Disneyland Fun

You can rent strollers there but they are small and only 1 kid can ride in it and there is no room for stuff down below. I would definately take a double stroller with you for the 2 and 4 yr. olds. They will get tired of all of the walking and want to rest. It also helps to have space underneath to carry everything. We usually go with another family to help trade off with rides. That helps a lot! Have a great time.

When I went with my parents, we did all the short lines and waited tell a parade or tell park close for the long line. That way you get more rides rather then standing in line. Also if I remember right the food is expensive. so see if you can leave the park for lunch then come back.

There are lots of books written about family disney vacations. Some of them are written by people who vacation there ALOT with their families and they usually have really good tips on how to make it enjoyable. From personal experience, my advice is make sure you leave some time for your kids to unwind...if you push them too hard and think you have to go on ALL the rides and experience EVERYTHING, they will burn out fast. They're pretty young and it's easy to get really overwhelmed, so don't be surprised if they start to act cranky. We went to Disneyworld in when my kids were 6, 3, and 18mos. It was awesome...Disneyland is wonderful, too. You're going to have so much fun!!!

On our Honeymoon We stayed at the Cortona Inn, cheapest rate we've ever found and it's within walking distance (about 2 city blocks) from DisneyLand. Everything was clean, room service takes good care of you, there is a pool and the regular contenential breakfast with a doughnut and juice. They really work with you about getting the right price (you can "haggle" a little) granted the beds are not pillow top and the carpet isn't super squishy but we were very happy with our stay. There is a Target and many restaurants within blocks of the hotel.

We got the "California City Pass" and found that is saved us a lot of money in the end. It had everything we could have ever wanted to do (we stayed for 10 days) and didn't see everything there was to see. You get tickets for just about every highlight in Southern Cali.

We were REALLY not impressed with Universal Studios... the lines move faster than Disneyland but the people in that area are very shady, rude (someone tried to pick pocket us) and the staff is the same way. There are very few rides, it's more of a "shopping experience" than anything else.

We chose the Wild Animal park over the zoo. They take you on a tour by a go-cart train and you get to see all the anilmals in their natural habitat. There are A LOT of animals to see if your willing to walk a little ways. (tons of interesting birds, if thats your thing)

Expedia is a great place to get your airline tickets. If you delete the cookies every time you visit the site you'll get a better deal. They use the cookies to track what your interested in and try to raise them if they think you are really determined to get where your going.

That's my advice! :)

Have FUN!!!
K.

We love Disneyland! We usually go about once a year. Our daughter is 4 and she has been 3 times.
I would suggest, since your kids are on the younger side don't stress out about hitting all the rides. There are so many cute shows and special character greetings to go to. Look those up on Disneyland.com The kids love them! Make good use of fast passes and the single rider lines so you and your husband can ride some of the bigger rides. If you have the money to spend you can buy special fast passes for Fantasyland and VIP seating for Fantasmic and things like that. Some things not to miss are Buzz Lightyear, Playhouse Disney Live on stage and the Aladdin play in California Adventure. Lastly, if you want to do a character dining experience do't miss Goofy's Kitchen. Have a great time!!!

This is one of the best vacations EVER!! This is what my husband and I do for our annual family vacation with our kids and kudos to him for suggesting it....best experience EVER!

I would suggest that you stay in the main disneyland hotel that you can walk out the back door and go through the gate straight into the park. You'll have close access and be able to get in early so that you can get on several rides before the lines really start.

Try looking at a map of the park....I don't know where you're going...California or Florida......map out which rides you REALLY want to go on and go to them first. You don't need to be anal or get aggravated if your schedule isn't kept to the T....but my husband mapped out Disneyland, tenatively and I mean tentatively scheduled 30-45 minutes (depends on the time of year you go) for each ride, so we knew what we wanted to do before we got in line for shows....we always ended up ahead and got more in than we had planned and had the BEST time.

