When/how late in pregnancy would you go to Disneyland? Update first post: Booked it!

[YouAreTheFocus]

We really want to bring DS, 4.5, to Disneyland this spring/summer before #2 comes along. He has never been, and is currently super in love with the Disney princesses. I'm starting to feel like we're running out of time, but I really want to squeeze in a long weekend there while he's still an only :)

I am due the end of August. When would you go, basically between now & then? I'm trying to weigh what shape I'll be in & what the heat will be like there. If the answer is "next month," is Disneyland something that can be done w/ little advance planning? I am leaning towards staying onsite to make things easier, but am open to any suggestions!

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Thank you all for your input, you gave me the push I needed to make it happen! :) I booked a room at Disneyland Hotel, and I got all 3 of our flights with my SW points, so a nice savings there (we are flying from NorCal). Now I just need to get the actual park tickets...and plan the whole thing :dizzy:

We're going the last wkd in May, Thurs night - Mon afternoon. It is the wkd after Labor Day, and (I think) before the schools get out. I'll be 27 wks, I still feel totally fine/normal now and haven't gained much at all, so I think I'll be in good shape.

We will have 3 full days, so I am thinking of getting 3-day park hoppers and doing DL 1 day, DCA 1 day, and 1 day for odds & ends. Does this sound ok? We'll have some time Mon morning but I'm not sure it's worth bumping up to the 4 day pass...

[SnuggleBuggles]

I went when I was 6mo; it was August. I did fine. Yes, you can do DL w no planning esp if you don't want reservations.

Eta- I think the walk from the Disney Paradise Pier is comparable to the Candy Cane Inn so not all on site are super close. We stayed in the Candy Cane Inn for budget reasons. No budget concerns? I'd choose one of the on site ones but not PP.

[elektra]

The latest I have gone is 7 mo and I still felt great! I could have still enjoyed it up to about 8 months I think, but I only feel huge that last month of my pregnancies.
If there is flying involved for you, I would probably feel more comfortable in making sure I returned at end of July at the latest.

I would actually try to go in May before school gets out around here, more for the crowds than the pregnancy but that would be good timing for both reasons! I think it can be done with little advanced planning and with the resident DL expert lalasmama in addition to others who have made the trip, I bet you can make it work.

[MMMommy]

Back when DDs were in preschool, we would go to Disneyland during the weekdays in early May. It was way less crowded and many popular rides were walk-on with no waits. Also, May would (hopefully) be less hot than June or July. I recommend early May. It is definitely not like Disneyworld where you have to have a lot of advance planning. Definitely less stressful and more low-key than Disneyworld, yet very fun!

[georgiegirl]

I went midway through my pregnancy (to Disney world) and we met friends and the wife was 36 weeks pregnant! She got around as well as the rest of us and never complained.

[Tenasparkl]

T
I would actually try to go in May before school gets out around here, more for the crowds than the pregnancy but that would be good timing for both reasons! I think it can be done with little advanced planning

I agree with all of this. Go before it gets too hot and you'll be fine.

[theriviera]

Congratulations!

I've gone as late as 36 weeks (with my 2nd and with this pregnancy). we are fairly local though so it's a day trip.

I was fine, but this last time we left by 12:30. It was hot and I was struggling.

When I went during my 2nd pregnancy, it was cool (even rained) and we stayed all day. I felt fine.

If you can swing it, I would go in May. I don't think you'll need many reservations. I don't think it's too late to book a character breakfast.

[lalasmama]

We really want to bring DS, 4.5, to Disneyland this spring/summer before #2 comes along. He has never been, and is currently super in love with the Disney princesses. I'm starting to feel like we're running out of time, but I really want to squeeze in a long weekend there while he's still an only :)

I am due the end of August. When would you go, basically between now & then? I'm trying to weigh what shape I'll be in & what the heat will be like there. If the answer is "next month," is Disneyland something that can be done w/ little advance planning? I am leaning towards staying onsite to make things easier, but am open to any suggestions!

I would totally go... but there's no reason/time I wouldn't go to Disneyland ;)

As far as time to go, I would go sooner rather than later. The crowds go up significantly over the next several weeks, until June starts, and summer crowds (yikes!) start with them. You can go with seriously little planning.

