I started going to Disneyland with my nieces in the mid 90’s; we would go several times per year. Our last trip was two years ago. Now that they are teenagers Disneyland doesn’t hold the same magic it once did for them. Lucky me though I have children of my own so I can visit the Happiest Place on Earth once again.
Yes, I know, 2 years doesn’t seem like a long absence to some, but for this Disneyland fanatic it might have been ten years! As I prepare to take my own children my thoughts naturally go back to what was helpful with all the trips I took with my nieces.
Tip #1: Kids can walk, make them. I start a couple of months before our trip walking with the kids. Kids of any age can do this. When my oldest was two she could walk (and run) up to two miles at a time. Take them for walks several times a week. I’m not saying you need to speed race, just go for a casual walk. Your goal should be to build up endurance. By the time your trip comes you hopefully should not need a stroller for those 3 and up.
Tip #2: Whatever you need to bring with you to the park should be carried by the person that needs that item. Go out and buy a fanny pack for each of your children. A 4 year old can carry his or her own snacks, water, autograph book, pen, and money in that pack. By having the kids carry these things that lightens the load for you. If you aren’t a pack rat you yourself can get by with a fanny pack of your own. What really do you need to bring in with you to the park? Snacks, drinks, money, tickets, and your camera can all fit in a fanny pack. Now you and your family are “hands free” and don’t have to worry about lugging a backpack around with you all day and there are no worries about accidentally leaving the bag on one of the rides.
Tip #3: Tired and hungry kids get cranky. By knowing this beforehand you can fend off meltdowns and fights. Let your kids know that when they get tired to tell you. When they get hungry make sure they let you know. I had this ingrained in my nieces before we left and then reiterated it to them daily while we were there. Everyone does a lot of walking. You are bound to get tired. Many times we stopped walking to our destination so one of the kids to rest. The stop was almost always less than 5 minutes. They would also let me know when they were hungry. At that point we would sit down for a rest break and I would let them get a snack from their fanny packs. By keeping them rested and their tummies full we didn’t have the arguments that are much too common in Disneyland.
Tip #4: If you have young children it is easier to keep track of them if they are wearing similar clothing. Disneyland can be crowded and you will not be able to hold hands with them at all times. By choosing a “color of the day” your life will be easier. For example, one day everyone wears a pink shirt and capri’s. You can go many directions with this idea. I had my nieces wearing the same outfit but different colors one day, the same style and color of shirt the next day, and even costumes on one day. Each day had some type of theme. By doing this I was better able to keep an eye on them and my worries if they got lost lessened.
Tip #5: Talking about getting lost in the Park. Now that we are in the age of digital photography it is a good idea to take a picture of each of your children before you leave for Park in the morning. That way if your child does get lost all you have to do is show a picture to the CM that is helping locate them for you. Also, to prevent your children getting lost, make sure you have laid out ground rules before arriving at the park. Some that I’ve used have included: you will not walk more than two steps in front of me if you are not holding my hand and you will not walk behind me (because I have to see you). By knowing simple rules in advance the kids will comply easily. I rarely had an issue having to remind either of them the rules. It is also a good idea that once you are in the Park to show your kids what the Cast members look like. Let them know that if they do get separated from you that they need to stay where they are and if they see a CM walk by them then to alert that CM that they are lost. I also told the kids that if they did get lost that the CM would probably take them to the lost kids room where they would stay until some of the other CM’s found me. One last tip if your child was to get lost. We also live in the age of cell phones. Why not put your cell phone number in their fanny pack? That way if they are young they can tell the CM that they have your cell number or if they are older and are carrying their own phone they can call you.