There will be lists of what shows will be showing....like Lion King, Animagic....stuff like that. Find out the times so you can get in line a little early and be assured a seat without stress. Also, through your hotel you'll be able to sign up with special time events with characters for your kids. We signed up for a tea party with several characters and it was an awesome choice.....there were limited seats so it wasn't overcrowded and my kids got LOTS of time with various characters....PLUS....if you're staying in one of the hotels and you eat in the hotel restaurant then different characters will come through the restaurant for time with the kids. This is fantastic because then you don't stand in crowds around the characters in the park with 100 other families, with people cutting in front of you and yelling while you're trying to get a picture of your own kid....that can be so aggravating. Last April we went to Disneyland Paris and by the time we left we were like, "Yes Goofy...you're fun....go away so I can eat my dinner":) In my opinion.....if you can say that...you've done Disneyland right:)

Also, if you're a hotel guest there will be special times that the park will either stay open later or open earlier just for hotel guests making the lines no issue at all.

Have a GREAT time!!

We've been to Disneyland twice with our little ones (1,3, and 6) and it's been a blast each time. A few tips: get the passes good for several days so you don't feel like you have to fit it all in in just one day. Those were worth it for us. Also, we got a late start one day just so we could stay late for the fireworks and shows (Fantasia is great)! That helped the little ones not get so tired. We also brought our umbrella strollers and let them take naps in the shade during the afternoons. We also used the Fast Passes to the extreme! Less waiting in line is the best.

The first time we went was better (in May) for less crowds than in August. It was hotter and more crowded, but still fun. Also, we spent a little extra and went to the princess lunch in California Adventure (Ariel's Grotto) so we could see all of the princesses at once without having to wait in lines. The princess lines tend to be long.

And for food, I thought the little restaurant right off of Main Street right before the castle was the best in the park and it wasn't very busy! Another thing that helped us was the website. I used the ages section to tell which rides were best for our little ones.

That's all I can think of for now. Take lots of pictures and enjoy yourselves!

A. B

Your children are still so little - you may consider dividing and let the older kids guide the day with one of you and the other take the littler one (or divide the other way - the 2&4 year old) - I would advise going early then leaving and take naps in the afternoon and then returning in the early evening. Most important just go with the flow!

The worst thing I have seen on Disneyland vacations are parents dragging around tired kids - who are not having any fun at all. Who was the trip for?

The last time I went with a friend who took his grandchildren and they had as much fun hanging on a railing waiting for a ride as they did on the ride - thus my advise to just go with the flow.

Have fun.
Nancy

Hello, My husband and I took our family to Disneyland last year. We to are from out of state. We had around 15 people in our party. Our children were 3, 1 and I was 4 months pregnant at the time. We bought the 3 day hopper passes which allow you into both parks. It is well worth the money. We arrived at the park when it opened and left around lunch to give our kids a nap. We then returned around 4:oo pm to finish out the day. This worked great! Also the parents took turns napsitting each day while the others returned to the park for the adult rides. There is a great kids park inside of CA Adventure and your children will for sure have lots of fun. My advice would be to plan your day ahead of time with the map of the park. This helps lower the stress level. Always get fast passes for the rides that take long to get on. Toon town is great for first thing because there is not many people there and kids seem to do better in the mornings. Also Minnie and mickey live there and you can tour their houses and take pictures. I hope this helps. Have a great time. I'm jealous!

How fun!! I am soo jealous!! Ok, if you have hopper passes, make sure you go to one park one day and to the other one the next day. The first time we went, we decided to hop from one park to the other on the same day and we couldn't enjoy it, because it's too much walking. Keep your cool, try the "fast pass" that way you don't waste time waiting in the line. If you're planning to watch the parades, try to pick your spot at least 40 min. prior it starts. If you wait until just 15 or 20 min prior, it will be packed. Anyway, I hope that helps. Have fun, fun, fun!!

Hello! You choose a great time of year to go. CA schools are still in session. If you go during the week, the crowds won't be too bad. I think the other responses covered just about everything. I would recommend a backpack for your youngest. You will be able to maneuver the crowds a little easier. Pack a lunch and eat very early or late so you can hit the rides while everyone else is stuck in the restaurants. I like to picnic on Tom Sawyer's Island. It's full of trails and tunnels. The kids will have a great time running around by themselves. Be sure to get a family game of hide and seek in there.

