What to pack for a trip to Disneyland
It's the most magical place on Earth, for both the Littles and the parents alike! I have been going to Disneyland every year for about 10 years and yet I'm still not even close to being a Disney expert. But living close by (about three hours away) has helped me learn a few tricks for our annual voyage, so here's my list of what you need to pack for a trip to Disneyland!
Good walking shoes.
We average 10-12 miles walked per day in the parks. Make sure you have good soles to support your feet and joints while you walk and stand all day. On that note, pack a step counter/fitness tracker, it's fun to see how far you go!
Blanket and sweatshirt.
Rent a locker, you'll get in-and-out privileges all day. Stash a blanket in there to set on the ground for the kids to watch the parades & fireworks - this keeps the Littles from sitting right on the dirty concrete but more importantly it blocks off your claimed space so people don't crowd as uncomfortably close to your family. That blanket is also good use for when the kids fall asleep in the stroller toward the end of the night. And speaking of the end of the night, the park cools off quickly once the sun goes down and the sea breeze kicks up, so keep sweatshirts for the whole family in your locker too.
Change of clothes.
If you're traveling with babies or toddlers then you know you'll need a change of clothes in case of a blowout or spill. Tip: pack a gallon Ziploc baggie or two so you can seal up soiled items! Consider bringing a change of clothes for the whole family if you plan on riding any of the wet attractions, like Splash Mountain and Grizzly River Run.
Picnic lunch & snacks.
You're allowed to bring food and water into the park, it's just going to get inspected at security. This is a great way to eat healthy and feel good but also save some money too, just stash it all in that locker you rented. You could pack dinner too, or splurge on a meal in the park, there are a ton of yummy options. Tip: keep several snacks in your purse for times when we are feeling hungry but still have a while before we can get back to our locker. Healthy compact options like nuts, dried fruit, etc are easy to stash and keep you feeling good while you're on the move. Best tip of all: For dessert definitely go splurge on a famous Dole Whip (pineapple frozen yogurt) in Frontierland! It's the best treat in the park.
Lots of water!
We also pack several bottles of water in our locker that we can stop by and grab as needed throughout the day. Of course water is available for purchase if needed, but it's highly overpriced. Save that money to spend on a souvenir instead.
External battery charger and power cord.
You're going to take a lot of photos and videos, make sure you have a small external battery charger and the power cord to your phone so you can keep recording the memories.
Sunscreen & sun hats.
Los Angeles is sunny most of the year, and with that comes the danger of sunburns and skin damage, even on our coolest Winter days. Bring sunscreen and remember to reapply throughout the day. Bring sun hats too, especially to protect the Little's skin. Tip: the cotton collapsible ones with the chin strap are best so you don't lose them in the wind on the rides.
Chapstick & lotion.
LA is very sunny and usually quite dry, so make sure you have chapstick or lip balm. If you have room in your purse, it's nice to have a small bottle of lotion or hand cream too, because our dry air is a bit of a shock to visitors who know what real humidity feels like!
Hand sanitizer.
The Disney employees keep the parks impeccably clean, but there are little kid cooties EVERYWHERE. You're going to find yourself reaching for the hand sanitizer a lot, so make sure you have it on hand (pun intended). I like having a little bottle of gel for the adults and a little bottle of spray for the Littles who don't slow down enough to really clean their hands. I also usually tote around a little travel bottle of Lysol disinfectant spray that helps me feel better about all the surfaces they're touching like the table where you'll park it for a while to eat lunch.
Umbrella.
If there's rain in the forecast the park will stay open, but certain things like the riverboat will shut down. I'd say it's good to have an umbrella on hand any day of the year, because you can either keep dry in case of rain or provide shade from the sun the rest of the year.
Here are some tips on what NOT to pack!
Your stroller.
Instead: rent one at the park.
Leave your nice stroller at home, because it's going to get banged up and you have to leave it outside the entrance to each ride and leave it there unattended for 30-90 minutes at a time. I just heard a story this year where a woman stole a really nice stroller and all the contents at an amusement park, she just walked out the gate like it was her own. I'm honestly quite surprised that's the first time I've heard that news headline, I assumed it happened way more often than that! Rent a stroller at the park (even though it's a bit overpriced) so yours doesn't look special and don't leave anything valuable in it like souvenirs or purses. If you have an old stroller that's used to taking a beating, make sure it meets the new size restrictions (changed in May 2019) of 31" x 52".
