Too bad it wasn't you... but very strange about all the soapy flip-flops!
Our Family of 5 goes to Disneyland: A First trip with 3 small kids (May 2012) DONE
- Thread starter MerryJ
- Start date
Too bad it wasn't you... but very strange about all the soapy flip-flops!
We woke up early to go to church on Sunday, but slept too late for the 6:45am Mass. We made it to the 8am, which was in Spanish and made my 7 year old VERY grumpy because he couldnt understand it.
We had to pack up and check out of the Castle Inn before we could head back to the park. Fortunately, they graciously allowed us to leave the car parked there while we spent the day at Disneyland.
It was about 10 am when we arrived at the parks. We went in and DH went to get two FPs for Space and two FPs for Star Tours. Space was shut down, but a very kind CM gave DH a baby swap so one kid could ride again. I went to stand in line with the boys for Big Thunder Mountain one last time. The boys didnt like the wait without FPs, although it couldnt have been longer than 15 minutes! P asked if he was able to ride alone in his own car, and they let him. Then DH and the boys rode one last time using the baby swap.
We headed across to DCA and P and I rode Screaming. Because it had been closed down for so long the day before, we were allowed to use our old FPs to ride today. While we rode, DH, L and M went to pick up Goofys Sky School FPs.
As it was still Ps very favorite ride (L was too short), he rode again with DH. They were able to go in the very front car! Then they rode again, this time in the very last car. P says the first car is the best. I enjoyed Screaming, but it was a little too much for me!
While DH and P rode, I took M and L onto the carousel which M was still calling horses even though the one at DCA doesnt have any horses. (DH pointed out that there are seahorses do they count as horses?) L was a big grump, and sat on the bench rather than one of the moving animals, while M was thrilled and loved it, until she had to get off. I then had to drag two cranky children around to meet up with DH and P!
We headed to the DCA Mexican restaurant for lunch. Our food wasnt as nice as the Mexican over at Disneyland, but it was filling and we found a nice shady spot to sit. The wait was longer than usual because they were having some kind of problem with their computer system.
Our FPs for Goofy were now good, so we headed over. The boys rode with their dad while M and I found a place to change her diaper, then I rode with the boys using the baby swap (and FP).
L says that Goofy was his very favorite ride of the trip. To me it felt a little like a fairground rollercoaster, but I understand why the children enjoyed it.
Goofy was our final ride at DCA. We then headed back to Disneyland. Space was up and running, so L and DH rode it as their very last ride.
In between rides, the boys made their own light sabers they had been waiting for this since we saw it on our first day! I think it was a great choice for a souvenir and they were thrilled with them.
Then P and I took one last trip on Star Tours. Unfortunately, my last ride wasnt ideal for me because I picked up a pair of glasses missing one lens! I didnt know what was wrong during the ride, but the 3D not work and the entire show was out of focus, which made me feel ill. I noticed the missing lens as I was getting ready to drop the 3D glasses in the return bucket at that moment, it suddenly all made sense! I wish I had figured it out earlier, because I might have been able to close one eye, and it might have worked. The CM offered me a baby swap so we could ride again, but there was still a fairly long line, and we had to get going to the airport soon.
The plan was to pick up some ice cream and walk out of the park to the car, but then we got our final little taste of Disney magic. As DH and the boys were ordering ice cream, I realized that the parade (which we hadnt managed to squeeze in all week) was about to go by, and there was a nice place to stand right there. I told DH where to find me and joined the group.
Eating ice cream and watching the parade was a lovely way to end our trip!
(For honesty sake, DH says I have to include that he came out of the ice cream store with the boys and turned left, as I had told him to do. Unfortunately, he came out a different door, and when he turned left, he was already past where I was standing. It took him a while to find M and I and he was feeling a little panicked! He found us before the parade ended, although I didnt get as much ice cream as I expected! He claims he had to eat it because it was melting!)
Next: Would we do it again?
We had to pack up and check out of the Castle Inn before we could head back to the park. Fortunately, they graciously allowed us to leave the car parked there while we spent the day at Disneyland.
It was about 10 am when we arrived at the parks. We went in and DH went to get two FPs for Space and two FPs for Star Tours. Space was shut down, but a very kind CM gave DH a baby swap so one kid could ride again. I went to stand in line with the boys for Big Thunder Mountain one last time. The boys didnt like the wait without FPs, although it couldnt have been longer than 15 minutes! P asked if he was able to ride alone in his own car, and they let him. Then DH and the boys rode one last time using the baby swap.
We headed across to DCA and P and I rode Screaming. Because it had been closed down for so long the day before, we were allowed to use our old FPs to ride today. While we rode, DH, L and M went to pick up Goofys Sky School FPs.
As it was still Ps very favorite ride (L was too short), he rode again with DH. They were able to go in the very front car! Then they rode again, this time in the very last car. P says the first car is the best. I enjoyed Screaming, but it was a little too much for me!