We went there (and CA Adventure) for 3 days a year ago. My boys were 5 1/2 and 1 1/2. I had a great time, as did my kids - DH not as much, but I think he still had fun.

No time to read the other posts, so sorry if I've duplicated.

Most height requirements on the major rollercoasters were 45", some 52", but my 5 yr old (at the time he was 49") didn't want to to ride those anyhow. A ton of the rides don't have requirements at all, so we all could go (e.g. Pirates of the C., Haunted House, etc.). Our littlest got a little scared on some of the dark rides, but mostly he was fine. I was actually amazed at how many rides we could all go on as a family. Disneyland definitely caters well to families. And the place was so clean! They were sweeping up DS' crackers seconds after they'd hit the ground.

My tips:
take advantage of the fast pass program for the rides that have them. If you/DH both want to ride, you can 'share' the same fastpass - i.e. go to the head of the fastpass line with your partner, and they will hand you a pass to use when he is done riding. The fast pass line might be 5 or 10 mins long while the regular line would be 30 to 45 mins. DH and I would trade off riding with my 5 yr old, so DS would get to go twice, and mom and dad each once, while the other watched the toddler.

Is your 2 yr old pretty good at sticking near you? If not, I would highly recommend a leash. I sooooooo wished I'd had one with our toddler. He wanted to run around, but I was afraid he'd get trampled or lost, so mostly he was confined to the stroller or soft carrier (also a lifesaver). I saw a man go by with a toddler in a leash, and was so jealous. What a great idea! The toddler and dad were both happy!

Definitely bring a large roomy stroller - double if you have one. Even my 5 yr old sat in it for a while when he got tired by the 3rd day, and I would keep DS2 on my back (in the soft carrier). The rental strollers are around $10/day, and you can't take them back to your hotel. When the kids aren't in the stroller, you will still have a place for all your crud. There is plenty of stroller parking for when you go on rides.

Have fun. I want to go again, but I think we'll wait until DS2 is at least 4, maybe even 5 so that he can go on more rides.

I have done what you are about to do....Go to Disneyland in the middle of the week!!!!!!!!!!!!!! On the weekends there are so many people you can't do anything. We are from Idaho and went Dec. 11th and that was stupid. At two in the afternoon we were so sick of people we thought about just leaving. Disneyland isn't stroller friendly and that causes problems. My advice would be to go to San Diego's Mission Bay's little theme park and Sea World. Sea World is a place that you can spend all the time you want in and have a wonderful time no matter how old you are. Take a camcorder and record the show's so the children can remember them as they grow. San Diego zoo is WONDERFUL as well. There is the Wild Animal Zoo outside San Diego as well but for your time and money San Diego is much, much better than DisneyLand. I am going to wait until my children are young teenagers before going back to DisneyLand. I still have hard feelings about the place. I saw a mother and young son get seperated and were going crazy looking for eachother. Everyone tried to help and about ten minutes later they found eachother.....they were only 20ft. apart the entire time and there were so many people they couldn't find eachother with EVERYONE in the same line looking for them. I swear the weekend is a horrible time to go and very unsafe.

Hi E.. I worked at Disneyworld (actually on Pleasure Island)and I spent many days (I worked there for years) listening to travelers and then figuring out what worked for me once I became a mom. My best advice to you is to not overload your days. Make sure to take time for a break in the afternoon if your kids rely on their naps. Sometimes the kids will fall asleep while strolling around but they may do better if you can plan a break time.If you do the park/activities in the a.m., take a nap break in the afternoon-even just a relaxation break back at your hotel by the pool or in your room- then head out after the break, the kids will be in a much better mood. I saw way too many times how parents pushed the kids to try and cram in as many activities as they could only to make it a miserable day. The kids may get tired, hungry, and irritated if overloaded. Pace yourself and I think things will be a lot more fun for everyone. You are going to have a fun time I'm sure!

