This week family who I haven’t seen in about 20 years is visiting us. So we’re doing all the fun things that we never do when it’s just the 3 of us, like braving the sun, heat and crowds for a day at an amusement park (which is why I’ve been MIA the past few days). With a not-quite-2-year-old, there are some preparations that need to be made.
- Most amusement parks allow you to bring in 1 sealed water bottle per person. The night before, put them in the freezer so they are frozen solid in the morning. You can drink them as they thaw out and they’ll stay fairly cold for quite a few hours.
- Take a stroller, unless you want to carry around a 28-pounder all day. If not, good luck, masochist.
- Instead of carrying around a diaper bag, we put the stroller to good use and stuffed everything in the storage compartment.
- Water rides are your friend.
- Take sunscreen and reapply often! And don’t forget yourself like
a dumb assme. - Bring a hat for your toddler to ward off a sunburned head. Pick it up off the ground over and over and over.
- Be prepared to ride the same ride over and over.
- Be prepared for lots of screaming (and dirty looks) when said ride is over.
- Around lunch, find an air-conditioned place to eat. You’ll need the break. Most of these places have beer. Take advantage.
- Ice cream is a pretty good distraction.
- Prepare to fork over a lot of cash to win a
dust collectorcute little stuffed animal. Bribing the attendant doesn’t work. - The fanny pack. Not such a bad idea after all.
- Most amusement parks don’t serve margaritas, but they don’t ask what’s in a sippy cup either. Just kidding. Maybe
- The tram back to the parking lot counts as a ride!
- Take a camera to capture these precious moments.
- Rest assured, the drive home will be a quiet one!
Aww, looks like she had a fun time! I laughed at the after the ride shot, shes adorable! Congrats on surviving, I barely have enough courage to even look out the window on 90+ days.
Usually I don’t either! lol
Great practical tips. And yes, the ride home is usually a quiet one 😉
Love “The after shot” and very familiar with that look! We live 15 minutes away from an awesome amusement park (www.holidayworld.com) and have season passes-unfortunately no adult beverages. I also have to add, know your limits! Just going on 1 more ride could really mean pushing it too far and having “that kid” at the park when you are leaving. I sneak in snacks too…and cover the stroller with a towel if it is that hot out. It’s usually a guaranteed full nights sleep for all!
Definitely have to know your limits! We were there for about 4 hours and it was still a little too much for the diva.
All I have to say is THEY NEED TO BRING THE FANNY PACK BACK!!!! What a great idea. Where do I buy one??
ha! I know, right! Would make life with a toddler so much easier!
Love #13 – hahahaha
Great tips and I always love the drive home after days like this because it is so peaceful and quiet when everyone falls asleep.
The drive home is often the BEST part! 🙂
Looks like she had a ton of fun! Haha I love the tips…especially on keeping the adults well “hydrated.” 🙂
Definitely need to stay well hydrated! Thanks for stopping by!
Haha- we visited an amusement park this weekend and week for vacation- hence, the lateness in commenting on your post:) Love your list. We totally rocked the fanny pack and shelled out 5 dollars for a mere 30 cent toy.But it is all in good fun! Thanks for making me smile!! Glad you had fun!
My husband wants a fanny pack so badly! lol Hope you guys had a great time!
Ps- that was totally Zane after the ride too.LOL