Home
Reply With QuoteLook on disboards.com. That site has everything you could ever want to know about the parks and there is even a Budget Board with tons of money saving tips! Enjoy your trip!
LinkBack URL
About LinkBacks
Disneyland I am hoping someone who has gone to Disneyland with small children recently can help me out.
Long story short, we had planned a trip to Disneyland for the Spring, but my DH's job started to look shaky so we cancelled - only our oldest knew it was cancelled (10 y.o.). He was disappointed but he understood. My DH lost his job, was unemployed for 2 months, but has now been in his new job for about a month.
Last week we were given 2-day park hopper passes from a new work associate of my husband. They expire at the end of this month - this week is Fall break for our kids. We are able to get the time off work - by Wed. my DH will already have worked 60 hours this week on an all-day event. So we are going to Disneyland on Thursday and Friday.
This is totally last minute - and while overwhelming will be a much needed break for us all.
My kids are, 10, 3, and 3. The baby will stay with the 2 grandmas. Our oldest has only gone once when he was 4 - the other 2 have never been.
We want to cut costs as much as possible. We will be staying with my brother and will have access to a kitchen - my brother lives really close to Disneyland (15 minutes away).
So here are my immediate concerns:
1. Ways to cut costs on food? Obviously we will eat breakfast before we go. Can you bring snacks into the park? Can you leave the park by car and come back without paying for parking?
2. Stroller - bring your own or rent?
3. Rides for little ones that are not scary (Peter pan, dumbo, autotopia). My DD is very shy and scares easily - anything we should avoid (I have been told snow white, but not sure what else - obviously Haunted Mansion - bummer being that is Halloween and all).
4. How many hours have your little ones lasted at the park? My kids still take substantial naps so they may only last 6 hours or so.
5. I know nothing about California Adventure - do you walk there or is there transportation?
Any other advice would be appreciated. I need it quick though - leaving Wed night.
Best, Jen
Re: Disneyland 10/16, 10/17 Im a huge avid fan of disneyland! only live like 40 minutes away! so my first suggestion is to go to miceage dot com and there will be plenty of info there! also go to mouseinfo dot com. now to answer your questions.
1. Yes you may bring food into the park such as sandwiches, chips, and granola bars, and juice boxes but make sure you take in a backpack. that way you have more space. you can take waterbottles but they must be sealed. your bags will be checked at the bag check. another way to save cost on food is I suggest to share. My favorite restaurant is Hungry Bear in Critter Country near the Winnnie the Pooh ride in Disneyland.They have huge portion sizes that can be easily shared and for a what I believe is a good value. they also have kids meal in cute happy meal type boxes which can double as a souvenier! I have asked for an extra one just for a souvenier! This reastaurant is mainly american food type like hamburgers and chicken hamburgers, fries, soda, funnel cake, cookies, mickey shaped rice krispies, soda, coffee, etc. Another restaurant that is ok is Red Rocket's Pizza Port in Tommorrow land in Disnyeland. They sell huge pizza slices for like 6 dollars and have big salads and pasta dishes. The pizza quality is ok but again im a huge afficionado of sharing food do this will be a great place to split it with your hubby and the kids.
In Disney California Adventure I strongly suugest to go to the Carnation train for ice cream sundaes. They have really good sundaes there for a great price i believe for like 6 dollars again but its pretty good and get it in a waffle cup! again share and truct me you will want to! I reccommend the one with brownies in it! o gosh i have cravings of this sundae from time to time. delishis! do not pass this up! also theres a bakery next door to it they have good mickey shaped cookies but it is pricey. for luch i sugest OMM Mow Pizza by by Paradise Pier. Its good pizza and you can order a whole pie there I believe for 20 or more dollars but its big! Also try Ariels paradise. Its good dining with the princesses but it can get pricey.
The parking they have a drop off and pick up section so you can ask your brother if he can to drop you off and pick you up. you can park you car on a non disney lot but i suugest you do because after your done you will be really tired. although parking is steep like 20 dollars! After you park in a parking lot such as the timon and pumba lot or mickey and friends lot you go down where there are trams that you get on and drop you off in downtown disney near the parks entrance.
2. You are not allowed to bring your own so you have to rent one. I do not know the price of stroller rentals sorry on that one.
3. Well right now the Haunted Mansion has been decked out for the holiday season and its a combo of halloween and xmas . it can be scary for the little ones though. i suggest to go to toontown they have a lot of rides for kiddies and go to fantasyland and try tritons carousel, peter pan, dumbo, the its a small world ride, there are plenty to go on. but i do suggest to go early to get great pictures with mickey and minnie at their houses in toontown because it can get crowded later in the day.
In DCA short for disneys california adventure i suggest to go to a bugs land, and hollywood backlot. in hollywood backlot they have monsters inc. ride and and the imagineerum room where you can draw charactures. and they have the alladin and disneys playschool plays. and i suggest the parades. they are nice! with all the pixar charaters. I do not recomend soarin for the litte ones if htey are scared of heights because it does go high but a yes for adults. really nice!
4. You will definetly need breaks and get ready for meltdowns. there will always be those but make sure to alternate rides and plays so that you can get a rest of your feet. for example try to get the rides in early and later on in the day when it gets warmer or you begin to get tired of walking do the abraham lincoln in mainstreet usa in disneyland. its really nice. also alladin and others....
