Our Holiday Trip to Disneyland: Things I Learned at the House of Mouse

So I thought I'd be the best Mommy every (I'd give my other half credit too, but let's be real . . . this was all my crazy doing) if we surprised the the kiddos with a trip to Disney as their Christmas gift from us (Not Santa --- so tired of him getting to have all the fun, but that's another story). I'd planned ahead and made reservations and my husband and I had been keeping the secret for quite a while. We'd wrapped their Disney shirts and made a little video for them to watch Christmas day. It was all very funny. My daughter cried and my son looked perplexed (wondering where in the "F' his Nintendo DS was no doubt). The following day we were on our way.

I'll save you the crazy traffic drama, but I will tell you that if you haven't used the App "Waze" yet (on Iphone and Android too) , it's pretty cool. Once you sign up you can check the traffic situation where you are, or where you are going, and people (like you) update it regularly with current speeds, hazards, and other cool info. It helped us to figure out how much longer we'd be sitting, just in case one of the little ones needed a bathroom stop (because otherwise . . . I'm that person who wants to get there as quickly as possible. Pack some snacks kids . .. Mama doesn't like to stop).

We got there really late the first night and just crashed in our hotel room. We wanted to be refreshed and ready for our first big day in the park. Here is what I learned on our crazy trip:

1. Download the App called Mousewait. I'd heard about it from someone and made sure to have it ready for the first day. People (you included) update it regularly with line wait times so that you know when to hit certain rides and when to avoid them. It even helps you locate characters in the park and has lots of interesting Disney info. You'll see people constantly checking their phones in line and chances are, they are checking this App.



Here is a pic of the App. Lots of interesting things. I actually referred to this a lot during the trip.

 

2. If you plan to go during the holidays, take your patience, and some extra cash. Although we brought our own water and some snacks into the park, one whiff of the Churro stand and my son was in love. Apparently they were far superior to the rice cakes and energy bars I brought . . who knew :)
Most lines were about a 40 minute wait. The Radiator Springs Racers (one of the new "Cars" rides) had a three to four hour wait the entire time we were there. No amount of Churros could keep my kids in that line, so we passed this time around.

3. I prefer the dining choices in Downtown Disney. Why you ask?  Because it's the closest thing to an IV drip of alcohol that a girl can get without leaving the general area. Disneyland is pretty much "Dry" and California Adventure has beer and wine (thank you . . .thank you... thank you). Downtown Disney has many restaurants where you can sit down, relax, eat a meal (or drink your meal, I won't judge), all without giving up a kidney to do so.  We preferred to eat a big lunch there and then eat a late snack in the parks. We had one lunch at ESPN Zone (my son's new Holy land) and another at Toritilla Joes (where one burrito was enough for my husband and I to split -- of course the kids wanted their own meals, and I got to sip away my stress with sangria. Yumm!). We also hit Rainforest Cafe on our last morning for breakfast.

If you think the smile on her face is big, you should have seen mine after downing two of those sangrias.

4. Learn the Fast Pass System. We didn't, but in some cases, it didn't really matter. We got in line at 8:30 am for Fast Passes to Radiator Springs Racers, but they were gone five minutes later --for the entire day! We did grab them for the World of Color show at California Adventure (again ..get them in the morning), which was worth it. Of course we still waited an hour to keep our spot and then my son really "had to go right now," as the show was starting, so he and my husband missed most of it anyway.

 Waitng for "World of Color" to start. Too bad my littel buddy missed most of it.
5. Decide what is more important to you: convenience, or getting a good deal. We stayed at the Marriot this time with their Disney Package, which I thought was a great deal. Everyone was very nice and we got a $100 Disney gift card for each night that we stayed there. We were able to use all three when I bought our Park Hopper Tickets from their Disney Desk  on-site which took $300 off of our tickets. Nice!

Next time though, we decided that we would save and then splurge on staying at Disney's Grand Californian. It's quite a bit more, but it has it's own entrance to California Adventure. That alone does it for me. Little feet get tired after walking and waiting in lines, so I'm looking for convenience next time around.

6. If you have the cash (which we don't) there is such at thing as going VIP in Disney. You can learn about it on their vacation planning site. I was wondering about it after seeing small groups get ushered (often with a Disney Host) to the front of long lines. For the most premier service (private host, Fast Pass access to most rides-- if not all, reserved seating at parades and shows, valet parking) it will set you back about $300 per hour with a six hour minimum (for a group of 10 people or so --check their website). So, if you want to be a baller . . . this is the package for you. I will probably shoot fiery lasers out of my eyeballs at you, but jealousy is an ugly witch.

7. I am amazed by the cleanliness at the Disney Parks. Even though I was happy to shower after being shoulder to shoulder with thousands of strangers, I could not believe the high level of service from all of the employees. There was always an attendant cleaning a restroom and a staff member wiping down tables. Anyone who can give directions (with a smile) to a stranger holding a turkey leg in one hand and pushing a crying baby with the other, must be a magical person indeed!