When Mike asked what it was I wanted for my birthday I literally couldn't think of a tangable item. Sure gift cards are great and so is money...duh...but I knew deep down what I really wanted was a family vacation to Disneyland. When I said it outloud to him I honestly laughed about it because I knew that was a lot to ask. I mean, come on, we just had a baby and were still paying off bills to the hospital. But little did I know that he would say yes and make it happen. Gosh I love my man!!
When we plan our Disneyland vacations we always use Get Away Today. They make it easy to plan and organize where you'll stay, how you'll get to the park everyday, if breakfast is included, and they make sure you'll be comfortable. Sure it's easy to just hop online and figure it all out on your own but when I call into Get Away Today I know they'll have all the answers and will guide me to the right hotel and accomidations I need for my family and me.
Weeks before your trip they mail out your Disneyland tickets and all the info you'll need for your stay. Seriously guys, I can't begin to explain how easy they make it to get your trip off to the right start.
We stayed at a beautiful hotel just a mile from the park and it not only included free parking, free breakfast, but also a free shuttle to and from the park that ran every half hour. WINNING!!! The hotel was so accomidating and brought us a crib for Daisy and truly made our stay so comfortable.
On with the birthday celebrations! Right inside Disneyland on you left is City Hall. It's a small quaint little building that has bathrooms attached...if ya need. Inside City Hall is where you can request a free pin! I, of course, got my birthday pin and a pin for Daisy's first time. It's necessity when you're celebrating your birthday. Why you ask? Because every cast member will celebrate right along with you. Who doesn't want to be told Happy Birthday a million times a day?
I've written before about all my tips and tricks for a family fun trip to Disneyland you can read here. But this time around we were with a tiny little baby who was still nursing and needing extra sleep and attention. So here are a few extra tips for traveling with a baby.
Disneyland and California Adventure both have Baby Care Buildings. They're both great but I highly prefer Disneyland's for nursing! They're nursing rooms are in a seperate area far away from the changing rooms so you're staying away from the smells. Catch my drift *wink wink*? On top of the great nursing rooms, they also have tiny toilets for little kids who are potty training. Jade got so excited to use them becuase they were "just her size". If the cast members aren't too busy they'll even congradulate the kids after they go with a sticker. So cute right? This is also a place you want to keep on your radar if you have a child in diapers. They have a small shop inside where you can purchase anything from baby food to diapers and wipes. Pretty much anything baby might need you can get it here if you're in a pinch. Thank goodness for Disneyland's kind heart.
If you're not near these buildings on your travels I've found so many hidden and quiet areas that are perfect for nursing or a small break where the kids can have a snack. Don't stress too much about finding places to 'hide' to nurse your little one. As you walk around just make mental notes of places that might work and you'll be sure to have success.
If your baby is asleep you can still go on many of the rides with them! Be advised that some of the rides do require your baby to be on your lap and facing forward, but if you've got them in a wrap, like I did with Daisy many times, they're just fine to be left alone sleeping. Another great way to ride the rides while baby sleeps is asking for a Stroller Pass from the cast member at the begining of the line of the ride you're wanting to go on. That way one parent can take the kids on the ride while the other parent sits with the baby and then they can switch and the kids gets to ride all over again. The Stroller Pass allows up to three people so our girls got to ride a lot of the rides twice without having to wait in the lines forever.
Disneyland will forever be my most favorite place on earth. It holds dear memories for me. It reminds me of simpler times. Time spent with family. Time spent laughing and acting ridiculous. It's given me moments with my kids I never want to forget. There's no doubt in my mind that my own children will find joy in this magical place throughout their lives as well. They'll look back on these family vacations with a smile because family time is everything and nothing beats the magic of Disney.
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