We’ve been talking a lot about money lately – how we earn it, how we need to be careful about spending it, and trying to instil the value of it with a 6-year-old. It only made sense then to visit the Royal Australian Mint in Canberra to continue the conversation in how money is made.
The Royal Australian Mint makes all of Australia’s circulating coins. It opened in 1965 and, since then, has produced over fourteen billion coins, with the capacity to produce two million coins per day. That’s a whole lotta cash!
It’s free to drop by the Mint, and, since it’s only a small building, it’s the perfect add-on to a day with other activities on the agenda.
On the ground floor, we enjoyed trying to count how many coins were in the giant coin feature at the entrance (Cheese guessed around 14 thousand, which they said was pretty close), and checking out all the limited edition and special release coins in the gift shop.
This is also where you can mint your own $1 coin (at a cost of $3) and take it home.
Tip: As soon as your skin touches the coin it is classed as being “circulated” and is only worth $1. If you carefully put it into the protective sleeve using, say, a your T shirt to protect it from your skin, then it’s classed as “uncirculated” and automatically worth $5.
Up the coin-filled stairs is the exhibition and factory viewing areas. We really enjoyed looking at some of Australia’s earliest currency, including the Holey Dollar and Dump, Australia’s first minted coins – made by a convicted forger.
The factory wasn’t in action when we visited on the weekend, so I would suggest visiting on a week day to see the coin-making in action. We did however still Titan, the Mint robot capable of lifting 1000 kilograms. He does a little wave and dance to keep himself active on days when he isn’t lifting coins.
I would highly suggest joining one of the free guided tours that are run seven days a week. They run for around 30 minutes – perfect for short attention spans. The guides have a lot of really interesting insights into the history of coins in Australia and detailed info on how they’re made at Mint.
On the tour you will hear some interesting stories about the history of coins in Australia and look out over the factory while you learn how coins are made.
If you’re after an extra activity there is a Mint Treasure Hunt in the My Visit to the Mint Activity Book available at the front desk or shop.
Royal Australian Mint
Denison St, Deakin ACT
Hours: Mon-Fri 8:30am-5pm, Sat & Sun 10am-4pm
Tours: Mon-Fri 10am & 2pm, Weekends and Public Holidays 11am, 1pm & 2 pm.
Entry: Free ramint.gov.au
On our recent trip to the ACT, we took out little bird-lover to the Canberra Walk-In Aviary. The Aviary is a 1000 square metre, planted, privately owned walk-in aviary where free flying birds can be watched, photographed and even fed. As they are very used to humans, the birds are happy to fly and walk around their huge aviary paying very little attention to the visitors – unless they are keen for a bit of a feed.
The aviary contains around 500 birds of over 60 different species from Australia and around the world. We spotted parrots, finches, doves and quails, plus plenty of others we didn’t recognise.
As part of the admission fee visitors are given a small plate of food (we were given apple slices) and tub of live mealworms. You can buy extra tubs of mealworms if you run out.
The birds typically will approach humans for the food, unless you visit on a stinking hot day like we did. If the weather is hot, the birds tend to stay in their trees and not come out – if it’s over 34 degrees Celsius, the aviary closes for the day.
We had a fantastic time, even though the birds were generally too hot to come out, and are planning to visit again in cooler weather.
Note: the aviary is in full sun so wear a hat and bring sunscreen. The path is wide and flat so I would think strollers and wheelchairs would be ok to get around. There is no cafe on the premises but there are cafes nearby. The birds like sparkly things so it’s advised that you leave jewellery at home (including earrings).
The Canberra Walk-in Aviary is located in O’Hanlon Place in the village of Gold Creek. Gold Creek Village is situated off the Barton Highway (road to Yass) in the Northern Canberra suburb of Nicholls. The drive will take approx 20 minutes from the City Centre.
I have to be honest, the National Dinosaur Museum wasn’t on our list of must-visits in Canberra, and we stumbled upon it completely by accident. We’ve seen a lot of dinosaur bones over the years and really thought we’d seen it all before.
I wandered into the museum while seeking shade on a blisteringly hot summer day and was amazed by the incredible dinosaur statues outside, plus the amazing mineral and crystals inside decorating the gift shop. That was it, our interest was piqued, and we all had to take a look at the rest of the museum.
We loved the museum and can’t believe it hadn’t been on our radar previously. The National Dinosaur Museum is home to the largest permanent display of dinosaur and prehistoric fossils in Australia. It’s a really small museum, with lots packed into it to see. The museum’s exhibition follows the evolution of life, with a particular focus on dinosaurs, so a visit gives a very comprehensive overview of the history of life on Earth, displayed in chronological order.
The museum has two floors. Downstairs is the gift shop and family activity room with books, an education video playing and various fossil and dinosaur crafts and toys for kids to play with. The gift shop is incredible – jam packed with not just cool things to buy, but also giant crystals and minerals and even a few huge fossils from the ice age.
Upstairs is the main exhibition area, with with fossils from 700 million-year-old marine fauna through to fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds and mammals. The 12 animatronic dinosaurs dotted around the exhibits entertained the littlies while older kids could read the educational info panels.
