Where to Buy Disney Clothes

Visiting the Disney parks begs the age-old question, “But what will I wear?” For many, a t-shirt with their favorite character on it or a themed backpack will suffice, while others are much more invested in planning the perfect outfit for the occasion.

If you are getting ready for an upcoming Disney vacation and you want to make sure you have your favorite

So let’s take a look at clothing possibilities and where to find them.

Local Options

No matter where you live, most stores will have possibilities for buying Disney clothing that can be worn to the parks.

In recent years, there has been more Disney, Marvel, and Star Wars-branded clothing appearing in stores like Walmart and Target.

Meanwhile, check out your local stores for clothing that will bring a little more magic to your trip, without hurting your wallet. Most clothing items found at stores like Walmart and Target can be found for anywhere from $10-$30. I just picked up the sweatshirt you see above at a local Walmart for only $10. Trust me, they’re there. You just have to keep your eyes open.

Pro Tip – The Target and Walmart stores near Disney properties almost always have way more selection than you’ll find anywhere else. If you can hold off on buying a few things until you get to your trip, this can be a fun place to stop before you head to the parks.

Target

Target specifically has some stores with a “Disney Store” located inside with Disney merchandise and clothing.

Currently, there are only 25 locations across the U.S. with this shopping experience available. To find out if there is a participating Target near you, try the Disney Store Finder.

Another little tip is to keep an eye on the dollar section at Target. They don’t always carry the same products, but if you’re lucky, you’ll find some Disney items that you can bring with you. The other day these cute little hats were occupying the shelves just waiting to be claimed.

But remember, that the inventory between stores can vary. So if you find something that catches your eye, I would grab it while you can.

Walmart

Walmart always has a variety of Disney clothing, and they are often very affordable. They have tons of options for kids but also some really fun items for adults as well.

The inventory will obviously vary depending on the time of the year – if you are looking for something specific, you might want to head back frequently. During the holiday season, you can often find Christmas Disney-themed items for a great price.

I’ve seen everything from t-shirts and hoodies to pajamas and sweatpants. They tend to have a lot of classic Disney movies featured. If you have a little girl who wants to dress up as her favorite princess, they have a nice variety of princess costumes that don’t cost an arm and a leg.

I do feel like the items tend to be geared more toward females (especially female children), but there is bound to be something for everyone.

Kohls

Kohls’s is another great store where you can find Disney apparel. While many of their items seem a bit overpriced, if you can take advantage of a sale (especially when Kohls’s cash is involved), you can find some of the best deals around.

They have some really cute outfits for both males and females, and they tend to have a nice selection of newer Disney characters (for instance, I just noticed they have some fun Encanto shirts).

While socks aren’t the most visible thing you’ll see in your outfit, they have some great Disney-themed socks for children!

Ross and TJ Maxx

These discount retailers are great places to find fun Disney clothes for every age! They often get the overstock/unsold inventory from places like Walmart and Target, and you can often find a really good deal.

Old Navy

I feel like Old Navy stores aren’t as common as they used to be, and their selection isn’t as great as some stores. With that said, you can sometimes find some real gems, so if you have one nearby, it’s worth stopping by.

Hot Topic

Hot Topic often has Loungefly Bags, but they also have some very unique and fun outfits that you can buy. This is a great place to go for more adult-friendly outfits/costumes.

THey are an official Disney distributor so you know the items are going to be high-quality, so definitely take a good look to see what they have!

Thrift Stores and Garage Sales

Some of the best gems can be found second-hand. Frequent your thrift stores and, if it’s garage sale season, garage sales to see what you can find. Vintage is always fun!

The Disney Store

A slightly pricier option is to visit your local Disney Store if you have one in your area. Disney Stores are like an extension of Disney Parks. You can find some of the same merchandise and clothing, but oftentimes, it will differ. And inventory is changing quite frequently, so there are always more options. Disney Stores have toys, swimwear, clothing, spirit jerseys, shoes, backpacks, jewelry, and more, for both children and adults.

The Disney Store is a favorite of mine because you can usually find your favorite character or series somewhere in the store. I have purchased many t-shirts from the Disney Store because of their reasonable prices and variety. Adult t-shirts are usually around $12-$14, and children’s t-shirts are usually between $10-$12.

Online Options

For those who don’t live close to the stores listed above or enjoy the convenience of shopping online before your trip to the Happiest Place on Earth – there are even more options!

Pro-tip – before you do any online shopping, make sure you signup for Rakuten. Many online stores offer you cashback for purchases!

One option is the online website of all the brick-and-mortar stores listed above, including:

• Target.com
• Walmart.com
• Kohls.com
• OldNavy.com
• Hot Topic

You can visit these websites as well and see what you can have shipped to your home or local store. However, online purchasing will sometimes have minimum purchase limits, so just be aware when you are making your purchases.

Etsy

There are many people who are so talented and create/sell Disneywear. While there are various places you can find these items, Etsy is my favorite. You can find t-shirts (especially matching ones) or more extravagant outfits/costumes.

ShopDisney

The Disney Store and the Disney parks also have an online platform called ShopDisney. Here you can find the latest clothing, toys, accessories, and home goods found in the Disney parks.

This is a fantastic option that my family has personally taken advantage of on a few occasions. Living far away from the parks, you don’t have the ability to drive down and shop for all the fun new items. ShopDisney gives you a chance to bring a little of that Disney magic into your home, no matter where you live.

Amazon

I mean, doesn’t Amazon have everything? While you definitely want to pay attention to the sizing and reviews for different items, as well as what the materials are made of, you can find some really great items on here.

I would keep in mind that sometimes there are items on Amazon that you can find elsewhere for less expensive, so always make sure to price match!

Disney Parks

Finally, there is the option of going shopping on Disney property. Some people enjoy visiting Downtown Disney or Disney Springs a day or two before their park visit because World of Disney and other shops will carry the products you can find in the parks.

There are also stores throughout the park that you can visit and find different clothing items.

In this stores, you can find a variety of attire for all ages, including:

• T-Shirts
• Sweaters
• Hoodies
• Hats
• Mouse Ears

I have even seen some guests wear normal t-shirts into the parks and one of their first stops, when they enter the parks, is one of the clothing shops like the Emporium, where they will pick out their favorite outfit, purchase it, and change into it before enjoying the rest of their magical day.

Make Your Own

Feeling crafty? You can totally make your own Disney attire at home using SVG files you can buy on Etsy or design yourself using Canva and use a Cricut or Silhouette machine to add the decals to your favorite shirts, hats, and hoodies. If you are looking for more of a Disney-bounding type outfit, you can make items for these at home and with supplies from the craft store as well.

Many people LOVE to make their own personalized Disney outfits for their trips. This is a great way to have an outfit or costume that no one else is wearing!

There are lots of options to find the perfect thing to wear to the parks to complete your magical visit to the Happiest Place on Earth. Just remember to keep your eyes open for your favorite characters and enjoy your visit!

More Articles You May Enjoy:

• What to Wear to Disneyland in January: Your Complete Guide
• 6+ BEST Toddler Shoes for Disney World and Disneyland Vacations

The post The Best Places to Buy Disney Clothes for Your Disney Vacation appeared first on Magical Family Travel Guide.

If you’re like me, then you love everything about Disney but the thought of waiting in line for hours on end really puts a damper on things. 

It’s no secret that one of the biggest downsides to visiting Disney is having to wait in long lines for your favorite rides and attractions. With the discontinuation of FastPass services over the past few years, many of us have been anxiously awaiting its replacement.

The new Disney Genie Plus service is just that! This new service allows guests to obtain their new fast pass without having to physically go to the location of the ride. Plus, there are so many other great benefits that come with this service!

The question everyone is asking the most is if the Disney Genie Plus service is worth the cost so here is my personal option and everything you need to know. We’ve used it in both Disneyland and Disney World, so hopefully, our experience will be helpful!

Book your next magical family adventure through our friends at Get Away Today! They are truly the Disney experts and can make planning your trip a breeze for both Disneyland and Disney World. You can browse their website or call 1-855-GET-AWAY. Make sure you tell them Magical Family Travel Guide sent you or use the code MFTG for $10 off a Southern California

You might want to get Disney Genie+ If…

😊 Disney Genie + is great for…People who are taking advantage of park hopping

😊 Busy days at the park

😊 Families who enjoy the rides available the Disney Genie+ (keep reading to find out what those are

😊 Families who don’t want to wait in long lines (especially those using the Rider Switch).

