Four Tips to Get Accurate Measurements for the Rides at the Disney Parks

Why do the Disney parks set height requirements for certain rides? Why do they sometimes measure your kid before you get in line AND then measure again before you get on the ride? Most importantly, Disney’s ride height requirements are set with your family’s safety in mind. They want to protect your children and keep them safe. The required height is set because they need to reach a certain height before they can safely ride particular attractions. The seatbelt needs to fit their body correctly, the lap bar needs to hold them in, the pull down shoulder restraints need to keep them inside the ride. They have run test after test to determine the height requirements for each ride. They employ experts in these fields to determine these safety requirements. The bottom line is nobody wants to have any accidents. They do everything they can to ensure every visitor to the parks remains safe.

Think about all these things before you try any tricks to work the system. It isn’t worth your child’s safety just to ride a ride. You are better off postponing your trip for a few months if your child MUST ride a certain ride. Another thing to be aware of is that your child’s height is just one indicator that they are “ready” to ride a particular ride. There are other factors that will determine if your child is going to enjoy an attraction: do they dislike the dark, loud noises, heights, fast movements, sudden drops, etc… For example, Indiana Jones, is dark, loud, fast and can be a little scary. Even some of the dark rides in Fantasyland, can be dark, loud and scary and they don’t even have a height requirement. So, you, as the parent/guardian, need to know your child’s personality and if they will enjoy a ride. Just because they are tall enough doesn’t mean they are ready. Take all your child’s concerns into consideration before putting them on a ride just because they are tall enough for it.

A few basic items of info before we get into the specific tips for measuring your kids at the parks. Remember, they will be measured with their shoes on in the parks. The measurements from your pediatrician’s office will be without their shoes. Make sure you take this into account when you are waiting for them to get tall enough for a particular ride. If you wait until your doctor says your child is 40″ you could possibly have ridden it several months sooner! I remember seeing someone post on Instagram that they almost went a whole trip not letting their kids ride the 40″ attractions. They just thought their kid wasn’t tall enough so they didn’t even try to measure them until the last day, and then they found out he was actually just over 40″! On the other side of this, on my last trip, we rope dropped Indiana Jones. As we got to the attraction there was a family of 4 (the parents and two kids). They were measuring their youngest and she wasn’t tall enough. Instead of getting a ride switch pass, they were distraught and just left! The whole family just walked away. It was so sad. They could have done a rider switch pass and let the rest of the family ride. There are ways to avoid both of these situations !

The best way to avoid either of those problems is to measure at home. I have a ride height chart, that will double as a growth chart, that lists the attractions and their height requirements. It looks like a regular growth chart with the inch measurements on the side, then at the particular measurements it list the rides. For example on the DL/DCA version at 40″ it lists: Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, Guardian’s of the Galaxy: Mission Breakout, Jumpin’ Jellyfish, Radiator Spring’s Racers, Silly Symphony Swings (tandem swings), Soarin’ Around the World, Space Mountain, Splash Mountain, Star Tours, and Rise of the Resistance. 40″ is a HUGE height milestone for the Disney parks! I have a Disneyland and a Walt Disney World version so you will be covered at either park you are visiting. You can find my ride height charts in my Etsy shop:

https://www.etsy.com/shop/TheUnseenMagic

Disneyland/California Adventure Height Chart
Walt Disney World Height Chart

Here are my 4 tips for getting an accurate measurement in the parks!

This doesn’t seem like rocket science, because it’s not! Have them snap those heels together! If their feet are spread apart they won’t get an accurate measurement because their legs won’t be all the way extended. Have them put their feet together, get down there and help them if necessary. Some kids will be nervous, shy or unsure of what is happening. Try to have one person, besides the Cast Member, telling them what to do. If you have a large party, shush everyone else. It will be overwhelming and confusing for your child if too may people are giving suggestions.

Number two, is to have them put their shoulders up and back. You definitely don’t want them slouching! It can be a little difficult to get them to do this since there isn’t a wall they are standing against. If they don’t understand what you are asking them, show them. Suck in your gut, shoulders up and back, get that good posture going! This might be the most important one. Lengthening that spine and neck will get them the correct measurement.

The third tip, is to have them put their chin up! Not really up or down, but just looking straight ahead. Maybe get down on their level and look them in the eye and get them to smile! If their head is bent forward it might be too short of a measurement, if they are looking up the Cast Member will readjust them to get an accurate measurement.

My fourth and final piece of advice is to practice, practice, practice! You know that practice makes perfect, so do it! You don’t want their first experience being measured to be at the park when they’ve been waiting in line for an hour to ride Radiator Spring’s Racers. This is especially important if you know they are just right at the height requirement. 40″ is a BIG milestone at the Disney parks for attractions. If your little one is just right at or just over 40″, or whatever height requirement you are trying to meet, you will definitely want to practice. Make sure they are wearing the same shoes they will be wearing in the parks. You can start with having them stand against a wall to practice all the things: feet together, shoulders up and back, and chin up. You will eventually want to have them practice standing without the wall, since that is how the parks measure.

This is a height rule at Jumpin’ Jellyfish in DCA. You can see that the starfish extends and the Cast Member will have them stand under that arm to see if their head touches. So there is no wall or place for them to lean against. They just need to know how to stand tall on their own.

To wrap things up, put their shoes on that they will be wearing in the parks, no crazy hair dos (that just makes the Cast Members be extra careful measuring), put their feet together, stand up tall, shoulders up and back, chin up and a big ol’ smile and order one of my height charts so you know before you go! You can order one from my etsy shop: https://www.etsy.com/shop/TheUnseenMagic.

When you measure at home you can anticipate excitement for the rides they are tall enough for and avoid disappointment by discussing the rides they aren’t quite tall enough for just yet. It’s a rite of passage for all kids to grow up and ride all the rides they eventually get tall enough for. If you are a Disney loving family then my height charts will become an heirloom piece that could be handed down from generation to generation. You can see when each child was tall enough to ride Matterhorn or Incredicoaster or Flight of Passage.

I hope you find these tips useful! I love seeing kids excitement when they finally are tall enough for to ride the ride they’ve been waiting for! These tips and my height chart are for pure enjoyment only. They in no way guarantee that your child is going to be tall enough for a particular ride. They are tools to help you determine if they might be tall enough. If your child is so close to the height requirement that you aren’t sure if they will be tall enough, know that you may get turned away if a Cast Member measures them and says they are not tall enough. They are just doing their job to keep your family safe so always be respectful to the Cast Members. If your child is just below or even just over the height requirement for a ride you might be better off waiting until your next trip!

“Over the rooftops, Step in time” – Sherman

This line from the song Step In Time, from Mary Poppins, brings vivid images to my mind of Bert and Mary Poppins dancing round the chimneys as they step in time with all the chimney sweeps. We have discovered so much unseen magic in the Disney parks as we began to look up. This was especially true in Fantasyland in Disneyland. So today we are going to focus on the rooftops of Fantasyland. The Disney secrets you can find if you just look up!

One of our first discoveries was Tick-Tock sitting on top of Peter Pan’s Flight.
This knight riding a horse can be found above Pinocchio’s Daring Journey.
Above Pinocchio you can also find this whale and school of fish.
This stork carrying a baby is above Pinocchio as well.
Above King Arthur Carrousel you can find a golden crown.
A mountain goat is waiting to welcome you in at the entrance to Matterhorn Bobsleds.
Mr. Toad is on his own wild ride in his motorcar above his ride.

Next time you are in Fantasyland wandering around or waiting in line for Peter Pan’s Flight or Snow White’s Enchanted Wish look up and see what Disney secrets you can find. It always bring so much magic to my day when I find some unseen magic I haven’t seen before!