There are two scavenger trails/kids hunts that visitors can complete, divided by age groups. The trails take you around the museum to answer questions. If you answer all the answers correctly you take home a certificate with a tiny fossil attached. A really neat idea that gives kids an extra way to engage in the exhibits and really pay attention to what they’re seeing.
Outside is a Dinosaur Garden featuring life-like fibreglass models. Kids are welcome to climb the dinosaurs if they like.
There is an undercover seating area but no cafe, so bring your own food.
We were surprised by how much we all enjoyed the National Dinosaur Museum, so highly recommend it, even if you and your dino-fans think you’ve seen it all before!
The National Dinosaur Museum is located in the village of Gold Creek. Gold Creek Village is situated off the Barton Highway (road to Yass) in the Northern Canberra suburb of Nicholls. The drive will take approx 20 minutes from the City Centre.
LEGO-lovers rejoice, there is finally a LEGOLAND in Australia! The LEGOLAND® Discovery Centre in Melbourne is billed as the “ultimate LEGO indoor playground”, which is a great description for the centre and how it differentiates from the other LEGOLANDs around the world.
The LEGOLAND® Discovery Centre can be found in the amazing Chadstone shopping centre, which is a bit of a drive from the Melbourne CBD.
Like the other LEGOLANDs, it’s aimed at younger kids, I would say under 12. It features 2 rides, 10 LEGO build and play zones, a 4D cinema and cafe. For my 6-year-old, it was enough to occupy her for an entire day and have her asking to go back to do it all over again the next day.
LEGOLAND begins with the LEGO Factory Tour, the first room of the centre that visitors are guided into when they enter. The “tour” is virtual and so fun for kids as they watch LEGO secrets on the screen and use their joysticks to navigate their own LEGO choices.
After the LEGO Factory Tour we come to the first ride, Kingdom Quest, which sits at the entrance to Miniland and the rest of the centre. We do the ride because it’s right there in front of us, but you can also walk through Miniland and come back to it later.
The Kingdom Quest ride is a super cute ride where kids have to zap trolls and skeletons with lasers to save the princess. It’s a very tame ride and nothing that my very sensitive 6-year-old found frightening. The kids (and adults!) get very competitive with the scores and like to do it over and over to see if they can beat each other.
Miniland is a large room that also serves as a thoroughfare between the entrance/exit and bulk of the activities. The LEGO masters have created Melbourne’s landmarks in miniature using over 1.5 million LEGO bricks. Some parts of MINILAND are interactive and encourage play, but the majority is for looking at the incredible details in the scenes and spotting the mischievous Minifigures.
Miniland changes from day to night, when the “city” is lit up with sparkly lights. When we visit there is a Star Wars “takeover” of LEOGLAND, so Miniland features a few surprise vehicles from the movies that the Star Wars fans were delighted to spot.
Miniland opens into a large room broken up into the rest of the activities in the centre. There is the second ride, Merlin’s Apprentice Ride, where kids can pedal an enchanted cart faster and faster as it flies up in the air and soars through the sky. It’s a cute ride and again nothing scary here for little ones.
The centre has two soft play areas for kids. The DUPLO Farm is for kids aged 2-5 and is designed especially for littlies with a barn, slide and big soft bricks.
The LEGO City Fire Academy is a gated play area for kids aged 4+. It’s themed like a training area to becoming a firefighter, but it’s really like an indoor play centre with a jungle gym and slides.
Important note: socks must be worn at all times in the soft play area.
There is so much else to do that Cheese didn’t stay long in the soft play area, preferring instead to build LEGO in the other areas.
The LEGO Friends in Heartlake City was a particular favourite, with a central table featuring builds of key LEGO Friends kits, including a few familiar ones that we have at home, plus plenty of tables and brick pits for kids to build their own contribution to the city.
Nearby, the LEGO Racers: Build & Test area is a great spot for kids at the older end of the age range, where they can design their own LEGO racing cars and test them against each other. We found the cars quite tricky to build, so it was a great challenge for us and also really enjoyable for the many older kids who camped in this area for a long period of time perfecting their cars.
Science-loving kids like mine will enjoy the Earthquake Tables that encourage kids to build towers from LEGO bricks and then test their strength to see if they will survive an earthquake. It’s a fun challenge to build a structurally sound creation that will withstand the shaking.
The only activity that requires signing up for is the LEGO Creative Workshop. Sheets are regularly placed outside the workshop and fill up fast in school holidays, so keep an eye out for the sheets being released and put your kids’ names down fast.
Inside the workshop, kids are given a box with bricks to build a particular piece, with staff on hand to help if they get stuck. Parental supervision is required. At the end of the workshop the model stays behind for the next kids to have a go, but the workshop room next door has small builds that kids can also complete and then take home as a cute souvenir.
The last activity to try is the LEGO 4D Cinema, where short 3D LEGO films are shown multiple times a day in a cinema with special effects emulating rain, wind and even snow.
There is no outside food allowed at LEGOLAND, encouraging people to dine in the LEGO Cafe. I found the prices and food both reasonable so was happy to try it. The kids boxes were really cute and good value – for $18 you get a LEGO lunch box to take home, and various food choices – a sandwich, drink, fruit crush or cookie, piece of fruit and a LEGO keyring (which retails in the store for $8.95). Cupcake cost extra.
