Toddlers In Disneyland 2003 - Alex's 1st Trip

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There is no doubt we were nervous before taking our 1st trip to Disneyland with Alex. At 14 months old it was his 1st vacation and of course it had to be Disneyland. Having seen in previous trips very young kids scared of the characters and overwhelmed by Disneyland there was a big fear that Alex would have the same reaction. We spent a lot of time researching and preparing Alex for Disneyland and of course the trip was more successful then we could have imagined.
This article is half tips & tricks we learned during our trip and half a trip report. It was the initial basis that lead to our DisneyMouseLinks website.

Toddlers In Disneyland 2003 - Alex's 1st Trip

Introduction
There is nothing in the world more fun than seeing your favorite vacation spot through the eyes of your young child. (Alexander, 14 months) For me, that vacation spot is Disneyland. To preface this article, I must let it be known that we love Disneyland, and our house is full of Mickey Mouse and company. Our son received Santa Mickey when he was only 3 months old, and fell in love with the bright red and black that is my favorite character.

We decided to go to Disneyland in November 2003, for Alexander?s first trip. He would be 14 months old at the time. I spend three months trying to find information on taking a child his age to Disneyland. Books were no help because they were geared more towards children aged 5 and up. Even the Internet did not provide good information on taking a child as young as Alex to Disneyland. Because of our home d?cor, the characters were not a big concern, but the atmosphere worried me. Would everything scare my son, making his first trip to Disneyland a horrible one, or was there something I could do to prepare him for what he would see and hear while there?

So, with one month before our trip, I began a daily ritual with Alex. First, in the car, we would no longer listen to the radio. Instead, we listened to the Disneyland Official Album CD. I thought this would make some of the more scary rides familiar to him. We alternated this CD with the Disney?s Electrical Parade/Fantasmic! CD. These are my two favorite shows at Disneyland, and I did not want Alex to be scared. Another thing we did is start Alex on Playhouse Disney television. Bear in the Big Blue House, Stanley, Rolie Polie Olie, and the Wiggles were the main focus. California Adventure has a live stage show for children based on the shows (except for the Wiggles). We wanted him to see the show since it was for his age group, and we wanted the various parts of the show to be familiar to him.

For our accommodations, we decided to stay at the Disneyland Hotel, because there is more for children, and it is an atmosphere more full of Disney than our normal hotel choice, The Grand California Hotel.

You have just read the background of what we did to prepare Alex for the trip to Disneyland. Now, I will share with you what worked, what didn?t, and what we recommend when going to Disneyland with a 1 ? 2 year old. My biggest fear was that Alex would hate Disneyland, and scream when he saw the characters. If Alex was to scream upon seeing Mickey and Minnie, I would have been devastated. You must also understand that this trip was for Alex. Our wants were on the back burner, except for two items: the Electric Parade, and Fantasmic!.
Familiarization
[we have links to buy many of these products on <a target=_blank href="http://www.disneymouselinks.com/disneyland-familiarization.asp" target=_blank>http://www.disneymouselinks.com/disneyland-familiarization.asp
]

Before leaving home, here are some suggestions to familiarize your child with things he or she will see and hear at the Disneyland Resort. There are many ways to make Disney familiar to your child.

Videos:
<U>Disney Sing Along Songs ? It?s A Small World. This is a wonderful video, available on VHS. The biggest reason I recommend this video above others is that it is not a cartoon. It shows the characters as they appear at Disneyland, and is filmed in Disneyland. Mickey and Minnie Mouse are joined by other characters for a trip around the park in video and song. This video has especially been great after our return home, because Alex can now see his ?friends? on the television. (2005 update - Alex listens to this video almost every evening when getting ready to bed)

<U>Disneyland?s Main Street Electrical Parade ? Farewell Season (VHS). This video was purchased in 1996, and is no longer available new. If you can find the video used, or if you have filmed it on a previous visit, it is worth showing to your child. This is another good video to use both before and after the trip.
(2005 update - Alex now loves this video. We can't wait to see his reaction to the parade in person)

Music:
<U>Disneyland Official Album is wonderful to familiarize your child to the sounds of the rides. It is also very pleasant for adults, and can bring back memories of the trip. Having the ?scary? ride songs on the CD was a definite plus to familiarize Alex so he would not be scared. He became so familiar with the songs that he fell asleep during the rides just like he did at home in the car.

<U>Fantasmic! Is pretty hard to find, but is still available at some places. This CD is nice, because Fantasmic! Can be very scary for a young child. The Electric Parade is also on this CD, and Alex loves the music from the parade. If you are unable to find this CD, the original <U>Fantasia would also help because the same music is used, and your child could actually view the scary scenes in the movie. Some of these scenes are used in the Disneyland performance of Fantasmic!.

