Choosing the best days of the week to visit Disneyland can greatly impact your overall experience at the park. While the popularity of Disneyland means that it can be crowded throughout the year, certain days tend to be more manageable in terms of crowds, wait times, and overall enjoyment.

Planning your visit on the right days can make a significant difference in your ability to explore attractions, enjoy shows, and have a magical time.

In this article, we’ll guide you through the considerations for selecting the optimal days to visit Disneyland and help you make the most of your 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

What are the best days of the week to visit Disneyland?

The best days to visit Disneyland can vary depending on factors like crowd levels, park hours, and special events.

However, some general guidelines can help you choose the optimal days for your visit:

Midweek Days (Tuesday to Thursday)

Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays are often the least crowded days at Disneyland. Most people visit during weekends or extend their trips to include Mondays and Fridays, leaving the middle of the week relatively quieter. This means shorter wait times for popular rides and a more enjoyable overall experience.

Off-Peak Seasons

Aim for times when schools are in session to avoid the large crowds associated with school vacations and holidays. The months of January, February (except Presidents’ Day weekend), September, and early December usually see lower attendance.

Avoid Holidays and Special Events

Major holidays like Christmas, New Year’s, Thanksgiving, and the Fourth of July tend to attract large crowds. Additionally, during certain events like Halloween and Christmas celebrations, the parks can be busier due to their unique offerings.

Check Crowd Calendars

Many online resources provide crowd calendars that predict attendance levels at Disneyland on specific days. These calendars take into account historical data and trends to help you plan your visit during quieter times.

Consider Weather

Southern California generally enjoys mild weather, but rain can sometimes deter crowds. If rain is forecasted, you might experience shorter wait times for attractions.

Rope Drop and Park Hopping

Arriving at park opening (rope drop) allows you to experience popular attractions with shorter wait times before the crowds arrive. Additionally, with the Park Hopper ticket option, you can start your day in one park and then switch to the other once it gets busier.

Use Disney Genie Plus

Use Disney Genie Plus to reserve access to select attractions, minimizing your time spent waiting in line.

Remember that even on the best days, Disneyland can still have some level of crowd activity.

Planning ahead, arriving early, and use resources like Disney Genie Plus can help you make the most of your visit, no matter when you decide to go.

More Posts You May Enjoy:

• Disneyland Balloons: Everything You Need to Know
• The Best Places to Buy Disney Clothes for Your Disney Vacation
• Where Can You Buy Rain Ponchos at Disney World? Your Complete Guide

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For me, how much I enjoy traveling depends a lot on how well I pack. Here are some tips for packing that might make traveling easier and more enjoyable for you.

First off, if you are traveling by airplane, it helps to know the airline’s baggage policy before you buy the ticket. I almost always fly with my family, so we know we are going to need a decent amount of luggage that we don’t want to have to pay an arm and a leg for.

It is helpful to be aware of the size and weight restrictions before you select your suitcase(s). I have had both hard and soft suitcases before. I realized that I prefer the soft cases, because they weigh less and they can stretch and expand if needed. A lighter suitcase means I can bring more things inside of the suitcase without going over 50 pounds.

It is also helpful to have a quality suitcase that handles the wear and tear of travel, and that is easy to move and handle!

Okay, back to packing. Here is a bit of my packing resume. I grew up in Sanford, North Carolina, but I went to college at BYU in Provo, UT. I flew to college. I had to pack everything I might need for a year of school into two suitcases, a carry-on, and a personal item.

After my first year of college, I went on a two year mission for my church, so I had to pack approved and specific types of things for a two-year period. During that time I moved every 4-5 months.

Now I travel for holidays, weddings, and funerals with my family, so we tend to carry a lot of things for to help us get by for a few weeks.

We can’t travel too often, so we usually try to maximize the time in different places. For each of these situations I had to pack differently. However, I believe most of my top ten tips for packing should be helpful in most situations.

Here are my ten tips for packing!

1. First, make a list.

Consider your activities and what you will need to accomplish them. What can you afford to buy at your destination, what will be available for free, and what can you do without?

Plan and prioritize and then make a list. I don’t trust myself in the chaos of the moment of packing to remember everything but maybe you are different.

In my opinion, the main goals of packing are to have what you need, have it easily accessible, and to have it in as close to the condition that you need it as possible.

Those goals are meet within time and money constraints that depend on the person packing and the goals of the travel.

2. Roll up you clothes instead of folding them

Or just chucking them in the suitcase. Rolled up shirts and pants will be less likely to wrinkle, and they will take up less space. If you don’t care about wrinkles, and you just want to fit as many clothes in a suitcase as possible then I think folding would be better.

Also, you could try packing aides that use vacuum suction to, basically, shrink wrap your clothes. If you are just going on a short trip and you don’t want to waste time with ironing clothes, then roll up your less wrinkle prone clothes and lay them on top of your more sensitive clothes.

Plus, to keep your dress shirts and such from shifting and getting wrinkled you can use something like a dry cleaning bag tucked over and into the sides of the suitcase. Use socks, underwear, and other properly sealed toiletries to fill in the empty spaces.

Think about how everything might shift and plan accordingly. Place books and other heavy items near the bottom of your suitcase.

3. If you are flying, make sure your valuables and important documents are with you on the plane.

Checked bags are at a greater risk of being lost or stolen. Additionally, if you want to avoid someone else confusing their bag with yours at baggage claim, try a brighter color or design for the bag itself or for something on or tied to the bag.

4. Make sure that liquids, gases, or gels meet the TSA’s 3-1-1 rule.

Basically, they have to be small travel sizes and in a clear plastic bag. For liquids and other items in checked bags that might explode due changes in air pressure during flights at least use a sealed plastic bag.

You can also put some plastic wrap over the opening of the bottle or tube and then screw the lid on top of the plastic. This should help prevent most problems. Katie and I were not always careful about this, and we paid the price.

5. Use your personal item wisely.

I don’t know what the official policy of most airlines, but I think the size of your personal item is mostly dependent on how well if fits under the seat in front of you.

I’ve packed a backpack full of heavy books, which has saved me from putting a lot of weight in my checked bags.

I’ve even brought my tennis racquet on board with me because it wouldn’t fit in my checked luggage, and I didn’t have a problem. I think I just stowed it up top.

6. Be aware that your bag might be searched.

If your bag is stuffed so full that you think it is a minor miracle that you got it to close, remember that the TSA official who might have to search it might not be so fortunate or careful.

Bags might rip, seams might split, or you might have to pick your bag up from somewhere other than the usual baggage claim area. Plus, the locks on suitcases have to be TSA compliant, or the might be cut off or broken.

If you don’t want some stranger touching certain things then put them in a clear plastic bag, so that the items can be clearly seen.

7. Consider what you can buy at your destination.

If you can avoid the time, hassle, and luggage fees by avoiding packing items you can buy at you destination (if you will have the time) then do it.

This includes considering laundry options. If you can do your laundry at your destination, then you can bring fewer clothes.

You could even try washing your clothes in a hotel sink, and then hanging them up in the shower to dry. If you have a child in diapers, just buy the diapers and wipes when you get to your destination.

8. Pack versatile items

I think smart phones are great for this. Smart phones can make it so you don’t need books, maps, music players, etc. They do need to be charged, so it might be good to have an extra battery pack if you depend on your phone a lot.

Using layers when dressing for different weather conditions is one way to make your clothes more versatile. Instead of a big jacket, maybe a couple of shirts and a thick sweater or light jacket.9. Pack some high calorie snacks

I hate paying the ridiculous prices of airports and certain tourist destinations. I can save myself some money with granola bars, trail mixes, and jerky. They won’t go bad sitting for a while in different kinds of environment, and you won’t freak out if you’re behind schedule and don’t have time to buy food.

Similarly, bring an empty clear bottle to fill up with water fountain or restaurant water, so you don’t have to buy overpriced water or drinks if you get thirsty.

10. Pack something for the trip

Sometimes people pack just for the destination, and they don’t prepare for the time and effort of the trip itself. Just makes sure you are taking care of yourself, so you aren’t too tired or upset to do what you need to do when you get to your destination.

By the way, make sure you actually bring your luggage. I only partly mention this in jest. When Katie and I were enjoying our simple honeymoon we were leaving the house we were able to enjoy for a few nights to drive a few hours towards the beach. However, once we got to the hotel we were going to be staying in, we realized that one of Katie’s bags wasn’t there. I had taken it down the stairs at the house we had stayed in, but I hadn’t actually put it in the car. So, once you pack to perfection make sure you actually take the bag with you!

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I was really excited to be able to get a couple of press tickets – we had an extra one, so my little brother, Michael, was able to come. What did he think?

Well, he said dreams came true that day, and it would be practically his dream job to work there.

I’d say it was pretty much a success.

Leading up to our visit, we all were getting SO excited. We drove up from Anaheim in horrible traffic (but isn’t that always the case in California?), and it was pretty hot outside, but none of that mattered when we first entered the gates. It was so magical from the moment we got there. It’s about 1/3 the size of the Wizarding World in Orlando, but it was still incredible.

If you are a Harry Potter fan, this is a must-visit location. It was a bit out of our way, but I’m so glad we went. Since it’s a new place, I thought I would write a few tips and tricks for navigating the Wizarding World of Harry Potter in Hollywood’s Universal Studios!

First off, if you are going to buy tickets, buy them from Get Away Today! You can buy them just for Universal Studios, OR you can buy a bundle with tickets to Disney, which is awesome. I think they have the best prices on tickets (especially when you bundle with Disney), and their prices on hotels are pretty unbeatable as well. If you book your tickets and a hotel through Get Away Today, you can get $10 off using the code ClarksCondensed!

Plus, you can use their awesome layaway plans so you don’t have to pay for the entire trip until two weeks before you leave. We planned most of our California trip through Get Away Today, and they made it so easy.

Now, on to the good stuff!

