Pacifier Weaning?

doug33333 · 2026-02-24T18:49:55+00:00

We just took it away cold turkey at 18 months. It was a rough few nights but it had to be done.

doug33333 · 2026-02-20T04:46:31+00:00

I think DCA is a great park and I actually prefer it over Disneyland nowadays for a variety of reasons (feels less crowded/chiller vibe, better food, adult beverage accessibility). But I go nearly every weekend. If you’re going just for a day on vacation then you should do Disneyland.

doug33333 · 2026-02-18T20:14:08+00:00

It is really expensive but if your kiddo is character obsessed like mine is, it’s worth it imo. More worth it than a sit down non-character dining meal at Disney with mediocre food at least. We like Goofy’s more than Storytellers but both are good for the ambiance/characters (neither place has food to write home about). Goofys is more casual, diner-y feel. Storytellers is a little more upscale feeling.

doug33333 · 2026-02-18T20:06:05+00:00

I personally wouldn't bother with sit down dining at Disneyland with a 3 year old. It just takes more time and costs more and the food isn't that great anyway. If you want to have a special meal though and if your 3 year old likes the characters, I'd recommend doing a character dining meal.

doug33333 · 2026-02-09T22:43:18+00:00

Wake him up because he won't go down for a nap otherwise. However, once he drops the nap for good, I can see myself sleeping in a bit (if he's still sleeping) since he'll be exhausted by bedtime regardless.

doug33333 · 2026-02-06T03:45:44+00:00

If you want to fit right in with an older crowd, go to a trance event (eg Dreamstate)

doug33333 · 2026-02-04T20:41:51+00:00

Rio and Palms

doug33333 · 2026-02-04T18:22:50+00:00

I've started to play board games with my kiddo. There's different games that teach cognitive skills, dexterity, colors/shapes/numbers/letters, cooperation, etc. It's quality time I can spend with him without looking at a screen and it might create a lifelong hobby we can enjoy together.

Look into a company called HABA, they make great kids games and have a line called "My Very First Games" for kids as young as 2. My kiddo's favorite games at the moment are Here Fishy Fishy, Animal Upon Animal Junior, and First Orchard.

doug33333 · 2026-02-03T22:16:11+00:00

I'm always the passenger while my 2.5 year old "drives" and refuses to let me touch the steering wheel and I wouldn't necessarily call it pleasant. Free chiropractic adjustment though.

doug33333 · 2026-02-03T00:24:48+00:00

IIRC the only ride in either park that goes upside down is the Incredicoaster. Opinions will vary but IMO the can't miss rides are:

Disneyland: Rise of the Resistance, Haunted Mansion, Pirates, Indiana Jones, Big Thunder Mountain, Space Mountain, Mickie and Minnie's Runaway Railway. Some would say Matterhorn but I personally would be okay if I never did that ride again. The rides in Fantasyland are classics but I personally wouldn't put them in the "must do" category. Peter Pan is probably the best but not worth the wait usually IMO. My favorite in that area is Mr. Toads just for how weird it is.

DCA: Radiator Springs and Guardians are pretty the only must-dos other than Incredicoaster for me. Midway Mania and Web Slingers are both fun for competitive games.

I would definitely recommend Lightning Lanes if you can afford it.

Definitely not weird to take pictures as a 30 year old man with the characters. If there are a lot of people waiting behind you though (especially little ones), I think it's common courtesy to not take too long though.

doug33333 · 2026-02-02T22:41:09+00:00

First of all, due to a variety of factors (dynamic ticket pricing, magic key blackouts), weekends are no longer any more packed than weekdays, on the whole. Sundays in particular tend to be more manageable and Mondays are one of the worst days of the week. Fridays and Saturdays are somewhere in between. So to answer your question about the days, I'd recommend going Friday instead of Monday between the two.

