You all probably know by now how much we love Disney. While we go up to the parks every few weeks for a quick day trip, every few months we plan out a weekend vacation so we can enjoy more of the magic all weekend long.

The holidays are the busiest time and in order for you to make the most of your trip, I put together a few tips so you can do Disneyland like a pro!

Find the right hotel

Let’s face it, Disneyland is really tiring, especially when you have 2 kids with endless energy. Staying close to the park is a must. I hate dealing with transportation shuttles and having to wait on someone else’s schedule. The Howard Johnson Anaheim Hotel & Water Playground is a 7 minute walking distance to the park. It’s also convenient located in front of Mimi’s and Panera Bread so you can grab a healthy meal before heading to your room.  The hotel also has the coolest water park for kids where they can play comfortably, allowing you to catch a break!

 

Plan your dining

I highly recommend doing breakfast with the characters inside Disneyland at Plaza Inn. Everyone from Minnie Mouse, to Chip n Dale, to Winnie the Pooh, make an appearance while you dine. Reservations book quickly so I suggest reserving for your party weeks ahead. Pro tip: Choose the earliest time slot so you can get a head start inside the park when you are done!

Purchase Disney MaxPass

If you are going to the park during a peak season (which is almost year-round now) and you plan on riding multiple rides, I suggest purchasing Disney MaxPass. All you have to do is download the Disneyland app and you can reserve fast passes from your phone. It will tell you what time you are eligible for a new one so set a timer so you can select another pass as soon as it is available. Note that fast passes fill up for popular rides, so you’ll want to add these to your priority list.

Popular rides:

• Space Mountain
• Indiana Jones
• Haunted Mansion (especially during the holidays– it’s a must see)
• Radiator Springs
• Avengers
• Toy Story Mania
• Soarin’

Bring your camera

You’ll want to make sure your camera and/or phone has plenty of memory space and battery avaialble for all of the picture taking. I usually carry my camera around my neck in case I spot a quick photo opp. Characters hang out in the front of the parks but there’s plenty of fun walls and places to take photos. The It’s a Small World wall is extremely popular and Toon Town makes for lots of fun photos too! 

Bring a wagon

The best purchase I may have ever made is the Keenz Wagon. I absolutely love it for Disney days. Not only can I easily push both of my kids around comfortably, there’s also plenty of room to put in bags, food, etc. We get compliments on it every single time we use it.

Make lots of memories!

Disney is the best place to make memories so be sure to enjoy the small things, like spinning around on the teacups or enjoying your favorite treat.  Sometimes just spending time together and experiencing the magic is all you really need!

 

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