Originally Posted By mama-mia We are trying to plan our sons' first trip to DL. Oldest will be a week past his 6th bday and other will be 18mos. We are on a tight budget. It has been a nightmare trying to plan it, and I desperately want it to be fun for him! Can anyone offer tips or good sites? THANKS!!
Originally Posted By kari12177 A good site to look at is allearsnet dot com, they show all the menus at DL. I recommend buying a carmel apple from the Pooh store in Critter country. We discovered them last year and our son begs for them everyday we were there.And dlresortinfo dot com.
Originally Posted By Mrs ElderP For, us the biggest savings in a DL trip comes from eating very little DL food. It's lots of fun to eat in the park, but it's very expensive too. DL will allow you to pack in most foods, just use common sense: no glass containers, no beer, ect. You can pack a soft sided container and keep it under the stroller or pay for a locker. Also, there is a McDonalds, with normal McDonalds prices within easy walking distance of the entrance of the park. You'll lose maybe 15/20 minutes walking each way. (As you walk out the gates of DL turn left, towards the Lion King Tram area. Walk to the street bordering DL and you'll see it just a little bit down the street on the left.) This would also be a good time to head back to the hotel for a nap and return in the evening. If you are planning to go back to the car at lunch time, there are several other fast food places with in driving distance, but not with in walking distance. I don't know if things have changed, but the buffet place right across the street was HORRIBLE and the IHOP had much higher prices than I am used to at IHOP. In the babycare center within the park(ask a cast member, they'll point you in the right direction) you may heat up a bottle, or have a private place to nurse your littlest one. I personally would rather eat no DL food and go on a trip NOW, then save more, and not be able to go till next year. Maybe, depending on your budget you can plan on one special meal in the park.
Originally Posted By ophellia I agree about eating at DL (and I did worked at a DL restaurant for a year)...bring your own snax, Cheerios etc...and eat nearby...you'll save tons of money...maybe treat yourself to an ice cream cone or a soup bowl...and perhaps do the simple things...the sword in the stone, touch the apple at Snow White...
Originally Posted By grammy954 I have always found really good deals on hotels thru getawaytoday.com. You can get their packages without the tickets if you already have those. We fill water bottles half way and freeze them, then fill them with water over and over while at the park. We usually have some extras in the cooler in the car, so we can go all day without having to buy water. We do eat DL food probably once/day, but we share a meal and it is usually plenty for my daughter and I. We also take lots of little snack packs of this and that.
Originally Posted By RAM1984 What a can of worms to open. There are few of us here who do not like to jump in and help with someone's first trip. And I am NOT one of them. I traveled to Disneyland every other summer as our 5 kids were growing up. So I was either pregnant or hauling a baby. We always allowed for one meal in the park (at that time Casa deFritos) and other meals were cold cereal for breakfast and sandwiches at the car. Today we can afford to eat in the park but choose to get a room with a micrwave and fix our own food for health reasons. (And I would rather buy souveniers than food.) I am a huge advocate of taking the little ones back to the hotel for a mid-day nap. Our babies always loved Disneyland and we took them on everything that was allowed. Just to watch a toddler squeal with delight at the parades or fireworks is a pure joy. And I firmly believe that they can "feel" the magic no matter how young they are. Relax, take your time and I hope you have a wonderful experience. (The baby care center is wonderful. It is at the end of Main Street and marked on the map with a binky.) My personal favorite piece of advice is, TAKE LOTS AND LOTS OF PICTURES!!!!!!!
Originally Posted By ShivaThDestroyer <<touch the apple at Snow White>> Is the apple back?? It was missing when I was down in March and April. You haven't lived until RAM1984 has given you her whirlwind tour of DL. She's on overdrive the whole time she's there. My DW and I have never had so much fun with another couple! Although I prefer eating all my meals in the park or DTD, I've found MiMi's restaurant on Harbor to have excellent food at very affordable prices. I agree with Mrs ElderP about the buffet across the street and the IHOP. I would not recommend! Hope you and your family has a wonderful trip and that you take home a lot of magical memories. Oh yeah, "TAKE LOTS AND LOTS OF PICTURES!!!!!!!"
