23 answers

Disneyland Advice - Citrus Heights,CA

We are headed to DL next week with our 4 yr. old and 9 mo. old. We will be driving. Just looking for general advice from those of you that have made the trip before. Any tips/advice would be appreciated. Things like, what do you bring (what stroller?) - what time of day do you leave - how many days do you stay - where do you eat - what do you do/see - when do you leave? Anything and everything really.
Thanks Moms.

5 moms found this helpful

What can I do next?

Featured Answers

I wouldn't bother taking a stroller, just use one of the disney ones. I think they're like 15 bucks a day, and very comfy for the kid to sleep in. Definately take granola bars and bannanas, things to even out blood sugar that aren't junk food.

When i went to disney world with my daughter when she was 4, i made an itenerary for her, with pics of the things we would do each day. I found tons of photos on Flickr. Ahe had a good time finding the scenes from the photos while she was there.

More Answers

Fun! I went with my 4 year old in Sept. I can give you some advice on the trip. Some of this pertains to the type of child I have so some things may be different for you.

General:
- try to get there as close to opening as possible.
- We were there 2 days although I could see staying one more day.
- we were staying close to the park so we left at naptime and came back later. also my daughter was completely worn out by 630 - 7pm, even with a nap.
- it is safe to leave your stroller by the rides. I found that once inside the park I preferred to have my daughter out so I could hear her reactions and show her things.
- City Hall on Main Street will give you pins for your children (and you!) for their 1st visit and if it is a special occasion. The Mad Hatter in Fantasyland also has the same pins.

Travel:
- take the shuttle if your hotel has one. the walk from the shuttle stop to the park is a little far.
- if you want to drive to the park there is a drop off area on harbor blvd. This is an easier place to get out with kids because the regular parking was closed and the alternate lot is far. it took my boyfriend about 30 minutes to park and get back to meet us.

Food:
- bring your own snacks and lunch. This kept my daughter from overloading on ice cream and sweets. The food in the parks is expensive and can really add up after a while.
- there is a small food area right across from The Haunted Mansion that is pretty good. Also Pizza Port in Tomorrowland is ok.
- if you want to have a special meal there are restaurants that have characters come around to your table. you can reserve a table online.
- The Rain Forest Cafe on Disneywalk is ok. Also the ESPN Zone wasn't bad.

Rides:
- My daughter really liked the cars on Main Street Plaza. They have a horse drawn trolley and old fashioned trucks. They just ride down Main Street and back again. She also liked the barbershop quartet.
- The Disneyland Railroad goes all the way around the park. This can be a good way to get back to the Main Gate. Stroller space can be a little tight though.
- My daughter liked the Carousel in Fantasyland as well as the Dumbo ride and Small World. Toon Town is fun.
- She also really liked Sleeping Beauty's castle. You walk through it and there are windows that tell the story of Sleeping Beauty. Pixie Hollow is really cute. She also really enjoyed the parades and the shows at CA Adventure. Also the Pixar studios at CA Adventure. The Tiki Room was fun for her too. There is a part at the end that scared some kids but it is short.
- She did NOT like the Snow White ride or the Pinocchio ride. She was scared. She didn't cry, but she told me she didn't like that ride and didn't want to go on it again. If you are unsure of a ride I would recommend riding it yourself first. These rides were created in the 50's mostly and some can be kind of darkly themed. :)

My daughter is more of an observer so we had to do things 2 or 3 times before she was able to sit back and enjoy them. I decided to go slow and show her the park instead of racing from one ride to the next. There are a lot of little things that for me really make Disneyland charming and magical. Also, I never realized how much ice cream is for sale there! I had to set some ground rules first but even so heard "I want ice cream." about 20 times! It's a fun place, have a great trip!

1 mom found this helpful

Have a great time! So jealous, I just went last year with my two boys and already I'm dying to go back. A few of my tips:

- Downtown Disney has some restaurant alternatives that have tastier food and maybe a little less expensive than in the park.

- Double stroller helped us a lot with our then 19-month old and 4-year old when we went a year ago. Both ended up taking quite a few naps in the stroller throughout the day. We have a little Jeep double umbrella stroller.

- I brought my own snacks (cracker snack packs, fruit snacks, granola bars), which really came in handy.

- There's a room especially for moms/babies to nurse/have quiet time/change, at the end of Main Street.

- If you bought a special tix pkg (i.e., from costco/AAA) take advantage of the early entry privileges, nice to get a head start and get in line for popular rides. Also if you have a Toon Town Madness pass - early entry to Toon Town, can get lots of character photos during this time.