😊 You only have a couple days in the park (or even just one)

You might want to skip it if…

😞 The park isn’t busy

😞 You don’t mind waiting in lines

😞 If you just want to spend extra money on skipping the lines for more premium rides (this can work well on low crowd days where many of the other rides have shorter wait times).

😞 Your favorite rides aren’t included

😞 You have lots of days in the park and don’t have to rush

What is Disney Genie Plus?

The Disney Genie Plus service is a great way for guests to get their new fast pass while saving time and energy. This service allows guests to obtain a new fast pass by using the Disneyland app, from anywhere on property! You can use this amazing feature from your hotel room, while waiting in line for another ride, or even while you’re eating.s

How Much does Disney Genie Plus Cost?

Disney Genie+ costs $20 per day, per person. This can add a significant cost to a trip cost for those who have large parties.

You also need to keep in mind that in addition to this cost, there are individual lightning lane rides. I’ve seen these range in price from $7 up to $20. This can also add a substantial cost to your trip, especially if you are booking for multiple people.

For instance, on our recent Disney trip, we paid for four members of our party to go on Radiator Springs. It was $7 – so $28. The line was over 120 minutes long, so it felt worth it.

However, for everyone to go on The Rise of the Resistance ride, it would have been over $100, which is a lot more! Instead, we did some strategic planning to get a shorter wait time for that ride (maybe I’ll share that another time).

You can purchase it when you buy your tickets or when you get to the park. When we went to Disneyland, we added it directly to our vacation package that we booked through Get Away Today, which was convenient.

How is Genie+ different from the MaxPass?

There are a few differences:

• MaxPass cost $20 per day, per person, while Genie+ is $15 (plus tax)
• You can only get one attraction per day with Genie+
• MaxPass had 22 rides on it, while Genie+ has under 20
• While MaxPass included premium rides, such as Radiator Springs Riders, Genie+ requires you may extra for some of those top ticket rides.

In addition to there no longer being a MaxPass, Disneyland has also done away with the paper FastPass system, which was free to anyone who wanted to use it. Now, if you want to skip the lines, you’ll have to pay.

How is Genie+ different from the FastPass+ System?

I will admit that I never went to Disney World when they had a FastPass+ system in place, but from what I understand, here are the differences:

• FastPass+ was just included with your Disney reservation, and it wasn’t an additional fee
• You can’t book ride reservations ahead of time like you could with the FastPass+ system (which has it’s pros and cons – but definitely benefits those who book last minute trips)
• Genie+ offers more flexibility – you don’t have to plan your trip months in advance, and it does give you more options for riding.
• There is no limit to the number of Lightning Lane passes you can redeem during your trip (one per ride). With FastPass+, each guest was limited to just three selections per day.

How Do I Sign Up for Disney Genie Plus?

If you are interested in signing up for Disney’s Genie Plus service, it’s pretty simple:

• When you book your tickets, you can add it directly to your tickets, and it will be available in the app
• If you wait until your trip….
  • All you have to do is download the Disneyland app
  • Login with your account information
  • Click on the Genie Plus feature and enter your credit card information

Is there a difference between Disneyland and Disney World’s service?

They mostly work the same, but for some reason, I felt like Disney World’s just worked better.

One of the biggest differences is when you can book your rides:

• At Disney World, you can book your first ride at 7 AM. While it requires an early wake up time, if you don’t make it to the park as soon as it opens, you have an opportunity to get a good start to your Disney Genie+ Day
• At Disneyland, you can’t book your first ride until you have checked into the park (and everyone in your party who wants to ride together have to check in). You can go off site and book rides after the initial check-in, but you can’t book the first one until you are physically in the park.

The other big difference is that at Disney World, they include non-ride attractions in the LIghtning Pass options. At Disneyland, it just includes rides.

What are the Lightning Lane Rides?

Here is a list of all the different rides available through Disney Genie+. If I put at *, that means you have to pay extra in order to ride it.

Disney World Lightning Lane Rides

Hollywood Studios

• *Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway
• *Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance
• Alien Swirling Saucers
• Beauty and the Beast Live on Stage
• Disney Junior Play & Dance!
• For the First Time in Forever: A Frozen Sing-Along Celebration
• Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular
• Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run
• Muppet*Vision 3D
• Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith
• See Olaf at Celebrity Spotlight
• Slinky Dog Dash
• Star Tours – The Adventures Continue
• The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror
• Toy Story Mania!

Magic Kingdom

• *Seven Dwarfs Mine Train
• *Space Mountain
• Big Thunder Mountain Railroad
• Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin
• Dumbo the Flying Elephant
• Haunted Mansion
• “it’s a small world”
• Jungle Cruise
• Mad Tea Party
• Mickey’s PhilharMagic
• Monsters Inc. Laugh Floor
• Peter Pan’s Flight
• Pirates of the Caribbean
• See Mickey at Town Square Theater
• See Princess Tiana and a Visiting Princess at Princess Fairytale Hall
• See Cinderella and a Visiting Princess at Princess Fairytale Hall
• Splash Mountain
• The Barnstormer
• The Magic Carpets of Aladdin
• The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh
• Tomorrowland Speedway
• Under the Sea ~ Journey of The Little Mermaid

Epcot

• *Frozen Ever After
• *Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure
• Disney and Pixar Short Film Festival
• Journey into Imagination with Figment
• Living with the Land
• Mission: SPACE – Green
• Mission: SPACE – Orange
• Soarin’ Around the World
• Spaceship Earth
• Test Track
• The Seas with Nemo & Friends
• Turtle Talk with Crush

Animal Kingdom

• Avatar Flight of Passage
• Celebration of the Festival of the Lion King
• DINOSAUR
• Feathered Friends in Flight!
• It’s Tough to Be a Bug!
• Kali River Rapids
• Kilimanjaro Safaris
• Naʻvi River Journey
• The Animation Experience at Conservation Station

Disneyland Lightning Lane Rides

Disneyland

• *Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance (this was $20 per person each day we were there)
• Autopia
• Big Thunder Mountain Railroad
• Buzz Lightyear Astro Blasters
• Haunted Mansion
• Indiana Jones^TM Adventure
• “it’s a small world”
• Matterhorn Bobsleds
• Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run
• Roger Rabbit’s Car Toon Spin
• Space Mountain
• Splash Mountain
• Star Tours – The Adventures Continue

California Adventure

• *Radiator Springs Races (this was $7 per person when we were there)
• *WEB SLINGERS: A Spiderman Adventure (this was $7 per person. We waited in line two times for it because the wait wasn’t very long, and we could all wait in it together since our toddler could ride it. SUPER fun ride).
• Goofy’s Sky School
• Grizzly River Run
• Guardians of the Galaxy – Mission: BREAKOUT!
• Incredicoaster
• Monsters, Inc. Mike & Sulley to the Rescue!
• Soarin’ Around the World
• Toy Story Midway Mania!

What are the pros of Disney Genie Plus?

There are a lot of great benefits to using Disney Genie+:

• It is great for anyone who wants to enjoy more time on rides without having to waste time waiting in line.
• You can use this amazing feature from your hotel room (if you’ve already checked in for the day) while waiting in line for another ride, or even while you’re eating.
• It is great for park hopping – you can check availabilty for other parks and book rides for later in the day, even if you aren’t physically in the park
• It includes some fun features, such as audio experiences and filters for photos to entertain you while you are in the line

What are the cons of Disney Genie Plus?

While Disney Genie Plus does have many great benefits, there are also some cons that you need to be aware of.

• The first thing you should know about is that while using this service, your phone needs to be on and in range of the Disneyland app at all times. If your phone dies and you can’t charge it, you won’t be able to get on the rides (it’s always helpful to have more than one member of your party logged in with access to all the tickes!)
• You can only use one Lightning Lane passes at a time (with the exception of the Individual Lightning lane passes)
• You can only get one Lightning Lane pass per ride
• It can be a little tricky to figure out the best strategy for getting the Lightning Pass you want. This is the strategy we used, but I felt like it worked best at Disney World.
• Because SO many people are opting in to purchase the Lightning Lane
• Sometimes, the more popular rides “sell out” of passes quickly, you might miss out on a favorite ride. Or, they might have wait times pushed out to later in the day pretty quickly, so you have to wait to take advantage of your passes until later in the day.

How do I maximize my time with Disney Genie Plus?

The first thing that you should know about this new service is that it isn’t intended to be used for every attraction.

It’s designed to help you get on some of the more popular rides more quickly, so you can have more time for other activities that may not have as long of wait times.

You can still use the old standby system of going to the attraction and waiting in line. We did this for quite a few rides.

I discuss my main strategy in this post, but I think the best overall strategy is:

• Get to the park early and book the most popular lightning lane rides
• Try and get in line for the Lightning Lane rides that cost money so you can avoid that cost. We did find that these rides seemed to open around 9 AM, so it might be worth hanging around those areas so you can jump in line as soon as they open.
• Since ride wait times are lower in the morning, try and take advantage of those rides that aren’t on the Disney Genie+ (or rides that are but you know you want to ride more than once).

I debated whether or not we should buy the Disney Genie+ until we got to the parks to see how busy they were. In the end, I was glad we had it for all three days, especially when we did park hopping. Had I waited until partway through the day, we wouldn’t have gotten nearly as much value.

Can You use Disney Genie+ with Rider Switch?  

Yes, you can! Each person who wants to ride the ride DOES need to have a valid Lightning Lane pass, but you just have to let them know that you wanted to take advantage of the Rider Switch option.

At Disney world when we went, they would let you bring one person along with you on the Rider Switch.

At Disneyland, they let you have up to three people scanned to come back later (so two in addition to the person sitting behind).

They just can three tickets, so it doesn’t have to be anyone specific. For instance

What happens if a ride breaks down?

If a ride closes down that you have a Lightning Lane Pass for, it turns into a magical pass that allows you to go to the front of the line for one of many rides – quite a few of which aren’t even a Lightning Lane option.

For instance, Forrest had a lightning lane pass for Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, and it closed down. Since it was later at night, it just didn’t open back up. But he got a pass and took the boys to the front of the line for the Alice in Wonderland ride, which was a fun end to the trip.

Can you cancel a Lightning Lane pass?

Yep! You can cancel a Lightning Lane pass so long as it hasn’t expired.

Can You use Disney Genie+ if you have a toddler that does not need a fastpass?

Yes! Because our son is two, we didn’t have to buy a Disney ticket for him. However, if it was a ride that he was tall enough for, he was able to go on with the rest of us.

Do I have to use Disney Genie+?

You do not! This is a 100% optional feature.

How are the Lightning Lane Lines?

Honestly, some of them were really short and some of them were really long. I also found that many of the attendants weren’t even paying attention when you scanned in. I suspect some people took advantage of this and went into the ride without a pass (just at Disneyland. When we went to Disney World, they had two checkpoints for your pass).

How does Disney Genie+ Work with Park Hopping?

One of the best parts of Disney Genie+ is that you can use it with Park Hopping.

The main thing to keep in mind that is you want to make sure you have enough time to get to and from each ride. When we used it on both days, we spent the first part of the day at Disneyland and the second half at California Adventure.

Is Disney Genie Plus Worth the cost?

The question everyone is asking the most is if the Disney Genie Plus service is worth the cost so here’s my personal opinion

I definitely think it can be. We used it at both Disneyland and Disney World, and we found it worth it because:

• Standby longs WERE pretty long for a lot of the rides
• We were traveling with our younger children (including a toddler) – waiting in line can be a lot harder! Because we could use rider switch, it also made it so someone didn’t have to wait off the ride and entertain our toddler by themselves for very long.
• It was hot, and the less time. Ihad. tostand in line, the better.

I think if you have several days to spend at the park where you don’t have to rush, then it might be worth it to not buy it until you get to the park.

If you don’t mind standing in the lines for most of the rides but would like to skip the lines for the premium Lightning Lane rides, it might be worth it to skip the pass and just buy those few rides.

While there are certain parts of Disney Genie+ I would change, it does make for a more enjoyable trip. There is a good amount of flexibility with it, and it can make your trip run a little more smoothly.

What do you think about The Disney Genie+ option? I’d love to hear your experience in the comments!

More Disney Posts You Might Enjoy:

• The Top 6 Best Baby Carriers for Disney World
• 15+ BEST Family Friendly Disneyland Hotels with Bunk Beds
• The Best Age for Disneyland: The Ultimate Guide to Help You Decide
• The Best Rides for Toddlers at Disney World + Disneyland

The post Disney Genie+ at Disneyland and Disney World: Everything You Need to Know appeared first on Magical Family Travel Guide.

Going to Disneyland with a toddler and other young children is a different experience than when you go as a teenager or with other adults. It can be SO magical – but it’s important to manage your expectations a little bit.

As my mom put it, you have to realize the trip isn’t just about you. It’s about making sure everyone has a good time – your toddler included.

Fortunately, Disneyland was built with families in mind. I love this quote that is underneath the Walt Disney statue in the center of Disneyland:

I think most of all, what I want Disneyland to be is a happy place . . . where parents and children can have fun, together.

And I really believe that’s what Disney World and Disneyland are! However, there are rides your toddler won’t be able to go on (or won’t want to!)

So, if you are about to head to the parks with your toddler, you’re in the right place! Let’s dive into the best rides for Toddlers at Disney World and Disneyland.

Book your next magical family adventure through our friends at Get Away Today! They are truly the Disney experts and can make planning your trip a breeze for both Disneyland and Disney World. You can browse their website or call 1-855-GET-AWAY. Make sure you tell them Magical Family Travel Guide sent you or use the code MFTG for $10 off a Southern California

Factors to Keep in Mind

Sound level

Some children are more sensitive to loud noises than others. For instance, our five-year-old hates anything loud, but noises don’t even faze our two-year-old.

Some rides might not be scary, but they might be really loud, making it unpleasant. Some of the older rides that may seem harmless can be really loud! I do think noise-canceling earmuffs can be a good investment.

Drops

Disneyland is a land of drops! Many rides have small drops. I don’t think most of the rides on this list will have scary drops, but if your child is nervous about them at all, a small drop can result in big drama.

Dark Rides

Many rides are quite dark (not content-wise, but they are literally lacking light). If your child is afraid of the dark, sticking to the brightly lit rides can be a better idea.

Long lines

My kids actually do quite well when it comes to lines, but there are some rides with lines that I can’t even tolerate! It’s a good idea to learn about what rides tend to have the longest lines so you can plan those toward the earlier hours of your day or during times when rides might not be as busy – especially if it’s a must-ride for your kiddos.

Rides with Height Restrictions

First, let’s talk about the rides with height requirements of 40″ or taller.

It’s a good idea to know about these beforehand so you don’t hype up a ride, only to tell your kid they can’t ride them!

Many of these don’t even make my list of best rides for kids, but it’s good to be aware!

Disney world

• The Barnstormer – 36”
• Big Thunder Mountain Railroad – 40”
• Seven Dwarves Mine Train – 38”
• Space Mountain – 44”
• Splash Mountain – 40”
• Tomorrow Speedway – 32”
• Mission: Space – 40”
• Test Track – 40”
• Alien Swirling Saucers – 32”
• Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run – 38”
• Rock ‘n Roller coaster – 48”
• Slinky Dog Dash – 38”
• Star Tours – 40”
• Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance – 40”
• Twilight Zone – 40”
• Avatar Flight of Passage – 44”
• DINOSAUR – 40”
• Expedition Everest – 44”
• Kali River Rapids – 40”
• Primeval Whirl – 48”

Disneyland/California Adventure

• Indiana Jones – 46″
• Big Thunder Mountain Railroad – 40″
• Matterhorn Bobsleds – 40″
• Autotopia – 54″ to drive alone (32″ to ride at all)
• Space Mountain – 40″
• Splash Mountain – 40″
• Star Tours – 40″
• Grizzly River Run – 42″
• Soarin’ Over The World – 40″
• Twilight Zone Tower of Terror – 40″
• Mission: Breakout! – 40″
• California Screamin’ 48″
• Goofy’s Sky School – 40″
• Silly Symphony Swings – 40″
• Radiator Springs Racers – 40″

Best Rides for Toddlers

There are a ton of rides for people under 40″, but to be honest, some of them are totally lame or scary. Our kids have been absolutely TERRIFIED of some of the “kiddie” rides, such as the Pinocchio’s Daring Adventure, Snow White’s Scary Adventures, and the Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh. They thought they were too loud, dark, and scary. So we avoided anything like that after the first few rides. Similar rides to those would be Alice in Wonderland and Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride.

You know your toddler best, though, so try and be aware of how you think they’ll respond.

Here are some rides and attractions that I think just about all toddlers enjoy at Disney World and Disneyland.

Also, you will see I don’t mention the live shows that they have in the various parks. If YOU think your child can sit through a 60-minute show, then, by all means, take them to these. But if your kids are like mine as toddlers, that’s a lot to ask – regardless of how engaging the show is!

