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Disneyland: What We Did Well & What We’ll Do Differently

I recently shared a recap of our recent Disneyland Girls’ Trip in a giant blog post. It was truly such a wonderfully magical mother-daughter adventure! The trip was not without its challenges (cold and rainy weather, I’m talking about you!) but overall we had a successful experience. My sister in law, Cheryl, and I are both dreamers and planners, so preparing for a trip to Disneyland was almost as much fun for us as going! Today I’m sharing things some thoughts about what we did well (preparing for the trip, what we brought, how we handled situations) and also what we’ll do differently next time- because of course we are already dreaming up another trip!

What We Did Well:

  • We shopped for flights and hotels on a private browser. Ever notice how you are planning for a trip and suddenly you’re seeing ads for the hotel you want to stay at and the prices are suddenly way higher, causing you to panic and rush to book? Use a private browser and that won’t happen.
  • We watched the weather forecast in the days leading up to the trip and packed strategically for the weather. Sadly for us, there was lots of rain during our trip. In addition to raincoats, we packed layers, ponchos, and umbrellas. Cheryl was smart enough to pack TWO pairs of shoes for Waverly and herself. I, unfortunately, was not. (More on this in the What I’ll Do Differently section) Cheryl also found some great waterproofing spray to put on their shoes and she said it worked perfectly.
  • We brought strollers. Yes, both of the girls are 5 and totally capable of walking, but the strollers were perfect for carrying our stuff during the day and the girls when they were really tired. We had a “no stroller until after dinner time” rule to ensure they were getting plenty of exercise and burning off all that churro sugar energy. The strollers also came in really handy for super crowded areas, because we could just have the girls hop in while we navigated through all the people.
  • We gave the girls a set spending limit at the beginning of the trip. It can be incredibly draining to have your child (or children) asking for everything that catches their eye. A great way to avoid this is by setting a spending limit at the beginning of the trip. It is especially helpful if you purchase a gift card to give your child. Explain that the card holds ALL the money they have, and encourage them to spend a day or two looking for what they really want before spending. When they see something they like, talk with them about its cost and how it compares to the amount of money they have on their card. Tell them you’ll make a note of where they found favorite items (and really do) in case that is what they want to come back for. It is amazing how this strategy reduces the requests for things and helps your child think about selecting something that holds greater value to them.
  • We packed an extensive “might need” kit. This kit is made up of small consumable supplies that we carried in our day packs. All of the items are useful for keeping us clean, comfortable, and combating common problems that may arise:
    • Children’s Tylenol and/or Ibuprofen
    • Adult Tylenol and/or Ibuprofen
    • Children’s Benadryl
    • A small first aid kit
    • Blister Pads (Nothing will stop fun faster than a blister, especially in a park where you are walking non-stop!)
    • Extra hair bands
    • Water bottles (Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate!)
    • Lotion (It’s amazing how dry your hands can get while traveling, especially if you are washing them a lot.)
    • Unscented baby wipes (They are so handy and keep faces, hands, and anything you can think of clean!)
    • Antibacterial wipes (We reserve these for really grubby places. I wipe down the tray tables, arm rests and bathroom doors on planes, because they harbor the worst germs!)
    • Antibacterial gel (I am a big believer in hand washing, but keep a small bottle on hand for emergency situations ONLY)
    • Layers (As any person from the Pacific Northwest would tell you, ALWAYS dress in layers. The extra clothing was critical in keeping us warm during the rain, and easy to remove when the sun made an appearance.)
    • High protein snacks (nuts, jerky, etc. for a quick protein boost when necessary)
  • We kept everyone fed. Knowing that all four of us have the potential to become hangry, we pretty much grazed all day. We made sure to eat plenty of protein in addition to our churros to ensure help balance the sugar and keep everyone feeling good. We also kept high-protein snacks, like nuts, in our day packs for any potential hangry emergencies.
  • We made dinner reservations. As I mentioned in the point above, we ate pretty continuously during our time in the parks, but we also made dinner reservations for a few nights. The restaurants all fill up at mealtimes, and so it was really nice to have set plans and know we wouldn’t have to wait in any long lines.
  • We planned special events for the second day in the park. Don’t reveal or plan your big surprises (character meals, Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique, etc) for the first day. Instead spread out the excitement. We arranged for the girls to visit the Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique on the second day of our trip and waited to tell them about it until that morning. We also scheduled our fancier dinner for that evening, since the girls were all dressed up.
  • We purchased princess dresses before our trip. You can find so many adorable and affordable princess dresses on Amazon. I seriously cannot tell you how many times we were stopped by parents asking where we got the girls’ dresses! We had to be a little sneaky to figure out which dresses the girls would want. About a month before the trip we started asking the girls about what they’d like for their birthdays (which both happen to be in the fall, so it’s a good thing they don’t have a great sense of time just yet!). We casually asked if they’d want new princess dresses. Then we scrolled through Amazon with them and made notes of their favorites.
  • We set aside money throughout the year, estimated a daily budget, and brought cash for spending. We wanted to be reasonable with our spending, but also didn’t want this to be a trip where we had to nickel and dime everything, so we began setting a little money aside each month.
  • We made a mental list of what we wanted to do BEFORE going to the parks. We showed the girls the park maps and discussed all of the different rides and activities the day we flew to California. That way we had a general idea of the rides and activities we were all most interested in, and planned our days around getting to them.

