If you were following along with my social media back in August you know that Daddy Russ and I surprised Luke and took him to Disneyland in California. This trip came down to the wire! Because of all my health issues we almost had to cancel (we actually booked the trip ONE WEEK before my stroke) but I literally BEGGED the doctor to let me go.
I wish I could explain to you how special this trip was for my family and I. Just being in Disneyland is magical but there was an extra layer of magic surrounding us. We had so much fun! Watch our trip on sTORIbook TV below and enjoy the Disneyland Travel Guide + Tips below! (AND stay tuned for Part 2… Disney California Adventure!)
RANDOM TIP:
Buy your Mickey Ears, shirts, etc on Amazon BEFORE you go to the park to save money!
RANDOM TIP:
Look up when the famous Disneyland Band is playing! It’s a great time to see all the characters!
WHERE TO STAY:
Disneyland Hotel: We stayed at the famous Disneyland Hotel and I loved it! There are lots of benefits of staying at a Disney resort property but the biggest is you get access to the park ONE HOUR before the public which is called “Magic Hour.” Take advantage of Magic Hour to go to the more popular rides where the lines will get long. The resorts are all have fun themed dining, amazing pools, character breakfasts and so much more! Our hotel had light up headboards that sang to you and Disney characters make the wake-ups calls so be sure to schedule that for the kids!
THE PARK: Main Street U.S.A
The entire park is broken up in to a variety of themed “lands”. Main Street is the entrance to Disneyland and I just adore it! It’s all turn-of-the-century architecture that makes you feel like you are back in the 1900s.
THE PARK: Tomorrowland
Tomorrowland is all about the future and is heavily themed Star Wars at Disneyland (think space, rockets, laser blasters, etc).
Star Tours and Space Mountain are the two very popular rides in this area. I recommend using your Magic Hour on these if they are open.
JEDI TRAINING:
Jedi Training is also in Tomorrowland. If your child wants to do the training I recommend heading there early to sign-up as it fills up fast. We got lucky and stumbled on the line. I’m so glad we did because Luke had a blast!
THE PARK: Adventureland
Adventureland is all about jungles, adventures, wildlife and more! The popular rides in this area are the Jungle Cruise and Indiana Jones. Daddy Russ and Luke climbed Tarzan’s Treehouse while mommy took a rest!
THE PARK: Fantasyland
Fantasyland is where you can meet the heroes and villains of your favorite Disney stories. The famous rides here are the Matterhorn, Mad Hatter tea cups and It’s a Small World. Luke actually got super scared on the Matterhorn so watch out for small kids. There are some abominable snowman in the ride that startled him.
THE PARK: New Orleans Square
New Orleans Square is all about the French Quarter! The popular rides here are the Haunted Mansion and Pirates of the Caribbean.
THE PARK: Critter Country
Critter Country has the Hundred Acre Woods and Splash Mountain! There is quite a bit of footage from Splash Mountain in the video. Warning: You WILL get wet and lines can get long!
THE PARK: Frontierland
Frontierland is all about the American Old West and has the famous Thunder Mountain Railroad (Luke loved this ride).
THE PARK: Mickey’s Toontown
Mickey’s Toontown has all the silliness of the cartoons including Roger Rabbit’s Car Toon Spin which is cute. This is a great area for the really young children.
WHERE TO EAT:
Cafe Orleans: I recommend eating at Cafe Orleans on the patio. It’s located in New Orleans Square and offers sit down dining which means it’s also a great rest time. They have delicious Pommes Frites with parmesan, garlic, and parsley served with Cajun Spice Rémoulade as well as their famous Mickey Beignets!
Tiki Juice Bar: Don’t forget to stop at the Tiki Juice Bar located in Adventureland for a famous Dole Whip that was a Walt Disney favorite!
FAST PASSES:
This might be one of the biggest tips of this whole post. Fast Passes are where it’s at! I highly recommend learning about Fast Passes and how to use them! Click here to learn about Fast Passes.
NIGHT PARADES AND FIREWORK SHOW:
The parades at Disney are amazing – particularly the light parade at night. People will begin holding seats HOURS before the parades so plan to stake out a spot! Unfortunately, the winds were too high for them to do the fireworks when we visited.
This is just a small amount of my tips! There are lots more in the video and stay tuned for Part 2… Disney California Adventure!
Disclaimer: I received complimentary tickets from Disney during our visit. All opinions expressed here are my own.
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