If you have ever come home from a big trip and immediately thought “okay but next time I would…” this post is for you.
We just got back from a trip that had it all: two days at the Disneyland Resort, followed by a week at Aulani, A Disney Resort and Spa in Hawaii. Eight people total, including a three-year-old and a nine month old baby. And while it was genuinely magical in so many ways, post-trip Kelsey has some thoughts for pre-trip Kelsey.
Consider this your permission slip to learn from my experience.
On the travel days
The flights going out were honestly better than expected. We broke them up instead of doing one long haul, and that made a huge difference with the kids. Our three-year-old knew what to expect at the airport because we had talked him through it in advance, stage by stage. The baby was flexible and mostly slept. I went in with low expectations and came out genuinely surprised.
The way home was a different story.
I knew it was going to be hard. But because I knew it, I kind of just did not plan for it. And that was a mistake. I let my son sleep past 10am the morning after we got back, thinking he was tired and needed it, and it completely backfired at bedtime. Jet lag on the way home is just as real as jet lag on the way there. Look it up before you go, not after.
Also: have something for your kids to do while you wait for a rental car. We were told it could be 60 to 90 minutes. It was not, thankfully, but that was not a fun moment to navigate with an overtired toddler and a baby.
On the Disney days
Here is my honest take: our Disney days were not as organized as they could have been, and we felt it.
With a large group, there is a lot of waiting around. A lot of “okay what are we doing next.” A lot of prepping your toddler for a ride and then not actually getting on it because the timing did not work out. We were busier than expected and I wish we had gone in with a slightly clearer plan instead of fully winging it.
That said, some things were genuinely great.
Lightning Lane Multi Pass at Disneyland is so much more efficient than at Walt Disney World. If you have only used it at WDW, prepare to be pleasantly surprised. There’s no booking in advance so everyone is on a level playing field when you step into the park.
My son loved Cars Land. He is in a full cars-and-trucks phase right now, and walking around that land with him, watching his face, knowing this is exactly his stage of life right now… that is the kind of thing I want to remember forever. We did Luigi’s Rollickin’ Roadsters twice. He talked about it the rest of the trip.
He was not tall enough for Radiator Springs Racers, which I knew going in. So we prepared him ahead of time, kept it low pressure, and moved on. No tears, no surprises. That is what I want for every family I work with. Someone in your corner before you even leave home, so nothing catches you off guard when you get there.
A few quick Disney tips I am filing away for next time:
- Check how many lanes of Autopia are operating before you get in line
- Only rope drop Peter Pan if it is genuinely a priority for your family
- Knock out Toontown early and then leave it alone
- If you have a picky eater, find restaurants ahead of time that have something they will actually eat
The Bluey live show at Disneyland was a hit. My son was completely locked in. Highly recommend if you have a Bluey fan in your group.
One more thing. I sat on a bench near the Wine Country Trattoria in California Adventure while my family went to get a Num Num cookie from Pixar Pier. I had a sleeping baby on me, nobody needed anything from me for about ten minutes, and I just sat there and people watched. It was one of my favourite moments of the whole Disney portion of the trip. Sometimes the unplanned pauses are the best parts.
At Aulani
I love the Aulani lobby. Walking in and taking a deep breath and knowing you have a whole week ahead of you is a feeling I want to bottle.
But I will say: our arrival day in Hawaii involved sitting in an airport waiting area and being told our rental car could take 60 to 90 minutes. Have a plan for that moment. Snacks, activities, something. It is not the vibe you want after a long travel day.
Once we were settled, Aulani delivered. The lazy river was a family favourite. The little splash pad and the Menehune Bridge kept my three-year-old going for at least 30 minutes. He also loved the Menehune Adventure Trail. game! You get the tablet for an hour and you can extend if needed.
We spent evenings on the balcony listening to the resort music, and I genuinely think if you are at Aulani and you are sitting inside your hotel room, you are doing it wrong.
My son called the palm trees pom-pom trees the entire trip. I tried to get it on video. I am not over it.
We got a surfboard from the ABC store and collected character autographs on it. By the end of the week, every character who could sign had signed it. Highly recommend this as a low-key, easy way to make character meets feel special without the pressure of a formal experience. The Aulani gift shop sells them too, but you’ll save around $15 with a walk across the street.
The Kualoa Ranch tour was a great family outing, especially in the morning before it got too hot. The food was good and the value was solid. It is not a high-adrenaline experience for kids, but it is manageable and interesting. A bonus we did not expect: the accessibility accommodations were outstanding. My sister who uses a wheelchair essentially got a private wheelchair-accessible bus and was lifted to the iconic dinosaur bone spots for photos. That kind of thoughtfulness genuinely moved me.
One more thing about Aulani that I keep coming back to: do not be afraid to take a break. We found that even when our toddler was overtired and done, taking a small break and then going back to the pool gave him something to focus on. But we also gave ourselves permission to have slow mornings, to sit on the balcony, to not do everything. That is not failure. That is smart family travel.
The things I would tell you right now
If you are planning a similar trip, here is what post-trip Kelsey wants you to know:
- Break up long flights if you can. It makes a difference.
- Make a rough plan for your Disney days. Full flexibility sounds great until you are in a large group and nobody can agree on what to do next.
- Research jet lag strategies for the way home, not just the way there.
- Wear broken-in shoes. Blisters mid-trip are not fun.
- Book your photo session early in the trip. Ours was cancelled due to weather and we re-booked for a few days later.
- Bring a sound machine. Ours kept our son sleeping through a thunderstorm.
- Sit on the balcony at Aulani. Every night if you can.
- Let your kid call the palm trees pom-pom trees. You will want to remember it.
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Thank you so much for reading!
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