Theme Parks Archives - Page 9 of 9

The Wizarding World of Harry Potter is now at Universal Studios Hollywood

March 13, 2016 by Danielle

Since we use to live in Utah, our vacations often took us to California for Disneyland or Universal. It was much closer than Florida – but we missed out on the awesome Harry Potter World stuff! Now that we’re in Texas, we’re pretty close to right smack in the middle…..and The Wizarding World of Harry Potter is now at Universal Studios Hollywood, so California has just as much magic!

Contains affiliate links that support this blog at no extra cost to you. See my disclosure for more info.

We’ve been sharing some posts from our first trip to Harry Potter World in Orlando last September, and can’t wait to see how the California Hogsmeade compares! There will, of course, be some differences – it looks like the Dragon Challenge ride isn’t included. The castle looks AMAZING, though, and still includes the great ride Harry Potter & the Forbidden Journey. My kids’ absolutely FAVORITE ride, Flight of the Hippogriff, is there so that’s a big excitement!

You can still try a delish Butterbeer, and stop by Ollivanders to pick out your own wand. Plenty of shops, such as Zonke’s Joke Shop, Honeydukes and Gladrags Wizardwear. I’m sad that The Weasley’s store isn’t there, but not surprised since that’s a Diagon Alley thing. Don’t forget to eat at the Three Broomsticks, too!

I highly recommend trying their pumpkin juice – it was so yummy and refreshing! Honeydukes also has so many tasty treats, you have no shortage of options!

The grand opening is April 7th, so head on over to Get Away Today for the best deals on your vacation – then pack your robes and have a magical time!

Check out these other Harry Potter posts…

Disneyland’s New Paint the Night Parade is My Favorite Yet!

February 28, 2016 by Danielle

When we enjoyed Disneyland last October, we insisted on seeing their new Paint the Night Parade. We’d heard so many good things about it, but to be honest – nothing I heard could do it justice! This is, by far, my favorite Disney parade yet!

Contains affiliate links that help support this blog at no extra cost to you. See our Disclosure policy for more info.

We did Disneyland with EVERYONE – 19 people, to be exact, from ages a few weeks on up to my parents (who’s ages I won’t divulge for fear of my life). With such a big group, we knew we needed to prioritize to ensure that we each got to hit our absolute FAVORITE things. We each filled out our Disney Top 5 Wish Lists – the five things that were our absolute MUST do/see/eat – so everyone knew the items that would come first. For example, our last trip Hubby didn’t get to try out Radiator Springs Racers (first time we went that it was there) at all – so that was one of his have to items. One thing that was on a LOT of our lists was the Paint the Night Parade!

A few things – make sure you save your spot well in advance! We waited about an hour before, and enjoyed our Disneyland Activity Books as well as making friends with the people around us. They were even nice enough to let our kids sit up on the curb with them, so they didn’t miss a thing! As it gets closer, show your kids how the lights pop up on top of buildings….

…..then watch for this fun guy and help him yell and wave with excitement!

Grab some snacks and light-up balloons for fun – would you rather a glowing Baymax, traditional Mickey, or an awesome Deathstar balloon?

You’ll get to see a lot of your favorites during the ride – and all glowing with fantastic lights and exciting music! We couldn’t help but bob and sway along – as much as the crowds aloud for dancing, at least. There was Tinkerbell, Peter Pan and other fairy friends….

…Sully was playing DJ. Watch the doors behind him, you never know who you’ll see!

I really loved how they created these – allowing movement not only around the street, but moving their arms and heads, too!

The Toy Story crew was quite lively, with plenty of cowgirls dancing along with Jessie, then Buzz and Woody enjoying a ride on Slink.

My boys went CRAZY for Cars – especially since Mac had dozens of glowing lights on the side that were a lot of fun!

Ariel had plenty of fishy friends, including Nemo swimming along behind with twirly jellyfish.

Don’t worry, there were plenty of princesses – including Belle with a GORGEOUS color-changing, bright rose behind her. Be sure to wave to Elsa and Anna in their magical ice castle, as well!

And of course it wouldn’t be complete without Olaf!

Last come the classics, such as Goofy and Donald riding along some glowing domes. Such funny guys! Then the grand finale with Mickey 🙂

I’ve always enjoyed the Disney parades, but the Paint the Night is by far my new favorite! I can’t wait to see it again!!! Go book your next Disney (or Universal!) vacation with Get Away Today – use promo code: BusyMomsHelper for $10 off your package!

Other Disneyland Fun…

Disneyland’s 60th Diamond Celebration

February 10, 2016 by Danielle

Isn’t it crazy that Disneyland celebrated it’s 60th anniversary this past year? Today I’m sharing our experience with the food, the festivities and the fabulous decor from Disneyland’s 60th Diamond Celebration!

Contains affiliate links that help support this blog at no extra cost to you. See my disclosure policy for more info.

As you know, our ENTIRE family (19 of us) went to Disneyland last October for our regular reunion visit. It was AMAZING – and super fun since we didn’t just have the festive Halloween decor all around, but also the beautiful blue Diamond celebration banners, sparkles and more in celebration of their 60th anniversary.

Some photos are from our Disney Photopass, others are from my sister/bro-in-law’s visit in January.

