Let’s Flashback on this grand Friday and talk about the amazing doughnuts, tacos, and Disney trip I had back in October of last year! Quick Disney travel tip? Get the most bang for your buck by hitting up Disneyland during Halloween Trick or Treat time!
Here’s a few reasons WHY you should do it; The cost is HALF the price of a daily ticket, You’re let in 4 hours before the park kicks out the normal pass holders from the day, and you can still enjoy all the rides, parades, and attractions that happen in the four hours before the park starts it’s super fun Trick or Treat event.
Vacations are a necessity. Even if it be a stay-cation, or a trip visiting family and friends miles away, it’s a time to create memories and more importantly disconnect ourselves from an already incredibly connected world. This is especially true for working parents, like myself, who need a time to detox from an insane work environment and connect more with our kids.
Each time I take a vacation I notice that Fox and I have bonded even more. On my vacation over this last week Fox and I visited family in Sacramento CA, enjoyed a pumpkin patch, took a quick dip in the ocean, and checked into Disneyland.
Sacramento was an enjoyable family trip where we hung out with some family members who have never met Fox. We traveled to Old Sacramento downtown, relaxed with a few lazy mornings, and went to Bishop Family Farm’s Pumpkin Patch. He enjoyed running around the farm and playing on the incredibly well-built wooden train. Here I discovered that Fox is a little afraid of pumpkins. How this fear came about I’m not quite sure! Upon approaching a pumpkin (that was twice his size) he began to cling on for dear life and saying, “no, no, no!” I showed him a much smaller pumpkin and he wasn’t as freaked out but still a little unsure of the object.
We spent much of the day near the train which traveled around the majority of the farm and the Merry-Go-Round (which we had to ride on before lunch could be eaten). At the end of the day we packed up went home and had a fantastic home cooked meal.
After three days in Sacramento we packed our bags and drove down to Southern California for one of our favorite bonding locations…Disneyland!
I love Disneyland, my son loves Disneyland; you could call us “Disney freaks!” I visit D-land at least twice yearly, even if just for the weekend. It’s a Disney fix I needed this last week as I visited California, only this time, Fox and I went just for the day for their special Halloween event that occurs throughout the end of September through October 31st.
As a Disney fan, who knows the park like the back of her hand, I have to say that October is typically my favorite time of year to visit as it’s cooler but not too cold, lines are shorter, and the general temperament is calm and relaxed.
With the Halloween pass you are let into the park 4 hours before the event actually starts which 
is a perfect amount of time to hit up a few rides and grab a bite at one of my favorite places, the chili dog stand. Once the event begins my suggestion would be to quickly find a “Treat Trail” line and follow the trail around the park! It’s an incredibly fun aspect of the event but can become very crazy very fast.
We finished up our trail in Adventure Land, Fox had fallen asleep by this point and I was ready to watch the new Electric Light Parade, more commonly known as “Disney’s Paint the Night” parade. I LOVED IT. The original parade that ended around the time I had turned 7 will always hold a special place in my heart, but the new version has hipper music mixed with the elements of newer popular Disney movies that are recognizable and beloved by children these days. I recorded a few parts of the parade for Fox to watch, next time I will be sure to wake him up for the parade.
Since we only had tickets for this one day of the event (and the park hopper passes are outrageously expensive now) we visited Downtown Disney the next day and shopped at Ridemakerz. Here Fox and I picked out a Lightening McQueen car and built it together. He was a little difficult at first since he’s two, but it was a great lesson in patience.
Patience is a funny thing, we usually don’t have any during out normal day to day activities and work days, but while on vacation we’re patient, we’re kind, and we’re okay with going slow. It’s good to slow down sometimes, it allows for us to have a grand comparison to the rest of our adventures in life. My favorite way to slow down is visiting the ocean. I grew up by the ocean and was fortunate 
enough to have great memories as a child. Creating memories through my nostalgic cravings is one major thing I try very hard to give to Fox. So, on our final day in California we headed down to Costa Mesa, and Newport Beach. In Costa Mesa we stopped in at Sidecar Doughnuts and tasted some interesting baked goods in addition to sipping on some near perfectly brewed coffee. After coffee and doughnuts, we drove ten minutes to the beach, stopped for a light lunch at Fly-n-Fish, another local hangout, then the sand and small-scale surf. For a kid who’s never been to the ocean before, he did very well! Chased after seagulls, waves, and tripped more than once over the sand.
All in all, it was a fantastic vacation and I am so glad I took the time off and even more glad that I didn’t connect into anything that had to do with work. Vacation is meant just for that.
To disconnect with everyday life and take joy in the unknown adventures you’ll have with those you love. If you’re feeling burnt out, my recommendation is to “unplug” yourself, pack up, and venture out into the world.
