The Parker Project: Harrison's first visit to Disneyland!

Disneyland has always been a special place for us. Before kids, Tuan and I were annual pass holders and would go whenever we had a free weekend. We've celebrated birthdays and anniversaries at the parks and have collected a lot of "celebration" buttons over the years. So much has changed with both parks since the last time we visited two years ago and we had a great time exploring all the new additions through the eyes of our little first timer. Thinking of taking your baby for their first visit after the COVID-19 scare is over? Read my post from the first time we took Parker, all those mom tips still hold true.

Thank you, big gray rain clouds, for keeping the crowds at home and the lines short.

[Harrison's first ride was Astroblasters and he loved it!]

Between strategically timing our fast passes and the rain, the ride lines were short all day. Woo hoo! Honestly, I think that was the biggest factor to making our day a success. It's tough to keep a baby entertained while standing in place! If you do happen to get stuck in long lines during your visit, a great way to pass the time is with yummy snacks. Harry noshed on apple crisps and pret els.

[Biggie doing biggie things like climbing into every nook and cranny he could find.]

[Cousin crew!]

[My attempt at getting a photo with Tuan sans children. We failed.]

One of my personal highlights was getting Parker to ride this rollercoaster and a few other "big kid" rides with me. He is so brave now! After he grows a couple more inches he is going to be my roller coaster partner, something Tuan is not able to do since he gets terrible motion sickness.

Harrison enjoyed the rides but he loved the open play spaces the most. The playground at Goofy's House in Toon Town is a great spot for littles to play and explore.

There are so many dining options at Disneyland but I always seem to find myself back at Pi a Port. Their chicken fusili is a crowd pleaser and I discovered this new salad.

[We couldn't resist the slinky dog ears. Long bodied dogs have a special place in our hearts.]

Parker's new favorite ride is Gri ly Bear Run in DCA. We went 3 times because there was basically no line. My shoes were completely soaked through and I had to buy new socks but it was worth it to see how happy he was! Ponchos are an absolute must for this ride unless you want to be walking around in wet clothes.

Redwood Creek Challenge Trail is another open play space that I adore. The boys love to climb all the rocks and structures and you can often spot Chip and Dale hanging out. On the day we went, C&D came and played Red Light, Green Light with the kids.

We waited until evening to visit Star Wars Land and holy moly it was mind blowing. As someone who is not a big Star Wars fan, I could appreciate the level of detail that went into creating this truly immersive experience. We waited about 40 minutes for the Millenium Falcon ride which was fun and interactive. Afterwards, we walked around and checked out the rest of the displays. Ama ing! No one does experiential marketing like Disney so I'm not surprised that many guests end up paying $200 for a custom lightsaber or that there's a 3 month waitlist just to buy said lightsaber.