While DH and P rode, I took M and L onto the carousel which M was still calling horses even though the one at DCA doesnt have any horses. (DH pointed out that there are seahorses do they count as horses?) L was a big grump, and sat on the bench rather than one of the moving animals, while M was thrilled and loved it, until she had to get off. I then had to drag two cranky children around to meet up with DH and P!
We headed to the DCA Mexican restaurant for lunch. Our food wasnt as nice as the Mexican over at Disneyland, but it was filling and we found a nice shady spot to sit. The wait was longer than usual because they were having some kind of problem with their computer system.
Our FPs for Goofy were now good, so we headed over. The boys rode with their dad while M and I found a place to change her diaper, then I rode with the boys using the baby swap (and FP).
L says that Goofy was his very favorite ride of the trip. To me it felt a little like a fairground rollercoaster, but I understand why the children enjoyed it.
Goofy was our final ride at DCA. We then headed back to Disneyland. Space was up and running, so L and DH rode it as their very last ride.
In between rides, the boys made their own light sabers they had been waiting for this since we saw it on our first day! I think it was a great choice for a souvenir and they were thrilled with them.
Then P and I took one last trip on Star Tours. Unfortunately, my last ride wasnt ideal for me because I picked up a pair of glasses missing one lens! I didnt know what was wrong during the ride, but the 3D not work and the entire show was out of focus, which made me feel ill. I noticed the missing lens as I was getting ready to drop the 3D glasses in the return bucket at that moment, it suddenly all made sense! I wish I had figured it out earlier, because I might have been able to close one eye, and it might have worked. The CM offered me a baby swap so we could ride again, but there was still a fairly long line, and we had to get going to the airport soon.
The plan was to pick up some ice cream and walk out of the park to the car, but then we got our final little taste of Disney magic. As DH and the boys were ordering ice cream, I realized that the parade (which we hadnt managed to squeeze in all week) was about to go by, and there was a nice place to stand right there. I told DH where to find me and joined the group.
Eating ice cream and watching the parade was a lovely way to end our trip!
(For honesty sake, DH says I have to include that he came out of the ice cream store with the boys and turned left, as I had told him to do. Unfortunately, he came out a different door, and when he turned left, he was already past where I was standing. It took him a while to find M and I and he was feeling a little panicked! He found us before the parade ended, although I didnt get as much ice cream as I expected! He claims he had to eat it because it was melting!)
Next: Would we do it again?
DisneytheKid
A bad attempt at Billy the Kid
- Joined
- Aug 23, 2011
- Messages
- 1,623
Great trip report! Thanks for posting!!!
Thank you so much for reading! I am thrilled that other are enjoying my report. My kids really liked it when DH read it to them, and little M started singing every time he mentioned Small World, so she clearly remembering the trip!
I have almost finished my final recap post!
I have almost finished my final recap post!
great report! My DS also has a mile-wide stubborn streak so at least I know what we'll be in for next year.
Gotta love those stubborn kids! His big brother and little sister are pretty easy going, but if my L doesn't want to do something, he just won't. Just ask his swim teacher, or his music teacher, or his big brother or his PARENTS!
He makes me crazy some days, but I love him to pieces. 
So, would we do it again?
I knew that I shouldnt plan on doing everything on this trip, but it is very hard NOT to try to do everything. We LOVED our Ridemax plan (because we saw many people waiting in long lines for things we had just walked on), BUT when you have a checklist with times (to the minute) some of us find it very difficult to slow down and smell the roses! We did too much on the first day or two, and if we had taken it slower, then maybe the disaster that was Friday morning wouldnt have happened. We did plan for breaks, but we should have planned for longer breaks from noon right until 5 or even 6, rather than until 3 or 4.
I wish that I had planned in more time for just wandering around. I did find the anti-touring plan (http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2922903) someone posted on here, and even printed it out, but we didnt try it. In retrospect it would have been great to follow that plan on the first day, or even on the Tuesday afternoon, when we first arrived.
Even though Saturday was probably a busier day than Wednesday and Thursday, we had more fun than any of the other days. We were still following a Ridemax plan, but we werent hurrying about so much. Maybe just being more comfortable with the park helped? For one thing, we werent afraid to split up for a short time because we could easily plan a meeting place! It was also easier for us to recognize which things were close together, so the Space/Buzz Lightyear switch worked well and nobody had so much waiting around. We also sent DH off to pick up FPs as we got more accustomed to things, which helped reduce the walking for the boys a little.
My only other thought is that my 5 year old was just a little the wrong age. He was just a little too young for some of the big kid rides his brother loved, but just a little too old for some of the baby rides his little sister rode. I was thinking it would have been better if they were all one year older an 8 year old, 6 year old and a 2.5 year old? Of course, then the 2.5 year old might not have been so content to wait while her big brothers had all the fun!
