Leaving Disneyland

Though our flight wasn't terribly early in the morning, it was still a rush to get everything packed. It seemed like our stuff had grown threefold and we were trying to get it all to fit in our luggage. We managed to do it and we helped BJ lash it down to the luggage trailer on the back of their car and headed to the airport. Again, I would highly recommend John Wayne over LAX any day of the week!

 As we settled into our seats it occurred to me that never in my life did I fly with my parents and siblings together. We all went to Hawaii earlier this year but we took separate flights. That we have been able to not just travel, but fly together with our own children is a huge blessing! There's been significant sacrifice to make it happen, for sure! 

We took off over the ocean before the plane did those 90* turns to take us back inland and home to Chicago. The city was glittering with lights to welcome us home.

This trip to Disneyland was incredible, magical, fantastic! We really enjoyed the parks and made so many memories. However, we don't think we will ever be back. 

Before even taking a Disneyland vacation, we stayed on top of blogs and podcasts, read the latest holiday food guide and ordered cute t-shirts for the girls. We bought them new shoes and watched countless YouTube videos on how to work Lightning Lanes (many of which turned out to no longer be accurate). We bought park bags, pins and ears and then stocked those bags to the brim. Every vacation takes some preparation but a Disneyland vacation is par none. Whether you are there for the food, entertainment or rides, you need to do your homework or you lose out! 

Between staying in two rooms at the Disneyland Hotel and paying for Genie+, we paid a pretty penny to fully take advantage of the parks. That investment didn't always pay off as many of the big rides were closed or seemed to be open and then closed before we could ride them. Poor BJ got to the front of Space Mountain when they announced it had broken down... again! I think the morning when Web Slinger, Incredicoaster and Radiator Spring Racers were all down kind of soured things. Luckily that was not our only day in DCA and we were eventually able to enjoy them. I feel bad for families who spent a bundle just to never get a ride. 

It is said influencers ruin everything. There are so many videos touting Disney hacks. I'm confident Disney watches those videos because a lot of those hacks were no longer options. Being able to rebook Lightning Lanes for rides that had broken down was a prime example. Maybe if a ride broke down we could get 1 extra non-timed Lightning Lane- not unlimited like the influencers promised. It was frustrating. Not to mention if you didn't accurately gauge interest in a particular ride, the available Lightning Lanes disappeared for the day and you had to chance it with standby. This all begs the question- why pay so much more for Genie+? We really lucked out having Jeanne in her scooter but even with that we were told repeatedly only 6 people were supposed to accompany someone using the disability pass. They let us by... this time.

Though the parks are fun and we were able to avoid crowds during the busiest part of the day, we couldn't avoid the crowds entirely. As I looked around I saw other tense and anxiety-ridden parents. Anytime anything went wrong the financial weight came crashing down. A meltdown wasn't just a meltdown, it was a $10,000 meltdown when factoring in flights, hotels, tickets and merch. The amazing cast members keep everything flowing and seem to generate magic out of thin air (see our Lamplight Lounge evening). Only Disney can give you a Disney experience, for sure. But at what cost?

Our family is growing and after this trip Brent and I are looking at other options. Cruises and all-inclusive resorts would cost us the same but strip away much of the stress. It would be a different experience to be sure, but with rising costs we aren't sure Disneyland is the best bet for a family vacation anymore. Even long-time Disney annual pass holders have talked about how the prices have more than doubled in recent years with relatively few new attractions to justify the cost. 

Beyond all this is the difficulty of the girls missing school. In order to avoid crowds, it's best to go during the schoolyear. But then getting back into the swing of things is no small task. Education is really important to us and it's a tough reckoning whenever we return from a Disneyland vacation. 

We aren't saying a hard no to Disney- we may try a Disney cruise or maybe even Disney World! AAA discounts are much more readily available at the less-crowded Disney World and having loved our time in Hawaii, maybe a cruise with more beach time is the ticket? 

The more time we spent in Disneyland, the more resolute Brent and I became in making this our last trip while the girls are little. We are glad we did it! Especially with Brent's parents as I've learned the hard way that's not always going to be a possibility. But moving forward we feel we can spend our money more wisely and seek out different family vacations. We mentioned this to the girls and they were of course sad. The bulk of the preparation and the cost is not theirs to bear so it seems like a non-stop carousel of fun! Brent and I see things a bit differently from our vantage point. 

So with these thoughts and feelings we said goodbye to Disneyland with an eye toward a different vacation moving forward. Thanks for the memories Mickey!