Disneyland’s 60th Anniversary: The Decorations

Isn’t the castle EXTRA gorgeous right now?! Practically everywhere we looked there were diamond/blue accent, from the archways and lamp posts….

…to the bakeries and shops!

Disneyland’s 60th Celebration: Souvenirs and Stuff

No worries, you can still find all the amazing regular items in Disneyland’s many shops and station – but right now they have special, limited-time-only products to really help you remember this one-time party! There’s plenty of clothing, gloves, even cheering banners and plushes….

…as well as souvenir mugs! I couldn’t resist this fun castle one I found at Jolly Holiday Bakery & Cafe.

My friends at Get Away Today sent me some sparkly Diamond Celebration ears last summer, so they were PERFECT for our trip! You’ve got plenty of options for yourself, too – as well as glowing balloons.

My mom secretly bought each family a pretty ‘diamond’ Christmas tree ornament, so we can hang that every year and remember these fun times.

My sister and brother-in-law loved showing off their 60th shirts and posing for lots of lovely photos – they’re so cute, why wouldn’t they?

Disneyland’s 60th Diamond Anniversary: The Food

Guys, I was awful and took hardly ANY photos of the themed foods we got while we were there! I know, how rude of me, right? We DID get this DELICIOUS caramel apple though – I could eat these every day, if my waistline wouldn’t complain so much 😉

They also had plenty of drinks, cupcakes, suckers and more – go crazy with it! The food is half the reason to go to Disneyland anyway, right?

Head on over to Get Away Today and book your vacation before the 60th Celebration is gone! Use Promo Code: BusyMomsHelper for $10 off your vacation!

Other Disneyland posts you may enjoy…

Star Wars Half Marathon

February 3, 2016 by Nikki Cole

Star Wars is already amazing; running a Star Wars themed Half Marathon through Disneyland? EPIC!

Contains affiliate links that support this blog at no extra cost to you. See my disclosure policy for more info.

Now I know what you’re thinking ‘there’s no way I could run a half marathon’, well good news there’s a simple 10k or even a 5k you can do as well! Disney has several fun events throughout the year and some of them are different themed runs that take place through the park. I got the great opportunity to run the Disneyland Star Wars Half Marathon this year with my husband.

So yes running is hard and no I am not a huge runner. I have had ACL replacement surgery, torn my MCL, and several other injuries to my knees so no I am not a huge runner because it is hard and it gets boring. I never thought I would run a half marathon because of my injuries and because I don’t enjoy just plain running, but these events are way exciting and it’s satisfying to be able to say I have ran three now.

I have run three half marathons now and every single one of them was hard yes but the amazing memories and the accomplishment from finishing them is amazing. This last one was my absolute favorite, not only did I get another half marathon under my belt, but I got to run with characters in Disneyland and enjoy the celebration of the new Star Wars movie.

If you ever get a chance run in a Disney race, they are so fun and with all the excitement going on you won’t realize how tired you are, you will just know how much fun you are having. Now with that said it does take some training. No you don’t have to go run every day. My training consisted of elliptical, biking, running, strength training, and stretching. Like I said earlier, I have bad knees and continuous running is not recommended at all for them. I am not giving up my races so therefore when I am not racing I need to take care of my knees, so I don’t run hardly at all in training. I train on the elliptical to train my lungs and get really good cardio. I ride a stationary bike to help stretch out my legs and get a little bit of cardio and strength in. No I do not do squats or lunges, if you have bad knees these can cause damage if repetitively done. I do however do leg curls, leg raises (backward and forward), inner outer leg lift/press, and calf raises. I also do walk to help train my feet to be able to stand for that long on concrete without bruising or blistering. So I don’t run all the time; I will run about 1 to 3 times a month but just 2 to 3 miles, not very far at all.

Some tips if you’re thinking of a Disney run:

Plan early! Look up upcoming events (where, when) and mark the registration date. You will need to sign up usually within an hour if you want something other than the half marathon, the half usually fills up within a couple days. So planning is critical otherwise it books up, so look ahead and plan.
Train! Don’t expect it to be really easy, it’s not super hard either but how great your trip is will be determined greatly by the amount of training you do before. Of course you’ll want to go to the park after so if you don’t train you will be so sore and tired you won’t get to enjoy your trip.
Find a buddy! Mine was my amazing husband who pushes me along and supports me the whole way. We talk through the whole thing and he makes the run so much easier knowing I have that help and support.
Enjoy! Take in everything that’s going on! Enjoy your run, don’t just focus on it being a race focus on having a great time and doing something amazing.

Think it will still be way too boring for you? What if I said there were storm troopers, Darth Vadors, and several other characters and decorations from the show throughout the whole race you could take pictures with? We had tons of characters from the movie cheering us on the whole way, along with bands playing music to get us pumped. There were plenty of stops with bathrooms, drinks, and snacks to help us get through it as well.

No I did not get a record time with this half, but it was way exciting and memorable. After the race I also got to spend time in the park which is always an adventure. One of my favorite parts through the race was going through this kind of tunnel and through the tunnel they played Darth Vador’s voice of him breathing and saying ‘come to the dark side’, it was way cool. Another part I really liked was being able to not only run through the park but go through behind the scenes areas. And of course I loved having hundreds of people cheering me on. Like dressing up? Perfect, pick your favorite theme and dress up! Don’t go too overboard because you still have to run. Through my race I saw Darth Vadors, storm troopers, Leia’s, and all sorts of characters from star wars. If you like running or not, but want to get in shape and have a memorable vacation, sign up for one of these runs and I promise you will not regret it, even though I was sore after, the memories from this trip are amazing and are going to stay with me forever.

