by Although I had sworn to never take my kids to Disneyland until everyone was potty trained and they were all tall enough to ride all the rides, we somehow found our family at Disneyland with our four kids, ages 4 and under.
When we went to Disneyland, our twins were 10 months old.
We had a blast and you can, too.
Pick the Right Park
Some amusement parks are more kid-friendly than others. Take time before you arrive at the park to spec out things like restrooms (particularly family-style ones), mother’s nursing lounges, stroller parking areas, and if there are any courtesy refrigerators where you can store food or milk. Most parks have maps online that you can study and map out your strategy. A little bit of prior planning will help the day go so much smoother. You don’t want to spend the day sitting on a bench with your crying twins, wondering why you came in the first place.
At Disneyland, we were surprised by how many rides didn’t have a height requirement. We were able to wait in line together as a family and even ride the rides together as a family. Even with our baby girls in tow.
Stroller
You don’t want to carry your twins in your arms all day long. We saw plenty of tired parents who did just that.
Be prepared, take your double twin stroller. Aside from the obvious purpose of a stroller, the stroller also acts as a pack mule for carrying bags and souvenirs that will easily fit over the handles.
Just be aware that your heavy bags are counterbalanced by the babies in the seats. So when you take the babies out, expect the stroller to fall backwards if it is indeed that pack mule just mentioned.
The stroller will also double as the sleeping quarters about halfway through the day. Since your infant twins are used to taking naps, they will eventually get so tired that they will just fall asleep in the stroller.
Baby Carriers
In addition to our stroller, we took two Baby Bjorn front baby carriers. These turn you and your wife into pseudo-kangaroos with your babies strapped firmly to your chest.
(RELATED: Expecting twins? Avoid these 4 critical mistakes expectant twin parents make.)
These carriers were invaluable in being able to hold our twins without sacrificing our arms while we waited in line and even while we took them on some rides.
Plus, if you and your wife are walking or standing next to each other, you’ll get lots of “Oh, look at the twins!” comments.
I highly recommend the Bjorn baby carriers.
Food
Check that the amusement park you are attending will allow you to bring in food and water. Your kids will be used to certain foods and you need to have those on hand for consumption throughout the day. This is particularly important if your babies have started solids but aren’t past the pureed food stage.
Water is also key, especially since you don’t want to pay exorbitant prices for water once you’re in the park. You will need water to keep you, your wife, and the kids hydrated, as well as needing it to mix with formula for bottles.
Don’t Forget the Sunscreen
This may be stating the obvious, but make sure everyone gets a liberal covering of sunscreen throughout the day. Babies have thinner skin than adults, which is prone to burning faster. You don’t want to have a fun day at the park only to be up all night with crying babies who can’t move without their sunburn hurting them.
Have Fun
Going to amusement parks with little kids isn’t really for your entertainment. You will go on rides you won’t normally ride. But you will find joy not in the thrill of the ride but in watching your twins’ reactions to everything going on around them.
