Just before the Diamond Celebration (60th Anniversary) hullabaloo at Disneyland got started, Slaed and Bergen (3.5 years old) squeaked in a visit to the park for the little guy’s first Disney experience. While I was somewhat bummed that I wouldn’t be present for Bergen’s introduction to the happiest place on earth, there’s definitely something to be said about a solo-parent and child trip. Bergen got the one-on-one attention that he craves, and the whole weekend was able to be focused around him and his preferences and needs making it all a huge success.
Parents have to do what’s best for their particular family, but we believe that 3 years is the best age for a first time visit. The child is old enough to understand and navigate on their own, there are plenty of rides for them to go on, and the experience for them is positively magical and awe inspiring. Slaed reported that our normally rambunctious little boy spent the majority of his time sitting, wide eyed with his mouth open captivated by the all of the action happening around him.
After months of preparation and research, combined with his own knowledge from numerous visits to the park prior, Slaed put together an amazing itinerary. Their experience, one day in Disneyland and one day in California adventure was nothing but positive. I picked his brain, and we’ve put together 9 tips to help parents plan and prepare for a trip that is just as successful.
1. Tear-Free in Disneyland
Soon after Slaed decided to take Bergen to Disneyland, he purchased the Tear-Free in Disneyland book. He read it cover to cover, studying up almost every night during the months prior to their trip. The book is filled with practical tips and ideas for making the whole Disney experience positive and stress free. He learned a ton, and gained the confidence and bravery needed to tackle it all on his own. Many (but not all!) of the the tips that follow come from or are adapted from the book.
2. Buy Your Tickets
Make sure to purchase tickets directly through Disneyland. Doing so ahead of time will give you peace of mind, and save you from waiting in one more line! In our opinion, there is no need for park hopper passes when you are visiting Disney with little kids. Focus on one park per day. Slaed and Bergen spent one day in Disneyland, and one day in California Adventure.
3. Get Your Kid(s) Excited!
You may know all about Disneyland, but mostly likely, and certainly in Bergen’s case, your kids have little to no idea what the park is really all about. Even if they visited as a baby or toddler, they are unlikely to remember much. Just like we build background knowledge before visiting a new destination, we worked to make sure he had an understanding of what the experience would be like. Our suggestions:
- Watch Videos: Poke around and find shows, programs, music videos, etc. that feature the park itself. We recommend, Sing Along Songs Disneyland Fun. It’s just 30 minutes long, and takes you on a tour of the park while singing classic Disney songs (“It’s A Small World”, “Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah”, “Whistle While You Work”…).
- Coloring Books with Characters: Bergen received a Disneyland coloring book from the flight attendants during a couple of our Alaska Airlines flights prior to the trip. This worked out perfectly to teach him about the classic characters (Mickey, Minnie, Donald, Goofy, etc.).
- Picture Books: Check your library for books that show the park experience. D is for Disneyland is a great example as it has pictures showing the rides, quick facts about rides, and fun historical information.
4. Purchase Gifts and Gear
Plan ahead so you can shop sales and consignment stores for shirts, hats, and maybe even underwear for your big trip. Buying at the park (and in Downtown Disney) is very expensive and wastes precious park time. Slaed also bought a few small gifts (Tow Mater & Lightning McQueen hot wheel type cars & a small doddle board) to give Bergen once they arrived. This prevented Bergen from asking to buy things in the gift shops, and also gave him something to do while waiting in line.
5. Ride Research
Know the following about all the rides and attractions:
- Height limits–measure your child!
- Fear Factors–dark, heights, pirates, thunder…can all be scary to kids. Know what your kid can handle.
- Closed rides–some rides are closed for various reasons. Know this ahead of time so that no one is disappointed!
- Make a priority list of what rides your kid wants to do. Slaed and Bergen had about 10 on their list (for 1 day in Disneyland), so anything additional was a bonus!
- Bonus tip: Mickey’s Toontown (a top attraction for preschoolers) opens one hour after the park opens, so choose rides close to this area for your first hour or so in the park. Bergen and Slaed checked It’s a Small World, Dumbo, & the Teacups off their list, and were right at the entrance to Toon Town when it opened. They were immediately greeted by all the characters & met 4 or 5 in a matter of just 10-15 minutes!
6. Get Restaurant Reservations
If you are interested in dining at any of the popular restaurants throughout the park, we highly recommend that you secure reservations ahead of time. Disney allows you to do this up to 60 days in advance. You can find a list of the restaurants here, but Slaed suggests the Blue Bayou, and recommends lunch over dinner to save money. Not only is the food tasty, but the atmosphere prepared Bergen for the Pirates of the Caribbean—a ride that was definitely a stretch for him as far as fear factor.
