Tip of the day - Keeping cool in summer

Hey Folks,

Been a while, I know!

Todays tip is about staying cool on a hot, summer day.

The Splash Pad in Bugs Land (CA Adventure) is just about the best place to spend some time on a hot day.  Let the littles run around, some mist floating about will cool you off as well.  Just note that kids must wear clothes AND shoes for this.

Bring a pair of (preferably rubber) flip flops for kids in the group...  They will hate wet shoes walking around the rest of the day.  And an extra shirt/shorts if you like.

A margarita for the adults is a great treat on a hot day, or an ice cold beer if you prefer (Available in CA Adv. only).

For a family friendly cool treat, try Clarabelle's in CA ADV or Gibson Girl in Disneyland.  My favorite id the mint chip ice cream in a chocolate dipped sprinkle come!

An open letter of advice to DisneyLand tourists!

Dear Vacationer,


I hope you and your family have a great trip to Disney!  
The biggest thing I can recommend to you is that you download an app called mousewait...  it has wait times for all of the rides (updated by users), it can tell you where the nearest bathroom or food is to your location and it lists times for shows, parades and special events.  Its a really great app that I use all the time.


* Go early in the morning if at all possible.  The park is the least busy right when it opens and for the 2-3 hours after that.  It really starts getting packed around noon.  There are plenty of yummy places to have breakfast at the parks, and they're reasonably priced.  Another benefit to going first thing is that you can get good fastpasses for rides (more on that below) as well as ride some rides while they have very short lines.




* Important to know- if you have purchased or will purchase multi-day tickets, they will take your picture the first time you go in and/or ask for photo ID.  They have had a big problem with unscrupulous people buying multi-day tickets and 'renting' them out....  If anyone offers this to you, don't do it.  You will be turned away at the park.


* If you are planning to drive to the parks or take a hotel shuttle...  Parking is $15 a day.  BUT, if you are only going for a few hours, you can park in a downtown disney (the outdoor mall-type area surround the park) lot for up to 3 hours for free!  And, if you eat at a downtown disney restaurant or make a purchase, you get 5 hours free in a Downtown Disney lot.

* 
Fastpasses: these are special tickets that 'hold' a spot in line for you.  They are only available for the most popular attractions with the longest waits.  To get one, go to a fastpass machine and put in your ticket - out pops a fastpass and your ticket is returned.  It will have a return time on it.  Be sure to go back to the ride during your return window, and you'll skip most of the line.  Best rides to use this for are: in Disneyland - Space Mountain, Splash Mountain and Indiana Jones; in California Adventure - Soaring over California, California Screamin', Tower of Terror, and Radiator Springs Racers (these fastapsses are really hard to get  -they run out within and hour or so of opening)  Last note about fastpasses---  you can only have one kind at a time (be sure to get one for everyone in your group that wants to ride).  The exception is if the time your ride window opens is more than 2 hours away....  then you are able to get a new fastpass 2 hours later.  An example: At 9:00am you get a fastpass for Splash Mountain and the window is 10:30-11:30.  At 10:30 you'd be able to get a fastpass for another ride and then go on your ride.  Example 2 - At 9:00am you get a fastpass for Space Mountain which you can't use until 12:30-1:30.  At 11:00am (2 hours after you get the fastpass) you can get a fastpass for something else.   It's a little complicated at first, but really worth it since you will cut out a LOT of time in line!


* Tips for Disneyland- your kids will probably love the new Star Tours - its a great ride themed on Star Wars.  If your kids are corndog fans, don't miss the corndog cart at the end of main street - an easy lunch and they are so, so good!  In general, the food at Disneyland is greasier, more carnival-y, theme park typical stuff - pizza, burgers, hot dogs, etc.  The Hungry Bear Restaurant actually has some delicious slightly newer take on food - sweet potato fries, wheat buns, etc.  The best pizza in the park (and salad) is at Pizza Port in Tomorrowland.  If your son is into Star Wars, there is an interactive Star Wars show on the stage in Tomorrowland.  They pick kids from the audience to fight Darth Vader. - big tip: if he's not shy, push him/her forward towards the stage area if they call any kid nearby, they won't turn him/her away (It's Disney, they won't wanna break a kid's heart).  If you want to ride the monorail, ask one of the people working at the station if you can ride up front.  If its available, they'll let you and it is the best tour of the area!  If you plan to go on any rides in Fantasyland (Dumbo, Mr. Toad, Peter Pan) go there very early in the day - it gets very busy.