When to Go

We went in the middle of the day, and it was quite busy! Everything I’ve heard and read has said that you should either go first thing in the morning or wait until later afternoon.

With that said, the longest line I saw as for the Ollivander’s Wand choosing ceremony. The other two main attractions really didn’t have the longest waits at all. We went right in the middle of the afternoon even!

What to do First

There is a lot to look at inside the Wizarding World, so I recommend taking your time. However, the two places that had the longest lines were Ollivander’s Wand Shop and Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey. I will talk about these more in a bit, but they definitely had the longest lines.

I recommend grabbing a big cup of butterbeer while you wait in the line – if it’s out outside, it will definitely help make the wait a little less long.

The Three Broomsticks

We didn’t get a chance to eat here, but I wish we would have. It sounds amazing, and if you go, I think you should definitely make an effort to eat there. It sounds like it has a lot of traditional British fare.

One of the employees at Honeydukes told us that if you have a party of four or more, the cook will bring the meal out to you personally. I thought that was kind of cool!

Even if you don’t want to eat there, you can take a tour. We didn’t get the opportunity to do this, but I wish we had.

Butterbeer 

You can’t visit without getting Butterbeer. Not gonna lie – this is what I was looking forward to most! They have two stands throughout the Wizarding World, and you can also get it in the Three Broomsticks and at Hogshead.

They have two versions – the frozen kind and the regular kind. Forrest and I opted to try out the frozen version, and it was SO good. I wanted to go back for another one! We also bought it in the collectors mug, just because we could. My brother, Michael, got the non-frozen kind, and he said he preferred it over the sip he had of ours.

My friend, Brittany, said her favorite thing to do is mix the two kinds together. That sounds pretty amazing to me!

We also really enjoyed the pumpkin juice, which was another option available at the drink cart!

Rider Switch

This isn’t just in the Wizarding World (it’s available throughout all of Universal Studios), but it’s worth mentioning. I think they have one of the best rider switch programs in all of the theme parks I’ve been to. I was especially impressed with how it was set up in the “Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey” ride. There was a big room setup where you can go and sit with your kids and can switch with the other adult after they ride. I like that you could take your kids all the way through Hogwarts, because it’s seriously the most amazing place! I don’t think kids should have to miss out on it just because they are too short for the ride.

Ollivander’s Makers of Fine Wands

We didn’t buy wands, but you can buy them in Ollivanders. I believe they ranged from about $30 to $50, depending on what kind of wand you purchased. They have interactive wands for purchase, which are really cool. They are set up to work at different spots throughout the Wizarding World (I believe there is a map included to show you where.) It really can make your visit that much more magical.

Even if you don’t want to buy a wand, definitely visit Ollivanders. It’s really pretty cool. We enjoyed looking at all the wands for different characters for Harry Potter.

If you do choose to buy one, you can either choose a wand from one of the Harry Potter characters, or you can select one based on personality types. There’s one for everyone!

Attached to Ollivander’s is a place where you can watch a wand choose a wizard. There was a super long line for this. About 10 people are taken into a room at a time, and one or two people in the group are chosen to be a part of a wand choosing ceremony. It’s pretty fun to watch!

I wasn’t entirely sure if you had to buy the wand if you were chosen, but from my research you do. Some people say that if you are a chosen you can get a discount, but others said they didn’t. So I don’t really know! What I did find out is that if you have a AAA membership, you can get a discount.

There is also a cart outside of the Flight of the Hippogriff where you can purchase wands.

Performances

On the center stage in the middle of the Wizarding World, there are different performances throughout the day. Don’t just pass these by – there are so fun to watch. I believe they have the Frog Choir and a TriWizard Spirit Rally. It really felt like we were right in the middle of Hogwarts attending school. I loved it!

Harry potter and the Forbidden journey

This is seriously the coolest ride I have ever been on. I can’t even explain how amazing it was! We had front of the line passes, but I would have been more than willing to stand in line for awhile for it. It’s a virtual reality ride that moves around. I loved how long it was, and how real everything seemed in it.

The line for this ride goes through Hogwarts, which is an amazing attraction in and of itself. It really feels like you are walking through the corridors of Hogwarts as a student. I wish we hadn’t have rushed through it so quickly!

Owl post 

There is an Owl Post in the middle of the Wizarding World where you can go and buy different products (including stuff owls). It’s kind of a fun place! You actually can send a letter to someone here, which would be a nice surprise for any Harry Potter fan. I do recommend bringing your own stamps, though!

Flight of the Hippogriff

This was a fairly fast ride, and the line was pretty short. Most of the time, it said the wait was about five minutes. It was fun, but it wasn’t really anything special. So if the line is super long, don’t feel like you are going to be missing out on anything magical. It’s a little rollercoaster, and it made me feel like I got a little bit of whiplash afterward. It was still fun, though!

Honeydukes

You have to go to Honeydukes! It’s every bit as amazing as I imagined it to be. They had tons of different kinds of wizarding treats. Jack was in heaven (even though he didn’t end up getting anything.)

I do recommend hitting Honeydukes on your way out, though. They have lots of delicious candy and treats, but I’d be worried about them melting as you walk through the park. Also, it’s a good way to get your kids to behave if you bribe them with a trip to the candy store 🙂

Shopping

There is a lot of shopping all around the Wizarding World. They have Ollivander’s and The Owl Post, as I already mentioned,

Photos

You can take most of your own photos inside the park. We loved being able to take pictures in front of Hogwarts and other places throughout the area. However, there is one place where you can get a professional collectible photo taken as if you are inside the Hogwarts Express. We opted not to do this and instead took one on our phones in front of it with the conductor. But if you want a nice memorable one, you can definitely go this route!

Take time to  look around

Finally, just take enough to walk around and soak everything up. So much attention to details were put into creating the Wizarding World of Harry Potter. You can see mandrakes, quidditch equipment, wanted signs, the Hogwarts Express…everything just feels so magical. It really reminds of exactly what I thought living in Harry Potter’s shoes would feel like. I wish we had more time (and it hadn’t been so hot) so I could have looked at everything!

Don’t forget to the get BEST ticket prices and vacation packages in Southern California through Get Away Today, including $10 off vacation packages booked with the code MFTG.

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Is Mickey’s Halloween Party at Disneyland worth the price? Here are the pros and cons to help you decide if this not-so-scary adventure is right for you!
In just a few short weeks, we are going to be heading to Disneyland!

We just got back from Disneyland a few days ago, and it was so much fun! Despite having a few ups and downs (such as losing Jack), we have so many wonderful memories.

Going to Disneyland with people of all different ages is a different experience than when you go as a teenager or with other adults. It’s still a magical time, but you really have to adjust your expectations for how things will go.

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!

Jack was just about 1/4-1/2″ too short for a lot of the rides. I was disappointed about this at first, but I realized that they have those height limits for a reason. I mean, I would have been so afraid of him flying out on some of those rides!

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 think that’s exactly what Disneyland is. There’s really something for everyone between the two parks in California. With that said, I do think it’s important to know realistically what you are going to be able to do before you go.

So, Forrest and I thought we would share some tips for fun for children under 40″ at Disneyland, which may also be helpful for people who may be over 40″ and a little bit scared. I also have put together a kid Disney survival kit to make the day a little more enjoyable.

Rides with Height Limits

Here are the rides with height limits 40″ or taller. I think it would be 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!

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 California – 40″
**Twilight Zone Tower of Terror – 40″
California Screamin’ 48″
Goofy’s Sky School – 40″
Silly Symphony Swings – 40″
Radiator Springs Racers – 40″

**Even if your child is 40″, exercise caution with these. They can be dark, loud, or somewhat scary. Jack is short for his age, so there are plenty of four-year-olds that would be tall enough. However, even if Jack was tall enough, there’s no way he would have wanted to go on them.

Best Rides

There are a ton of rides for people under 40″, but to be honest, some of them are totally lame or kind of scary. Jack was 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. He 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.

These are the rides or attractions Jack really enjoyed. I liked a lot of these, too:

Dumbo – LOVE this ride. It’s so relaxing and fun!

It’s a Small World – Jack thought this was scary at first…but then he took off his sunglasses and loved it. I liked the air conditioning!
Mad Tea Party
Jungle Cruise
Roger Rabbit’s Toon Spin
Gadget’s Go Coaster (35″ minimum)
Autotopia
Buzz Lightyear’s Astroblasters
Finding Nemo’s Submarine – I really don’t like this ride. I get claustrophobic. But it’s fun for others, I think! You basically watch a condensed version of Finding Nemo.
Haunted Mansion – Be careful with this one. I actually think it’s kind of scary, but Jack surprisingly loved it.
Frontier Land’s Shootin’ Exposition
Tarzan Treehouse

We didn’t go on these ones, but I think they are great for kids:
Storybook Land Canal Boats
Casey Jr’s Circus Train
King Arthur Carousel
Pirate’s Lair on Tom Sawyer Island
Monorail
Disneyland Railroad
Davey Crockett’s Explorer Canoes
Pirate’s of the Carribean – might be a little dark/scary, but it’s not that bad. Anyone can go on it, and it’s a great way to cool off!

In California Adventure, we loved:

Flik’s Flyers
Francis’ Ladybug Boogie (this was weird because they made me take Oliver out of my carrier and put him beside me…pretty sure that was not safer than being my carrier.)
Heimlich’s Chew Chew Train
Jumpin’ Jelly Fish
Mickey’s Fun Wheel – I actually do not like this ride. It freaks me out. But Jack said it was his favorite ride, so I thought I would put it on here. If your kids don’t want to go on something that moves fast, you can go in the stationary carts!

Mater’s Junkyard Jamboree (32″ minimum)

We didn’t ride this time but have heard great things about:

Toy STory Mania
Ariel’s Undersea Adventure
Monster’s Inc Mike and Sully to the Rescue
Luigi’s Rollickin’ Roadsters (32″ minimum)

Shows and Entertainment

There are so many family friendly shows and parades around Disneyland and California Adventure. They certainly know how to put on a good show!