7. Don’t Bring a Stroller!
Contrary to popular belief, the stroller will actually just slow you down rather than making travel throughout the park quicker. Disneyland is crowded. You’ll constantly be running into people, will always have to worry about parking the stroller, and your child won’t really engage in the full experience. Go on walks frequently (everyday!) prior to your visit to Disneyland to build stamina. Overall, you and your child will do a lot of walking at Disneyland, but it’s never that much all at once since you just pop from ride to ride, attraction to attraction, etc.
8. Character Alert!
Know whether or not your child is afraid of people in costumes, mascots, and dressed up characters. We were lucky enough to get to test this out during our trip to Oahu when we attended Aulani’s character breakfast, and we also attend plenty of sporting events to get an idea of how Bergen reacts to the mascots like the Seattle Mariner Moose. When he met Mickey for the first time, he was surprised at how big he was compared to the Mickey that he is used to watching on TV! If your child is too afraid, you can just avoid that whole aspect of the park experience. My friend Keryn from WalkingonTravels.com has an excellent post about tackling your child’s mascot/character fears.
9. Day Before/Day of Tips
- Makes sure EVERYONE gets a good night’s sleep.
- Eat breakfast before entering the park (saves money & time). Bring snacks along. As long as you are not bringing an entire picnic meal, Disney is okay with you bringing in small food items. Hungry kids get cranky, so be prepared!
- Talk to your child(ren) about the plan for the day so that they know what to expect. Show them a map & circle the priority rides on your list.
- Arrive 10-15 minutes before the gates open. No need to arrive SUPER early. You’ll just end up waiting in yet another line. If you can time it perfectly, just arrive exactly when the gates open–you’ll get right in, the lines go quickly at that point.
- Plan to leave the park for rest/nap time. If you build this into your day, to your kid, it’ll just be part of the experience. It’s essential to recharge EVERYONE’s batteries. It’s just not worth it to try to “do it all” and run you and your kids ragged. Leave when it’s fun, NOT when your kids are completely exhausted, and you’re dragging them out of the place kicking and screaming.
- Wondering about fireworks? We say, don’t worry about it. You’re better off getting back “home” so your preschooler can get to bed fairly close to their bedtime. Plus, you’ll avoid the crazy crowd exiting right as the fireworks show is over.
Have you been to any of the Disney Parks? We’d love to hear about one of your highlights! Or…share your own tip for how to prepare for a successful trip.
For more great money saving tips, head to Trekaroo where you’ll find 15 Money Saving Tips for Disneyland Deals!
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Wonderful tips. I like the idea of bringing along a few Disney items such asvthe cars or perhaps a T shirt purchased prior to the visit.
Thank you, Martie! Yes, the preparation made all the difference in terms of excitement & engagement…Bergen loved zooming his cars along the railings while waiting in line & he loved all the compliments he received over his t-shirts 🙂
Great tips. I am a die-hard stroller fan for littles in the parks, but it can take some time to navigate with them.
Thanks, Katie! We walk a ton as a family, so it’s just something he was used to by then, which gave them a lot of freedom in the park. I understand it’s not for everyone though!
We’re taking our 3 year old and hoping he makes the 40″ cutoff!
Fun! Oh I hope so! You’ll have fun regardless though! There is so much to do. We have a friend that went with her 3-year old & they didn’t even go on 1 ride! Too busy meeting characters, going to shows, etc.
Interesting tip on the stroller! It’s so handy to store stuff in it though, I don’t k ow if I could leave it home (plus I have a toddler and a preschooler).
So true about storing your things, and yes, two young kids is a different animal! My husband and son just found so much freedom in not having to worry about the stroller–parking, navigating around crowds, etc.
This post is awesome! I’m also from Seattle and am bringing my 3yo to Disneyland in June (along with our baby.) Great tip about Toon Town!
Thank you so much! 3 years is such a magical time for a visit to Disneyland! Have a great trip—this whole post series is perfect timing for your planning!
Wish I had read these when my kids were younger
How old are your kids now? I love how no matter the age, anyone can have fun at Disneyland!
Agree with most everything except I respectfully disagree about no stroller!!!! It is crowded but a tired kid is a grumpy kid & I use the stroller to haul all the extra drinks/snacks/clothes/diaper bag etc
Most importantly, my kids nap in the stroller so no stroller would mean no easy place to nap & cover from the sun!!!!
