We haven’t been to Disneyland since 2008, and we are really excited to take the kids again this year! We have already set the plan to go in March, but every time we go, we make a Disneyland jar so that the kids feel like they are earning their trip! It was a lot of fun last time because they earned $112.00! They can use this money on whatever they want at the park. They could buy souvenirs, treats, and chocolate covered bananas to their heart’s content because they had earned their own spending money. 
This picture is cracking me up because these two crazies are sooo little in these pictures! We haven’t taken Londyn (my four year old daughter) to Disneyland yet, so I am FREAKING out with excitement. She LOVES princesses, so we are going to let her dress up each day. When Oaklyn went, she did the same thing and the Disneyland workers were soooo cute with her. They called her “your majesty” and bowed to her everywhere we went. Londyn is going to LOVE that. 
We started the “Disneyland Jar” this morning. I’m excited to see their faces already on the day we go to the park. They are going to LOVE IT! Heck, I LOVE it!
Give me advice about your Disneyland trips. I want the trip to go as smoothly as possible!
Buy the Unofficial Guide to DisneyLand. I know they make a "with kids" version for Disneyworld (our kids were 12 and 15 so we used the regular version), so they probably do for Disneyland too. We never waited long, it gives you the best order to go to the rides to save time, so you get more done. It was the best $20 we spent for that trip. We were so efficient in getting as much in as possible!
Exchange your money to Disney dollars as souvenir since the design is different every year. My kids love to collect them.
Thinking Out Loud
I love that you are teaching your children to save and contribute to the trip. I know I always value things more when I have to work to get it. Have a fabulous time when you get there!
There is an app you can download to your phone (I think only iphones have it) that tells you where the characters are and gives you a map of the park. If you're going to be there a few days, skip the parade one night and ride the rides… lines should be shorter.
Not sure how old all your kids are, but we went about a year and a half ago with a 3 and 4 year old. We got to the park right when it opened and then around lunch time we would go back to the hotel for a bit so the kids could relax and we wouldn't have any melt downs. We would swim, eat, and maybe throw a nap in. Then we would go back. Also, if you can, get the passes that let you go in an hour before the park opens to others. You can get in a lot of rides that way too.
I just posted how easy Disneyland was with my nine month old. People thought we were crazy and it was our best big trip so far with him! Here is my advice: Buy your tickets online, it's one less line to stand in, plus depending on what kind of tickets you buy you may be eligible for early entrance (this is awesome for meeting Characters on Main Street because the lines are short) If you get to Main Street before the park opens, you can cut through the shops on the right side. They all connect and you'll avoid crowds. Have one person from your group collect everyone's tickets and go grab a fast pass for a big ride while the rest of you get in line for something else. Take advantage of the child swap pass – this you have to ask for at the ride. If some of your children are old enough to go on a ride but younger ones are not the Swap pass is a great way for both parents to enjoy the ride with them, plus the kids get to ride it twice (you can use it right away or later in the day too). There is also AMAZING little known of baby centers in every park. Don't waste anytime waiting in line for a bathroom to change a diaper, just go there. They have little kid potties, supplies, nursing areas, highchairs, etc. It rocks. I love Disneyland!!! I hope you and your family have a great time, and don't forget to look for hidden Mickeys!!!
We go every year and I have a child with special needs so we have to be super prepared. I haven't done a post of how our trip is coming together yet for this year (we're going the end of Feb), but I have posts from past trips, complete with easy DIY shirt ideas and a printable countdown (then the kids don't ask all the time how many more days??? :))
The first couple of posts are about our trip last year so scroll down through those to get to the tips part: http://vermillionrules.blogspot.com/search/label/disney
I purchased new t-shirts from our stores at home- target & walmart so my boys felt like they got a treat each day- and were 'dressed for the park'- my boys dressed as pirates OVER those clothes. I also hit up our dollar stores here and grabbed all the disney crayons, coloring books, and action figures for the long lines we'd hit (there were none- score!) and because we were with a group of 11 including 3 kids- i grabbed disney ziplocks & tupperware at the $1 store for our treats, lunches and snacks so they wouldnt feel 'cheated'…. house of hepworths just posted a tutorial for disney-font water bottles with names that was super adorable. 🙂 best of luck!
Ooooh, I'm totally stealing this idea! My mother-in-law received an inheritance and is taking the whole family to Disneyland this spring. Now is a great time to help get the kids prepared with their own money for the trip. Thanks for the idea!
Bring snacks, maybe sandwhiches, use fast passes as much as possible (limits wait time and fussiness of kids, and you can bring in something to drink as well (perhaps a reusable water bottle). Save money and reuse it. Bring a back pack with this stuff in it. I use to go a lot.
What a cute idea! We are also planning a trip to Disney this March. The last time we went was in 2006 and we only had 1 kid now we have four and I am so excited for them experience Disney Magic. My 2 year old daughter loves Minnie Mouse..so I am so happy she will get to see her. I think I will have to try your Disney Jar idea!
I did a whole blog post about Disneyland tips. http://thrifty101.blogspot.com/2011/03/disneyland-tips.html
Hope it helps! 🙂 We are hoping to go in Febuary.
Michelle @ Thrifty 101
We are going to Disney World in July. Wanted to do March, but we just couldn't get all of our schedules to sync then! I look forward to hearing about your trip and any tips you may have!
We just got back from Walt Disney World on Friday. It was the first time for both my girls and they loved it!
My advice – go when school is in even if they have to miss a few days. The lines are way shorter. Request a ground floor room if you have a stoller. That way you can just push it right in and not have to fold it up to go up the stairs.
Take a lot of hand sanitizer. I caught my four year old licking her hand at one point. Sure enough she caught a bug and starting throwing up on the way home.
I love your idea about the jars! We will definitely do that next time!! Hope you have a great trip!
We always go "off season" and have perfect weather and super short 10-20 minute or less lines. My kiddos each carry little backpacks with frozen gogurts, dum dums, juice boxes etc to keep them occupied in line.
We get a home on vrbo.com and pay the same price we would for a hotel, but have sooooo much more room plus a kitchen and it cuts down on our eating costs a ton! We split a GORGEOUS 4 bed/2600sq ft home with my bro last year and paid $1200 for the whole week! $600per fam and a quick 10 min drive to the park!
We head "home" for lunch and take a short nap and our 2 and 4 year old last much longer into the evening with fewer or no melt downs. 🙂
Just returned from our trip to Disney. Had a great tip from a friend. Go to http://www.disboards.com and you will find tshirts that can be designed and printed by you…. also candy wrappers, penny wrappers….certificates and many fun printable ideas to make it fun and save money too.
We had new personalized tshirts for every day. FUN!