For some more unseen magic in Fantasyland, read this post about an unknown area that is full of hidden Disney secrets! Click on the link below to read all about it:

https://theunseenmagic.com/fantastic-find-in-fantasyland/

Also, if you are visiting the parks with little ones or are a Disney loving family I have designed a custom height chart that lists all the attractions with height requirements in the parks! I have a Disneyland and a WDW version. This makes a great baby gift for a Disney loving family, or for Grandparents to keep track of their grandkids growth or just anyone who visits the parks and wants to know if their kids are tall enough for their favorite rides!

Link to my etsy shop below:

https://www.etsy.com/shop/Thebeadedwindmill?ref=simple-shop-header-name&listing_id=1182605521

Thanks for reading and hope you discovered some unseen magic. Check out my other posts for all the unseen magic and Disney secrets you need to know about!

Fantastic Find in Fantasyland

Did you know that Disneyland has it’s own Rapunzel tower? It isn’t as large and grandiose as the one in WDW and it doesn’t have it’s own bathrooms but there is definitely some unseen magic to be found in this little hidden nook. This area is part of Fantasyland but is not back behind the castle. If you are standing at the hub, facing the castle, this area will be to your left, towards Frontierland. This is where you can find the Royal Theater and the Royal Hall, where you can meet the princesses (as of May 2021, socially distanced meet and greets with selfies).

As a family, we never ventured back in this area because my kids were never really that interested in meeting characters, but when Karen and I did our walk-every-square-inch-of-the-parks trip we stumbled upon it.

One of our top 10 unseen magic finds to date is the Clopin’s Music Box that is tucked away in this area. It looks just like a pretty castle with people inside but when you get closer you will discover that there is a handle to turn, music will begin to fill your ears and the scenes from The Hunchback of Notre Dame unfold before your eyes. You don’t even have to put a quarter in it!

After you turn the handle on the music box, take a step back and look up all around you. You will see Gepetto’s cat, Figaro, from the movie Pinocchio. This is definitely a lesser know character and it’s so fun to see these details scattered throughout the parks. Once you spot the cat who appears to be sleeping, next to a bird in a cage, don’t walk away just yet. Just pause and watch for a minute to see Figaro wake up and try to get at the bird!

If you enjoyed learning about these hidden Disney secrets check out this post to learn about more unseen magical details on Main Street USA:

https://theunseenmagic.com/the-sounds-of-main-street/

If you have little ones or know someone with little ones that would benefit from a ride height chart I have a great tool for you! I have designed a ride height chart that lists all the rides with height requirements so you can know before you go to the parks if your kids are tall enough to ride the rides. You can also track your child’s growth by using a fine point sharpie to record their measurements. I have a Disneyland and a WDW version. You can find them in my etsy shop at the link below:

https://www.etsy.com/shop/Thebeadedwindmill?ref=simple-shop-header-name&listing_id=1182600933

The Tiniest Details

We are all pretty familiar with the larger than life iconic details in the parks. There are the castles in DL and MK, the Pixar-Pal-Around (formerly known as Mickey’s Fun Wheel) in DCA, Spaceship Earth in Epcot, and the Tree of Life in Animal Kingdom. Hollywood Studios main icon is another post for another kind of blogger, just too many options over the years. The icon I think about most often for Hollywood Studios is the Chinese Theater that use to be home to The Great Movie Ride but now houses Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway. There are many more large details that we all love: The Matterhorn, Space Mountain, Tower of Terror, and I could go on and on and these are the details that you can’t miss. These are all literally huge iconic details.

I think we can all agree that Disney knows how to do the details and they are excellent at executing their plans down to the tiniest details. You will find tiny details all over the parks and this is what we live for (if you said that in Ursula’s voice, we can now be friends.)

I could spend my entire lifetime looking for, and writing about, the smallest details and never find them all, but that would not be a bad way to live out the rest of my days! My friend, Karen, and I did spend 3 days walking every ounce of the California parks while taking notes of all the details, so I have just a few items of unseen magic to share with you.

These tiny details can be found over at DCA, just as you pass Award Wieners, Mickey’s Philharmagic theater and get to Schmoozies!.