I am SO happy that I decided (with advice from DIS) to bring our sit and stand stroller. My boys dont use a stroller at home, but we wouldnt have been able to do what we did without the double. M (20 months) rode most of the time, but L could easily hop on if he was really tired. And then when they were totally exhausted, I could carry M in my Ergo carrier, and both boys could squeeze into the stroller! If we hadnt had it, I guarantee DH would have had a big kid on his shoulders, which would have made his back hurt. We did lots of walking both DH and I left our diet at home, and ate more junky food (including that amazing toffee covered in chocolate and nuts) and still didnt gain any weight. I was pleasantly surprised that it was also possible to make some reasonably healthy food choices.
There was at least one moment during the unpleasant Friday morning when I looked down at my first visit pin and laughed and thought, First visit! Ha! LAST visit! But would we go again? I think so. I am just trying now to decide WHEN! Should we try and make it in September 2013, just before M turns 3? The boys would be almost 9 and 6.5 which would be great ages for all the rides but little Miss M will have strong opinions on what do by then and probably none of it will involve coasters! If we wait until she is 4 or 5, she will probably be at the magic 40 but the entire trip will cost much more! I imagine that the boys would LOVE it at 10 or 11 and 7 or 8.
I do know that my plan is to start a new holiday fund, and the boys both say that we should go back to Disney (land or world). All in all Disneyland was a fun (if exhausting) family vacation and I hope we get back someday!
I knew that I shouldnt plan on doing everything on this trip, but it is very hard NOT to try to do everything. We LOVED our Ridemax plan (because we saw many people waiting in long lines for things we had just walked on), BUT when you have a checklist with times (to the minute) some of us find it very difficult to slow down and smell the roses! We did too much on the first day or two, and if we had taken it slower, then maybe the disaster that was Friday morning wouldnt have happened. We did plan for breaks, but we should have planned for longer breaks from noon right until 5 or even 6, rather than until 3 or 4.
I wish that I had planned in more time for just wandering around. I did find the anti-touring plan (http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2922903) someone posted on here, and even printed it out, but we didnt try it. In retrospect it would have been great to follow that plan on the first day, or even on the Tuesday afternoon, when we first arrived.
Even though Saturday was probably a busier day than Wednesday and Thursday, we had more fun than any of the other days. We were still following a Ridemax plan, but we werent hurrying about so much. Maybe just being more comfortable with the park helped? For one thing, we werent afraid to split up for a short time because we could easily plan a meeting place! It was also easier for us to recognize which things were close together, so the Space/Buzz Lightyear switch worked well and nobody had so much waiting around. We also sent DH off to pick up FPs as we got more accustomed to things, which helped reduce the walking for the boys a little.
My only other thought is that my 5 year old was just a little the wrong age. He was just a little too young for some of the big kid rides his brother loved, but just a little too old for some of the baby rides his little sister rode. I was thinking it would have been better if they were all one year older an 8 year old, 6 year old and a 2.5 year old? Of course, then the 2.5 year old might not have been so content to wait while her big brothers had all the fun!
I am SO happy that I decided (with advice from DIS) to bring our sit and stand stroller. My boys dont use a stroller at home, but we wouldnt have been able to do what we did without the double. M (20 months) rode most of the time, but L could easily hop on if he was really tired. And then when they were totally exhausted, I could carry M in my Ergo carrier, and both boys could squeeze into the stroller! If we hadnt had it, I guarantee DH would have had a big kid on his shoulders, which would have made his back hurt. We did lots of walking both DH and I left our diet at home, and ate more junky food (including that amazing toffee covered in chocolate and nuts) and still didnt gain any weight. I was pleasantly surprised that it was also possible to make some reasonably healthy food choices.
There was at least one moment during the unpleasant Friday morning when I looked down at my first visit pin and laughed and thought, First visit! Ha! LAST visit! But would we go again? I think so. I am just trying now to decide WHEN! Should we try and make it in September 2013, just before M turns 3? The boys would be almost 9 and 6.5 which would be great ages for all the rides but little Miss M will have strong opinions on what do by then and probably none of it will involve coasters! If we wait until she is 4 or 5, she will probably be at the magic 40 but the entire trip will cost much more! I imagine that the boys would LOVE it at 10 or 11 and 7 or 8.
I do know that my plan is to start a new holiday fund, and the boys both say that we should go back to Disney (land or world). All in all Disneyland was a fun (if exhausting) family vacation and I hope we get back someday!
Lucille1963
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Sep 2, 2005
- Messages
- 1,031
I loved your trip report!
As far as planning the timing of your next trip, I vote for all of the above!
As far as planning the timing of your next trip, I vote for all of the above!
martinolichfamily
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Jul 22, 2009
- Messages
- 874
Great report! 
Our 1st DL trip is in 30 days!
Our 1st DL trip is in 30 days!
I don't know if we can swing that - I'll have to look into how much it will actually cost. We have discussed the possibility of heading to WDW, but DH thinks we should stay on property if we do that and it would get pricey! For some reason he is really excited about the Animal Kingdom Lodge.
Great report!
Our 1st DL trip is in 30 days!
Thanks for reading. Have a wonderful trip!
I admit, a small part of me wishes we had been able to see Carsland - but I don't think I could have managed summer crowds. I get a little nervous in really huge crowds and I don't like getting TOO hot!
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