LA with Kids

Society Travel & Tourism
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We’re moving to the Santa Monica, LA area in late May with a 3yo and a newborn. We’ll be relatively close to the OC, Disney and are thinking about taking our kids. How realistic is it to drive for 1 hour in the summer heat and spend a day there in the lines with kids that age? Are there any alternatives to the full fledged Disney experience for a 3yo?

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Re: LA with Kids

as someone who's stood in line for 2 hours with 3 yr olds to shake hands with mickey at the OC D-land, i can tell you you wouldnt want to do it more often than once a year. imho there are better alternatives closer by. your 3 yr old would love the santa monica aquarium. there are a bunch of kids fun rides right on santa monica pier. the natural history museum is a direct 20 minute drive from santa monica, and usually have kiddies programs. dinosaurs kicked mickey's rear a few years ago as a kid's favorite.

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Re: LA with Kids

I had fun!

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Re: LA with Kids

If you are not too sold on the whole Disney Magic thingy, then for your 3 year old, there may be a more enjoyable time at Knott's Berry Farm. Its much less crowded, beautifully maintained, lots of rides to keep him occupied for a day and not too too big.

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Re: LA with Kids

Thanks for the suggestions. The aquarium sounds great. Our daughter loved the one here in Coney Island. She also loved the kiddie rides there. She is a huge Disney Princess fan so we thought it might be a nice surprise for her in Disney Land. The move there will be big for her and i hope she adjusts well. It sounds like there is alot for kids to do there, so although Disney is not #1 on the list, we'll hope we can handle it.

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Re: LA with Kids

Temps in the Greater LA area during the months of May and June are not horrible. They are often around 75-80 F, which for most people is bearable. Avoid going to Disneyland during months of August and September cos it tends to get a tad bit humid esp. if you have to stand in line for long hours. And you can always go there on a weekday to avoid the big lines of the Weekend. Try not to deprive the lil one of the happiest place on the planet.