We are taking our 8 month old daughter to Disneyland in December for her first Disney trip! I've been to DLR hundreds of times and I've never had to prepare this much. This time is different. It's going to be hard to get to all of our favorites with a baby on our chest the entire time. So here are a few tips I've discovered along the way to getting the most out of DLR with an infant...
1) Go with a large group (preferably a group including other babies). That way, you're not the only one sitting out when others are enjoying Tower of Terror and other big rides.
2) Go through the line with the baby. This is how you get a rider switch. All riders must go through the line at least once. The CMs will ask you to wait in a designated area, and then when the rest of the party returns from the ride, you get to take 1 person with you and go right back on the ride again without waiting in line, while the rest of the party waits with the baby. That's why it's important to have more than one baby in the group. That means 4 people can go with 2 rider switches and 6 people can go with 3 rider switches, so on and so forth. That way you can get a significant amount of people on the ride again with you and make it just as much fun!
3) Invest in a baby carrier. When baby is awake, don't make him/her miss out on all the fun in their stroller. They will want to be in the action as well! This will make things so much easier when boarding rides they can actually go on. When you visit Fantasyland with your baby, you will be able to take them on everything there, provided they are strapped to your chest. This serves as their "seatbelt" since the bar obviously won't do them any good. Make sure the baby carrier is comfortable and you're used to it prior to your trip because there's nothing more miserable then being uncomfortable at DLR.
4) Don't get your hopes up when it comes to character pictures. If your baby is like mine, they're curious about everything. Mine is particularly social and outgoing, but when it comes to large headed mice, I'm not sure how she'll react. One thing I'd suggest to try, borrow a costume with a large head or an abnormal shape/color and try it out before your trip. If she screams at it, it's probably a good indication she's not going to be Mickey's biggest fan. I'm going to wait in line for Mickey and if she's not happy with him, I'm going to stick to face characters only.
5) Have your camera ready. It's not only polite to the people waiting in line, but it's going to give you the best shot of your child. When your child first sees Mickey, s/he is going to have an immediate reaction, whether it be good or bad, you want to catch it on camera! Before you send your significant other or family member up there with your baby, have your camera ready and start snapping away the instant s/he sees the character.
6) Get a hotel close to the park. My daughter still takes 3 naps a day and I'm only planning on getting rid of one of those naps by the time we get to the park. That means we'll be making a trip back to the hotel at least once, if not twice during the day. I may or may not be taking a nap with her while we're there. I'm getting tired just thinking about it!
7) Take advantage of the Baby Care Centers. There are two Baby Care Centers, one in DLR and one in DCA. They have everything you need to keep your baby happy including private nursing rooms, changing tables, feeding room with high chairs, and a room with a TV and chairs. I'm going to use this like crazy while we're there. They also have a shop with formula, baby food and diapers! Disney thinks of everything!
8) Do what YOU want to do. Yes, DLR is for children, but at that age, they aren't going to remember a thing. They are going to have fun looking at anything, so make sure you get in everything that you want to enjoy. I was thinking I was going to spend my entire trip in Fantasyland because that's what she will enjoy the most, but then I realized, she just spent the last half an hour looking at a cup, so I'm pretty sure she'll have just as much fun in any land we visit.
9) Bring your own stroller. DLR rents strollers but they are too large for an infant and they aren't very comfortable. Plus, how clean can they REALLY be? Just saying. Once you get in the park, tie a balloon to your stroller so you can find it quickly in the mix of all the other strollers in the event that you leave it at any time.
10) Hotel tips: Again, book a hotel close to DLR. Bring a pack and play or crib, or request one there. Make sure you have dish soap and a sink to wash any baby dishes you may have.
11) Over-pack for the day. You never know what's going to happen at DLR so bring a change of clothes for your baby, extra formula if you're not BF, a water bottle, diapers and wipes. You can purchase all of these items at the park, but you're going to pay a pretty penny for them.