What We’ll Do Differently:

  • Bring more than one pair of shoes AND socks! As I mentioned above, I only brought one pair of shoes for Isla and myself. Mine were my super comfy, broken-in Nike Flyknits. They fit like a sock and therefore I don’t wear socks with them. For everyday use this is totally fine, but let me tell you, when you were planning to walk around in them ALL DAY, you can end up with some serious foot stink! I will never forgo socks on a trip like this again. (I’m so sorry, Cheryl, for bombarding your nose with my stinky feet for four days!) Also, having only one pair of shoes in the rain meant that we had to deal with drying them at night so that they weren’t soggy the next morning.
  • Bring safety pins. Safety pins are so versatile and helpful, and you just never know when you’ll need one. Plus, they take up very little space, so they are definitely worth bringing. We surprised the girls with princess dresses at Disneyland, so we did not have a chance to see if they fit properly first. Isla’s was slightly too big and hung down in the front. Thankfully, the shop in our hotel had a box of safety pins for sale, but next time I will bring a handful with us.
  • Get up early. I am NOT a morning person, so waking up early is a challenge. The last day of our trip we awoke before the sun to make the most of our half day in the park. Because of our Magic Morning mix up, we were able to get in line and were among the first guests in the park once the gates opened. There were still plenty of other early risers there, but the overall feeling of the park was so much calmer and we were able to do a lot!

A few questions for you experienced Disney Travelers:

Is it worth it to carry your park passes in those little clear protective cases on a lanyard around your neck? Does it make a significant difference in being able to access your pass versus just carrying it in a purse or backpack?

Any other great tips you’d mind sharing that have made your Disney trips super successful? We’re all ears 😉

Posted in California, Family Travel, North America, Travel, Travel Tips

Disneyland Girls’ Trip

My sister in law, Cheryl, and I loved watching the way our girls’ eyes sparkled during our Disneyland trip last year. We loved it so much, in fact, that we decided to return again this year for a surprise mom-daughter trip! We had such a great time secretly planning all the details, and could hardly wait to reveal the trip. When the big day came, Cheryl told Waverly she had a meeting in Portland and so Waverly was going to have a play date with us. After they arrived, we asked the girls what they wanted to do that afternoon. They asked if they could go to the park. Cheryl and I agreed the park sounded pretty fun, but we had another idea. “How about we go to Disneyland?!” It took a few minutes for the news to really sink in (Waverly confessed she wasn’t sure whether she was actually going until we arrived at the airport) but the girls were absolutely ecstatic!

We arrived in the evening and walked to Downtown Disney for dinner. The next morning we started out at California Adventure. The first hour in the park was beautiful, and then the clouds rolled in and the rain poured down for 5 hours straight! Even in rain gear we were soggy! We didn’t let the downpour spoil our fun though, and managed to pack in a full day of rides, treats, shows, and Disney magic!

We stayed at the Howard Johnson with the intention of spending Thursday-Saturday in the parks and letting the girls play in the splash pad Sunday morning. Unfortunately, the rain put a damper on those plans. We were still grateful to be staying in such a clean and comfortable hotel just a few minutes’ walk from the parks.

The girls picked Ariel’s Undersea Adventure as our first ride of the day. And second! No surprise there!The rainiest place- er, the happiest place on earth! Isla and Waverly were such troopers with the wet weather, so we told them the rain was helping us earn our mermaid badges.Corn dogs in the pouring rain- making the most of a soggy situation!