Originally Posted By 8 ilovemickey 8 I recommend buying the book "The Unofficial Guide To Disneyland". It is extremely helpful with just about everything you can think of. Budgeting, detailed descriptions, ratings by age, etc. It also has a detailed touring plan for every age, which would probably be very helpful to find things your son would like and also wouldn't like. Honestly, but it! You won't regret it!
Originally Posted By joeysmommy My favorite websites are: LP- of course!! Disboards.com (discussion boards are so helpful!) Allearsnet- great for showing the kids pictures of what the rides will look like. They even have photos of some of the seating on many rides. My kids loved looking at these to get "pumped up" for our trip. Mousesavers.com- great for all planning. Bret's Disneyland Hotels map is great. That's how we found the hotel we're staying at right across the street. I'm not sure of the exact title, but google it and it should come up. Bring your own stroller for your 18 month old,the strollers have to be returned before you exit the park. Those walks back to the hotel are a killer. Rent a stroller for your 6 yr old. My boys (3 and 6) loved Autopia and Buzz Lightyear Astro Blasters. They never got tired of going on them over and over again. Use babyswap. Bring plenty of treats for keeping them busy in line and to ward off the crankies. Leave out "Tinkerbell Gifts" your first night at the hotel. My kids loved waking up to gifts left by the Tooth Fairy's cousin. Also it cut done on the gimmies while there for 4 days. And it's much cheaper to buy things you find at Target, Walmart, Dollar Store, Disney Store or disneyshopping.com. You can email me privately if you'd like, I was in your shoes last year.
Originally Posted By TinksBestFriend Stop at City Hall get a !st Visit button and put the date on it.
Originally Posted By MomofPrincess They're not kidding about bringing your own water; I think the smallish bottles (that would be 59 cents at a convenience store) are something like $2.75 there. Out of sheer principle alone, we always bring our own. I refuse to pay those crazy prices! You can bring goldfish crackers, gummy fruit snacks, graham crackers, granola bars or fruit for your kids and that should tide them over. I always pack too much so don't overdo it like I do. ;-) The stroller should help you lug the stuff around, though! (I miss the stroller days for that reason in particular.) Also frozen Capri Sun juice packs come in handy for the kids. You could even pack sandwiches; I believe there's a picnic area right outside the park. Sometimes that tastes a heck of a lot better than fast food or even restaurant food, and it would take less time. You could even leave it in the room (in a cooler or fridge) for when you return for a nap. We only returned once - in our many trips - midday, and that was recently, and now I'm wondering why we haven't done it more often! It is a nice, refreshing and much needed break and re-energizes you for a later evening when little ones get unusually tired and cranky (normally). I second the "Don't eat at IHOP" sentiment! Good lord, I think a single ham & cheese omelet with NOTHING ELSE (not even toast!) was something like $12! Never, ever again. What a rip-off. We always bring along breakfast goodies and never eat that meal in the park. Muffins and fruit work great. Also, if you do eat in the park, the Pizza Port over in Tomorrowland has GIGANTIC portions. I'm pretty certain you could easily split two meals among four of you. That might even be more food than you need. (They have excellent chicken fetucinni! And now my mouth is watering. LOL) HAVE FUN!!!
Originally Posted By BrigmanMT 2 Food really is the way to save at Disneyland. Don't eat more than 1 meal a day in the park. Grab Breakfast before you go in, and bring something to snack on (granola bars work for me) for whenever somebody has a headache or is hungry throughout the day. Bring your own water for sure. I bring one full cool bottle in the morning, and then continue to fill it up at the Disneyland Drinking fountains throughout the day. When it comes to meal time, do not buy drinks with your food. Buy some bottle from a cart that you can carry around all day. The cups filled with ice at the restaurants are even more expensive, and you cannot take them on the rides. Also, do what my parents did, and explain to the kids early that the crap toys you buy in the park are never going to be used again. Those are the real rip offs. I have spent 2 full 8:00am to 1:00am days at Disneyland this summer, and both times I was able to walk away from the park spending less than $12 for the full day. Good times, good times.
