See Fleetwood Mac in concert, check!

This is the perfect show for preschoolers. Even Addie, our 13 month old, loved the lights, sounds, and characters. It’s a great place to sit and take a break while interacting with some of the favorite characters from Disney Junior. Although we loved the old show, the new version is refreshing. Each segment offers a life lesson, while keeping the kids on their toes.

You can find the Disney Junior Live! show in Hollywood Land at California Adventure. The show runs 22 minutes. Get there early. You’ll be sitting on the floor, but the best seating toward the front goes quickly. If you’re sitting too far on the sides, your child won’t be able to interact with the bubbles, streamers, or “gold doubloons.”

Check the weekly schedule for current show times.

A new world opened up for us on our most recent trip. Emma is FINALLY over the 40″ mark. She’s well over the mark at 40 3/4 inches tall. This means she actually bumps her head on each of the height checkers when ride attendants ask to measure her height, drawing the obvious, “she’s good to go” from each attendant.

This time around, we rode several different rides. There were new experiences happening in both parks. Emma couldn’t contain her excitement over Star Tours. Honestly, I couldn’t either. It’s been years since I’ve been on it, long before the renovation. What I love most about this ride, is the many themes. I’ve heard there are over 50 different story lines of the mini featurette you experience on the ride. So you get a different experience every time. If you’re waiting in line, you may even get friendly with a Storm Trooper.

Another huge hit was the Jumpin’ Jellyfish ride at California Adventure. She couldn’t get enough of the ride. She even suckered shared the experience with our friend Denny.

Cars Land was at the top of our list. We took full advantage of the Rider Switch Pass Program so we could all have a spin around Radiator Springs. The Radiator Springs Racers is a family favorite. We’re thrilled Emma can ride with us now. Previous trips, where she wasn’t tall enough to get on, made it hard to fully enjoy the ride without her.

I can’t believe how a few inches can change the whole Disney park experience. I can’t even count the times we heard Emma say, “Lets do that again!”

If you know you will be in Southern California, ask yourself if a trip to Disneyland is a possibility. How many trips will it take for you to pay for your annual passes? If the cost will be more for individual trips, consider the annual pass option.

There are also the discounts that go along with your passes. Your annual pass will get you discounts on hotels, tours, food, and merchandise. The discount range is typically 10%-20% depending on which pass you choose.

We’ve been buying annual passes for the last two years now. It didn’t take us long to recover the up-front costs involved with the passes. It was worth it for our family of four since we end up going at least three times each year. Once Emma, our oldest daughter, is in kindergarten, we may reconsider the annual pass cost, because we may not get to go as often.

Annual passes range from $269-$849. For now, children under 3 years of age are free, and there is a discounted price for children ages 3-9. Because Emma was free until she turned 3, we felt like we were really getting the best value for our visit.

For more information about annual passes and to see which pass is right for you, visit Disney.

Mickey and the Magical Map is a new musical that takes Mickey on a journey as the sorcerer’s apprentice. The Map is the main character. The map and Sorcerer Mickey embark on a journey through several theatrical adventures. These adventures journey through India, China, Virginia, New Orleans, Hawaii, and “Under the Sea.”

The map is the occupies the majority of the stage and is the focal point of the show. It is comprised of three video screens, each angled back at 60 degrees. This is one of Disney’s first productions that is all digital. It complements other live entertainment shows throughout the parks, such as Aladdin, World of Color, and Fantasmic.

Disney created a variety show to include as many stories as possible in a 25-minute performance. There will be appearances and songs from King Louis from The Jungle Book, Pocahontas, Mulan, Rapunzel and Flynn Rider from Tangled, Princess Tiana from The Princess and the Frog,  and Sebastian from The Little Mermaid.

The quality of the map, stage design, and costumes, is incredible. Although the show isn’t finished, we experienced the animation and musical renditions of “Colors of the Wind” from Pocahontas, “Reflections” from Mulan, and “I See The Light” from Tangled. The experience from this segment was breathtaking. The map brings the music to life and really shows how integral the map is to the overall experience.