We dried out quite a bit while waiting for the Monster’s Inc ride. Sometimes lines have their benefits!As if we didn’t love the Animation Academy enough, it was a great place to escape from the heavy rains. We went to back to back sessions and learned to draw Eeyore and Piglet.

I think Cars Land at California Adventure is my very favorite section of the park. Every time I visit I am absolutely blown away by every magical detail that makes up Radiator Springs. The minds behind the development of this theme park are nothing short of brilliant!

Hooray for a break in the rain! We relished these few hours of sunshine, and celebrated with churros. Naturally. The Disney castle sweatshirts we made kept us warm and cozy in the rain and we received so many nice compliments on them!Later in the afternoon we noticed the lines were super short at Disneyland, so we made our way over there.The girls made a valiant effort to pull the sword from the stone. Unfortunately, they were unsuccessful, but they sure had a lot of fun trying!This was both Isla’s and my first time on the Dumbo ride and we loved it!You can always count on Auntie Cheryl to bring glow sticks! Assembling necklaces, bracelets, ankles and belts helped the girls pass time while waiting in line for Buzz Lightyear’s Astro Blasters.As I mentioned earlier, we told the girls they were earning their “mermaid badges” when they toughed out the rainy weather and kept positive attitudes. At the time, we didn’t actually mean literal badges, so imagine our delight when we came across these “I’m really a mermaid” pins! We couldn’t resist getting them and throwing the girls a ceremonial badge pinning during dinner. They wore them them proudly the entire trip!

Day 1 Highlights from nearly 10 hours in the parks:

Ariel’s Undersea Adventure x2

Soarin’

Monsters’s Inc.

Animation Academy x2

Corn dogs in the rain!

Frozen show

Churros

Pirates of the Caribbean

Haunted Mansion

Mickey’s Soundsational Parade

King Arthur’s Carousel

Dumbo

Buzz Lightyear’s Astro Blasters

Our second day in the park was the driest day of the entire week, so we made sure to spend as much time there as we could- nearly 14 fun-filled hours!

The day started with some great surprises: beautiful new princess dresses, sparkly crowns, and appointments at the Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique. The girls were so excited!!! They couldn’t wait to try on their dresses and were absolutely giddy about returning to the boutique for some pampering.Isla was ECSTATIC about her new Elsa ice queen dress- as in putting it on immediately, telling me how much she LOVED it, and thanking me repeatedly throughout the day. My heart was ready to burst- not only for seeing her so blissfully happy, but also for the enthusiastic and genuine gratitude she expressed. This was a day I will cherish forever.Hair, make up, nails, and a generous dusting of pixie dust! Our little princesses enjoyed their pampering at the Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique.Step aside, Elsa! On another note, I can only wonder how many people were accidentally whipped by Isla’s cape during our days at Disneyland! Isla was SO thrilled with her Elsa dress and makeover. Seriously, this girl was feelin’ it! She strutted through the park like this ALL day, pausing to wave to admirers. She was certain they thought she was the real Elsa and absolutely tickled about it. It was seriously the cutest! I love this girl’s incredible imagination and I never want to forget her proud little prance!Churro bliss! Isla counting how many adults thought she was “the REAL Elsa!”A quick hug with Princess Tianna.Dole whip time!

A little trip through the Hundred Acre Woods.Isla was so eager to go on the Haunted Mansion ride and she absolutely LOVED it! I remember it being one of my favorite rides when I went to Disneyworld as a little girl as well.We caught most of the Soundsational Parade the night before from a distance, but decided to go and see it from the actual parade route. We arrived early to secure good seats, so we had some wait time. The girls put their imaginations to work and kept themselves happily entertained. Peter Pan came by looking for a mother to help him tie his shoe and I volunteered Cheryl for the job!

Isla decided to put on an impromptu performance and sang her little heart out for all the people sitting around us!

The parade was indeed soundsational!Goofy walked up to Isla and drew a heart around her. She was tickled beyond words!Before the parade, Auntie Cheryl bought Isla some Minnie Ears and let her pick out any style she wanted. Isla chose a simple, subtle pair… not.After the parade it was time for more rides!

The Alice and Wonderland ride was a big hit!Up next were the teacups!

