Planning a Disneyland trip for two families

If you’re reading this post, you’re either thinking about going to Disney for the first time, or you can’t wait to go back and bring along your family and friends with you!  The more people we get to fall in love with Disney, the more reasons we’ve got to go back again and again!  In this podcast, we’re talking about family planning.  Not the kind of family planning discussed in middle school….the kind where you’re going to Disney, and so are your parents, or friends, but they live in another state, or country, or planet (admit it.  Los Angeles is like another planet…).  How do you plan lodging that works for everyone?  How will you overcome kids of different ages, who want to do different things?  All of this and more is covered by your favorite Disney podcast hosts whose names rhyme with Tader and Bluefasa!

Podcast Timeline

01:30  Kevin’s wife buys him an aloha shirt…but thinks that maybe she has a hidden agenda…

2:13 What special steps should you take when planning a Disney vacation for two families

4:30  Planning where to stay for both families is critical.  We talk about money, kids needs depending on their ages, and many other considerations you may not have considered

7:30   Expectation Setting is crucial!  Vader gives you some excellent advice on why you shouldn’t overlook this mantra.

10:01  Even if you have to stay at 3 hotels in three days, that doesn’t mean it’s not the best plan for everyone.  You’ve got to be smart with your resources.  We’re discussing ways to save money while arranging your hotels for your Disneyland visit

13:27  The topic meanders briefly to nearby L.A. and the Hollywood Walk of Fame

15:23  It’s time to talk about enjoying the parks with two families, with kids of varying ages, and all of the challenges that come along with that

18:35 Split-Up from time to time!  It’s OK, and Vader shares a great tip on how splitting up can save everyone time later for the Fantasmic show…

20:00  I know this sounds obvious, but when more than one family is involved in your Disney happiness equation, talk to each other a lot about what attractions you’d like to do the most.  Vader really wanted to ride Radiator Springs Racers since he missed it on his last visit, and gives his impressions.

24:20  Character lines can be a huge time-sink.  We’ve got some advice on how to avoid at least some of those lines by utilizing character dining.  Leslie Harvey also wrote a great post on this that you can check out here.

27:30  Characters in Disneyland throughout the park appear in much more spontaneous ways than in Walt Disney World.  We’ll be talking about what we prefer, and Vader shares some of his favorite moments, like seeing Belle and the Beast riding the carousel!

31:51  We said it before, and we’ll say it again.  If you’re at Disneyland with another family, don’t be afraid to split up!  Putting too much pressure on yourself, or the other family to be together constantly, doesn’t benefit anyone.

STUMP THE HOST

34:13   Will Mufasa break his losing streak?  He’s got a good one this week listeners!  It has to do with Big Thunder Mountain and Indiana Jones sharing something in common.

Stay in Touch with Vader & Mufasa

• In addition to playing at Traveling Dad, these podcasts are available at iTunes and Google Play. How magical is that?
• Follow us on Twitter:
  The podcast: @vadermufasa
  Kevin: @KevinGillooly
  John: @vtvanda
• Check out our Facebook page
• Click here to see our one upload a month to instagram
• Interested in Pinterest? (Pinterested?).  We’re everywhere!
• Feel free to email the show with any comments and, especially, any Walt Disney World questions you’d like us to answer during future podcasts, at [email protected]