Alright let's dive in! Here are:
#1 - Physically train to go to the park. I know this sounds kind of dumb but it will be worth it. I have made a Disney trip a reward for working out and being active (I will talk about the 900 mile challenge later). If you train to go you can play longer and harder because your body has the endurance. You also wont be as sore and as tired after your trip, because you were prepared.
#2 - Bring a Camelback into the park. Camelbacks are smaller than backpacks and they lay flatter on your body. They are less bulky than carrying a water bottle all over the park as well. Camelbacks have a surprising amount of pocket space. There is enough space in a Camelback to hold snacks like: nuts, granola bars, dried fruit, and trail mix for a whole family. Not to mention that most camelbacks hold about 2 liters of water, and they are easy to refill.
#3 - Bring good shoes! I can't stress this enough! I prefer water shoes and sandals, because of water rides. At some point during your tip you may get wet, and I highly recommend bringing shoes that will dry quickly. I wore Keens last time we went and I was comfortable the whole time, and my feet stayed dry. If you only have close toed shoes, bring an extra pair incase yours get wet. Brake your shoes in before you go (use them in your training for your trip). If you have kids make sure they have good shoes too.
#4 - Wear cloths that are comfortable, breath well, and that dry quickly. It gets hot in the parks, and again you may get wet. Be prepared. There is nothing worse than walking around all day in wet jeans that will not dry.
#5 - Bring a poncho. The price for these in the parks is insane, just buy a cheep one and put it in your camelback.
#6 - Bring stuff for chafing. I know this is a gross subject, but there are ways to stop it. I know people whose vacations were ruined because of this. What you need is: wet wipes, bag balm/chamois butter, and monkey butt or baby powder. Apply these to places where chafing occurs, and… Vwalla, your golden! You can also put this in a Camelback. (Camelbacks are the best!)
#7 - Bring a small first aid kit. Booboos and blisters happen so make sure you have some bandages with you. You can by these in the park in an emergency, but they will be more expensive than if you bought them at regular store. Dramamine, headache medicine, and pain relievers are also great things to have with you.
#8 - Take brakes!!! There is nothing wrong with sitting down and resting yourself for an hour or so. Enjoy the feel of the park and the magic of it, or even go back to your hotel room and take a nap. Naps are great to take in the middle of the day when the crowds are crazy and the weather is scorching. You will enjoy the coolness of your room and the benefits of a good nap. You will feel refreshed when you go back to the park, and you will also be able to keep going until the park closes. This is also nice with little kids, because they get tired. This causes melt downs and frustration, so just slow down for a while. If you don't believe me here is what another Disney friend said "Rest! When the parks are crowded or you’re tired and grouchy, take a break!! Go swim. Go nap. Go shopping at Downtown Disney. You cannot possibly see it all so don’t exhaust yourselves trying. A Disney World vacation is just that, a vacation!! Go at your own pace."
#9 - Bring trivia cards or another game you can play standing in long lines. Joke books, and question games are also fun. Also with all the apps that are available now you could probably just find these games on your phone.
#10 - When the park opens, you want to head towards the most popular rides first. Especially if you only have a couple days in the park. Your goal is to beat everyone else there, but if that is impossible, you still want to be in front of as many people as possible. The queues for these rides will be the shortest early in the morning. It’s best to get these rides out of the way as soon as you can.
#11 - Prioritize. If you only have a day or two in the park plan before you go what ride you have to go on. This will help you have a plan of action once you are there. You can also add extra time for things that might come up or resting. Planning ahead is just a good idea.
#12 - Use Fastpasses! Fastpass essentially reserves you a spot in a shorter line during a specific hour during that day. If you are staying on site, you can book your Fastpasses in advance. If you are staying offsite, you can book your Fastpasses when you arrive at the park that day. When the time comes for you to redeem your Fastpass ticket, return to the ride but use the Fastpass entrance. You will then get to skip ahead of all the people in the regular queue and you will feel like a celebrity! See the park map for all the details on which rides have Fastpass.
#13 - Take a photo of the back of your ticket on your phone or camera. You can use this if you lose your ticket. (We also had my mom take a picture of all of the tickets….just in case) *Disney can usually look up your tickets by the credit card you used, your receipt, a photo/copy of the back of the ticket, or narrowing it down with the other tickets in the group.
#14 - Take lots of pictures. In the park, you will see the photographers taking pictures of perfect spots around Disneyland and California Adventures. Don't be afraid to ask if they will take your picture with your own camera. Every worker at Disneyland is so kind and they are all there to help you. Also pictures capture memories, so take as many as you want. Pictures can be like a vacation journal except you don't have to write stuff. Win, win.
#15 - I guess technically this is my cousins tip but… Just spend a day or two in the hotel, napping watching Disney movies, and swimming in the pool! You can even walk around and look at shops close to the hotel. Just relax you are on vacation. My aunt said on of my little cousins favorite part of their Disney trip was the hotel pool 😑.
#16 - You do not have to pay to get in the park to experience magic. Visit Down Town Disney, and have a wonderful afternoon there.
#17 - Also for days off of the park, just go to the beach. Gather shells, build sand castles, swim/wade, and have a picnic. Just make sure you bring water to the beach so you have something to drink. The sun is hot in California.
#18 - Look for sporting events that are going on when you are visiting. This will be great for that man in your family who loves sports. Visit a stadium, or a sports museum.
#19 - Find a public park and play games for an afternoon.
#20 - The 900 Mile Challenge was a fitness project cooked up by me and my mother for a New Years Resolution. We decided that we would exercise to equal the milage from our house to Disneyland. (Which for us was 900 miles) we determined that you could either do 1 hour of exercise to = 10 miles, or you could count actual milage. We did this throughout the months until September when we planed to go. We kept charts on the fridge, and had a Facebook page to share our milage with other participants. We were ready to go, and all those who participated had a wonderful time, because we could play and play hard.
So there you go! Here are some of my best tips for a Disney trip. I hope you find these helpful, and as I learn more I'll be sure to share them.
P.S. I'll most likely write more about Disneyland, and I'll also probably write another tips post :)
