Disneyland tips for families are kind of my thing.
With 4 kids to wrangle, I like to go super prepared to the Parks–so you can bet I’ve read tons of blog posts, follow way too many Disney Instagrammers, and would happily spend a whole afternoon afternoons highlighting my go-to Disneyland guidebook.
Disneyland is my happy place, mama!
That’s why, even though we live 1300 miles away, in Texas, we’re known to take multiple trips to the parks every year. So if you’re looking for family Disneyland tips, I would be more than happy (like, way too happy!) to let you in on our family-of-6 secrets!
Disneyland Tips for Families
10 Must-Know Tips for Disneyland with Kids
I grew up in Southern California, which means that I not only know the layout of Disneyland like the back of my hand (no maps required) but also went to Disneyland a LOT as a teen and twenty-something. And let me tell you–Disneyland is an entirely different experience when you add kids to the mix!
Suddenly you have to worry about child safety, toddler tantrums, kids wandering off, and managing the needs of several different ages all at once–and obviously you want to have fun, too!
After years of Disneylanding with our littles, I’ve compiled my top 10 Disneyland tips for families with kids–let’s count them down!
10. Disneyland Tips for Families: Stand Out in a Crowd
If you’re worried about losing a little one in a crowd, there’s no better family Disneyland tip than this:
Dress your kids in matching shirts in a NON-DISNEY color.
Though it pains my Disney-loving heart, I’ve found that dressing my kids in bright, non-Disney colors makes them much easier to spot in a crowd.
There are TONS of people dressed in neutrals or “on theme” at Disneyland–which means there will be lots of people in traditional “Mickey and Minnie” colors. A turquoise or bright green shirt stands out in a sea of black, red, and white!
I also love to have my kids’ shirt colors match each other, simply because it makes my headcount way faster. (Four kids at Disney is basically a constant headcount. ๐ )
BONUS TIP: Worried about kids wander off? One great Disneyland tip for families is to add your contact info to the inside hem of your kids’ tees.
(Three of our four kids know our cell phone numbers, but memories can get mixed up when you’re lost and scared!)
I write *my* name and phone number down in fine-point Sharpie on an Avery No-Iron Clothing Label and stick one to the inside hem of each of my kids’ shirts. They’re long-wearing, washer and dryer safe, and stick tight without being ironed.
9. Disneyland Mom Tip: Use Your Phone Camera to Remember Important Info
I don’t know about you, but I can easily lose my car in a Target parking lot. ๐ฌ
I do not want that experience after a long day of excitement, adventure, and junk food, at Disneyland!
Skip that end-of-day drama by snapping a quick picture of your parking location (the colored signs with a character and location, like “MICKEY 1B” are all over) when you’re unloading.
While you’ve got your camera out, take a picture of your kids so you have a picture of exactly what they’re wearing if they wander off in the park.
Finally, take a photo of the BACK of your tickets as soon as you get them.
If you lose your ticket in the park, Guest Services at City Hall should be able to help you get a new copy if you have a picture of the barcode. (You may also need to show your ID.)
BONUS TIP: You can also add your tickets to the Disneyland app for ease of use at FastPass locations and at the entrance gate!
8. Disneyland Tip for Busy Kids: Plan “Active” Breaks
Since our kids range in age from 2 to 10, we often have to cope with huge differences in energy levels (also, I am usually tired when the little kids are! Ha!), so this is one of our favorite Disneyland tips for families.
We build some semi-active breaks into our day as needed, where there is an opportunity for some or all of us to sit still but still be entertained.
- In Disneyland, our favorite active breaks are
- a ride on Small World (hello, air conditioning!),
- Grabbing a Dole Whip while we sit through the Enchanted Tiki Room show. (You can take Dole treats inside and eat while you watch!), and
- Sitting on a bench while the kids play with bubbles or spin the giant ball in Tomorrowland.
- In DCA (Disney’s California Adventure), our favorite active breaks are:
- Learning to draw a Disney character in the (air conditioned!) Animation Academy, (A great way to rest our legs while we create our own free souvenir!),
- Riding The Little Mermaid dark ride,
- Grabbing a treat from JackJack’s Cookie Num Nums, and
- Sitting by the carousel on Pixar Pier.
And sometimes we just pull out a snack and let the kids play. There was a lot of bubble-wand and lightsaber play on our last trip, and the high-energy kiddos were happy as clams playing with those while the rest of us chilled out.