What you are looking for here is some gorgeous mosaic artwork. There are four benches, two on each side of Schmoozies! You will find benches throughout the parks, but what makes these unique are the mosaic artwork pieces above them. So grab a corn dog from Award Wieners or a shake or smoothie from Schmoozies! and hope that one of these benches is available for you to sit on and take some time to explore these pieces of art. Since there are four benches I guess you’ll have to get four treats or snacks to enjoy them all.

There is also a mosaic panel under the ordering counter at Schmoozies! but you can’t really get up in there and explore, but notice it next time you order a shake or smoothie!

This next picture is the first bench on the right side of Schmoozies and we’ve got some items for you to look for next time you are in the parks!

I SPY these 14 items in the mosaic above this bench:

  1. Cat in a shoe
  2. Piano
  3. Glasses
  4. The # 7
  5. Carrot
  6. Dog
  7. Airplane
  8. Lock
  9. Dragonfly
  10. White star
  11. Sunflower
  12. Pot
  13. Gold Goblet

The Sounds of Main Street

What sounds do you associate with walking down Main Street, USA, Disneyland? Is it the the magical music in the background, the beeping horn from the street car, the clip clop of the horse’s hoofs, the announcements from the Disneyland Railroad? I do love hearing all these things, but I have some new sounds for you to discover on Main Street!

If you have ever rented a locker in Disneyland you have walked through this secret sound location. You can find it just past the Market House to your right as you are heading towards the castle. Pre-C0vid, there were tables here where you could sit and rest your feet while snacking on churro or Mickey Pretzel.

Hopefully the tables are still here, and if not, you can just stand and listen for the magical sounds I am about to share with you. If you look around at the shop windows that are lining this little alley you will notice signs for piano lessons, a dentist, a hotel and a detective agency.

Here you see Dr. Bitz’s Painless Dentist office and dental school, where dentists, in training, will happily work on your teeth, oh, and they are licensed to use Laughing Gas.

Would you be willing to let one of Dr. Bitz’s students work on your teeth? After you listen to the sounds coming from this office you may or may not change your mind.

Piano Lessons are also offered, just ask for Sara. Miss Sara is very patient with her beginning piano students, just make sure you practice!

Across the way, look for the Detective Agency where they never sleep. It seems like you should be able to count on them to always be an attentive detective. After you listen to the sounds coming from this office, you may think differently.

Who wouldn’t want to stay in the Hotel Marceline? They have clean rooms and good rates. You might want to stop and listen to the current residents at Hotel Marceline, they might be a little disruptive.

I hope your next stroll down Main Street USA allows you some time to stop and listen to this unique piece of unseen magic. The few times we’ve sat there and listened for these sounds we have been surrounded by many people sitting at the tables eating, having a drink, playing on their phones and I have never once noticed someone actually hear these sounds. They are subtle and you have to be paying attention.

Here is a little background on the name of the hotel: Hotel Marceline. Marceline, is the name of the town where Walt Disney was born and Main Street USA at the Disney theme parks was created after downtown Marceline, MO. Although Walt only lived here for 5 years of his young life it left a lasting impression on him. His family had moved from the big city, Chicago, to this small, quaint little town and Walt said, “The cows, pigs, chickens gave me a big thrill, and perhaps that’s the reason we use so many barnyard animals in the Mickey Mouse and Silly Symphony pictures today—who knows?”-1938 letter to the Marceline News

Quarantine, Shutdown and podcasts

As everyone else in the world likes to say, Due to Covid shipping may be delayed, inventory shortages may occur, etc… well, due to Covid, my blog has been in limbo for quite sometime. With the parks shutting down in March of 2020 and Disneyland opening up last month (for CA residents only, which I am not) the magic is seeping back into my life. I actually was able to visit Disneyworld in October 2020 and in January 2021 and my daughters and I experienced Touch of Disney in March 2021. So, even though my park experiences haven’t been the same as they were pre-Covid, they are starting to come back and I have been inspired to start posting some of my favorite unseen magic.