We can't wait to take our baby girl to DLR! Are there any experienced moms out there who have taken infants to DLR? What advice can you give?
Wednesday, October 15, 2014
Being Pregnant at Disneyland
As a pregnant mom, you might not think you can enjoy Disneyland as much, but that is definitely not true. You just have to be prepared! We planned a trip for my mom's 50th birthday and then I found out I was pregnant. I was about 5 months along when we went. I always thought you couldn't ride anything except the Fantasyland rides while pregnant, but after speaking with my doctor, he reassured me that it takes quite a bit of jolting to hurt your baby in the womb. There are several attractions to enjoy while pregnant at the happiest place on earth.
Here are a couple tips for pregnant moms visiting DL...
1) Wear comfortable shoes. I cannot stress this enough. It's important to wear comfortable shoes while pregnant anyway, but at DL, it's even more important. Let's face it, being pregnant is not the most comfortable situation in the world, so make it as enjoyable as possible by keeping your feet comfortable.
2) Bring snacks. I got the muchies like crazy while pregnant and anyone who has been to DL knows you can spend a pretty penny on food there. Be frugal and bring snacks like granola bars, goldfish and fruit snacks.
3) Know when to call it quits. DL is expensive so naturally you would want to stay til they kick you out so you get your money's worth. This was not wise while pregnant. I walked all day and all night and then suddenly, I just couldn't take it anymore. My family found me half asleep on the ground in the Emporium. I was done. My body was done. I worked out almost everyday of my pregnancy and that didn't matter. Eventually, your body will be done. Take a break throughout the day. Go back to your hotel and take a nap. Sit as much as possible. And when you start to feel tired, go home. Don't fight it.
4) Know what you can ride. There are very few attractions you can't enjoy while pregnant. You need to stay away from all the "mountain" rides - Space Mountain, Splash Mountain, Thundermountain Railroad and Matterhorn Bobsleds. Also, California Screamin' and Tower of Terror could be particularly harmful to a pregnant mother. They tell you to stay off of Autopia, but you can get around that. Just make sure that the person behind you is an adult that you know and will be very aware of you at all times. The only reason they don't want you on Autopia is in case someone rear ends you. If you have a responsible adult behind you, you shouldn't have that problem. My mom was behind me in her car and we all made it out un-bumped. Because of the jolting in the attractions, you should also stay away from Indiana Jones Adventure, Radiator Springs Racers and Star Tours. Other than that, you can enjoy anything in either park.
5) Take advantage of the live performances. This is the perfect opportunity to go see that show you always wanted to see but never got around to because the rides were just too much fun! DL has amazing shows including musicals, animatronics, parades and more! Go visit Crush the talking turtle at "Turtle Talk" in California Adventure. Go see Aladdin the Musical! The Genie is hilarious. Visit Abraham Lincoln on Main Street U.S.A. or get an art lesson from the Animation Academy. There is so much to do at DL besides ride rides!
6) Take advantage of the baby switch for your non-pregnant thrill seekers. While I was waiting outside of Tower of Terror for my party to return, I asked a CM for a rider switch. That means I could essentially ride the ride with another person after my party gets off the ride. Of course I didn't ride the rides, but 2 of my family members were able to walk right back on the ride! It wasn't particularly busy at the time we went, so most of the CMs were cool and let all 5 of my party back on. At least they got to take advantage of my "disability",
7) Drink TONS of water. It's important to stay hydrated anyway, but especially while pregnant! It's so easy to get caught up in the fun and forget to hydrate, but always have a water bottle on you! DL charges for water bottles, but not for cups of water with ice! Stop by any restaurant and get a cup with ice water and stay hydrated!
8) Try a wheelchair. I didn't feel like I needed a wheelchair (until the end of the night), but if you are ever feeling overly tired or weary, go rent one from City Hall. It's nice to have someone push you around the park before you're going to have to push someone else around in a stroller for a while. It's nice for resting and it also is convenient to carry multiple bags.