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 – Jack was right up to the street and interacted a lot with the performers. THey had characters from a lot of Pixar movies that we love, and it was so fun to watch Jack. I think this is a great one that is not crowded.

I absolutely loved the Disneyland Paint the Night Parade. 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.

Afterwards, you can see the nightly fireworks which are incredible. I do recommend getting some kind of ear protection for your children though. Jack really loved it, but he was covering his ears the whole time.

We didn’t see it, but during the day in Disneyland, they have Mickey’s Soundsational Parade. It sounds like fun! We saw a similar one when I went when I was 19, and I remember loving it!

We also didn’t get to see the World of Color in California Adventure, but I wish I had! It goes on at night, and from what I’ve heard, it’s pretty fantastic.

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:

Hyperion Theater: We were SO sad that they didn’t have any shows going on. They just stopped the Aladin show we saw last time we went, and the new Frozen show doesn’t start until the summer. But these performances are incredible and everyone can enjoy them.

It’s Tough Being a Bug: This 4D show goes on all day long, and it’s a lot of fun. There is one part that scared Jack, but he enjoyed it for the most part. You do get a little wet and poked, so if your child has sensory problems or anything like that, it might better to avoid. But we really liked it!

Jedi Show: I’m not exactly sure what this is called, but around noon in Tomorrowland, they had some kind of Star War’s Jedi Show. You can sign up your kids ahead of time to participate, and we were sad we didn’t do this with Jack!

On Main Street of Disneyland, there is often a barbershop quartet singing, which is really fun to sit and listen to. When I went with  my parents and brother when I was 19, they sang to me!

In California Adventure, there are Newsies that sing on the trolley throughout the day. It was awesome!

There are probably others, but we really enjoyed all of these!

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 possibly think of. I highly recommend doing one of these breakfasts. The best deal I’ve found on it is from Get Away Today. The vouchers include breakfast, tip, and tax. Make sure you order them several weeks ahead of time, and then make your reservation online, because times do fill up. There were no openings for the Minnie one three weeks before! If you book a breakfast and decide to book the rest of your trip through Get Away Today (which I highly recommend), you can get $10 off using the code Clarks2015.

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 less lines there. The Disney characters are dressed up in more “Hollywood” type 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 seems 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 if it’s important to your child, I recommend waiting in it!

Other

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

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

Car’s Land – This is one of the coolest attractions in California Adventure. It wasn’t open when I went in 2008, but it was really cool. Jack loved it! We saw Mater, Red, and McQueen, which he thought was the coolest thing ever (it kind of was.) It really feels like you stepped into Radiator Springs. They have several rides that most kids over 32″ can ride. I do think it’s unfortunate they made the coolest ride – Radiator Springs Racers – for only 40″ and over, since a lot of Car’s fans that are under 40″. But it’s still a really cool place.

Disneyland App – I wrote a post awhile back about the best apps for a Disney vacation, and I think a lot of them are relevant. However, I LOVE the free Disney app! 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 makes 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 are spending the majority of the time wanting to go on rides with your children, I do recommend making sure you can go on some “big kid” rides. Disneyland has a great Rider Switch program in place, where, if you have chidlren 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.

Avoiding long lines

No one likes standing in line, especially for kids. You can bring entertainment for them, but I think it’s best if you try and avoid them.

If you go during peak times of the year, good luck. We went during a time that was supposedly not busy, but it was. So, make sure you use Fast Passes! This will definitely cut down the wait time. Unfortunately, most of the fast passes are for the bigger rides.

If you get a three or more day pass, you can take advantage of Magical Morning. You get access to the park an hour early, and the ride lines aren’t long at all.

If there is a ride you really want to go on, I recommend going straight there in the morning. When we got there a little after nine, the lines weren’t long. So if there’s something everyone really wants, do it right away.

Survival Kit

Here’s a few things that I think will help make your Disney trip a little easier. You can pack this in a little backpack for your child:

Ticket Holder: I’m still kicking myself for not getting these for us! It was such a pain to keep track of our tickets! We ended up losing Jack’s at one point and had to get a new one from customer service.
Fruit
My KidPod: We lost Jack while we were at Disneyland, and it was terrifying. I heard about this wearable bluetooth watch for kids that I wish I had! You can bet I’m going to have one of these the next time we go.
Water
Snacks
Disneyland Autograph Book: We purchased one at Target for like $5, but you can buy them in park for a lot more! I love this Disneyland autograph and activity book, which is great for young kids.
Sunglasses – we bought a pair for $1 at Target that worked great!
Hat – We got the cute Mickey hat that you see in pictures for $7 at Target!
Sunscreen

Bonus: 

The night before we went to Disneyland, we stopped at Target to try and find an autograph book because I forgot Jack’s in Colorado. We were thrilled to see that they had TONS of Disney memorabilia for way cheaper. I recommend coming here and buying some souvenieers to surprise your kids with. Jack loved whenever we pulled something out of my backpack!

The post Fun for Under 40″ and ‘Fraidy Cats at Disneyland appeared first on Magical Family Travel Guide.

Flying with a toddler can be a stressful experience – trust me, I’ve been there. However, there are many things you can do to make the experience must less painful. Here are our top tips for flying with a toddler that will hopefully prevent some stress.

Tips for Flying with a Toddler

So, I admit, when I wrote this post about flying with a baby, I thought that people with toddlers could benefit from it as well. And while I still think some of the advice in there is applicable for both babies and toddlers, after being on four flights with Jack over the past month, I have a new opinion:

Flying with a baby? Easy. Flying with a toddler? I think I’d rather get my teeth pulled!

Don’t get me wrong – Jack didn’t cry the whole time or anything. No, on the contrary, he was very happy. He loved interacting with the people around us, and in fact, insisted on them playing with and holding him. So, as long as we let him walk around as much as he wanted, eat as much as he wanted, kick the seats as much he wanted,  and open and close the window as much as he wanted, things were great.

Well, obviously, he couldn’t do these things the whole time! Even though he wanted to, I wasn’t about to let him eat two whole containers of puffs over the course of two hours. He couldn’t just walk up and down the aisles, especially when we were landing, like he wanted. And kicking the seats? Yeah. I tried to prevent that as much as possible (I still feel bad for the girl in front of us on one of our flights who Jack woke up by bopping on the head.) It also didn’t help matters that I have a total flying-phobia, and I was pretty much terrified the entire time we were flying.

Some of these tips are similar to the ones for babies, but I’ve tried to make this more geared toward toddlers. If you have any tips, I’d love to hear them as well!

This post has been updated as of June 2018. I have now had many successful flights with toddlers, and we’ve survived and learned each time!

Flying with Toddler

Get Their Own Seat

I truly wish we could have been able to afford to get Jack his own seat. On one of our flights, we were lucky enough to have an empty seat in our row, so Forrest sat in the aisle seat, and I sat by the window. Jack loved being able to sit in his own seat, and we had so much more room. Obviously, if your child is over two, you don’t even have the option of not buying your child their own seat. I know a lot of airlines give discounts for minors, so I would look into that as well.

If your child does have their own seat, bring their car seat! I feel like we would have had a lot less trouble getting Jack to sit still if we had his car seat with us.

If you don’t want to bring your car seat with you, I highly recommend the CARES Kids Fly Safe Safety Harness. It is FAA approved, and we’ve loved using it. It slips right over the seat and turns the seat belt into a five point harness.

Snacks

This goes without saying — bring snacks and, if your flight is long enough, a real meal. The only reason I think I made it off the plane with all my sanity was because of the limitless supply of snacks we had. While I don’t normally believe in letting Jack eat whatever he wants, whenever he wants (though he does try to get me to!), desperate times call for desperate measures!  He was obsessed with eating anything he could find in my bag, and I was just too tired to say otherwise! If you are worried about your child eating too much, just make sure to bring healthy snacks.

Make sure you put all snacks into clear, plastic bags. While not all airports are particular about this, the one we fly from most (Denver International) will individually check each and every food item that is not in a see-through container for explosives. We learned this the hard way as they scanned 10 fruit snack bags and 15 granola bars.

Bring a Stroller

If your toddler is small enough to be in a carrier still, this might still be a good option. However, I found that it was a lot easier this time around to put Jack in his stroller. He’s a little bit bigger than the last time we flew, which made me more tired as we walked through the airport. I was able to still put things in the basket of the stroller, and we were quickly able to maneuver through the airport. I definitely still recommend gate checking your stroller. That way, if you have a layover and your child needs to sleep, they can sleep in there, rather than you having to find a quiet place for them to lay down.

Plus, if you have little hooks for bags on your stroller like we do, you can totally use them to help carry luggage. I’m not kidding, this was a life saver, because we had more bags than it really made sense for us to be able to carry.

I sat next to someone on a flight a few times ago who told me she always used something that pretty much turned a car seat into a stroller. I thought it was pretty cool. I think it was something like this. But even better (and less expensive) are these straps that you can attach to your carry on, and it will carry your car seat and the baby!

Pack a Survival Bag

Aka, load up your diaper bag! I think we technically had like five personal items, but I was cleverly able to disguise them all into one, thanks to my diaper bag. We put Jack’s little backpack in it, that was stuffed full of his snacks, water, diaper, and wipes, my laptop, our iPad, wallets, food, and everything that you could possibly thing of.

I have a really great diaper backpack now that has tons of spaces and storage. I love using it for flying, and it was from Ethan and Emma. However, I really like my Peke*Buo bag which is nice for quick diaper changes.

Where to sit

If you are flying with an airline where you can pick your seats ahead of time, definitely be picky about where you sit. And, if you don’t initially get the seats you want, check back regularly. I personally like sitting next to the window, because it entertained Jack every now and then. Also, sitting by the aisle may make it more tempting for your little one to escape, and make it easier. Try and find a row that has at least one empty seat, especially if you aren’t buying a seat for your child. This will give you more room to spread out, and your child (and you!) won’t feel as crowded.

