window.nastygoat = {aid:"QmpAtr2rEvP0rBE6aLr_vbMj2ipJhivzons1Kz6YwBmK",pid:"pV3wFgoS2e_p3hbV9eITadPmtqU9QNb47PkA8QwxvI4b"}; > My Guide to Disneyland! - Carnations & Lace


Hi friends!

After being gone for almost a full week, we’re finally getting back into the swing of things over here. As much as I LOVE Disneyland and California Adventure, it is definitely not the kind of Vacay you take to relax. It’s a go, go, go, kind of trip but I wouldn’t have it any other way. I feel like it’s every parents dream to take their child to Disneyland, so this trip was so exciting for all of us! We decided to gift it to Kai for most of his Christmas present this year because we are DROWNING in toys. So an experience sounded much more appealing. I mean of course we still got him a few things, and his grandparents always spoil him like crazy, so he had lot’s to open Christmas morning! I think we’ll start gifting experiences over material things more often though.

Any who, I’ve been to Disneyland quite a few times and the most recent trip was one of my faves because we used a lot of the tips we’ve picked up along the way. So I’m going to share them with you in case any of you have a trip planned!

#1- Go during the OFF season. Basically colder months and not around holidays. We got an insane deal on tickets ($70 a day) just for going between January 7th & May 19th. For us it’s a win-win. Lower ticket prices and smaller crowds. Waiting 2+ hours for a ride just takes the magic out of it and is basically impossible when you’re with kids. Which brings me to my next tip; your kids are free until they turn 3! Kai had a lot of fun on the little rides but was about 1.5 inches too short for the bigger ones. He is 2.5 years old and 38.5 inches right now for reference. We still had the best time hugging characters and walking in their houses in Toon Town. He might not remember it, but we always will!

#2- Stay within walking distance from the park or a resort with a shuttle! While Disneyland does have parking available, it is pretty expensive and if you have kids, Uber isn’t a thing. Also see if the shuttle is free or if you have to pay for it. A lot of them try and sneak in hidden fees that way!

#3- Wear Comfy Shoes. I’ve been to the park in sandals and literally hated myself for it. No matter what your outfit or weather calls for, wear tennis shoes or sneakers. We walked 15+ miles in the 3 days we spent in the park and the last thing you want to be worrying about is if your feet hurting! Luckily athleisure is in am I right?!

#4- Don’t take your DSLR. WHAT! A blogger telling you to leave the camera at home?! It’s true. I took mine all three days and didn’t pull it out once! My phone was perfect to quickly whip out and capture moments. That’s what it’s about right? Capturing the magic in REAL moments with your friends and family. I actually took quite a few little videos this trip as well. I might try and put them all together and post it on YouTube, but first I have to actually make an account LOL.

#5- Download the app! It is great because it will keep your tickets on file, your fast-passes, and you can check wait times for rides. Another huge benefit is it will tell you what rides/areas are closed for maintenance. We didn’t use this feature but you can even order food through the app! So cool.

#6- Make sure you budget for food in the park! Disneyland is known for having the BEST food. You are allowed to bring in your own water bottles and snacks, but I’d definitely splurge on treats. Here are my favorites:

  • Dole Whip Soft Serve- So delicious and hard to find outside of Hawaii.
  • Churro’s- I don’t know what they do to them, but nothing beats a Disneyland Churro!
  • Turkey Leg- Something that I would never order anywhere else, but they’re SO good at Disneyland. My hubs fave too.
  • Beignets- You get them from New Orleans Square, and they’ll change your life. Perfect to dunk in some coffee too!
  • Popcorn- The perfect combo of salty and buttery. Always fresh and hot! Kai could have eaten buckets of it.

Another thing I wanted to mention is where we stayed. We were at the Embassy Suites in Orange and they were awesome and very accommodating. We were able to check in super early, Kai loved the pool/hot tub situation and we had a separate room for kai to sleep in (GAME CHANGER)! Not sponsored, just had a great experience! They also had a FREE shuttle to Disneyland that ran every hour which is hard to find, and free cooked to order breakfast! We will definitely stay there again.

Hope this was helpful!

xx

-Krychele

What We Wore: