Mouse Ears & Memories: Our Tales from Disneyland

When Adam said he wanted to take the kids to Disneyland this year, I was hesitant as I felt that they were still too young (2 & 4). But, he was adamant so we went ahead and booked it and do you know what, he was right! We all had the best time and, although I think there was definitely parts of it that would have been better if the boys were a little older, there was definitely enough for their age range. Guess it just means we have to go back again in the future!

First things first - getting from the airport.... we knew we could get a train but we did not pre-book this as there was always a risk of the flight being delayed and then us missing it. It was not easy getting through the airport with a double buggy, 2 kids and several suitcases but we got there, only to not be able to figure it out. It seemed to be really expensive, close to €150 for the 4 of us, and we were just not confident so we checked out Uber and that was only €50, so we went for that option. We looked for coming back at the buses and that worked out more for 4 of us than the Uber so I'd definitely weigh up all options as taxi might work out cheaper and it's definitely easier! Although worth noting, it is a 10 minute train ride vs a 45 minute taxi ride. The airport is absolutely huge - we definitely got a little stressed going back and too through it so be patient with yourselves!

We stayed at the Newport Bay hotel, which is one of the official Disney hotels. It was ideal. Room was nice, hotel was nice and the walk to the parks was only ten minutes - we had zero need to use the shuttles anytime. I would definitely recommend it! The only other one I would consider (based on location) is the Marvel hotel, as that was slightly closer. But if it is a big difference in price I would not say it is worth it.

We got there the Thursday and were checked in around 2pm, dumped our bags and headed straight for the parks. From the moment we stepped foot onto Main Street, the magic of Disneyland definitely took over us. Our first stop was Fantasyland, where classic Disney stories come to life. I was a little worried that Jaxon would not go on anything, as he is anxious and not up for rides, but we went straight to All The Small Things which is a slow boat ride and eased him in, which he loved and it helped him be a little more open to other things, although he did refuse to go on anything that he felt looked too fast. My youngest, Cole, on the other hand was up for anything! It did mean we one of us had to wait around with Jax whilst Cole went on stuff, but we just tried to time it well with queues etc.

The app is definitely a need! We used it often to see queue times and planned our days around this. It also lets you know what characters are popping up around the parks and hotels and also it shows times for the shows. I feel like shows have always been downplayed before - I didn't really even know they happened until my friend Clare went recently and told me about them. And they were amazing! One of the best parts of the trip for me. You can pre book for €40, but we didn't bother and had no issues. The first one we went to was The Lion King and so we turned up very early and waited for ages and there were people who turned up 5 minutes before with no problems. We also went to one 15 minutes before (Mickey and the Magician) and there were seats still spare, so I wouldn't say this is needed. However, it is worth noting that we went in March and out of peak time, so this could have an effect.

In my mind, Disneyland would consist of walking around and constantly seeing characters but this definitely did not happen. We didn't see many and whenever there was one around the queues were huge, so we did not wait for them. Again, the lack of characters could be due to being out of peak, but it wasn't what I expected. The only one we did wait for was Mickey Mouse, as this was what we told Disney was all about, and this took over an hour to get to the front. The boys loved it though and it did make for some very cute photos!

It is worth noting that the food there is really expensive. I would 100% try and plan / pre-book your meals. On our first night we headed to Disney Village for tea and ended up in the steakhouse there and it was seriously expensive. The kids could only order a 3-course meal option, which they just did not need, and which was €40 each. We did go one night to the Rainforest Cafe which was really good for the kids and not as expensive. Also, top tip - if you have breakfast in your hotel you should take sandwich bags and make up butties with breakfast bits. We did this a couple of times and it made a difference.

Another tip which not everyone knew about, if you are staying at a Disney hotel, you get early access to the parks. It is worth going to miss some of the queues and getting on some of the rides which usually have bigger queues first thing!

We paid for the photopass, which was around €70, in advance. This means that any photo you get taken in the park you get automatically. You get a card and it gets scanned and you can download them all at the end. It includes any photos with characters and any ride photos too. It is good if you are going to meet loads of characters, but I am not sure how worth it it was for us.

You know, I went into Disneyland thinking it would be all about the kids - their excitement, their joy, their Disney dreams coming true. And yeah, it was definitely that. But what caught me off guard was how much it hit me right in the feels, too. When I watched the light show at the Disney castle on one of the evenings, I was hit with this wave of nostalgia that I wasn't expecting. I was literally transported back to my own childhood, experiencing the magic of Disneyland all over again. It was like reliving my own childhood whilst also seeing my boys experience it and it made me realise just how timeless and special Disneyland really is. So while I thought I was just along for the ride for the kids, turns out, I was on a bit of a nostalgia trip myself. Definitely a trip that anyone should take, with or without kids!