Top Ten Tips For Disneyland With Preschoolers
July 12, 2014 in All Posts, Preschool, Travel
After our maiden voyage to Disneyland was such a magical success, we can’t wait to visit again. Short and sweet, here are our Top Ten Tips for Disneyland With Preschoolers.
Don’t forget to check out our detailed post on Planning for Disneyland with Preschoolers, with tips on when to visit the park, what attractions not to miss and those you can skip, and what to bring on your three, four, or five year old’s first trip to Disneyland.
Our Top Ten Tips for Disneyland with a Preschooler
- Go as early as humanly possible. The kids will be fresh, everyone’s energy will be through the roof, the weather is cooler, and the lines are shorter.
- Eat before you hit the park. Don’t use up the precious morning hours battling hungry preschoolers or at a long sit down meal when the kids are at their peak. Of course, if you reserve a morning for a Character Breakfast, then by all means enjoy that time!
- Take Character Photos Near Main Street. When the park opens, Mickey, Minnie, and the gang are available for photos in the area between the park entrance and Main Street. You will not want to wait in a line for the photo, but it is something you won’t want to pass up either. Another reason to go early!
- Visit the children’s three favorite attractions first. Don’t take any detours to make sure you get the rides in at least once in the day at the most enjoyable time of the day.
- Be prepared to visit the same two rides over and over and over again. You might be on a mission to hit everything in the park, but you will be surprised to find that the children only really have 1-3 real favorites that they would be happy riding on for the whole day.
- Take breaks when you need them in prime spots. Finding a bench in front of the Castle or on Main Street won’t just be a great resting plan, but will put you in a great spot for impromptu performances and parades. Disney characters often walk through these areas and you might be treated to a show with Mary Poppins and Burt or Mickey and his gang. This happened a few times for us and once my daughter was chosen to participate!
- Go back to your hotel between 2 and 5 p.m. The park gets very hot, your little one probably needs a rest, and the lines are at their peak.
- Eat dinner early and take advantage of short lines starting at 5:00 pm. While everyone else is eating or resting, you can enjoy your favorite Fantasyland rides multiple times.
- Grab parade-watching spot at least an hour early. This may sound like too much waiting time, but you - as the parent - will notice the huge difference between holding 30-50 pounds on your shoulders for 20 minutes and sitting down peacefully in a front row sidewalk seat.
- Take the time to just relax and enjoy the moment. Don’t worry about hitting all the attractions or race to shows or restaurants. Be flexible and go with the flow. Every moment in the park is magical even if you’re not actually doing anything.
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Chrissy – who has written 426 posts on The Outlaw Mom® Blog - Creative Living in a Conventional World.
