Last Updated on September 11, 2016
I am convinced that every time we go to Disneyland, it gets more and more magical.
That now really is thanks to the girls, as watching them enjoy the whole Disneyland experience is magical itself. Before taking Madison to Disneyland for the first time a couple years ago, we always swore we would wait until any kids we had were older before we took them. Though we didn’t really know what “older” would be, we definitely never thought we would ever consider taking a one year old to Disneyland. That was until we realized that even though the kids may not remember these trips, we will. We already have a ton of amazing memories to tell them about and it gives us the desire to work extra hard to be able to make more Disney memories when they are older, too. It was that trip with Madison a couple years ago where we realized how fun Disney is with kids of any age. After that experience, we couldn’t believe how closed-minded we were.
There were so many great Disneyland moments this time that made the trip overflow with magic all around us.
Here were our top twelve favourite moments:
The Rides
Watching the expressions Madison and Sadie have on each ride, especially when it becomes a favourite. Tea Cups were one of the top favourites, as was anything that went “high and fast” for Madison. We’ve always been really lucky to not have crazy wait times for rides. On our last trip, the Disney app really helped us plan our day so that we were able to have more fun and less waiting, it was great!
The Castle
That first view of the castle, and seeing the castle lit up at night. Everything around Disneyland all comes back around to the incredible castle. It is the most incredible sight as you walk in and look down Main Street. It’s massive and beautiful. It helps bring the Disney fantasy to life.
Dress Up Time
Watching Madison run around in her Belle dress, spinning and curtsying as she made her way around Disneyland. Also, seeing the excitement in Madison’s eyes as she would get ready in the morning, applying her “pretties” (makeup) to her cheeks and climbing into that Belle dress.
Meeting The Favourites
Madison’s excitement as she got to meet some of her favourite characters. Meeting Belle was a huge deal and we got to hear her ask to meet Belle for two days until it worked for us to make our way over to meet her. That Princess encounter was just darling. It was also fun to watch Sadie as she had no fear of the characters either, even honking Mickey’s nose.
Watching Darcy Interact With Chewbacca
Darcy does a great impression of the Chewbacca noise and it was way too funny to see him walk up to Chewbacca and have a conversation in Shyriiwook. It only lasted a few moments with a few “noise exchanges”, but it was a really cool thing to watch, especially since we are huge Star Wars fans.
Splash Mountain – Alone
Splash Mountain is always a ton of fun. Try going on it at night during the fireworks and there are very few people going for a ride. So few, in fact, that I got to go in a log all alone. With empty logs around me. I was truly alone going through the ride. The ride is based on the characters, stories, and songs from the 1946 Disney film Song Of The South. The ride begins with a peaceful outdoor float-through that leads to indoor dark ride segments, with a climactic steep drop into a “briar patch” followed by an indoor finale. The drop is 50 feet. It was both wonderful and creepy as the rabbits laughed at me, all alone, with an evil laugh.
Light The Night Parade & Fireworks
This was the most spectacular parade we have seen at Disneyland. With over a million lights, you are sure to be dazzled. Sadie was passed right out, but we loved taking turns having Madison on our shoulders, as we watched her expressions and danced around, having such a fun time and creating one of the best memories from our trip. Madison was so thrilled with the parade. The fireworks were impressive as always and we loved when it even started “snowing” as Frozen’s “Let It Go” came over the speakers. Disney fireworks are always uncomparable.
Mailing Postcards
I still love mailing postcards when we are away. When I was young I would get so excited when the mail would be delivered and sending postcards gives me that same giddy feeling. I love showing the girls how much fun it can be picking out what postcards to send. What is even more fun is being able to mail them in Disneyland. Though it has been years since Disney has sold stamps, you can still mail your postcards in any of the US Mail boxes and they will take care of the rest for you. It can be challenging to find stamps, so either make sure your hotel has some before you arrive, or try to purchase some elsewhere before you arrive at Disney and it will save you a big headache.
Hidden Mickey Ears
It is always fun to spot hidden mickeys as we run around the park. One of our favourite finds this time was the Minnie Mouse symbol on the side of a book that is on the bookshelf within Minnie Mouse’s house. While this isn’t a traditional “Hidden Mickey”, it was interesting to see a Minnie version of it.
Celebration Buttons
When you go to Disneyland, don’t forget to find a cast member or a visitor booth to get a button that complements your celebration. This time, it was for Sadie’s first visit. We found out that they even can have buttons in the restaurants, so make sure you ask a cast member there if they have any, too.
Autograph requests
One of the cast members came over to Madison, turned his clipboard to her and asked for her autograph. Her reaction was priceless and it definitely made her feel special to be recognized as being Princess Belle. I had never seen this before and absolutely loved the gesture from the cast member on in the California Adventure side, creating a magical moment for Madison.
Feeling The Love
Madison and Sadie were so affectionate and we could tell how stimulated Sadie was by how much she would zonk out. We were given so many hugs and kisses we lost count. We had one very excited toddler the entire time that seemed so appreciative of everything. She was so well behaved in Disneyland!
What are some of your favourite Disney moments?