I recorded my first ever podcast today with Melissa at Mix In Some Magic. She was delightful and eased my nerves, but I am not going to lie, my hands were shaking for about 15 minutes after it was over! I am not usually a nervous person. Speaking in front of people doesn’t bother me and I absolutely love talking about Disney so I am not sure why I was a bundle of nerves. Hopefully it doesn’t come across that way in the podcast! Talking with Melissa and sharing unseen magic that she, as a park expert, wasn’t aware of, made me realize I’ve got something special here. I have an abundance of knowledge of unseen magic in the parks, mostly Disneyland and DCA but I have been starting to gather WDW info as well. She said, “you should write a book”, “you should give tours” basically you need to shout from the rooftops that you have Disney info that people need to know. So thank you for the inspiration Melissa.

So here I am, starting the blog up again. If there hadn’t been a quarantine, if the parks hadn’t shut down and if I hadn’t done the podcast I don’t think I’d be here today clicking on my keyboard ready to share unseen magic with you all.

Running Wild in the Redwoods

Exploring all areas of the parks to locate unseen magic is our jam. That means checking out kid’s play areas, bathrooms, restaurants, shows, queues, attractions, shops and more. We have felt like we have seen all areas of the parks in our years of visiting and we are always amazed at how much we have yet to discover. As we were walking past the Redwood Creek Challenge Trail we looked at each other and said, “I’ve never been in there.” So, in we went. The first stop was the map just at the entrance. We knew there were a few hidden Mickeys on the map. Our first adventure was discovering where they were hidden.

Redwood Creek Challenge Trail Map

The first one is in the lower left hand corner by the Ahwanee Camp Circle. There are three logs that form a Mickey head.

Another one can be found in the top left corner in the stream between Hibernation Hollow and Squirrel Scramble. Look for three rocks in the stream posing as our favorite mouse.

The third one is left of the middle of the map, by the Hoot-N-Holler Logs. At the bottom of the slide on the left there is a Mickey waiting to be found.

As we continued inside the area we felt like we had stepped into an actual forest of Redwoods. If you, or your kids, are feeling a bit of sensory overload, this is a great place to escape and unwind for a bit. We had a great time just strolling through enjoying the scenery. Even though there were crowds of people and kids running through the play areas we still felt a sense of peace and quiet.

If your kids are feeling constrained in their strollers and they just need to run and release some energy, head to the Redwood Creek Challenge Trail. It is a big area so you will need to stick with your kiddos to keep them in your sight. We enjoyed climbing up the towers, jumping on the net bridges and going down the slides. Obviously, this is a kids play area, but parents and adults can explore as well. Just keep in mind that there are little kids everywhere and to keep your movements and speed under control.

One of our favorite secrets we found was in the Spirit Cave towards the back of the park. There is a glowing rock where you place your hand and after it “reads” your energy your spirit animal is revealed. There is a sign just outside the cave to explain the attributes of your spirit animal. It was a fun activity that kids and adults can do together. The spirit animal characteristics definitely sparked some conversation in our group. Are you industrious as the beaver? Strong-willed as the salmon? Loving as the bear?

The area is quite shady and there are many benches available to sit and relax. You could pull out your PB&J that you packed into the park and enjoy your lunch. You can watch the kids, and adults, attempt to cross the net bridges, or try to sneak in a little nap if you can find a quiet spot.

The unseen magic of the Redwood Creek Challenge Trail area is in just the area itself. It is a part of the park that is less likely explored because it doesn’t have a ride or a show or traditional Disney characters. It is worth a few minutes or several minutes of your day to soak in all the details and to experience a complete change of scenery.