In general, we tend to avoid rides with water, big drops, or lots of darkness/loud noises with toddlers, but again, you know your child best.

I have divided each list by park in Disneyland and Disney World.

Disney World

Magic Kingdom

• Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin – dark and loud at times, though every toddler I’ve gone on this with has loved it
• Journey of the Little Mermaid
• magic carpets of Aladdin
• Casey Jr. Circus Train
• Dumbo the Flying Elephant – one of my personal favorites!
• Jungle Cruise
• Mad Tea Party
• The Many Adventures of Winnine the Pooh – this one can be surprisingly scary for some kids, but it’s overall a very fun ride for youngsters
• Peter Pan’s Flight – typically has long lines all day long. Jump on this first if you don’t want to miss it!
• Prince Charming Regal Carousel
• Pirate’s of the Carribbean – this one is dark, has drops, and it can be a little scary, but it’s a ride the whole family can go on. My toddlers have typically done well on it.
• Tom Sawyer’s Island – not really a ride but great for exploring
• Swiss Family Robinson
• Walt Disney World Railroad
• Walt Disney’s Carousel of Progress

Animal Kingdom

• Na’via River Journey
• Kilimanjaro Safaris
• Flying Dino
• it’s dough to be a bug – this is a fun show, though it does get a little bit intense at times
• Maharajah Jungle Trek
• TriceraTop Spin
• Wildlife Express Train
• Gorilla Falls Exploration Trail

Epcot

• Meet and Greet Anna and Elsa
• Beauty and the Beast Sing Along
• Frozen Ever After
• The Seas with Nemo and Friends
• Turtle Talk with Crush
• Gran Fiesta Tour Starring The Three Caballeros – this can have a deceptively long line

Hollywood Studios

• Alien Swirling saucers
• For the First Time in Forever Sing a long
• Muppet Vision 3D
• Toy Story Mania
• Voyage of the Little Mermaid
• Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway 

Disneyland

• Disneyland Railroad
• Walt Disney’s Enchanted Tiki Room
• Jungle Cruise
• Tarzan’s Tree House
• The Many Adventure’s of Winnie the Pooh
• Pirate’s Lair on Tom Sawyer Island
• Goofy’s Playhouse
• Donald’s Boat
• Chip ‘n Dales Treehouse
• Minnie’s House
• Mickey’s House
• it’s a small world
• Peter Pan’s Flight
• Storybrook Land Canal Boats
• Dumbo the Flying Elephant
• Casey Jr. Circus Train
• King Arthur Carousel
• Mad Tea Party
• Buzz Lightyear Astroblasters
• Disneyland Monorail
• Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage – I hate this one and often feel chlostrophobic…but most kids love it 🙂

California Adventure

• Monster’s Inc. Mike and Sulley to the Rescue
• Turtle Talk with Crush
• Mater’s Junkyard Jamboree (32″)
• Luigi’s Rollickin’ Roadsters (32″)
• Redwood Creek Challenge Trail
• Web Slingers: A Spider–Man Adventure
• Golden Zephyr
• The Little Mermaid: Ariel’s Undersea Adventure
• Inside Out Emotional Whirlwind
• Toy Story Midway Mania!
• Pixar Pal-A-Round
• Jessie’s Critter Carousel

Shows and Entertainment

There are so many family-friendly shows and parades around the parks. They certainly know how to put on a good show!

One time, we happened to be walking around in California Adventure when their Pixar Parade started. I think it was around 5:00? This is a must-see. The streets weren’t crowded at all – our oldest was right up to the street and interacted a lot with the performers. They had characters from many Pixar movies that we love, and it was so fun to watch the kids. I think this is a great one that is not crowded.

I absolutely love the Disneyland parades. They are 100% worth staying late to watch. This one you really have to get there early to get a good seat. We showed up an hour early, and we could hardly see! It’s really magical, though, and I highly recommend seeing it one night.

Afterward, you can see the nightly fireworks, which are incredible. I do recommend getting some ear protection for your children, though. Our kids love these, but they don’t love the sound. There are some restaurants in California Adventure where you can get priority seating at this show if you eat there, so that’s something to consider, too, with younger kids since it can be hard to get a good seat.

I have never seen the World of Color in California Adventure, but I have heard it’s pretty amazing for all ages.

There are a lot of other types of entertainment in both parks. Here are a few we enjoyed or that we’ve heard are good for children:

Character Breakfast

I wasn’t sure if we wanted to do a character breakfast, but I’m so glad we splurged on it. It was one of the coolest experiences, and Jack LOVED it. We got an early reservation at 7:45 AM for the Surf’s Up! Mickey’s breakfast, but I was so glad we did. We got there before a lot of people, so our kids got more attention. You should have seen Jack’s face light up when the characters came to our table.

The breakfast was amazing, too! I couldn’t get enough of it. The banana’s foster french toast was to die for, and they had everything you could think of. I highly recommend doing one of these breakfasts. It’s a great way for the kids to see LOTS of characters at once, and then you don’t have to spend as much time in long lines in the park to see them!

Enchanted Tiki Room

This is a delightful animatronic show that takes place in an air-conditioned building. It’s great for all ages, and I think children can really enjoy it – especially if you grab a Dole Whip beforehand!

Hyperion Theater: 

This is where they have Broadway shows, such as Frozen. Definitely a must-watch for all ages, and it’s a great place to cool off!

Finding Characters

Children love seeing the characters. I think one of the best ways to see them (especially princesses) is by doing a character breakfast, as you can avoid long lines. However, you can definitely see them throughout the park.

We found that California Adventure had more characters just wandering around, and they often had fewer lines there. The Disney characters are dressed up in more “Hollywood” clothes, so classic characters are better to look for in Disneyland.

We found that the best time to get short lines was right after the character goes on break. It’s kind of annoying when you get there, and the character is going for a break, but if you wait for a few minutes for them to come back, you can get right to the front of the line.

I think the Disneyland app is an awesome app to download because it tells you where certain characters will be during the day. There always seem to be several characters right at the entrance of Disneyland.

There is a Princess area in Disneyland that is great if your child really wants to see the princesses. These lines can get REALLY long, but I recommend waiting in them if it’s important to your child!

Toon Town:

This is a great place for children in Disneyland, though it felt pretty crowded. I remember going here as a child with my mom because everyone else was going on Indiana Jones, and I loved it! They have all sorts of fun houses (like Minnie, Mickey’s, Chip and Dale’s Treehouse, etc.) as well as a few rides.

Main Street

Disneyland Main Street has a lot of fun things on it. You can see characters, get yummy treats like ice cream, and even get your child’s silhouette! They have a cinema that shows old Disney cartoons, which is a fun way to relax with tired or hot kids. There is a street trolley you can ride on to Fantasy land, and there is also a carriage! I recommend spending some time here.

Downtown Disney and Disney Springs

There’s a lot of yummy food!- I love Downtown Disney. It has shopping, restaurants, etc. Some of it might be a bit boring for kids, but a lego place is pretty cool.

Disney Experience App

It is free, so you need to download it! It gives you wait times, tells you how to get to places where you can find certain foods (we used that a lot!), tells you if a ride is closed (even just temporarily), first aid and height restrictions, and much more. If you get the photo pass, it is easier to add pictures throughout the day to your photo pass. It’s free, so you need to download it!

Rider Switch

Even if you spend most of the time wanting to go on rides with your children, I recommend making sure you can go on some “big kid” rides. Disneyland has a great Rider Switch program in place, where, if you have children that can’t go on ride, you are given a voucher (for Fast Pass rides) to go to the front of the line and ride again. With the non-Fast Pass rides, you are able to ask for a Rider Switch and do the same.

More Posts You Might Enjoy:

• The Best Age for Disneyland: The Ultimate Guide to Help You Decide
• Multigenerational Family Vacation to Disney – Tips for Success!
• First Time in Disney World: 5 Mistakes To Avoid Making

The post The Best Rides for Toddlers at Disney World + Disneyland appeared first on Magical Family Travel Guide.

Now is the time to bring the whole family out to Walt Disney World.

With restrictions easing up and the parks revitalizing, it’s a great time to gather with all of your family members for an amazing time.

Of course, any trip that has multiple age groups can have it’s advantages and disadvantages – knowing how to plan the trip so everyone enjoys it is key! Here are some of our top tips for a successful, multi-generational Disney trip!