At the exit it’s impossible to avoid the amazing LEGO shop. They have several exclusive and limited edition goodies, so it’s a good place to shop for gifts and put them away for birthdays / Christmas.
The LEGOLAND Discovery Centre is a bit pricey, with admission from $32.50 per person (online price). For best value, I suggest the following:
Advanced online purchase
If you’re only planning to go to this once and no other attractions, then buying the tickets online will save money and also gives you timed tickets so you are guaranteed entry in peak times.
Combo ticket Buy a combination ticket for LEGOLAND Discovery Centre and SEA LIFE Melbourne for $45 per person and save up to $29 off individual admission. The aquarium starts from $33.60 per person so this is a good deal. You have 90 a days to visit both attractions.
Annual pass
The annual pass for LEGOLAND Discovery Centre is $75 per person, allowing for unlimited visits over a 12 month period.
Merlin Annual Pass
This is the best deal of all and the one I highly recommend. for $79 per person per year, you get unlimited entry into not just LEGOLAND® Discovery Centre Melbourne but also 10 other attractions around Australia:
LEGOLAND® Discovery Centre Melbourne
SEA LIFE Melbourne
Otway Fly Treetop Adventures
SEA LIFE Sydney
WILD LIFE Sydney Zoo
Madame Tussauds Sydney
Sydney Tower Eye
Illawarra Fly Treetop Adventures
SEA LIFE Sunshine Coast
WILD LIFE Hamilton Island
Kelly Tarlton’s SEA LIFE
Canberra is one of our fave weekend escapes. There’s just so much to love about the city, from it’s amazing galleries and museums to its delicious cafes, beautiful gardens and family-friendly hotels. We recently stayed at the Crowne Plaza Canberra CBD Hotel, and have nothing but high praise for the hotel and its staff.
I’m a strong believer in first impressions, and the Crowne Plaza impressed from the moment we walked through the front doors and were blasted with sweetly fragranced air conditioning on a face-meltingly hot summer’s day.
The large atrium in the centre of the Crowne Plaza is a stunning, light-filled place complete with comfy couches to read the paper or watch the news on TV. On days like the ones we experienced, with temperatures almost reaching 40dC, it was a welcome comfort to have somewhere air conditioned to relax in for a bit!
The staff at the Crowne Plaza could not have been more helpful or friendly throughout our stay. From our fast and friendly check-in to suggestions for kid-friendly eateries nearby, and warm servers in the breakfast dining room, we felt extremely welcome and comfortable during our stay.
A massive plus for the hotel is also it’s fantastic location. It’s right in the centre of the city, next to the beautiful Glebe Park, and only two blocks from the city’s main shopping area, completely with supermarket, restaurants, cheaper food eateries and every other kind of convenience you might need. Being so close to the main city area mean that we were able to walk to the supermarket for a few groceries as well as cheaper food options for dinner each night.
The Crowne Plaza is also very close to all of the main attractions in Canberra. It’s 2km from the Australian War Memorial museum, and 5 km from the area where you’ll find the National Gallery of Australia, Questacon, Parliament House and Old Parliament House. It’s a really fast drive along Canberra’s smooth roads.
We stayed at the Crowne Plaza in a refurbished deluxe room with a park view. The view was gorgeous to wake up to each day – a beautiful oasis of calm right outside the window. The room itself was light and airy, very modern with flat-screen TV, a couch that our daughter commandeered, two extremely comfortable double beds, tea and coffeemaking facilities and a minibar where we put things like milk, yoghurt and cheese and crackers.
Wifi is now free for all guests, but there are additional charges for parking in the underground carpark and the breakfast buffet.
While our family of three fits perfectly in a room like this with two double beds, larger rooms are available for families such as suites with balconies and kitchenettes with dining tables, or interconnecting rooms. You can also request an additional rollaway bed.
Other facilities offered at the hotel include a sauna, outdoor pool and fitness centre. The pool was a welcome relief on the very hot days that we visited. There were so many kids using the pool I wasn’t able to get a shot of it for this post!
The Crowne Plaza Canberra CBD supplied me with the below pic of the pool so you can see how great it is. In the afternoon the pool is shaded by the building, making it the perfect time of day to swim without worrying about sunburn.
If you choose to dine at the hotel, there’s the modern bar, Binara One, open daily from 4pm. It offer drinks and light meals. Redsalt Restaurant is an upmarket option open daily for breakfast lunch and dinner, plus there is 24-hour room service. Both Redsalt and room service have dedicated kids’ menus.
We enjoyed breakfast in the hotel each morning with eggs made to order, barista coffee and a variety of fruit, breads, cereals, baked goods and juices.
While the Crowne Plaza does offer entertainment in the family room during school holidays, we were too busy out and about to enjoy it on this trip. It’s a great option however to be able to take littlies to a place in the hotel to play when one parent needs a rest back in the room!
If you’re visiting with your family, check the Crowne Plaza website for special family getaway deals. At the time of our stay they were offering a package that included accommodation for two adults and up to two children, with included breakfast and 3-in-fun tickets to Questacon, Cockington Green Gardens & the Australian Institute of Sport.