We spun and laughed ourselves silly!One of my favorite tips for traveling and NOT having your kiddo ask you for every little thing that catches their eye is to give them a gift card with a set amount at the start of your trip. Explain that this card holds ALL the money they have, and encourage them to spend a day or two looking for what they really want before spending. When they see something they like, talk with them about its cost and how it compares to the amount of money they have on their card. Tell them you’ll make a note of where they found favorite items (and really do) in case that’s what they want to come back for. It’s amazing how this strategy reduces the requests for things and helps your child think about selecting something that holds greater value to them. Isla and Wavy both chose these baby Marie stuffed animals as their Disneyland girls’ trip souvenirs.It’s a small, small world…During previous Disneyland trips, whenever I rode on Pirates of the Caribbean I would admire the lantern-decked patio of the Blue Bayou restaurant and think how cool it would be to have dinner there. When planning our girls’ trip, we decided to finally make it happen! We made reservations for the night the girls’ had their BBB appointments so that they’d be all dressed up, and even took them on the ride so that they could have a sneak peek of where they would enjoy dinner.The girls enjoyed their dinner, but were most excited about their light up ice cubes. It’s the little things!

When you hang in the park hours past your bedtime, late night snacks are a must! Mickey cake pop deliciousness!

Day 2 Highlights from nearly 14 hours at Disneyland…

New princess dresses and crowns

Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique

King Arthur’s Carousel x2

Dole Whip

Churros

Winnie the Pooh x2

Haunted Mansion x2

Peter Pan x2

Corn Dogs and Chimichangas

Hugs with Princess Tianna

Soundsational Parade

Cotton Candy

Teacups x2

Alice and Wonderland x2

Dumbo

It’s a Small World

Dinner at Blue Bayou

Cake Pops and Caramel Apples

Our third day in Anaheim brought high wind and flash flood warnings, so we decided to hunker down in the hotel and take a day of rest. A Great British Baking Show marathon was the perfect entertainment for a day spent relaxing in our jammies. Isla and Wavy played, took a long bath, and colored. We only ventured out into the rain for brunch and an early dinner. With plans for a very early start the next day, we snuggled up before bed and watched The Incredibles 2.

We were up bright and early on the fourth day of our trip to make it to Magic Morning. Turns out you can’t go to Magic Morning at California Adventure unless you are staying at a Disneyland Resort. Oops! We decided just to get in line, so that we were ready the second the park opened.Isla and I made a beeline straight for the Radiator Springs Racers. She was pretty nervous for this fast paced ride, but ended up absolutely loving it! At the end of the race she asked, “Did we win?”We made a trip down Pixar Pier to ride the Midway Mania Ride- one of our very favorites!Many of the rides at Disneyland and California Adventure have games you can play while in line to help make the wait a little more entertaining. You just download the Disney Play app and check for participating rides. The games encourage the kids search for, and interact with, items at each ride.

It was so fun to find these Jack Jack’s Num Num Cookies after watching The Incredibles 2 the night before. They were, in fact, very nummy! Warm, gooey, chocolately bliss.

The FIRST thing Isla did when she learned we were going to Disneyland was ask if we could visit Elsa and Anna. When we went to visit, Elsa was out taking care of some ice magic business, but Isla had the most wonderful meeting with Anna! “You look just like my sister!” She exclaimed when she saw Isla. They talked about Isla’s dream where she had ice powers, shared pinky swears (one of which Isla agreed to be her honorary sister for the morning) and giggled a ton. Isla was completely enchanted. Thank you, Anna!

After our visit with Anna we hopped over to Turtle Talk with Crush. This has to be my favorite attraction of all- so wonderfully magical and clever!

Because Isla had her heart set on seeing Elsa, we waited in another hour-long line to see her after Turtle Talk. It was totally worth the wait, however. When Isla saw Elsa she was absolutely giddy! I’m so happy we were able to wrap up our amazing girls’ getaway with such a magical interaction!

We had just enough time after visiting Elsa and Anna to hop on Soarin’ once more and grab a final churro before dashing out of the park and heading to the airport.

Day 4 Highlights from 4.5 non-stop hours in California Adventure…

Radiator Springs Racers

Toy Story Midway Mania

Num Num Cookies

Visit with Anna

Turtle Talk with Crush

Visit with Anna and Elsa

Soarin’

Farewell Churro

The rain definitely added a layer of challenge to our trip, but the magic of Disneyland overshadowed all the sogginess. Our girls’ getaway was SO memorable; four days of fun, rides, tasty treats, and laughter! It was every bit of the joyful mother-daughter experience I was hoping it would be. Is it crazy that we’re already eager to plan another trip?!