Television:
There is a ?Playhouse Disney Live on Stage? show at California Adventure based on characters from Playhouse Disney on the Disney Channel. Playhouse Disney is wonderful! Not only are the shows entertaining, but they also have lessons in each show. Alex had been a big fan of Bear in the Big Blue House for months, but we added Stanley and Rolie Polie Olie to his schedule so that they would also be familiar to him. His absolute favorite show, the Wiggles, is not part of the stage show, but merchandise is available at the resort.
If you do not receive the Disney Channel you can purchase Videos or DVDs with these characters.
(2005 - This show has been updated. See our information on it under 'Disneyland Resort Guides' on our main site)

Characters:
What can I say about the characters? Stuffed animals! Alex sees Mickey and Minnie on a daily basis. He also sees pictures of Mom with Mickey and Minnie. These surroundings were great to prepare him to meet the characters themselves. Two weeks before leaving, we pulled out my 4? Mickey and Minnie Mouse stuffed animals. Alex was thrilled, so I should not have been surprised by his reaction to them at Disneyland. Stuffed animals are widely available, and are a great resource to familiarize you child with the characters before the trip.


After familiarizing, it is time to go to Disneyland and California Adventure. Below you will find topics on things you will see at the Disneyland Resort, with many helpful ideas to assist you to ensure that your family has a fun time. Look for <I>Leanne?s Tip in special places for additional tips to make the experience a great one!

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Toddlers In Disneyland 2003 - Alex's 1st Trip
1st time in Disneyland

After 3 months of planning, worry, and nervousness, we arrived in California on a Thursday evening for the first of four nights and five days. The plan was to see the Disney Electric Parade that night, but by the time we got settled, the parade was over, so we went directly to Disneyland.

When we got into the park, Alex was a bit cautious, but very interested in his surroundings. First stop: Toon Town. I wanted to know right away how Alec would react to Mickey Mouse. We were very excited and relieved when Alex squealed with delight upon setting his eyes on Mickey. He past the first test with flying colors! We then watched a parade, and his favorite parts were the sections with large balloons. We always watch the parades from the hub on Main Street, near the Mad Hatter shop. It provides a great view, but more importantly, we learned years ago that Mickey and Minnie usually come here after the parade. We were not disappointed. Remember my delight when Alex met Mickey? Well, it just multiplied by 100 when he saw Mickey and Minnie together. Alex loved Minnie Mouse more than we thought possible, and was absolutely enthralled with her. It was adorable to watch, to put it mildly. Our first night was a complete success, but the real test would come in the next few days.

<H2 style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" align=center>Riding the Rides
Friday morning we took the monorail into Disneyland, and again headed right for Toon Town so Alex could see his new friends. This was how we opened each day, and Alex loved the consistency of seeing Mickey and Minnie each morning.

We decided to ride a few rides over the next few days, focusing on rides from the theme park CD, in addition to the Fantasyland rides. At 14 months old, Alex did not show much reaction at all to the dark rides in Fantasyland. We rode Snow White?s Scary Adventures, and Peter Pan?s Daring Journey without incident, but he also was not excited by either ride. He did enjoy Casey Juniors Circus Train and the Storybook Land Canal Boats. The one ride he really did not like was the Carousel. Riding on a horse was not an option, because it petrified him. We were a bit surprised by this reaction.

His most favorite ride was It?s a Small World, with familiar music and bright colors. In addition to the ride, he just loved the sounds that he could hear from outside the building. We had been a bit concerned about Pirates of the Caribbean and the Haunted Mansion, but again, the music was familiar to him. He fell asleep on both rides! There was one point on the Haunted Mansion where he did get upset, and that was in the Stretching Room at the beginning of the ride. Once that portion of the ride was over, he was fine, and did relax enough to fall asleep.

<H2 style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" align=center>The Shows The night we saw Fantasmic! Was a bit concerning, because Alex was very fussy. The show was late, and it was his bedtime, so that did not help matters. The moment the music started though, he calmed down. He then fell asleep halfway through the show! He also slept through fireworks until our last night. Even the loud booms did not affect his slumber. Once again, I attribute this reaction to the fact that he had heard this music so much in the car that it was familiar to him.