Personally, I liked being closer to the bathrooms, because when Jack needed to have his diaper changed, we were able to get there quicker. However, this also made it a bit noisier. So it’s really up to you! Some airlines offer extra leg space for a minimal fee, so this might be something to look into as well. Just think of your options and priorities when selecting a seat.

Also, remember that if someone is under 16 years of age, they cannot sit by the exit. So, don’t sign up for a seat next to exit if your toddler will be with you!

You should also keep in mind that if your child is using their car seat, there are more limitations on where that can be as well.

Gate Check Bags if Offered

If your flight is full, the gate attendants will more than likely ask for volunteers to have their carry-on checked at the gate, to be picked up at bag claim at your final destination. This happened both to North Carolina, and then back to Denver, and we volunteered right away. It made it SO much easier to board, carry our personal items, and, of course, carry Jack. Our carry-ons usually just have clothing and shoes, so it is never a big deal for us to do this, and it truly made me a lot less stressed out, knowing I had fewer bags to worry about.

Plan Flight Around Naps

When we flew with Jack when he was under a year old, I thought it was great to fly during his nap time, or at night. He went to sleep SO easily! However, we quickly found out that he would not sleep on the airplane on any of our flights — even the flight that got in close to midnight. Luckily, a few of our flights landed right when it was time for Jack’s nap, and he fell asleep in his stroller almost as soon as we put him in. So if you can schedule your flight right after your child wakes up, and to land shortly before a nap or bedtime, I think that is the best.

Layovers

This kind of goes along with the nap thing. While I really don’t like layovers, they turned out to be our saving grace. I don’t know how Jack would have done if we had to have gone from one flight to another. On both legs of our trip, we had a four-to-five hour layover in Minnesota, and it was definitely needed. Not only did Jack fall asleep, but when he woke up, he could run around and get his energy out. We were able to get something to eat, and just not feel all cramped like we were in the airplane!

Entertainment

Bring a laptop, iPad, or any type of electronic device that can be loaded with movies or videos. We purchased the Internet on our flights, but unfortunately, we weren’t able to stream Netflix. However, I did randomly have two Sesame Street videos that were 15 minutes each that I pulled out in my most dire of moments, and they actually did a great job of entertaining Jack for awhile. I only wish I had thought to download more!

If you don’t have some kind of electronic device, bring books, coloring books and crayons, or any other small toys that you think will keep your child occupied. I wouldn’t recommend bringing something that can be easily thrown (or maybe it’s just Jack that enjoys flinging items every which way) or rolled, or anything too messy (play dough is probably out.) You know your child best though — anything that keeps them occupied at home will likely work on the plane.

Take Advantage of Family Perks

Not all airlines still offer family boarding, but I know that at least Delta and Southwest do. With Delta, they allowed anyone with children to get on first, and even though we had pre-assigned seats, this was so helpful. One time, we missed it, because Forrest was off buying some food, and it was kind of miserable getting on the plane. I was pretty much hitting everyone with Jack’s feet and the diaper bag as I moved through the aisles. When we were able to get on first, I didn’t have to deal with that!

Just keep your ears open before boarding, because the gate attendants should indicate whether or not something like this exists.

Technology is Your Friend

We do our best to be vigilant about screen time – but when we are on vacation, it’s all about survival. So yes, we definitely use the tablet on long flights, and it helps immensely. You can now download certain movies and TV shows from Netflix, and there are lots of ways to bring along your favorite shows.

Kindle Fire Tablets for kids are great options. Very kid-friendly, and they have amazing warranties!

Be Patient

This is something I kept having to tell myself on our flight. There was one point where I was about to just break down! There was turbulence, and Jack just wanted to keep getting down. He would scream whenever I held on to him, and at that point, we’d been up since 5 AM, hadn’t eaten anything, and I was feeling sick. Needless to say, I was at my nerve’s end. At this time, I just had to tell myself the flight would be over soon, Jack didn’t understand he couldn’t really walk around, and that I needed to be patient. It did help a little bit to give myself those little pep talks (well, along with me convincing myself we weren’t crashing.)

These next two tips are from my friend, Brenna, from Life After Laundry:

Bring a Security Item

Bring your child’s security item, like if they have a blanket or stuffed animal that they sleep with. Eli {{Brenna’s son}} has this little lion that he sleeps with every night. He is super attached to it, and we only give it to him at bed so he doesn’t carry it around and lose it. For something big like a an airplane flight, I would be sure to take it with us, as it would make a world of difference having it with us. Not only would he feel better, but because it is a night time thing it may trick him into being sleepy. That is a huge maybe, but regardless I would have to have it with us.

Comfy Clothes

This is big, especially if they are potty training. I would make sure to put him in comfortable pants that were easy to get up and down, so that we aren’t fighting with clothes when we are already in a hurry on the plane or between flights.

And, before we left on our trip to North Carolina, I turned to Facebook. Here are some of the responses from some of Clarks Condensed’s readers (with my commentary in italics):

Kristalyn: Stickers have been keeping Kynzie occupied for long periods of time lately! I absolutely LOVE this idea for a sticker book from Mother’s Niche!

Brittany: Someone once offered me earplugs when I was sitting in front of them and I thought that was really considerate. Not that you have to or anything, but her kids could scream! So it was definitely useful!

Cassie: Give him Benadryl…and don’t feel bad! While I don’t typically agree with giving someone medicine to calm them down, I felt that trying Benadryl might be okay to use a small amount of, especially because I’ve heard it helps with ears popping. See this next comment for how I feel about that now..

Mary: Sometimes Benadryl can have the opposite affect and instead of making a kid tired they will have a ton of energy. If you have a lot of different things to keep him  entertained and snacks he should be okay. Every time I travel I make a survival kit with crayons, coloring books, stickers, and snacks. It got us through a 12-hour car ride with no crying.

Emily: Bring a new toy/book/crayons/etc. That will excited him.

The post Flying with a Toddler: The Ultimate Guide to (Almost) Stress-Free Flying appeared first on Magical Family Travel Guide.

One of the perks of being self-employed is that our schedule is pretty flexible.

Sure, we often have deadlines to meet, and my evenings are typically filled with working, but overall, it leads to a pretty flexible lifestyle.

However, leaving town can get a bit stressful – making sure you have everything squared away can feel like a job in and of itself!

Since I’m sure a lot of our readers leave town every now and then, I thought I’d share a list of all the things you should do before you leave on vacation (some of which I learned the hard way!).

Let me know if I missed anything!

Put your mail (and newspaper) on hold

Once upon a time, we left town for about a month. We were living in Utah at the time, and I thought I had put our mail on hold.

Well, I didn’t. And we came home to a notice in our mailbox saying that the house was vacant and all mail had been sent back to the sender.

I just about cried, as we had several checks that had come during the time, as well as Christmas cards. I was so devastated, and I felt so silly for not holding my mail!

You can always have someone come pick up your mail, but if you will be gone for longer than a few days, I do recommend putting a hold on your mail through USPS, as well as pausing your newspaper (if you get one). Nothing screams, “I’m not home!” more than a pile of newspapers on your front porch.

Still, I would recommend having someone keep an eye out for packages from places like USPS or FedEx! You can have a security camera monitor this as well, so you can send someone over if something arrives.

Make a Checklist

I always forget something unless I make a checklist. No matter how on top of things I am, I will always leave something important behind if I don’t make a list.

My mom would always put a list on the door before we left, and we wouldn’t leave until every item was checked off. I’ve started doing the same!

Consider Home Security

When we bought our home, we were bombarded with offers for home security. And to be honest, it was pretty tempting.

While we live in a pretty safe neighborhood, I’d be lying if I said I was 100% confident when we left town that our house was totally safe. However, I’ve always been wary about signing up for an expensive home security plan.

Fortunately, we live in a time where there are many affordable home security options (and no, I’m not talking about building a moat around your house ;-).

Put Lights on Timers

I think it’s important to give the illusion that someone is home, even when you are gone. While I don’t recommend keeping your light on at all hours, I think it’s a good idea to have your lights on some of the time.

There are different smart switches you can buy or smart lightbulbs that make putting your lights on a schedule even easier. We use the GE Smart plug, which is great and compatible with the LG Smart Security app.

Find Someone to Check In

Whether you are having someone get your mail, water your plants, or just keep an eye on things, I think it’s good just to let someone know you are going out of town.

For instance, whenever our neighbor leaves, he lets us know, just so we can be aware of any funny business that might go on. I think it’s just helpful to have someone paying a little extra attention.

Put a car in the driveway

This obviously won’t always be a possibility (for instance, if you just have one car), but if you can, move a car into your driveway. My parents always did this when we would leave town when I was growing up. Again, just back to the idea of giving the illusion that you are home.

Call your bank and check your bank account

It’s always good to call your bank when you are leaving town. We’ve had a few instances where we’ve been out of town, and they put a hold on our account for a bit for “suspicious” activity. Super grateful that they are so vigilant, but it can be inconvenient having to verify your purchases with them!

My bank has a place in their mobile app where you can conveniently tell them you are traveling!

You should also make sure you have enough money in your bank account, and also withdraw some cash. Traveling without cash is not a good idea!

Paper Copies of Itinerary

There has been a time or two where our phones have died before we had a chance to look up where we were staying. While we usually have a charger, it doesn’t always happen. It’s good to not always just rely on technology.

Have Copies of Important Documents

Birth certificates (if you are flying with a lap child), passports, etc.

Cut the grass

Turn down the thermostat

There is no reason to pay for heating or air conditioning while you are gone. We have forgotten a time or two, and it’s never fun to pay a huge heating bill during the winter when you were gone for three weeks!

Of course, make sure that you don’t turn it down too low. No one wants to deal with frozen pipes! But turning it down a bit is a great idea. There are smart thermostats nowadays that you can use to control the temperature from your smartphone while you are away, so that’s another thing to consider.