Some things to look at/consider:

Disneyland Hotel is great, however, it's about twice as expensive as staying off-site... and many hotels are actually closer to the main gates than on-site properties. If the extra cash is there, then by all means, enjoy staying on-site. To be fair, the hotels across the street aren't nearly as nice as Disney properties. Some popular ones are HoJo (fantastic play area), and Best Western Park Place Inn (directly across the street from the pedestrian entrance). I'm also fond of Park Vue Inn, which is next door to Best Western. Park Vue isn't the most upscale, but, again, it's so close, and the price is fair ($200/night usually), and there's a good breakfast each morning. (Some prices for the last week in May [5/19-5/23]: Park Vue $496; Paradise Pier [Disney value] $1084; Disneyland Hotel [Disney moderate] $1192; Grand Californian [Disney luxury] $1432; Best Western Park Place Inn price not available online for those dates; Hojo $885). I'd actually go the week before that, just because the week I priced out was the week before Memorial Day weekend, which could make it a busier week.

With a 4.5yo, you'll be able to go on most of the rides that your DS can go on. Generally, they say anything without a height restriction is fine for a pregnant woman to go on. Off-hand, this means you're good for about 75% of Disneyland, and 75% of California Adventure. (Yes, you should expect to go to both parks!)

You mentioned your DS is in love with the princesses (how cute!). Ariel has a restaurant in California Adventure where he can meet 4 princesses at once. You'll want to make reservations for this. I don't remember what meals they do this for (thinking breakfast and lunch or lunch and dinner--I'm 100% there's a lunch one). You don't need to make reservations way in advance--a few days ahead will be fine. You can do this online or by calling them.

[essnce629]

I'd go as soon as possible and definitely before July to beat the heat! I know that pregnancy and heat don't mix well with me!

We went last year at the end of August and only planned a few weeks in advance (less than a month for sure) and had a great time. We're less than an hour away though.

ETA: Haha, I just looked up my post on here asking for help planning our trip and I wrote it less than a week before going! So surely, not much planning is needed to have a successful trip!

[azzeps]

Ariel's Grotto is princess characters for breakfast and lunch. Dinner is World of Color special pass, and there are no princesses during dinner.

Have a great time!

[SnuggleBuggles]

ETA: Haha, I just looked up my post on here asking for help planning our trip and I wrote it less than a week before going! So surely, not much planning is needed to have a successful trip!

Got you beat. We decided to go the day before the time we went in August. I was reading a planning book on the drive from 4h north on the way to DL. :)

[YouAreTheFocus]

Update first post! Thank you all!

[lalasmama]

Thank you all for your input, you gave me the push I needed to make it happen! :) I booked a room at Disneyland Hotel, and I got all 3 of our flights with my SW points, so a nice savings there (we are flying from NorCal). Now I just need to get the actual park tickets...and plan the whole thing :dizzy:

We're going the last wkd in May, Thurs night - Mon afternoon. It is the wkd after Labor Day, and (I think) before the schools get out. I'll be 27 wks, I still feel totally fine/normal now and haven't gained much at all, so I think I'll be in good shape.

We will have 3 full days, so I am thinking of getting 3-day park hoppers and doing DL 1 day, DCA 1 day, and 1 day for odds & ends. Does this sound ok? We'll have some time Mon morning but I'm not sure it's worth bumping up to the 4 day pass...

That weekend should be a good time to go! I think you are right--you have planned after Memorial Day, and before schools let out. Most parents are going to be holding off for "summer" and are less likely to pull their kids out of school for that last week or so!

The good news with the planning is that there's really not a lot to do! Personally, I'm not a huge "tour plan" kind of person. I like to have some sort of goal for the day, but then let things unfold as they may. I remember your DS loving princesses, so you may want to put in a reservation at Ariel's so that he can see his girls ;)

The parks are so close together (literally a minute to walk from one to the other), so you don't necessarily have to just stay in one park or the other. Generally, we find ourselves going back and forth between them based on how packed the parks are, or based on any random mood/desire... So, I'd definitely get the park hoppers, and you can plan to start at one or the other, but don't limit yourself to only that park for the day!

As far as buying the tickets... www.way.com gets great reviews at the DISboards, and they are cheaper than most places. Way.com doesn't have children's tickets, but you can use an adult ticket for a child. Basically, buying at way.com gives everyone 1 day free, and entrance at the child's pass price! Can't beat that! Here's a little breakdown:

Disneyland.com
4 day PH Adult $285
4 day PH Child $265
3 day PH Adult $260
3 day PH Child $244

Way.com
4 day PH Adult $245
3 day PH Adult $220