When we took our kids when they were about those ages, we did a couple of days of the park and then took a day off and went to the beach and found tide pools. My kids still talk about that day.
I don't remember exactly where we went, but someone had recommendeded an area and while we were there a highschool class came with their science teacher. They gave us copies of the handouts that showed the water creatures that they were looking for. We loved it!

Dear E.,
I am a native of Orlando and have been to Disneyland many times amongst other parks. My one suggestion is to bring a stroller for your 2 year old, one that can carry stuff in the bottom. They have lockers you can use at the park so that is an option. Each person should bring a a backpack, with the following: poncho, for wet rides unless you are alright with staying wet the rest for the day, change of clothes for kids, snacks and water (food and rinks will run up your tab very quickly)towel, hats, sunblock, plenty of film or memory sticks. Be sure everyone is wearing good walking sneakers with cotton socks and not flip flops. You might want to invest in one or two of the fun animal "child leashes" (I know they sound awful, but I use them even in the mall or grocery store and you will defiantly want them at a very busy place like Disney. You can find them at Wal-Mart) They will want to run off all the time and this way you can always have them by you without actually holding their hands... that gets tiring after a while; Light jackets if you are planning on staying for the night show, for the kids at least. You and your husband might want to consider getting those travelers checks that way if someone steals your stuff they cannot spend your money and you will get that back.

The water parks are great! So hopefully you all will be able to go to one of those! Have fun and always be aware of your surroundings out there! Oh yeah... don't forget your video camera!

I just got home from disneyland last night. I have 3 children 5, 4,and 10 months. If you have never been just to let you know. One day is not enough. Depending on when you are going will determine how long the lines are. And even during the slow season its still crazy. I know right now you can buy a 5 day pass for the price of 3 days and that is enough time to enjoy both parks. If you are a AAA member you can buy it from them and get free parking everyday and you get a magic morning pass where you get into the park an hour earlier than most people. I would also measure your 4 year old because most bigger rides require them to be 40" and my 4 year old barely mad the height requirement. She loves rides so it was a good thing. But most of the rides that are available everyone can ride. Even my 10 month old, I just carried him. There is so much I'm not sure what all you need/ want to know. Email me if you have any more questions. ____@____.com

We took a babysitter with us to help with the kids. Also gave us the opportunity to ride by ourselves, or go back after the kids were in bed. Also, there is a babysitter pass you can get for whoever doesn't get to ride. You have to stand in line together, but then the adult who waited gets to go in first priority (handicapped line). Fast passes are easy to get and worth it. We did naps and went back for the evening. Take extra clothes. We had our first bathroom accident from not wanting to give up the excitement to go to the bathroom. Underwear is VERY expensive in the park!!! You can't take food in, but you can get good parking and have a nice picnic if you take a cooler. Another advantage to a babysitter, if you feel comfortable enough, is that you can do an adult ride while the babysitter goes to Toon Town. Early mornings will help you get more done with less wait, another reason we chose to do naps. We were there at open with a 3yo and 9mo. If you hassle a stroller, which is well worth the hassle for a number of reasons, you can let the 2yo nap while everyone else has fun, or in line. Also, the height requirements seem to be tall. We measured our son at 40", they did not. The California park is awesome. Our family's favorite rides were the Monster's Inc. and the one that flies you over California (you can smell the sights). Very cool. The second you have to go early to get fast passes. The stroller pass works like a fast pass on those, but you have to get fast passes for everyone that will ride and then they give you the stroller pass. Well, enough of my ramblings. We had a great time! We did take a day off in between to rest and that seemed to help. You want to plan the fireworks early since they can be cancelled due to weather. You don't want to plan it for the last night and then not get to see it. Have fun!

