroller! A double. We still use a stroller for my DS4. It's a lot of walking for little ones.

Snacks/drinks! My kids get overwhelmed in the parks, so we try to break every 2-3 hours and MAKE them have a drink (water) and a snack. It greatly reduces the melt downs and it's nice to take a breather and slow down for a bit. I bring an entire backpack full of different snacks, plus a soft sided cooler with drinks and applesauce, gogurt, grapes, etc.

There is SO much to do with little ones. It's so fun. Off hand I can think of:

Buzz lightyear
autopia
small world
toon town for meet n greets
all of Fantasyland
jungle cruise
tiki room
Columbia
Mark Twain
Tom Sawyer island
Pooh
HM
POTC
Tarazan treehouse
DL RailRoad
Bugs land
Luigis
Maters
Monsters inc
Toy Story
Plus Disney jr show
Aladdin
Parades

Make sure to take tons of photos!! Have a wonderful time

 

[Jaylens Papa]

Keep in mind that everything fun isn't always a ride.
My grandkids love Tom Sawyers Island, now called Pirates Lair? A nice little get a way from the crowds. Caves and barrel bridges.
Tarzans treehouse.
Theres a kids playhouse in ToonTown.
There's a petting zoo behind Big Thunder Mtn. Also great BBQ.
Just hanging out on Route 66 in CarsLand is so cool. Especially if the kids are familiar with the movie. Mater and McQueen meet and greets. DJ's Dance Party. My favorite is the lighting ceremony at sunset. Standing in front of Flo's. Life is but a Dream.
Lots of Characters to see in Town Square and Buena Vista St.
There's a Wilderness area in CA by the Rapids. Rope bridges and cool slides.
Check the schedule each day for the parades.
The flag lowering ceremony in Town Square is cool too.
So much to do without ever getting on a ride.

 

[chabelita545]

We brought our oldest for the first time when he was just 2. What I remember most is how slowly we moved, and that was really nice, actually. He loved things like watching the castle moat's ducks and turtles, chasing birds, and climbing on railings while we waited in line. The piano player on Main St. sat him on his lap and together they played Heigh Ho. Sweet. His favorite attractions were Dumbo, Casey Junior, the Tiki Room and the Jungle Cruise.

Our other son came for the first time just before turning 2 and I thought we'd have a similar experience. Not so. He loved Buzz Lightyear's Astro Blasters but cried hysterically when we waited in line to meet Buzz Lightyear and wouldn't go near Winnie the Pooh. Pretty much every character with a fake head freaked him out. But guess what his favorite ride was? Haunted Mansion. Go figure. This is my son who now (age 11) loves Indiana Jones but won't go on Matterhorn because of the Yetis with the red eyes are too scary. Be prepared for your kiddos to react differently than you expect and go with the flow.

When our kids were 5 and almost 2, they had a blast playing in the water at Princess Dot's Puddle Park in A Bug's Land. They got drenched, so we ended up buying a towel and extra clothes from one of the shops. Afterwards, I always packed sandals, a shammy and extra clothes for them. Kids have to wear shirts and shoes to play in the water but there's a nice family changing room nearby.

Be aware that there are a lot of rides, especially in Fantasyland, that can be scary, like Snow White and Pinocchio. Mr. Toad's Wild Ride was terrifying and had my preschooler in tears. You actually drive through Hell (and it's even hot). Roger Rabbit can also be frightening. There's a funny guidebook called "The Unofficial Guide to Disneyland" which we checked out from the library before going our first time. This guide book goes into detail about things that might scare little ones and was very useful for preparing our boys for stuff we thought might freak them out. For example: there's some jungle chanting in the Tiki Room that climaxes with a thunderstorm. I told my toddler we were going to play the drums (clap on our laps) with the "Hoo-Hah" guys and try to make it rain, and he loved it. Then, we looked out for the Queen of Hearts on Alice's Adventures in Wonderland so we could stick our tongues out at her. We timed our trip through Tarzan's treehouse so the leopard didn't roar/screech while we were standing right there. Not everything is scary, and not every "scary" ride will scare your kids, but it's nice to know ahead of time.

Other things your little ones may like: Turtle Talk with Crush inside the animation building in DCA and riding the old fashioned vehicles up and down Main Street in DL. And try to keep them up at least once to see the fireworks!

There is nothing quite like taking your children to Disneyland for the first time and seeing everything through their eyes. Take tons of photos and enjoy every minute!

 

[Escape2Disney]

I also took small Tupperware containers and a small knife to cut up fruit in our room for snacks.

It's my understanding that they will confiscate knives at security. If you can't bring a knife, you can go to one of the counter service locations and use one of theirs.

As others have said, every kid reacts differently when it comes to rides and characters. When my youngest was 6, we went to It's Tough To Be A Bug. It's a 4D experience that includes light pokes in the back, a stink bomb, and the sensation of bugs scurrying at your feet. It freaked her out so bad, she still talks about it! She's 20 and has still never gone again.

My oldest LOVED that ride, and everything else kids her age deemed scary.

If in doubt, you can ask the cast members near the entrance of the ride. They can talk to you about the fear factor on each of the rides before you board.

 

[mummabear]

Be aware that there are a lot of rides, especially in Fantasyland, that can be scary, like Snow White and Pinocchio. Mr. Toad's Wild Ride was terrifying and had my preschooler in tears. You actually drive through Hell (and it's even hot). Roger Rabbit can also be frightening. There's a funny guidebook called "The Unofficial Guide to Disneyland" which we checked out from the library before going our first time. This guide book goes into detail about things that might scare little ones and was very useful for preparing our boys for stuff we thought might freak them out. For example: there's some jungle chanting in the Tiki Room that climaxes with a thunderstorm. I told my toddler we were going to play the drums (clap on our laps) with the "Hoo-Hah" guys and try to make it rain, and he loved it. Then, we looked out for the Queen of Hearts on Alice's Adventures in Wonderland so we could stick our tongues out at her. We timed our trip through Tarzan's treehouse so the leopard didn't roar/screech while we were standing right there. Not everything is scary, and not every "scary" ride will scare your kids, but it's nice to know ahead of time.

Other things your little ones may like: Turtle Talk with Crush inside the animation building in DCA and riding the old fashioned vehicles up and down Main Street in DL. And try to keep them up at least once to see the fireworks!

There is nothing quite like taking your children to Disneyland for the first time and seeing everything through their eyes. Take tons of photos and enjoy every minute!

SPOILER ALERT:
On this note, It's tough to be a bug is pretty scary, especially the part where you are jabbed in the back, my kids were ok with the swatting, spraying etc but hated being stung-you want to sit them forward on the seats

 

[chabelita545]

SPOILER ALERT:
On this note, It's tough to be a bug is pretty scary, especially the part where you are jabbed in the back, my kids were ok with the swatting, spraying etc but hated being stung-you want to sit them forward on the seats

Oh yes! I had heard this was really scary so we avoided it altogether until the kids were much older. I loved it and so did our youngest (8 at the time), but it scared the tar out of his brother and older cousins. Ha ha. None of them will see it again.

 

[YukonMommy]

Oh yes! I had heard this was really scary so we avoided it altogether until the kids were much older. I loved it and so did our youngest (8 at the time), but it scared the tar out of his brother and older cousins. Ha ha. None of them will see it again.

Every kid is so different! The first time we went my youngest was 18 months old and loved it! (as did my then 4, 6 and 8 year olds!) We must have went back at least 3 times that first time as he kept asking for the "buggies"!