Related Posts I Think You’ll Love:
- 10 Must-Haves to Pack for Disney Parks
- Flying with Kids: 8 Ways to Rock the Airport
- Flying with Kids: 10 Things I Pack in My Carry-On
7. Time-Saving Disneyland Tip: Listen for Cast Members Yelling Directions
This might sound super simple, but one of the best little-know Disneyland tips for families is to pay better attention to the Cast Members (a.k.a. CMs–these are what Disney employees are called!).
Whenever there’s a crowd, Disney-goers get so focused on their destination that they don’t notice when they’re being helpfully directed.
But simply paying attention can make your day way better!
On our last few Disney trips we’ve passed huge crowds to a near-empty tram AND been directed to shorter security lines (while masses of other people just stood there unawares) just because we were paying attention to a shouting Cast Member.
So if a CM is shouting directions into the chaos of parking, tram-loading, security-line-waiting, ticket-taking, or ride-line-waiting, you will be way ahead of the game if you stop and listen.
They’re paid to make your day magical, so, you know… Live that magic in the shorter lines! ๐
6. Money Saving Disneyland Tip: Have Disney Photographers Photograph You for FREE
You do NOT have to selfie your way through the park if you don’t want to pay for Disney’s professional photographs!
Any time you see a Disney photographer, you can opt out of their fee-based DSLR shots and simply hand them your phone or camera. They’re happy to take photos of you this way–and are totally used to being asked! ๐
5. Disneyland Tips for Families: Bring Kid-Carried Snack Packs
Let’s get real here: kids aren’t happy if they’re hungry.
And if you’ve ever been on a road trip with a Dad who doesn’t want to stop until you get there, you understand the feeling of hungry-anger a 6-year-old might experience while waiting in the 45-minute line at Peter Pan.
Enter our kids’ favorite travel companion: the “snack pack.”
Based on a tip from my favorite Disneyland planning book, we embraced the 90’s throwback of kids wearing fanny packs–and never looked back!
Starting at age 3, we let each of our kids pick an $8 fanny pack in their favorite color. We fill it with snacks they love and strap it to them, and they live their best snack-life any time we’re waiting in a line.
We love snack packs beacuse:
- Kids can carry and access their own food (no need for Dad to wrangle a massive backpack,
- They ask for fewer expensive Disney treats because they’re already fed,
- It helps pass the time in line,
- It keeps energy up so “hangry” behaviors don’t ruining our trip, and
- They can take care of their own trash by sticking it in their second pocket.
There are so many perks to taking these babies along, and I honestly credit snack-filled fanny packs with the huge success of our last four Disneyland vacations!
4. Disneyland Tips for Families: Use a Stroller for Kids Under 8
Disneyland means ALL THE WALKING so it’s common practice for us to rent a double stroller for our days in the park.
While it is intended for our two youngest (ages 1 and 4), we’ve been known to let the older kids catch a ride now and then–especially when everyone is wiped out at the end of the day.
If you plan to rent, skip the uncomfortable looking Disney strollers they have in the parks, and get a good-quality non-Disney rental so your littles will be A.C.A.P. (As comfortable as possible!)
We’ve used a couple of companies, and have had great success with Traveling Baby Company. They rent name brands like Citi-Mini for a reasonable price, drop off and pick up at your rental house or hotel, and have great customer service.
Plus, their strollers are clean–impressive considering the wear and tear a single day at Disneyland can inflict!
I got in touch with Traveling Baby Company and was able to get a 5% off reader discount for you!
Get 5% off
at Traveling Baby Company with coupon code:BRITLM5
BONUS TIP: Be sure your stroller fits the new Disney Parks stroller restrictions. It needs to be smaller than 31″x52″.
3. Disneyland Money-Saving Tip: Set Buying Expectations (& Budgets) in Advance
Y’all, the merch at Disneyland is amazing.
They’ve got Mickey-shaped ice cream bars, Mickey balloons, and Mickey bubble wands.
They’re knee-deep in sparkly Minnie ears of all colors, themes, and patterns. (So obviously I own several pairs…)
And let’s not even get into all the cool Star Wars, Pixar, and Marvel stuff you could end up cramming into your overstuffed suitcase!
The whole place is basically a toy store, so we’ve found it really helpful to set expectations for our kids well before we enter the park.
This helps quell any whining, encourage delayed gratification, and increase the odds that our kids will feel gratitude and appreciation for what they get.
Our Family’s Disney Budget Rules
Because we travel from Texas specifically to do Disneyland, we usually spend 3-4 days in the parks.