Other fun from Disneyland…

Watch for the next Disney Half Marathon, and book your Disneyland vacation today! Use promo code: BusyMomsHelper for $10 off your vacation package!

Disneyland Just for Kids? Think Again!

December 11, 2015 by Nikki Cole

Is Disneyland just for kids? You may have heard that all around, but think again!

Be sure to check out Get Away Today for great prices on you trip! Use Promo Code: BusyMomsHelper

Is Disneyland just a vacation spot to take kids? My husband and I had the great opportunity of visiting Disneyland and California Adventures in October and we think it was the best vacation we have taken in the four years of being married. So think again if you think Disneyland is just for kids.

We absolutely loved this vacation because there was so much we could do but also nothing we had to do. The rides we went on, the treats, shows, characters all of it was exciting and fun and brought us closer as a couple while we enjoyed each other’s company through the parks.

What can you do there that is so amazing?

Rides (uh duh!)
Hidden Mickeys
Pressed Pennies
Food
Characters
Parades
World of color
Fireworks
Mad hatter’s Tea Party

Some rides may not be as enjoyable if you are prone to motion sickness like the Californian Screamin’.It is a very fast paced and intense roller coaster with many drops and a big loop-de-loop that gives you and upside down view of Paradise Pier. If you like more mellow rides try Peter Pan, Splash Mountain, Snow White, or Pirates of the Caribbean. One of my personal favorites is Toy Story’s Midway Mania which is a 3-D style arcade shooter game breaking plates and popping balloons. My husband and I have competitions on Midway Mania to see who will win and the winner either picks the next ride or the loser has to buy treats. Yes I ended up losing quite a few of the games but it was worth the fun we had together. If you’re looking for some tips or pointers to make your trip more enjoyable try getting fast passes for rides with long lines, download mouse waits or the Disneyland app to check wait times and hit the ones with shorter wait times. No fast pass and you really want to go on it? Find some games on your phone to play together or get a hidden mickey book.

Hidden Mickeys are all over both of the parks! In several stores there is a book you can get that goes through all of the hidden Mickey’s throughout the parks. Some are difficult to spot and some are so easy you’ll wonder why you didn’t see it before. This is great while you’re waiting in line. Check the book and get ready to see the Mickey’s in the lines and on the rides. The book isn’t very expensive and we found that it was less expensive in the park rather than online at Amazon or Ebay.

Another fun activity to do is trying to collect the parks souvenir pressed pennies. I included the paper that my husband and I followed showed us where they were all located. While we looked for the machines, we went into shops and locations that we never knew existed. At several of the shops there were souvenir books to keep all your pressed coins nice and neat. It was about $9 and again don’t buy it online were we found them for $30! So don’t waste your money and just wait until you get to the park.

Food! Ok who doesn’t love food? Well for those of you that aren’t rich (like us) here are some tips on not breaking the bank on food. First, bring a bag with a water bottle that you can keep filling at water fountains throughout the day. Second, don’t be afraid of leaving the park to get food. Just outside of Disneyland in a very short walking distance there are several restaurants that will fill you up and not empty your wallet. We ate at Denny’s multiple times during our stay. We loved how we could sit down, relax in a cool place on a hot day and order some really great food and not stress about the bill. The service we got there was great and we ended up eating just two main meals and little snacks in between rides that we took into the park ourselves.

Now that I said leave the park for food, there are a few things that are worth the little extra money because the memories you and your partner will get from them are priceless. Turkey legs! Yes I am serious, a huge turkey leg. Now these are a little expensive so we shared one together, trust me they’re massive and one can easily feed two people. So grab one, get a bench and attempt to eat somewhat politely a turkey leg. My husband and I were a mess after but it was so fun eating it, oh and don’t use a fork, have some fun just eating it without utensils.

Churros are another great treat you should get at least once. We stayed late in the parks several of the nights we were there, a Churro made a perfect late night snack. Another fun treat to get right before the night time shows are ice cream sundaes. There are several ice cream stores that offer a variety of Disney themed novelties. My favorite was a Mickey Mouse shaped sundae that we got at one of the several carts throughout the parks.

Character dining is a great way to meet Disney’s beloved characters instead of waiting in often long lines to meet your favorite characters. This provides great entertainment and great food for all meals of the day. Both Story tellers Café and Goofy’s Kitchen offer a buffet and a meet-n-greet where the characters walk around and come say hi.

The nightly entertainment with parades, shows, firework are often crowed but are they worth it? Absolutely! I love my husband so much and us being there and watching incredible shows was magical. The Paint the night parade followed by the Disneyland Forever fireworks was my absolute favorite thing we did. By far the best parade and fireworks we have ever seen. The fireworks were breathtaking over the incredible castle and made for a perfect night to spend with my best friend.

World of Color is also another very cool show that had images projected on water, with fire, music, and lots color. The light up Mickey Mouse ears actually sync with the show to give it a little more added color. The Mad T Party was another show that involved a live band, dancers, and performers the played a variety of well-known songs.