I had a ton of fun being pregnant at DL. The CMs are so fun with you. I put a "1st Visit" pin on my belly for my unborn baby girl's first visit and they loved it! Minnie was so cute about it. She poked my belly and was so giggly. Everyone was very polite about my large belly and made sure to not bump into me. The only time it was annoying was getting weird looks while standing in line for the bigger rides like Space Mountain. I didn't want to wait all alone while my family was in line, so I waited in line with them and then just stood to the side during the ride, but some judgmental people gave me some dirty looks in line. It was kind of hysterical. That ended up being one of the most fun DL trips I've been on.
Have you ever gone to DL while pregnant? Share your tips below!
1) Wear comfortable shoes. I cannot stress this enough. It's important to wear comfortable shoes while pregnant anyway, but at DL, it's even more important. Let's face it, being pregnant is not the most comfortable situation in the world, so make it as enjoyable as possible by keeping your feet comfortable.
2) Bring snacks. I got the muchies like crazy while pregnant and anyone who has been to DL knows you can spend a pretty penny on food there. Be frugal and bring snacks like granola bars, goldfish and fruit snacks.
3) Know when to call it quits. DL is expensive so naturally you would want to stay til they kick you out so you get your money's worth. This was not wise while pregnant. I walked all day and all night and then suddenly, I just couldn't take it anymore. My family found me half asleep on the ground in the Emporium. I was done. My body was done. I worked out almost everyday of my pregnancy and that didn't matter. Eventually, your body will be done. Take a break throughout the day. Go back to your hotel and take a nap. Sit as much as possible. And when you start to feel tired, go home. Don't fight it.
4) Know what you can ride. There are very few attractions you can't enjoy while pregnant. You need to stay away from all the "mountain" rides - Space Mountain, Splash Mountain, Thundermountain Railroad and Matterhorn Bobsleds. Also, California Screamin' and Tower of Terror could be particularly harmful to a pregnant mother. They tell you to stay off of Autopia, but you can get around that. Just make sure that the person behind you is an adult that you know and will be very aware of you at all times. The only reason they don't want you on Autopia is in case someone rear ends you. If you have a responsible adult behind you, you shouldn't have that problem. My mom was behind me in her car and we all made it out un-bumped. Because of the jolting in the attractions, you should also stay away from Indiana Jones Adventure, Radiator Springs Racers and Star Tours. Other than that, you can enjoy anything in either park.
5) Take advantage of the live performances. This is the perfect opportunity to go see that show you always wanted to see but never got around to because the rides were just too much fun! DL has amazing shows including musicals, animatronics, parades and more! Go visit Crush the talking turtle at "Turtle Talk" in California Adventure. Go see Aladdin the Musical! The Genie is hilarious. Visit Abraham Lincoln on Main Street U.S.A. or get an art lesson from the Animation Academy. There is so much to do at DL besides ride rides!
6) Take advantage of the baby switch for your non-pregnant thrill seekers. While I was waiting outside of Tower of Terror for my party to return, I asked a CM for a rider switch. That means I could essentially ride the ride with another person after my party gets off the ride. Of course I didn't ride the rides, but 2 of my family members were able to walk right back on the ride! It wasn't particularly busy at the time we went, so most of the CMs were cool and let all 5 of my party back on. At least they got to take advantage of my "disability",
7) Drink TONS of water. It's important to stay hydrated anyway, but especially while pregnant! It's so easy to get caught up in the fun and forget to hydrate, but always have a water bottle on you! DL charges for water bottles, but not for cups of water with ice! Stop by any restaurant and get a cup with ice water and stay hydrated!
8) Try a wheelchair. I didn't feel like I needed a wheelchair (until the end of the night), but if you are ever feeling overly tired or weary, go rent one from City Hall. It's nice to have someone push you around the park before you're going to have to push someone else around in a stroller for a while. It's nice for resting and it also is convenient to carry multiple bags.