Keeping that in mind, here are the exact expectations we set for our kids:
- We will buy them one special food treat per day, in the afternoon. This is their chance to sample a Dole Whip, churro, Mickey-shaped lollipop, ice cream, or giant pickle. Sometimes they get their own, sometimes they have to share with a sibling. We eat our treats in the afternoon as an excuse for some downtime to recuperate and recharge.
. - We will buy them one Disney pin, on the LAST day. Our family recently started pin trading, and we all find it really fun to hunt down our favorites on pin boards and Cast Member lanyards. The coolest pins, though, you usually have to buy. (And, in classic Disney fashion, they are *ahem* an investment.)
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On the last day, we let them choose one of the extra cool ones (or one they’ve been trying to trade for but haven’t found) from one of the big pin stores. They love and treasure these tiny gifts.
. - We will buy them one souvenir of $30 or less on the LAST day. We defer souvenir picking until the last day. All week, as their little eyes light up at the sight of build-your-own lightsabers, swaddled Minnie baby dolls, and princess tiaras, we tell them, “Think about it. You can choose that as your take-home gift on the last day.”
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And then all week long they mull it over, weigh out what they want most, and get so excited when it’s time to finally buy the thing they’ve chosen.
Before we get anywhere near Disneyland, we chat about these expectations.
That way, whenever we hear a wistful wish for a Mickey hat or a churro, we can refer back that initial conversation and make a plan.
2. Disney Tips for Families: Change the Rules
Breaking the Rules
At home, we’re pretty firm on nap times, snack options, and screen time.
But on vacation?
On vacation, we break the rules.
They snack all day from their snack-pack treasure-trove of crackers, cookies, and fruit snacks.
We skip nap time completely, get them to bed too late, and let the tired ones sleep in while the early risers watch some TV well before breakfast.
Vegetables are optional (though fruit is not), and Fruit Loops and chocolate milk makes an acceptable breakfast.
There’s something delightful about letting some things go for a few days, and while we might end up paying for it for a few days post-vacay, we find the magic, mischief, and memory-making worth that trade off.
Making “Disney Rules”
That said, when you’re spending long days in a busy theme park with a pack of happy, overstimulated kids–you may need to make some new rules to keep everyone safe and happy.
We only have Disney rules, and they came about mostly so (1) no one would get lost and (2) no one would make themselves sick eating snacks! They’re very specific to our kids’ needs, but I’ll share them with you below for inspiration. ๐
Our Family’s Disney Rules
- No multi-tasking while we are walking. Playing with toys, organizing pins, eating snacks, and even reading maps are disallowed activities when we were walking from one destination to another. Multi-tasking kids are much more likely to get distracted and fall behind.
. - Only one snack per ride–and you have to eat it in line. Our kids are pretty much allowed to snack all day long if they want to, but we wanted them to stretch it out a little to avoid over-full tummies–AND we didn’t want to be held up in our quest to ride Space Mountain because someone was trying to walk and open their Keeblers at the same time. ๐
No need to pre-set your Disney rules--you’ll figure out what guidelines to set for your family as you go.
1. Our #1 Disney Tip: Remember that Happiness > “The Plan”
Disneyland is notorious for meltdowns–and not just from wiped-out kids. We mamas and dads can be just as overwhelmed, overstimulated, and exhausted if we try to force Disney magic.
But instead of throwing a screaming tantrum, we often end up venting through passive-aggressive comments, snapping at our kids, insisting that family-togetherness happens “our way” (because we’ve worked hard for this, darn it!), or flat-out complaining about the crowds, heat, and prices.
When your kid is having a tantrum, or when you feel the Disney-desperate side of you coming out, take a 5 second pause and reassess the situation.
Forget what you think you have to do at Disneyland. What would make your family happy?
At the end of the day, we save up our pennies, sleep in hotel beds, and venture into a full day at Disneyland not so we can do all the things–but so we can be happy with our favorite people.
So throw that imaginary rule-book out the window, and figure out what’s going to make the “happiest place on earth” happy right now.
- It might be skipping the roller coaster your 6-year-old is afraid of (even though it’s your favorite).
- It might be stopping to take pictures with characters who randomly show up on Main Street (when you’d planned to be on the next ride by now).
- It might mean stopping to let everyone play with that giant ball in Tomorrowland (again).
- It might even mean leaving the park early with an over-tired toddler, and having a pizza picnic in your hotel room instead.
Whatever it takes, just find your happy.
I promise, it will be worth it.
Happy Disney-ing!
xo,
Jamie
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