* Tips for California Adventure- When you get there, go straight to Carsland.  It's amazing - Radiator Springs Racers is the best ride in either park with a line to prove it - try for a fastpass, but if its not available, wait for the ride.  Its really great.  An option is for you all to go in the Single rider line - this is a special line they use in CA Adventure to keep lines moving (and a few places in DL).  You will still likely get to sit together, but MIGHT not. Flo's Diner in Carsland is another great breakfast.  Skip the Luigi's Flying Tires Ride in Carsland.  Its not at all fun. Tow Mater's JunkYard Jamboree is a great ride.  


* Characters: If your kids are dying to see characters, don't try to hunt them down in the parks.  Go to a character dining meal.  You eat, pay a higher price for your food, but have the convenience of having a bunch of different characters visit your table while you eat.  My top 3 for this: Ariel's Grotto in CA Adventure (breakfast again!), Plaza Inn in DisneyLand (breakfast again), Goofy's Kitchen at the Paradise Pier Hotel (breakfast, lunch and dinner).
 

* And last, a couple of really yummy treats to try on your trip (really popular among Disney regulars) -
1. Beignets at the very hard to find Mint Julep Bar, between Haunted Mansion and Pirates, across from the train station.  They also have great coffee drinks here.
2.  Ice cream cones at the Gibson Girl Ice Cream Shop on main street.  
3.  Turkey legs in Frontier Land near Thunder Mountain Railroad (closed)
4.  Dole Whip Float (get it, seriously) from the juice bar in front of the Tiki Room - take it into the show for a relaxing cool-off!  

* 
1 more tip -if you like an 'adult beverage' you can't get any in the Disneyland Park (unless you are going to Club 33 -members/guests only- take me with you if this is the case!)...  but you can all kinds of drinks at California Adventure.  Beer, cocktails, margaritas, and they even have a wine tasting bar.  

* If you manage to get a dinner without the kids, go to Carthay Circle - a little to grown-up for kids.


Good luck, and feel free to post any questions!  I will try to answer as best I can.

Welcome

Welcome to the Minnie Mouse Mommy blog!

This will be a blog with tips and ideas for visiting Disneyland with (or without) kids!

About me:
I am an OC mommy with 2 kids, age 1 & 11.  We visit Disneyland nearly every weekend and often on days off of school.  I am a teacher, I love to cook, but I LOVE Disneyland.

Visit here often for tips and ideas for having a great time with the mouse!

Today's Tip:If you aren't already on it, join MouseWait.  It's a free app as well as a website with tons of Disney info, including wait times for rides, suggestions for restaurants and a message board.

Today's Tip #2:
If you are a Disney Annual Passholder (AP), you can get in 1 hour early through April!  Take advantage of this!  It's nearly empty and so wonderful to go on your favorite ride and stay on (until the kids have to get off and use the potty of course!)

Today's Tip #3:
The Baby Care Center in Disneyland is located at the end of Main Street to the right, behind the Corn Dog Cart.  Inside is a wonderfully air-conditioned room with a nice private place to nurse your baby, change a diaper, warm a bottle or baby food, feed the baby in a proper high chair,  feed a toddler in a just right chair & table, purchase diapers and wipes if you run out.  They also have small potties for the little ones who are too bitty for the regular sized ones!  The ladies here are extremely friendly.  This is also where lost children are brought and cared for while they are waiting to be re-united with their grown-ups.  Check it out sometime!