Jen's Mental Scribblings

In the spirit of Lazarus. Just a collection of thoughts and things we learned on this trip. I'll be adding to this over the next few days as I think of things.

If you have small kids, not only plan your stay at a Disney resort, for god sakes, spend the extra $500 for the week and stay at the Grand Californian. The walk from the Disneyland Hotel and the front gate is a freaking death march and is a lot longer than you think. Especially at the end of the day and your 4.5 year old doesn't want to walk any more.

Take the case of juice boxes, you'll save money.

Take water too. 2.5 gal jugs for the room and half liter bottles to take with you. At $2.75 a pop for a 20 oz bottle, you'll go broke staying hydrated.

Bringing instant oatmeal is a great way of saving a few bucks. However, the Disneyland Hotel does NOT provide a coffee pot. It will cost you $3.00 (with tip) to get a pot of water "for tea". Invest in an electric tea kettle. Ten bucks at Target.

Take the baby backpacks. Both of them. You'll be thankful.

Speaking of Target, there is one just south of Disneyland on Harbor. About 2 miles on the left. You can't miss it.

There is also a Vons down there too. Go like you are heading to the Target, make a left on Chapman. Maybe a mile, store on left. Your Safeway card will work there.
Also take your own strollers. Yes, you can rent strollers (for free if you have the Disney Visa Card) at the park, but remember that Death March from the hotel to the front gates (where the strollers are) that I mentioned earlier? Its worth it.

If the strollers you do in fact take with you are those POS umbrella strollers that everyone has, buy the stupid handle extenders.

Fuck the umbrella strollers, take the huge fucking stroller. If you have to strap the damn thing to the roof of your car with rope through the windows, it will be worth it. Your back will thank you.

Fishy crackers, boxes of raising, and fruit snacks go a long way in helping cranky children.

Don't get the cheapest rooms available at the Disneyland hotel. Yes, the view is crappy, but the rooms across the hall with the view of the pool are BIGGER. And they have a couch that converts into a daybed. Our family of 5 would have been much more comfortable across the hall.

Don't put your park ticket in envelope on the lanyard. They crack and you might lose your ticket.

Its more than worth the twenty bucks to shut your mother up about not knowing you were going to take a day off and she bought a ticket for her entire trip.

There is not VCR or DVD player in the rooms. There is a channel of cartoons 24/7 but the same 5 cartoons play the entire time.

Sunday night is, in fact, a great night to go to the park. The weekend crowd is too tired to stay late and goes home early. The lines are shortish.

Disneyland staff throw away lost baby bottles for hygiene reasons. Do yourself pack extra. Its ugly when twins have to share 1 bottle.

There is a mothers room near the first aid station off of Main Street. Its a quiet place to sit, nurse, change diapers, etc.

Most of the Disneyland food concessions are more than happy to re-fill your cup with ice for free.

There are lots of water fountains around the park. Pour it over your free ice. However, the ONLY refrigerated water fountain is at the first aid station. Useful information on a hot day.

TAGS: (Just cause): travel, Disneyland, toddlers, small kids, pre-schoolers, twins, tips, ideas, things not to do, things to do.