Posted in California, Family Travel, North America, Travel, Travel Tips

Winter Walks

Our family absolutely loves neighborhood walks. This particular winter day was so mild and pleasant we walked in the morning and afternoon!

Cole started collecting for the first time! He stopped to pick up little twigs and we applauded him with each discovery. We were all loving it!He would hand each twig to Isla and she would store them in her collection bag. It was the sweetest little routine.Oh, Bubba…We enjoy watching the squirrels scurrying around our neighborhood. I love how Isla always wave to them.Cole was so enthused about collecting, he continued to pick up twigs and sticks on our afternoon walk to the park!Isla Grace, Queen of the Monkey Bars!

Posted in Uncategorized

Oh, Bubba!

Oh, Bubba! We sure do love you! A few highlights from the past few months with our little guy…Cole hunches his shoulders clear up whenever he thinks he is getting away with something really sneaky. Isaac recently commented that Cole is a magnet for mischief. I think that might be the most perfectly accurate description of our boy thus far. For example, here I am telling him NOT to put the pine cone in his mouth. That smirk says it all!Cole is always eager to “go ow-side.” He asks, “I go?” Then he picks up his boots and says, “boots?” Brushing teeth might be Cole’s favorite pastime these days.
The moment he sees a bathroom he asks, “Chee?” (Teeth?) Then he starts making the “ch-ch-ch” sound, followed by more “Chee? Chee?”
Then he toddles into the bathroom and asks, “Chair?” as he begins to scoot the stool over to the sink. He clamors on, clutching the edge of the basin for balance, eagerly awaiting his cherished routine.
We hand him his tooth brush, turn the water on a tiny trickle and let him brush away. It’s mostly just him putting the toothbrush in the water and then sucking all the water off, but hey, it keeps him entertained far longer than his usual 30-second attention span, so we’re all for it!Cole can’t wait to wear his rhino hoodie next month when we go to Africa!!! We’re spending March in Dubai, Zambia, and Cote d’Ivoire, and we are SO EXCITED for this wonderful family adventure!Cole LOVES watching airplanes. Whenever he hears that familiar rumble up in the sky, his eyes get so wide, he points upward, and he excitedly shouts, “airplane!”

Posted in Africa

New Years at the Coast

We returned to our favorite place to bid farewell to 2018 and welcome 2019. There’s something that feels so invigorating about starting anew with the sand between your toes and the salt air in your lungs.
2018 threw us some challenges, but was a really wonderful year overall, as we focused on living our lives with more INTENTION. What a world of difference that single shift made in our happiness, productivity, and relationships! Now, we look forward to 2019 with great excitement! This is a year for deepening our intention with our family and business, developing more self care and growth practices, and finding peace and FULFILLMENT in every place we find ourselves.

We rounded out the year with a little sand sledding. It was so fun introducing Cole to our favorite winter pastime on the coast!

One run and Cole was totally hooked. He giggled the entire way down the hill every time!

Cole’s first solo run! He took a spill a few runs in, but thought it was all part of the fun!

Our sweet girl admiring the last sunset of 2018. We talked to Isla about New Years resolutions, and she decided she wanted to set some goals for herself.
1. get a baby orange tabby kitten
(We paused at this point to better explain the purpose of goal setting- haha!)
2. glide on one foot with the other foot pointing back in ice skating
3. use manners (please and thank you) without reminders
4. speak with caring kindness
5. start to learn to read and write
We were so impressed with Isla’s goals and cannot wait to see all of the wonderful things our girl will accomplish this year.

I was feeling a bit sad about Christmas being over, so I decided to bring a few strings of twinkle lights with  us. Good thing too, as we had forgotten that we had taken down all our light fixtures in the living space during our rewiring project! Self-timer propped on a log for the win! We had a great time with the entire Marshall crew during our New Years week at the Coast!New Year’s Day sand sledding!First sand dollar of the year! First agate of the year!Isla was so excited to reconnect with her barnacle friends and wish them a happy new year.Teaching Uncle Josh how to listen to the barnacles.First teeny sand dollar of the year.Isla found this little fish flopping around in a fast-shrinking tide pool, caught it, and released it back into the ocean!

Posted in Wayfarer Cottage