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Toddlers In Disneyland 2003 - Alex's 1st Trip
Masked Characters

We saw many young children begin screaming at the site of Mickey and Company. Familiarize your child with the characters before going, but if your child still screams, don?t force the ?meeting?. With small ?visuals? your child may adjust. If your child loves them as much as Alex did, spend a lot of time with the characters. Alex found this to be more fun than most rides. Also, before Disneyland, Alex had never seen some characters, like Chip and Dale. This was not a problem. After meeting Mickey, the rest came easily, but the critters (the Winnie the Pooh gang, Goofy, Pluto, Mickey, Minnie, chip and Dale) were much more interesting and fun for Alex than the ?people? characters (Woody, Jesse, Buzz Lightyear).

<I>Leanne?s Tip: The more popular characters, including Mickey, Minnie, and various Princesses are on Main Street at opening each morning. This is a great opportunity for quick pictures in shorter lines. Also, by watching the parades from the hub on Main Street, you have a great chance to see Mickey and Minnie about 5 ? 10 minutes after the parade has finished. They usually appear near the Mad Hatter shop. They are also frequently in that area after a showing of Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln. In addition to this spot, various times during the day (about 15 minutes before a schedule appearance) you will find Woody and Jessie walking behind Big Thunder Mountain Railroad. Pluto also tends to walk through here with Woody.

Princesses

We were really surprised by Alexander?s reaction to the Princesses. Never having seen them before, our little boy was completely enchanted by both Aurora (Sleeping Beauty) and Snow White. Cinderella, on the other hand, did not excite him. We made it a point to see Sleeping Beauty and Snow White every day after his first meeting.

<I>Leanne?s Tip: Cultivate a relations ship with the characters. The same lady played Sleeping Beauty for 4 of our 5 days at the Disney Resort. On the first day, she asked what my son?s name was. On the second, and each day after, she remembered his name, and called him by name. The two had a wonderful relationship, and we have some incredible pictures of the interaction between the two of them. She was also the person who was Sleeping Beauty at Goofy?s Kitchen, so we were delighted to see her there on our last evening. It is hard to know if the same person is behind the mask on the other characters each day, but it still helps to be familiar, saying things like ?oh, when we saw you yesterday Alex was so happy?. While these characters can?t talk, many will make it known in other ways that they have seen you before. On our last day, Mickey and Minnie were together, and spent 10 minutes with Alex, even though there was a line of children behind us waiting to see them. Mickey and Minnie knew it was our last day. I think they loved him as much as he loved them.


Character Meals

These are made for children, and completely worth the money. Take your time eating; the characters will come to your table. Remember the camera for these events! We had reservations for only one character meal, a brunch at Goofy?s Kitchen. Alex had such a great time that we ended up with another meal at Goofy?s Kitchen, and one at Ariel?s Grotto (in California Adventure). Alex really enjoyed these meals, and the special character interaction.

<I>Leanne?s Tip: If the characters are not coming to your table, or if you have not seen one you know is there, and are ready to leave, locate the character manager. Tell them where you are sitting, and what you need, and this manager will usually send the appropriate character over very quickly. This happened to us on our last night, while we were at Goofy?s Kitchen. Minnie Mouse came in, but was only there for a birthday party, and was not walking around to other tables. We explained to the character manager that it was our last night, and that she was Alexander?s absolute favorite character. 5 minutes later, Minnie Mouse made a special visit to our table!

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Toddlers In Disneyland 2003 - Alex's 1st Trip
Play Areas

Alex spent so much time in his stroller that finding a place for him to run and play was a necessity. In Disneyland Park there are a few little traveled areas that are great to let your little one run free. One is to the left of the Castle. Go toward the Castle, but take the trail on the left. This trail leads to a wide, fairly open space. Alex was able to play and run around here for about an hour with little or no interruption. The second area at Disneyland Park is simply taking the walkway from Fantasyland to the Rivers of America by going behind Big thunder Mountain Railroad. With no attractions on this trail it is rarely used, but often Woody and Jesse hang out for photo opportunities in this section of the park, before going to their scheduled appearances. Alex really enjoyed just walking around in this section of Disneyland.

California Adventure has a section for the park particularly suited for a young child. Redwood Creek Challenge Trail is a park-like setting with trails, tunnels and a few ?rides? for children a bit older than Alex. We spent a lot of time in here, just letting Alex play in the open areas. Alex loved the freedom of movement, and after much coaxing he even went through the tunnel. We strongly recommend letting your toddler play here several times during your stay.

If you are staying at the Disneyland Hotel, it has wonderful grounds with many options for stroller freedom. Near the Cove swimming area is a big sand beach. Alex spent over an hour playing in the sand. We also let him walk the whole grounds, exploring as he went. Alex enjoyed walking on both the grass and the trails. He especially enjoyed the waterfall at the Disneyland Hotel, but be careful letting your child walk here. It is very slippery, even for adults, and very difficult for the little tyke.

