Knotts Berry Farm vs Disneyland

Disclosure:  I was given Knotts Tickets for our family and have gotten Disneyland tickets at times in the past, but no posting requirements were included.  All opinions are my own.

Differences between Knotts Berry Farms & Disneyland

Disneyland is truly a magical place.  I don’t think of it as a theme park, but as more of a destination.

Knotts Berry is a theme park (owned by Cedar Fair, which owns a LOT of US theme parks).  And frankly, probably the best one I’ve been to.

Knotts has big rides — HUGE rides, that are super fun.  It’s well-kept, themed well, has good food, and is great for a family day.

Disneyland has smaller rides, with more imagination.  There is something for every member of your family to delight in.  It has a high standard of cleanliness, has great food, and is a destination for family travel.

BUT, each one has its place.  I’ve talked a TON about Disneyland tips — so, today I’ll talk more about Knotts Berry and what is great about it!

Knotts Berry Farms Ticket Pricing

If you’re looking more into Disneyland — check out my Disneyland budget and my Disneyland trip calculator.

Knotts Berry Farms Tickets (when bought online at the time of publication) are about half the price (or more — depending on when you go) of Disneyland. That is HUGE. If you have other things you’d prefer to spend your money on, but still have a fun vacation, that makes Knotts a great option!

Plus, Disneyland has the whole park hopper/Genie+ add-on, so that adds to the price as well.

Let me spell it all out for you in a table. Please note that both parks have dynamic pricing for 1-day tickets (meaning it’s more expensive on weekends, etc).

Disneyland tickets vary from about $90 to $169/day (this is why most people prefer multi-day tickets — your price/day goes WAY Down). Knotts seems to vary from $69-$89

Keep in mind that with Disneyland “Genie” you only get to use each Lightening Lane once, vs the Knotts Berry farms Fast Lane allows you to the ride the same rides over and over if you’d prefer. It is a much better value for people who want to ride a few times many times in one day.

Like most places, I recommend buying your tickets before the gate (buying at the gate is one of my biggest Disneyland Mistakes)…..

I have a whole post on if you can buy your tickets to Disneyland at the gate (you shouldn’t, and 99% of days you can’t) — that shares the CHEAPEST way to get Disneyland tickets!

Knotts Berry Farms Discount Tickets

My #1 choice for Southern California tickets is Get Away Today.  You can usually get Knotts tickets on this page (just scroll down a bit to find the Knotts tickets). FYI, sometimes Knotts has sales that make buying off their site cheaper, but Get Away Today will price-match their ticket prices.

You can also get great prices on Universal, Disneyland, Sea World, and more (and when you combo them, you save even more!).

I would 100% recommend pricing a Knotts hotel in the area with them as well.  They have the best price guarantee.

2025 Note: I often see that Get Away Today is not selling Knotts tickets, in that case I do think your best bet is to purchase through Knotts online.

Knotts Berry Farms Hotels

If you plan to go to Disneyland as well, I would get your hotel location based on Disneyland, and drive (or Uber) to Knotts.  They’re actually quite close to each other.

If you’re just going to Knotts, they have their own hotel — The Knotts Hotel

We actually stayed there at our last visit and I was nervous because the hotel doesn’t get great reviews.

The hotel has recently been updated and the rooms were nice, but it was definitely a surface remodel. The rooms were loud, and the handle on my sink came off when I turned it to hot. However, it’s SUPER close to Knotts, and if I was visiting Knotts again I’d probably stay there.

• The price is great — check it out here
• It’s so close
• The rooms were comfortable, just loud.

**AND when you book with Get Away Today you get REDUCED PRICE PARKING which is a nice savings!

There are some great deals that can be found if you want to go to Knotts and stay at their hotel. Their packages can be found here.

If where you stay is important to you, we have also stayed with the Ayres chain that is in LA (we stayed in their Seal Beach Location — and Get Away Today can book any hotel if you call them).  Get Away Today offers a few of them. They have an AMAZING breakfast, the rooms are large and we really enjoyed our stay there.

They also recommend the Holiday Inn Buena Park — which is at a great price point.

Disneyland to Knotts Berry Farms

They aren’t far from each other at all.

Personally, I find the area around Disneyland to be much harder to navigate, so we usually stay near Disneyland and drive to Knotts on the day we are headed there.

This shows to take the 5, but we often drive down Ball and then turn north just past the 39 — there are some fun things to see along the way.

I also checked the price for an Uber/Lyft, and it was about $25 each way (obviously depending on timing) to go from Disneyland to Knotts.

Knotts Berry Farms Rides

Knotts Berry Farms has rides for everyone in your party.  Even with small children, Knotts can be very fun.  There is a Snoopy area, and lots of other fun rides for kids & families (more on that).  Many of the rides don’t have height restrictions, and kids will find them SUPER fun.

I think Knotts can be fun for kids of all ages, similar to Disneyland.

Knotts is split into areas.   There are lots of rides and something for every taste.  However, they are much more amusement-park-like rides, unlike Disneyland which seems to have its own brand of rides.

Of particular note of popular rides:

• GhostRider — a great wooden roller coaster, my husband said it’s one of the best he’s ever been on (you can see it in the photo above). I rode it for the first time recently and REALLY enjoyed it.
• Knotts Berry Tales — an interactive dark ride where you learn the history of Knotts and “shoot” things.
• Timber Mountain Log Ride — A log flume — has a lot of story to it.  Very similar to Splash mountain, we really enjoyed it (and didn’t get TOO wet)
• Silver bullet — a hanging-type coaster.
• Calico Mine Train — This is a family-friendly fun ride through a mining mountain.  It’s like Knotts Berry’s Pirates of the  Caribbean.
• HangTime — this was their newest ride when I went and has one of the steepest drops of a coaster on the west coast.
• Xcelerator — Another steel rollercoaster that is amazing – per my husband, because I am NOT a roller coaster rider

There is also a raft ride and lots of spinning rides.   Like I said, most of your basic amusement park rides.

I will say if you’re a lot on the overweight side, Disneyland will likely be more comfortable.

There were a couple of rides that I was too big to ride (or very uncomfortable buckled in).

Also, if you’re pregnant, there isn’t a ton for you (but you could still have a fun day. There are a lot of places to sit down, and a few rides you could enjoy. Knotts is MUCH easier on my feet.

Knotts Soak City

Knotts also has a water park tied to it called Soak City. You can get tickets to it here. It’s only open during the summer months, and is just your basic water park. It was crowded, but spread out enough I didn’t feel claustrophobic. They had a nice locker system and changing area. It’s across the street from Knotts. Most people that are doing Soak City have a pass and are enjoying both. I would not recommend buying Knotts Theme park tickets, and adding on Soak City also.

On our stay we went to Soak City on our arrival day for a few hours and then went to Knotts the next day.

Camp Snoopy & Other Options for Little Kids

Camp Snoopy has been re-done in 2024. As I toured it I will say most of it looked pretty familiar, just some re-theming, new coats of paint, etc. Lots of times to visit snoopy and places to explore. This area tends to have rides for small kids similar to other amusement parks.

There is also the Ghost Town area that has informational stuff on the history of California and sometimes extra fun for little kids (especially at Halloween and Christmas). Lots of interactive experiences (including a blacksmith etc). That type of interactive entertainment isn’t just for Disney. When I was there they also had “Ghost Town Alive” where characters would talk to kids and it was super interactive and fun!

One of the biggest perks for small kids is not having to wait long for rides. Anyone who’s waited an hour for Buzz Lightyear with a 2-year-old knows from whence I speak.

Note: Fast Lane does not work for any of the rides in Camp Snoopy — so Getting smaller kids that would be of no use, just FYI.

Knotts Berry Farms Rides for Teenagers

Like most amusement parks — Knotts is a mecca for teenagers. yes, while they will likely skip Camp Snoopy (and the many routes through the park makes that doable, the rest of the park is perfect for them).

While not impossible, I think Knotts is a little harder to do with kids of all ages.

Knotts Berry Farms Rides for Adults

I think adults will find a lot of fun at Knotts as well. Because it’s not as crowded you aren’t constantly faced with teenagers who will annoy you. There are a lot of really nicely themed areas and adults also appreciate the lack of lines.

Knotts Berry Farms Crowds

In general Knotts is much less crowded than Disneyland. But, at crowded times at Disneyland, Knotts also tends to be quite crowded.

We went the 3rd of July, and it was BU-SY. Thankfully, we had fast lane passes.  That got us on to the rides quite quickly, and I think they were 100% necessary on that day — I would not have wanted to go to the park without them.

There are times that ride wait times will get to about 3 hours (looking at you Ghostrider).

On a regular day, I think the Fast Lane passes might not be worth it.  You can add them to your pass in the park if you decide to do so  (you can get them at many of the stores).

