Ditching the kids for Disney

Disneyland.
The Happiest Place on Earth. 

But do you sometimes question how it could be the happiest place on earth when its often met with whining, fit throwing, and complaining?  I mean yes, seeing Disneyland through your child’s eyes is amazing. It’s fun to watch them meet the characters and sing along on It’s a small world. But have you ever experienced Disney without the kids. Let me tell you, it is heavenly.

The normal 6 hour drive, from the Phoenix area, actually takes six hours.  There aren’t lots of unnecessary stops, unless of course you want too. The car ride is also much more enjoyable, you won’t hear “Are we there yet?'”, “How much longer?”, or fighting coming from the car.  

Once you get to the park, everything seems less stressful without kids. You can decide which rides you want to go on and when. You don’t have to base it off whether your kids are tall enough, brave enough, or even in the mood.  There’s no fear of losing your child as you fight the crowds going from one place to the next, or fear of them wandering.  It’s much easier to keep track of adults, and even if you loose each other, a call or text will help to reunite quickly.

Waiting in line is also much more pleasant.  Instead of spending your time wrangling bored and tired children, time can be spend socializing with those around you, or just taking in the fun scenery. Have you ever waited in line with your child for what seems like an eternity, just for them to back out when you get to the front of the line? Hopefully you won’t have any situations like this arise.

Next on the list is the length of time you can spend at the park. I don’t know about you but because Disneyland is so expensive I always want to make sure I get my moneys worth.  One way to do this is to maximize my time spent in the parks and on rides.  If your bringing little kids this is doable, but usually hard. We always enjoy staying for the fireworks show and later, because often times the park is beginning to slow down and people are filtering out.  Not to mention lots of the rides and roller coasters are more fun at night.

So the next time you consider booking a vacation to Disneyland consider leaving the kids at home. Whether its a couples trip or girls trip, its definitely worth trying without the kids. It is definitely just as magical, if not more.

This blog was originally published for East Valley Moms Blog, you can see the post here.