This post is SUPER long over due, and I am so excited to post!!
Back in the day when we were baby-less, I scoffed at the idea of taking a baby/toddler to Disneyland. I saw the beleaguered parents, dealing with screaming, angry kids. Wasn't this supposed to be the happiest place on earth? I vowed that we wouldn't take our future children till they were at the VERY LEAST 7 years old...
2 years after that vow, here I was preparing my first trip with my then 15 month old, HA! Talk about eating your words!!!
Hubby and I had been planning this trip for months. We were supposed to go in March, but postponed thanks to the stupid, preventable (oops did I say that?) measles outbreak. We decided to rebook our trip for July.
We got a lot of wide eyes, snorts and kinda rude comments when we would tell people we were taking Rowan. A lot would say we were crazy, she's too young, she won't remember, make sure we take an entourage, etc.
On the flip side, my Disney loving friends were beyond encouraging, and all have taken their children young.
I pored over different mommy blogs who wrote about Disneyland with babies and toddlers. I picked my friends' brains over their experiences. I felt prepared.
The one glaring difference between all of these experiences and ours was that we WEREN'T taking an entourage of family. My family wasn't able to go, plus I wasn't about to ask them to spend hundreds and hundreds of dollars on a trip they didn't plan for. Plus, I wanted to be able to experience Disneyland just us and see if we could do it.
I will admit, I had VERY LOW expectations for our trip. I imagined it would be super stressful, hotter than hades and packed to the gills. Turns out I was right, except for one...
it actually wasn't stressful
Yep you heard me right. So, here are some things and tips I learned...
1. You can do it on your own-
I was so afraid that we weren't taking family, but honestly, I think this is the easiest it will ever be! It was 2-1 ratio, and plus since she wasn't walking, she wasn't dying to get out and run. It was doable! Having patience and low expectations was key. That was huge!
2. Rider switch pass is your best friend-
Holy best invention! I was certain I wouldn't ride anything big. Um, not true! Rider switch pass is basically like a fast pass for those waiting behind. You simply jump in the fast pass line and boom you are on! What we did was grab fast passes first thing. Hubby would wait a MAX of 20 minutes and get a rider switch pass. At this time, I would feed Rowan a snack or shop. He and I would trade once he was done! I rode pretty much all the big stuff, and it was great!
3. BRING EXTRA EVERYTHING -
We learned that we went through wipes like no one's business! This is common sense but pack extra everything, ESPECIALLY snacks ( we ran out day 1)! Water bottles especially since its so dang hot! However if you do run out, the baby care center is legit, which brings me to my next point..
4. the baby care center will be your best friend-
I had heard of this magical place, and it was everything! It has every baby supply you can imagine (of course for a price) and it is CLEAN! Every time Rowan pooped, I insisted we go there to change. I am a GERMAPHOBE so the center was my new bestie. If you are nursing/bottle feeding or want a calm place to feed their lunch, this IS the spot!
5. Have low expectations and have PATIENCE. Seriously-
I have a tendency to be a perfectionist, which isn't a good thing most times. I let go of any notion I had in my head, kept very low expectations of the trip. I told myself to simply go with the flow (sometimes hard for me) and it lended itself well for our trip. We had the best time, and did so many fun things. Also this is obvious, but be patient. I am not a patient person (LOL) and I had to really prep myself that there were be lots of people, lines, and some people who are stupid (i.e. not paying attention, pushy, etc). I only lost my cool once when we were walking through a massive crowd. Someone pushed me while I was wearing Rowan and I may or may not have said "touch me again and I will break your nose". I know, tacky and ridiculous, but don't mess with mama bear. They wisely kept quiet and moved away.
6. Parades and shows are a great distraction-
We didn't see many shows, but managed to catch a tail end of a parade. We also got to see of World of Color, which Rowan loved! They serve as great distractions and good time to take a break.
7. Be prepared for your baby to be loved on!
This is a fun one. Rowan gets complimented (like every other baby) when we are out and about. However, she was a hit at Disneyland! Workers and other people were so sweet and kind over her. My heart wanted to burst!
8. Baby wearing and stroller naps are a life saver
There were times Rowan could hardly stand a single second in the stroller! Cue in my moby (which wasn't that bad)! She enjoyed the closeness while still being able to be out of the stroller! Oh and stroller naps are a lifesaver! Rowan would NEVER nap in the stroller but she did in Disneyland! Holy miracle!
9. Knowing how your baby is, know when to stop-
I feel "lucky" that Rowan is a decent traveler. However, I do know my child and her breaking points. One of the days we left early to rest, etc. Don't try to over do it, take breaks! Everyone is much happier and things going even more smoothly.
I was so happy with how our trip turned out. We got annual passes and plan on going multiple times this year! If you are a newbie like me and are hesitant to go, don't be! It will be better than you can imagine!
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