Knotts Berry Farms Entertainment

I have to say that I’m not sad that my kids aren’t too into the “shows” anymore.

Knotts has great shows, some of the best I’ve seen at amusement parks. They also have great bands and characters around the park. WAY better than your “average” amusement park.

But, Disneyland has broadway-esque ones. So, for me, there isn’t much of a comparison. The win to Disneyland on this one.

Knotts Berry Farms Parking

Knotts doesn’t have a lot of hotels that are within walking distance, but there is plenty of parking in the area it is currently $30, vs the $35 it costs at Disneyland. 

As far as WHICH parking lot at Knotts, I recommend the North lot — it seems to be closest to the main entrance.

Food at Knotts Berry Farms.

Knotts has a LOT of food options, and I found the pricing to be pretty great in comparison to Disneyland food.

We got some Carne Asada fries that were really yummy, and very shareable — just near the Fiesta Plaza.

We got those in the afternoon and then had an early dinner at Mrs. Knott’s Chicken Restaurant.

It was pretty good, and HUUUUUGE.  I would recommend ordering the fried chicken dinners — My adult son and I split and we still couldn’t eat even close to all of it.  it included:

• Soup
• Salad
• Biscuits (SO yummy, with their delicious KNOTTS jam)
• 4 pieces of chicken
• Mashed potatoes
• Corn
• Pie

All that is around $30.  I think 3 of us could have split that dinner!

Disney also has a great chicken dinner, at a bit lower price point, but less food.  I think their chicken is better (you can find it at the Plaza Inn at the end of Main street).

Pro Tip: Knotts has a bit different rules on what you can bring inside vs what you can bring to Disneyland, so be aware.

My favorite Knotts treat is to get the funnel cake but with the ice cream and the topping on the side. That way the funnel cake stays warm and doesn’t get mushy with all the liquids on it. They didn’t even hesitate when I asked for it on the side. So good after a long day at the park!

Knotts All Day Dining

This last time we went I tried the Knotts all-day dining package. It was around $37 I think. It allows you to get a full meal every 90 minutes. There were 3 of us, and we just got one. Obviously, it could be a GREAT value if you do it right:

• Get a meal every 90 minutes
• Enjoy the types of foods offered on this meal plan.

Some downsides:

Obviously, this is just for “one person” (although there are no rules about who can eat the food, they’re just very clear that only one person can purchase the food — you are given a wristband). So, THAT person has to stand in line to get the food each time.

This only includes MEALS. Much of the offered food is fries or burgers. During Our day, we got:

• Carne asada fries in the Fiesta Village
• Orange chicken from Panda Express
• Pizza & a salad

In total that food would have been around $45, and we just paid $32. But sadly, this meal plan does NOT include the delicious chicken dinner.

Pro Tip: The Boardwalk BBQ has HUGE meals and are included in the wristband — it was yummy, easily split-able and I’d recommend it!

You’re stuck. The Panda Express line stretched far out of the restaurant, but since I’d already paid the money I was stuck eating at those venues. I also couldn’t just decide we’d rather sit down for the chicken dinner.

Be aware of open/closing. There are no breakfast options on the meal plan, which made it so we couldn’t even get a meal til’ around 11. We’d hoped to get some tots, but that place was closed, so we went for Pizza. Just be aware of those things. Also, if you plan to leave early that limits how many meals you can get since it’s just one every 90 minutes.

The Lines for Food are Long — in reality, you almost need to get in LINE about every 75 minutes, because some of the lines are long. It was fine for me because my kids love big rides and I don’t mind sitting out — but again, something to think about. It did take up a considerable amount of my day.

Honestly, for the 3 of us, it was a decent amount of food for the day. The portions are pretty decent. If our boys were there, I would think 2 bands would do all of us for the day.

Pro Tip: What to BRING to Knotts is very similar to what to pack for Disneyland.

Knotts All-Inclusive Vacation:

As I was typing all of this up — you could get a REALLY sweet Knotts Vacation (pricing is current in July 2023)

• Stay 2-nights at the Knotts Hotel for $304
• Get a 1-day knotts ticket for $60-$70 (looks like weekends are higher)
• Option: Add Fast Lane in the Parks for $99-$119 (busier days being more expensive)
• Optional: Add the all-day eating for $32’ish (might be able to knock off a kid or two depending on if they’re big eaters)

For a family of 4, here’s your pricing (and I’m using average pricing)

• $564 without fast lane
• $964 with fast lane
• You’d even be just over $1,000 if you added in food.

This gives you a total of under $1000 for all the food and fun for 2 days (you’d only get one day of the food pass, I’d recommend splitting a couple of meals at the chicken dinner spot your first day).

I’ve recently seen some Knotts hotel packages that include fast lane — which is a nice option. I love going back to relax there in the afternoon!

Honestly, that’s less than just our Disneyland tickets cost us. Just putting that out there. Be sure to check out my Disneyland Budget. You can also get a better idea in my Disneyland All-Inclusive Packages post.

But, here’s some basic comparative pricing (and I want to be clear that most people visit Disneyland for more than one day, but I want to compare apples to apples):

• 1-day Ticket ($169-$104) I’m taking an average day at $144
• 2-nights at The Anaheim Hotel $430 (this is a similar type of hotel that is close to Disneyland)

The total for those for four is: $1,006 (so, basically double what Disneyland was)

If you add Genie the price goes up to $1106, and if you add park hopping to that it goes up to $1,366

Anyway, that’s just to give you some pricing ideas. The pricing does vary a bit depending on when you go, for both parks. I have a whole post on the cheapest time to go to Disneyland.

Knotts vs Disneyland at the Holidays

We actually attended Knott’s and Disneyland last fall for both of their Halloween festivities.

While Disneyland is certainly amazing at Halloween, I was really impressed by how Knotts did it up.  Our kids were able to trick or treat (no additional charge) and the ghost town was done up really fun.

A few of the rides (especially the log flume) were done up for Halloween.  Although, I am pretty sure my kids are scarred for life from the Log Flume — it’s a little weird, and the music is certainly an earworm.

Knotts does Knott’s Scary Farms in the evenings in the park and I hear it’s some of the scariest stuff in the area, which has ZERO appeal to me. So, there’s that.

They also do a “Knott’s spooky farm” during the day for the littles where ghosts hang out in the Ghost town. It’s pretty fun. Kids can even trick or treat on the weekends.

Disneyland again does Christmas up like crazy, but Knotts isn’t to be beaten with their Knotts Merry Farms!

Knotts also has their own festivals including the Knotts Boysenberry Festival (which sounds delicious).

Disneyland or Knotts Berry Farms: Final Answer.

While each definitely has its own place. A few thoughts:

If Disneyland tickets/hotel alone is going to stress your vacation budget to the max, go to Knotts — I think you’ll have a great time and feel less financial strain. BTW, check out my Disneyland Trip Calculator (which can easily be used for Knotts or any other trip).

If it is your visit to Southern California and can only pick one — pick Disneyland. Overall, it’s better, more iconic, and — something your family will always remember. There are tons of other fun things in Southern California as well!

If you’ve gone to Disneyland a few times, I say try Knotts! I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised at the decreased crowds, fun rides, good food, and enjoyable days!

All in all a trip to Knotts is a LOT of fun.  I think it’s different than Disneyland, but can be done for a LOT cheaper, and with a lot fewer lines (although I do have a whole post on how to skip the lines at Disneyland).

There are just SO many California Theme parks to choose from (which is awesome). Be sure to check out my post about Universal also (I even have one on the brand new Nintendo land).

All in all — Knotts is awesome for thrill-seekers, and Disneyland (for me) is more magical.  I am not a thrill-seeker though, and our kids absolutely love both parks.

If you liked this post, be sure to join my #1 tip for family travel:

The post Knotts Berry Farms vs Disneyland? Which one is right for you? appeared first on Pulling Curls.

Universal Studios theme park can be daunting when you visit, especially with children.  These Universal Studios Hollywood Tips are specific to THAT park and will give you a touring plan to really enjoy the day!

This includes tips that we went in 2016 and 2018 with kids from ages 7 to 18. But, also updatedfor 2023 when our kids were 14-22.

Be sure to also read more about things to do with kids around Hollywood tips for The Wizarding World of Harry Potter and my newest post on the best tips for Super Nintendo World.

Universal Studios Hollywood.

Now, you think “yay, that is fun!”

But if you’re my 12-year-old son you think, “OMG, I WILL GET TO BE HARRY POTTER!!!!!”

It really was my 12-year-old’s dream come true!

Tips to Universal Studios Hollywood

FYI, this is part of my Disneyland Tips series. Although Universal is more about the dinosaur than the mouse, many people combine the two! And, if you’re looking to do the trifecta, I have a post on Knotts Berry Too!

Universal Studios Hollywood Tips – Harry Potter

I have a whole post JUST about that area (this post was getting too long and I thought your phone may explode reading it )– be sure to check it out — Harry Potter World Hollywood

Suffice it to say, you will want a wand, Butterbeer and motion sickness remedies for the Forbidden Journey ride. If you’re a Harry Potter fan, DO NOT miss that post!

Do not buy at the gate — Discount Tickets

I would 100% recommend searching for discount tickets before you go.  You can always save vs the gate prices! Buying at the gate is always one of my biggest mistakes.

I was given some passes for our days at Universal Studios, but I did buy an extra pass online through Get Away Today and saved myself about $5/ticket (which adds-up)

They often have a great 2-day ticket (which would be awesome!).  OR, you can get them in combination with a Disney ticket — so be sure to check out your options while on their site.

However, if you want to buy it with the “express passes” where you get to skip the long lines you can only get that through their website.  AND, you save $10/ticket buy buying it online — so buy Universal express ticket beforehand!

Also, sometimes Universal park has discount, and last time if you bought direct, you got in early! — so double check to decide what works for you.

BTW, Universal Studios Hollywood tickets and Disneyland tickets are usually fairly similar in price — so be sure to grab my trip calculator if you’re wondering how much your Disneyland Budget is going to be.

Where to stay near Universal Studios Hollywood

This is a tough one.  When I talked to my peeps at Get Away Today they said they normally recommend staying at a hotel near Disney and driving.  They are normally cheaper, and more family-friendly.  That puts you at about 1-2 hour commute depending on Los Angeles traffic (my favorite).

I disagree, I prefer staying closer to Universal.

The one we have stayed at most often is The Magic Castle Hotel.  It has impeccable service (including unlimited snacks, ice cream and soda) but the rooms aren’t that nice and I can see some of my friends not liking it because it is not as well-kept.

The Garland is my second choice (but our family would need two rooms). They offer a free shuttle to the parks, which is huge, and it has a very cool retro vibe.

Holiday Inn Express North Hollywood – this one is also close, and does offer a free breakfast.

Going to Disneyland AND Universal Studios Hollywood? — where to stay

If you ARE going to combine it with a trip to Disneyland resort, you could definitely stay in Anaheim and drive up.  Be sure to check out Get Away Today for all your ticket and hotel needs.  They have a price guarantee in the Disneyland area.  I always use them when I book my Disney trips!  They have awesome Universal Deals, especially if you combine with Disney tickets!  And just for Pulling Curls readers, save $10 on your trip with CURLS10 coupon code!

However, you’ll want to leave your hotel maybe 2.5 hours before the parks open to avoid traffic and get to the gates early. SO, if that isn’t something you think you can handle, maybe consider staying closer by.

Universal Studios Hollywood Parking Tips

Apparently, a lot of people google this — and frankly, I think you have to park on-site.  Or, walk a REALLY long way in.  They just told us what parking structure to go into.  I’d love to know if there is one lot that’s better/closer than the other ones.

The direct word from Universal is this:

We have a couple different lots that people are directed to based on the entrance they take. For example, if they enter off of Universal Studios Blvd, they may be directed to the ET Parking Structure, but if they enter off of Universal Hollywood Drive, they may be directed to Frankenstein or Jurassic.

From what I can tell — Frankenstein is the closest. I feel like there is less walking when you get that one. ET makes you walk through the entire CityWalk.

BUT I Uber’d to the park last time we went (from Magic Castle) and it was nice to not have to deal with traffic.

Universal Studios Hollywood Map

Universal Studios Hollywood is located in the heart of Hollywood — but since it’s LA it takes about 30 minutes to get to it from Hollywood.  You can see it right here.  You can also see a map of the whole park here.

Universal Studios Hollywood Halloween

In the fall they host Universal Studios Halloween Horror Nights.  I would say that this is NOT for kids, but you can learn more about it on their site.  If you are going as a family in the fall, you can avoid this by going in the day.  This is a separate ticket.

Universal Studios Hacks

Universal Does not Allow Outside Meals

First off, Universal doesn’t allow outside food—but that mainly means an entire bag from McDonald’s.  They WILL let you take in small snacks, waters, etc.  We have found that the best way to use our time at an amusement park is to eat our meals while in line.  That means I bring a variety of foods to be consumed while in line for the next attraction.

Universal Studios does allow outside “snacks”

Acceptable items are things like crackers, cookies, gogurts, string cheese, Slim Jims, nuts (I really work to add some protein to our day and my kids don’t like nuts – so figure), fruit, or veggies.  You can NOT bring a hard-sided cooler (small, soft-sided coolers are okay) into Universal but we do have a small cooler backpack we would use (although our day wasn’t warm enough to elicit the need for cool snacks, so we just had a backpack).  Want more ideas — be sure to bring my post on what to bring to Disneyland (which is similar to what I bring to any amusement park).

This is basically the same rules as what you can bring into Disneyland, FYI.

They run your bags through an x-ray machine on your way into the park (vs riffling through like Disneyland) which made it easier (aka, not all zippers open).

Eating at Universal Studios Hollywood

There are a LOT of options, both inside the park and outside of it. However, food isn’t a high point for me at Universal. It’s there to sustain me, not to delight me.

I think my favorite place to eat in park is the Toadstool Cafe in Super Nintendo World. I think the food is good and the theming delights.

Outside on City Walk we have enjoyed Toothsome and Bubba Gump’s. Both are decent. Not amazing, but good. Portions tend to be large so you can always share.

**Bonus tip — if you want butter beer and the line is long, or you’d love to sit down to enjoy it go into the Hogshead Tavern. You can get cold, slushy or hot butter beer in there and there are tables to enjoy it at.

Experess Pass at Universal

(these were previously called Front of the Line Passes)

We were given a few express passes for our family (and purchased the rest).  Front-of-the-line passes are like a fast pass for every ride for a shorter wait time.  On the normal express pass you can only use it once per ride. It also currently not for use at the Mario Kart ride.

I will say these really do cut wait times. Rarely were we waiting more than 10 minutes with these. They really do work (unlike Genie+ Lightening Lanes which can sometimes be 30+ minutes). HOWEVER these passes are more than $100+ extra/day — so most people aren’t using/getting them.

To use Express Pass they scan your park passes, so make sure you have them handy when you enter a ride.

Still Arrive Early

You should still plan to arrive early at Universal Studios — you’ll still get so much done in the morning when it is not as crowded.

I detail early access in my post on Super Nintendo World.

Gates may Open Early

The park officially opened at 9, but the gates opened early — maybe 10 minutes. They change how they offer early entry. Sometimes buying tickets through Universal gave you a perk, but currently they offer early access just to Super Nintendo World.

Bags on Rides

Universal has an awesome system where you can get a “free” locker for a period of time (it may change depending on how busy they are).  You use your fingerprint to get your bag out.  So, don’t worry about small souvenirs (like your wand) — they’re easy to stow on rides that won’t allow it.  The ones I remember were:

• Harry Potter Forbidden Journey
• Mummy (it’s close to Jurassic Park, so you could use it for that too if you have stuff you don’t want to get wet).

These lockers are a good size. Both my husband and myself had backpacks, and we could get both in the same locker.

I did notice that if you over the alloted “free” time they do charge you to get your bag out. On the day we visited you got 90 minutes of “Free” time (plenty of time for both The Mummy and Jurassic Park), but someone had exceeded that and it did charge her (her wallet was in the locker, so I’m not sure how they work that out).

BTW, I outline my favorite Disneyland Backpacks, and they would work well for Universal as well!

Ride Swap at Universal Studios Hollywood

**Universal does have an awesome Ride Swap program where parents can take turns riding rides — called Child Switch  So, let’s say you have 3 kids and only one wants to ride it.  They’d ride with dad first, mom takes the other two into a themed (and air-conditioned) room while they ride.  When they come back Mom can ride with that child right away (no waiting in line).  It’s awesome.  I really appreciate the quiet, cool rooms.  That way no one gets lost from each other.

Overweight at Universal?

Universal Rides often have seat restraints that are hard for overweight people to sit in. Disneyland is very overweight friendly, but I’ve heard from many people who didn’t feel that way about Unviersal.

BUT, I also saw that Universal — if you truly aren’t able to ride many rides, may refund your ticket cost.

Pro Tip: MANY of the rides have a seat outside that you can test to see if you fit — so you don’t have to find out when you sit down on the ride.

FYI, I also don’t find Universal to be NEAR as friendly for our pregnant friends either.

Best time to Visit Universal

Yes, like all parks — Universal is un-crowded early in the year and in Septmeber, but crowds over the holidays and during the summer. Also, keep in mind that pricing changes based on how busy they expect the park to be.

With the opening of Super Nintendo World it will be busy this summer! Just plan on that (and avoid it if that doesn’t appeal to you — or enjoy the rest of the park while everyone is waiting in the lower lot).

