This is my second time visiting Disneyland with Finley, third time total, so I’ve accumulated a few tips that I can share with you. Lots of people have shared their tips with me and it’s SO helpful! The first time we visited Disneyland Finley was 2 years, this time he was 4 years old, so it’s a little different, but so much is similar. Disneyland itself has also changed as well, so tips keep changing with the times!
Why Disneyland
I love Disneyland much more than Disneyworld: it’s easier with kids to navigate, a much smaller scale, better food and weather. Disneyworld is great if your sans kids, or your kids are older. There are more parks, more walking etc. At Disneyland there are two parks-Disney and California Adventure. Disneyland you could do two days, and California Adventure pretty much in one day. Download the Disneyland app-this tells you so much! I’m on the app all day checking information -the map of the parks, the wait times, where to eat, where everything is! You can get fast passes for rides, ask about these when you walk in to both parks. Get fast passes for the rides with longer lines obviously, like Thunder Mountain. Most rides are 40″ for height, so check your child’s height as well before you wait in lines! The fast passes on the app you have to pay for. If you go to the actual ride and get them they are free!
Disneyland has two parades a day which are amazing to watch! One during the afternoon and one for evening, you’ll know when they are going to start before the roads start to close off and people take their seats on the sides. This is also a good time to ride the rides because the waits are shorter! The fireworks don’t start until 9:30pm, with the water show at 9pm right before. This is so late for young kids. I have yet to see this because we can never make it that late, but I hear they are amazing!
Where to stay
The closer you stay to Disneyland, the more expensive the hotels will be, but we’ve always stayed at hotels relatively close and affordable. This time our Hampton Inn & Suites was AMAZING! It was one mile from the park, so it’s walkable, or there is a shuttle bus you can take every 30 minutes. If you ask the hotel they will give you the number you can text for the schedule. A day pass for me and Finley was $8.50 for the shuttle and so worth it. If you have young kids then you can come and go if you still want to keep naps, like I did one day. Our hotel had free breakfast in the mornings which cut down on costs, and we had access to fruit and water during the day. BONUS TIP: bring reusable water bottles to fill up during the day at the parks and the hotel so you’re not buying drinks all day. Also, stock up on snacks and fruits at the free breakfast to have during the day. You can bring food into the park!
Outfits
My fave topic ha! Dress comfortable-comfy and cute sneakers preferably, always carry a jacket-California get chilly in the morning and the evenings. I’ve been in February and March now and it’s been COLD both times. Be prepared, and pack layers for your kids too. Carry a backpack or something easy to throw everything in! I packed protein bars, fruits, our reusable water bottles, sunscreen, hats and sweatshirts! Buy all your disney theme outfits before hand! I linked a bunch below-you can find mickey stuff at Target, Zara, H&M, and Etsy. If you have daughters, even the princess dresses and headbands can be bought before-they are so expensive at the disney stores. 
Stroller
My son is over 4 years and lasted one day without a stroller. We rented one there for $15/day and it was SO worth it. I was able to walk faster, and he loved it! It was also a great place to store my stuff while we rode ride, ate etc. If I had a good umbrella stroller I would have packed that, but it was so easy to rent it.
Food
The kids’ meals at Disneyland are one of my favorite things about the park. They are SO good, large, and a great price. For under $10 you can get your kids a turkey sandwich, yogurt, carrots, milk or water. A few places have mini burgers too! There are a few healthy choices for you if you are interested-you can search the menus for the restaurants on the app. BONUS TIP: mobile order on the app instead of waiting in line! You can select your time, tell them when you’re close and then pick up at the window. This was amazing for us! We ate really good meals, and had lots of snacks while walking around! You can get these from all the carts on the sides of the road and in certain shops! Also, as stated above, you can bring snacks into the park, so pack some in your backpack, because all the food does add up.