Book your next magical family adventure through our friends at Get Away Today! They are truly the Disney experts and can make planning your trip a breeze for both Disneyland and Disney World. You can browse their website or call 1-855-GET-AWAY. Make sure you tell them Magical Family Travel Guide sent you or use the code MFTG for $10 off a Southern California

Plan Together

It’s a big mistake to let one person take the reins on such a big trip. There is too much to do and too many ways to do it. Leaving family in the dark, even with the best intentions can have disastrous results. I

t creates unfair expectations and too much uncertainty about how plans will turn out. The more you can get others in the family involved on plans the better you can set your goals and increase the chance of a successful Disney vacation.

Divide the trip into different sections – lodging, meals, transportation, park planning, etc. Get everyone’s input on what they’d like to be involved in and divvy up the tasks from there!

It might be a good idea to send out a survey to everyone beforehand to start with planning. A few things to include:

• Budget for the trip
• Meal expectations (eat out for every meal? Bring food into the park?)
• MUST-DO activities/rides
• Special accomodations/situations
• Ages of everyone going

When you first start planning, it can be a good idea to give everyone a general overview of how much an average Disney trip costs. You don’t want someone thinking it will only cost a couple hundred bucks, only to realize at the end they are expected to pay a lot more!

Time Apart

Although most of the appeal of a multigenerational family vacation to Disney World is how much time you will all spend together, you’ll need time apart. Trust us on this one.

Some members will want to split off for a while and do other things when no consensus is reached. That needs to be okay and there needs to be a plan for it. That goes for teens who want to explore and grandparents who want a rest. It’s also a good opportunity for grandparents to watch the kids so mom and dad can have a date night.

A good time to split up can be mealtimes. It can be hard to get reservations for a large group of people, so you might want to split into smaller groups for meal time.

Setting expectations upfront can help prevent hurt feelings and misunderstandings. You also shouldn’t just expect grandparents to want to be the babysitters. They want to enjoy the trip, too, so make sure everyone makes their wants and wishes known upfront.

It can be smart to have a designated person in charge of each group, too. If you have small children, each child NEEDS to have someone specifically designated to keeping an eye out on them!

Connect Reservations

If your reservations are not the same, you will need to connect them through your Disney accounts. This is really important, as it allows you to make sure you have the same park reservations, meal reservations, FastPass reservations, etc.

It can be a little tricky to do this. If you book through Get Away Today, I highly recommend using their FREE Concierge service to help with this! We had issues with this with our upcoming trip, and they were so helpful!

Make an Itinerary

Having a schedule for your trip can really be helpful so everyone knows what times they need to be places, when fast passes are scheduled, when you plan to watch the fireworks, etc.

Of course, you need to be flexible and allow for changes. But having a general idea of how the trip will go can make life a lot easier for everyone!

Rent DVC Points

When you get the whole family together you will need special accommodations. You can get standard adjoining rooms. However, a Disney villa will suit you better. You don’t have to be a member of Disney Vacation Club to get a good price on vacation villas. You can rent points from members. It’s totally above board and it gets you a good deal. It also helps out members who want to recoup some of their membership costs when they are unable to use their points.

Choosing the right resort may have as much to do with the cost of the points you rent as location. Consider cheaper accommodations if it will allow you to stay an extra night or two. Otherwise, base your decision on convenience. Stay close to a transportation hub like The Beach Club or Riviera resorts for Skyliners to EPCOT and Disney Hollywood Studios. For Magic Kingdom, consider staying at Bay Lake Tower, Polynesian Village, or the Fort Wilderness cabins.

You could also consider renting an AirBnb for the trip or staying at another nearby lodge. Get Away Today is a great place to book your trip and find the best deals on lodging on and off site.

We do think that staying on site can be really beneficial, especially when traveling with a large group of people!

Train for the Trip

With a range of ages and fitness levels, you should plan your multigenerational family vacation with caution. Don’t over plan the vacation. Take kids out to walk so they can prepare for what it will be like walking around in the parks all stay. Adults should try and up their physical activity as well.

Everyone should build their endurance levels and try to find their limits before the trip. It will help you to plan better and pace your trip appropriately.

Book your next magical family adventure through our friends at Get Away Today! They are truly the Disney experts and can make planning your trip a breeze for both Disneyland and Disney World. You can browse their website or call 1-855-GET-AWAY. Make sure you tell them Magical Family Travel Guide sent you or use the code MFTG for $10 off a Southern California

More Posts You Might Enjoy:

• First Time in Disney World: 5 Mistakes To Avoid Making
• The Best Age for Disneyland: The Ultimate Guide to Help You Decide
• Five Walt Disney World Secrets You Might Not Know

The post Multigenerational Family Vacation to Disney – Tips for Success! appeared first on Magical Family Travel Guide.

“What is the best age for Disneyland”

This is the million dollar question asked by families every year – When should they take their child to Disneyland?

Is there truly a best age to visit the Disney parks?

The truth is – there isn’t just one good age to go to Disneyland.

I have taken my children to Disney as young as two months old and as old as nine. I have gone as an adult and as a teenager. We’ve traveled with other families and grandparents.

And every trip has been unique and memorable. Each experience has helped me realize that there is magic in every age.

It is one of the theme parks that families of all shapes and sizes can enjoy – from baby to grandparent.

However, if you are trying to find that sweet spot – this post should help you determine that. Many people can only go to Disneyland or Disney World once in their lives, so finding a time that is the most perfect can feel important.

There’s no one right time or perfect age for everyone – it’s all about finding the right time for your family!

Let’s dive in – below I’ll share my best tips for going with different ages to help you decide when the best time to take YOUR family is.

Book with Get Away Today

Are you still in the planning stages of your trip? Make sure you book through our friends at Get Away Today. I have booked all my Disney vacations through them since 2008, and they are all about helping you make the BEST trip for your family. You can get $10 off a vacation package using the code MFTG or mentioning us when you book! You can book through the Get Away Today website or by calling (855) 438-2929.

Disneyland with a Baby

When we tell people we have taken our babies to Disney, we usually get that “Are you insane?” look from people. You know what I’m talking about.

Is Disneyland with a baby the easiest? Nope. But can it still be fun? Absolutely.

For my 30th birthday, Forrest and I went to Disneyland with our three-month-old. We had so much fun!

Now, if you just have a baby (no older kids) and this is your once in a lifetime trip, it probably wouldn’t be my first choice when to go.

But if you have older children and some help and one your kids happens to be a baby, I wouldn’t let that hold you back from going. You really can have a great time at the happiest place on earth when you have a baby with you.

Pros

• Relatively easy to take them around the park in a carrier or stroller. I find babies are less finicky about taking naps on the go in the park than say, a toddler. There are always exceptions to this – especially if you have a baby who is very particular about their sleep environment. But we’ve found this to be true when we’ve brought babies.
• Disney has great baby care centers throughout all their parks. These are perfect for quick diaper changes, feeding, and getting any supplies you may have forgotten. You can also cool down here with your baby, which is great. They have these in both parks, and they are very clean.
• Your baby isn’t going to be opinionated on what you do – with older kids, you’ll be pulled in different directions based on their preferences and what they want to do, but with babies – they’ll just go wherever you want.
• Disneyland has a lot of baby-friendly rides. I definitely think it’s one of the best baby-friendly theme parks ever! Most of the time you can wear them in a carrier on the rides.
• You can take advantage of Rider Switch, which allows you to have someone stay behind with the baby and go to the front of the line afterward. Usually this comes with the ability for a couple of other people to go with them, so you don’t have to worry about missing all your favorite rides!
• Lots of places to sit if you need to breastfeed or give a bottle

Cons

• It’s hard to have a full day at the park – just because it’s a really long day! I don’t recommend going from sunup til sun down with a baby in tow.
• Many of the rides that are baby-friendly can also be REALLY loud. This can be pretty overwhelming for some babies, and even if it doesn’t bother them, I always worry about what the sound might do to their hearing. I definitely recommend getting infant ear protection!
• If you are bottle feeding, it can be a pain to try and prepare bottles on the go while you are in the park.
• Someone always has to stay with them – even though the Rider Switch is super helpful, the fact of the matter is – someone is always going to be left behind. You’ll never get to go on a ride altogether with your entire group.
• Most of the year, Disneyland is going to be hot – babies can overheat easily, so you need to take extra precautions to ensure they are protected and well-hydrated.
• Disneyland attracts people from all different cities and countries and places around the world. With infants having weaker immune systems (especially if they haven’t been fully vaccinated), they may be more susceptible to picking up illnesses in the park – even a common cold.

Best Rides and Attractions

There are a lot of great rides and attractions that your baby can participate in – this isn’t an all exhaustive list, but here are a few you can definitely enjoy with them! I’ve taken my kids on a lot of rides as babies, though many of them are pretty loud, so I haven’t included those below.