- Birthday in your family when you go? You can go to City Hall on Main St. to get a birthday badge. This lets employees know it's your birthday and you get special attention. All for free.

- Oh! Just a little shopping tip. At the toy store in Disney California Adventure, you can get Disney-specific Mr. Potato Head pieces (like Mickey ears, Mickey shoes, Donald hats, Buzz Lightyear, etc. to put on the potato) Super-cute if your kids are into Mr. Potato Head. Just remember to buy the arms specific to hold the accessories.

- Last time we stayed at the Disneyland Hotel, but a couple years back stayed at the Residence Inn Main Gate, which we liked because it was a small apt-like set up with living room and full kitchen (meaning, no need to eat out for dinner!). Very easy to get to/from the park on the Disney Shuttle.

- Here's a good guide in planning a trip to Disney (with/babies):
http://www.mouseplanet.com/dtp/dlguide/5_Primer/with_infa...

and in general:
http://www.mouseplanet.com/dtp/dlguide/

Again, have fun and g'luck!

1 mom found this helpful

Hi,

We went to Disneyland with our 3 yr and 6 yr old a few weeks ago and had a blast - aia'm so excited for you!

Definately take a stroller, get to the park when it opens and check online to see which rides your 4 yr old is tall enough to ride so you don't waste your time. My 3 yr old loved the Buzz Lightyear ride and my 6 year old loved California Screaming in the California Adventures park. We found that Disneyland got very busy once the other park closed.

I wouldn't waste my time lining up for the Roger Rabbit ride in Toontown, not worth it. The Nemo submaine ride was good but again, long lines so do it early if you can. Definately make use of the fast pass tickets to save on line waiting and if you all go up to one of the attendants at the entrance to most rides where there is a line waiting and tell them that both parents want to ride but have to take turns because of the baby, they will give you a rider pass so your 4 yr old can go straight on the ride again with the other parent.

We ate mostly at the IHOP directly across from Disneyland main entrance and they had a deal on where kids eat for free. Food is expensive in Disneyland. We took our own snacks, fruit and drinks into Disney and I'm glad we did.

If you need a rest, try hopping onto the Mark Twain Riverboat, we liked that and there's stuff to look at as you go round.

If you can, try and see the Fantasmic light show in the evening - not on every eve but it is worth seeing. The fireworks above the Castle were good but my 3 yr old was frightened by the "scary moon that talks".

Hope you have fun. We stayed for 4 days and did just about everything. We found that Calfornia Adventures park was not busy most days and they are building rides there near the Ferris wheel. Some Ferris wheel carriages slide as they move, we loved that.

If it looks like rain during your stay, pack fold up rain capes and take them with you. We bought ours outside of Disney which saved some money. I think they started at $6 in Disney - that's if you can find somewhere that sells them.

Have fun!

1 mom found this helpful

T.,

I just drove to Disney Land in July with my daughters. My oldest was nearly three years old and the baby had just turned one. The baby slept for a large portion of the trip as did my three year old. I only stopped once for the bathroom and to change my baby's diaper. I placed a pull-up on my oldest just in case, but there were no accidents. I went without my husband, he had to work. Because of this, I brought our double stroller. It worked well driving there and was a great way to travel the park without loosing a child and I was able carry all their items. We arrived to the theme park around 2 or 3 pm and that was perfect. The girls were able to sleep on the ride there and given we got there after their traditional nap time, they were refreshed. Before actually entering the park, we went to eat at the Rainforest Cafe, located in the City Walk area. This permitted us to eat a real meal, sit down and get settled. After eating we strolled the City Walk area and entered the park just after 4 pm. Given the girls age, this worked well. They are too small to ride the bigger rides, so we spent the bulk of our time in the kiddy area, which was perfect. We caught a parade and my oldest joined in and loved it. We left the theme park at around 10 pm and at this time, with two tired little ones, the double stroller was a God-send. The girls fell asleep as we left the theme park and remained sleep on the ride back home to my aunt's house located about 30 minutes away. It was a real fun time and I wish you and your family to have the same good time.
- T.

I have never driven with kids, so good luck on that! We went in January (8 of us!) and stayed at the Staybridge Suites and it was perfect. It had a delicious continental breakfast, snacks at night, the restaurant was decent and it had the Disney Shuttle. It was also the cheapest option for what we needed :)

Stroller wise I would bring a double if your 4 yr old will sit in it at all. My daughter fell asleep on the walk back to the shuttle twice, so it was a life saver. I have a big, bulky bumbleride, so folding it up could take a few minutes, but worth every minute (plus I LOVE my stroller.) As far as eating goes, your cheapest option is Denny's across the street and McDonalds down the street. Yuck, but like 1/4 of the Disney food prices. Eat at Blue Bayou while you are there, mmmmmm, and the kids like it because it is in the middle of pirates of the carribean. Get there at 10 or 11 (I can't remember which), and that is your only chance for reservations. The shows are always fun, Fantasmic was a little bit scary for my 3 year old, so maybe just have one of you catch it the first time to see if your child will be able to handle it.