Disneyland is one of my favorite places to go and all the memories and amazing times we had was magical and will live with us forever. So grab your partner and head to Disneyland because it’s not just for kids it is for anyone and everyone of all ages.

Head over to Get Away Today and reserve your magical vacation for just $125! Use Promo Code: BusyMomsHelper for $10 off your package!

Universal Studios Florida Printable Height Requirements

October 1, 2015 by Danielle

I’ve heard of a lot of people that have trips coming up – it’s getting into the slower seasons at major theme parks, so it’s the perfect time to go! Whether you’re planning a visit to Universal next week or next year, get your kiddos prepared with these Universal Studios Florida Printable Height Requirements!

Contains affiliate links that support this blog at no extra cost to you. See our disclosure for more info.

Before we went on our first-ever visit to Universal last month, I made sure to look up the height requirements. Knowing ahead of time what each of them could and couldn’t ride saved a lot of fits and meltdowns! I still suggest using your own judgement – even if a child IS tall enough to ride, doesn’t mean it’s best for them. For example, Black Widow would’ve been ‘fine’ going on Revenge of the Mummy, but she would’ve been terrified!

You can download and print either a full-page 8.5×11 height requirement sheets – one for Universal Studios park and one for Islands of Adventure park – or a sheet with BOTH parks lists fit onto the 8.5×11 page.

Download Universal Studios Park 8.5×11 Here

Download Islands of Adventure Park 8.5×11 Here

Download BOTH Parks on one 8.5×11 Here

Several of the larger rides, such as Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringotts, have ‘test’ seats outside the ride so you can see if it will fit safely and comfortably. If you’re not sure, try them out! I personally LOVED Escape from Gringotts – the kids’ favorite was Flight of the Hippogriff over in Islands of Adventure. We went on that coaster more than any other ride!

So get your plans all set for your next vacation to Universal Studios, print off these height requirements, and have a fabulous time! Book through Get Away Today for the best deals – and use Promo Code: BusyMomsHelper for $10 off your package!

Heading to Disneyland instead of Universal Florida? We’ve got Height Requirements for there, too!

The Crazy Good of Family Forward

September 18, 2015 by Danielle

Our family attended the 2015 Family Forward Conference, and as such we received several discounted and sponsored experiences, meals and other perks provided by the sponsors of the event. This is simply a recap of my experience that I want to share with y’all. #FamilyForward #UniversalMemories

I know you’ve probably been going nutty waiting to hear how our first time joining the Family Forward event went, right? I meant to share some of our fun times sooner – but there were seriously SO MANY pictures to go through! I also needed to think of how I wanted to break it up, because there’s absolutely no way to fit everything into one or two posts. I’m thinking 5-8 over the next few weeks? Then I can really give you the great details of The Crazy Good of Family Forward!

This post is going to break down the actual Family Forward stuff – not including the days in Universal with the special VIP Tour we got Saturday, or the exclusive time at Wet ‘n Wild park. Those will come later! And just a note – some of these photos were taken by the Family Forward team – the better ones! While we’re on that note – the team that put this together is AMAZING! A big shout-out to (from left to right in this picture) Kendra, Marissa, Jyl and Melinda for all their hardwork and fun attitudes!

Plus THANK YOU to their families and everyone else – I know it takes a village to put something like this together, and they were phenomenal! Plus this lovely lady Meredith, our rep from Universal Studios Orlando, was such a fabulous hostess even though she entirely lost her voice right before the event – what a trooper!

We signed up for Family Forward RIGHT when registration opened (sold out super fast) but kept it a big secret from the kiddos all these months! They had no idea – until Thursday morning we woke them up way early, had them get dressed and in the van, and drove to the airport. Once we were on the plane with another family that was going, we pulled out some fun activity bags filled with goodies like Minions, Transformers and Harry Potter stuff and told them. They were THRILLED!

Since we knew we’d need help with the kiddos, we invited hubby’s parents along for the trip – such a great opportunity to make fun memories with grandma and grandpa! After we check into the fabulous Loews Royal Pacific Hotel (post coming soon), grabbing a tasty lunch at their poolside grill, and settling down in the room a bit, it was time for the first Family Forward activity – a Superhero party sponsored by Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals!

We got capes and masks, put together care packages to help raise funds for kids fighting cancer and other diseases, and even got to color and write cards to help cheer those in the hospitals up!

We had so much fun! We decided our family’s super power was working together.

Some people REALLY dressed up for the superhero party – sadly our hero costumes are in storage for the whole house selling crap, so we settled for Avenger shirts!

Following the party, we hopped on buses that took us to a back studio where Universal sponsored an AMAZING dinner – with 5 or 6 different food stations all themed (salad bar cart, pasta station with Italian decor, etc.) and plenty of characters to meet. Plus – we were welcomed in style with a red carpet, live band and applause! Ya – we may have gotten a bit ‘blessed’ (remember, I don’t use spoiled as a good thing – it’s BLESSED) 😀

Black Widow was most excited to meet Marilyn Monroe and Betty Boop – saying ‘mom, they’re so pretty!’ Shaggy was PERFECT for his character, and along with his pal Scooby Doo took a lot of time visiting with the families. You can’t forget Gru and his crew of Minions, of course!

