Tips and Tricks for our first visit to Disneyland

[candle mommy]

Hello Everyone!
We are taking our family to Disneyland this weekend for the first time and I was wondering if anyone knew of any tips or tricks for us to do while we are there. My kids are 4 and 3. I would love any type of advice!!!! We are soooo excited and can't wait to go! We are seriously counting down the minutes.

Thanks!

[towens]

I just wrote this in another thread, but the biggest thing for us is not to rush. Relax and remember that the park is not going anywhere. You don;t have to do EVERYTHING.

Looks for characters, they are magic, and the magic does not last long.

If you let them go at thier own pace and relax you will have the best time of your life. It kills me to see people with the park map running from place to place because the have to do everything. Enjoy all the details and the sounds and smells. Disneyland really is a park and if you treat it that way you will see there is much more for even your little ones that the attractions.

[FantasmicPrincess]

Take the "Disneyland Today" tour. It's free, and takes about half an hour. Your guide will give you an overview of the layout of the park, a little bit of history, the entertainment schedule for the day, and tons helpful tips like how to use the Fastpass system and where to enjoy character dining! Just ask about it at the Guided Tours kiosk by City Hall. I recommend doing it early in your day because it will help you plan the rest of your trip. Perfect for first time guests.

[Madasahatter]

Hello, and welcome to Micechat! For first timers I definitely recommend going to City Hall in the Morning and asking for a couple of "First Visit" Buttons so you can keep like a memento of your first time. At your kids age, I bet they'd like a game of Musical Chairs with Alice and the Mad Hatter. They play the game at the Coke Corner piano usually at 2:30. It's a really fun game, and the winners get grand prizes, but the prizes are quite strange...but what can you expect from the Mad Hatter?

[sediment]

I don't think anyone here knows any tips or tricks. And there really isn't anything to do in DL.

Sorry. You'll just have to figure it all out by yourself. With two small children. (No one here has children: they harsh the DL buzz for us.)

OK, enough joking around. I'm sure there will be actual helpful posters answering your questions. Good luck!
There are a few threads, maybe closed, but still available for reading. All about tips for families with small children.
OK, I searched but could not find the thread. It was started by techskip, I think, about what he does with his young'ins.'

[vannie<3]

Make sure to read the Fast pass sticky so you can maximize thier benifits.
Also go online and make a list of any must do items rides and shows.

I don't know how many days you have so that can be a restriction or a blessing. Also F! is a great show but can be late and a long wait for the little ones so maybey plan for aladdin or playhouse disney.

I would not focus on the big 40" and above attractions all though some are quite tame. I say check their hieght at star tours or soarin and if its a go then great if not look at your map and scratch off all attractions with 40" and above. Also do not forget the parent swap passes if one child is tall enough and the other is not (or doesn't want to go on)

But most of all have fun, take it easy and take lots of pictures!!!

[ScottG]

Kids that age will really enjoy DL but may become overwhelmed with all thats going on and start to act up. I suggest you go for a few hours, eat lunch and go back to the hotel for a break. Either a nap, swimming or quietly playing in their room with a toy they brought from home will let them unwind. Then, you can go back and close the place down.
In the AM, if you start in the back of the park and work your way forward you'll get to go on a lot more rides because most everyone else is doing the opposite.
I also recommend eating early to beat the crowds.
When you take pic's or video, make sure the kids are in them alot. You can't believe how neat this is to have 40 years later!
DLR is best enjoyed by adults through the eye's of children. (Ok, I nearly gagged on that one too but it's true).

[Dlandclub33]

Ok alot of ppl had good tips here's what I recomend for the youngsters...

Fantasyland....

Pinochio's daring journey

Peter Pans Flight

Snow Whites Scary Adventure (maybe)

Mr.Toads wild ride

Alice in Wonderland

It's a Small World (it just goin to reopen on friday??? I forgot so u must rush to this cause there will problably be long lines if u want to c it! When the park opens I say go down main street and when u get to the hub make a right facing the matterhorn mntn. Go that way and then make a left. Then follow the parade route down to it)

Tinkerbells Meet 'n greet

Castle Walk through

For a good spot to relax in front of the castle by the left across a bridge to the little tent thing is a good spot for the kids to run around and relax.

Casey Jr. Train (really fun for the kids)

Dumbo (it's a must c thing 4 the kids)

Story book land

ADVENTURELAND...