• it’s a small world
• Dumbo the Flying Elephant
• Jungle Cruise
• The Enchanted Tiki Room (great place just to sit down for awhile that also happens to be air conditioned)
• Pixar Pal-a-Round (just make sure you get in a cart that doesn’t move)
• Disneyland Railroad
• Parades – my kids always enjoy the bright sounds and fun music

Disneyland with a Toddler (2-3)

Toddlers and Disneyland can be SO fun but so exhausting. They tend be less likely to fall asleep in the park, get crankier, and start throwing tantrums. They are also at an age where they might not be so happy about not being able to go on all the rides with everyone else.

It can be a really magical experience though to visit the Disneyland Resort with toddlers – you just need to be prepared and not expect to spend the entire day running from attraction to attraction.

Whenever I’ve been at Disneyland with a toddler, I think how nice it would be to stay on site at one of the Disneyland resorts. It would make it so much easier if you could just pop back to the hotel for a quick nap and be right back at the park. When we leave the park with our toddlers, it’s usually a bit of a trek to get back to the hotel – so we rarely come back.

If you can go with grandparents, this would be a good age to bring them!

If I’m being honest, though, this is probably my least favorite age to take a child to Disneyland 🙂

Pros

• It can be so very magical with a toddler, especially when they see their favorite characters in real life!
• There are lots of toddler-friendly rides – and thank goodness for that, because you’ll probably be riding them over and over again!

Cons

• Your child won’t be tall enough for a lot rides – and in my experience, this can be super sad for the kids (especially when they are closer to three), especially if they see everyone else going on them.
• Long days at the park are definitely difficult with toddlers, especially if they aren’t on their regular schedules
• Nap times are trickier – toddlers can be less likely to fall asleep in the park with everything going on around them, and they probably won’t get as long of a nap as they might normally be used to
• Toddlers can be very opinionated about what they want to do – and they can also be very intense about wanting toys they see. Avoid souvenir shops at all costs!
• Potential for tantrums – toddlers are known for toddlers, and I feel like I see more toddlers having tantrum in the park than any other age
• They don’t always have the longest attention spans, so going to live shows or longer rides might not be very fun for them.

Best Rides and Attractions

All of the rides I mentioned under babies are great for toddlers too, but I’d also add in some others that might be a little more “dark” and “noisy”. I actually think kids this age are less likely to get scared of some of these rides (it’s closer to 4-5 that I see that fear start to come out)

• There are some great playgrounds that toddlers will love! I really love the one in Toon Town. When we took one of our kids as a toddler, they would have spent all day there if we’d let them
• Speaking of Mickey Mouse Toon Town, it’s going to be a great place to take your toddler. The rides might not be as appealing to them but they will love walking through the houses!
• Alice in Wonderland
• Casey Jr. Circus Train
• The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh
• it’s a small world
• Peter Pan’s Flight
• King Triton’s Carousel
• Little Mermaid
• Inside Out Emotional Whirlwind
• Monster’s Inc: Mike and Sully to the Rescue
• Tarzan’s Treehouse
• Storybrook Land Canal Boats

Disneyland with a Preschooler (4-5)

I can honestly say that this is one of the most TRULY magical ages to take a child to a Disney park. I feel like you can just feel the excitement as they see their favorite characters come to life. This is definitely one of my favorite ages to go to Disneyland with kids.

This was when I first went to Disneyland as a child, and I still have very vivid memories of that trip. Those are probably my most distinct memories from that time in my life!

Children this age may not be able to go on every ride, but I feel like they just soak it all in – maybe a little beyond the age of five. But really, it’s the best. I wish I could remember going to Disneyland when I was this age, but it’s so special seeing it through my kids age.

The memories your child may have a trip at this age aren’t going to be as vivid as some of the other ages, but I promise, they will absolutely love it! And even more, you’ll have SO much fun watching Disney through the eyes of your younger kids.

Pros

• Kids this age tend to have more stamina – they don’t usually take naps during the day, they can walk more (though a stroller can be helpful for the very long days), and they are generally a little less likely to throw temper tantrums.
• Very magical – some of my favorite memories with my kids and seeing them totally light up when they saw their favorite characters or scenes from a movie
• They can usually go on MOST rides – though I would say that’s true closer to the age of five. We took my oldest when he was four, and he was about 1/2″ too short for a lot of rides still, but he was a small kid. We took my second son to Disney World at the age of five, and the only ride he couldn’t go on was Avatar. I think at Disneyland, he wouldn’t have been able to go on Indiana Jones (but he is also very small for his age!)
• This is the prime age for excitement about Disney characters!

Cons

• Long lines can be hard for this age, especially since you might not have a stroller with you where they can rest.
• I find a lot of kids have a lot of fear at these ages – they don’t want to try as many rides, and the darker/louder rides might feel scarier for them.
• This age also seems to be the most likely to be lost. You may not insist on holding their hand as much, and their attention can be distracted really easily. How do I know this? Well, my son got lost at Disneyland when he was four.
• Your child should remembers bits and pieces of the trip, but it may not be as vivid as when they are older.

Best Rides and Attractions

All of the rides listed in the toddler section should be great for this age, plus:

• Roger Rabbit’s Car Toon Spin
• Autopia
• Turtle Talk with Crush
• Astro Orbitor
• Silly Symphony Swings
• Disney Junior Dance party
• Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage
• Gadget’s Go Coaster
• Golden Zephyr
• Jessie’s Critter Carousel
• Luigi’s Rollickin’ Roadsters
• Mad Tea Party
• Mater’s Junkyard Jamboree
• Redwood Creek Challenge Trail
• Frozen Ever After
• Character Dining
• Soarin’ Around the World
• Web Slingers
• Pirate’s Lair on Tom Sawyer Island

Again – this doesn’t mean your child won’t enjoy some of the other rides I’ll list in older categories (some of them, I’m sure your child would!), but I find they can be a little hit or miss. Most of the ones above are going to be solid hits for most kids.

A lot of people see the Radiator’s Springs racers and think their kids this age will love it – which some will. But it’s actually a little more intense than you might expect. My son was four when he went on it, and he was a little traumatized!

Two other rides I didn’t mention were Astroblasters and Midway Mania. My kids this age go on these rides and have fun, but I find they need more help than older kids do. But you can definitely take them on them!

Disneyland with an elementary child (6-10)

At this point, your child is likely to meet all the height requirements for rides, so you won’t have to worry about any type of disappointment when it comes to going on a ride for that reason. Children this age still appreciate the magic of Disneyland, and they usually still get excited about the characters (though they may act less excited the older they get).

This is also an age where they might start to have stronger memories of the trip, so if you are looking for a time where they still enjoy the magic of Disney yet are old enough to remember the trip – as well as be less likely to throw a tantrum, elementary aged is great.

We had a lot of fun last year at Disney World with my (then) eight-year-old. He had previously been terrified of pretty much every ride, and this time, he went on everything and LOVED it!

Pros

• Kids this age are going to be more easily meet all the height requirements for any ride they want to go on.
• They will definitely remember the trip
• I find kids this age to be pretty enthusiastic and excited about being at Disneyland – they aren’t too cool to hang out with their parents 🙂
• They can keep going for longer – no need to stop a lot for breaks, take naps, etc. They generally will keep going as long as you’ll let them!

Cons

• May not enjoy the “little” kid rides anymore – though I find they are usually willing to go and have a fun time once they are on them 🙂
• Some kids are still a little fearful at this age – though they might be more easily convinced to at least try something

Best Rides and Attractions

Many of the rides previously listed will still be a lot of fun for this age group, but you can also add these rides to your day and be able to ride them with them.

• Splash Mountain
• Radiator Springs Races
• Big Thunder Mountain Railroad
• Grizzly River Run
• Star Tours
• Goofy’s Sky School
• Star Wars Launch Bay
• Pirates of the Caribbean
• Haunted Mansion
• Toy Story Midway Mania
• Buzzy Lightyear’s Astroblasters
• Millenium Falcon Smuggler’s Run
• Star Wars: Rise of the Resistence

Some of the more intense rides listed in the next category will be fun for this age as well, depending on the child. I know my oldest son and their cousins we went with last time weren’t as enthusiastic for some of them 🙂

Disneyland with middle to high school (11-18)

And finally, the last stage of childhood – middle and high school. Obviously, this is a big age range, so not all of this will be applicable. But take from it what you will.

This age is great because you know that your child will remember the trip, they can go on every ride, and they can just go, go, go.