Disney California I personally think is lame. It has one good ride, the roller coaster, that you and your husband are going to have to take turns riding, but worth it. The Bugs Life has a few rides for kids, and there are better shows in the theater there. Other then that the best parts are still in main Disney. So, see if you can just get a one day park hopper pass. You really don't need more then one day at CA though. Ooohhh, I almost forgot. Soarin over California is a must! Again, you and your husband will have to take turns and go alone, but it is awesome.

I am a die hard, and stay until the park closes. But, I do make my daughter go back to the hotel to take a nap in the middle of the day. When I was little my grandparents lived 20 minutes away, and now my aunt and uncle still live near it, so I can honestly say that I don't remember a year I haven't gone at least once. I think I had taken my daughter 3 or 4 times by her second birthday.

We drove a few times when we were really young (my parents had 3 girls in 4 years), and they would either leave right at bedtime the night before (so Wed.) and drive part way, then get up early and drive the rest in the morning, or, leave at an ungodly hour (3 am-ish) and just drive straight through. They said it was the best way.

Good luck and have fun:)

You're so lucky!

If this is your first trip, then get your camera's ready!!! Your daughter's face will light up at everything! The first time you go with children I would just GO WITH THE FLOW.....plan a few things, but really go where your daughter leads you :O)

Target the things she loves.......the time will fly and as long as she is happy her experience will be great.

Winnie-the-Pooh town is fun because you can go on rides with your 9mo old.....The train is nice to ride and rests your tired feet.....I liked toon-town also when the kids were little.....Other than that, we hit the shows mostly...
Across the way at California Adventure they have a Nick Jr Show that was REALLY fun for my boys.....we have yet to discover more there :O)

Only a few recommendations: Bring your own double stroller.....it will be much eaiser on you. There are plenty of hotel/motels across the street, which is easiest with children. Shuttles are nice, but you have to unload your stroller to get ON the shuttle, so walking distance has been a better choice for us :O)

Pack snacks....juice box's, fruit snacks, peanut butter crackers or whatever.......this will keep the kids happy until you and your hubby can figure out what and where to eat. Yes, the Park says, "no food", but they never say anything about it even when looking in your bags at the security check......I even brought a small blanket and used it on the pavement in the shade when your family is just so tired :O) It's like a picnic!

Hope that helps! Have so much fun!

~N. :O)

Hi T.~

My husband, myself and our four year old daughter went in September. I would recommend going in the middle of the week as it was so nice being there without the crowds! We stayed at "Candy Cane Inn" across the street from Disneyland. They were reasonable and had a shuttle! : )

If you have a girl, I would definitely recommend eating at "Ariel's Grotto" located in California Adventure Park. You have to make reservations and it's pricey but all of the princesses come to your table. ~Take an autograph book and camera!!

Another "must do" if you have a girl is an appointment at the "Bibbity, Bobbity, Boutique". It's in Disneyland near the castle. We brought our daughter's Cinderella dress from home, but they do their hair and nails and add a bunch of sparkles!! Again, it is pricey but sooo worth it! : ) If you order the photo package, they take her to the back studio and take pics in a coach!! ADORABLE.

Well, I hope this helps. ; ) Have a magical time!

~M.

If you don't plan to spend every waking moment at Disneyland, I would get a hotel that is 1/2 hour south in San Clemente. It's a beautiful beach town with a pier that has a restaurant on it. Anaheim, where Disneyland is located, is a dump. If you do stay in Anaheim, I would personally spend the extra $ to stay at the Disneyland hotel if you can.

The original Disneyland is better than the California Adventure part of the park.

Required Fields

Our records show that we already have a Mamapedia or Mamasource account created for you under the email address you entered.

Please enter your Mamapedia or Mamasource password to continue signing in.

Required Fields

, you’re almost done...

Since this is the first time you are logging in to Mamapedia with Facebook Connect, please provide the following information so you can participate in the Mamapedia community.

As a member, you’ll receive optional email newsletters and community updates sent to you from Mamapedia, and your email address will never be shared with third parties.

By clicking "Continue to Mamapedia", I agree to the Mamapedia Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy.