The Time We Went To Disneyland With a 2 Yr Old…
Hey guys!!
We were lucky enough to take our CISN Country morning show to Disneyland back in 2018. Now I know that it’s unlikely any of us will be back there for a little while still BUT if you are planning a vacation to The Happiest Place on Earth in the next few years - thought this blog might be helpful in your planning!
It was a whirlwind trip and one we will never forget. My husband Bobby and my (at the time she was 2yrs old) Daughter Kennedy came along for the trip. I’ve had lots of you reach out to me and ask how was Disneyland with a 2 year old? YES, I was brave enough to bring a toddler and although I don’t regret it, I really wish I had known (and realized!) some things before we came. So here I am with a blog for you, if you're thinking about a trip to the "Happiest Place on Earth" alI can say is DO IT. It truly is magical. But perhaps just keep a few things in mind!...
LOCATION
We stayed at the Disney Grand Californian Hotel and Spa. It was incredible, not only for the beauty but for its proximity to the park. You literally walk out the doors and into Downtown Disney or California Adventure, you decide! I cannot tell you how much I appreciated when noon nap time came around and we could literally walk off of the grounds and right into our hotel. No trams, trains, cabs , car rides or buses. The staff are top notch and the rooms are beautiful. They are big (more than enough room for two beds AND a crib!) and the bathrooms are gorgeous. It was great that they provided a crib for us, one less thing to pack! Just make sure to call ahead and let them know. And we LOVED coming to our room one night to this surprise!
EXPECTATIONS
This is the perfect segway to expectations. I will tell you right now - LOWER THEM. Not for Disneyland Resort, but for your family (and of course yourself) haha. Oh my gosh I had Kennedy’s outfits picked for weeks, photoshoots thought up of in my head, and locations where we could have the “perfect” vacation pic. None of this happened. I repeat - NONE. Kennedy spilled on almost every outfit at breakfast haha and turns out - she is terrified of the characters. I was impressed with how the cast dealt with the situation haha I guess its not their first (crying) rodeo. They were so sweet and just gave her a wave and didn't push. One of our coordinators, Laura, actually told me this right when we arrived. She explained how her 2 year old daughter loved just waving at people in the park. She also thought the grates on the sidewalks were awesome. Not the princesses, not the parade or the rides. Those were her absolute favourite things of the entire trip. Deep down I knew she was right, kids are going to love the most random things and all the hopes and big dreams you have of getting these perfect Christmas Card photos probably wont happen. This isn't to say I didn't try and force those family photos haha. All were fails. I wish I had let go earlier and realized that perhaps we can't spend the entire day at the park, some down time is good ( which made the hotel pool a great spot to “chill out for a bit”) and we don't have to get a photo with every princess this time haha.
THINGS TO BRING
I overpacked- shocker! But there are some essentials I would most definitely recommend bringing to Disneyland Resort with a toddler.
Stroller ( They actually have strollers there you can rent as well) . The grounds are great to navigate with a stroller and they have parking everywhere for when you want to go on rides.
Something to identify your stroller with - a brightly coloured scarf is great! Literally hundreds of strollers can be lined up in some spots, this makes it easy to spot yours!
Fanny pack - seriously!!! Or a backpack. A fanny pack is great cause you can keep all of your important stuff with you ( cash cards etc) and still go on all the rides with it.
Snacks- the individual goldfish bags are great for having in your fanny pack! Time waiting for rides or princesses are never that bad because Disneyland does a really good job of adding things to see and watch throughout the entire cue. But if you're on the edge of a meltdown or need to stretch just a bit more time - snacks (we found at least) are the secret weapon! The key to all things when it comes to Kennedy is snacks haha. Raisins are a big hit too ( also with flying to help their ears!)
Hat - That California sun beats down pretty hot some days, a hat was a lifesaver for all of us!
WIPES - Oh my gosh you will use them for everything. Hands, tables, chairs, your stroller - literally went through packs in days haha
Crib sheet from home - The comforts of home. Anything to make your little one feel more at ease
Battery pack. One of those portable ones that you can charge your phone with. I thought my phone would last throughout the day, it didn't. So many photos etc you're gonna want power on the go.
THINGS TO DO BEFORE YOU GO
Download the Disneyland App and become familiar with it. We used our app the entire time, from scanning our tickets to fast passes ( being able to leave and come back to a ride at a certain time was so convenient ) . You can also see real time wait times for rides!
Look up height restrictions on rides. If you know whether or not your little one can go on certain rides, it saves you A LOT of time! *Also keep in mind SOME rides may be a bit scary for younger ones. I thought Kennedy would love Haunted Mansion haha she did not.
Embrace the Early! Kennedy ( and probably your toddler too!) wakes up early! Take advantage of this and check before hand which parks are open early for “Magic Hour”. If you stay at one of the Disneyland Resort Hotels ( Grand Californian, Paradise Pier or Disneyland hotel) you get access to certain parks EARLY on certain days.
Whew !! So sorry for the novel!! The best advice I can give you, is to of course book the trip(when its safe to do so!). And be confident that you will have an incredible time. Everyone at Disneyland was so willing to help us with everything. The people that work at the parks and at the hotels are so nice and so knowledgeable. They know the park inside and out and can help you with whatever you need. You can always message me too!
I am so glad we went. Like I said - it wasn't the picture perfect instagram ready trip I had planned in my head, it was perhaps even better. I forgot to mention the fireworks and Fantasmic were great for things to do at night (9pm-ish ). Anything with bright lights, kids are all for it! This weekend was full of funny moments, slight meltdowns (from all of us!) , all the snacks and memories I will cherish forever.
Seeing Disneyland through the eyes of your kids ( cue tears) - nothing beats that.
xoxox Jacks