AB&Me Travels: Disneyland Park & Disney California Adventure Tips & Hacks

How did we ever survive Disneyland with a 3-year-old? (and a couple of seniors!) 

Our trip to Disneyland Park and Disney California Adventure did not go without a glitch. Coming from a typical Filipino family, it was either we go all together or we don’t go at all. Imagine the stress if we suddenly lose someone? Or the time wasted waiting for someone to get out of the souvenir shops (ehem, me!)

  
So for those planning to visit Disneyland with the family, here are some tips:

1. Bring Sunblock! – the parks are so huge and you will be out in the sun for the whole day!  (I don’t recommend going there for less than a day…I mean, who does that? 😀 )
2. Bottled Water – each one of us had our own bottled water and we just refilled them from the water fountains inside the park. They’re everywhere!
3. Snacks – you can bring food inside the park so to save up on $$$, we brought in some sandwiches and biscuits. BUT we still did try very nice restaurants inside for our main meals — but that’s just us, being tourists and all. :p
4. Stroller/Trolley – If you have a toddler with you, this is a life saver!! When the little one is not using the stroller, we just put our stuff in there. This way, no one is carrying heavy stuff. 
5. Dress for Comfort – this is a no-brainer. It’s going to be a long day with lots of walking so better dress accordingly. Put light clothing when visiting in summer and bring an extra shirt just in case.
6. Decide on a Code – It’s easy to get lost inside the park so one should have a “code” in case you lose sight of your company. For example, I decided that we make this sound if we don’t see each other — cacawww, caccawwww! Funny, yes? Annoying, probably. Embarrassing, absolutely!! But it worked. We got separated a couple of times and luckily we had the presence of mind to go where we last saw each other. If that fails…
7. Cellphones! – because we were visiting from Dubai, we did not have a working number. I asked my mom to lend me her phone while she and my dad shared his phone. The sister and boyfriend had their own phones (and battery packs for charging just in case!)
8. Color Coding – while we did not do this, I saw several groups who wore the same color coded shirts or bright prints. 
9. Take a photo – before entering the theme park, take a photo of each person just if in case you lose each other, you have a recent photo with what you are wearing that day. 
10. Emergency Bracelets (or the likes) – If you’re travelling with pre-schoolers and tweens, this is a very good idea. Have them wear bracelets or bands that has their details and mommy’s phone number. You can also use temporary tattoos — that would be cool. 
11. Download the app – there are apps to show wait times for your favorite ride. This would help in planning your day!
12. Use your camera – there are professional photographers inside the park but you can ask them to take photos of you using your camera, just ask. This way you won’t have to pay for nice photos. 🙂
13. Fastpass – use it. It will save you a lot of time! Assign a person to be your Fastpass runner and let that person keep all your tickets. (Also the tickets make nice souvenirs!)
14. Plan Ahead – buy tickets online, make restaurant reservations, read up on Disneyland Tips (there are tons of info out there!) We did plan ahead but we did not plan wisely. We wanted to experience dining with the characters but we did not make reservations (fail). 
15. Stay in a hotel – if you’re saving up on moolah, there are other hotels nearby that offer cheaper rates. This way you can come to the theme park early and go back to the hotel at the end of the day — no more driving! I’m telling you, it’s very exhausting. 

Hope my list helps. 

And, stay till closing time for the fire works. It’s awesome!