Hello all and happy Monday! We had a super lazy weekend and are just trying to keep Ella comfortable as she heals from Hand Foot & Mouth. She is doing much better, but we want to keep her inside to prevent spreading it to others. We haven't gone to the park in ages! I can't get back to our normal routine and fun activities. So instead of sharing our boring weekend with you, we are going to share our pictures from our day at Disneyland last Tuesday!
Last Tuesday I woke up feeling adventurous and wanted to take advantage of my new Disneyland annual pass. Michael gifted me a pass for our 8 year anniversary. It was a genius gift considering we live 30 minutes away and I always have Tuesdays off with Ella.
As soon as Ella woke up, I started preparing her diaper bag for a day at Disney.
For her, I made sure to pack...
- Extra diapers and wipes
- A change of clothes
- Snacks and water + extra sippy cup for milk
- Sunscreen and hat
- Thin blanket
- Pacifier
- A small toy
I didn't want to have too much extra stuff to carry, especially since it was just me taking her. I kept it basic and made sure we had just what we needed!
I am pretty easy going and need very little. Everything I needed, I fit into my Kate Spade crossbody.
- Wallet
- Keys
- Chapstick
- Gum
- Phone
Before you go to Disney, it really is helpful to download their app. It allows you to see a map of the park with estimated wait times for all the rides. This was a lifesaver for me, as I could take Ella to all the rides with shorter wait times, instead of walking around the park to find the short lines.
Here are our pictures from the day.
Clean/comfortable clothes, full belly and ready for Disneyland! Comfortable light clothing for standing in lines in possible warm weather is a must!
There are two options for parking at Disneyland. One is a lot that is a bit further from the park and you take a bus that takes you to the front entrance. The second is the Mickey Mouse structure, which just requires a tram to the park entrance. I assumed the structure would be easiest, but after doing it I think I prefer parking in the lot. A parking lot is easier for me to navigate and much easier to enter/exit than a structure. Just my opinion.
Once I park, I take pictures of everything around me. I did NOT want to get lost coming back to my car... (Ironic, because I sort of still did.)
Ella didn't love the tram ride. We were packed in like sardines. You can see our Bravo stroller folded up next to us... a nice young lady helped us put it on and take it off. She was so sweet.
After the tram, waiting to get in and hitting the restroom, we actually started exploring around 10 am.
I always grab a guide map, just in case the app lags or gives me a hard time.
Disney was decorated for Christmas and playing Christmas music when we walked in... magic!
I loved the festive decor. When we first arrived, it wasn't too crowded, but boy that changed!
I knew ahead of time which rides Ella was allowed to go on, since we have been twice before. Any ride that doesn't have a height requirement, she is allowed to go. The first time we took her, I made sure to make a list on my phone. I used their website to get the ride information.
A little selfie!
We first went to Fantasyland! We parked our stroller in stroller parking. I took Ella and my purse with me. I left her diaper bag behind, after seeing that most parents were doing that... and we had nothing of value in our diaper bag! We went on Snow White first. There were people in line ahead of us so this is the only picture I got. I love the little distractions they have in lines. Ella slapped this metallic book as long as we stood there... haha. The line only took about 10 minutes!
Next, we hit the carousel which is right next door. Which had little to no line and only took about 5 minutes to get on.
Mr Toad's wild ride was next! No picture of this ride, but the line was quick. 10-15 minutes!
After these rides, I put Ella back in her stroller and we walked around for a bit. We saw Dumbo, and Ella was reaching for it... the line looked long, but I hoped it would move fast. The app estimated the wait time to be about 20 minutes.
Ella practiced her standing while we waited in line.
I distracted her with snacks and selfies.
Almost our turn...
As you can see, Ella looks thrilled. Hahaha. She actually did love this ride and was clapping as we went up and down. But anytime I tried to take a picture, I got RBF.
We hopped on over to the Storybookland canal boats! I had never been on this ride, but the line was full of parents with their kids, and I figured that must be a good sign.
It was a cute ride. Not sure if it was worth the 30 minute wait or not... Ella made friends with lots of people in line!
After a bathroom break and washing our hands, we decided to eat some lunch.
Ella enjoyed a banana and water while watching some ducks that roam a particular section of the park.
We headed off to one of the cafes to get a sandwich for me, and something for her.
The best option I found for Ella was macaroni and cheese. It came with a yogurt and a milk for her as well. I had brought a separate cup to pour her milk into which was helpful.
Ella also ate some turkey from my sandwich.
After lunch, we did some walking around just to enjoy the ambiance of the park. We stopped to listen to the band play and Ella loved it. She clapped along with the crowd.
After lunch, I checked the app to see where lines were short. The line for Winnie the Pooh was only 5 minutes! We headed over to that area!
It was super cute with lots of fun colors. Ella really enjoyed it!
After Winnie the Pooh, I just began walking to New Orlean's Square, the area where my favorite rides are. I scooped up a fast pass for The Haunted Mansion, as the wait in line was over an hour long.
We hit the Pirates of the Caribbean next. We waited around 15 minutes in line... Super fast! I couldn't believe how fast the lines were moving. The park felt CROWDED. But I think watching the app times definitely helped us.
Pirates is my favorite ride and Ella loves it too. She likes the drops! Hopefully she is a rollercoaster fan like her Momma when she grows up.
After Pirates, we did an outfit change, as the ride did get us a little wet and Ella's pants were a little dirty from lunch. I could tell Ella was tired, so I reclined her stroller seat and covered the top with a thin blanket to block out any light. She fell asleep immediately. I found a shaded bench and took a rest with her!
My sleepy girl slept for close to 40 minutes. It was a nice break on my feet and arms to be honest. Holding her in line is a little tiring.
We headed over to Small World when she woke up. It's her FAVORITE ride and the line was only around a 15 minute wait.
She was excited!
She wanted to sit by herself... my big girl, growing up so fast.
The ride was alllll decorated for Christmas and was sooo cute. They played a mix of It's a Small World and Christmas tunes.
It was so fun. Ella was clapping along and really intrigued on this ride. I can tell it's her favorite.
After Small World, I remembered we had our speed pass for Haunted Mansion. It was time to head back in that direction.
I love the fast passes because you feel like you skip the whole line! We waited less than 5 minutes with our fast pass.
The Haunted Mansion was Jack Skeleton themed and was super fun. Ella doesn't really get 'scared' yet, unless it's a stranger trying to hold her. So for now, she likes this ride. But I do see that changing as she grows more of an imagination!
After Haunted Mansion, I was ready to head home. I decided just to walk around a bit longer and make sure we didn't miss anything that I wanted to do... and we found Santa!
I knew we had to take a picture with Santa before we left. We waited around 10 minutes or so for him, but it was worth it. Ella refused to sit with him alone, so I sat with her too. I can't share the pic because it's on my Disneyland app and I have to buy it/decide if I want to buy it.
After Santa it was a quick bathroom break, and then a tram ride back to the car. We left the park around 4! I got a little turned around in the parking structure... but figured it out. It was a long, but fun day and I can't wait to go back!!!
Thanks to the hosts for today's link up.
We will be back tomorrow to share our Christmas Eve basket & ornament craft.
How fun! What a great gift idea; if we lived closer to WDW we'd definitely be season pass holders. Sadly a plane ride away makes us every other year park goers but I definitely remember bringing my boys when they were quite little.
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