We are at it again! We loved our experience at Disney World so much this last November that we decided to head to the original mouse house in California this summer!
I shared all my hacks for Disney World and will do the same for Disneyland once we return – but, wanted to share some travel must-haves before heading to the magic land. These are items you want before you get to your Disney destination, so buy them early and take them with you.
The first, of course, being Mickey gear. You can’t go to the park without some cute shirts! I found the least expensive family shirts were on Etsy and there are so many options. You can also find some on Amazon, but I felt they were more pricy and not as big of a selection.
We bought some for each day we were at the park. It helps you keep an eye on the kiddos, too! I didn’t get personalized ones with our name on them because I didn’t want a bunch of strangers in the park calling my kids’ names. We stuck with mom, dad, big brother, etc.
But, back to the shirts! Aren’t these the cutest? You can find all the links to the shirts here.
Next travel must-have when you’re going to the park is a bag to hold all your stuff. If you have a little one your diaper bag will do, but we used light-weight drawstring bags for all of us and it worked out perfectly. The straps are little so they don’t hurt your shoulders or are uncomfortable. You barely notice you’re wearing it. We were able to carry all the essentials in the bags without having to remove them for rides or leave them in the rented stroller. My boys loved them too, and they were able to hold all their own stuff and souvenirs we picked up along the way. Talk about the ultimate mom-hack! Moms are the ones who usually end up carrying everything, so this worked out perfectly for me.
Each of us had a bottle of water that we were able to refill during the day throughout the park, versus paying a million dollars every few hours for bottled water there. We also each had a few snacks, sunscreen, and our sunglasses. The boys still use their bags at home and we are packing them for Disney again! Ours didn’t have any personalization on them, but you can get them personalized or monogrammed. They run about $12 for 2.
Next, you can’t forget about the hats! Not only will it protect your face from the sun but again, why not – you’re at Disney! Soak in all the fun. I also had a pair of ears to take some fun photos in.
Disneyland doesn’t require magic bands, so don’t worry about those.
Lastly, you’ll want to get an autograph book for your kids. You’ll encounter Disney characters all throughout the park and they’ll sign the books for you. Getting signatures became a fun adventure for my boys and they feel like they are meeting celebrities. They even got nervous around Mickey – the cutest! There’s bundles you can get with Disney starter kits for your kids to open before you go, or you can buy the autograph books separately. Most come with a little matching pen too.
We can’t wait to experience Disneyland and all the magic of the original mouse house. Even though I went as a kid there is nothing like re-living the experience through your child’s eyes. I’ll share all the must-dos and my advice to navigate the park after we go.
Here’s to a summer filled with magic and memories.
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