Mommy and Me

My girl and I did our first ever Mommy and Me Disney trip for my birthday last month.

We have been to Disneyland dozens of times together.  We have gone as a family with my son and husband. We have included my brother-in-law with our entire family.  We have gone with a couple of friends and their families.  But this was our first Mommy and Me trip.  And I was actually in the park on my birthday for the first time ever!

We like going in groups and switching up who rides with who.  We like staying together as a large group or separating into two smaller groups and meeting back up for various rides.  But going with just the two of us allowed us to go where we wanted, when we wanted.  We didn’t have to check with each person and ask who wanted to go where.  We didn’t have to compromise or have anyone upset.  We didn’t have to eat when we weren’t ready to eat.  We got to do whatever we wanted, whenever we wanted.  It was a different experience. One way wasn’t necessarily better or worse, just different.

Max Pass is still the only way to go.  Whether you have two people or fifteen, Max Pass is still the best option, even with the new daily rate of $15 per person.  Thankfully I bought the Max Pass option up front with my Annual Pass this last time.  We literally got every ride we wanted to do done in both Disneyland and California Adventure in 14 hours the first day.  We spent day two hitting up some of our favorites again and enjoying the parade and Animation Academy and checking out Downtown Disney and even enjoying the Christmas Caroling at the Grand Californian.  Day three was more of the same before we flew home that evening.

Being in the park for my actual birthday was fun.  Getting a pin on my true birthday was exciting.  For the first time, we rode in the double decker trolley on Main Street.  We sat upstairs in the front.  We waved as if we were princesses.  People smiled, laughed, recorded us.  Who cares?  It was fun and we will never see those people again.  It truly was a highlight of my day.

Holiday time in the parks is always amazing.  The decorations, the parade, the snow, they all make the season brighter.  We walked off the Winnie the Pooh ride and there literally were only two people in line to see Pooh, so we indulged.  We don’t typically get Pooh pics, but when there is no line, why not?

Every Disneyland trip makes new memories.  They are all special in their own way.  This one will be special because of the quality time I got with my teenage daughter.  We will remember riding the Jungle Cruise four times in three days, just because. We will remember acting like princesses on the trolley, just because.  We will remember Turtle Talk with Crush for her first time, just because.

Make memories.  Have fun.  Love on your kids.  And always remember, Disneyland is the Happiest Place on Earth.