Hotel Review: Crowne Plaza Canberra CBD Hotel 1 Binara St, Canberra ACT canberra.crowneplaza.com
Thank you to the Crowne Plaza Canberra CBD Hotel for hosting us during our stay. All opinions are my own.
Universal Studios Hollywood is an absolute must when visiting Los Angeles. It’s the place where movies are made and dreams come true! This is the original Universal Studios and home of the Backlot Tour, where visitors are taken around the “back lot” to see the real sets where blockbusters are made. Universal Studios Hollywood is the only one in the world where this attractions is on offer. If you’re visiting the park, these tips will help you make your day a fun and successful outing that the whole family will remember for years to come.
Buy tickets in advance
This is always something I do as it saves an extra step at every place we visit. You can buy your tickets online here.
Options include (at time of print):
Single day general admission: $105-$116 USD
Two-day admission: $129-$159 USD
Universal Express: $179-$269 USD
VIP Experience: From $309
Tickets cost different amounts depending on the time of year that you go. Busier times of year cost more.
if you’re visiting during busy periods, consider upgrading your ticket to a Universal Express Ticket. This gives you one-time express entry to attractions and priority seating at shows. We visited on a busy Saturday in December and found the pass to be an excellent time saver.
Note: You can only use the express pass ONCE per ride/ attraction.
Download the app
The Universal Studios app is particularly helpful with showtimes, ride wait times and character appearances, plus you can also plan a basic itinerary for yourself in it and leave yourself a reminder for where you parked your car! Download the app here.
Arrive early
This is my number one tip for any theme park. Always arrive as early as possible! Check the calendar for park hours here.
Choose your form of transport wisely
Universal Studios is easily reached by train or you can drive. There is ample parking but it will cost you from $20 per day.
Plan the Studio Backlot Tour into your day
The Studio Backlot Tour is a must-see when visiting Universal Studios Hollywood. It takes you behind the scenes of the historic studio where many famous movies and TV shows are filmed. The tour takes an hour so budget plenty of time for it. You are allowed to take food and drink on the tour.
The Studio Backlot Tour is exclusive to Universal Studios Hollywood, so you won’t see it at any other Universal Studios in the world.
Be aware of the park layout and opening times
The park is divided into the Upper Lot and Lower Lot. It takes several escalators and a good 10 minutes or more to get between the two, so factor this into your planning. The Lower Lot opens an hour after the Upper Lot.
Make use of park rentals and lockers
There are lockers inside the park entrance as well as dotted around the park to store your belongings all day. You can also rent strollers and wheelchairs if needed. Make your day easier by keeping your hands free and companions comfortable.
Collect free buttons
Drop by Guest Relations inside the park entrance to pick up free buttons for special occasions. We nabbed “first visit” buttons, but they also have them to celebrate birthdays, graduations and weddings,
Keep your phone charged
If your phone doesn’t have the power to last all day, you can borrow a charger from Guest Relations or plug in your own charger at Starbucks.
Try all the food
We really enjoyed the giant donuts in the Simpson’s themed land, and had the best theme park meal we’ve possibly ever had at the Three Broomsticks restaurant in the Wizarding World of Harry Potter. We also loved the frozen Butterbeer! I really appreciated that Universal Studios has a link on their website that details all of the park’s vegetarian options!
Make Magic Happen at the Wizarding World of Harry Potter
We bought the special wands that allow wizards to perform “spells” around Hogsmede. They were pricey souvenirs (around $45 for non-interactive resin wands and $60 for interactive wands), but well worth it for us as this is where we spent the majority of our time at Universal Studios Hollywood.
Get creepy with The Walking Dead
A second attraction that is exclusive to Universal Studios Hollywood is “The Walking Dead”. Due to its intense nature, it’s not recommended for guests under the age of 13, but older teens and adults will enjoy some the authentic make-up effects, detailed costuming and set design, plus and sophisticated (read: scary!) animatronic walkers.
Check your child is tall enough for rides
The majority of rides at Universal Studios Hollywood are aimed at older kids and adults. While there is plenty to entertain littler kids, you should check that your child is big enough for the rides if that is your prime motivation for going.
The following attractions have minimum height requirements:
Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey™: Must be 48″ (122 cm) tall.
Flight of the Hippogriff™: Must be 39″ (99 cm) tall.
Children 39-48″ (99-122 cm) must be accompanied by a Supervising Companion (14 years or older)
Despicable Me Minion Mayhem: Must be 40″ (102 cm) tall.
Children 40-48″ (102-122 cm) must be accompanied by a Supervising Companion (14 years or older)
Transformers™: The Ride-3D: Must be 40″ (102 cm) tall.
Children 40-48″ (102-122 cm) must be accompanied by a Supervising Companion (14 years or older)
The Simpsons Ride: Must be 40″ (102 cm) tall.
Children 40-48″ (102-122 cm) must be accompanied by a Supervising Companion (14 years or older)
Jurassic Park® — The Ride: Must be 42″ (107 cm) tall.
Children 42-48″ (107-122 cm) must be accompanied by a Supervising Companion (14 years or older)
Revenge of the Mummy℠ — The Ride: Must be 48″ (122 cm) tall.