Guess what we got to do after the dinner party?! Universal Studios Orlando put us on the Hogwarts Express and sent us to Hogsmeade for an EXCLUSIVE couple of hours there where it was ONLY Family Forward attendees! Free Butterbeer, dessert bar, hardly any wait for the rides, taking our time walking through Hogwarts Castle, wand-purchases – seriously it was THE BEST! I’m going to go into a LOT more detail about the Harry Potter stuff & Hogsmeade in a later post because it deserves it’s own!

The morning brought us a yummy breakfast provided by Loews Royal Pacific Hotel, then some family-activity workshops! Black Widow was super thrilled about DohVinci!

If you have no idea what that is – it’s a special playdough type thing in tubes you can stick into the crafting gun, then just squeeze and it decorates any surface! The boys needed a little assistance squeezing the gun handle, but my girl handled it like a pro!

They even let us keep our masterpieces – and we managed to pack them flat and get them home without any damage – woot woot!

Royal Caribbean International provided us a neat, tropical lunch and even brought along one of their characters for a photo opp – Shrek! I was lucky enough to go on a Royal Caribbean cruise for a conference in January – and after seeing all they have for kids to do, I can’t wait to take my family on a cruise with this fun company!

After lunch was a really neat science experiment involving DNA sponsored by Monsanto, along with yummy colored melons for snack. The kids got necklaces at the end with a sealed vial of strawberry DNA at the end – how many kids can say they have that?!

We enjoyed not only the learning we got to do, but the family teamwork! I started to wonder if Iron Man would ever take his orange safety goggles off 😀

That night we got a special time at Wet ‘n Wild water park – 2 hours with everyone (it did rain a bit, but then cleared and was perfect) then 2 hours JUST OUR FAMILY FORWARD GROUP! Yup, told you we were blessed! They even provided us dinner vouchers – yum! Again, that deserves it’s own post (coming soon).

Saturday morning brought us to a delicious breakfast buffet at Jimmy Buffet’s Margaritaville in CityWalk! Loved the decor, the DJ was so fun, and we got to rock out to some fun dancing and tunes. Great way to start the day!

We then broke into groups of about 12 – and received a VIP Tour of Universal Studios and Universal Islands of Adventure! Seriously, this was AMAZING – straight onto the major rides with basically no wait, insider tips and information, backlot sites and so much more. LOVED IT! The 4 hours went by so fast, and we had an absolute blast! I’ll share a bit more of that in later post, too!

That night we got to enjoy The Blue Man Group! I’ve never seen them before and wasn’t sure if the kids would like it – but as soon as the show started they were on the edge of their seats (Hulk woke up from his little cat nap), danced to the music, laughed along and absolutely loved it!

The lovely Melinda from the Family Forward Team even got to go up and be part of the act!

We had a free day Sunday until a ridiculously delicious dinner in CityWalk at either the CowFish or VIVO, an Italian place. We picked Cowfish (sushi – like hubby could resist!) – more to come on that in a later post, though! Seriously, this entire event was unforgettable and I can’t wait to do it again!

Thank you SO MUCH to Family Forward and Universal Studios Orlando!

15+ Legoland Tips for the Best Vacation

August 23, 2015 by Danielle

Despite having been to Disneyland in California MANY times in my life (and many more to come!), my family has never made it to Legoland. Sad, I know, especially with hubby and the kids being MAJOR Lego-lovers! For our trip coming up in a couple months, our entire first day is at Legoland and we seriously can’t wait! Being the planner that I am, I gathered up 15+ Legoland Tips for the Best Vacation to help us get ready.

Contains affiliate links that support this blog at no extra cost to you. See our disclosure for more info.

1. Keep Kids Happy while Waiting

Even though I’ve been told the wait times for even the best rides aren’t that long, kids can get pretty impatient when they’re excited. Legoland has Legos set up for kids to play with while the parents wait – awesome, right?

2. There are 3 Sections – be sure to get tickets for what you want.

Just like Disneyland is divided into the classic park and California Adventure, requiring different tickets if you want both, Legoland has the main amusement park, the Sea Life Aquarium, and the water Park. There’s a variety of combo tickets, so pay attention and get what you really want.

3. Arrive a bit early

Many of the reviews I’ve read suggested getting there 30 minutes to an hour before the rides actually begin. This allows time for figuring out tickets, getting some pictures and maybe glancing at the map more than 2 seconds to really get your bearings.

4. Apple Fries are a Must Try

Supposedly the Apple Fries at Legoland California are the BEST, and many have said we just can’t avoid trying them on our visit!

5. Pay Attention to the Height Requirements Beforehand

Some of the rides are specifically meant for smaller children, so if your taller kids are looking forward to one of those they may end up disappointed. Same with the littles that really want to try a ride you must be taller for. Just plan ahead and they’ll know what is a YES and what is a WHEN YOU’RE TALLER.

6. Notice the Little Things

All around the park are figures, accents, decorations and more built out of Legos – this is such a fun thing to really see! From a Lego shark laying in the water on a pirate boat ride to an entrance archway from all Lego pieces, be sure to notice these random and fun accents.

7. Start with your Favorites First

As with most amusement parks, it gets busier as the day goes on, so it’s wise to try and hit your most-anticipated rides earlier in the day. Also, the water parks get busiest in the afternoon (hottest time of day, so makes sense) – so if you want less crowds perhaps you should start there.