Originally Posted By liveforvacations I like it when people like BrigmanMT2 post stuff like this because although Disneyland can be really expensive, it is true that most of the expense comes from the food and souvenirs-both of which you are not obligated to buy! I have a friend that couldn't understand how I could afford to go to Disneyland so many times and then I saw the amount of stuff she bought there and that she ate all meals and snacks at the park and bought all her water at the park. The water has got to be the biggest rip off as it is the same water you get out of the park and then the fruit is a close second. When you consider the price of a 5 day parkhopper pass, Disneyland is a real bargain when you can spend the entire day there with rides and shows for under $40.00. I try to limit the snacks I eat in the park to things I can only get in Disneyland-I love the Dole Whips and the ice cream bar in the shape of a Mickey head is a real novelty to me I have noticed that my children who are 9 and 4 are just as happy with snacks you bring as the ones they sell. Also the advice about sharing portions at Pizza Port is right on! Have fun!
Originally Posted By grammy954 Although we only eat one meal/day at the park, take our own water bottles and snacks, I just can't seem to get thru a day without a Mickey Bar or a churro. It is just part of the experience for me .
Originally Posted By dlkozy You can refill your water bottles at places such as Rancho Z and Plaza Inn. Why settle for anything less than really cold water!
Originally Posted By RAM1984 ^^Glad you brought that up. We always do that. (Sometimes refilling a coffe cup at the Riverbelle.)
Originally Posted By BrigmanMT 2 I have a dole whip on all of my trips too, they are the most affordable desserts in the park (I think we can thank Dole for that, not Disney). Another tip is to actually share food. I am a very slow eater. I often feel that I am wasting my time sitting in a moderately themed restuarant, instead of enjoying the rides. Lately I have been splitting a burger at Taste Pilots. They give you lots of criss-cut fries there, and each individual can put their own toppings on their half of the burger. That $8.00 ripoff meal is suddenly a steal at $4.00, and there is plenty of food for two people. If it there isn't enough, a granola bar, from home, in about an hour could do the trick. liveforvacations, I have seen that exact same thing with my friends. I am slowly working them off of the "We must spend at least 1/3 of our day in the shops" mentality.
Originally Posted By plutopupp3 Hi there! Lucky you - what a wonderful thing to do! Our family took our nieces when they were ages 5 & 6. Here are my best tips for you: * Take your time. Our girls loved just hanging out in Toontown and meeting all the characters who come through. There are so many little-kid friendly rides and things there, too. * We found out too late that things like "Pirates" and "Haunted Manion" were way too intense for them - b/c they were dark, mainly. They thought since they'd seen the movies, it would be the same... * Do carry along some candy/treats. One morning our 5 year-old got very grumpy b/c her dad wouldn't buy her a giant lollipop. We have a very funny picture of her sulking while her sister is smiling ear to ear, with Minnie Mouse. * As soon as anyone gets tired - STOP. Rest. Get a drink. If you need to go back to your hotel for a nap/swim/meal -- do it before everyone is a whiney, grumpy mess... * Just keep in mind your son is little. There will be moments when you're thinking, "All this money for a park pass and he wants to jump on the balls in Goofy's Bounce House?!!!" Yup... just remember the trip is for him... (Or get a baby sitter for a night and you and hubby go over to the parks and do it up!) Have a wonderful time! Take pictures, but remember that you miss alot when your eye is glued to a viewfinder all the time.
Originally Posted By purplebubblez I will also be visiting Dland in 6 days for the first time and I would like some tips/tricks for a Dland n00b that is 33 with kids but not in tow. Tinkerbell rox!!!
Originally Posted By ploeb909 MamaMia, are you staying on site or off? That can make a huge difference! If you are on site, it might be easier to take your children back and forth for naps. Also at the DLRH there are "free" things for the kids to see, in the case of the souvenirs, try going to the Disney store and buy some of the markdowns,Target also has Disney themed candy. All are much cheaper then buying at the park! Again, tell the front desk this is their 1st. trip, they are great about making the newbie LOVE the experience.