Unplug Appliances, etc.

Unplug anything that doesn’t need to be plugged in! It decreases the risk of fires happening while you are away, and it helps you conserve energy.

Check the dishwasher and washing machine

You do not want to come home to a smelly house or mildewy clothes. Make sure everything is out and put away.

Pay your bills

Do you want to worry about paying bills while you are on vacation? Of course not! If your bills aren’t on autopay, just pay them before you go.

Clean Out Fridge

Same thing as the dishwasher and washing machine thing – if there is any food that will spoil or rot while you are away, throw it out.

Take out the Trash

Tidy Up and Make Bed

Coming home to a messy house is never fun. You don’t have to deep clean everything before you leave, but I think it’s a good idea to at least make things feel comfortable. I don’t think anyone wants to come home – probably exhausted from traveling – to a huge mess.

And really, there’s nothing better than the first night back in your own bed!

Charge Electronics

Turn email to auto response

If you don’t get a lot of emails, this isn’t a big deal. But if you do (especially if you work), it’s just common courtesy to put up an away message!

The post Vacation Checklist: 19 Things to do Before Leaving on Vacation appeared first on Magical Family Travel Guide.

Disneyland is truly one of my favorite places.

It holds so many happy memories for me – both as a child and an adult. I know people sometimes think it’s weird that it’s my vacation of choice – but what can I say…it’s magical!

But there’s no doubt that it is an investment. Prices ALWAYS seem to rise every year, and everything in the park is expensive.

However, there are things you can do to make it a little more affordable without compromising the excitement that comes from Disneyland.

I have gone to Disneyland many times, and I feel like every time I come away with more tips. My biggest one? Book through Get Away Today. They always are offering the BEST prices on tickets and vacation packages, and they make it worry-free. I have booked every trip I’ve planned through them, and I wouldn’t do it any other way. You can even get $10 off a vacation package with the code Clarkscondensed.

Now, without further adieu…here is your ultimate guide!

Make sure you signup for our planning guide:

Originally posted in 2014; updated. in2020.

Planning Your Trip

Determine your budget

Before you do anything…decide on your budget. Be realistic with it (so, if you have a family of six and you are flying to California from across the country, don’t think you can do it for under $1,000.)

By starting out with a specific budget in mind, you will know how much wiggle room you have.

Here are a few things you will likely need to pay for, to help you determine that budget:

• Disney Tickets (obviously). These vary in price depending on the time of year, how many days you get, etc. The worst day is a day long pass, and the best deals come as you purchase more days.
• Hotel or Lodging: Lodging varies a lot. If you stay on Disney premises, you will be paying a lot more than at an off-site location. I’ll talk a little bit more later though.
• Travel Costs: Flying? Driving?
• Food: This also varies, depending on how much you want to eat in the park
• Souvenieers
• Incidentals

Disney Vacation Cost Calculator

Obviously, your budget is going to depend a lot on how many people are going to go to, how many days you want to go, your hotel, and what/how you plan to eat.

Here is a basic calculation for determining how much you will pay, at a minimum.

For all the current prices for tickets, click here. Get Away Today frequently has promotions, so keep your eyes open for those.

You may not use all of these different options, so just skip those if necessary:

Adults (10+) x ticket price =

Children (3-9) x ticket price =

Cost of hotel x nights =

Hotel parking x nights =

Disneyland Parking ($25 at this writing) x days =

$30 x number of people = cost of souvenirs (adjust this to what you feel is appropriate. Souvenirs aren’t cheap!)

$20 x number of people = cost of food per day (this is on the low end and if you are trying to save money. Check out Disneyland Dining on a Budget for this. This could be up to around $50+ per day if you aren’t trying to do it on a budget).

Then add all those calculations together. Here is what my family minimum budget would be, based on the trip we are planning for in November:

2 Adults (10+) x 360 = $720 (this is for a three day park hopper)

2 Children (3-9) x 249 = $498

Cost of hotel x nights =

Hotel parking x nights =

Disneyland Parking ($25 at this writing) x days =

$30 x number of people = cost of souvenirs (adjust this to what you feel is appropriate. Souvenirs aren’t cheap!)

$20 x number of people = cost of food per day (this is on the low end and if you are trying to save money. Check out Disneyland Dining on a Budget for this. This could be up to around $50+ per day if you aren’t trying to do it on a budget).

Obviously you have a lot of fill in the blanks above. The price of your ticket will vary depending on if you get a Park Hopper pass or a one park per day pass, as well as how many days you stay.

For your hotel, you will need to price that out as well. We always book through Get Away Today. Be sure to read this post about the best hotels near Disneyland for families.

Consider Layaway with Get Away Today (only available for Southern California vacations)

I’ll mention Get Away Today a few more times throughout this post (yes, I am an affiliate, but I truly love what they have to offer).

However, one of the huge advantages of booking through them is their Layaway program. It’s great for planning a vacation several months in advance, and not having to pay it all up front.

Basically, they allow you to book a vacation, and lock-in that rate, for as low as $125 down. That fee includes a $50, non-refundable fee to lock in the rate.

After you pay that initial fee, all you have to do is make sure you pay off the vacation two weeks before it’s set to happen. You can make as many or as few payments as you want up until that two weeks before.

Personally, I think this is an amazing option, especially if you can’t necessarily pay for an entire vacation up front.

It’s great for people who only can allocate a certain amount of money per month to their Disney trip.

Layaway trips can be set up through the Get Away Today website, or by calling 855-GET-AWAY. And for any of my readers, if you use the code ClarksCondensed, you can get $10 off any vacation!

Disneyland Discounts

A lot of people wonder how to get discounts for Disneyland vacations, and while I’m not expert on the topic, here are a few tips I’ve found:

• Book through Get Away Today. I know, I know, I’m sounding like a broken record. But they offer some of the best discounts available when they are able to.
• Sign up (and use…but pay off 😉 a Disney Visa. You can get exclusive discounts this way.
• Pin Codes — These are special codes that people get at random times…there’s no way to really predict when you will get one, but I’ve read that if you request a copy of the Disney Vacation DVD, create on account on Disney.com and save your family’s information and trip dates, or create a Disney customize map, your chances increase substantially.
• AAA members can get great Disney discounts
• and Military members, too!

Book several months in advance

The general consensus is to try to book your trip several months in advance. While you may be able to find some “last minute deals” somewhere, but personally, I think that would be too stressful!

In general, you need to find a happy medium — planning too far in advance (a year or more) isn’t really a good idea, but neither is planning to close (less than a month). You probably won’t find great deals, and won’t be getting the most bang for your buck.

I have booked a trip a couple times just a month or two in advance, and while it worked out, the availability of the hotels we were looking at was a lot less.

Typically, the most recommended time to schedule the trip is 4-6 months in advance. These typically yield some of the best deals,  plus it gives you plenty of time to change your mind.

However, starting to plan your trip before then would be a smart idea, too!

When to go to Disneyland?

There are definitely times that are better to go Disneyland.

As you could probably guess, during the summer will typically be the most expensive time.

Not only is it most expensive, but it’s also very hot, and likely to be super crowded.

Other times where it will be crowded and you aren’t as likely to get a good deal, is during spring break (so April-ish) or over the holidays.

The general consensus is that the best times to go are during the fall and winter and during the week.

I have gone during October twice, May once, July once, and November once, and honestly, it was busy almost every time. However, the lowest crowds were on rainy days and Wednesday.

This guide is specifically for 2020, but it should give you a general guide to when the best time to go to Disneyland is.

Determine Priorities

Some aspects of your trip may be more important than ever!

Perhaps you really want to attend a Disneyland character breakfast, or you really want to stay in one of the resorts on Disney grounds. Knowing what your priorities are from the start can help you make a decision early on where your money will be best spent.

PURCHASES

Tickets

I’ve already mentioned a few tips about buying tickets, but here are a few more things to consider:

• Booking through Get Away Today is a great idea, too, for getting the best deals.
• Children under three get in free!
• Many tickets include one “Magic Morning Early Admission” pass, which is awesome for extending your stay.
• As I already mentioned, you can get Military discounts.
• Buying one-day passes are typically the worst deals.

Lodging

If you are going overnight, you’ll need somewhere to stay. Thankfully, there’s a lot of great options out there, and you should be able to find something in your price range. Here are a few options:

• Disney Hotels: This is probably the most fun option…but probably one of the most expensive as well. There’s definitely perks to staying on the Disney Park’s premises (they’ll deliver things you buy to your room, it’s close, and it’s magical), but it can definitely cost a pretty penny.
• Off-site hotels: There are tons of hotels in the LA/Anaheim area, and many of them are reasonably priced. A lot of these hotels will have free breakfasts, and some may even provide free shuttles to Disney (or, even better, be within walking distance!) If you choose to stay off-site, I think that Get Away Today is definitely the place to go to check out hotels. They give you all the details of the hotels (free breakfast, free shuttle, and other amenities, as well as the distance), and, if you book for a certain amount of nights, you can get free ones. You can search for hotels that have things you specifically want, too.  Combined with buy tickets from Get Away Today, you can save a lot of money on lodging. And remember, if you use the code Clarkscondensed…you get 10 dollars off!
• Camp on the Beach: Ever done this? I sure haven’t. But I know a lot of people have had very fun memories of camping on the beach before going to Disneyland. I have no idea what rules are associated with this, but hey, it’s worth looking into.

GETTING THERE

One of the most pricey parts of a Disney vacation is getting there! Unless you are lucky enough to live close to Disney, you will likely have to shell out a good amount of money on flights, or gas, to get there.

There are pros and cons to both methods of travel, which is especially dependent on how many people are going, and where you are coming from.

Driving

I always love using AAA’s fuel calculator when I’m trying to see if flying or driving is a cheaper option. It’s also important to consider the shape your car is in — will it cause significant wear and tear to drive a good distance in it?