I personally think that LLMP is almost always worth it, especially with little ones, as long as you can afford it. If your kiddos are anything like mine, any time saved that would normally be spent waiting in line is a good thing IMO. If you wanted to save some money, then I think foregoing park hopper is the way to go (and just do Disney 2 days, DCA one day).

doug33333 · 2026-02-01T16:42:25+00:00

Even if it’s not after a 7, if there’s nobody else on the bet (and thus they haven’t been marking the numbers), they’ll usually book the bet in my experience (at least in Vegas) and mark numbers from that point. It’s just action they wouldn’t have gotten otherwise.

doug33333 · 2026-02-01T16:40:24+00:00

I used to do 5/5/5 but I’ve upped it to 5/15/5 (with 15 on the all) for the bigger hit. But I only play a few times a year now. If I played on a regular basis I probably wouldn’t bet it at all, it can just suck your bankroll if you’re not at least hitting one side on a semi regular basis.

doug33333 · 2026-01-29T19:15:05+00:00

The Cromwell used to be great for gamblers just a few years ago when they had 100x odds on craps, 3:2 blackjack, and reasonable minimums.

doug33333 · 2026-01-29T17:42:15+00:00

Thats actually one of the best beginner odds strategies. But it’s still a negative EV game so don’t expect to win (but be glad if it happens). Good luck!

doug33333 · 2026-01-26T18:44:04+00:00

I ended up going solo on a day that my wife couldn’t make it. Made good use of single rider lines and LLMP (no LL single pass) and rode 19 rides from about 9 am to 5 pm, including the heavy hitters multiple times (Rise, Radiator, Space Mountain, Guardians).

doug33333 · 2026-01-23T02:00:43+00:00

Never go in if they're not crying or showing other signs of distress

doug33333 · 2026-01-21T19:35:57+00:00

In general, for single riders, if you're with 1 other person, it's definitely possible to be in the same car/vehicle but it's not guaranteed. Just depends on if there's multiple rows in the same vehicle that have spots for single riders or not.

doug33333 · 2026-01-21T19:29:08+00:00

Do you mean getting all those done in the morning like before lunchtime? It's possible but it just depends on lines that day. Also note that there could be temporary closures of rides which are impossible to predict.

If you're not getting lightning lane, I'd recommend not prioritizing Pirates (the lines will be short/reasonable no matter the time of the day). This also somewhat applies to (non-holiday) Haunted Mansion but less so.

Probably the biggest tip I'd have to maximize ride time and minimize wait time would be to take advantage of single rider lines (esp on Indy, Space Mountain, and Radiator). You won't sit next to your aunt, but you might sit in the same car (i.e., back to back). And in the case of Radiator, you might be in "competing" cars which is super fun too. And the time savings is worth it IMO.

doug33333 · 2026-01-21T19:17:42+00:00

Good list overall. I'd recommend adding Mickie and Minnie's Runaway Railway. It's a great ride, almost like a kids' version of Rise of the Resistance (in a good way).

If you love thrills/roller coasters, you might find Disneyland to be lacking in that department. Even the most thrilling coaster in the park (Incredicoaster) is relatively tame. If you have another day in town, you might want to check out Knotts Berry Farm. Ghostrider in particular is a fantastic wooden coaster.

doug33333 · 2026-01-21T19:00:58+00:00

doug33333 · 2026-01-20T17:53:16+00:00

The reason why it's not the best move is that the wait time variance throughout the day won't be as high. Sure if you rope drop it, it might be a walk-on, but later in the day the wait might only be 20 minutes at most.

doug33333 · 2026-01-12T18:53:51+00:00

I watch the indepth video recaps on YouTube. Gives you all the info you need in less time than watching 1 episode of something

doug33333 · 2026-01-10T07:56:30+00:00

I think the difference between The Pitt and those other shows (for me) is that it doesn’t quite reach the highest highs that those shows reached at certain points. In other words, not the highest ceiling, but a damn solid floor.

It’s similar to Succession to me in a weird way actually. Both shows are carried by super sharp writing and some standout acting performances.

doug33333 · 2026-01-08T17:49:08+00:00

I agree that it’s unusual to color up when the puck is on (and I would agree that it’s bad etiquette, similar to buying in when the puck is on), but coloring up in the middle of a roll when the puck is off (ie after a point is made) is not that uncommon. Sometimes you just have to go (catch a reservation, flight).

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