Just because there were only 2 day park tickets in our package, it didn’t mean we were only going to limit ourselves to two days of Disney fun! Since we took a late flight home, we decided to make ample use of our last day.
I made three sets of outfits for the three Disney resorts in Hong Kong Disneyland. Because by golly we were going to hang out in all of them!
When I made the itinerary for this trip, I took outfits into account because, well because that’s just who I am. I love dressing people up, and I love taking pictures of the clothes I’ve made and the outfits I’ve put together.
So if Day 1 was meant for rides, parades, and exploring every inch of the park, Day 2 was meant for Disneybounding, watching shows, and picture taking. And well, that’s exactly what we did.
Since I’m heading to Hong Kong Disneyland in about 10 days time, I figured I’d show you what I take with me inside the Disney Parks. This doesn’t really change regardless of which park I go to, as I pretty much have my Disney routine down pat.
On my last post, someone asked me what kind of bag is the most practical choice for Disneyland. For me, it’s a crossbody. I don’t really like taking backpacks because you need to swing it in front of you every time you need to get something, and I sweat more when I have something stuck to my back all day. With a crossbody, you can choose to make it hands free, when you’re tired you can switch shoulders, or carry it on the crook of your arm or in your hands. Now depending on what I’m going to do for that particular day, I bring different sized bags.
For a ride day, where my only goal for the day is to finish all the attractions on my list, I bring a bag like this:
Loungefly
I love this. It’s a pretty decent sized barrel bag, and it’s enough to carry all my essentials without getting a locker. It’s quite sturdy as well so I know that it can survive a good long day inside the parks. Plus it’s Mickey Mouse. Need I say more?
Going to Disneyland is a major production. Everyone knows this. You plan it for months, spend a lot of money, and sometimes you get there and you realize that you’re flying blind. You end up wasting time on long lines for rides, character meet and greets, and on food, when you should be skipping along to your favorite Disney tunes and having the BEST. DAY. EVER.
So on my recent trip to Disneyland, I decided I’d come up with a list of things you should know before going on your magical adventure. As someone who isn’t a local (I live in the Philippines), but who goes to Disneyland as often as she can, I do have a few things up my sleeve I’d like to share.
*Just note, that this is for Disneyland, not Disneyworld. As my last trip to Orlando was in 2014, I’m not confident that my tips will be up to date. Continue reading
Tickets to my Happiest Place on Earth
I have absolutely no shame in saying that the Harry Potter parts of our UK trip last year made my 2015. We made several stops in different areas of significance in the Harry Potter series – some were planned, some were not. The first stop was indeed planned. And planned carefully. (Details and tips at the end of this post. Stay tuned for part 2!)
Two months or so before the trip, we had already purchased tickets to the Harry Potter Studio Tour in Leavesden. I knew I wanted to spend the entire day there, so instead of taking a tour package (with transportation, but with a limited number of hours in the studios), I decided we could just go there ourselves, that way we could spend as much time as we wanted inside. It took us about 30 minutes from our hotel in London to Watford Junction, where a shuttle picked us up to bring us to the studios:
Now you can imagine my excitement at being on that bus. I was quite emotional pulling up to the lot in Leavesden because I was in complete awe at seeing the place where the cast and crew of Harry Potter filmed for 10 years. The sight of the unassuming, yet massive building alone made me feel like I was riding on the back of a Hippogriff, and I hadn’t even seen anything yet.
Fighting to keep calm as I entered the gates to my happiness
People always ask me which I liked better – The Wizarding World of Harry Potter in Universal Studios Orlando or The Harry Potter Studio Tour in London. While I will say that being in the Wizarding World of Harry Potter made me feel like a real witch living in a real Wizarding town, there was something truly magical about getting to walk where the cast and crew worked for a decade. The wonderful thing about the theme park, is that you get to go in and out of the shops, you get to visit Hogwarts as if you really are a student there, and you get to experience what being a witch or wizard is like. But the Studio Tour is different. You don’t get to do those things, but stepping into that lot will make you feel truly special – because you will get a glimpse into the love and care and hard work that went into making the films. I personally could not stop touching whatever wall I was allowed to, hoping to get some sort of spiritual souvenir from the cast and crew. And seeing the original sets and props? Wow. I could hardly stop myself from crying.
Katsie Llave 