However, depending on the kid, you might start to get more of a “I’m too cool for this” or “My parents are so lame” attitude. This obviously isn’t true for everyone, and there is plenty of Disney Magic to be found – but I find you sometimes have to dig a little deeper to get that to come out.

You’ll probably spend some more time a the Disney California Adventure Park, as that is a lot of fun for tweens and teens.

Pros

• They will remember it
• They can go on every ride
• They can go all day long and not need a break – you might have a harder time keeping up with them, even!

Cons

• The trip may not seem as magical – even if they LOVE Disney, it’s just different from taking a younger child there
• Might be less likely to want to hang out with you the whole time – especially if you have other teens with you

Best Rides and Attractions

Obviously, they’ll probably love any of the rides listed under the Elementary category (and probably many others as well), but here are a few more that this age will more than likely LOVE. Most teens love thrill rides.

• Indiana Jones
• Space Mountain
• Matterhorn Bobsleds
• Guardian’s of the Galaxy

Overall

All in all, there is no right age for everyone – there are so many different age ranges that are blast for different reasons, and I know you can have fun at any age from 0 to 100.

However, it will be a different experience for a Disney vacation going with young children, elementary school kids, and teenagers. It’s all about finding the right age for your family.

One of the best parts is just spending time together and making memories. No matter what age you are, you will do that.

And again, don’t forget to save $10 on your next magical vacation when you book through Get Away Today and mention Magical Family Travel Guide or use the code MFTG.

More Posts You Might Enjoy:

• The Best Rain Ponchos for Disney + Rainy Day Tips (2021)
• Where to Stay: Hotels Around Disneyland
• Disneyland Transportation: Getting Around In AND Outside the Park
• Magic Kingdom Treats Under $10: The Best Disney Snacks

The post The Best Age for Disneyland: The Ultimate Guide to Help You Decide appeared first on Magical Family Travel Guide.

This year marked some big milestones for Disney! In both Disneyland and Walt Disney World, Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge opened to reveal new rides and experiences for guests.

There’s now more to see and do at the theme parks than ever before. Get Away Today recently debuted a Walt Disney World concierge service you’ll want to use to plan your next vacation.

Walt Disney World Concierge Service

As you may know, there is no fee to use Get Away Today to book and plan a Walt Disney World vacation.

They offer discounts on theme park tickets, hotels and more for vacations across the country.

And now they’re going above and beyond with this complimentary Walt Disney World concierge service.

Walt Disney World Concierge Service – How Do I Get It?

When you book a 2-night and longer vacation package to Walt Disney World with Get Away Today, you’re eligible for complimentary concierge services.

Vacation packages are hotel accommodations and theme park tickets combined, and guests must book a Walt Disney World Resort hotel to be eligible. 

Get Away Today sends a confirmation to you after you book, as well as helpful tips and tricks for your vacation.

You’re welcome to plan the details of your trip on your own, or accept assistance from Get Away Today’s Walt Disney World expert, Brooklyn.

She’s the force behind Walt Disney World concierge services and is available on an appointment-only basis for guests.

Don’t worry, it’s not hard to get an appointment! I just stress this part because the Get Away Today concierge service is not an automatic thing; you do have to make an appointment with Brooklyn in order to have her help making Walt Disney World add-on experience reservations.

Walt Disney World Concierge Service – What Does It Do?

Speaking of add-on reservations, now it’s probably time to tell you about the Get Away Today Walt Disney World concierge service benefits.

Did you know there are four parks at Walt Disney World? And each park is pretty massive? And that there are a lot of experiences that require advance reservations? Well, all this is true, and it can be a little overwhelming to organize.

That’s where the Concierge service comes in to save the day.

During your planning appointment, you and a Get Away Today employee will discuss what’s most important for you and your family to experience while in Disney World.

Based on your selections, they can start making FastPass+ and dining reservations for your vacation before you even leave home (once FastPass+ returns!)

Walt Disney World allows 3 daily FastPass+ reservations to be made up to 60 days in advance. Restaurant and Character Dining reservations are open up to 180 days in advance.

When the options you request become available at the 60 or 180-day marks, Brooklyn can do it all for you via the My Disney Experience app, which she can also set up for you.

What is the My Disney Experience app? It’s basically the online hub for all the details of your vacation.

If you’d like to use the Walt Disney World concierge service, Brooklyn can set up your free My Disney Experience account for you and link your travel party and tickets together.

Before and during your vacation, the My Disney Experience will help you and Brooklyn manage all your reservations and Walt Disney World information.

You’ll have access to the app yourself, and will use it to make additional FastPass selections on your own once you use the three initial reservations set up by Brooklyn.

Walt Disney World Concierge Service – Get Advice from the Experts

Take the stress out of vacation planning by booking with Get Away Today! They are more than just a business; they’re friends who happen to know all the ins and outs of popular vacation destinations. Any of the travel specialists at Get Away Today will be able to help you navigate the different parks of Walt Disney World, recommend Resort hotels and explain Resort transportation options to you. If you’re interested in additional, free Walt Disney World concierge services, be sure to ask for it when booking to set up an appointment. See all Walt Disney World vacations at www.getawaytoday.com, or call a travel expert at 855-GET-AWAY. Mention Clarks Condensed sent you!

The post Walt Disney World Concierge Service: The Secret for Planning Your Trip appeared first on Magical Family Travel Guide.

How many times have you and your entire family traveled to Disneyland or Walt Disney World, only to be greeted by a lot of heavy rain? If the answer was many times, we’ve got you covered. If the answer was not much, we are here to prepare you before you get stuck in a bit of rain.

Best Rain Ponchos for Disney

The solution? Rain ponchos! Trust us – it’s always a good idea to have one. Whether it’s a cheap one from the Dollar Tree, a Mickey Poncho, or a poncho you can use over and over again, a rain poncho is a good choice for every packing list.

Rainy season can be a great choice of when to visit the Disney parks. Don’t believe me? Think about it, it is a great way to enjoy an emptier version of the park. Locals will typically go home and come back when the weather forecast is nicer, because they don’t enjoy the theme parks under a little rain as much. Central Florida tends to be a little bit easier to manage during that time of year. Gotta love Florida weather!

These leave an almost empty park a lot of the time. Attraction lines will be shortened, restaurants have no need for reservations, and you can enjoy your favorite indoor and outdoor attractions like Seven Dwarfs Mine Train, Big Thunder Mountain and many more.

Rain protection can ensure that you get the most out of your vacation, without getting absolutely soaked. And while this applies well to the rainy summer months, it also applies to a sunny day, when you want to ride your favorite ride like Splash Mountain or Kali River Rapids, without getting drenched and walking around the rest of the day in wet shoes. It can be hard to enjoy the rest of your day at the Magic Kingdom or Animal Kingdom when you’re soaking wet and not able to dry off as quickly as you’d like.

When considering the best rain poncho to bring with you to the Disney parks, you first have to think about the different types of rain ponchos and what you and your family will be most comfortable in. They tend to be easier to tote around than rain coats, and they fold up nicely.

Book your next magical family adventure through our friends at Get Away Today! They are truly the Disney experts and can make planning your trip a breeze for both Disneyland and Disney World. You can browse their website or call 1-855-GET-AWAY. Make sure you tell them Magical Family Travel Guide sent you or use the code MFTG for $10 off a Southern California

Types of Rain Ponchos

Most often, the popular choice for keeping dry is a disposable rain poncho. They are easy for people to carry in their backpacks and you can throw them away at the end of the day. While a waterproof rain jacket might be a better choice if you are expecting afternoon showers or Florida rain all day, a poncho is better for intermittent showers or for rides.

No matter what style of rain poncho you choose, the important thing is to stay dry while on your favorite rides or during a rainy day. But where do you start?

Disposable Rain Ponchos

If you do choose to go the disposable poncho route, there are plenty of options with different colors, patterns, and styles. These tend to be cheap ponchos.

However, at the end of the day, disposable ponchos are just cheap plastic ponchos. While they do the job, they risk getting holes in them or not performing as well as others may.

We picked up a bunch for The Dollar Tree before our last trip, and while they did get holes in them, they got the job done! Disposable ones are also very lightweight poncho option, and can be an especially good choice if you don’t have a large backpack. You can probably even fit it into a fanny pack!

Heavy Duty Rain Ponchos

There are ponchos that are a step up from disposable ponchos, but not quite as durable as heavy-duty ponchos. These ponchos are still made of plastic, but they are thicker and can be customized with different designs.