Flying

If you are planning on flying, you can get some seriously cheap deals if you are vigilant about checking. There are, of course, sites like Priceline, Expedia, etc. that will help you see what prices are best at that given time.

We honestly fly Southwest most of the time, so we just look for flights through their website. We earn a lot of points using our Southwest credit card.

If we aren’t flying Southwest, I will use Google Flights and their flight tracker.

The Skyscanner app is also SUPER helpful for getting good deals on flights.

But if you want some of the BEST and unique tips for getting deals on flights, check out these posts from the Trip Fixers:

• Unique Tips for Cheap Flights – Part 1
• Unique Tips for Cheap Flights – Part 2

Obviously when buying a flight, you have to consider what time it leaves (many red eye flights are cheaper) and if they include any luggage with the price. While an airline like Spirit may seem super cheap, once they start piling on the feeds, it can get a little out of control.

There’s been numerous studies done on when the best time to buy a flight is, and apparently, 54 days, or about 7.5 weeks, before your departure date has been shown to have the best deals! I’ve never tested it myself, but it could be true. It’s also cheaper to fly on Tuesdays and Thursdays, as opposed to weekend dates.

Rental Cars

And finally, if you are going to be flying, you might want to invest in a rental car.

If you stay on Disney’s property, and you don’t plan to ever leave, you can probably get away with just using a shuttle to get to your hotel.

However, if you are staying off site, or plan to go to the beach, or anywhere else, having a rental car is worth it. I’ve seen some crazy low deals (we’re talking $15 a day or less) online…it just takes some searching. Websites like Priceline are where I’ve found the best deals.

You can also just use Uber or Lyft as well. This is what we did with our most recent trip. We stayed close to the Toy Story Parking Lot, so we just hopped on that shuttle each day (free! You don’t have to park there to get on).

Be sure to check out this post all about Disneyland transportation.

Another awesome reason to use Get Away Today? They can help you with ALL of your travel needs, including flying, rental cars, etc.

INSIDE THE PARK

Spending money doesn’t stop once you’ve gotten your tickets, travel, and lodging taken care of. There’s definitely a lot of temptations to tempt you to empty your bank account…but try and resist them! Here are a few ways to save inside the park.

Souvenirs

Ah…souvenirs. Something that most parents dread the thought of. If you can avoid buying anything in the park, you are better off.

However, it can be hard to resist Mickey Ears. So, if you want to let your kids buy a souvenir, just set a firm budget for each kid beforehand. I know some people will buy a Disney gift card beforehand for each child.

Some items can become rather tempting if you are walking around in the hot sun, such as spray bottles. Consider stopping by the Dollar Tree, or Target, before you leave and stocking up on spray bottles, hats, etc. to help keep you cool.

There are some free souvenirs you can collect while at Disney. I think the most well-known ones are buttons that say it’s your birthday, anniversary, first trip, etc.

These obviously aren’t anything big, but they are fun, and can even get you some special recognition throughout the park.

I’ve heard that if you tell restaurants that it’s your birthday or anniversary, some of them will even give you a free treat! Other free souvenirs include maps of Disney.

You can also buy souvenirs before you go. We have done this before, and we just pull things out of our backpack throughout the trip. The kids LOVE it. Be sure to read this post about the best Disneyland souvenirs to buy at the Dollar Tree.

How Much Cash Should You Bring to Disneyland?

I do recommend bringing cash over just relying on your credit cards. I’ve had situations where my credit card suddenly stopped working due to something being flagged as fraud – and that would not be fun to have happen in the middle of a trip!

Plus I think it helps curb spending a little bit.

I would recommend bringing $30 per person, per day in cash – if you plan to use credit cards. If you don’t want to use credit cards, I would probably say $40 per person, per day. You won’t necessarily need it, but it’s nice to have on hand.

First Aid

This may seem like a silly topic, but if you find yourself with blisters, or even a headache, head on over to the first aid station.

They have an assortment of OTC medications that guests can use, free of charge.

In addition, you can store medical equipment (such as a breast pump) if you don’t want to carry it around the park (and who would?!)

Rides

Okay, so obviously, if you have admission to the park, you don’t have to pay extra to go on rides.

However, there are a few ways to get the most bang for your buck, and get to see as much as the park as you can. Here are the two most popular ways:

• Fast Passes: This is a great way to make sure you get to go on some of the more popular rides, without having to wait for hours in line. Basically, you get a pass from rides that offer them, and it tells you a time you can go back and get in the “Fast Pass” line. Generally, the wait time is a lot shorter, and you can spend your time going on rides with lines that are less long, or eating lunch. Sometimes you might run into people that give out fast passes they couldn’t use, which is always a pleasant surprise!
• If you want to spend a little extra, you can purchase a MaxPass. We LOVE this, because it allows us to spend more time on rides and less time running around trying to get FastPasses. Here is everything you need to know about the MaxPass.
• Ride Switch Passes: If you are traveling with small children, this is a must! Basically, it allows one parent or guardian to go on a ride with a child, and then, instead of having to wait in line again, the other parent can go straight to the front of the line afterward to go on the ride themselves with their child again. I love how Disney is such a family-oriented company, and they make it easy for families to go and have fun.

Food

One of the most expensive parts of Disneyland is the food! It’s crazy how expensive some things are (and, after a long day of playing, how tempting the food gets, regardless of the price.) However, with a little bit of planning, you can save a lot!

While you aren’t supposed to bring large amounts of food into the park, they have some great picnic areas outside of the park.

If you are parking near Disney (or even just staying on the premises) you could leave a cooler there, and go grab your food when you are ready to eat. You can even throw a few granola bars and fruit snacks in your bag to help lessen the temptation to buy some of the overpriced treats in the park.

The outside food and drink rules are a bit iffy, but most people have said they have brought in food in their backpack and water bottles with no trouble – myself included. The main limitations are no alcohol, and no glass bottles.

You can get free water anywhere in the park, with a few exceptions. At most restaurants or food stations, you can walk up and ask for a cup of ice water. If you don’t want to carry around a water bottle, this is a great option.

I also feel like it’s worth it to try and book a room at a hotel that has a complimentary breakfast.

The hotel we stayed at when we went a few years ago had a full, hot breakfast, that was included with the booking of the room. It was a nice way to start the day, and it usually held us off until lunch.

Even if your hotel doesn’t have a breakfast, it will end up being a lot less expensive if you buy bagels, donuts, or cereal and milk, to store in your room. If you have a refrigerator, even better!

Some hotels come equipped with kitchens, as well, which makes it even easier to prep or eat food at the hotel.

Sometimes, certain Disney “clubs” will offer discounts on food, such as having a Disney visa. Downtown Disney restaurants often have coupons, as well, so be sure to check online before you go.

And of course, there’s tons of places to eat outside of Disney, that aren’t even too far away! I’m sure you can easily find fast food or other restaurants that are significantly cheaper than eating in Disney.

Of course, there are a lot of great places inside of Disney, and I think going to at least one is worth the splurge.

For the more “casual” places, you can easily buy the kid meals for adults, and they will probably have plenty of food. Some places will even let you get an upgraded kid’s meal, which is more of an adult portion, for just a few dollars more than a regular kid’s meal.

Here are some Disneyland food Posts you may enjoy:

• Disneyland Dining on a Budget
• Top Five Kids Meals at Disneyland
• Disneyland Treats I Wish I’d Skipped

I hope that this post has helped you think of some ways to make your next trip to Disneyland a little more affordable. Please feel free to ask any questions below

The post The Ultimate Guide to Affordable Disney Vacations appeared first on Magical Family Travel Guide.

Best Disneyland Apps

Over the past few years, we have gone to Disneyland three times – it’s easily becoming one of our favorite places.

When I went about ten years ago, there really weren’t apps that you could download for your trip. I remember purchasing a program that allowed you to plan out your day, print it off, and it told you the plan you should take to make for the best time.

It was nice, but it was also a little cumbersome! So when we went a few years ago, I was THRILLED to see that a lot of progress had been made in that respect. There are so many great Disneyland and Disney World apps available – including official ones from the parks that make life so much easier.

So today, I am going to share the best Disney World and Disneyland Apps that will hopefully make your trip a little bit more magical and fun.

If you are hoping to go to Disneyland, be SURE to check out Get Away Today! They have the best prices and perks around, plus if you use my code ClarksCondensed, then you can get $10 off any package. They have amazing layaway plans that just have to be paid off two weeks before you leave!

Originally posted in 2015 – updated October 2018. 

Disney Official Apps:

Before you leave on your Disneyland or Walt Disney World vacation, you’ll want to make sure you download the official Disney Park app for either park. if you download just one app, this should be it.

Both of these apps give you wait times for rides, entertainment schedules, where you can meet characters, restaurant menus and so much more. Although they are very similar, you’ll want to be sure to know the differences between the two before you go.

This is why I’ll give you a detailed explanation of what you can do with both apps below, so you’ll be a Disney app expert before you even step into the park. Luckily, both are available for free on iOS and Android devices.

Disneyland App:

Like I mentioned before, the Disneyland app is filled with ways to make your vacation experience as seamless as possible. At the top of the app, you’ll be able to see a map of both Disneyland and Disney California Adventure. Not only will you be able to see where attractions are located, but this is where you’ll also be able to view wait times and character locations. Plus, you can also view dining areas, entertainment locations, restrooms, shops and more. This map alone is extremely useful when you’re on
your trip.

In addition to the map, the Disneyland app will let you view Park Hours for the day, as well as Today’s Showtimes. But, some of my favorite parts of the app are where you can reserve dining to your favorite restaurants, use mobile ordering and purchase MaxPass.

If you’re not sure what MaxPass is, it’s a feature within the Disneyland app that lets you reserve FastPasses directly from your mobile device. This way, you don’t need to worry about running back and forth from Disneyland and Disney California Adventure to get FastPasses for your favorite attractions (learn more about the Disneyland MaxPass here).