Universal Studios Hollywood Rides

How you plan your day really depends on what you really want to do.

If your kids are super excited about Nintendo or Juarassic park feel free to do those first. I will try to note which rides have the longer lines that you may want to get in first.

Lower Level Rides

Mario Kart : Bowser’s Challenge

I detail this more in my Nintendo World post. It is brand new at the time of this writing and wait times can be HIGH. It is not fast, or scary at all. But you do wear a visor that projects things onto the dark ride as you drive your Mario Kart through the different tracks.

If you don’t hit this ride first thing in the morning, you’ll want to hit it later in the afternoon as wait times die down later in the day.

Jurassic Park World Ride at Universal Studios Hollywood

We really enjoyed the updates to this ride. It is set in the “world” with Chris Pratt and bigger dinosaurs. My kids were blown away by how much better it was than 2018 when we rode it last.

This ride can be scary for little kids. The first part is very tame, but as you go up the hill to the final building it gets very dark and the dinosaurs are louder and closer). It does have an 80 foot drop at the end that seems like it will get you very wet (but it doesn’t get you that wet in our experience).

I personally love that if you’re in a row behind the front row you can “hide”your shoes from getting wet under the seat in front of you.

You can buy ponchos as you go on the ride, but we decided to man it out.  If your kids absolutely hate rides with drops or hate Splash Mountain then they will probably not like the Jurassic World ride.

I absolutely hate drops, but the visuals have been updated on this ride to make it pretty fun. I also don’t usually get too wet on this ride, which is a bonus for a mom. This can be scary for small kids as the dinosaurs

This ride didn’t seem to have too long of a line most of the day the park. Which is crazy, it’s a good ride.

Revenge of The Mummy

This ride combines Indiana Jones (what with the Mummy theme) with Space Mountain (as a dark ride roller coaster).  I did not take my 7-year-old on this ride as there are mummies swiping at you and I thought the imaginative nature might be too much for her.  My 12-year-old refused to go, but my 15-year-old went and had a great time.  I actually thought it was the best ride there.  I really enjoyed it.  FYI, stuff flies out at you.

In 2023 with everyone over 14 everyone enjoyed it.

This ride tends to have a moderate wait time. It is usually one of the longer ones in the lower lot.

SPOILER ALERT:  The roller coaster does go forward and then backward through it all.  I was grateful to know this ahead of time.  FYI, you can always watch rides on YouTube to see what it will be like if you’re wondering if your child is suitable for it.

Transformers Ride at Universal Studios Hollywood

Much like many of the rides here, you’re in a “vehicle” and then you shake around as you watch a movie that has you flying off surfaces, falling, etc.  I didn’t love the ride.  I don’t love the Transformers and it was sort of violent for my tastes.  But, we all rode it and everyone was fine with the ride.  The 7-year-old was a little frightened but when I asked her if she’d recommend it to other 7-year-olds she said she’d recommend it “if they like the Transformers” (if you had a Transformer lover, I bet this ride would be a lot of fun).

This line varies.

**A  lot of the Universal Hollywood rides seem very similar in that you wear 3D glasses combined with the movement that is the ride. On our last visit I got SO sick on this ride (it was our last one of the morning) I mostly sat there with my head between my legs using my glasses to fan my face).

Other Rides at Universal Studios Hollywood

Minion Mayhem

Is mainly just a theater. The seats move a little.  Great for any age. There are often Minions to take your picture with.  It tends to have a shorter wait time.

Simpsons ride

This ride is a re-purpose of the Back to the Future of a few years ago.  Your car does rise up, you wear 3D glasses and move around with the movie.  More movement than the Minion ride. This somehow has a longer wait time, sometimes even longer than Mario Kart. (?)

Kung Fu Panda

This was previously Shrek 4D (they still have Donkey out front that chats now and then, and Pinnochio takes your tickets)

This is also a theater with individual seats. This was probably our least-favorite ride. An easy one to skip, but it does not have a long line, so it can be a good one to do while it’s hot outside.

The Studio Tour at Universal Studios Hollywood

I always love this thing.  I appreciate that they’re trying to show us some of the lots, etc.  It’s fun.  This lasts around an hour there can be a bit of a wait to get on the tram (when we rode there was only a 10-minute wait).  Last time we got there mid-day and there was about a 30-minute wait to get on a tram (although people with Front-of-the-Line passes get on really quickly).

While this is just a tram there are a few places you use your 3D glasses.

You still get to see Jaws, the earthquake, and flash flood.  It’s pretty fun and we all enjoyed it.  Something for all of our ages.

FYI food and drink are welcome on the tram.  Feel free to bring some lunch on it!  We bought our ButterBeer before it and brought that on.  It was lovely.

Spoiler Alert Universal Tram Tour Can Be Scary!

I wish I would have prepared my 7-year-old a bit more for the King Kong one.  I think this scared her the most of anything.  It really does feel (especially when you’re 7) that King Kong and T-rex are right next to your tram and jumping on it.  Just FYI both of them can be intense.  The other one is a Fast and Furious experience and it was less intense but it was really loud and can be a lot if the kids think it’s real.

Secret Life of Pets

This is also a fun new ride (they were building it when we were last there). It is not scary, and takes you through the movie with the dogs wanting a home, etc. A fun ride for little kids especially. However, wait times for this thing are REALLY long — sometimes longer than Mario Kart. SO, if you get there early, but not THAT early to ride Mario Kart, I’d 100% recommend going to this ride to do it while everyone else is at the lower lot.

Dealing with Motion Sickness at Universal Studios Hollywood

Oh. my. gosh guys — I don’t know if I’m getting old, or what.  I go to Disneyland every year — but Universal just made me sick on our last visit.

It is something with the movement combined with the screens.  Maybe that your body isn’t moving quite in sync with what’s really happening.

Either way.  Wow.  I totally thought I was going to throw-up on the Transformers ride (as a culmination, it wasn’t just that ride that made me sick).

Here are a few tips on what to do:

1. Bonine. I actually thought my Universal days may be coming to a close as I got more motion sickness. Bonine has changed everything for me. I Always have it at a park! It’s other name is Meclazine.
2. Sit out a ride.  I REALLY wanted to go with my family on another ride of Harry Potter, but I finally decided it wasn’t worth feeling miserable.  I enjoyed the nice weather and just sat it out.  Fresh air and enjoying the scenery can give your body some time to relax.
3.  Do the studio tour mid-day.  As you’re in a fresh air vehicle and doing normal movements (for the most part) it gave me some time to relax.
4.  When it’s bad — take off the 3-D glasses, it will help somewhat
5.  When you’re on a ride just shut your eyes and take some deep breaths.  The oxygen will help (as you might have been holding your breath) and shutting your eyes turns off that sensory to the brain and then you just get “shaken” up.
6. You could try ginger candies or a motion sickness bracelet, next time I will try some motion sickness patches as well (like I used on our cruise).
7. I have seen some people recommend buying your own 3-D glasses, or buying ones that convert it back to 2D. Either way, just be aware of all of this.

I never get car sick as I grew-up traveling in a car, but Universal gets me bad.  Real, real bad.

Universal Studios Hollywood Show

They currently only have one show — they have closed the animal and special effects shows.

WaterWorld

This is the old Kevin Costner Water World movie.  It’s been the same show since I went in High school, BUT it’s a good show.  Always some exciting moments and does show you some cool effects.  NOTE: If you sit in the splash zone you will get wet.  And I mean REALLY wet.  Way worse than Jurassic Park….

Those who have front-of-the-line passes do get priority seating at all of these shows.  There is a separate line when you have front-of-the-line passes

Universal Studios Hollywood FAQ’s

Universal Studios Hollywood Secrets:

Front-of-the-line passes are not necessary. 

They are pretty costly.  Almost double the price of regular ticket (although I was surprised by all the people who had them).  I guess if money isn’t an issue and you’d really prefer to have a bit less stress of kids waiting in line you could get it.  BUT the lines aren’t all that long.  Harry Potter before closing is very available.  If you don’t get there early, head to Harry Potter last.  Enjoy it!

However, you should consider the cost of possibly getting 2 days at the park to see everything, plus the added hotel, food and other costs associated with that. Sometimes you come-out ahead getting the express passes. Decide what’s best for you.

It is a full day of fun

We were there at opening and left at closing.  We had a wonderful time and really enjoyed our day.  I remember before Harry Potter it wasn’t quite a full day of fun.  Now it truly is. With the addition of Mario Kart I think a lot of families are considering 2 day passes.

And yes, your feet are still going to hate you (I think Universal is more spread-out than Disneyland, FYI).

Do not take Kids under 5

It’s got a lot of good family fun, but I wouldn’t go with kids under 5. A lot of it could be REALLY overwhelming for kids under 6.  Princess P was just about to the age that she was ready for it (but since a lot of the rides can be really intense, I did still have some ride guilt).  Save your money and go once your whole family can enjoy it.  Which is what we had chosen to do.