Large bags.
Instead: use a medium backpack and flat crossbody purse.
The rides run in several cars/trains at a time, so if you don't have a small purse, they are going to make you leave your bag on the platform, where dozens of people will walk by it before you get back. That always makes me nervous that someone will see my nice bag and grab it, so I don't carry anything with a good label. Each ride has a small net pouch where you can store a purse or small bag and keep your valuables (keys, cash, etc) with you at all times, then just leave your medium bag on the platform (or in your stroller). I recommend a crossbody purse because you're going to be reaching in a lot to get your fast passes, hand sanitizer, snacks, etc and you can also keep your hand over the zipper to guard against possible pickpocketers.
And finally, some "do's and dont's" to help you save time and money:
You only need one day to experience the California Adventure park.
If you're going for just one day, buy a park hopper and experience both parks. But if you're visiting for two or more days, you really only need a half day to experience all of California Adventure. You'll ride the big coaster, the Ferris Wheel and CarsLand and be kinda done. Little kids will enjoy all the other rides, but the lines are shorter so you're done with that park much faster. If you only get this one big visit, Disneyland is worth spending several days and repeating most of the attractions several times, so consider just buying admission to that park for the rest of your days.
Prioritize your fast passes.
In California Adventure: go get a Fast Pass for CarsLand first thing in the morning as they are usually gone about an hour after the park opens. You'll have to wait until your CarsLand fast pass expires before you can go get a fast pass for seating at the World of Color show, so prioritize accordingly. In Disneyland, the most popular fast passes are for Space Mountain, Indiana Jones, Haunted Mansion & Pirates of the Carribbean. The last three are side by side, so grab a fast pass for one, go wait in line for the next one and then come back and use your fast pass next.
Make dinner reservations first thing in the morning.
If you want to dine at a sit-down restaurant like the Blue Bayou, go first thing in the morning and see if you can get a reservation; otherwise you'll be eating at one of the cafeteria style restaurants or food carts.
What would you add to this list? Find me on Facebook and let me know!
www.Facebook.com/ListsForLittles
Good walking shoes.
We average 10-12 miles walked per day in the parks. Make sure you have good soles to support your feet and joints while you walk and stand all day. On that note, pack a step counter/fitness tracker, it's fun to see how far you go!
Blanket and sweatshirt.
Rent a locker, you'll get in-and-out privileges all day. Stash a blanket in there to set on the ground for the kids to watch the parades & fireworks - this keeps the Littles from sitting right on the dirty concrete but more importantly it blocks off your claimed space so people don't crowd as uncomfortably close to your family. That blanket is also good use for when the kids fall asleep in the stroller toward the end of the night. And speaking of the end of the night, the park cools off quickly once the sun goes down and the sea breeze kicks up, so keep sweatshirts for the whole family in your locker too.
Change of clothes.
If you're traveling with babies or toddlers then you know you'll need a change of clothes in case of a blowout or spill. Tip: pack a gallon Ziploc baggie or two so you can seal up soiled items! Consider bringing a change of clothes for the whole family if you plan on riding any of the wet attractions, like Splash Mountain and Grizzly River Run.
Picnic lunch & snacks.
You're allowed to bring food and water into the park, it's just going to get inspected at security. This is a great way to eat healthy and feel good but also save some money too, just stash it all in that locker you rented. You could pack dinner too, or splurge on a meal in the park, there are a ton of yummy options. Tip: keep several snacks in your purse for times when we are feeling hungry but still have a while before we can get back to our locker. Healthy compact options like nuts, dried fruit, etc are easy to stash and keep you feeling good while you're on the move. Best tip of all: For dessert definitely go splurge on a famous Dole Whip (pineapple frozen yogurt) in Frontierland! It's the best treat in the park.
Lots of water!
We also pack several bottles of water in our locker that we can stop by and grab as needed throughout the day. Of course water is available for purchase if needed, but it's highly overpriced. Save that money to spend on a souvenir instead.
External battery charger and power cord.