Jungle Cruise

Tiki Room

New Orleans Square

Maybe Pirates

Maybe Mansion

CRITTER COUNTRY

Maybe Splash

Winnie the Pooh ride

Tommorrowland

Buzz lightyear Astro Blasters

Finding NemoSub Voyage

Autopia

Frontierland dosn't have any thing fr ur kids ages

MICKEY"S TOON TOWN

Roger Rabbits Cartoon Spin

Gadgets coaster

All of the Gangs houses

Cool stuff to do there

I also recomend Musical Chairs with the Mad Hatter in Main Street in Coke Corner at 2:30!

[Datameister]

Above all, take a relaxed yet enthusiastic approach to the whole day. Try to plan wisely, but when - not if - those plans don't quite work out, don't stress it. Just have a good time!

FastPass is a real lifesaver in terms of avoiding long lines. You stick your park ticket into a machine near a ride, and it gives you a special ticket that allows you to come back at a later time during the day and skip part of the line. You can only get FastPasses so often during the day, but I recommend getting as many as you can. Space Mountain, Indiana Jones, and Splash Mountain are particularly good ones to use FastPass for.

Remember to take breaks. You'll be doing a lot of walking, which means you'll get tired, but you'll be having so much fun that you might not realize it. Every once in a while, take a few minutes to just sit down somewhere and relax. Meals and long, fun rides with short lines (like Pirates, the Haunted Mansion, and the railroad) can be good for that. Accept that you'll probably be failry wiped at the end of the day, but don't totally wear yourself out.

Hydration and food are very crucial, too. Bad things happen if you're not eating and drinking enough. Bring water bottles, bring snacks. And remember that you can refill your water bottles for free at numerous restaurants...Rancho Del Zocalo in Frontierland is one that I know of.

As for specific rides...since your kids are young, you probably won't have many chances to do the more hardcore rides, but if you get a chance, I definitely recommend stuff like Indiana Jones, Space Mountain, Thunder Mountain, the Matterhorn, and so forth. If not, don't worry about it...Disneyland was created with the whole family in mind. =) Fantasyland has a lot of dark rides that the kids are sure to love; these explore the worlds of Disney's animated films, mostly. Same goes for Mickey's Toontown. You could also try Pirates of the Caribbean and the Haunted Mansion, over in New Orleans Square. Winnie the Pooh might be fun for them, over in Critter Country, and Splash Mountain too, if they don't mind a few drops and getting slightly to extremely wet.

And again, like I said...have fun! No matter what! Don't try to control everything, but don't be stupid, either. Listen to your kids, respect other guests, make sure your kids respect other guests, try to get a fair amount of rides done without stressing it and without ignoring the amazing beauty of the park itself. You'll have a great time, I'm sure!

[Sambo]

Kids 3 and 4... Probably too small for Indy, Matterhorn, and Space Mountain - but maybe. Splash, possibly more likely.

Get there early (before the park opens) because they open the gates early and pack people into Main Street - with a rope barrier. When the park officially "opens" this is the famous "rope drop" and you should head straight through the castle and into Fantasyland. Get in line for Dumbo and then the dark rides (Peter Pan, then Mr Toad) before the crowds get heavy. Depending on the day, it takes about an hour before the lines start getting long. If you are in there straight away, you can get three rides accomplished in that hour. Usually Dumbo, Peter Pan, Mr Toad, and Storybookland Canal Boats have the longer and/or slower lines. Take those early.

If the kids are able and up for it - go get a fastpass for Splash then ride Pooh, Haunted Mansion, and possibly Pirates. Somewhere in there or after those, your fastpass time for Splash should be up and ready.

If it is open - take them through the Sleeping Beauty walk-through. I remember that when I was a kid, and it was just too cool to actually be INSIDE that castle. The story scenes was just icing on an already sweet cake.

Other must-do's would be the trains, and Monorail. The Columbia if running is any kid's Pirate fantasy.

The Jungle Cruise and Submarines are also winners for the wee ones.

That should get you through the first day!

By the way - read this thread! - Recommendations: Disneyland with a 4 year old

[DannyB]

Wow, I never knew about musical chairs. I'll have to check that out my next visit, especially if I'm with my nieces (my own kids might be too old to enjoy it)...

Anyway, here's my tip: When you're in ToonTown, be sure to open the lids to the crate boxes, and get a drink from the "Goofy Water" drinking fountains.