We're headed to Disneyland again this Summer and we're so excited! Today I thought I'd share with you five things that we've done before hand to help prepare our family for the best Disney trip! I consider these my 'must do' items, hope they help you prepare for your next trip.

1. Check the height requirements for the rides & measure your kids!

One of the biggest tips is to check these requirements. Last Summer when we visited Disneyland Ava was still to short for many of the bigger rides like Space Mountain, Splash Mountain and Indiana Jones. We knew before hand the rides that she was able to go on and plan our day accordingly. She's now 41 inches tall and able to ride a few more rides when we go this year.

2. Download a printable map of the park & plan your day!

Disneyland is divided into 8 lands, familiarize yourself with them by downloading the map here. We did this last year and planned our day based on what we wanted to see first and when. For example we knew that Ava was to short to ride a few rides, and we knew that she really was interested in meeting the characters. We planned on heading to Fantasyland first so that she could start meeting princesses right away and ride a lot of the rides at her height requirement. This year it's Disney's 60th Anniversary, there's all sorts of special shows and events, go here to take a look at them all and plan your day well!

3. Buy Your Disney Themed T-shirts Before You get to Disneyland!

This is one of my best money saving tips! We did this last year before our trip and again this year! I love the idea of wearing Disney themed shirts and matching shirts while you're at the park. If you buy these in one of the stores at Disneyland this could get very pricey for your family, save money by buying your shirts before. Stores like Target, Kohls and Wal-Mart all have a wide variety of Disney themed shirts.

4. Print off this Adorable Mickey Countdown.

Because the countdown to the trip is just as exciting as the trip itself. My friend Allison made this adorable Mickey Mouse countdown, get yours here.

5. Talk to Your Kids About the Trip & Tell Them The Disney plan.

Before our trip we talk to our kiddos, mostly Ava since she's at the age of understanding. We told her what to expect and what types of activities we'd be doing. We also asked her about the characters she wanted to see first, and get her input on the trip. We let her know about things we'd be doing (watch the fireworks, see the parade and what day we'd be visiting Ana & Elsa.)

Andrea Worley