Disneyland is a blast! Hooray for you. We go with our four children, the youngest is 2. Loved some of the ideas mentioned ... bring snacks. Rather than lots of drinks, bring a couple water bottles you can refill at water fountains (which are all over the park). Drinks are too heavy to carry, and pretty expensive. Definitely do the parades. We eat lunch at Geppettos in Fantasyland, because you can eat ouside and watch the Dumbo ride, Casey Junior, etc. It's a fun place to eat. Try and budget at least $20 per kid so every child gets a wonderful momento. One of my kids chose an $8 toy, so we didn't let him spend the rest, the point is *a* special toy. Get a hopper pass if you can, so you can do both parks. If there's a scary ride you want to ride, like Space Mountain, make sure you and your husband both approach the line. There will be a Disneyland employee working, and you can say that you'd like a baby pass. They will give you a paper ticket, your husband can ride with the older child while you wait by the exit, then when he gets off, you can enter the line through the fast pass lane and get on right away. Most important from my point of view ... let your kids watch all the disney movies between now and then. We went with my niece this past summer, and how sad that she didn't know the characters, rides, and general themes. It's more fun when you are living the movie!

Our first trip to Disneyland was far from perfect. Here is what I would recommend: 1. Take food into the park with you. Bring more than just snacks. Little sandwiches that you can eat while in line will save you a ton of time, money and time in another food line. As you know, hungry kids are not fun. 2. Stay away from scary rides. My kids screamed hysterically in the haunted mansion and it ruined them for other rides. 3. Get "fast passes" on any rides you can. You get a ticket that tells you to come back at a certain time. You go right to the front of the line. Have fun and good luck!!!

I am a 10 time veteran of the Disney vacation! We started when our kids were 5, 3 and 4 months and we just did a week at Disneyworld over Thanksgiving last year with our now 16, 14 and 11 year olds! We love Disney as a family vacation and it works no matter what ages you are! First are you staying in a Disney property? We always do because there are perks...close location, free transportation, early park admission etc. If you are planning on doing any disney dining make reservations right away!! Especailly character dining as those fill up very quickly. Here is the best piece of advice I can give you...Disney has a babyswap policy. This means if you and your husband both want to do a thrill ride with your 6 yr old like Splash Mountain, you wait in line as a family and when you get to the front, you tell the ride operator you want to do the baby swap. So you hop on the ride with your 6 yr old and your husband waits at the ride with the younger children. When you ride is over, your 6 yr old gets to stay in the car and your husband gets in with him and you take the younger kids out the exit. It's a great deal for the child old enough to do the ride because he gets to ride 2 times back to back with only one wait in line!
Your kids are young so don't try to do everything every day. Pace your self and you'll have a much better time! Schedule plenty of rest/nap times! Know that there are going to be long lines so be prepared to stand. Strollers have to be parked before entering a ride's line, so be prepared to hold kids especially if they are tired. If you can afford it, take a babysitter. We always took one, we paid for everything but did not pay her babysitting time. We gave her plenty of alone time as a perk. Trust me, with 3 kids, having man to man defense is worth the extra cost!!
Be sure to call the concierge of your hotel or go online to Disney and find out when and where the character dining is. Then book at least one. It's a great opportunity for your kids to have one on one time with some Disney characters and great photo ops for you! We like to do the breakfast ones as they tend to be a little less frenzied.

I have taken my daughter to both DisneyWorld and Land and she is 5. I would get to the gate early and get in when they open. Ride the most popular ones first and then go back to the hotel in the afternoon and take break or nap or whatever. Then go back afterwards and watch the parades and fireworks, get pictures with characters, go into ToonTown and let them play in the houses, go see a show. The Aladdin show at California adventure is really good, there is also a kids area in there too called Bugs life.Fastpasses are also really useful, but get those earlier because they run out fast.
Have fun!!

E.,

You will have a great time! I was worried when we took our 18 month old with our older kids and I was surprised at how many rides even he could go on. You won't have to try too hard to have a great time. There were times when we split up and I took our 6 year old daredevil on a ride while my husband took the younger two on something else nearby. For example, I went on space mountain with my daughter and my husband took the younger kids on the Buzz Lightyear ride nextdoor. My kids told us that they loved this, because they each got one on one time with each of us at some point during the day. Just balance that with the rides you can all go on as a family (and there are plenty). There is the Jungle ride, Toon town, just about all the rides right in the center of Disneyland. Make a plan of what to do and when, but be ready to adjust if necessary. Don't worry about hitting all the rides, catch some shows. Definitely use the fast passes they have, it will save you a lot of time standing in line. If you have to stand in line play "I Spy" or something fun. You will have a great time!

