Upcoming Disneyland Trip!

I haven't been to DisneyLand, but we frequent Disney World. :)

Bring your own stroller and load it up with all your stuff that you will need. You can bring food and drinks into the parks, you are not supposed to bring a hard cooler in. We usually bring a soft cooler or just food in the backpack (sandwiches, leftover pizza, snacks, etc) I will also usually freeze one juice box and then pack others so the frozen one will keep the others cool and then my daughter has a little slushie treat for the afternoon. We go a lot so it would cost a fortune to buy food each time, if this is your one big vacation many of the walk up food places are not that expensive. It is usually about $8 for a cheeseburger and fries. Depending on how much your 4 year old eats the kiddos will most likely be able to split a kids meal (the mac and cheese is so yummy!) the kids meals come with the main meal, grapes, carrots, and a drink. So it's quite a bit of food. My almost 3 year old can't even come close to finishing it at her hungriest.
We also bring in water bottles, there are water fountians everywhere and they are easy to refill throughout the day. We just bring our Minnie Mouse or Princess one so DD still feels like it's disney water.

Some people will suggest leaving for a little while, we never do. Even when staying the whole day. Our little one loves it so much she will either nap in the stroller or just skip nap for the day. You spend so much money to be there, I suggest staying every second. :) My 2 1/2 year old still naps about 3 hours every day, but on Disney days she just powers through. She will usually rest (not sleep) in the stroller for a bit in the afternoon, but by the time the parade is over she is ready for more rides! You know your kids better than anyone else, but I don't think leaving is necessary. :)

It will be busy, you will have a blast!!
HAVE FUN!

We're going in Nov so I'll be interested to read your responses!

A.L. gives you great advice for Disney with younger kids...I had forgotton much of that. She is absolutely right about hitting the kiddie rides in Fantasyland first...

To her advice I would add: since you are staying right across the street from the park, I would consider going extra early, staying for about 4-4.5 hours, then leave and have lunch and maybe a little nap or swim at the hotel. Then you can return refreshed before dinner, have dinner in the park and your kids will be able to see the evening parade without a complete meltdown happening.

I've always done it this way and it worked for my family. Have a wonderful time! My kids are pre-teens and we all still love Disney.

My kids LOVE Disneyland (now ages 8 (DD1), 5 (DD2) and 3 (DS))

Columbus Day weekend is one of the busiest times of the year for DLand... we went last year at that time... usually about 50K people there... one of the best times to go is the week before Christmas (usually only about 10K people there before... between Christmas and New Year's is a totally different story! 70K!!!)

Bring either 2 umbrella strollers or a side-by-side double stroller so your girls can sit while you walk... trust me, you'll want it... and it costs $15/day to rent a stroller from DLand...

Gummies and granola snacks were my saving grace there... then just take plastic water bottles and refill them at the drinking fountains when you run out.

If you plan on buying souvenirs, you may want to consider buying them at your local Disney Store, then break them out a little at a time while you are there... so much cheaper! (And you leave with the same amount of stuff you arrive with... no surprises!)

There's a roller coaster in Toon Town if your 4YO wants to ride something with a little zip... she should also be tall enough for the Matterhorn too.
Buzz Lightyear's Astro Blasters in Tomorrow Land is a great ride too for your 4YO.
Jungle Cruise in Adventure Land, Pirates of the Caribbean in New Orleans Square, Nemo's Submarine Cruise in Tomorrow Land, Storybook Land...
Rapunzel is (was) near King Arthur's Carousel near the 'German' restaurant. She still has all of her blonde hair attached (just in case you have to field questions from your 4YO)
Tinkerbell and various fairies are near the Matterhorn if your girls want to meet them... and there there are a few princesses back by Toon Town in the Fantasy Faire (?)...
If you want to meet A LOT of princesses are are willing to splurge a bit, go to Ariel's Grotto in California Adventure... although a little pricey, the food is good and you see/meet 5-7 princesses. If you think you might want to do this, make a reservation... sometimes you can walk right in, but not often.
If you want to see World of Color in Cal Adv, you either have to get Fast Passes right when Cal Adv opens (near the Grizzly River Run) or there's a place that looks like a winery (I can't remember the name of it)... if you get lunch there (right at 11am) then you can get passes for special seating.
Fantasmic (back in DLand) is great for the kids, but you may end up standing and holding both so they can see the show (unless you get seating a couple of hours early)
I don't suggest eating at the French Market in New Orleans Square... my kids don't find the food good (hubby and I do though... we love it there)... my 8YO and 5YO says the mac and cheese tastes funny... but they do have desserts they love... (Go figure, right!)
There's a place to eat between Frontier Land and New Orleans Square right on the lake... again, don't know what it's called...
There's a pizza/pasta place over near Space Mountain (I think... definitely Tomorrow Land though) that my kids love to eat at.
The BBQ place back by where the pardoned turkey is is a little pricey, but good food, good music and just darn right fun.
Tigger, Winnie and friends are usually back in Critter Country (back by Splash Mountain)... the Winnie the Pooh ride is back there as is another place to eat... there are bathrooms down by lake level under the eating place.

Have a great time! Don't try to see everything... just enjoy!

hello
it can get busy on a holiday (esp since the local kids like to go then too) but go early when it first opens and hit the kiddie rides first.. just walk straight and thru the Cinderella Castle and you are there. those rides fill up quickly and early (since it's mainly young kids) and then again, AFTER nap time.... and everyone is refreshed..

Additionally IF you plan on getting a locker, get one early as well.. << those fill up too.. or just bring a stroller and lug your stuff around.. also, bring water and snacks..(tuck down into things) I think you can bring them but not positive ...... but by bringing them, you are necessarily trapped into buying park food, but if you are. I like the Bengal BBQ.. it has the healthier food choices, apart from bbq, it also has skewers with things like asparagus and veggies and/or potatoes.. ok, so the asparagus have some bacon with it, but it's still yummy :) I always hit the Bengal..
the Begnal is also near, Tiki hut<< a colorful bird show (mechanical birds) and a good place to sit and rest your feet.... also, the tree house (4 yr old will like that) Jungle Boat ride, Pirates (might be too young or not) and haunted house... although, it's not scary, for a little one... just the darkness alone might be too much..

So back to the kiddie section first, thing is..... those rides as mentioned fill up (as Peter Pan) go to that first..... even adults like it :)
you ll also find in this section snow white, wild toad and Dumbo..
once done with this section, over the hill is Winnie the Pooh, that area is fun in that the characters are sometimes out.. they also have a couple cute rides..

Note, keep in mind, IF they have that parade at night, they rope off he kiddie area, which means., you can't ride the rides at the time and then you have to find your way out of the crowded mess.....
my advice, find out when they do this and plan accordingly....

Also, people line up early on mainstreet for the parade.. IF you want a decent seat, that is your best bet. however, sometimes people use that time to ride other rides (just keep in mind, the rides you may want to ride, might not be open at that time) inquire within..

best time for food is BEFORE everyone else begins to eat.. if you normally eat lunch at 12.. then figure , others do that too. so to avoid a long line, I usually eat earlier ...

Oh and if going to California Park.. it doesn't get as crowded... they have bug world which is cute... but keep in mind, IF it's a hot day.. that side of the park doesn't have many trees and boy can it get hot....................

have a good time!