Visiting with little kids? Use the Rider Switch Option
If your kids aren’t big enough for the rides you want to go on, use the “child switch” program. One or more of your party goes on the ride while the rest can wait with the kids who are too small in the attraction’s Child Switch room. When the party returns, they switch with those who were waiting with the kids, without having to wait in line again.
Watch the live shows
I find the live shows to be great fun, as well as pretty kid-friendly. They’re a great way to get into the spirit of movies in-between rides. My 6-year-old loved the Animal Actors and WaterWorld shows in particular. The Special Effects show had a few too many monsters for the little one, but was incredibly interesting for the older kids and adults in the audience. The wand selection show in Ollivanders at the Wizarding World of Harry Potter is really fun (and a bit magic!). If you’re lucky, you might get chosen in the show to find your perfect wand (and keep it!).
In the Lower Lot, the Raptor Encounter out the front of the Jurassic Park ride was also a lot of fun, even if the raptor was deemed “too scary” to get too close.
Visit during the holidays
We were lucky enough to visit just before Christmastime and enjoyed seeing the park at its most festive. In the centre of the park there is a special “Grinchmas” set up, with a huge Suess-themed Christmas tree that looks stunning at night when it’s lit up, as well as all-day live, family-friendly entertainment and photo opportunities with the Grinch himself.
The Wizarding World of Harry Potter is also excellent to visit at this time of year, with the Frog Choir singing a special Christmas tune and a spectacular evening light show on Hogwarts Castle.
Entertain the littles in the play areas
The Upper and Lower Lots both have designated play areas for little kids aged 5 and under. The Upper Lot area is water-themed so take swimmers if it’s a hot day, while the Lower Lot area is dinosaur themed and next to the Jurassic Park ride.
Meet the characters
I love meeting the characters – you’re never too old! I particularly enjoyed seeing the characters from Shrek, Madagascar and Minions while at Universal Studios Hollywood.
We love to bring home a little bit of Disney magic when we travel, so we can enjoy the memories of our Disney trips long after we are back into the daily grind. Here are a few of our faves take-homes.
Mugs
I love both the mugs from the Disney stores well as the special “You Are Here” Starbucks mugs that can only be bought at Disneyland. There are Starbucks stores on Main Street in both parks where you can buy these mugs.
Husband loves the Star Wars mug and I love the Ariel and Aulani ones. We picked them up at random little stores around the parks (the Aulani one is from Disney’s Aulani resort in Hawaii). The mugs cost around $20 each.
Pressed Pennies
We are new to these and they are so fun. You’ll need a selection of quarters and pennies and be on the look out for the machines around the park to convert them into little collectables. They’re a cheap souvenir to take home and are run to make as kids can put in the coins, select the design and turn the wheel to press the penny themselves. Serious penny collectors can use a map to locate all of the machines in the park. A pressed penny costs either two quarters or two quarters and a penny.
Popcorn Buckets
My daughter is a popcorn monster so we eat a lot of popcorn when we are in the parks. The buckets are an additional cost to the standard popcorn in a disposable container – between $10 and $25 depending on which design and size that you choose. The buckets have seasonal and limited edition designs so we love to collect them – and yes we re-use them at home!
Bubble Wands
One of our best souvenirs ever, as this bubble wand really goes the distance. We have refilled it over and over again and it continues to work flawlessly. At around $20 it’s an expensive toy but it’s lasted so well that we were happy with the purchase. Wands are available all over the parks.
Fridge Magnets
A really cheap and easy souvenir that we like to look at every day on the fridge. Our fridge is covered in magnets from around the world and they’re a nice reminder of our travels each time we open the door. You can buy these magnets at little stores all over the park and they cost around $10 each.
Pins
Pins are an easy souvenir to collect. There are stores all over both parks that sell the pins alongside other merchandise so they’re easy to find. If you get super into it, you can wear them on a lanyard to the park and swap them with the Disney cast members. Some pins are limited edition so make for particularly good collectables. Pins cost between around $11 and $20 each.
Christmas Ornaments
We collect Christmas ornaments from all over the world and get a great deal of joy every year unwrapping the ornaments and putting them on the tree, while reminiscing about our travels. Disney ornaments are available in several locations in each park all throughout the year, and cost around $20-$40 each depending on the size.
Silhouette
We discovered the silhouettes in Disneyland on our recent trip. It costs $10 to get two (identical) silhouettes cut and $20 for a frame. They only take about 10 minutes to get made and make a great gift for grandparents.
Stuffed Characters
The small stuffed characters are fun to collect. We love to find the seasonal and location-specific ones when we travel. These three are from Disneyland at Christmas and our Disney Alaska cruise. They cost around $20 each.
Mickey Sink
This delicious treat is available at Clara’s hand-scooped Ice Cream in Disney California Adventure Park. It costs $13.50 plus tax and you can take home the sink.
Disney Ears
These are fun to wear at the park and make for great photos. Mickey and Minnie ears like this can be purchased all over both parks and cost about $20.
Hats
A useful souvenir to take home! Hats can be found in both parks in lots of stores and cost about $20-ish.
Keyrings
I use these as zipper-pulls on my bags and my daughter puts them on her school bag. They cost about $10 and can be found in lots of places in the parks.
There you have it! I’ll add to this post in time as we find more fun little Disney souvenirs to take a little of the magic with us.
