Hi my name is Thalia and I am a self proclaimed Disneyland-aholic. From the time I was about 3, I started going to Disneyland AT LEAST once a year while I visited my uncle in California, I’m 28, so that’s AT LEAST 25 times, did I mention I’m from Hawai’i? Oh and I’ve been a Disneyland Annual Passholder for the past 2 years, that’s an additional 50 times (so far) that I’ve visited “The Happiest Place on Earth”.  I mentioned I live in Hawai’i right? If that’s not enough, it’s not just Disneyland, it’s Disney in general, I still have every single Disney Movie ever produced on VHS tape, Barbie Dolls of every Disney Princess, a drawer (or three) dedicated to all my Disneyland outfits, I dressed my family up in a Frozen theme for Halloween, for the past 3 years I have been trying to figure out a way where I can travel AND also work for Disney, my two dream jobs.  By work for Disney, I mean be a Princess….and I mentioned that I’m 28 and from Hawai’i RIGHT? I’m sure there’s more that I could tell you to prove my case, but, I’m going to end up looking like a weirdo…unless it’s already happened?

People who know me, know I LOVE all things Disney and Disneyland. In the 25 years that I have been visiting Disneyland I have watched it grow and change and I can’t wait to see what’s in store for the Magic Kingdom!  I’ve also been able to pick up a few tips and tricks along the way.  In just over 2 weeks we will be taking our son to Disneyland for the….3rd time. Yes, the 3rd time and we are from Hawai’i, and yes, I have every intention of getting him hooked on Disney.

Here are 5 ways that I gear up for Disney Vacations with my family.

1. Outfit Planning: It’s all about the outfit!  I plan all our outfits day by day for entire trip.  I make a list and about 3 days before our trip I make sure all the outfits are washed and cleaned.  The day before our trip (or the day of if we are leaving on a red eye flight) is when I usually get to pack and I will pack each outfit in gallon sized ziplock bags.
2. Pre-Disney Shopping spree: I go shopping here at home! The sales tax in Hawaii is half of what it is in California. Since I travel for a living I also try to make a trip to a dollar store and bring things home. What do I buy? Anything Disney. Crayons, books, coloring books, toys, pens, containers, glow sticks.  Anything that will keep my son busy.  I also like to visit Target and Ross to buy my Disney shirts. They are usually anywhere between 25% to 75% off the price of Disney Parks merchandise and usually a lot cuter. I save some money and avoid the crazy shopping madness at the Parks.
3. I create at least one matching outfit for the entire family.  It makes for such a great picture! This year I’m super excited to share with you what I created! Last year I sewed these really cute pocket tee’s with matching shorts and this year I got to use a serger to step up my sewing game!
4. I binge watch Disney Movies. My son already watches an insane amount of Disney Junior. The sad thing is that there is no dedicated “Disney Junior” land so he can’t really interact with the characters that he really loves! (come on Disney what are you waiting for!?) So we watch and read books with the old school disney characters like Snow White, Ariel, Cinderella, Mulan, Alice in Wonderland, Nemo, etc.
5. Have a loose plan: If you have a plan for Disneyland and are hell-bent on sticking to it, no one will be happy.  The biggest thing to remember is that you are in the happiest place on earth and on vacation! It’s okay to have ice cream for breakfast for a couple days. It’s okay buy that $10 balloon.  It’s okay if you are eating at odd hours.  If you try to stick to a strict schedule, especially with young children, you will have an angry toddler and no one will be happy. Instead of planning minute by minute. I have a general idea of what I want to get accomplished over the span of the trip and then break it down day by day. Either way I don’t let it bother me if we didn’t get to The Haunted Mansion at 5:13 PM

What do you do to gear up for a Disney Vacation?  If you’d like for me to elaborate on any one of these please make sure you leave me a comment down below! Stay tuned for subsequent posts about staying safe at Disneyland, must eats, must dos, and more! I LOVE DISNEYLAND!