Hi E.,

The earlier you can get in, the better! We were just there for my son's 4th birthday. We had it at Goofy's kitchen, which is in the Disneyland hotel. It's buffet style, and everyone enjoyed it. We also hired a babysitter, that came to our hotel. We received the referral agency from the Disneyland hotel, although we had to sign a waiver saying the hotel wasn't responsible. Our babysitter was great! The adults got to go out in the evening, which made it an enjoyable vacation for everyone!

Hi E.,

I would recommend you stay in one of the Disneyland hotel properties. You will be close to the park and close to the tram. It will save a lot of money on parking and easier to come and go to the park. When a hotel states they are two blocks away, this means 10 blocks! Long walk with little ones and supplies. Some do have shuttles, but if you should stay late of want an early start, or just want to leave and come back, you will spend a lot of time waiting. Be prepare for long waits for everything. Take plenty of water, too and sunscreen. We also went to Goofy's Kitchen for breakfast. You will need a reservation for this restaurant. I do remember going to Minnies Restaurant in one of the Disney hotels, but there were not as many characters. Goofy's Kitchen has several characters that walk around sit with you at your table. They take pictures with the family and give autographs.Be sure to take your own camara. Much easier then trying to spot someone in the parks and waiting in line for pictures. The kids will have a great time. If you go to Disney.com, you can go to their properties and find a lot of information about park and height requirements. The majority of the rides are roller coasters, so there are quit a few that the kids won't be able to ride. Just be patient and your family will have a great time!

One of the main things is don't rush. There is plenty of time to see and do everything you want. Find the theaters. They're a great way to get off your feet. Sit be the isle or back, so you can make a quick exit if needed. Also, use the fast pass system to ride the rides. It really helps for those with little kids. You can also find out times to meet the characters. Smaller children always love that. In California Adventure park, they have a whole area devoted to kids; Bug's Life. The Magic Kingdom also has Toontown. But it's already mostly for the smaller ones. Have fun and enjoy eachother.

We went to Disneyland with a 2 year old and 4 year old (who turned 5 while we were there). The best thing we did was stayed at the Disneyland Hotel and had unlimited passes to Disneyland (we didn't do California Adventure). It was great because we could ride the monorail for free any time, and we could get in and out of the park however often we needed to. We actually left at about lunch time one day because both kids were melting down. We went back to the hotel room for a rest, and then went back after everyone was settled down. We also had snacks with us, so waiting in line wasn't too much of an ordeal.
Hope some of this helps...it was really fun, and my kids still talk about it (they're 8 & 11 now).

I also recommend staying onsite. With three smaller children, it will be nice to get an early start, come back and let them all rest for a bit in the middle of the day and head back out (dinner time seems to be a bit "slower"). A short nap for them in the middle of the day will be your saving grace, otherwise toward the end of the day, it is most defintely NOT the happiest place on earth!

We took our five kids (15yrs. to 3yrs. at the time)to Disneyland during the summer. Expect that there will be a lot of rides that your younger kids will not be able to ride due to strict park rules of meeting minimum height requirements. Don't get me wrong, Disneyland is geared toward the whole family but you will be limited. You and your husband will have to take turns watching the younger ones if you want to ride the bigger rides. I would have waited a few years until my youngest was older and I would not have gone during the summer when it is so busy. Other than that we had a blast and make sure you take them to the beach my kids loved that as much as Disneyland. Go to the grocery store and stock up on snacks and drinks. The park food is very expensive around $10-$12 pp for lunch and the lines are longer and slower than those for the rides. With a two year old I might break up the day, go to the park early in the morning leave around lunch for a couple of hours and come back later in the day. This way the kids can nap if they need to and so can you and your husband. No matter what you will have a great time. ENJOY!

