Our first trip to Disneyland did not go smoothly. To be honest, we might not be going back. I’ll be sure to blog all about it, but in the meantime read about the four Mistakes We Made on Our 1st Trip to Disneyland below!
1. Not Preparing for Rides
For some reason I thought the Disneyland rides would function similarly to Magic Kingdom, but I was mistaken. They are still using the lightning lane system and not multi-pass. I also did not realize that almost none of the rides for young kids are available as lightning lanes. So rides like Alice in Wonderland, Casey Jr Train and Snow Whites Enchanted Wish (and many more) are not able to be reserved as a lightning lane.
I’m sure at other times of year this might not be an issue, but we were there on Thanksgiving week and the park was very busy. It was tricky to wait in multiple lines with a three year old.
2. Breakfast Plans
We should have made breakfast plans before Disneyland morning. There wasn’t much to easily grab while also waiting in lines and the group was getting hangry. It would have been a good idea to have a plan for breakfast. Maybe have some extra groceries in the room?
3. Reviewing the Park Layout
I got a bit turned around in Disneyland. The app is helpful, but I think it would have been a good idea to review the maps a bit before we left.
4. Scouting a Parade Spot
The biggest mistake we made was underestimating the parade crowd. I thought we would find a half decent spot 45 minutes before the parade, but we looked everywhere along the parade route and settled for being behind a couple rows of people.
Also, side note… the parade was not our favorite. There were big gaps between each float and without a decent view our three year old was just over it.
Thank you for reading Mistakes We Made on Our 1st Trip to Disneyland. I hope this information will help you on your next family vacation. For more helpful tips, be sure to read the additional content below:
The Best of Extended Evening Hours at Disney’s EPCOT
Where to Find Quality Disney World Clothes for Kids
Helpful Tips for Bringing a Stroller to a Theme Park
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Safe Travels,