In 2017 Disneyland California introduced a new ticketing addition called MaxPass. You can read about it here on the official Disney site.
Basically, a MaxPass is an addition to your Disneyland park tickets that gives you added benefits. For an extra $20 per person, per day, a MaxPass will let you:
*Save time at popular attractions by making Disney FASTPASS selections on your mobile device using the Disneyland app while you’re in the parks. Guests with Park Hopper Tickets can even make selections for attractions in our other theme park.
*Download all photos taken by Disney PhotoPass photographers.
(A FASTPASS is a ticket that lets you come back to popular attractions at a designated time and skip waiting up. The FREE PAPER FASTPASSES can still be collected from near the attractions).
What do I need to use Disney MaxPass?
You will need to download the official Disneyland app onto a mobile device. I highly suggest doing this the day before your park visit.
Disneyland parks do have WiFi but I found it a bit inconsistent, so it’s preferable if you have data on your mobile device.
You will also need to buy regular park passes, either single day or park-hoppers. If you buy your tickets from the website or app your tickets will automatically be linked and should appear when you log into the Disneyland app on your device.
Do kids need a MaxPass?
If they want to use the digital FASTPASS feature, then yes, they do.
Is MaxPass worth the money?
If you’re going at a busy time of year or for a short time, then a MaxPass can be a game changer. When we visited at Christmas, thanks to the MaxPass we were able to secure FASTPASS tickets constantly all day to rides in both parks, and hence didn’t line up for any major attraction. If I could see that I was going to miss the FASTPASS window for one ride, I would cancel it and then make another ride selection with zero effort.
I love getting lots of photos taken as well, so being able to download over a hundred images from a three-day visit for an extra $10 per day is an absolute bargain to me.
Should I buy MaxPass tickets in advance?
While you can buy the MaxPass at the same time as your Disney park tickets, you can also buy it through the app on the day.
I found it very easy to purchase the MaxPass each morning on my phone as I entered the park, so if you choose to wait until seeing how busy the park is each day and deciding then if you need it, then that option is available.
It is however much easier to already have bought the MaxPass and it also enables you to start booking in your FASTPASSES quicker.
How soon can make a FASTPASS selection using MaxPass?
As soon as your ticket is scanned at either Disneyland or Disney California Adventure park each morning, you are able to book a digital FASTPASS using your phone. This means if you are early to the gates and have your ticket scanned and then wait half an hour for rope drop and official opening, that you ARE able to make your first FASTPASS selection during this time.
What if the time I want isn’t shown?
You can refresh the app and, as people cancel their FASTPASSES, new slots sometimes open up for other times.
How many FASTPASSES can I have at once using MaxPass?
You can have two FASTPASSES booked in at the same time. As soon as you enter the return window for a FASTPASS (each window is usually an hour long) then you are able to book another FASTPASS. If you take a look in the app it will tell you what time you can make your next FASTPASS booking.
What if I just want photos?
Only one person in your party needs to buy the MaxPass each day if all you want are photos. Disney PhotoPass photographers will either scan the app on your phone or a physical PhotoPass card to give you access to the images. You can scan the physical card with your phone to link the photos to your Disney park tickets. While it’s easier to keep track of the one PhotoPass card, you can collect and scan as many as you please, meaning if you have a large party who splits up and gets their own photos taken in different locations, all of the cards can be consolidated into the one account at the end of the day for the single cost of $10.
I chose to use a physical card during our stay to save battery power on my phone.
How do I stop my phone battery from running out? One of the biggest things to be aware of is how using the Disneyland app all day will run down your battery super fast.
A few tips to make your phone last the whole day:
*If each member of your party has their own mobile device: take a screenshot of your ticket and set it as your screensaver on your phone and have each member of your party do the same.
*If you’re a family with little kids: Take a screenshot and keep the images handy for scanning.
*Use a physical PhotoPass card for scanning with the Disneyland photographers instead of opening the app to let them scan your phone. Ask the photographers for the physical card. You can get one card and re-use it for your entire stay, or collect several and link all of the cards by scanning them with the Disneyland app.
*Take a portable phone charger if your battery is not the best. This will mean you can charge on the go.
*Set your phone to airplane mode when you’re not using the internet.
*If your battery runs out, either purchase a portable charging device or rent a charging station locker.
How to Purchase and Use Disney MaxPass If You Have Tickets Taken from the Disney website
Download the Disneyland app.
Enter the park you wish to visit using your tickets.
Open the Disneyland app.
Tap the circular character icon at the bottom of the screen.
Sign in with your Disney account.
Tap “Get FASTPASS with Disney MaxPass”.
Select all Guests in your party who wish to use the Disney MaxPass feature—if someone is not listed, link their ticket or pass.
Purchase the Disney MaxPass feature for any Guests who do not already have it.
Make your FASTPASS selections and enjoy your Disney PhotoPass downloads.
How to Purchase and Use Disney MaxPass If You Don’t Yet Have Tickets Taken from the Disney website
Purchase tickets on disneyland.com with the Disney MaxPass feature for your party.
Download the Disneyland app.
Enter the park you wish to visit using the tickets.
Open the Disneyland app.