For those staying at the Grand California Hotel, they have a beautiful courtyard well suited for young children to expend pent up energy. This is also a very relaxing area for Mom and Dad to rest their weary feet.

<I>Leanne?s Tip: Alex especially enjoyed the waterfall at the Disneyland Hotel, but be careful letting your child walk here. It is very slippery, even for adults, and very difficult for the little tyke to navigate the wet rocks.

Playhouse Disney Live on Stage

This is an absolutely wonderful show for the children. Full of energy, colors, and music it is perfectly suited to enthrall even the most active child. Alex was 14 months old but there were many younger children at this show. While Alex knows and loves bear, he did not pay much attention to Stanley or Rolie Polie Olie on the television before our trip. This did not matter. He thoroughly enjoyed this show. Playhouse Disney Live is also perfectly suited for the short attention span of the typical toddler. 30 minutes of fun, then back to the stroller. When we saw this show, Alex was exhausted. He woke up the minute the music started, danced and showed his delight for the next 30 minutes. He fell asleep in the stroller within minutes of being strapped in. He was very content. We really strongly recommend this show.

Disney?s Electric Parade

<DIV style="BORDER-RIGHT: medium none; PADDING-RIGHT: 0in; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 0in; PADDING-BOTTOM: 1pt; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.75pt solid"> I just can?t say enough about this parade. I have loved it for years, and wanted my son to love it also. After playing the CD and showing him the video, I knew he liked it, but would he happily sit through the whole parade? Of course he did, and he was totally enthralled with the Electric Parade. He loved the music, the lights, and the characters. We were used to him falling asleep when he heard music I played in the car. This parade had the opposite affect. He truly loved watching the Electric Parade. On our last night, we went shopping before the parade, and Alex fell asleep in his stroller. We made the decision not to wake him up for the parade. We didn?t need to worry about our little darling. With the first notes of the Baroque Hoedown Alex opened his eyes, and a large smile appeared on his face. He wasn?t about to sleep through the parade he loved so much!<DIV style="BORDER-RIGHT: medium none; PADDING-RIGHT: 0in; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 0in; PADDING-BOTTOM: 1pt; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.75pt solid"> <DIV style="BORDER-RIGHT: medium none; PADDING-RIGHT: 0in; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 0in; PADDING-BOTTOM: 1pt; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.75pt solid"><I>Leanne?s Tip: Get a front row seat for the parade. The small floats like to ?visit? the young, happy children, and Snow White or one of the Dwarves just might stop and say hi to your child. We always sit at the beginning of the parade where the ?Hollywood Backlot? entrance is located.
Fantasmic!

This show is probably the best show ever produced for Disneyland Park. Based on the original <U>Fantasia, with characters from other movies, such as Ursula from <U>The Little Mermaid included in the show. Fantasmic! is an incredible mix of sight and sound, telling the story of Good vs. Evil. Oh, and did I mention that major portions of Fantasmic! are seen using a spray of water for a video screen? An absolutely incredible show, that is a must see. We definitely recommend this show, but strongly urge you to prepare your child for it first. We used the Fantasmic! CD to prepare Alex, and it really worked. He like what he saw, and fell asleep for the rest!

<I>Leanne?s Tip: For great views of Fantasmic! without having to hold a seat for several hours in advance, you can get Premium, or Balcony seating. While these are both expensive options ($47.00 per person in 2003) it is worth it, especially with a young child. To find out more about this option, feel free to contact me.

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Toddlers In Disneyland 2003 - Alex's 1st Trip

Rest, naps, and sleeping

This can be a big issue with a young toddler. Alex, who has slept through the night since he was a few weeks old, did not sleep well in the hotel. The hotels use a pack ? n ? play for infants and young children in lieu of a crib. We took a foam mattress pad to give the pack ? n ? play more support, but using this did not help. Alex, who has never slept with us at home, spent 4 nights in bed with us at Disneyland. If you have this concern, definitely request a king sized bed.
We also had problems with naps, and even in bed with us; Alex would not sleep in the afternoons. This, like his nighttime behavior was very out of character for Alex. He did sleep in his stroller, and to get him a ?good? nap, there were times we just walked through a quiet area of the parks, hotels, or Downtown Disney to help him sleep. We even joked about taking him on the Haunted Mansion again to get him some rest.
While Alex did not enjoy sleeping in the hotel room, we did spend a lot of time there during the afternoons (while the Parks are busy), so that he could rest, relax, or play in a quiet and relaxing environment. With Alex being sleep deprived while there, we feel that these frequent rest periods kept him from being horribly fussy when he was exhausted. And the rest is a good idea for adults as well! If nothing else, rest the weary feet for a while.

