I love to travel and haven't been able to do too much of it, until now. This is a blog I want to use not only to document my life, but also my travel and travel tips.
My husband and I visited Disneyland last June for our Honeymoon. We decided we couldn't wait very long and went two days after our wedding.
Our wedding was in Canmore, AB, Canada. We live in Calgary, which is about an hour away. (I will write another post detailing my wedding, planning, and estimated costs!)
So, we stayed in Canmore one more night after the night of our wedding, then checked out with what friends stayed behind, and made the journey back to Calgary. We trusted our possessions that we weren't taking with us to my husband's sister, and she dropped us off at my mothers'. We were on a tight schedule, so as soon as we got back into Calgary we headed straight for the airport. (I had made MR. and Mrs. shirts that said "Just Married" on the back in Disney writing. It made the long day of travelling a little easier!
We got to the airport about two hours before our flight, just in case. We were flying on a Monday, and I wasn't overly concerned about large volumes of people taking flights. We got through customs within an hour (They didn't have many officers working at customs, so this part took the longest.) It's always a little tense when you're going to a new country, as they always try to make you feel uncomfortable. But we simply explained that we were going to Disneyland for our Honeymoon and the officer was a lot more cheerful :)
While waiting for our flight, we decided to get some sushi at the only airport restaurant we could access from international flights. Surprisingly, it was delicious!
This was the first time my husband was going to Disneyland, and only the second time he had been on a plane and left the country! So he was very nervous as airports are still a mystery to him, as well as the process of checking bags and going through customs. I had been to Disneyland twice before, and I have taken planes more times than I can count in my life (first time was at 2 weeks old!)
I was giddier than a schoolgirl, as I knew how amazing Disneyland was. The second I found out that my father was giving us our dream honeymoon as a wedding gift, I became obsessed with planning our trip.
We booked through the Disney Travel CO. ( disneyland.disney.go.com ) Which offers bookings from cities in Canada and the U.S. This came with a few extras, including the shuttle to and from the airport being free, cute CARS themed luggage tags, and a lanyard and pin each (which definitely fueled my husband's eagerness to collect pins!) I found that prices on travel websites were not significantly different enough for me to book elsewhere.
We booked a hotel on Disney property, at the Paradise Pier hotel. We also purchased the dining plan offered at Disneyland, as my father wanted to cover our food costs. I'm going to spend a little time talking about our hotel, and then about the Disneyland dining plan (which has changed since we went.)
This was my first time staying on Disney property while going to Disneyland. It may cost a bit more, but in my opinion it was worth it. You get alternating magic mornings at both parks EACH DAY- rather than just one if you book at a good neighbor hotel. Also, if you need a nap or simply need to shower and change because of how warm it is that day- you're only a short walk away. Paradise Pier is the cheapest of all the hotels on Disney property- and I expected it to always be busy and have kids running through the hallway- much to our surprise it was lovely and quiet, and we had an amazing view of California Adventure and World of Color!
a nighttime view from our room!
It also seemed to me that to match the beach theme of Paradise Pier that they kept the hotel a litter warmer and more humid inside- it was an interesting touch and it's great for your lungs! The bed was very comfortable and I loved the scent of the complimentary shampoo, conditioner, and body wash that I took all the little samples home!
Since we were staying on Disney Property, my husband was also able to surprise me with a Chocolate Lover's gift basket! It was amazing and adorable! Disney hotels offer all sorts of room surprises that you can custom make- or choose from a pre-selected basket, that will be in your room on any of the days that you are in the hotel. You can find their options for In-Room Celebrations Here.
-I believe the one my Husband ordered for me was called "Cheers for Chocolate" and includes a little plush Mickey, three chocolate bars, chocolate covered jelly bellies, an assorted box of chocolates, milk chocolate covered pretzels, milk chocolate malt balls, and chocolate covered nuts. (now replaced by caramels). These are an unnecessary expense, but can really surprise a loved one and make their visit extra special.
My last tip for staying in a Disney hotel is that you shouldn't be afraid to mention if you are celebrating something! Often they might give you something special or a button to show everyone what you are celebrating! Wearing the "Just Married" Buttons will get you a lot of attention and a lot of congratulations! I swear that we got over 200 words of Congrats in the time we were in Disney! We felt very special!
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