Sign in with the same Disney account you used to purchase tickets.
Tap the circular character icon at the bottom of the screen.
Tap “Get FASTPASS with Disney MaxPass”.
Select all Guests in your party who wish to use the Disney MaxPass feature—if someone is not listed, link their ticket or pass.
Purchase the Disney MaxPass feature for any Guests who do not already have it.
Make your FASTPASS selections and enjoy your Disney PhotoPass downloads.
How to Link Disney PhotoPass Photos Taken from the Disney website
Ask Disney PhotoPass Photographers to either scan your Disney PhotoPass card or the code on your phone. Be sure to also link your Disney PhotoPass card to your Disney account.
Enter the ID code for attraction photos in the Disneyland app. You’ll find the 8-character code on the photo monitor near where you exit the attraction. Ask a Cast Member for help if you cannot locate your photo.
Disney MaxPass for Annual Passholders Taken from the Disney website
Guests who have a valid Disneyland Annual Passport may purchase the Disney MaxPass feature as an annual add-on for $75 at a Disneyland Resort Ticket Booth or as a daily add-on for $10 through the Disneyland app. The Disney MaxPass feature is an included benefit with the Disney Signature Plus Passport and the Disney Premier Passport.
The cost of the annual Disney MaxPass feature cannot be prorated for Annual Passports expiring in less than a year, and the feature expires when your Annual Passport expires.
The most magical time of year at the happiest place on Earth is the period between November and January (check dates as they change annually), when the Disneyland Parks receive an enchanting makeover. Celebrating Christmas at Disneyland is a must-do experience for young and old.
Visiting Disneyland at Christmas can be an incredible experience but also takes some planning and preparation. The tips in this guide will help you create a magical trip for your whole family.
Plan your dates wisely By very careful planning, we were able to avoid the bulk of the crowds who head to Disneyland to celebrate the holiday season.
Check the following before booking your trip:
*US school holiday dates
*Australian school holiday dates (there are a lot of Australians who make the trek each year!)
*Annual Pass Blockout Dates (obviously it’s good to go when annual pass holders can’t!). Check them here.
*The busiest days according to the previous year on a calendar such as this. Weekends are always the busiest so I suggest avoiding them.
Book a hotel near the park
We always book a very budget hotel that is extremely close to the park. Our last trip we stayed at the Grand Legacy At The Park and found it to be extremely convenient.
A full review of the Grand Legacy At The Park can be found here.
Pack wisely
My daughter is too big for a stroller this year, so I took a backpack to put in water, food and small purchases and keep my hands free. Clothes-wise, mornings and evenings can be cool at this time of year while the middle can be super warm.
We were comfortable in jeans and tees during the day and added a light jumper/sweater for the mornings/evenings. Shoes are so important at Disneyland when you’re walking 22K steps a day: go for comfort! My daughter and I wore extremely comfortable sneakers ever day.
If your kid fits into a stroller then by all means take one or hire one from the parks. I saw kids who were aged seven in them being pushed around, so there’s no shame in it if it’s what you need to do to get the kids through the long days without tears.
Download the Disneyland App
It’s invaluable for planning your day – character meet-and-greet times and locations, show times, ride wait times, view and make dining reservations, see your Disney PhotoPass pics, and even buy your park tickets app. Plus it’s a must-have if you’re planning on upgrading your ticket to include a Maxpass (the below).
Get more info on the Disneyland App and download it here.
Purchase Maxpass
Upgrading our passes with a Maxpass (they cost $10 per person, per day) was the best decision we made. Maxpass does two things:
1. Provides digital FASTPASS to rides (A FASTPASS lets you take a ticket with a specific time printed on it so you can return to the ride at a later time and skip the queue.)
2. Provides access to download all PhotoPass images taken by Disneyland photographers each day.
If you like to get lots of photos taken then the Maxpass is fantastic value for the photos alone. While you can still get FASTPASS without a Maxpass, it does require walking a lot more all over the park to get the paper ticket from the machine and then return again later. A Maxpass lets you book your FASTPASS selections on your phone from anywhere in the park. It was a game changer for us.
Only one member of your party needs to purchase the Maxpass if photos are your goal rather than digital Fastpasses.
Plan your Disney days
I’m a big believer in schedules, particularly at Disneyland where timing is important. I created a spreadsheet in advance and researched the events that would be taking place each day, such as parades, fireworks, shows, character meet-and-greets, tree lightings and so forth, to slot them into the time we had at the parks.
Go early!
Not a morning person? Your experience at Disneyland will be vastly improved if you are! Mornings are the best for rides as it’s when the parks are quietest, so we would arrive each morning between 7 and 7:30am and be one of the first few people inside the park when it officially opened.
This meant we had from 8am-11am each day with basically no queues for rides as a result, and used the Maxpass to schedule the top rides for throughout the day to get them in several times.
Take a break for lunch in the middle of the day to early afternoon, and then enjoy the special Christmas entertainment.
Check out the holiday decorations
Both parks feature a stunning 50-foot-tall Christmas tree, wreaths, baubles, and more, festooning the lampposts, rooftops and window displays.
Two of the Disneyland’s rides get a holiday makeover as well: The “It’s a Small World” ride is lit by over 50,000 lights and video projections, while the Haunted Mansion is taken over by the cast Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas, includingJack Skellington.