8. Don’t wait to Shop After

The shops stay open after the rides are closed, so many think it’s wise to save your souvenir shopping until then – problem is that EVERYONE has the same idea! Most recommend shopping throughout the day, otherwise it’s total chaos and harder to keep track of your kids in the masses. Glad I read about that otherwise I would’ve been stuck in the rush!

9. Minifigure Trading

Just like pin trading at Disney, Legoland has Minifigure trading – let your kids pick out some minifigures then have fun trading with staff throughout the day.

10. Take Advantage of Child Swap

If you have kids that are too small/tall to go on something, they do offer child swap. Those going on the ride just tell the member at the ride to get the pass, go on the ride, then pass it to those waiting with the others so they don’t have to wait in the full line twice.

11. Don’t Carry Your Purchases All Day

Instead of lugging around bags of Lego stuff all day, leave it with the store clerks and you can pick it up in the Market at the end of the day.

12. Use the LEGOLAND app

I’ve been told this is great at checking current ride wait times – gonna give it a try when we go so we can avoid the busiest ones and make the most of our time!

13. Bring Snacks & Stay Hydrated

They allow snacks and water bottles to be brought into the park, so do that to help save your money. Don’t forget to drink plenty so you don’t have a miserable time dehydrated!

14. Preferred Parking isn’t Usually Worth it

Until I read many, many reviews saying that with the small parking lot, preferred parking (that gets you practically to the gate) isn’t really worth the $20 charge because it isn’t much walking anyway.

15. Buy your Tickets from Get Away Today

Every dollar saved is great while on a vacation, and after comparing the online prices of Legoland and those that Get Away Today offers, GAT is the winner! Use Promo Code: BusyMomsHelper to get $10 off your vacation package!

Bonus Tip from Legoland Themselves: “if you have any questions throughout the day be sure to text us at (760) 203-3604 and we will respond to you during your visit.”

Also find out which Heartlake City Friend you are!

Other fun in California!

20+ Disney Copycat Recipes

August 16, 2015 by Danielle

I can’t tell you how excited I am for our Disneyland trip in a couple months! We’ve been planning it for so long, and after last time’s trip being a bit of a flop (flu at the happiest place on Earth? No thanks!) I have high hopes for this time around. Since half the fun for me is the FOOD, I thought it’d be fun to share 20+ Disney Copycat Recipes with y’all to enjoy!

Contains affiliate links that support this blog at no extra cost to you. See our disclosure for more info.

Disney Copycat Recipes

When making plans and such for an upcoming trip, I always make a list of food places I want to eat at or specific foods I want to try. Of course, Dole Whip is ALWAYS on my Disney list! I’m a huge fan of Blue Bayou, as well (hope to take my kiddos with me to eat there this year!), and our whole family HAS to go to Goofy’s Kitchen – it’s like a tradition! Even though we go to Disney every other year, there’s still TONS of yumminess I haven’t tried, so hopefully I can cross off a few more goodies off my list this year 🙂 Be sure to book your trip at Get Away Today and use Promo Code: BusyMomsHelper for $10 off your vacation package!

Disneyland’s Caramel Chocolate Marshmallows on The Idea Room

Blue Bayou Lamb from Disney Examiner

Disney Dole Whip by Six Sister’s Stuff

Disneyland Smoked Turkey Leg by Disney IRL

Apple Pie Caramel Apples by Favorite Family Recipes

World’s Best Hot Chocolate from Napa Rose Disneyland by The Disney Diner

Blue Bayou Gumbo by Magical Recipes

New Orleans Beignets by Bombshell Bling

Sweet Potato-Rosemary Biscuits from Blue Bayou by WDW Pinterest Board

Big Thunder Ranch Barbecue S’Mores Bake by The Disney Chef

Disneyland Hand Dipped Corn Dogs by The Stay at Home Chef

Mint Julep Copycat Recipe by Inspired by Dis

Big Thunder Ribs on WDW Pinterest Board

Lemon Bumblebee Cupcakes from The Hungry Bear Restaurant on Disney Food Blog

Disneyland Meyer Lemon Creme Brulee Tart from Babes in Disneyland

Carnation Cafe Loaded Baked Potato Soup from Disney Insider

Disney’s Gingerbread Recipe from Babes in Disneyland

Trader Sam’s Panko-Crusted Long Beans from Sasaki Time

Chocolate Peanut Butter Sandwiches from Disneyland by Picky Palate

Copycat Disneyland Monte Cristo Sandwiches from The Kitchen Magpie

Main Street Bakery Peanut Butter Cup Cupcake from Disney Food Blog

Peanut Butter & Jelly Sugar Cookie Pizza from Goofy’s Kitchen by Mom on Timeout

Disneyland Pumpkin Beignets by Wonder and Company

Enjoy even more foods by doing your own Disney vacation! Book now with Get Away Today using Promo Code: BusyMomsHelper to get $10 off – get another goodie to try!

Disneyland Vacation Recap

November 20, 2014 by Danielle

I can’t believe just two weeks ago I was in Disneyland, having a complete blast. Time flies when you’re having fun, I guess! Since it’s the 3rd Thursday of the month, which means it’s time for our Countdown to Disney Series feature! What better for this month than a Disneyland Vacation Recap?!

