"Mommy, we need to go to Disneyland." My son delivered this suggestion over a bowl of Cheerios, just after he and his little sister waged their daily war over which identical blue spoon they'd prefer.
Neither of my preschoolers remembered that their father and I had forked over hundreds of dollars to take them to the Happiest Place on Earth less than two years earlier. We'd taken turns pushing them in a stroller for miles through the park, arms aching, feet echoing the complaint.
Nostalgia, however, can wash away a parent's pragmatic concerns. There's nothing like the excitement of children who are meeting Mickey Mouse, the peals of laughter elicited by every dip of the boat on Pirates of the Caribbean, the goofy delight you feel in a skullcap with mouse ears.
These memories leave parents itching to throw the kids in the car and speed to Anaheim. Before you heed this yearning, though, take some advice from travel experts and area families on how to come home sane and not broke.
Thinking about visiting the Magic Kingdom during spring break? You may want to reconsider -- a spike in attendance can mean more time in line waiting for rides.
The best time to go is in mid- to late September, said Becky Herriford of Ears of Experience, a family-owned travel company focusing solely on Disney vacations.
"It's a good combination -- nice weather and the crowds will be a little bit lighter," she said, speaking by phone from her Seattle office.
If you want to hit Disneyland sooner, try early to mid-May, avoiding Memorial Day weekend.
Going in June? Pack some patience. Two rides will open June 3 -- the completely overhauled Star Tours at Disneyland and The Little Mermaid: Ariel's Undersea Adventure in California Adventure. Because annual passholders will flock to the park to experience the new rides before blackout dates go into effect, the crowds will be thick.
For families trying to shave money off the cost of their trip, consider staying at a neighboring hotel instead of a Disney property. Rooms at Good Neighbor hotels can be found for about $70 a night, Herriford said.
"There really is more magic when you stay at one of the Disney hotels," she said, "but ... for someone who has time and is a bargain hunter, there are some good deals out there."
Steve and Leticia Tuck found the Anaheim Islander Inn for about $90 a night when they vacationed in December.
"We decided that we weren't going to Disneyland to spend time in the hotel room," said the Elk Grove dad.
Greg Meixner of Lincoln, on the other hand, decided to spend a little extra to sleep on site.
"Staying at the resort makes it easy to enjoy the day and take a break to relax and then return to the parks when you are ready," he wrote in an e-mail.
Meixner said he prefers the Grand Californian and suggested adding the concierge level package. It allows access to the Craftsman Club for food, drinks and a happy hour "worth the cost," he wrote.
The concierge level, which also comes with such amenities as priority check-in and complimentary movies, will add $300 to $400 a day to the cost of a room in the spring and summer, travel expert Herriford said, but discounts can sometimes be found.
Similar concierge levels at the Disneyland Hotel and Paradise Pier, Disney's other properties, are less expensive.
No matter where you stay, heed this advice from Erin Treadwell, a Carmichael mom who vacations at Disneyland with her husband, James, and two children about every two years.
If you leave the park and go back to the hotel during the day, change your socks and shoes before coming back in, she said. "Just a slight change in the pressure points on your feet can make a difference in how tired or sore your feet get in the evening." Treadwell also had some ride tips for families. Always get the Space Mountain Fast Pass quickly, as they go, well, fast.
If you want to go on Peter Pan, make it your first stop after the gates open. It's often the longest line in the park.
And if you have a princess stalker, as Treadwell did when daughter Catherine was younger, consider lunch or dinner at Ariel's Grotto in California Adventure. Yes, it costs more than $36 per person, but several Disney princesses will visit your enraptured child while you enjoy a three-course meal.
And it beats spending hours standing in line to meet the characters (been there, done that) or attempting to find princesses while they waltz through the park (ditto).
"Consider it buying your time (and a meal)," she wrote in an e-mail.
She trimmed costs in other ways. Bringing PB&Js for the family (eaten covertly, of course) or buying two main meals, an extra side of vegetables and bread and sharing among the four of them.
Treadwell knows they could have saved more if they had left the park for meals. There's even a picnic area just outside the main gate. But what kid or kid-at-heart wants to leave the Happiest Place on Earth? "It becomes a balance of time vs. money, and I think the whole trip is like that," she said in a phone interview.
It's also a good idea to let your children know your plans for everything from where you'll eat to which souvenirs you'll purchase -- or not purchase -- ahead of time, said John McClintock, senior publicist for the Disneyland Resort.
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