Finally finally finally getting around to sharing this post. Toward the end of August, we took Willow on her very first trip to Disneyland while in California for my sister’s wedding. It was nothing short of magical (I kid you not, NO meltdowns!) We went at her pace and followed her lead for the day and it went much smoother than I could have ever hoped for.
I wanted to share some of the things we packed to make this day run smooth, as well as some rides she loved (and didn’t love), and some general tips that helped us along the way.
Slowing down was an adjustment for me and my husband because we are both crazy Disney people who go full throttle, lol. But having a toddler is a whoooole different scenario. But being pregnant in my third trimester definitely helped me to slow my role, as well.
What We Packed
Let’s start with the diaper backpack/bag. You’ll definitely want to make sure you have what you need beforehand to best avoid issues or meltdowns (but you know, sometimes those are both inevitable no matter how prepared, right?) In our bag, we carried:
— Wipes and hand sanitizer. Wipes for a plethora of reasons and it was good to have sanitizer before meals.
— Sippy cup. Hydration in the park is very important, especially with the heat and running around.
— Diapers. Obvious reasons.
— Change of clothes. In case of any accidents, spills, etc. I packed both a second outfit and her pajamas for later.
— Stickers. Random, but these kept her busy while we waited in lines.
— Snacks. SO MANY SNACKS. You can bring in your own food, so pack whatever you’d like to keep your kids happy. Sometimes a snack is all it takes to avoid a meltdown while waiting in line.
— Lightweight blanket. One of her swaddle blankets came with us in case it got chilly at night. And guess what? It did and she snuggled with it while she slept and we were able to enjoy the parks just strolling around.
— Sunglasses. She doesn’t always keep them on, but she did for a good while.
— Sunscreen. We re-applied quite a bit.
— Sweatshirt. A simple zip-up hoodie was perfect for nighttime.
— Mom/Dad things. Cell phones, chargers, wallets, gum, etc. All those things for us, too.
What Rides We Loved
— Dumbo the Flying Elephant. I’ll just say that we never watched Dumbo with Willow (I really don’t like that movie… it’s too sad for me). BUT I do love Dumbo because HE IS THE CUTEST. And Willow loves him juuuust as much after soaring high in the sky. This is a must for toddlers. If you ask her about Disney, she’ll pretty much just chant “Dumbo” over and over. Also, came home with a Dumbo plush.
— Mad Tea Party. This was Willow’s other favorite – she loves to be dizzy (always spinning at home) so I knew it would be a hit.
— Inside Out Emotional Whirlwind. Basically you sit in a hot air balloon basket and it twirls around and around. Another win for Willow.
— Jessie’s Critter Carousel. We did this quite a few times because she love’s Toy Story and again, the spinning.
— The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh. Willow did not like dark/loud rides similar to this but she did enjoy Winnie the Pooh because she is a big fan of Tigger and the gang.
— Monster’s Inc. Mike & Sulley to the Rescue. I was nervous about this one because she was afraid on other rides similar to this but we did it because she does love the Monsters Inc. characters. We had no issues, thankfully!
— Mater’s Junkyard Jamboree. More spinning for this family. Willow looooved this one, despite not really knowing the Cars characters or movie.
— Mickey & Minnie’s House. We went through both and she enjoyed exploring and meeting both of them. She told Mickey “thank you much Mickey” after he took photos with her. LOL.
General Tips
— Grab a Disney-themed t-shirt or outfit for your kiddo before you leave. I went to our local thrift store and found some cute Disney tops – she loves Minnie and Princess Tiana, and I scored big on both.
— Honor your toddler’s reaction to rides. Willow really did not like any of the rides that drove through rooms/darkness with loud noises. Think: Alice in Wonderland, Buzz Lightyear’s Astro Blasters, and yes… even It’s A Small World. She just barely tolerated the Winnie the Pooh ride because she loves the characters so much. This won’t be true for all kids, but just a fair warning. Anyways, don’t even try to drag them on other similar to it. Of course, I would have loved to go on Pirates of the Caribbean or Peter Pan’s Flight with her but I knew that they were going to freak her out, so we passed.
— Find quiet/secluded spots for your toddler to roam. It’s hard when your toddler is running off in every direction and you are chasing them (pregnant) so a lot of the time we used the stroller. BUT every once in a while we pulled over to a less crowded area to let her explore and stretch her feet. It kept everyone happy.
— Take a midday break, if you can. We got lucky and the park wasn’t too packed. The wait times were under 20 minutes for all the ones we rode with her, so we did get through a lot very quickly. This allowed us to go back to the hotel around noon, nap for 2 hours, then go to the second park for the next half of the day. And then even after we wrapped that up, we went back to hotel again, freshened up and relaxed, then went back to Disneyland to finish the night with a couple extra rides (hello, Dumbo and Tea Cups) and nighttime strolling. Taking those breaks really kept us all sane in the long run without feeling overtired, cranky, or overwhelmed.
— Pack snacks. Just trust me… your kid might not want to eat large meals if they are anything like mine. Willow gets very into whatever is going on and loses her appetite to excitement. So having snacks for her to nosh on while we strolled throughout the day made me feel better if she didn’t 100% eat whatever we were eating when sitting down. Toss everything you need in a backpack and you are good to go.
— Bring your own stroller if you can. The ones they have do not look comfortable at all, I won’t lie. I loved having our own because we knew she would be comfy and it led to her taking naps in the park. Score.
— Save your favorites for nap times. I really wanted this day to be all about her – same with my husband and brother. We made sure to hit all her interests while she was awake and during the times she was napping in the stroller, we took turns going on other rides/experiences. We basically all picked a couple things we wanted to do and if we got to it, great, and if not, no hurt feelings. Having that mindset really helped. We got to do a lot when she fell asleep in the stroller for the night (definitely pack pajamas!)
— Meet characters. Some kids don’t like it, but you’ll find that out quickly. Willow had no issues and was so excited to meet some of her favorites. It’s so cute to see what they say to them. She walked straight up to Minnie and said “Hi Minnie, what you doing?” These moments make the best photos and videos, too.
— Pack distractions. For us, this was stickers. These kept Willow busy while we waited in line or for food. Choose whatever you want as a distraction – stickers were just lightweight, easy to whip up quickly, etc.
I really couldn’t have asked for a better Disneyland experience with my mini for the first time. It is something I have always dreamed about and it was everything and more.
Thanks for reading and sharing the excitement with me. xx bianca