Take Advantage of City Walk to Eat At

The beauty of Universal is that the City Walk is just outside of the park with tons of restaurants.  Not even the Three Broomsticks was much of a draw to my kids, so we ate at Bubba Gumps Shrimp Co. on the City Walk.

And when you do.  I bet you’ll love it!

If you liked this post — check out all my other travel posts — including my Harry Potter World Hollywood and Nintendo World one, and be sure to sign up for My #1 tip for family travel:

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This post was originally written in 2016, but has been updated.

The post Universal Studios Hollywood Tips & Tricks for 2023 appeared first on Pulling Curls.

Because I’m big into categorizing I have split this post into two spots. THIS post is about what to put in your luggage/car to bring to Disneyland.

I also have a post on specifically what I bring to Disneyland (as in my Disneyland backpack).

Both of these are part of my Disneyland tips series that talks about budgets, food, even feet.

You’ve come to the right place for Disneyland tips! Ok — on to your luggage!

What to pack for Disneyland

My previous thinking: You just never know if there’s going to be a snowstorm, a monsoon or maybe snakes will drop from the sky.  I’ll need snow gear army-grade ponchos and obviously anti-venom kits with me.  Right?

Sure, the snakes might be a bit of an exaggeration, but I sometimes feel like I am packing for ANYTHING when we head out on vacation.  As if there isn’t a store within a mile where I can buy anything my heart desires.

Packing for Disney theme parks can be tough.  You don’t want to waste walking time by having to head to the store for something, and you’re out in the elements all the time, so you do need a good amount of preparation, but I am REALLY working to slow my flow on all the stuff I bring.

Before we start, if packing your family for a trip stresses you out — I have a WHOLE chapter on organizing your packing in my course Family Routines. 

I give you the list, and I talk about what I use to pack, how each family member gets get their own lists and how I really push the responsibility to THEM rather than feeling like it is ALL. ON. ME.  Anyone else feel that way? 

Join the course for a month or a year, you can cancel at any time — and you can save 10% with code PC10.

Printable Ultimate Disneyland Packing List

Everything I talk about is right here — sent directly to your inbox:

Keep in mind this is in an effort to pack a bit lighter than I have. You’ll notice that I am still prepared for quite a lot of situations, I just minimized a bit. Some of the packing lists online are TONS and TONS of items. I am hoping to save you from that fate!

Pro tip: That list is pretty good for any amusement parks — like Knotts Berry or Universal Studios.

Packing for Disneyland

Clothes for Disneyland

Our rule is one shirt/day plus one pair of pants for every 2 days.  This is a good idea to help you keep to essential items so you don’t use too much space. I just feel SO dirty when I am done with Disney.  Also, remember to include the pants that you wore there in that count.  

Add One pair of undies (two if you’re new to potty training, and put extra pants and pull-ups in your bag, I once had a kid wet his pants 4 times in one day) and a pair of socks/day and you’re done.

Tips on what clothes to bring to Disneyland

1. Try to pick clothes that hide dirt well.  You’ll be sitting on a lot of surfaces and eating sticky foods.  This isn’t a time for white pants or shirts.
2. Minimize on Pajamas — One pair of pajamas should be sufficient (unless you have a longer trip or have a bed wetter)
3. Always include a light rain jacket and a sweatshirt. Sometimes I just pack those in a separate “just in case” bag — but have come in handy many times. Chilly mornings/nights and rain that just comes up happens even in Southern California.
4. Remind kids that unless clothes are VISIBLY dirty or smelly, you don’t have to wash them.  Yes, at home we do because it’s convenient, but when you’re on vacation there is no reason not to re-wear.
5. If you’re going during the summer months, I would throw in a bathing suit (although we are always way too tired to swim — I would feel badly if a kid wanted to swim at the hotel pool and it was my fault they couldn’t). Also remember to check the weather before your Disney trip, you can have warm weather even if it isn’t summer season.

My best packing tip is to get the right trip for YOUR family — get tips from Get Away Today and save $10 with code CURLS10!

I review all of the hotels I’ve stayed at near Disneyland here.

Shoes for Disneyland

Everyone should bring at least 2 pairs of sturdy, comfortable walking shoes, in case there is a catastrophic shoe failure.  The best way to enjoy Disney resorts is good, comfortable shoes, you’ll just hate yourself if you don’t.  This isn’t a time for fashion.

I absolutely love these shoes for long days walking around Disneyland.  I’d had my last pair about 7 years and I think they’ve finally died.  They’re actually on my wish list right now!  Somehow the rolling action really helps my arches!

If you’re a fan of wearing flip flops, I found a good option by a great brand called Wiiv’s that makes custom flip flops with tons of support and quality.  I love mine (and I hate all other flip flop brands) — so, they might be worth checking-out!

BTW, if you are a bit overweight — I have a post just for you that gives some tips. I also have one for my pregnant friends.

Packing light tip for shoes — most often you won’t see your shoes in any family photos.  Consider packing shoes that “go” with every outfit.  

I tend to go straight for sneakers for a Disneyland vacation.  The important thing is, if a shoe isn’t comfortable, just don’t bring it.  The end.

I have a whole post on Disney feet – -because you NEED happy Disney feet!

Special Notes for Winter Months Packing

Winter (Dec-Feb’ish) CAN be super rainy, and cold — but I always recommend bringing rain jackets and sweatshirts almost any time of the year.  However, it’s SUPER important you plan for rain.

Add some umbrellas and actual rain jackets (vs ponchos for wet rides).

Toiletries for your Disneyland Trip!

Try to bring things that work for the whole family.  We can all use the same body wash and shampoo.  Don’t go wild on makeup.  Just the bare essentials that make you feel alright about how you look.

Be sure to bring sunscreen (that one’s my favorite, I don’t put anything else on my face) and chapstick with sunscreen (I have found that brand to be the best to work and not wear off after an hour).  Be sure those land in your Disney bag too!

I don’t find makeup to be all that important, but I usually throw on some mascara and lip balm for fun.

The Miscellaneous Things.

This is the one that’s a killer.  All the misc.

Each of my kids pack their own entertainment bag.  I try to make sure 3 or 4 books go in there.  But, either way, I’m not putting that away so I don’t care.

Our road trip is about a 6 hour drive, so not crazy long – but long enough that they get fairly bored.

We have finally created a “car bin” that has the basic necessities.  A flashlight, extension cord, rope.  It’s a fairly small Rubbermaid tote and since it’s limited on space I only put necessities in there.  It did come in handy last time when we were somehow low on transmission fluid.  The headlamps were super helpful.  My husband also takes this on scout trips.

In general — my misc. stuff is all included in my “what to bring to Disneyland” post and then the stuff that I’m using to refill it.

Related post:  Best time of year to go to Disneyland

What to pack for Disneyland with Toddlers

Toddlers can be a wild card.

My #1 is to bring extra pants/pull-ups if they are recently potty trained (as I previously mentioned, I once had a kid go through 4 pairs at Disneyland –just off schedule).

I would also recommend stocking up on a few souvenirs ahead of time so they aren’t lusting after every item with their favorite character in the gift shop. That’s one of my favorite ways to save at Disneyland.

Check your local big-box store, the dollar store  or Amazon has awesome options (but SURE to grab an autograph book for character autographs from Disney characters — that will cost you almost triple in the park):

Of course, if you have a baby you’re going to need a whole lot more.  But that’s beyond the scope of this post.

BTW, toddlers and preschoolers in general test my #1 Rule for Family Fun pretty hard.

Tips on what to bring into the park:

Since you spend the vast majority of waking hours at the park, that seems to be what you need. This post tells you just what to bring in your backpack to the parks (these are my favorite Disneyland Backpacks).

Why Pack Lightly?

Packing lightly is my new mantra. I know from personal experience that while you can feel “secure” knowing you’re set for any situation — it can get excessive, and I have found some perks!

It is SO much easier when we get home.  When I plan for every eventuality it leaves me putting away a TON of stuff when we get home.  Whereas, if it’s just mainly dirty clothes and stuff we actually used, I don’t get so bogged down in the clean-up.

I also don’t get as “down” on myself if we don’t have something we need. We just drop by a store, or learn to live without it. Life goes on.

Learning to pack lightly has been a goal of mine — because I found that coming home was SO overwhelming to put it ALL away.

Hopefully, this gives you some ideas in how to simplify your packing.

What to pack for Disneyland FAQ’s:

Packing light is my new holy grail.  My natural tendency is to put our entire home into the car and that’s just not necessary.  We can make do with a lot of things.

Disneyland Packing List for Adults

Don’t forget to grab the packing list:

FYI, This post was originally written in 2016, and has been updated.

Don’t miss my list of Best Affordable Disneyland hotels — a list of 30+ of my favorite hotels (plus my own current top 10 hotel list).

