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| Disneyland! |
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| Henley's 1st Birthday |
Upon returning home from Henley's first birthday Disneyland trip, a lot of moms have asked me if there is anything to do there with a one year old. Surprisingly, there are tons of things to do! So much to do in fact, that I am contemplating buying an annual pass because Henley had such a great time. Many people think that it's not worth going since the kid won't remember it anyways, but Alex and I will remember. I spent so much time going to the parks (both Disney World and Disneyland) throughout my entire life, and I always looked forward to being able to take my babies/kids to the parks as well. On the other hand, I wouldn't spend my entire life savings on a Disneyland trip at this age. Somewhere around 7-10 would most likely be a good age for that.
Although I have spent many hours in the various parks, I have only been 6 times with a baby/toddler. I am no expert. I hope this guide helps fellow moms, dads and caregivers to have a great Disneyland trip.
I broke it down per park since the Disneyland resort has both Disneyland park and California Adventure. I italicized the things that we actually did with Henley. You will need to purchase a park hopper ticket to do both parks. If you only have one day, you can definitely fill that time at just Disneyland alone. California Adventure does sell alcohol though, so perhaps that may sway you to get the park hopper. :)
DISNEYLAND
Attractions
- Disneyland Railroad: Loved it at 15 months. I left the stroller at the entrance with all the diapers, and he pooped as soon as his butt hit the seat. Oh well.
- Alice in Wonderland
- Casey Jr. Circus Train
- King Arthur Carousel
- Mad Tea Party: Tea Cups
- Mr. Toad's Wild Ride
- Peter Pan
- Pinocchio: Loved it!
- Dumbo: Henley loved this, but it was a little scary holding a squirmy baby on this one.
- Snow White's Scary Adventures: Loved it!
- Storybook boats
- Astro Orbitor: Indicated as "Any Height" but seems a little much for small babies.
- Buzz Lightyear Astro Blasters
- Disneyland Monorail: Loved it but this monorail is different than Disney World's. You have to fold up your stroller to ride. I wasn't expecting this. Something to consider if you are by yourself.
- Finding Nemo Subs: Henley loved this ride. It does get pretty dark though.
- Enchanted Tiki Room
- Pirates of the Caribbean: Henley loved this. There is big drop, but I felt pretty safe holding H on my lap.
- Mark Twain Riverboat
- Big Thunder Ranch: Petting Zoo,
- Haunted Mansion: Henley loved this. but I recommend a FastPass. The line can be long.
- Winnie The Pooh
- Jungle Cruise: Loved it and we did it at night so I thought it would be a little scary.
- It's A Small World: Loved it!
- Rodger Rabbit: Love it!
- Pirates Lair (formally Tom Sawyer Island): Such a great place for running toddlers. We spent many hours here one morning.
- Toon Town: Fun area to walk around, explore and meet characters.
- Fireworks: Bright colors and loud music. What baby doesn't like that?
Eating some snacks on the go!
Nemo Subs
California Adventure
Attractions
- Bugs Land: A few little rides as well as a water play area. Bring some extra clothes to get wet!
- It's Tough to be a Bug show: Fun show, but can be scary for little guys.
- King Tritan's Carousel: Loved it!
- The Little Mermaid: Henley loved it.
- Monster's Inc: Mike and Scully to the Rescue: Loved it!
- Toy Story Mania: Line is always long, and there is no Fast Pass option.
- Golden Zephyr
- Mickey's Fun Wheel: Make sure to get in line for the stationary cars.
- Animation Building: Turtle Talk Show, Characters Up-Close,
- Disney Jr. Live on Stage: H loved it, but seating is on the ground and they don't let you walk around. I had to physically restrain H throughout the whole show. :)
- Redwood Creek Challege Trail: Mostly for big kids but H loved running across the bridges and going down slides.
- Mad Tea Party show
- World of Color show: This show is usually pretty late, but it is totally worth it.
Food
- Fortune Cookery @ Pacific Wharf: They had great kids meals with brown rice, tofu, veggies, and a side of carrots. Perfect little meal for a one year old.
- Pacific Wharf Cafe: Sourdough Bread Bowl with broccoli cheese soup. Another good veggie-filled meal for H.
- Veggie and Tater Bake @ Flo's: H ate the whole thing!
- Alfresco Tasting Terrace: This place was a life-saver! H fell asleep in the stroller, and I found this quiet place to grab a beer, watch the parade and charge my phone.
Give some time just to run/play around
They may even sleep in the stroller!
Mad Tea Party
TIPS
- Baby Care Center: Each park has a baby care center with nice changing and nursing areas, high chairs, microwaves, etc. to use. They also sell various baby care products if you forgot anything.
- Packing food: You are allowed to pack a reasonable amount of food/snacks. I packed Henley some goldfish/cheerios, cheese, yogurt, crackers and hummus, squeeze packs and some fruit in a little lunch box. Also, bring water. The water bottles there cost a fortune, and the drinking fountains always seem to be warm. :(
- Carriers: I always bring my stroller (mostly to hold stuff), but a carrier is a great idea. I just throw H in to wait in the lines.
- Parking: If you park in the parking structure, you will be guided to hop on the tram to take you to the front entrance, If you are like me and pack way too much, you can always ask a cast member where the walking path is. It's a bit of a walk, but it beats trying to get all your stuff on and off the tram.
- Hot Days: If the weather is just too much to handle, you can duck into the Animation Building in CA Adventure. It's a big, air conditioned building. Life-Saver! It's also mostly carpeted, so it you have a toddle-er like me, it's a great place to let them run around!
- Late crowds: In my experience the park gets much more crowded at night, especially during firework time. Many smaller rides in Fantasyland will close during fireworks.
- Rider Swap: Allows party of the party to wait in line for a ride, and then the rest of the party (up to 3 people) can then skip the line.
I could probably write a novel all about the awesome things to do at Disneyland. There really is so much to see and do there. I would go in with a few rides/attractions that are your "Must Dos's," and then just take it slow. There are many shows that just pop up and it's nice to just stop and go with the flow. Have fun and I am always here for questions, Also, if you have any tips please comment below!
xoxoxo
-D