Don’t forget to see Get Away Today from great Disney vacation prices – use Promo Code: BusyMomsHelper

As I explained when I shared my DIY Disney Countdown, just our foreign exchange student (Cat Woman) and I went for 4 days. We met my parents, my baby sister, one of my nieces, then my uncle/aunt and their little girl were there as well! It was so fun, but really went by super fast! (I haven’t gotten our high-quality photos we purchased using the Disney PhotoPass yet, but will add those later. Forgive my low-quality phone photos in the meantime, please!)

First of all, I’m so glad I booked through Get Away Today. Not only did I get an awesome price, but they even called me the week before to make sure all my plans were still good-to-go, and helped me make a last minute change to our shuttle service from/to the airport. You can use Promo Code: BusyMomsHelper for $10 off your vacation package!

The two of us flew in EARLY Wednesday morning (flew out of Dallas about 7am, landed around 8:30am Cali time). Thanks to their knowledge and experience, they were able to get us set up with the Karmel Shuttle. Once we got our bags, we just called and within about 2 minutes they were picking us up at the curb, then straight to our hotel.

We stayed at the Castle Inn & Suites, which was perfect for us! The price was great, and it was within walking distance to the parks and several shopping venues and restaurants. The rooms were very nice and clean, and they even made all the towels and washcloths into fun swans each day! They gave the little girls cute crowns when we checked in, which got them all the more excited. I kept Hubby and the kiddos back home happy by sending lots of photos (like the Planes Fire & Rescue billboard) and calling often. Thank goodness for Instagram, right?!

We arrived just in time for the holiday decor going up, and every day we went there was more they’d added overnight. Super fun and festive! Garlands, lights and Christmas magic everywhere…the entrance was even all snowflaky and beautiful! Seriously, I think this is my new favorite time to visit Disneyland! Also, this was the first time I got to try It’s a Small World when it was decorated for the holidays. I couldn’t believe the decorations and fun outfits in that ride, plus the music switches between the normal ‘It’s a Small World After All’ song and tunes like ‘Jingle Bells’….great songs and it doesn’t repeat too much to get stuck in your head…Woot woot!

I was beyond thrilled that Big Hero 6 hit theaters while we were there, because it was featured everywhere! Where they use to show Captain EO, they were showing a sneak peak of the movie, with a few special affects. LOVED IT! They had Baymax mugs you could get, tons of different toys and merchandise, and even Baymax glow-balloons! Plus…a character meet-and-greet! These photos don’t do Baymax justice…he’s literally a blown up body, just like in the movie, his black eye-dots really blink…and he waddles super cute, too! When we were there it was him and Hiro, so it was fun chatting for a minute.

Since this was the first time I’ve been to Disneyland without little kids in a REALLY long time (like high school), I got to get my fill of the ‘big kid’ rides such as Space Mountain and California Screamin’. And did you know, Big Thunder Mountain was redone last year completely and the ending is all-new!

Want to know my all-time favorite ride? Hollywood Tower of Terror, all the way!

Now let’s talk about THE FOOD. It’s no secret that I’m a HUGE lover of food, so when I go on vacation there better be delicious, fun, amazing things to eat. Disney didn’t disappoint! One of Cat Woman’s first things on Day 1 was to get a Dole Whip Float at the Tiki Juice stand. So yummy….really wishing I had one right now! I also got to try the Mickey Mouse shaped beignets from the Mint Julep Bar, both original AND pumpkin. Yumm-o!

Since we wanted Cat Woman to have an extra special time and really experience the magic of Disneyland, we went to the Blue Bayou for lunch one day. Oh. My. Gosh! I’ve eaten there before and it still blows me away how flavorful and delicious everything is, plus the fun atmosphere right by the Pirates of the Caribbean ride! I ordered the Herb-Marinated Flat Iron Steak, and I could literally cut it with a fork, it was so tender (shown below in top-right). Cat Woman loved their Jambalaya and gumbo! You can also find fun treats all over the park, and there’s plenty of neat places to eat as you watch people enjoying the parks.

The other special character meet-and-greet was Frozen’s Elsa & Anna! To find out the special way to arrange seeing these (hint: fast passes required) read about it here. On top of the little, snow-covered cottage where you go to meet them, the fabulous Olaf is perched on the roof! He looks around and has different saying you can listen to as you’re waiting.

Since our other sister LOVES Chip, my sis and niece made sure to grab him for a picture. I ran to nab a photo of Princess Sophia passing by to send to my Wonder Woman…she loves her!

My little cousin that came is such a Minnie Mouse fan, and I really wish I’d video recorded her meeting the pretty mouse lady! She ran up to her, hopped up and down in place, then very gently tapped her on the nose. Minnie was really sweet with her, getting down on the ground so she was at her level and being super patient so she didn’t scare her.

Now that I went, I’m even MORE excited for our Disneyland vacation next year! So stay tuned for more of our Countdown to Disneyland Series!!!

DIY Disney Countdown

October 16, 2014 by Danielle

Well, it’s the 3rd Thursday of the month, which means it’s Disney Day! Ready for more fun with this month’s part of the Disney Vacation Countdown Series? I am, especially since I get to go there in just a few weeks! Yup, plans have changed….and this adorable DIY Disney Countdown is helping me keep track until it’s time to head out!