The post What to pack for Disneyland: Disney Essentials Packing List appeared first on Pulling Curls.

Getting organized for a family trip is often so overwhelming that parents can’t get over it and relax on that trip (btw, a get away with kids is a trip — not a vacation, am I right?).  I love the tips and tricks in this post to help you get ready quickly and easily for your next trip

Our guest is Kim Fidler from Get Away Today, where she is the Internet Marketing Director.  She’s also the writer behind my Pregnant at Disneyland post.  She’s also one of my VERY favorite people to hang out with.  Someday we’ll go to Disneyland together.  Until then this podcast will have to do.

This post is inspired by all of my family travel posts.  I give lots of tips and tricks for picking a spot, picking activities and saving money!

Big thanks to this week’s sponsor, Family Routines — if you’re looking to pack and make trips less stressful, I have a whole chapter on that.  Instead of being stressed out with forgetting something, I will help you streamline it and have your family help you get ready!  BTW, don’t miss the coupon code mentioned in the episode!

In this episode we’re going to talk about

• Choosing where to go
• How to organize packing
• Deciding on where to stay (you might be interested in ALL of my Disney hotel travel reviews that helps you know what I look for in a room).
• How to stay organized while “on the road”.

Other things you might be interested in:

• My 2nd episode of my podcast where I share my #1 tip for family travel.
• My love story with Get Away Today that runs back to 1998.
• Other things to do in Southern California (includes Legoland)

Some of my favorite trip info:

• Yellowstone for Families
• 20 essentials for Car Trips
• My Trip Calculator (it’s set for Disneyland, but you can use it for any trip!)
• Great things about camping (I know, you’re surprised, I was too)
• Family-Friendly Fun in Hollywood
• Flagstaff, AZ
• Tucson, AZ
• Cruising with Kids
• Passports for Kids
• Audible Alternatives on Road Trips
• Kanab, UT
• Grand Canyon in a Day

Producer: Drew Erickson

Check out all of our travel episodes:

Check out all of our podcasts:

Show Transcript:

Hilary Erickson  0:00  
Hey guys, welcome back to the Pulling Curls Podcast! Today, on Episode 26, we’re talking about planning trips. That’s right. We’re going to talk about like, how to decide where to go. And my guest has a really interesting way about how they decide where to go. We’re going to talk about staying organized, of course, and I love one of the golden tips that my friend Kim gives about keeping kids in the loop about what’s going on. So, let’s untangle it.

Welcome to the Pulling Curls Podcast, where we untangle everything from pregnancy, parenting, home routines, even some family travel because, heavens knows! Our lives are tangled. I’m your host, Hilary Erickson.

Hey guys, today’s guest is one of my favorite people. She is actually someone that I work with on the blog. She is the internet marketing director at Get Away Today, which you guys know I always plan my Disney trips through. We’ve actually just become really good friends because we’ve been at conferences and stuff together. And she’s just really fun. So I ended up really liking her. She, of course, is at Get Away Today and if you want to book with getaway today, I of course have a $10 coupon code and they are my favorite people to book with for Disneyland. I will have all the information about that in the show notes. You can find her at Get Away Today on Instagram and if they ever post about a raspberry macaroon, you can guarantee that it was inspired by my friend Kim Fiddler.

This episode of The Pulling Curls Podcast is sponsored by Family Routines, how to automate your housewife life. Ever wish life was more like you pictured it would be before you had kids? Being able to spend less time with a mundane task and more time teaching kids the fun and valuable life skills you know they need. Family Routines teaches families to simplify daily tasks into routines that help them feel more peace and joy. Save 15% with the coupon code UNTANGLED. You can find it at pullingcurls.com and the menu under COURSES or in this episode’s show notes.

Hey, Kim! Welcome to the Pulling Curls Podcast. I’m so excited to have you here today.

Kim Fiddler  1:51  
Thank you Hilary. I’m so excited to be here.

Hilary Erickson  1:53  
Yeah. So you guys know, like I said in the intro, that Kim works at Get Away Today. But we are not just talking Disney today. She has lots of little people at her house and I thought it would be fun to talk to someone who does travel all the time about taking those kids lots of different places, right?

Yeah. How do you decide where to go? Especially working at a travel agency, there must be so many good options.

Kim Fiddler  2:07  
Yes.

It’s a lot. And there are so many good options. So right now my kids are, in fact, my youngest just turned three yesterday. So my kids are three, four, and six. And we have been traveling since my first one was born. My kids are all really good roadtrippers and of course Disneyland’s super easy because of course, I work at Get Away Today and it’s either a car ride or a quick flight. So, Disneyland’s always a great option. But we decide where to go, really based on where we can drive, or where we can do a nonstop flight. I will not do any connecting flights with little kids. So those are my two requirements. Either have to drive it or nonstop. Mike will go somewhere maybe farther or whatever, when they’re a little bit older. But for now, that’s what we base all of our decisions on.

Hilary Erickson  2:54  
That makes sense. So have you ever had a flight canceled and you had to do a connecting flight… with littles?

Kim Fiddler  2:59  
Not with my kids, no.

Hilary Erickson  3:00  
Oh, living the dream.

Kim Fiddler  3:01  
Thank goodness. I would probably be the like nightmare passenger that throws a fit and demands nonstop and to be put up until you can handle that. So, luckily we haven’t been put in that position yet.

Hilary Erickson  3:11  
That is awesome. That’s a great way to decide because I think for families, they are so open. Where do you go. And, do you have any favorite places you have gone maybe in the US?

Kim Fiddler  3:21  
Yes. So in the US for our kids’ ages again, we- we live in Utah so we like the western states particularly. Of course Southern California is awesome. My kids, if they could pick anywhere in the world to go it really is Legoland California because it’s designed for little, little kids. And you can just play an explore. Of course you’re by the beach. It’s just awesome. We also love Arizona. Where you live, Hilary. We love going to Arizona it’s warm year round. There’s great children museums and the zoo is awesome. You have the aquarium, that fun little area in Scottsdale, there’s just all sorts of stuff there in Arizona.

Hilary Erickson  3:55  
Yeah, Arizona is great. Just not in July.

Kim Fiddler  3:57  
Yes, we try not to go on July, normally March. You can get in some spring training games. It’s good, good times.

Hilary Erickson  4:02  
Yeah, Arizona is a great place for families. There is a lot up in Scottsdale. So super fun. So how do you decide where to stay? Because, I know when I had little kids, my requirements of where to stay were different than they are now for sure.

Kim Fiddler  4:14  
Yes. So my kids, they have to have some place with a breakfast. We’ve occasionally done some like Airbnbs, if we’re going to be staying for a long time or if we need a kitchen, but a lot of times, any hotel will do. We try to base it on convenience versus effort. And it has to be nice. I won’t take my kids to a sketchy area. It needs to be safe, of course. And then we need a breakfast and we want to be close. And, when I’m doing that I like to stay close where I’m going to be early the next morning. For some reason, morning travel is like, no good with my little kids, I’m like if we’re going to be doing an attraction I want to stay right by that attraction the night before. If we’re going to be at a museum I want to be right by that museum the night before whatever it is that we’re doing, I want to be close the night before. It just makes the next morning run so much smoother.

Hilary Erickson  4:59  
Yeah, that makes sense. And that’s a good idea when parents are trying to pick. Because you know, when you pull it up on a website, there’s just all this option. So it’s nice to be able to narrow it in.

Kim Fiddler  5:09  
Yes, that’s that’s what I do anyway.

Hilary Erickson  5:11  
Yeah, your kids have any weird requirements. My kids couldn’t see me when they were asleep, or they would cry. So anything weird like that?

Kim Fiddler  5:18  
Oh, that’s funny. So as far as weird requirements, my kids are pretty chill. And I attribute that to us, kind of making them be chill, by traveling with them from a very young age. It’s not new to them. It doesn’t matter if we’re on a cruise ship. If we’re in a weird hotel, in a city they’ve never been, they, just are fine. As long as we’re all together. That’s really all they care about is making sure Mom and Dad are both there. So.

Hilary Erickson  5:18  
Oh, that’s cool. Have you traveled with your kids without your husband?

Kim Fiddler  5:42  
Ooh, I don’t think so. I’m not that brave.

Hilary Erickson  5:45  
Yeah, ugh. Little kids and travel.

Kim Fiddler  5:47  
I know. We have three, I don’t like to be outnumbered, now.

Hilary Erickson  5:51  
You’re already outnumbered. I don’t know what math you’re doing.

Kim Fiddler  5:53  
Well, that’s just really way too much. So yeah, I would not do that.

Hilary Erickson  5:57  
All right. So, what kind of tips do you have for packing for small kids? Because your kids are little enough that you’re pretty much doing it all. Right?

Kim Fiddler  6:03  
Okay, Yes. And now. And again, I attribute this all to just being consistent and always doing it. Ever since Liam was born, I learned this trick and I have used it with all of my kids and I pack everything. I do start packing a few days before we go some. If it’s a big long trip, I mean, we’re talking two weeks, I will start packing a week before. Because I’m not gonna miss a day or anything like that. Each child has their own Ziploc bag for each day of the week. I write the name of the day of the week on it. I don’t write the kids name. They know what clothes are theirs. And then it includes their shirt, shorts or pants, underwear, and socks for the day. And for Ruby, our baby girl, any accessories. It’s everything that they’re going to wear that very day, I let them help me pick it. And my four year old is now to the point where I’m like, okay, we need four shirts, four shorts, and four underpants. He comes, he knows exactly how to stack them up perfectly. And we just put those on the Ziploc bags and then we have everything. There’s no arguments over what you’re going to wear. You don’t lose socks, you don’t lose anything. And that is how I pack and then of course, I wait for toiletries until the night or the morning ah..for toothbrushes and everything else, but I have everything organized, we just put that in very last. But everything else is done, days ahead of time. And in a very orderly fashion. And I just spread it out all over my bedroom. Like, for the time being, it’s like 21 little bags of clothes, or whatever it needs to be. It’s nice because you can squish the air out of them. They fit really well. I just put them all in one suitcase. It’s really nice.

Hilary Erickson  7:20  
Yeah. So do you put the kids in a separate suitcase than you? Usually?

Kim Fiddler  7:23  
I do. Yeah, I do the kids separate.

Hilary Erickson  7:25  
So what we do, is all my kids, so I have kids 10 to 19. Although the 19 year old doesn’t come with as much with- I just give them their own suitcase now. I’ve given up and I figure if they wear the same pair of underpants all week. That’s their own problem.

Kim Fiddler  7:37  
That’s that. That’s on them. Absolutely. With these kids’ ages. This is what works for us when they’re older. And because they’ve learned how to pack for themselves, I myself probably be pretty okay.

Hilary Erickson  7:47  
Yeah, I think so. I think scouting also helped my boys definitely. Because they would get out there with zero clothes or… Like, life lessons. And yeah, yeah. Yeah. Any tips so it sounds like you’re pretty organized. Any other tips about staying organized while you’re gone?

Kim Fiddler  8:02  
That… I always try to do this. So, sometimes, like I mentioned, I like to stay close to the attraction that we’re going to, we will occasionally switch hotels during trips. If I do that, I will organize our backpacks or our suitcases or whatever we’re taking. Not into, all the kids clothes on this one and all the adult clothes on this one. I’ll do it based on where we’re staying. So I’ll be like, this is our monday, tuesday bag, this is our Wednesday through Friday bag and then I will chunk it out that way instead, I always try to keep dirty clothes I of course use the, like the laundry bags at the hotels. Get the plastic ones, I just put whatever dirty clothes in that from that time. And then I will put that. If we drive it’s a lot easier sometimes. And sometimes we’ll just drive because it’s easier because then you can put all the dirty clothes and stuff you’re not using just back in the car and you’re not hauling it in back and forth.

Hilary Erickson  8:45  
Yeah.

Kim Fiddler  8:46  
To your hotel room. Other tips for staying organized. I would say, before you go, just having a very you don’t want to over schedule that a very clear plan of what you’re going to do. Because in my experience when I haven’t known what we’re doing or we haven’t had somewhere to go or something in mind the kids get restless. They just like to know. and I don’t like keeping my kids trapped in a hotel room or or even an Airbnb, anything like that for an extended period of time. So yeah, I think anything you can do beforehand is just going to make your vacation go a lot more smoothly, particularly with young kids.

Hilary Erickson  9:17  
Yeah. And I love that about having a clear plan because my kids are always like, what are we doing? How long are we staying there? What hotel are we going to be at? Does that hotel have breakfast? Is there a pool? Is there?

Kim Fiddler  9:26  
Yes.

Hilary Erickson  9:26  
Is there a maitre d? Can I have a concierge? Can it.

Kim Fiddler  9:30  
Seriously, like it’s like, Where’s the sushi? For reals? Like?

Hilary Erickson  9:36  
How close is the nearest sushi? What? So if you’re going to switch hotels, is it just based on the attractions that you’re going to? So like Orlando Disneyland, maybe a switch, clearly.

Kim Fiddler  9:45  
Yes, exactly. We’ve done trips where we’ve done one or two nights at Universal Studios by Hollywood, and then we’ve gone and done a few nights and Disney and then we’ve gone and. We’ve even done, I’m not kidding, like when I say I like to be really close to the attraction when we do Knott’s Berry Farm. I don’t Stay by Disneyland, we stay in a park and we do Knott’s Berry Farm the next morning. And then, after that, then we’ll go down into Disneyland and stay there. But it just makes our days go a lot more smoothly. And I’m willing to pack up and do another hotel because of the pre-organization to make that go smoother. Yeah. Now some people that- that’s not going to work for and that’s totally fine. It’s just what we preferred it.

Hilary Erickson  10:20  
Yeah, that makes sense. And especially in LA. I think, if people aren’t used to LA and the traffic, and all that. They might think, oh, they’re only you know, 20 miles apart, but those 20 miles are like 100 miles.

Kim Fiddler  10:33  
Oh, they can take forever. There was one time we went from,yeah, Laguna Beach. We’ve been staying in Laguna Beach. And then we were like, oh, we’ll just go to Universal Studios for the afternoon. Because at that point in time, I had an annual pass and it took us three and a half hours in traffic. And I’m like, never again, like we’re just not going to do that. You just do need to understand when you travel someplace else, it’s likely not the traffic patterns that you’re used to at home and it is it can really throw a wrench in your plans if you don’t do that. So we just like to eliminate that. We never want to be late to a theme park, especially because you get your best time in the morning. And we just like the day to start off on a good foot and not battling traffic.

Hilary Erickson  11:09  
That makes total sense. I like that tip. All right, Kim, thanks so much for coming on. I’m sure we’ll have you on for more Disney tips. But I like this one on basic family trip ideas. Hopefully it helps everybody out.

Kim Fiddler  11:18  
Thanks so much for having me on. I really appreciate it.

Hilary Erickson  11:21  
All right. Thanks, Kim. Talk to you later.

Kim Fiddler  11:22  
Bye.

Hilary Erickson  11:23  
Okay, guys, I hope you really enjoyed that episode. I loved how Kim talked about having a clear plan and how that can help your family vacation. I think that’s something that sometimes we just go to a destination thinking we’re just going to do whatever, but kids thrive on knowing what’s going to happen, knowing what to expect. And so I really like that idea. It’s very different than traveling if you just went with you and your husband, versus taking kids, especially little kids or kids who have anxieties or all those kinds of things. So, great tips.

If you want to learn more about the information that we shared with in here you can check out the show notes you can find that the pullingcurls.com/podcast. Today’s episode is number 26. Big thanks to our sponsor family routines. I have a whole packing section in there. So if you’re like I that is one of the worst parts of my trip is getting my family pack for a trip. Check it out, you can save 15% with coupon code UNTANGLED. Check it out in the show notes or on my site under COURSES. Big thanks to Kim for coming on today’s episode. She has so many good tips about traveling with little kids. I know I personally didn’t actually travel that much when I had little kids like her. Of course, I was a labor and delivery nurse, and she is a travel agent so different lifestyles, but hopefully she gave you some great ideas. If you liked today’s episode, I would love it if you leave a little review they mean so much we’d love it if you’d subscribe so that they can notify you every time we drop an episode which happens on Mondays for the Pulling Curls Podcast. Until then, I hope you have a tangle free day!

Transcribed by https://otter.ai

The post Organizing for Family Trips with Kim Fidler from Get Away Today— PCP 026 appeared first on Pulling Curls.

You know I don’t accept guest posts.  Like, ever.  But — sometimes some people have information that I think is REALLY helpful, that I just can’t give and that’s why I have Jessica from The Happiest Blog on Earth (and the author of How to Disneyland) to talk when is the best time of year to go to Disneyland.  The answer probably won’t surprise you – -they’re ALL great, but some have different perks than others.

BTW, this is part of my Disneyland Tips series that has stuff on your Disneyland budget (even a trip calculator), what to do when the magic is gone, even the cheapest hotels.

In fact, I had Jessica on the Pulling Curls Podcast in Episode 008 about when is the best time to go to Disneyland!

So, take it away Jessica! BTW, you’ll see me respond now and then in italics.

Best time of the year to go to Disneyland

Disneyland is open 365 days a year, giving you ample opportunity to mull over which season (or even which day) is best for your vacation. I’m Jessica, and when I am not at Disneyland itself, I’m writing about it at The Happiest Blog on Earth.

