How to do Disneyland right

I have officially accomplished number 8 on my 30-before-30 list: We went to Disneyland, with all three kids in tow and no other grown-ups to help out.  And now that makes me an expert on how to do Disneyland trips with kids.  So here--let me impart unto you all of my wisdom and expertise.
#1: Go when it's not busy.  The week right before Memorial Day was perfect for us--we went to Disneyland on Monday and California Adventure on Tuesday (doing one park per day made it simpler--we could focus on a smaller area and fewer rides, plus it was cheaper than buying park-hopper tickets).  It was warm, and a little crowded at times, but not as busy as I've seen it before--the longest we waited in any line was 30 minutes, and that was for Peter Pan!
Even the brand-new-to-us Cars Land was pretty good--we got a fast-pass for the Radiator Racers, and when we went to go ride it, Mater's ride had a 5-minute wait time, so we rode that one a few times, and it was definitely a highlight of the trip.  The kids were hilarious to watch--laughing hysterically the entire time. 

 #2: If your four-year-old who has been taught to pee on trees when you're out camping or hiking  just so happens to pee on a lamp post when you stop to get dinner, try to remember that it's funny.  Just be grateful that no one saw him do it--and make sure to let a janitor know.

#3: Go with reasonable expectations.  I fully expected hot, tired, cranky kids the entire time we were there, and so when they got hot and tired on occasion (although we really avoided the cranky aspect for the most part, surprisingly enough), I was prepared with snacks, water bottles, shady areas, and a good attitude.  Had I gone expecting to have my pre-kids experience at Disneyland, however, I would have been sorely disappointed.  As it was, Steve and I honestly never felt snippy or irritated--it was really a blast to see how much fun the kids had!

 #4: Sun protection and lots and LOTS of water!!  I bought matching red hats for the boys (made it so easy to spot them anywhere) and put their initials on them, put elastic on a pink bucket hat for Maggie so she couldn't pull it off as easily, then got $1 sunglasses for all three kiddos.  They loved them (although they really never wore them that often), and then we used sunscreen like crazy people.  We made it through the entire trip without getting sunburned--which, if you know my fair-skinned family, is quite an accomplishment.  I'm so grateful--I honestly think that removed a huge aspect of the crankiness I've experienced before on trips.

 #5: Be prepared to ride the Carousel.  A lot.  The kids probably could have lived on that carousel for the entire trip and never felt the least bit curious about any other rides.

 #6: Watching a character's movie right before you go makes meeting that character much more exciting.  We watched "Snow White" the day before we left, and so when Jack saw her in real life, he was ecstatic.  As soon as we came up to her, he ran straight to her and grabbed her hand.  He wouldn't let go of it the whole time we were taking pictures--it was pretty cute.

 #7: Be okay with the fact that you may only get to ride the big rides once--or twice, if you're lucky.  We got in all of the staples (Haunted Mansion, Pirates, the grown-up rides) once, but after that, we took it easy, which made the trip so nice and relaxed--and gave us plenty of time to ride the carousel, of course.

 #8: Leashes are probably a good idea for any walkers under 4.  If you've ever seen the movie "My Big, Fat, Greek Wedding," you'll remember that the main character has a crazy grandma who is constantly trying to escape.  Clark apparently knows her, because every chance he got, he would take off running.  Where, no one knows--but he was bound and determined to get lost. 
And he did--once.  But Steve found him hanging out behind Space Mountain with a cast member, so no harm done, right?
Although once we thought of that analogy and started calling Clark "Grandma" every time he took off running, we got a lot of funny looks.  Made me laugh, though.

#9: Take tons of pictures, but make sure to enjoy the magical moments, as well.  There were some times where I was so focused on getting pictures or videos of what was going on that I didn't really get to enjoy those moments.  Once I realized how stressed out I was about holding my camera up the whole time and made an effort to put it away, I had a LOT more fun getting to see the kids' reactions to rides, characters, and parades, rather than trying so hard to catch the moment perfectly.  It's a hard balance to find, but when I got home and saw all of the pictures and videos I managed to capture (dozens--I only shared a fraction of them on this blog), but remembered the great times we had without the camera around, I felt like we found the balance pretty well on this trip.
#10: Last but not least--you know the saying "If Momma ain't happy, ain't nobody happy"?  Well, it works the other way, as well.  There were a few moments where things could have been stressful--kids would start crying, we'd get stuck with two strollers in a particularly crowded area, we'd be trying to get food for three hungry kiddos but be stuck in crazy long lines--and I would look over at Steve and say, "I'm doing totally okay.  I'm just happy to be here!"
It's as though I could almost see the stress coming out of his face every time I would do that--but every time I would start to even seem stressed or cranky, the stress and pressure would come back to Steve instantaneously.  When I made a conscious effort to be calm and happy, it would completely defuse the situation--and it made for a much more pleasant experience overall.
All in all, this trip was wonderful.  Enjoying Disneyland as a parent is completely different than enjoying it as a teenager or newlywed, but still--absolutely magical.  I'm so glad we went.
Up next: Beach pictures!