After our screening, we saw part of the rehearsal from “I Wanna Be Like You” from The Jungle Book with King Louis. The Jungle Book is a classic, but Disney wanted to put a modern spin on it. Tracy Halas, the show’s Director and Choreographer, created a piece that is hip and savvy, for a contemporary audience. This performance alone can feature up to 24 performers per day, including a live trumpet player. This will also be the first performance at Disneyland by King Louis.

Disney’s Creative Entertainment team is fascinating. They can take any experience and make it into something. They consider every detail and are always trying to find new inspiration. As Michael Jung, VP of Creative Theatrical Development, talked about his many successes at Disney, you can sense something great is just around the corner. Mickey and the Magical Map is going to be an experience we will be talking about for some time. The sneak peaks we enjoyed left us wanting for more.

Mickey and the Magical Map will open in Fantasyland Theatre on May 25th. Kids of all ages will enjoy the show, whether they are two years old, or 102 years old.

Almost everything was outside, and I loved being outdoors among all the trees and the nearby river. I remember water balloon tosses when it got hot. And I loved collecting arrowheads for winning competitions and doing good deeds. Then I got to bring those home at the end of the week to show my mother.

As we were discussing summer plans, we brought up the idea of sending Emma to a camp this year. It would help expand her knowledge, give her some new experiences, and help prepare her for kindergarten. It might even help prepare us too. A full week where she can explore, learn, and be as independent as possible sounds like a fantastic experience.

Looking into week-long summer camps, we wanted something to keep our daughter active and engaged. We found Camp Galileo and thought it might be a good fit. Galileo offers both full and part-time programs for the pre-K and K group. There were several themes to choose from, including medieval adventures, African safari, and space odyssey. Emma had no trouble choosing a program, and is excited to head there this summer.

This post is part of a spon­sored cam­paign with Camp Galileo. I received one free week of camp for Emma to experience Galileo; however, all opinions are my own.

Thank you to Dana Brewer for the beautiful photo. 

Catch the Disneyland Railroad at one of their four stops every 18 minutes. You can hop on at Main Street USA, New Orleans Square, Mickey’s Toontown, and Tomorrowland. If you’re near Main Street USA,  you can also grab one of the Main Street Vehicles. The Fire Engine, Horse-Drawn Carriage, Horseless Carriage, or the Omnibus offer one-way trips down Main Street to and from the castle. Our daughter loves riding the Fire Engine so she can ring the bell while traveling down the street.

You can also give your feet a brief rest by sitting down to take in one of the many of the shows around either park. At Disneyland, there are shows like the Jedi Training Academy in Tomorrowland, Billy Hill and the Hillbillies at the Golden Horseshoe in Frontierland, and the classic Enchanted Tiki Room at the entrance to Adventureland. At California Adventure, there’s Disney Junior, Aladdin, and any of the mini-featurettes at the Animation Academy.

Watch your child and follow their cues. Some kids will love the Characters, other will be scared by them. The rides are all different too. Some may be fast and furious, others slower, but dark and loud. Every child is different. Ours turned out to be a daredevil.

Here are a few of our favorites. These are just a few examples of the fun you can have with your little one. One thing to remember, Disney isn’t just about the rides. They have so many great shows, events, and parades. There really is something for everyone at every age.

Fantasyland is the perfect place to see how your toddler will react to the rides. Head into Fantasyland first. This is where most of the toddler-appropriate rides are located. There is something for every child, regardless of age. Start with something mellow like the Casey Junior train and build up to the twirl of the Tea Cups. Dumbo is one of our favorites, and your child can make Dumbo fly high or low. The line for Dumbo can get long, very fast. Ride this ride earlier in the day. If the line is manageable, you can ride it again later.

Mickey’s Toontown is one of our favorite places. The over-sized play structures create a safe space for little ones to explore on their own. This is also where some of the main Characters hang out and have meet-n-greets. Our favorite is visiting Mickey’s house and Gadget’s Go Coaster. This was our daughter’s first roller coaster when she hit 35 inches, and continues to be one of her all-time favorites.

The Enchanted Tiki Room is located in Adventureland, and is a classic. It’s a 15-minute show starring four feathered birds and lots of their friends. You will be “enchanted” by Jose, Michael, Pierre, and Fritz. On a hot day, this is the perfect place to sit, enjoy a show, and cool down. The song is catchy; you’ll be singing it all day!

A Bug’s Land is located in the heart of California Adventure. It’s easy to miss. This is the one area of California Adventure dedicated entirely to little ones. There are five “Fair” themed rides. Each ride is anywhere between 1 and 2 minutes long, perfect for small children. As much as I love the show, It’s Tough To Be A Bug, I’d skip it until your little ones area little older. My fearless daughter had a hard time and got a little scared halfway through. The effects are a little intense, and it’s pretty dark inside the theater.

It’s a Small World never gets old. If we have the chance, we stay on the ride and go through more than once. Boats take you through a water canal and you’ll travel through the world. Children from 100 regions of the world will sing and dance. Between Thanksgiving and New Years, it’s transformed to celebrate the holidays. Truly a sight to see.

Cars Land is, by far, the best part of California Adventure. As you can imagine, I’m not the only one to think this. The lines are long, but Radiator Springs is amazing. Kids need to be 40 inches to ride the Radiator Springs Racers, which is an incredible ride for everyone. For us, Cars Land is more about the experience of Radiator Springs, not the rides. Emma loves Lightning McQueen and Mater, so seeing them alone was worth it.

The parades are a great reason to stop and take a break. Disney puts on one of the best parades for kids. For the best seats, grab a spot on Main Street or Town Square, at least an hour before the start time. I know that seems a little crazy, but it’s worth it to have a close-up view. The Disney characters will be singing and dancing along the parade route, which is usually between Town Square and It’s a Small World.

We have a few other “must do” attractions around the park, but these have been favorites for along time. The Astro Orbitor is one of those on the list. We always take the time for characters too. The Princess Faire just opened up this year. It’s high on our priority list for our next visit.

If your child seems anxious about a ride, find a show to see instead. Don’t push them to do anything they aren’t ready to do. This will create a lot of unnecessary stress for all of you. If you follow their lead, you’ll have a blast.

As you can see, Emma was as young as 15 months in some of these photos. The magic never ends! Have a great time and feel free to send me any questions.

We’re a family of four, but our youngest is just a year old. Some rides, I don’t care to ride and am happy hanging out with Addie. However, there are many rides that I want to ride too. It wasn’t until we all waited in line for an attraction when we realized it wasn’t appropriate for Addie. As we made our way to the exit, a Cast Member gave us a “Rider Switch Pass” and explained how it works.

Photo credit: Cory Doctorow

Find a Cast Member once you get to the front of the line. Tell them you’d like to get a Rider or Child Switch Pass, so that one parent can ride, while the other parent waits behind with the child who can’t ride. When the first parent and child are done riding the ride, the second parent who was watching the child get’s to ride without waiting in line again.

Here are the directions from our Toy Story Midway Mania Ride:

“Welcome to Toy Story Midway Mania. When your party returns after experiencing the wacky midway games, please take this pass and go to the left of the entrance of the attraction queue, through the by-pass gate. Present this pass to the Attractions Host/Hostess for special entry. This pass does not guarantee immediate boarding and must be surrendered to the Attractions Host/Hostess. This pass is good for TWO (2) guests and must be used today. If you decide not use this pass, please return it to the Host/Hostess.”

Directions for Indiana Jones Child Switch Passport:

“One or two guardians wait outside with the child that does not meet the 46″ height requirement. The rest of your party waits in line. After the first group rides, they watch the children. The Guardian(s) then proceed up the exit to the load dock and rides using this pass. This pass is only good on the day it is received. While waiting you may wish to visit Tarzan’s Tree House or the Jungle Cruise.”

Directions for California Screamin’:

” When your party returns after riding the attraction, take this pass to the FASTPASS return area for special entry. This pass is good for two people. If you decide not to use this pass, please return it to the Host or Hostess at the entrance. All passengers must meet the minimum height requirement of 48″. Young children must be accompanied by an adult. While waiting for your party to return, why not enjoy a whimsical voyage with your favorite sea creature on King Triton’s Carousel.”

The Rider/Child Switch passes are only offered on larger attractions. It’s offered at both Disenyland and Walt Disney World. Take advantage of the fact that they can be used anytime on the day they are issued. We’ve taken advantage of the switch passes now for a while, I don’t think we’d be able to enjoy ourselves as much without them. I love that you can use them anytime throughout the day. Just don’t forget to use your pass if you’ve obtained one!