I had a ton of fun being pregnant at DL. The CMs are so fun with you. I put a "1st Visit" pin on my belly for my unborn baby girl's first visit and they loved it! Minnie was so cute about it. She poked my belly and was so giggly. Everyone was very polite about my large belly and made sure to not bump into me. The only time it was annoying was getting weird looks while standing in line for the bigger rides like Space Mountain. I didn't want to wait all alone while my family was in line, so I waited in line with them and then just stood to the side during the ride, but some judgmental people gave me some dirty looks in line. It was kind of hysterical. That ended up being one of the most fun DL trips I've been on.
Have you ever gone to DL while pregnant? Share your tips below!
Thursday, November 7, 2013
Wednesday, October 9, 2013
Fun Fact
Do you enjoy the sweets and treats at Disneyland as much as I do? Well it turns out you're not alone!
Every year, guests at Disneyland Park and Disney California Adventure Park consume an estimated:
I probably contribute to the high churro and ice cream count more than most :) you can't enjoy to Disney without some sweets!
Every year, guests at Disneyland Park and Disney California Adventure Park consume an estimated:
- 3 million hamburgers
- 2 million hot dogs
- 6.5 million orders of french fries
- 1.6 million servings of popcorn
- 3.2 million servings of ice cream
- 1.9 million gallons of soft drinks
- 2.8 million churros
I probably contribute to the high churro and ice cream count more than most :) you can't enjoy to Disney without some sweets!
Good eatin'!
Monday, October 7, 2013
Disneyland on New Years Eve
Blake and I got married at the beginning of December and with the Holidays and his busy school schedule, we weren't able to get away for a honeymoon right away. We decided to postpone our honeymoon until the summer because we both really wanted to go to the beach. After he got out of school for the semester though, we had some time off of work and decided to plan a little getaway for New Year's Eve as sort of a mini honeymoon.
New Year's has always been an exciting time for us because we get to reflect on our past year and look toward the coming year together, as I'm sure most of you do. And what better place to reflect on your time together than at the happiest place on earth?!
We were a little hesitant at first to get tickets for NYE because if you've ever been to Disneyland, you know the worst times to go during the year are over the holidays or when school lets out. We checked on a couple calendar sites to find out if it would really be THAT bad. On this particular website, the day of New Year's Eve read "forget about it". Haha we threw caution to the wind and decided to go anyway.
Before I get into the pros and cons of going to DL on NYE, I have to tell you that we were with a first timer as well. Our best friends were planning to go that day as well, so we drove over there together. She had never gone to Disneyland before. I was shocked and insisted they come with us.
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I'll start off with the cons so we can get those out of the way first.
CROWDS
The website was not lying. That was the busiest we've ever seen the park in my entire life. Actually, that was the busiest I've seen any facility in my entire life. We heard from multiple cast members that this was the absolute busiest day of the year, hands down.
Disneyland, like most places, has a fire safety rule and can only allow so many people into the park at a time. Normally, that number is so high they'd never have to worry about reaching it. However, on New Year's Eve, they warned that if you happen to leave the park (to eat, park hop, rest, etc.), you may not get back in due to the fact that there are too many people in the park. We spoke with a couple cast members regarding this and they said at about 5pm, whatever park you're in, stay in that park! Once you leave, chances are you won't get back into either. We were determined to be in Disneyland at midnight, so we made sure to be done with California Adventure by 5pm and head over to Disneyland for the rest of the day.
When it came time for the countdown, we were literally packed in like sardines on Main Street USA. I'm only 5'1" so Blake literally had to hold me up so no one would squish me. Luckily it was freezing out, so at least it was warm in the middle of the crowd.
LINES
We got on a total of maybe 10 rides the entire day. The lines went anywhere from 2.5 to 4.5 hours long. It came to the point where we just had to bite the bullet and go to whichever rides we wanted to most, because no matter what ride it was, it was going to be a long line. Unfortunate for my friend Jen, she didn't get to ride half the major rides because time just didn't allow.
Even lines for food were just as long as the lines for some of the rides. I thought I would die of hunger.