Don’t forget to see Get Away Today from great Disney vacation prices – use Promo Code: BusyMomsHelper

If you saw our first part of the Disney Vacation Countdown Series, you know that my family (ENTIRE family) is planning on visiting Disneyland in about a year. That’s still true (woohoo!)….but since we really want our sweet foreign exchange student that’s staying with us this year to experience one of our absolutely favorite places, we decided that I would take her NEXT MONTH! Ya, I’m going a bit nutty with excitement! I know it’ll be here before I know it, but the waiting is pure torture!

To help me wait the next few weeks, I made this super-fun Disney Countdown to help me track the days! One of the best things about it? It’s reusable, so we can pull it back out for our future Disney vacations, too! If a Disney vacation is in YOUR future (or you want it to be because, hey, who doesn’t love Disney?) then head over to Get Away Today for fantastic prices and great service to schedule your trip…then make your own Disney Countdown to help you celebrate! Use Promo Code: BusyMomsHelper for $10 off your vacation package!

Isn’t it awesome? I got the inspiration for the straw backgrounds from the talented ladies at My Sister’s Suitcase. Their Halloween sign was just too cute! I’m a huge ~~hoarder~~ fan of paper straws, so it just seemed like the perfect background for our Disney Countdown!

Supplies

2 Frames (I did 8×10 and 5×7)
Paper Straws in color of choice (my 8×10 took 39, my 5×7 took 19)
2 Clothes pins
Hot glue gun/glue
Count down pieces (paper, shapes, stickers, numbers, etc.)
Double-sided tape
Mickey shapes
Scissors
Sheet of Mickey shapes, if desired

Directions

If you want your frames a different color than they are (like the red and black) paint them. Trim your straws to fit inside the frames. Then you can either hot glue the paper straws into place, or just be extra careful to trim them JUST RIGHT so they fit in snuggly. (I chose this since, as Sister’s Suitcase pointed out, you can always take out the straws and reuse the frame for something else!)
Gather your shapes for your countdown numbers. I cut my banner shapes out with my trusty Silhouette Cameo from black and yellow construction paper. I made sure the black shapes were larger than the yellow, since I wanted the ‘border’ look on my pieces. I then used my Silhouette to cut out red vinyl numbers for the countdown. (I also did the large banner and text for the ‘Countdown to Disney’ banner at the same time on yellow cardstock and red vinyl) Be sure to do 2 of each number, so you have enough pieces (for example, as I write this there’s 22 days until we leave…it obviously wouldn’t work with only one 2!). Place your vinyl/sticker onto the yellow shape, then use double-sided tape to secure the yellow onto the black.
Place your title/heading stickers onto the yellow banner and hot glue onto the top corner of the frame (or wherever you’d like it! Also hot glue the 2 clothes pins onto the middle of your larger frame, to hold the countdown pieces.
Print out these Mickey shapes, and cut out which ones you want to decorate your frames. I wanted my smaller frame to be totally Mickey, so used the two gloves, belly and two shoes! Hot glue the pieces into place.
Hang up your frames, and start counting down to YOUR next magical trip at Disney!

Bonus….if you make sure to just put Countdown to DISNEY….you can use it for either DisneyLAND or DisneyWORLD! Woot Woot!

Don’t miss our other Disney themed fun!

Disney’s Frozen Elsa Dress (in 2 hours or less!)

Disney’s Frozen Anna Dress (in 2 hours or less!)

Disney’s Frozen Olaf Costume (in 2 hours or less!)

Disney Vacation Countdown Series Kick-Off

September 18, 2014 by Danielle

*This post contains affiliate links. The giveaway is sponsored by Get Away Today. All opinions are my own. See my Disclosure Policy for more information.

Who here loves Disney? How about DisneyLAND?! My family would be throwing our hands up in the air waving them around like mad-men to both those questions! We absolutely LOVE everything Disney, and trips to Disneyland seem to be our type of family reunion on my side. In celebration of our next trip, we’re bringing you the Disney Vacation Countdown Series Kick-off! Oh, and did I mention a GIVEAWAY!

Now, this trip isn’t something happening soon because, reality-check, I can’t exactly afford to go to Disneyland right now. Bummer, I know! So instead of being just a few weeks, or even a few months, this Disney Vacation Countdown Series will go for about a year or so! Yup, the 3rd Thursday of every month for the next 12-18 months, we’ll be sharing awesome Disney-themed games, activities, food, crafts, party ideas, and so much more!

Helping bring you this Disney-filled fun are the fabulous people at Get Away Today! For all our past Disney trips, we’ve booked through them and have been so pleased. You can use Promo Code: BusyMomsHelper for $10 off your vacation package, too! The prices are the best, plus the extras really help make our vacation magical! They even have a layaway plan to help you get your vacation planning started! If a Disney vacation may be in your future, head over to their site and let them prove how truly helpful and amazing they are!

Giveaway Time!!!

Thanks to Get Away Today, one of you will win a package full of assorted Disney merchandise, a $50 value totally FREE! Although the contents may vary from the photo shown, it MAY include items such as autograph books, plush animals, photo books, chore charts, sling backpacks and more. The perfect package for any Disney-lover!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Want some fun Disney ideas NOW, to (hopefully) last you until our next part of the series in a month? I know I do! Here’s some wonderful Disney-themed ideas from other talented bloggers…

Mickey & Minnie Mouse Money Banks from Food Family Finds