For as long as we can remember, we have always loved Disney and Disneyland. We remember the magic of going to Disneyland with our family as kids, and especially  remember the thrill of the rides and the magic of the parades and fireworks. The Main Street Electrical Parade is especially clear in our minds, the lights and the music of that parade just stay with you forever. We have plenty of friends that don’t quite understand our love of Disneyland (and plenty of them that do), so we thought we would share what exactly turned us into grown moms with a Disneyland addiction.

Kari’s honeymoon

When my husband and I were deciding where to go for our honeymoon, it didn’t take us very long to settle on Disneyland. We wanted to go somewhere we could come back to often, and we both had fond memories of Disneyland growing up, so Disneyland seemed the perfect option! We decided to splurge and stay at Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel, and from the moment we checked in, Disney made our honeymoon one to remember. They upgraded our room at check-in, and gave us a signed print of Mickey and Minnie in front of the castle. We couldn’t believe how pretty our room was, but it only got better from there. Every day, when we would get back to our room, we would find some special surprise waiting for us. One day was chocolate tuxedo strawberries and sparkling apple cider, another it was Mickey and Minnie mylar balloons. One night we even found the bed turned down with rose petals in the shape of a heart scattered across the bed. California Adventure was new to both of us at the time, so getting to explore that park together made the memories of our trip even sweeter. Tower of Terror was a brand new ride, and we rode that ride over and over again! We found ourselves upgrading to annual passes before our trip was over, and went back as often as could manage the first year of our marriage. We have added two children to our family in the past 13 years, and our love of Disneyland has continued to grow as we have seen the joy and excitement in their faces during every trip.

Kim’s kids

There is nothing quite like seeing the magic of Disney in your kids’ faces. Seeing their eyes light up with wonder while watching a parade, or hearing them squeal with joy on a roller coaster just makes your momma heart happy. For some of my kids, meeting their favorite characters was the highlight of a trip, for others not so much. My youngest child would cry and try to get as far into the corner of his stroller as possible if a character dared to approach him when he was a little guy. 😂 But all four of my kids have always found something to love during every trip to Disneyland. And the more I saw them love Disneyland, the more I found myself loving it too. I have seen my kids face their fears when they wanted to impress their older siblings, and go on rides they were sure they were going to hate, only to walk out deciding it was their new favorite ride. And at the same time that Disneyland encouraged my kids to grow, it also reassured them that it’s okay to never really grow up. Disneyland grows and changes like all the rest of us do, so Disneyland is something we never have to outgrow ourselves. That’s just one of the things that makes Disneyland so magical. Two of my children are now married themselves, and it makes this Disney girl happy to see them continue to visit and love Disneyland as they are beginning their lives together. Our family will continue to grow, and I can’t wait to see the magic of Disneyland through the eyes of another generation!