Totally get that, Sabrina! We chose to just leave the park and take a break at nap time & since he’d walked all over park, he was more than ready for a break & actually slept.
Love your tips. Also babywearing helps for naps.
Thanks so much, Sandra! Yes–with the younger ones (baby & toddler) carriers are invaluable!
Awesome tips!
Thanks so much, Stacy! I hope it helps with your planning–are you going to Disney soon?
I don’t have a preschooler, but my parents took me and my sister when we were that age. They used a leash bracelet for me because I was prone to wondering off, but I don’t ever remember a stroller. We would watch the fireworks from our hotel instead of the park.
How fun! I recall my sister using the harness for my running off-prone nephew–can be a life saver in big crowds! Yes, the hotel viewing of the fireworks worked out so well! Thanks for stopping by the blog.
I loved bringing my kids to Disney when they were preschool age. Seeing the magic of Disney through their eyes was AMAZING. And it keeps getting better with age though! (the magical 40″ opens so may doors!)
YES! Oh that’s so fun to hear–I can’t wait until our next visit. We for our youngest to turn that magical age of 3 years & make that 40 inch cut-off. We recently went to a small amusement park & found out she is a HUGE ride fan, so we are so excited!
I love #7!
So glad you agree! 😉
Great tips for families with little ones
Thank you so much, Mary!
Disneyland is hard with little ones
Lots of planning involved, but if you are prepared, it’s really a magical experience! It also really helped that it was just my husband and son–full one on one attention!
Great tips, thanks!
Thank you, Yong! Appreciate you stopping by the blog!
We went with our preschooler last year and agree with these tips!
Awesome! We can’t wait to get back to Disney! Thanks so much for stopping by the blog, Maryanne!
Great info!
Thank you! So glad you found it helpful!
Love tour tips forgetting your pre-schooler excited about visiting Disneyland! We did all those same things when are kids were little and they loved it!
Thank you so much, Susan! So good to hear that you had such a good experience in Disneyland when your kids were younger. We can’t wait to return!
Great tips
Thanks so much, Melissa!
Get the app!
Thanks for the tip–will definitely look into that for our next visit. And thanks for stopping by the blog!
Thanks!
You’re welcome, Jennifer! I hope our tips help!
I have two little ones, so this is such a great post!
Thanks so much! Hope it helps with your potential Disney with preschoolers planning!
Great Tips, thanks!
Hmm…should have gone before our preschooler turned 3. Oops. Anyway, our 4-year-old will love it. Thanks for the tips
Your 4-year old will have a blast!
I don’t know if I could do the no stroller…lol.
Thanks for the tips! I didn’t know about the stroller. In fact I heard the opposite for Disney World. It is essential to get restaurant reservations. It’s important to do that ASAP. kristiedonelson(at)gmail(dot)com Thank you. Happy Spring!
Purchasing Disneyland souvenirs is cheaper at Target in the Anaheim area too.
Thanks I dram of taking my daughter and nephew.
we took our daughter at 3 and she loved it and remembers the trip still talks about it til this day
Good ideas!
Thanks for the tips!
All great tips, especially about the ride research. It might be best to wait until your child meets certain height requirements before your visit in order to maximize the fun. I’ve seen many kids denied entry to a ride based on their height and it was tough to see. Sad child, upset parents, and sad cast member. No one wins.
We did Disney World last September with my 1 year old grandson and almost 3 year old granddaughter and when I say almost I mean we went on 2 separate days 3 days before she turned 3 this way they both got in for free. We did bring 2 strollers since we had 6 adults and we packed waters, granola bars, and chicken nuggets I made before we went. The strollers worked for us so when the oldest wanted to sit she could or walk she could (we had her bunny buddy for that so she was always in someone’s hands) she was able to stay up all day on the go but passed out just before the light parade started at night. We had such a wonderful time and can’t wait to go again! We really want to do Disneyland and hope to some day!
great tips! Completely agree about taking a break mid-afternoon, even when your kid is a bit older.
Checking your child’s height AND the ride reqs is my number one tip for this age group! Followed by checking the ride refurbishment calendar. It helps avoid a lot of disappointment!
Thanks for the tips. We are planning a trip to Disney with a 6 and 3 year old so this article was very helpful.
Have never tried it. Waited until the kids were older.
Great tips.
Have a 3yr old. Thanks for the tips!
Isn’t it great experiencing disneyland through their eyes!
Great tips for having a toddler in Disneyland. Will use them for the grandkids 👨👩👧👧👨👩👦👦👨👩👧👦👨👩👧