Plus, MaxPass also includes PhotoPass for the entire day that you purchase it. With PhotoPass, you’ll be able to download any photos you take with a Disney Cast Member Photographer or ride photos directly onto your phone. PhotoPass is the perfect way to save vacation memories. While MaxPass is $10 per person/day, it’s well worth the cost for the convenience.

However, if you’re not looking to spend any extra cash, make sure you take advantage of Mobile Ordering. This feature on the Disneyland app will let you order meals directly from your phone, so you can skip the line and chow down. There are currently 18 restaurants to choose from in both Disneyland and Disney California Adventure, so you’re sure to find something everyone can agree on. The best part?

This feature is completely FREE!

Let me tell you, it’s SO nice just to breeze past everyone in line and pick up your food.

My Disney Experience:

My Disney Experience is Walt Disney World’s official app, and while similar to the official Disneyland app, the entire Walt Disney World vacation experience is completely different. As you might know, when you travel to Walt Disney World, you usually start planning for FastPass+ and dining reservations at least 30 days in advance and even 60+ days if you’re staying at a Walt Disney World property. This means that if you’re traveling to Walt Disney World, you’ll want to download this app well before you leave on vacation.

Unlike Disneyland, Walt Disney World does not have the MaxPass feature. However, Walt Disney world will allow you to make FastPass+ selections up to 30 days in advance, starting at 7:00 a.m eastern time.

So, if you’re looking to glide on the newest attraction, Avatar Flight of Passage, you’ll want to set your
alarm to make sure you snag a reservation.

With the app, you can plan up to 3 FastPass+ experiences for each day of your vist. Once you arrive, the FastPass+ selections will be linked to your MagicBand or card. Luckily, once you enjoy all 3 FastPass+ selections, you can start reserving more within the same-day. As a tip, book all of your FastPass+ selections in the morning so you can choose even more throughout the day.

While Walt Disney World does have Mobile Ordering, you’ll want to consider reserving your dining as soon as you possibly can. You can do this through the app or online, up to 60 days before your reservation or 180 days before if you’re staying on a Walt Disney World Resort property. If you can, try to snag reservations to popular restaurants like Be Our Guest Restaurant and Ohana as soon as they become available. However, if you didn’t get it the first time, you can keep checking to see if any time
slots have opened up.

Since Walt Disney World is much larger than Disneyland, the map feature becomes especially helpful when trying to find dining locations, resort hotels, character experiences and even other parks. To change the park map that you’re seeing, just select the “Filter” option in the top, left-hand corner of your screen.

Other Disneyland Apps

Where in Disney? 

I was recently told about the “Where in Disney?” app, and let me tell you, I think it’s one of the coolest apps for Disney visitors. It’s only for Disney World, but it helps you search and find souvenirs (such as an Elsa plus doll), gluten free snacks, restaurant menu items, services, and more. It works with all the theme parks at Disney World, as well as Downtown Disney. The free app is awesome, but if you upgrade to the new one, it will show you photos to help you identify what you are looking for and it uses Google Maps to help you find things even quicker. I think it’s an awesome app to help you spend less time searching for things at Disney and more time having fun!

Anaheim Disneyland Guide & Map

This app is awesome because it can help you find your way not just around Disneyland, but all of Anaheim. We all know that Disneyland has crazy expensive food prices, so it’s not usually an option for everyone to eat every meal there. I really liked this app because it helps you find lots of different restaurants in the area, as well as things to do in the area (in case you get burnt out from the ol’ Mouse!)

Mouse Memo

This is just a tool to help you keep yourself organized while at Walt Disney World! You can put all your itinerary information into it (such as hotel confirmation numbers and addressess/phone numbers, flight information, etc.) You can also view all the restaurants at Walt Disney (and search for them by type of food, cuisine, etc.) and even make a reservation at one.

Walt Disney World Main Street Windows

I don’t know why, but this one seems SO cool to me! Basically, it helps you have a walking tour of Disney World Main Street! It has all sorts of information on the history, secrets, and stories of different windows of Main Street at Disney World. This could be a really fun activity to do with your family when you are taking a break from the rides.

Disney World Hidden Mickeys and Disneyland Hidden Mickeys

There are hidden Mickeys throughout all of Disney World (and Disneyland!) This app is great for those who are wanting to find them all and learn some fun stories along the way. It’s a guided tour that would be a lot of fun to do with your family, or whatever group you are with. It includes pictures of the Mickeys for the beginning tour, and for the more “advanced”, it leaves out the Mickeys so you can try and find them yourself.

Disneyland Secrets Gold and Disneyland Secrets Gold

This is just another app that tells you secrets and stories about Disneyworld. It has tons of trivia, and it can be fun for either leading up to a trip to Disneyworld, or as you’re walking through the streets!

Disneyland Secrets Gold

From what I’ve read, this is one of the best apps that you can download before you go to Disneyland. It not only has 2D GPS maps of Disneyland, Downtown Disney, and California Adventure, but it allows you to selcect which rides, restaurants, and stores you want to visit and place them on your customized map so you can plan your day! It also shows the wait times for different times, right on the map. It will even send you a text reminder to tell you when to get to a ride at a specific time.

It also lists the times of different events at Disneyland (such as Character meet & greets and parades), tons of information on menus, a live WebCam of different areas, information on rides, trivia, and more. It even tells you where to find wall chargers. There are a lot more awesome features though, so if you want an all-in-one app for Disney, I’d say this would be a great option.

Plus… more Disneyland events & times, more restaurants now with pictures, more menus, add in-app pictures & notes on over 400 pages, LIVE WebCam, customizable wait times list, Character Meet times & locations, Passholder blackouts, more shows, ride info, videos, park pics, trivia.

Disney World Wait Times/Disneyland Wait Times by Versa Edge

These are some more apps that offers wait times, though the unique feature it offers is that you can submit your own wait times (and others can to), which can sometimes be more accurate than just waiting for Disney to update them. You can see the history of wait times as well, so you can kind of gauge if it’s a ride that’s always busy, or if kind of ebbs and flows throughout the day.

Disney World Dining and Disneyland Dining by VersaEdge

 Just some more apps that offer dining options – you can browse by type of food, location, organize a dining schedule based on your reservations, etc. It’s not the coolest app, but it doesn’t require you to connect to the Internet, so that can be helpful if you are using it on a device that doesn’t have data enable (Disney doesn’t have WiFi either.)

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Don’t forget to check out this other awesome post on Disney vacations!

The post 7+ Must-Have Disney World and Disneyland Apps appeared first on Magical Family Travel Guide.

We never stay at five star resorts, but we are often able to find great deals on very comfortable hotels.

As our family has grown, so have our expectations and needs for a hotel. I often have people asking me how to find the best hotels.

So, I thought I would put together this little guide about what to think about before booking your next hotel! 

Location

Always double check the location of the hotel. Some hotels will claim to be an amazing location…but leave out the fact that they are right next to the highway or a train station.

And keep in mind that most hotels aren’t going to write a negative description about their location, so I recommend looking at it on Google Maps to see where it is. I’ve also found that some hotels exaggerate how close they are to a place.

For instance when booking our trips for Disneyland, it made me laugh how many hotels boasted being within walking distance, yet they were two miles away. Yes, technically walking distance…but I don’t know too many people who are going to walk two miles to Disneyland.

Read Reviews

I think this is one of the very best things you can do when booking for a hotel.

We have stayed in some very nice two star hotels and some not-so-nice four star hotels. You can’t always trust the star ratings – but what you can usually trust are user reviews.

Afterward, I almost always read reviews if it was a bad experience, and I almost always find other people complaining about the same things.

It’s important to keep in mind that you often get complainers leaving reviews more often than happy customers, but if a hotel has a bunch of reviews, it’s safe to say they can be trusted. This is also a great way to figure out if there’s anything temporarily out of service or under construction.

Something else I like to see is when management responds to comments – both positive and negative. It means they are trying to give customer service and be involved!

Hotel Reputation

If you are staying in a hotel that’s a part of a chain, you can often trust a pretty standard experience at most locations. While there may be a bad apple every now and then, in my experience, you can know what you are getting. That’s why joining loyalty programs can be so important. I know we have specific hotels we like to stay at no matter where we go (and ones we avoid) simply because we always have a good experience.

Parking

While many standard hotels (2 and 3 star) offer free parking, it’s not always a given. In my experience, anything four-star and up not only charges for parking, but they also charge for a valet.

Before booking, double-check what the parking situation is. If you do have to pay for parking/valet/etc., this can easily increase the cost of your stay substantially.

Extra Fees and Tips

A long time ago when Jack was a baby, we were invited to stay at a resort in Park City. Seeing as we were poor, married college students with a baby, we weren’t really up to speed on what staying at a resort was like.

We quickly discovered that it was expected to tip for everything. The person who brought chocolate to your room to welcome you? Tip. Housekeeping? Big tip. Anyone who so much as looked at you? Tip…okay, maybe not that extreme? I just recommend figuring out what kinds of tips are expected at the place you are going…and make sure you have cash!

HoJo hotels give you a great value for your buck! Free breakfast, kids stay free and much more!

Free Breakfast

We almost always look for a hotel with a free continental breakfast – especially since we have kids. Not having to pay for breakfast can result in some big savings on your vacation budget! Plus, it’s nice not to have to worry about what you are doing for breakfast. Just go downstairs in your jammies or grab something on your way out!

All Howard Johnson hotels offer a free breakfast, which is awesome. You definitely need to check with individual hotels – even when they are part of a chain – because the offerings will definitely vary depending on location.

Hotel Amenities

What does the hotel have to offer? If you are promising your kids there is a pool…make sure there is actually a pool (and that it’s actually open).

I love finding hotels that offer extra amenities at no extra cost. As we’ve been looking forward to our trip to Disneyland in October, I saw that the Howard Johnson in Anaheim has a great little water playground available for guests.

I love finding hotels that just go the extra mile when it comes to amenities and experience – and that’s definitely what HoJo does.