For The First Time In Forever…

The magic of experiencing something for the first time is a desirable moment that we don’t encounter very often. With all the changes coming to the Disney parks, those visiting for the first or 100th time will have an opportunity to see things for the first time. Soaking in the details of a new attraction or show is part of the experience. The signage, the music and audio, the colors and intricate details everywhere tell the story of the attraction. We has a glimpse of a couple new attractions the last couple of years with Guardians of the Galaxy-Mission Breakout! and the Incredicoaster. Both of these rides were revamps of existing attractions, so the base bones of the rides remained the same, but, with new decor, music, smells, and colors Disney transformed these two into new experiences. Sometimes it is hard to say goodbye to the old and accept the new. People are upset that Tower of Terror is gone and that California Screamin’ was overtaken by the Incredibles. Change is hard. I, personally, love the changes. Guardians, for me, is a much more exciting experience and I love that with the 6 different songs, it can be a different experience nearly every time. I love that the Incredicoaster feels like Disney/Pixar now. It feels like it belongs there and it isn’t just a fun roller coaster. With new movies constantly coming out we can continue to expect change and updates throughout the parks.

Another new attraction opened in April: Jessie’s Critter Carousel. This replaced King Triton’s Carousel of the Sea. It takes you on a journey to rescue The Prospector who is stranded on a rock and Jessie needs all the help she can get. She rounds up all her critters and invites you to join in for a rootin’ tootin’ good time to save The Prospector.

While waiting in line, Karen and I were seeking out hidden magic, things we’ve never seen before. One of the fist things we noticed was Jessie’s brand burned into the log benches on the ride. It is made up of her hat and her braid. It can also be found on the bottom of the red lanterns throughout the queue. We also noticed that the booth where the cast members operate the ride from is an outhouse from the wild wild west!


Jessie has rounded up turtles, raccoons, bunnies, vultures, armadillos, snakes, skunks (that ride backwards), and deer in vibrant pinks, purples, oranges, greens, yellows and blues. All the critters have giant happy eyes and cheesy grins that will make you smile. You cannot wait in this line and not feel joyful looking at these critters.

Karen and I also discovered quite a few hidden Mickeys on the ride and in the queue. The wall displaying Jessie and all her critters has a purple lizard in the bottom right hand corner and he has two very distinct Mickeys and a few other spots that could be Mickeys also. There are two critters on the carousel with Mickeys in their spots. A blue armadillo on the outside ring and a pink armadillo in the middle row.

We absolutely adored exploring this ride and the queue. Weam positive that Disney will never disappoint us with their attention to detail! We have so many opportunities to discover new magic in the parks with Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, the Inside Out Emotional Whirlwind and Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway opening over the next few years. It will allow us to feel like a kid (or an adult) that gets to experience Disney for the fist time. Sometimes we wish we could go back in time and get our 1st Visit Buttons all over again. Luckily for us, Disney keeps growing and changing so there will continuously be unseen magic, new attractions and shows to see. There is no end to the possibilities that the Imagineers can come up with. We will be patiently waiting for more and more unseen magic to appear.

The Flag Retreat Ceremony

Main Street, U.S.A., Disneyland, California

Karen and I both have a deep love for the American flag and what it represents. Our patriotic spirit runs deep within our souls. We both have family members that have served or are currently serving our country in the military. I, Mylee, first noticed this emotional connection to the flag while I was in high school. The high school I attended has a tradition of staying silent after The Star Spangled Banner is sung, unlike most other events, where the crowd cheers loudly after. I appreciate people showing their emotions through clapping and cheering too, but the silence and reverence after always tugs at my heartstrings. I still remain quiet, no matter where I am, and reflect on the blessings I have in my life because of this great country we live in. I know our country isn’t perfect. I know there are people who want their voices to be heard, so they choose not to stand while the anthem is sung. Our country is based on freedoms and no one should be forced to stand for the flag. Because of the events leading up to the establishment of our flag and our national anthem, we have the freedoms we enjoy every day.

Every day, there is a flag retreat ceremony. The time varies depending upon the sunset but it’s somewhere between 4:30 and 5:30 pm.  I’ve seen this listed on the entertainment schedule over the years as we’ve visited the parks but we were always on a mission to ride as many rides as possible. We missed out on this unseen magic. Last year, after we became annual pass holders, I was determined to be a part of this event! I was not disappointed. I made the decision to see this at least once every trip and so far I have.