<I>Leanne?s Tip: If you feet are horribly painful from the hours of walking, soak them in COLD water, not hot water. I painfully discovered that hot water made them burn worse until I put them in cold water.

Baby Care Center

Both Disneyland and California Adventure have a Baby Care Center. This is an incredible area to quietly change a diaper, or feed your child. If you are breastfeeding, this Center has private rooms; just for breastfeeding mothers and her child. The changing tables are large, comfortable, padded, and clean. This is an area maintained constantly, and monitored by Disney personnel, and there is always a Cast Member on duty. They do a fantastic job. I recommend using this facility when you can, instead of changing your child in the public restroom. And if your child is wound up from all the noise and excitement in park, this can be a relaxing area for him or her to eat.

Single Rider

This is an option many rides have, where one parent can stay with the child, while the other rides the ride. My husband and I found this much faster than using a Fastpass. To ride as a single rider, go to the entrance of the ride, where the Fastpass is taken, and let the Cast Member know that you are a single rider. You will be given a pass, and told which line to follow to get to the entry. When a single seat is open on a ride, it will be given to the next single rider in the singles line. Most rides have this option, so if you see one you would like to ride, but your child can?t, check with Cast Member running the entrance. Once again, I would like to emphasize how quick this option is. My husband and I never waited for more than 5 minutes, even when the line for the ride was over an one hour wait.

Diaper Bag

I purchased a Backpack Diaper Bag specifically for this vacation. This way, I would be able to wear the pack instead of trying to fit it onto the stroller, or underneath the stroller. This backpack was absolutely wonderful, and I highly recommend using one. After a long search, I decided on the <U>Baby Trend ActivPak. This pack is one of the less expensive options, with wonderful features. The ActivPak has plenty of room for diapers and wipes, food, and extra clothing, in addition to my own wallet, hairbrush, and cell phone. On each side of the pack is a place to hold a bottle or sippy cup, and one insulated liner. Inside, you will find a changing mat, and a small case for special items to keep them separate from the rest of the bag?s contents. There are also small pockets and dividers inside. This backpack was literally a lifesaver for us, and now that we are home, it is our main diaper bag, quickly replacing our other large diaper bag.

Stroller Concerns

I was very concerned about our stroller, and debated renting one from Disneyland; to keep ours from being stolen. We have the Maclaren Day Tripper, which is a fantastic umbrella stroller, but also very expensive as far as umbrella strollers go. My biggest fear was that it would be stolen while we were on a ride, or in a restaurant. This turned out not to really be a concern for us; after getting some tips from someone who used to work at Disneyland.

We followed their advice, and had no problems at all. One thing we suggest is putting a small trinket of your child?s on the stroller. Most parents would hate to lose their child?s favorite item, and will refrain from taking yours. It also helps to easily identify which stroller is yours. (There are many similar looking strollers) We used a Winnie the Pooh musical teething ring as Alexander?s toy. He loves it, and it gives something for him to chew on while in the stroller. It was obviously well loved, and I don?t know if it helped or not; but we do still have our stroller after 5 days in the parks! We also tended to park the stroller in the middle of the stroller section, making it harder to get to for someone just walking by the area to grab. And finally, when we were going to be away from the stroller for long periods of time, we folded it halfway, so that it would have to be unfolded to be moved anywhere.

These are the tips I got from a friend, and they did work well. She also told me that on the average day at Disneyland, only 3 or 4 strollers actually do go missing, so the odds are good that yours will never disappear.

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Toddlers In Disneyland 2003 - Alex's 1st Trip
<H1 style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" align=center>ConclusionIf after reading this article about our trip to Disneyland and have questions about how I prepared for it and what worked for us please feel free to ask. We will probably have an answer or another helpful tip that didn?t come to mind while writing the article. If you have tips that were not mentioned here, please let us know. The goal with this article is to help other parents have a successful trip to Disneyland with a baby or toddler. For other reading material on Disneyland itself, and tips for what to do while there, I also recommend the book <U>The Unofficial Guide to Disneyland. I own several copies of the book, as I buy it each time I go, just in case there are changes since my last vacation. And last but not least, when you go, have a great time, and make a lot of memories. While your child will probably not remember his or her first trip to Disneyland, you will never forget it!