We just went with my 5 year old and 2 year old in December. My advice: get the meal plan (totally worth it), do character dinners - Chef Mickeys was especially fun, PRincess lunch at Epcott (if you have girls) is fun too - stay on site (doesn't have to be a pricey resort - but the busses are great), BRING A STROLLER (totally easy to manage your own and MUCH better than renting), SKIP STICH's great escape!

My only advise is take a grandparent with you. My in-laws have taken each of their kids one at a time over the years. It is great as my father-in-law gets one on one time with each of the kids and he loves it. We were supposed to go last year, but with our baby not being able to travel he took a younger sibling. This year we hope it works out for us to and he has already told us to plan on at least him being there whether we want him or not! With four kids, we of course, told him that if he did not come we would not go! He loves watching each of the kids faces as they meet the characters and watching the fireworks and the parade! Other than that one bit of advise, I loved everybody else advise and will follow them my self when we go!

Dear E.: I have perused the other responses and they all tell you what to do in the park, but if you want to maximize your day in the park go to www.ridemax.com or search "ridemax" on google. They have a computer program that you pay about $15 to download to your computer. Once it downloads, you can use it for several months. Input the day you are going and what rides you want to go on. Tell it if you want to go at a fast pace or a slower pace. Tell it when you want to stop for lunch. It will figure out what order you should go to the rides and when to pick up fast passes.

We went during the 50th Anniversary in July when there were over 50,000 people there and we never waited more than 20 minutes in line. We had our 2 small children who don't like to wait and we had a fabulous time. We only had one day, but we saw everything we wanted because we didn't wait in line, and we went on the popular rides, like Indiana Jones, Space Mountain and Splash Mountain. It's totally worth the $15 or whatever their charging now. It works for Disneyland, California Adventure and the parks in Florida as well.

Take a bag with snacks and water bottles. It helps to feed small children some crackers while waiting, even if it's only 10 minutes which is what we averaged throughout the entire day.

Enjoy.

It has been a couple of years for us, but I found if we wanted to ride on popular rides that it was best to go first thing in the morning right when the park opened or during the parade when everyone is watching.

Beyond that, we tried to pay attention to when everyone was getting tired or hungry. A stroller or wagon that will lug around kids and food is great.

Everyones advice is great. We have done DisneyLand 3 times in 2 yrs. We stay across the street on Harbour Blvd as we had a strict budget. I think it is as close to the entrance of the park as some of the disney hotels. It is easy to go back and rest in the middle of the day and when everyone was waiting for trams and buses, we just had to cross the street and could fall into bed. Some of these hotels are the Tropicana, Fairfield, Park Place Inn, Del Sol, Desert Inn and Suites. Some of these are less than $100 per night and clean and close. If your 4 or 6 yr. old is a girl, I would for sure do a late lunch (2:00) at Ariels Grotto. I think your 2 yr. old eats free there. It took us about 2 hrs. to relax and eat, meet at least 5 of the princesses and the food was great. It was worth the money so we didn't even have to wait in the lines over at the Princess area. We were refreshed to keep playing the rest of the night until close w/o going back to our room that day. Make reservations ahead of time. Don't stress out at how many people are there. The crowds in the off season freaked me out but once we were all in the park, we never waited longer than 20 min. for a ride. Most were 5 min. or less. Have fun.

We took our daughter to land when she was 18 months and world when she was 2 so my experience is around that age group. Both places we got an autograph book where they would get character autographs and I would take a picture of them together. She is now 4 and looks back at the book with her autograph. Also read up on the way fast passes work (you won't have to wait in line) as well as the way a stroller pass works (you won't have to wait in line and it will let you and your husband alternate turns on rides the little kids can't go on without waiting in line).