5. DCA (california adventure) is right across from disneyland so you do not need transportation. its a nice park but you can do more at disneyland. Again try the bugs land, hollywood backlot, paradise pier, misison tortilla factory where you get samples of free tortillas and accros go to the sourfough factory where you learn how to make sourdough and get free samples. its a good little tour! try playhouse play, and the alladin play. for the brave ones theres the tower of terror and mickeys roller coaster. they have tons of clothing shops here and souvenier stores! alnd they are all so nice but really pricey! to learn more go the websites i told you and disneylands main web page.
another note to make your visit even more special is when you enter disneyland go to the city hall and ask for its my first time visit buttons! they are really nice and again can double as souveniers. the weather here in southern california will be in mid 80's to 78 degrees. so i suggest to pack comfy shoes and shorts but it is chilly at night so make sure to bring sweaters and pants! for the little ones.
Another tip is that right now both theme parks are celebrating halloweentime so it is all decked out in halloween decorations. You will be greeted by the grat mickey lantern in the middle of main street make sure to take pics! and lots of cany corn in DCA!!!! also in disneyland go to the rounup in frontierlanf where your kids acan color and have a good old howdown and pet cows and and sheep along the way. you can alos purchase rice krispies treats and mickey themed cookies for like 3 dollars. If you have extra cash i really recommend for you to purchase the mickeys halloween time event that goes on in dca at night. it closes early and only people with tickets for that event can go in there. if you have your kids halloween costumes already dress them up and go trick or treating throughout the event! they hand off tons of candy and have a nice themed paradde and the catmembers are in such cute halloween costumes! you van dress up also! its really fun and i so recommend it!!! again find more info at the disney website and you can see pictures of this event at miceage dot come.
But all in all have FUN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ITS SUCH A WONDERFUL PLACE I FEEL TRULY BLESSED TO LIVE NEAR BY IT!!!!!
Re: Disneyland 10/16, 10/17 Also since we are frugal shoppers wink wink if you really want to save on souveniers there is a disney warehouse that sells disneyland stuff for 50-75% off! i love this store! Please if you can make time to visit this store its in fullerton. heres the adress
Disney's Character Warehouse Outlet Store
Orangefair Marketplace
243 Orangefair Mall
Fullerton, CA 92832
(714) 870-9363
9-9 Mon-Sat;
9-8 Sun
its not far from disneyland get the directions from mapquest! really its a must for this store!
Re: Disneyland 10/16, 10/17 Save on Food:
Find the Turkey Leg stands.
One of those made a full lunch for DH and DD together. They're huge.
At the B&M restaurants (not carts), ask for Ice Water or A Cup Of Water(not just Water, you'll get bottled). Ice Water (water w/ ice in a cup) is free. Usually they'll even give you a large. If the kids don't want water, bring Koolaid singles, etc. Free Drinks!
Most meals are very large and can be split between two people.
Turkey legs I think are like 6 or 7 $. One turkey leg, plus 2 free waters can be lunch for two, and at $7 or so, that's a deal.
If you have a disney visa (or can/want to get one by then) they do free Charachetr meet N greets for disney visa holders. You don't actually ever have to use the card, just have one in your posession. You get some "alone time" with the characters and a free 5X7 of you with them. Look at disboards or themouseforless.com forums for info.
Themouseforless people are to disney deal hunting like we are to couponing.
Re: Disneyland 10/16, 10/17 Thanks to all of you for the advice - we are frantically tring to pack for our trip - my poor DH is going to have to do most of it as I am working all day. Thanks to munchiegurl for the fantastically detailed post.
I have now heard conflicting results on the stroller issue - some say you can take your own - others say you have to rent - ugh! I hate to get all the way to the gate and be told that we have to take it back to the car.
Thanks again!
Re: Disneyland 10/16, 10/17 Just curious but have you ever thought about looking up resorts in that area, most resorts will give you things for visiting(90 minutes) and taking a tour. It is not so bad. We have a resort in FL but I am not sure where as we have not made it yet. But when we went we were given a 50.00 gift card and free cookies and such. When in Mo we went on a few so that we could enjoy more shows. One gave us 3 nights at the Raddison hotel for 99.00 plus a 50.00 gift card to bass pro shop and a 25.00 food card. Another gave us 100.00 cash money. One gave us 25.0 food certificate of our choice and over 100.00 in tickets to shows. We had to give them 90 minutes of our time, which was not bad. They gave the kids cookies and drinks and had a play area set up for them so they didn't get bored. Now as for us adults we got pretty bored but it was worth it to carry our kids to all the shows they really wanted to see.
Now if you go to Disneymovieclub.com they have a spot you can click to be carried to a disney discount store that is very cheap. I read about a woman who would buy off a site like that and hide the stuff so that when the kids got to wanting to buy something she would pull something out and they were happy. The last time I was there they had flip flops for 3.00 a pair, beach towels for 3 or 4.Personalized beach towels for 5. outfits for 5.00. etc.
Re: Disneyland 10/16, 10/17 Thanks to everyone for the great advice - we went, spent a day at Disneyland and a day at California Adventure and spent $590 total (including everything we spent, tickets, gas, etc.). We went $90 over our budget and unfortunately it was due to poor planning and laziness on my part. I ended up spending $70 on a new outfit after my 3 yo daughter puked all over me on Pirates of the Carribean (yeah, pretty much ruined my favorite ride). Of course I had brought a change of clothes for each of the 3 kids but not myself! I could have shuttled back to the car - where I had a change of pants - but I just did not feel like taking an hour to do it when it meant I had to go covered in vomit. Oh well! $70 later I had a pink tinkerbell shirt and a pair of brown princess sweat pants. Not quite my style - but beggars cannot be choosers (as my grandpa used to say).
Other than the projectile vomiting aka poltergeist style - we all had an amazingly fun time. I am now planning to return again next Fall and in the meantime will be studying up on disboards and other sites.
Thanks again!