I’m excited to join you today at Pulling Curls to give you an inside look at when to go to Disneyland with a breakdown for each season of the year along with more expert tips along the way.

Best time of the year to visit Disneyland to Avoid Crowds?

Disneyland Expectations about Crowds

Let’s start with the serious stuff right off the bat. Disney does a very good job marketing their resorts, updating attractions and of course, keeping Disneyland Resort full of people.

When people learn I write about Disneyland for a living most ask, “when’s the least crowded time to go to Disneyland?”

Yes, there are some moments it may be less crowded like your standard after the Labor Day holiday when kids go back to school or end of January-ish before President’s Day Weekend arrives—or even surprisingly uncrowded days with seemingly no explanation.

But what you really need to understand is Disneyland is busy. While I teach people how to wait less in line, even I wait in lines. And you will too. I guarantee there will be other people there enjoying their vacation (gasp!) while you’re trying to enjoy yours.

I get this question a LOT as well. And even when I’ve gone DURING school and the “crowd calendars” say it’s going to be “dead” it’s STILL BUSY. Disneyland is just busy!

**BTW, want to avoid the stress and get an all-inclusive Disneyland package? << check it out there!

So the best things you can do to ensure you have a fabulous Disneyland vacation are my top two Disneyland tips:

1. Pack your patience. Your chill vibe is essential to the Disneyland well-being of your family. Sometimes things may not go as planned. It’s okay. Sometimes your kid may have a full-on Disneyland meltdown. It’s okay. Sometimes it’s packed. It’s okay. You packed your patience, and you can handle it!
2. It will be crowded. Repeat with me, it will be crowded. If you prep for the crowds, hopefully, whatever you imagine will be worse. That’s my little secret weapon right there. So tell yourself it will be crowded, tell your spouse, tell your kids. It will be crowded, but it’s gonna be amazing!

If I haven’t totally scared you away from Disneyland, keep reading. Lots of positivity ahead!

Because I want to be really specific on ways to tell if it will be busier — the more of these questions you answer “yes” to — the busier it will likely be:

These are also in the area of importance (the one being the busiest time):

1. Are most kids out of school (think summer break and the holidays)?
2. Are many kids out of school (think spring break time and around holidays like president’s day)?
3. Are there annual passes that have access to the parks at that time (times with zero block-outs are likely busier as locals come to play)?
4. Is it a weekend?
5. Are there larger conferences at the convention center.

As you can tell, there is like zero chance of a super un-crowded time. So, let’s talk about what to expect during the seasons of Disneyland:

Spring Crowds at Disneyland

March through May, ending just before Memorial Day weekend is spring at Disneyland. It’s a great time to get out to Disneyland when things are just waking up including the pink blossoms surrounding Sleeping Beauty Castle.

Spring break and Easter season see higher crowds, but fewer ride closures and refurbishments. You’ll likely get peak operating hours so even if the crowds arrive, you have more time to explore.

Disneyland Spring Events

• California Adventure hosts Food & Wine Festival over Spring Break and the weeks surrounding Easter.
• Book special Easter brunch, dinner or dining options up to 60 days in advance.
• Egg-stravaganza egg hunt throughout the Disneyland Resort.
• Dapper Day, an unofficial semi-annual event encourages guest to “dress their best” and many wear time-period specific attire.
• Grad Nites on select nights in May.
• New attractions and entertainment tend to debut over Memorial Day weekend.

Summer Crowds at Disneyland:

The end of May through Labor Day weekend is peak summer madness at Disneyland but is also my favorite time of year to visit. Yes, I am that crazy! But I also do Disneyland in summer, because that is what works for most families and I want to experience the parks just like you do and adjust my advice accordingly.

Plus, I live for flip flops. I wear them to Disneyland too. Don’t attempt unless you’re a flip flop wearing pro ;). Most people wear athletic shoes, but I’ll leave that up to you.

Summer generally has very few ride closures, a fully packed entertainment schedule with night shows, fireworks and extended hours often closing at midnight.

While it may be super busy, summer is a fabulous time to spend several days at Disneyland Resort, along with a beach trip thrown in the mix. Take it slow and dive into each land throughout the parks without a care in the (small, small) world.

Disneyland Summer Events

• Grad Nites on select nights in June.
• Book 4th of July dining options up to 60 days in advance.
• D23 Expo, the largest Disney Fan event in the world comes to Anaheim; hotels and parks fill up fast. D23 Expo happens every-other year including 2019 and 2021.
• July 17th, Disneyland’s birthday.
• CHOC Walk, a children’s charity event, is typically held in August.

Fall Crowds at Disneyland:

Autumn is a wonderful time to experience the Disneyland Resort. Even if the weather doesn’t feel crisp, the landscaping, decor, and scenery certainly makes you feel as if leaves are falling.

Some attractions are closed for routine maintenance or in preparation for seasonal overlays, but crowds slow down just a bit in September and parts of October and November.

Disneyland Autumn Events

• Oogie Boogie Bash during select nights in September and October. Tickets go on sale earlier every year and do sell-out. This is a separate ticket event and parks may close early for non-ticket holders.
• Haunted Mansion gets a holiday makeover from Jack Skellington which arrives early September and stays until the beginning of January.
• Space Mountain turns into Ghost Galaxy during Halloween Time (from Hilary — this ride scared my daughter from Space Mountain for YEARS)
• Dapper Day, an unofficial semi-annual event encourages guest to “dress their best” and many wear time-period specific attire.

Winter Crowds at Disneyland

Winter at Disneyland is almost synonymous with the holiday season. It begins just before Thanksgiving and continues until spring although seasonal attractions wrap up a week or two into January.

If you’re hoping to see Sleeping Beauty Castle decked out for the holidays, try to go before the week in-between Christmas and New Years, which is often the most crowded time of year at Disneyland.

However, if you must visit Disneyland over the school holiday break, simply return to my two tips under “Disneyland Expectations” at the top and be certain to book dining reservations 60 days prior to your visit. It is worth it to have a reserved place to sit, eat and be waited on instead of the other way around.

Note from Hilary: As winter hits it’s more important to be thoughtful about what you pack for Disneyland as well as what you bring into the parks — as the weather is a bit more of a concern.

Disneyland Winter Events

• Holiday decor, Santa Claus and seasonal attractions like “it’s a small world” holiday arrive early November.
• The holidays end about the second week of January.
• Lunar New Year celebration at California Adventure.
• Make Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year and Valentine’s Day dining reservations 60 days in advance.

A note from Hilary: If you’re looking to avoid crowds at the holidays, don’t forget that Knotts decorates and has special fun things too!

There is so much to do and see all year long at Disneyland, it’s why I make a habit of going multiple times each year. To narrow down your vacation dates, focus on what’s most important to you including factors like school breaks (keep the kids in school or pull them out?), seasonal offerings (holiday attraction overlays or classic versions?) and operation schedules (peak park hours and more crowds or possibly lighter crowds with some rides closed?).

Remember, any “secret” low-crowd dates you’ve heard of (I’m talking to you Super Bowl Sunday) probably have circled the Internet 10.4 gazillion times already. Go to Disneyland with the attitude of spending time with your family, making memories and trying new things.

Have fun together! Take a picture with Mickey Mouse. Meet a Princess. Pilot the Millennium Falcon. Laugh together. Soak it all in and it will be a huge success even if you didn’t make it on every single ride in both parks.

Need more Disneyland tips? Pick up a copy of How To Disneyland for my complete guide on planning a Disneyland Resort vacation.

The Secrets of Disneyland Crowds

Ok, this is Hilary talking again — the thing I have learned MOST from Jessica (especially in that podcast episode) is that when it is busy, more stuff is available. Some things to keep in mind:

• Things like the Davy Crockett Canoes are open
• More characters are out
• Rides don’t go into refurbishment (unless it’s a long one) during the busy times
• Increased staff to handle busy days.

ALSO, because Disney is SUCH a big park, there are still a LOT of awesome options to do, even when it’s busy. You might have to have a brain shift away from riding every. single. ride and just enjoy your day in the park (I’ve done this, and we’ve had a great time — especially if we have the Maxpass).

I want to thank Jessica for giving us so much amazing advice in this post.  I REALLY want to try to make it one year at Christmas.  It’s a goal.   Sidenote — last year, I did visit Disneyland at Christmas.

Don’t forget to Check Get Away Today to see how much you can save (plus, save a couple extra churros with coupon code CURLS10).

If you liked this post — be sure to check out my Disneyland Tips page.

Sign up below for my Disneyland or California Adventure “best plans” to get all the rides in.  AND, check out all my other Disney posts below that!

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This post was originally written in 2017, but has been updated.

Don’t miss my list of Best Affordable Disneyland hotels — a list of 30+ of my favorite hotels (plus my own current top 10 hotel list).

The post Best Time of Year to go to Disneyland: All Four Seasons appeared first on Pulling Curls.