On our last trip to Disneyland, Karen, and my daughter, Tenley, and I spent some time at the circle on Main Street, U.S.A, watching the flag retreat ceremony. It was scheduled to start at 4:30 pm and we sauntered down to the circle to find a spot. Arriving about 20-30 minutes before it is scheduled to begin should enable you to find a bench or a railing to sit on. There will be cast members milling about letting you know what places are available to sit. They have to keep certain areas clear for the marching band and the veterans and service members. The marching band makes it way down main street towards the flag circle and settles in at the bottom of the circle. There is narration that plays through the loudspeakers and the band plays a few patriotic songs while the Dapper Dans sing along. The band then plays the anthem of each branch of the military and any members of that branch are invited to stand around the flag. It is a sobering experience to witness retired and active military members approach the flag, many saluting and singing their song as they stand and gaze at the flag. After each branch is presented, they invite everyone to sing the National Anthem and God Bless America together. The flag is taken down and folded and the band retreats. It is short and sweet, lasting about 20-25 minutes. There is a camaraderie felt as you stand around the flag and sing the national anthem with a group of strangers. You will leave with a spring in your step and an increased feeling of patriotism.

Main Street, U.S.A, Disneyland, California


As far as unseen magic goes, this is at the top of the list for us.  We both feel like we don’t have enough opportunities in our lives to participate in patriotic ceremonies like this.  We don’t get to sing our national anthem often enough. Taking the time out of our day, while we are fortunate enough to be at a Disney park, to participate in the flag retreat ceremony is a wonderful way to express our gratitude for the freedoms we have.  If you’ve experienced this event we encourage you to continue to participate and share it with everyone you know. If you have never witnessed the flag retreat ceremony we encourage you to go. This is one attraction we wish was a little more crowded. That would make us extremely happy.


The Unseen

The unseen. How often do we miss seeing things that are right in our path?  We don’t see a beautiful flower, or hear a train whistle in the distance or notice the smile from a stranger.  What keeps us from seeing? We can be consumed with the screen in front of us, we can be lost in our own thoughts and to-do-lists, or we can be so tuned into the buds in our ears that we don’t hear or see anything else.  These are not bad things. Sometimes they just distract us and cause us to miss seeing what is right in front of us.

When we are in Disneyland, we can be distracted by our phones, looking at the wait times apps or a map. We might be consoling a crying child or looking for a snack.  Maybe we are just staring at the giant back- pack in front of us so we don’t face plant into it. Some of these things are unavoidable. You have to know where you are going, you must meet the needs of your screaming child and you definitely don’t want to rip the shoe off the heel of the person in front of you. Whatever it is, it is causing us to miss the unseen magic all around us. But, if you can step aside and take a deep breath for just a second, and look up, you will begin to see with brand new eyes all of the magic that is surrounding you.

On our last couple of trips to the Disney parks we have changed gears just a bit.  We have typically been a rope drop family with a detailed plan of what rides we are going on down to the exact minute. We ride ALL the rides we want and very rarely wait in line longer than 15-20 minutes.  Now, this blog isn’t about how to do Disney like that. Those days are pretty much long gone and we are speculating with Galaxy’s Edge opening this year that the crowds will keep growing and growing. That doesn’t mean that the parks can’t still be enjoyable.  We want to help you add extra magic to your trip. So that if the lines are long (and they will be) and if the crowds are massive (and they will be) you can find other ways to experience the perfection in the details and the unseen magic. Whether you have been to Disney 25 times or it is your first time, whether you have toddlers or teens, whether you are single and retired or enjoying an adults only trip, these tips and hints will make your trip more magical.

We have found that when we pause and look up the magic exponentially increases. There are hidden Mickeys scattered throughout the parks,as well as other magical treasures to be found. We have a plan to share sounds you may have not heard, items you may have not seen, details you have not discovered. We try to post daily on Instagram so follow up here:

https://www.instagram.com/theunseen_magic/

One of our first discoveries was in Adventureland. This gorgeous elephant looks like it is made of sea glass. In all our years of going to Disney we have never seen this. All you have to do is find the stroller parking for the Jungle Cruise and look up!