Father’s Day Fun

Father’s Day is a day to celebrate your Dad, Daddy, Father, or, in my case, my Pop/Poppa! I love this day, even when I don’t get to be with him, because it is such a great reminder of how hard he works for our family, how supportive he is, how he would do anything for me, my sisters, and my mom, and how much he loves us. And in return, I want to show him or tell him these things, too!

My dad always jokes about what he would do with his time and especially with his money if he hadn’t had us four girls. We know, and he especially knows, that no amount of money could compare to how wonderful his life has been with us as his daughters ;):D However, he always likes to tell us of all the gadgets and accessories he would/could get if we didn’t “suck” all the money out. Because you can’t be a father without children, often father’s day celebrations have to be kid-friendly and may not always be a father’s first choice activity. But, it’s all about the time spent together right?! And what better place to spend a family day that kids would enjoy and to celebrate dad than at Disneyland?? But, with the crowds nowadays and the always overly-excited children that take over Disneyland, we all know how dads can get 😉 We don’t want more than one Grumpy following Snow White around!

This Father’s Day weekend (which also happens to be my dad’s birthday) we are going with the WHOLE FAMILY to Disneyland, all 16 of us!! With 6 little kids 4-and-under and a huge group of us, we are trying not to have too many expectations for the number of rides we will go on. We are just so excited to be together at the happiest place on earth to celebrate someone who means so much to all of us! However, I’m not ready to let the crowds get the best of us. I did some research and compiled a great list of Disneyland I-Spy’s, Photo-op locations, fun facts and scavenger hunt clues to enjoy (or make into a serious competition) our day there and not stand in hour long lines. (And what dad doesn’t like a little competition, right??) So, here are a few tips and tricks and lists to have a fun-filled day at Disneyland on one of the busiest days of the year 🙂

TIPS:

1. First of all, get buttons for whatever occasion you are celebrating! Buttons automatically give a little boost of magic for your day 🙂 You get these at City Hall right when you walk into Disneyland!
2. Download the app MouseWait! This app will give you wait times for rides, tell you what types of food are in each park, helps you find the characters around the park, and so much more!
3. Try to find as many “Hidden Mickey’s” around the park! On the rides, in the stores and everywhere, a variety of shapes and things make up the face of Mickey Mouse! How many can you find??

A Photo Scavenger Hunt is a great way to see a lot of the park and catalog some great and probably hilarious memories, and you can still stop at some rides along the way!

Here are a few GREAT resources for PHOTO SCAVENGER HUNTS at Disneyland!!
1. http://www.400milestodisneyland.com/2011/07/july-2011-monthly-disneyland-photo.html (Great printable)

2. http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2508291#.UKLoYvINHMc.pinterest (Long list of photo-ops, with point values)

3. http://a.family.go.com/images/cms/disney/PDFs/disneyland-scavenger-hunt-game-printable-0611.pdf (Creative template with lots of clues)

Answer Key: http://family.go.com/images/cms/disney/PDFs/disneyland-scavenger-hunt-game-answer-key-printable-0611.pdf

Fun Facts to Impress Your Group!

1. Every plant in Tomorrowland is edible!
2. There is a basketball court on the inside of the Matterhorn!
3. Steve Martin worked at the magic shop on Main Street in his earlier days!
4. Vanilla scent is pumped into the air on Main Street, and changed to Peppermint during the holidays!
5. If you look down when walking through the Castle toward Fantasyland, you will see a spike in the ground. This spike marked the center of Disneyland before Toontown was built!
6. When Disneyland first opened, you had to purchase ride tickets.
7. When Disneyland was being built in the 1950s, Walt didn’t want to miss a minute of his dream coming to life. As a result, he built a small apartment over the Fire Department on Main Street. He installed a lamp in the window to let cast members know that the “boss” was on site. The lamp still stays on today to remember and “honor the man behind the mouse.”

Although you may not be going to Disneyland this Father’s Day, be creative with your Father’s Day plans! Remember how much he does for you and for your family and give him the celebration, time, and attention he deserves! If you can’t be with him, send him a thoughtful card or a funny video! Be creative- he deserves it 🙂

Resources Used: http://www.homeaway.com/info/travelers/travel-ideas/california-vacations/southern-california/anaheim/disneyland-secrets-infographic
http://www.ranker.com/list/13-disneyland-secrets-you-may-not-know-about/adventureman?format=SLIDESHOW&page=14
http://www.neatorama.com/2008/11/21/10-cool-secrets-about-disneyland/
http://voices.yahoo.com/little-known-things-see-while-disneyland-479604.html
http://voices.yahoo.com/10-facts-most-people-dont-know-disneyland-4001095.html?cat=16