Where to Take Young Kiddos for Halloween Fun

The leaves on the trees are starting to change colors, parents everywhere are high fiving each other as they drop their children off at school, and your mailboxes (both physical and virtual) are being filled with advertisements for Halloween costumes. It is safe to say that Halloween is going to be here before you know it.

Halloween can be a very scary time for some young children. When my daughter was younger, she thought the pale zombie girl on the swing, who sings in the most terrifying voice, was the most interesting thing she had every seen. "Mommy, will you go with me to see the girl on the swing" she'd ask and I'd reply with "nope, I'm good." Flash forward to the present and she is very concerned about seeing the scary "girl on the swing" who appears in our neighbor's front lawn, which closely resembles the Halloween decoration section at the local costume shop, every year. My, how two years can change one's perspective.

Taking pictures with sister can be so scary

So, that means haunted mazes and hay rides are out of the question, but that doesn't mean that we can't enjoy the Halloween season fun though. There is plenty in Orange County to do with little kids to celebrate the Halloween season (and get another wear out of that $50 costume).

Disneyland (and Mickey's Halloween Party)
Address: 1313 Disneyland Drive, Anaheim
Hours: varies per day, check website
Admission $99 for adults, $93 for children 3-9 years old, under 3 years old is free
(Mickey's Halloween Party tickets are $69 and up depending on the day)

Peek-a-boo with Minnie the Witch

Disneyland's Diamond Celebration

As if Disneyland couldn't get any more magical, Disneyland has been blinged out to the max to celebrate their 60th anniversary.

To help celebrate the diamond jubilee, Disneyland has debuted a new fireworks show and nighttime parade, "Paint the Night," and California Adventure revamped the "World of Color" show. And, of course, an array of bejeweled 60th anniversary merchandise has been added to store shelves and "special edition" food items has been added to park menus.

The celebration kicked off on Friday, May 22, 2015, with Disneyland's annual open-24-hour-you're-insane-to-go day. My cheapy pass was blocked off that day, but I did occasionally (or obsessively, if you ask my husband) check in on their live streaming cameras. To give you an idea of how hysterically ridiculous it was at the park, people were camping out the day before, Thursday, as early as 2pm; and the park was at full capacity by the early Friday afternoon causing Disneyland to shut its gates.

I did sneak away the following Monday night to check it out. Being that the kiddos are a little on the young side for a 9:30pm fireworks show, I haven't seen the fireworks in years so I was very anxious and excited to see how the new show. I arrived at the park at 6:30pm and Main Street was already full of visitors staking out their spots for the parade and fireworks show. Lucky for me, I was able to snag a seat right in front of the castle.

From left to right: Paint the Night Float with Peter Pan, Mach from Cars, Anna and Elsa

Packing Lunch vs Buying Lunch at Disneyland

When we visit Disneyland and California Adventure, I usually pack all of our snacks and lunches. Every once in a while, I will just pack snacks and buy lunch there. I have friends who don't pack anything and buy everything in the park. That got me thinking. How much am I saving when I bring our own food and drinks?

I did a little research (and I mean little, so some of my prices are estimates) to find out how much it would cost to buy everything compared to how much it costs to bring it from home. I do the majority of my shopping at Ralph's (Kroger) but I also shop at Target and Costco. When I pack lunches, I usually don't pack a full lunch for myself since my kids don't ever eat all of their lunch so I eat their leftovers.

How to Beat the Heat at Disneyland

Let's face it. There's nothing worse than being at the Happiest Place on Earth with the other 40,000 people in 95 degree heat. Oh wait, there is...being there with two miserably hot toddlers. Here are some attractions that you can check out to help beat the heat.

Disneyland

Catch the Parade

Currently, the parade is Mickey's Soundsational Parade, but there is word that a new parade will make its debut for the 60th Anniversary Celebration. No matter what parade it is, kids love seeing their favorite characters pass by. It may be tough for the little ones to sit patiently for the parade to start so maybe grab a special treat to help distract them. I always try to find a shady spot close to the bathrooms. One thing to keep in mind is that the parade doesn't run every day so check the Entertainment Times Guide.

Watch a show

What to Pack for a Trip to Disneyland

You're getting ready to take the kiddos to the Happiest Place on Earth? What to bring, what to bring???

Here's what's in my backpack.

Frozen Fun

Disneyland put a lot of time and effort (and money) to bring its most profitable movie to life. Here's what you need to know about Disney's new Frozen Fun.

California Adventure

For the First Time in Forever: A "Frozen" Sing-Along Celebration

If your little one (or you) loves to sing "Let It Go" at the top of her lungs, then this is a show that you cannot miss. You need to get a Fastpass and then return for the designated show time. While the majority of the show is two "historians" retelling the story of Elsa and Anna's journey in Frozen, the characters do make a brief appearance.

Two Disneyland Tickets for (practically) the Price of One!

Are you a Southern California resident (zip codes 90000-93599)? If the answer is yes, then you are eligible for the special offer going on right now for Disneyland tickets.

As you may have heard, Disneyland just raised their price to $99 for a one day/one park ticket.  Yikes! Well, here's one way you can get two days at a DEEP discount if you're a Southern California resident.

Right now, you can purchase a two day ticket valid for one park each day for $139 on Disneyland's website. What's the catch, you ask?

• You cannot go to both parks on the same day; but you can upgrade to a two day hopper ticket for $39 per ticket. 
• There is a blockout period between March 20 - April 4, 2015.
• You must complete both trips to Disneyland and/or California Adventure by May 21, 2015.
• You can buy a maximum of 5 tickets.

But wait, there's more. 

How to Survive Disneyland with Two Young Children

Being an annual passholder, we frequent Disneyland quite often. I am very fortunate to be a stay at home mom of two adorable kids, K who is 4 years old and R who is 2 years old. Since we only live half an hour away from Disneyland, we go three to four times a month. I've picked up a few handy tips for surviving what can be a fun but oh so hectic adventure.


1. Go as early as possible 
If your kids are anything like mine, you're already up at the crack at dawn anyway. Find out when the park opens as the opening hours can vary depending on the season and day of the week; and  keep in mind, the parking lots open an hour before the parks do. The park gets more crowded as the day goes on so going early will help avoid some of the lines. Also, if you want to ride the popular Radiator Springs Racers or meet Anna and Elsa, getting to the park early will help you secure one of the highly sought after FASTPASS tickets that can sell out within only a couple of hours after the park opens (a FASTPASS ticket is required to meet Anna and Elsa).