The town of Radiator Springs (AKA “Cars Land) in Disney California Adventure Park was given a makeover on our recent visit, including the actual cars themselves, plus the ride Mater’s Jingle Jamboree.
If you get time, check out the lobby of the Grand Californian Hotel, which is decorated beautifully for the holidays.
Catch the holiday entertainment
Disneyland has a twice-daily Christmas Fantasy Parade (check the Disneyland website closer to your visit to check parade times) featuring traditional Disney characters plus Santa, dancing gingerbread men, prancing reindeer and twirling snowmen.
We also highly enjoyed the Disney Festival of Holidays at Disney California Adventure Park, which featured seasonal celebrations from around the world. Our particular favourites were the Disney ¡Viva Navidad! Street Party, where mariachi and samba musicians and 12-foot-tall mojiganga puppets took to the streets, as well as Princess Elena of Avalor’s Grand Arrival, where Elena arrived on a float several times a day and sang her famous songs live. This was my daughter’s favourite live show of our trip.
Watch out for fun roaming entertainment in both parks, such as the drummers in California Adventure Park and carol singers in Disneyland. The festive fun is literally around every corner.
Meet the characters
We love meeting the characters anyway, but they’re that little bit extra special when dressed in holiday garb! We brought an autograph book with us (it’s a great ice breaker) and hunted down our faves throughout the day.
We especially loved Mickey and Minnie in their festive clothes, meeting Jack Skellington and Sally from Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas and watching the Disney characters dance in their ¡Viva Navidad! attire. You can locate the characters using the Disneyland app on your phone.
Eat all the food!
The Disney Parks employ a wide variety of exceptional pastry chefs and confectioners, so I highly recommend trying some of their seasonal treats.
Disneyland Park features peppermint Mickey Mouse beignets, festive candy apples, gingerbread men, snowman-shaped cookies, snowflake and Jack Skellington cake pops, and handmade candy canes that take three hours to make each batch. Watch them being made on Main Street; it’s mesmerising!
Disney California Adventure Park has a large Festive Foods Marketplace where you can try holiday favourites from around the world.
The popcorn is a fave of ours (for some reason, it tastes really amazing!) and we love to pick up a holiday-themed or limited-edition popcorn bucket to take home as a souvenir.
Watch the park light up when the sun goes down
Since we are such early birds at the park, we rarely make it to evening and always miss the nighttime lights. The benefit of visiting at this time of year is that sundown is earlier so the lights come on earlier, and we get to see the magic before bedtime!
The earliest display to watch is Sleeping Beauty’s Winter Castle which, at 6pm each evening, transforms into a shimmering display of 80,000 lights. Dazzling to watch!
Two special evening shows are presented if you can stay up late enough to watch them (we never made one, our eyes just wouldn’t stay open!):
The “Believe…In Holiday Magic” Fireworks Spectacular in Disneyland Park and World of Color – Season of Light in Disney California Adventure Park, which is a a show featuring videos projected onto screens formed by fountains.
Last thoughts on Disneyland during the holidays
Our time at Disneyland was magical. I would go every year if I could. The crowds weren’t as bad as when I have visited previously in summer (note: this might be because I planned the days we visited so carefully), and we found the temperature perfect for long days at the parks. I highly recommend this experience to families of all ages.
We received Disneyland Park tickets courtesy of Disney. All opinions our own. We are life-long lovers of Disney.
When we visit Anaheim for a Disneyland holiday, accommodation is an important decision. This trip we stayed at the Grand Legacy At The Park and found it to be an excellent budget choice for a Disney vaycay for the following reasons:
Location, Location, Location
The Grand Legacy At The Park is so incredibly convenient. It’s a very short stroll to the park entrance. I would say it took us under 10 minutes to walk there, maybe even five. We like to get up early and enjoy the parks when they open, so being so close means we can get that little bit of extra sleep! It also means that coming home at the end of the day is quick and pain free.
There are plenty of amenities very close by, too, such as Pizzaterian, Jimboy’s Tacos, and Creamistry out the front of the property.
Budget-Friendly Accommodation
We always travel on a budget. Since our Disneyland trips involve us spending as much time as possible at the parks and minimal time at the hotels, we prefer to save money by booking hotels that are in the budget category. The Grand Legacy At The Park is great value for money as well as fitting into our budget requirements, so it’s a win-win.
Great Swimming Pool
The Grand Legacy At The Park has an excellent heated swimming pool with a splash area for kids and disabled access into the spa. It’s a great way for guests to relax in-between hitting up the parks.
Clean, Fresh Rooms
We found the room at the grand Legacy At The Park to be extremely clean. Everything was in great working order, and the daily room cleaning service was excellent. All of the facilities at the hotel were similarly well maintained.
Additional Facilities
The Grand Legacy At The Park offers guests a whole host of added extras during their stay, such as free wifi, a complimentary “grab and go” snack bag containing water, a cheese stick, seasonal fruit, and a granola bar, guest laundry, complimentary roll-away beds and cribs and in-room refrigerator and microwave. Guests can also buy their park tickets at the hotel to save on lining up at the park.
Fridge Magnets