FREEZING
You'd think after traveling to California so many times during the winter I'd remember that it was chilly. I thought a jacket and jeans would be enough. Nope. My hands, ears and face were completely numb half of the time. Scroll down to the bottom to see my recommendations on what to wear.
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Now that we got all the negativity over with, let's talk about why you should go to DL for NYE.
DECOR
Because it's so close to Christmas and Halloween, Disney leaves up all of their holiday decorations over New Years. That means we got to experience the Disney Christmas magic. It literally snowed in the park. They have an enormous Christmas tree decked from head to toe with Disney Christmas decorations. The characters are all dressed up in their Christmas attire. The park is completely blanketed with candy canes, wreaths, ornaments, lights and mistletoe everywhere you look.
MAGICAL
My all time favorite moment in the park was at night, when all of Disneyland turned into a huge night club. They set up DJs in almost every land and they made it snow! We didn't know this was going to happen because we were stuck in line to go on Matterhorn Bobsleds. But once they got all set up, we could see all the magic happening in the middle of Fantasyland. I left the line right away and ran to the DJ table. There were little kids everywhere on dads' shoulders, singing, dancing, and just having the time of their life. As soon as I got there, they made it snow over the entire crowd. I don't know why, but I started crying. It was like I was the only person in the world at that moment. My amazing hubby came right up behind me and just held me while we took in this breathtaking scene. Even as I write about it now it makes me tear up. Only Disney can bring that sort of magic to life and create experiences like that.
We sang and danced the night away as Chip and Dale MC'd. Some of our favorite characters danced with us in front of the castle. It was a night I'll never forget.
PARADES
Because it was around Christmastime, the Holiday parade was still showing. Everyone is decked from head to toe with green and red, Mickey and Minnie are dressed as Santa and Mrs. Claus, there are dancing reindeer and snowflakes and all the princesses are sparkly and in their best holiday attire. To sum it up, if you thought the Disney parades were good, they're even better during the holidays.
FRIENDLIER
I'm not saying Disneyland isn't always friendly, because I have yet to go to the magic kingdom and have a bad experience with a cast member. But you know the feeling you get around the holidays even outside of Disneyland? Disney just has a way of amplifying it a little bit more. Even though it wasn't Christmas, you could still feel that Christmasy feeling in the air. The cast members seemed friendlier, they go above and beyond to make everything that much more fun, and things just seem happier during this time of year.
IT'S DISNEY
I know that sounds silly, but let's just be real. It's Disneyland. There are very few cons of ever being at Disneyland. Even when it's crowded and freezing it's still better than most days you'll have throughout the year. I can't think of a better place to kiss at midnight, than in the middle of Main Street USA, while Mickey and Minnie are DJing the biggest and best block party known to man, counting down the seconds on a HUGE Disney clock in front of the castle.
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It was a definite once-in-a-lifetime experience. I would never do it again, but It will go down as one of the most fun, magical times in both of our lives. I will never take our children, so if they want to experience that day for themselves, they'll have to do it when they grow up and get married themselves. It's definitely the most romantic place I've ever been at midnight.
I think the thing I'm so grateful for is that we went while we were still in our honeymoon phase. We had only been married a month and the magic was still very prevalent in our marriage. Bliss is the only word that I can find to accurately describe that entire day at the park. Getting to spend it with our best friends just made it that much more fun. It was definitely the perfect day. I can't wait for more perfect Disney days ahead!
Monday, June 17, 2013
Fun Fact
The smell of vanilla is pumped through vents onto Main Street USA. During the holidays, the scent is changed to peppermint!
Friday, June 14, 2013
Fun Fact
- Disney uses more than 5,000 gallons of paint each year for touch ups around the park.
- Over 20 million gallons of water are combined to make the 10 bodies of water found in the park.
- Disneyland streets are washed and steam-cleaned after closing each day.
- There are more than 100,000 light bulbs used in the park.
No wonder the park is always so clean!
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