If you are looking for a heavy-duty rain ponchos, we suggest looking at one of the following:

• snugpak patrol poncho
• frogg toggs ultra-lite2
• terra hiker rain poncho
• Saphirose Jack Coat Poncho – I think these look fantastic and would be an excellent choice!

Heavy-duty rain jackets or ponchos are made with a thicker material that dries off easily and can be worn over and over. No one wants to use wet ponchos! These can be especially useful if the weather forecast says that it will rain on multiple days of your trip.

Often times, these rain ponchos are made large enough to cover not only the user, but the user’s backpack and personal items. This can prove useful if you are carrying electronics or snacks in your backpack that you would prefer to keep dry.

But remember, if you are looking to invest in a heavy-duty rain poncho, make sure you are looking for a breathable rain jacket or poncho with a drawstring hood. You don’t want a rain jacket that is too tight, but you want to be able to keep the rain out as much as possible during bad weather.

If you’re looking for a sturdier poncho, definitely look at some of these.

Disney Ponchos

There are many ponchos with a customized designs that add a little flare to a rainy day during hurricane season. For a little more magic, you can consider getting Disney Ponchos . Mickey rain ponchos are especially fun for all ages!

Kid Ponchos

In a pinch, a child can wear an adult poncho. However, having one that fits them well will make things easier for everyone so they aren’t tripping on it and tearing it as they walk.

Here are a couple of great options:

Where to find Rain Ponchos

If it just so happens that you will be expecting rain during your visit, you’ll want to start planning what good rain gear to bring with you.

There are many places that sell rain jackets and ponchos. You can visit in store or online options for places like:

• Walmart.com
• Target.com
• Amazon.com

Each of these sites will vary in price, depending on what you are looking for. Disposable rain ponchos will be less expensive, and will often come in packs, whereas heavy-duty rain ponchos will be slightly more expensive and sold individually.

You can typically find them in the camping section of the store.

Personally, my family has usually opted for the disposable rain ponchos because of the price and the ability to throw them away and use a new one the next day, if needed. They can also be found in-person at stores like Walmart, Target, the 99 cent store, or dollar stores.

Where can you buy ponchos in Disney World?

Forget to buy a poncho before you left? Be sure to check out this article about where you can buy ponchos at Disney World!

Additional Protection for Rainy Days

Apart from rain jackets or ponchos, there are additional ways to protect yourself and your loved ones.

Stroller Covers

For those of you with little ones, you may also want to consider stroller covers when making your trip to the Happiest Place on Earth.

On Amazon, you can find stroller covers for anywhere from $10-$30. The best seller on Amazon is the Bemece Stroller Rain Cover and “Amazon’s choice” is the Stroller Rain Cover.

Most stroller covers are adaptable to different models of strollers, but be sure to check that the cover fits your stroller before you head to the parks, to keep your little one safe and dry.

Shoe Covers

To go one step further, you can look into waterproof shoe covers that will allow you to walk “To Infinity and Beyond” without getting your shoes or your feet wet.

There is nothing worse than walking around the park in wet shoes, just waiting for dreaded blisters to form.

Another option for avoiding wet shoes, is packing rain boots in your suitcase. Rain boots are a sure way to keep your feet dry and repel the rain.

You may also want to consider an option like Chaco’s when visiting the Disney parks. Chaco’s are versatile and durable sandals that are capable of braving different kinds of weather and terrain. Many of my family members have Chaco’s and they are their favorite shoes to wear to the parks, because of how comfortable they are and how quickly they adapt to weather forecasts. They can be a pricier option, but they are well worth it.

Ultimately, you need to choose the most comfortable option for footwear at the Disney parks because you are walking most of the day. I have seen people sport tennis shoes, flip flops, Chaco’s, rain boots, and even designer Gucci shoes. (And let me tell you, he was not happy when they got wet on Splash Mountain).

So remember to consider the weather, but also choose what is going to be the most comfortable for you as you’re walking around the parks.

And, if you’re lucky, you may even see a few cast members sporting similar rainy day fashion.

Going Back to the Hotel to Stay Dry

If your family is staying on or near the Disney park you are visiting, it might even be worth it to take a short break from all of the fun. You can take a few hours and go back to the hotel room, change your clothes, take a nap, and rejuvenate before you and your family are ready to brave the rain showers again.

My family has been known to do this on occasion, but it is really only worth it if you have passes to the Disney parks for multiple days. If the rainy day is your only time to visit the park, I would suggest staying and finding other ways to stay dry.

Finding Ways to Stay Dry in the Parks

No matter what park you are visiting, there are always indoor attractions that are a good way to stay dry during a rain storm. Rides like It’s a Small World, Pirates of the Caribbean, Space Mountain, and Haunted Mansion are only some of the many indoor rides that last a little while longer and will give your party a break from all the high winds and rain.

If lines are long and you’re looking for another way to stay dry, I suggest visiting one of the many gift shops there are in each of the Disney parks. These shops are almost always indoor and provide shelter from the rain. You can also pick up more protective gear like backpacks, fanny packs, or baseball caps to keep the rain off for the remainder of the day.

These gift shops sometimes carry rain ponchos, but in my experience, they can be harder to find and you may have to visit a certain area of the park to find them. If rain gear is what you’re after in the parks, the best people to talk to would be cast members.

In Florida, you can go to a designated information booth on Main Street U.S.A. or City Hall while you are visiting Magic Kingdom, or any of the designated information centers in the other parks at the Walt Disney World Resort.

In California, you can go to a designated information booth on Main Street U.S.A. or City Hall in Disneyland, or the information center in California Adventure.

In all Disney parks, you can find a cast member walking around with a character, or posted at a ride, but they typically do not know information about inventory of gift shops.

Whether you are looking for a simple solution for staying dry or a more complex solution for rainy season, we are confident these solutions will allow you to enjoy all of your favorite outdoor attractions during your visit to the Disney parks. A little water shouldn’t stop anyone from still having a great time – preparation is key!

The post The Best Rain Ponchos for Disney + Rainy Day Tips (2021) appeared first on Magical Family Travel Guide.

Hotels on Disney Property

Disneyland Resort hotels can be some of the most memorable experiences whether you are traveling with friends, traveling with family, or on a romantic getaway.

Disneyland Resort Hotels include:

• Disneyland Hotel
• Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel
• Disney’s Paradise Pier Hotel

There are many things that contribute to a special stay at at Disneyland Resort Hotel. There are themed accommodations, themed pools, character dining experiences and proximity to the parks.

However, the Disneyland Resort Hotels can be pretty pricey. For less expensive options, let’s look at some options that are close to the park

Hotels within Walking Distance

My family generally stays in one of the hotels that is within walking distance of the parks. Often times they are considerably less expensive and you don’t have to worry about parking or transportation.

• Anaheim Camelot Inn & Suites
• The Anaheim Hotel
• Best Western Plus Anaheim Inn
• Best Western Plus Park Place Inn & Mini Suites
• Castle Inn & Suites
• Courtyard by Marriott Anaheim Theme Park Entrance
• Desert Inn & Suites
• Del Sol Inn Anaheim Resort
• Fairfield Inn by Marriott Anaheim Resort
• Grand Legacy at the Park
• Homewood Suites by Hilton Anaheim Resort Convention Center
• Hotel Indigo
• Howard Johnson Anaheim Hotel and Water Playground
• Park Vue Inn
• Tropicana Inn & Suites

Some of the hotels within walking distance are located near dining locations like McDonalds, Mimi’s Cafe, or Dennys, making them even more appealing.

Most hotels near Disneyland Resort have subtle magical aspects in theme or decoration, making it feel like a true Disney experience.

Hotels a little further than Walking Distance

There are even more options a little further from the park. Most of the hotels will offer either free transportation or transportation for a small fee to Disneyland Resort.

• Anaheim Discovery Inn & Suites at the Park
• Alamo Inn & Suites
• Hampton Inn & Suites
• Hotel Lulu
• Hyatt Place at Anaheim Resort Convention Center
• JW Marriott, Anaheim Resort
• Portofino Inn & Suites
• Quality Inn & Suites
• Residence Inn by Marriott at Anaheim Resort Convention Center
• Sheraton Park Hotel at the Anaheim Resort
• Springhill Suites Marriott at Anaheim Resort Convention Center
• The Westin Anaheim Resort

Whether you are you looking for proximity to the park, space in your room, price, or amenities, there will be a perfect hotel for you and your loved ones.

For even more hotel ideas and options, check out Disney’s “Good Neighbor” recommended hotel list.

The post Where to Stay: Hotels Around Disneyland appeared first on Magical Family Travel Guide.