In Room Amenities

We always like being in a room that, at a minimum, has a microwave and refrigerator. Some hotels don’t put these in my default, but you can often request one to be brought to your room. It makes it easier to have snacks and reheat leftovers.

Even better is when a kitchen is available! I don’t know about you, but eating out gets a little old after awhile on a trip, and it’s nice to be able to make your own food if you want.

Other in room amenities to look for are free WiFi (yes, not all hotels offer it free!), entertainment selections, room service, etc.

Shuttle

Are you flying in and not planning to get a rental car? Many hotels have shuttles…but it sure wouldn’t be fun to find out when you flew in that your hotel did not. If you are near a popular tourist attraction, you can also see if your hotel has shuttles available as well. I know that the many hotels in Anaheim near Disneyland, including the Howard Johnson, are part of the ART route and you can get discounted rates from the front desk!

Double Check Construction

When we were looking at hotels for Disneyland, I was a little surprised at how many hotels were under construction. This is also where it pays to read the reviews – people love to comment on construction and whether or not it interrupted their trip!

Some construction isn’t a big deal, but if it is super loud and will make it hard to even be in your room, you want to know about it. Even things as simple as the pool being under construction can be annoying, especially if you didn’t know beforehand.

Perks for Extra Nights

Many hotels offer a certain percentage off or even a free night if you stay long enough! In the past, I’ve kind of “hotel jumped” and stayed at different hotels in a short period of time to save money. However, whenever I see an extra night or percentage off promotion, I’m all over it!

Book directly

Often, the best way to book a hotel is directly – specifically by phone. Many hotels often a best rate guarantee, and they can even offer you exclusive deals just for calling in.

Ask for Upgrades

When you book, don’t be afraid to tell them if it’s for a special occasion. For instance, when we booked hotels for our honeymoon, I mentioned that, and they gave us the special treatment. At one hotel, they gave us a package you usually have to spend $200 on for free!

We’ve been able to upgrade rooms, bed sizes, etc., simply by asking. It doesn’t hurt!

Join Rewards Program

I think it pays to be loyal to certain brands. Most hotels have great rewards programs that help you earn free and discounted trips in the future.

Early Check in

We often get to hotels before the designated check in time – and 9 times out of 10 when I call, they say we can check in early! Even if you aren’t able to, many hotels are willing to hold your luggage at the front desk until your room is ready.

The post 10 Important Things to Consider Before Booking a Hotel appeared first on Magical Family Travel Guide.

We’re getting ready to head on a road trip in a few weeks, so I’ve been busy making sure our family is prepped.

Road trips can create some wonderful memories – but they can also be really long and drag on…especially when you have children!

So, I thought I’d put together a list of the best road trip tips and hacks so your next road trip will be even better!

A special thank you to the following brands for collaborating with us on this post:

Audible / T-REX Tape / Cube-Tastic / IHOP / Chops Beef Jerky

Entertainment

Every good road trip will have some kind of entertainment – well, multiple forms of it! Make sure you are well-equipped for entertainment for all ages.

We personally LOVE audiobooks for road trips. Forrest and I have listened to many books over the years as we’ve driven across the country, and it’s something we look forward to doing. It’s so fun to find a book we haven’t read before so we can listen to it.

We like using Audible because of their great selection, and because it is super easy to use on our phone.

Even Jack loves audiobooks – here is a great list of audiobooks for kids of all ages (that are available on Audible). They have SO many books, and it’s so easy to use the mobile app to listen to your favorite ones while traveling. I think it’s a much better form of entertainment than staring at a table or phone all day! You can get a free one-month-trial from Audible, which is perfect for when you are leaving on a trip!

I recommend having plenty of non-electronic entertainment for everyone. Not only is it good to give the brain a rest from screen time (especially on a long trip), but it’s better to have things that don’t require a battery or electricity to run.

We have been loving the Cube-tastic! 3×3 Puzzle Cube. It’s really fun and challenging for all ages to figure out – and if you don’t have an electronic device, it even gives you step-by-step instructions on how to solve it. What kid doesn’t want to impress their friends after summer vacation with this?!

It helps with solving skills, improving memory, and develops hand-eye coordination. The design is always very sleek and durable, made with non-toxic and BPA free materials. Perfect for all ages.

You can get 15% off Cube-tastic using the code CUBETRIP at checkout!

Here are a few other entertainment ideas:

• Road Trip Games
• Bring CDs (just in case your phone runs out of battery!)
• Journals
• Road Trip Activity Chain

Food

Ah, food. What road trip is complete without food?!

I recommend loading up your car with high protein, high fiber snacks that will keep you satisfied. One of our favorite road trip snacks is beef jerky – our boys love it, too, so it’s a snack we can all enjoy and not feel about indulging in a little bit 🙂

We personally love Chops Snack Jerky – it’s not really tough like some beef jerky, and the flavor is spot on. They use USDA Choice & Select Beef Brisket and are 100% all natural. It’s the perfect salty snack to satisfy any salty cravings that are sure to surface during a road trip!

You can get 20% off your first order with Code 5CHN79Z7Q1BE on at www.chopssnacks.com.

I also recommend buying gift cards for nationwide restaurants. It makes for easy eating out and convenience, plus, it can help you from overspending!  While I love trying out local fare, sometimes it’s a good idea to just go somewhere that you know is trusted nation-wide.

We personally love IHOP – they have breakfast served all day, every day, and they are often open all hours of the day. They just turned 59 years old on July 18th, and they offered guest a 59 cent short stack of their classic buttermilk pancakes. I love when companies do things like that! You can find IHOP restaurants nationwide, and you can always expect the same great flavors and service at every store.

Here are a few other tips for Road Trip Food Success:

• Pack a bag with utensils, plates, napkins, etc. If you are eating on the go (either with food you brought or bought from a fast food restaurant), it will make for a slightly less mess trip!
• Wet Wipes – you need these for more than just eating, but they are are very helpful, especially when you have little ones in the car!
• Flip top containers are excellent for storing snacks to prevent spillage
• Sort snacks into serving size sized bags – this can help prevent overeating.
• Licorice is great for preventing road trip/travel bloat
• Pack lots of fruits and vegetables for healthier snacking
• Keep small snacks in a tackle box/rainbow loom box

Apps

There are some great Road Trip apps everyone should know about:

• Gas Buddy – love this for finding the cheapest gas along your routes.
• Audible – Make sure you download your free trial!
• Sit or Squat – not a big fan of bathrooms on the side of the road? Download this app to find which bathrooms are the highest rated!
• Bank Account App – always download your bank’s mobile app. It can help monitor your account while you are gone more easily!
• Waze – this is a great map and traffic app. It is user reported, so it has the most up-to-date information on
• TollSmart – if you are driving across the country, you will inevitably encounter tolls. This app can help you plan ahead for how much they cost, and if they only accept cash!
• iExit – know what’s coming up at the next exit with this app!
• ParkMe or Park Mobile – these are both great apps to help you find the best parking spots and to know how much they cost before you get there!
• Priceline – This is a must-have for finding hotels on the go. Make sure you read my post about Priceline tips to get the most bang for your buck!
• Uber or Lyft – I learned the hard way a few months ago – you never know when you are going to need this.
• Urgent.ly – This is great for roadside assistance (though always check with your car insurance first to see if you have it through them!).
• Avenza Maps – these can be used without an Internet connection.

Preparedness

It’s always good to be prepared for emergencies. Here are a few things to keep on hand in the hand:

Emergency Kit  – for car

• T-Rex® Tape – this is the best utility tape you could have in your car (and everyone needs utility tape – it’s the universal fix-it-all solution). It’s an extremely strong tape that is thick, and it’s made with sun-resistant material. It is made of three layers:
  • Layer one: a tough, thick polythylene skin to help protect against the worst weather.
  • Layer two: this is a thick thread that has een wound tightly and securely as an inner cloth.
  • Layer Three: This uses a new technology called “co-extrusion.” It is a double-adhesive layer that is melted through the threads that bonds with the tape skin.
  • This tape can be purchased here.

• Jumper Cables
• Flares
• Tire gauge
• Fix-a-flat
• Foam Tire Sealant
• Gloves
• Rags

Emergency Kit – for People

• Blankets
• Emergency food (MREs, granola bars, etc.).
• Water bottles
• First aid
• Rain Poncho
• Utility Knife
• Crank Radio
• Wet Wipes
• External Battery Charger

Important Document Folder

• Insurance cards (car, health, etc.)
• Emergency contact information
• Passports, birth certificates, etc.
• Map for where you are going

Instructions for Common Car Repair

Make sure your have instructions (maybe even visual instructions) for common car repairs, such as changing a flat tire, changing oil, how to jump a car, etc.

Bring Cash

Always have cash when you are traveling! You never know when your debit/credit card might stop working or if you’ll encounter a situation (such as a toll road) that only accepts cash! This happened to us once, and we had to track down an ATM in the middle of the night in West Virginia because we literally could not get through any other way, and they only accepted cash.

Other Tips

• Take a screen shot of your smart phone GPS written directions in case your phone dies or loses service
• Use a shoe organizer for back-of-seat organization
• A shower caddy is a great place to store food while eating
• Use a binder clip to attach your smart phone to your air vent (for directions – not to watch movies while driving!)
• Bring frozen water bottles in your cooler – they can act as ice packs, and it’s also great for when you need a new water bottle to be able to pull out a cold one!
• Use a cereal container with a plastic grocery bag as a car trash can
• Pack a “useful item” kit for easy access – extra diapers and wipes, cash, a few first aid supplies, lotion, tissues, etc. If you have kids, it might be helpful to have one for each row!

Other Road Trip Posts You May Enjoy

• Dollar Tree Travel Hacks and Tips
• Road Trip Tips with a Baby
• Road Trip Tips with a Toddler
• Road Trip Survival Kit

The post The Best Road Trip Tips, Hacks, and Apps! appeared first on Magical Family Travel Guide.