You're going to take a lot of photos and videos, make sure you have a small external battery charger and the power cord to your phone so you can keep recording the memories.
Sunscreen & sun hats.
Los Angeles is sunny most of the year, and with that comes the danger of sunburns and skin damage, even on our coolest Winter days. Bring sunscreen and remember to reapply throughout the day. Bring sun hats too, especially to protect the Little's skin. Tip: the cotton collapsible ones with the chin strap are best so you don't lose them in the wind on the rides.
Chapstick & lotion.
LA is very sunny and usually quite dry, so make sure you have chapstick or lip balm. If you have room in your purse, it's nice to have a small bottle of lotion or hand cream too, because our dry air is a bit of a shock to visitors who know what real humidity feels like!
Hand sanitizer.
The Disney employees keep the parks impeccably clean, but there are little kid cooties EVERYWHERE. You're going to find yourself reaching for the hand sanitizer a lot, so make sure you have it on hand (pun intended). I like having a little bottle of gel for the adults and a little bottle of spray for the Littles who don't slow down enough to really clean their hands. I also usually tote around a little travel bottle of Lysol disinfectant spray that helps me feel better about all the surfaces they're touching like the table where you'll park it for a while to eat lunch.
Umbrella.
If there's rain in the forecast the park will stay open, but certain things like the riverboat will shut down. I'd say it's good to have an umbrella on hand any day of the year, because you can either keep dry in case of rain or provide shade from the sun the rest of the year.
Here are some tips on what NOT to pack!
Your stroller.
Instead: rent one at the park.
Leave your nice stroller at home, because it's going to get banged up and you have to leave it outside the entrance to each ride and leave it there unattended for 30-90 minutes at a time. I just heard a story this year where a woman stole a really nice stroller and all the contents at an amusement park, she just walked out the gate like it was her own. I'm honestly quite surprised that's the first time I've heard that news headline, I assumed it happened way more often than that! Rent a stroller at the park (even though it's a bit overpriced) so yours doesn't look special and don't leave anything valuable in it like souvenirs or purses. If you have an old stroller that's used to taking a beating, make sure it meets the new size restrictions (changed in May 2019) of 31" x 52".
Large bags.
Instead: use a medium backpack and flat crossbody purse.
The rides run in several cars/trains at a time, so if you don't have a small purse, they are going to make you leave your bag on the platform, where dozens of people will walk by it before you get back. That always makes me nervous that someone will see my nice bag and grab it, so I don't carry anything with a good label. Each ride has a small net pouch where you can store a purse or small bag and keep your valuables (keys, cash, etc) with you at all times, then just leave your medium bag on the platform (or in your stroller). I recommend a crossbody purse because you're going to be reaching in a lot to get your fast passes, hand sanitizer, snacks, etc and you can also keep your hand over the zipper to guard against possible pickpocketers.
And finally, some "do's and dont's" to help you save time and money:
You only need one day to experience the California Adventure park.
If you're going for just one day, buy a park hopper and experience both parks. But if you're visiting for two or more days, you really only need a half day to experience all of California Adventure. You'll ride the big coaster, the Ferris Wheel and CarsLand and be kinda done. Little kids will enjoy all the other rides, but the lines are shorter so you're done with that park much faster. If you only get this one big visit, Disneyland is worth spending several days and repeating most of the attractions several times, so consider just buying admission to that park for the rest of your days.
Prioritize your fast passes.
In California Adventure: go get a Fast Pass for CarsLand first thing in the morning as they are usually gone about an hour after the park opens. You'll have to wait until your CarsLand fast pass expires before you can go get a fast pass for seating at the World of Color show, so prioritize accordingly. In Disneyland, the most popular fast passes are for Space Mountain, Indiana Jones, Haunted Mansion & Pirates of the Carribbean. The last three are side by side, so grab a fast pass for one, go wait in line for the next one and then come back and use your fast pass next.
Make dinner reservations first thing in the morning.
If you want to dine at a sit-down restaurant like the Blue Bayou, go first thing in the morning and see if you can get a reservation; otherwise you'll be eating at one of the cafeteria style restaurants or food carts.
What would you add to this list? Find me on Facebook and let me know!
www.Facebook.com/ListsForLittles
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