Your in luck! I just moved from Orange County a few years ago and my family had annual passes for three years. Get a map of both parks and figure out what you want to do. Break up the rides (and hence the lines) with the many active areas that they have. Toontown has a toddler playground that my kids loved and tons of houses and other items to play on. The Bugs Life area in California Adventure has a few water play areas that are really fun too. Be warned that they all have to have shirts and shoes on in the water areas so make sure you bring extra clothes for them to change into afterward. Try to hit the busy rides when the park first opens. Most of the rides in Fantasyland have long waits as do Micky and Minnie's house in Toontown. Some of the rides like Pirates and Small World have lines that go very fast no matter how long they are. Save those for the middle of the day when the lines get longer. I know a lot of people with little kids will go back to their hotel for an hour or two in the afternoon for a rest. It really seems to help because the kids get tired and overwhelmed. Also, if you and your husband want to go on a ride but you can't go together because of height requirements, you can ask the attendant at the ride to give you a pass for the second adult that will make it so the second adult (and accompanying riders) don't have to wait in line. Pack plenty of snacks and water and use the Fastpasses. Have fun on your trip! Your kids are the perfect ages for enjoying Disneyland.

get a stroller or two, totally worth it, head for the far side & work back closer.....or go to theones you want to ride the most....we have always found the Buzz lightyear ride to be lots of fun for all ages (my son was 2 & 5 his 2 trips) and seems like no line.....the little kids area was good.....
..... take snacks, if they are close to the 52 inch cutoff & want the bigger rides, make sure you put there (highest) shoes on & they get stand up straight.....
we tend to go in the morning, then take a nap around lunch then go afternoon/evening for the 6pm fireworks.....

Hi E.,
It's been a while since we went to Disneyland, but I think these ideas probably still apply. First, dress all of your children as much the same as possible. That way you only have to track one set of clothing! (I like red shirts.) Also, we bought the book (don't know if they still do it) The Unofficial Guide to Disneyland. It helped us plan out our day so we could get in all the stuff we wanted. Very important with young children: go back to your hotel in the afternoon and EVERYONE takes a nap. This makes a huge difference in surviving/enjoying your day. Everyone felt so much better after our nap and our kids were able to last until closing time.
Hope you all have fun!

Hi E., I also have a 2,4 and 6 year old. I grew up in Southern California but moved here a few years ago. When we go back home we go to Disneyland. Between the main park and California Adventure, there are so many things to do. Try going to the Resort website. You can put in the ages of your kids and it will show you attractions for them.

Here are a few great tips:
If you have a daughter especially, Ariel's Grotto at the California Adventure is a great place to eat. Many of the PRINCESSES come to the resturant, at least 5 I think, and will come to EACH table. You can talk to them and get their picture and autograph. This has been great for my daughter now 6 to see all of them and get her picture taken. We have been going there every year since she was two. It is great!!! The food is fantastic too. You need to make reservations though, otherwise you will wait up to 2 hours. The price is per person, but it is totally worth the money. You get lots of great food and it is a beautiful resturant next to the water.

At the main park, there is a great restroom for preschoolers. It is one Mainstreet, next door to the Kodak photo shop. This is great for breastfeeding moms and moms with little guys. They have great changing tables and attendants (tese super women) who cheerfully help you with anything you need. They have formula and babyfood too.
Right next door, on the other side is the First Aid station. They are wonderful! My daughter had a headache last year and they gave her tylenol for free.
I think on of the things that has been consistent about Disneyland over the years, is knowing that you get what you pay for. It is expensive, but the people that work there are soooo nice and cheery :) seriously! It is beautiful and very clean.

We also went to the petting zoo,that was fun. California adventure has the Bug's Life park which has water fountains the kids can run in. Bring extra change of clothes/swimsuit for this one.
I know your family will have a wonderful time!! :)

The best thing that we did was ship a box ahead to our hotel filled with snacks such as granola bars, juice boxes, candy bars, fruit strips, etc. We then loaded up our backpacks when we left in the morning. This saved us tons of money on snacks throughtout the day as we had three children who were always hungry. It also allowed us have a snack at lunchtime and miss the "lunch crowd" so we could eat at a later time.
Have fun!