Waaay back in August, with a little Lilah still in my belly, we made the crazy decision to book a family Holiday to Disneyland. Of course we’d LOVE to visit Disney World, but with three little ones aged 4, 2 and just 8 weeks when we travel, we knew Paris was definitely the more suitable option for us.

Our trip is now just a few weeks away, so I thought I would write a little post documenting our plans! We booked through a travel agent (directly through Disneyland Paris), as we wanted the ease of changing details and talking to someone if we needed to. It was super simple, and as they did the calling and sorting, we both felt a little more relaxed about it all.

When we booked, Disneyland had their ‘kids go free’ AND the ‘2 nights free’ offers on, so we took advantage of both. So we’re travelling Monday - Friday, which therefore worked out as 4 nights for the price of 2! We’re also staying onsite at the Hotel Santa Fe, which although on the more budget end, still looks and sounds perfect for us.

To get to the magic, we opted to travel by Eurostar. It seemed the most direct choice (and there was nooo way I was braving a flight with two toddlers and a newborn!). We paid a little extra for two year old Parker to have his own seat, as well as the Magical Express - meaning we can head straight to the parks when we arrive!

After talking to lots of people and manically googling, we also decided to prepurchase a meal plan to make meal times a little easier. We went for the Half Board Plus option, which gives us two meals a day at a range of restaurants. I have already booked all our of dining reservations (you’re advised to do this 60 days in advance), and we’ve chosen:

Monday - Plaza Gardens buffet
Tuesday - Chez Remy
Wednesday - Character breakfast and Hunter’s Grill
Thursday - Auberge de Cendrillon (Princess Character Dining)

Another little extra we’ve purchased is the Photo Pass. I wasn’t sure if it was going to be necessary, as I doubt we’ll be going on many of the biiig rides with the littles. But as long as we get at least one of two family photos, I think it’ll be worth it!

I think that’s everything to cover about our trip for now. We’ve bought all the Disney clothing, passports are sorted and I’ve started thinking of my packing list... eek, I am just SO excited!

Our Future Travel Plans | A Trip to Costa Rica

When we announced that we were expecting our first daughter Indiana, many people said that we were too young. That we should have been making the most of our younger years, travelling the world and going on as many holidays as possible. But we of course disagree! We want to enjoy our younger years with our children. And then once they're all grown up, we've got biiig plans to go on all of our adventures.

One destination I've never really considered, but after researching sounds absolutely amazing, is Costa Rica. The most visited country in Central America, Costa Rica is full of culture, beautiful scenery and there's plenty of activities to enjoy as well!

Where to Stay & When to Go?

As it would just be the two of us, I think staying in a beautiful Costa Rica beach house would be ideal. What's more romantic and luxurious than staying right on the beach? Most villas come with their own pools, wi-fi and are suitable for couples or even families if we did decide to take the Littles with us.

Away from the beach, there are plenty of other accommodation options. Smaller hotels are ideal for travellers who want to immerse themselves more in the culture of Costa Rica - with a more relaxed and 'home from home' environment. The Caribbean side (known as Limon) is a great location if you wish to stay away from more touristy spots, and prices for hotels are usually lower too.

Our favourite way to travel though has to be All Inclusive (what's not to love about food on tap?). AI means that nearly everything is included, so you can put all your savings towards activities - of which Costa Rica has plenty!

And in terms of when is best to travel? Peak season, as you can imagine, includes the Christmas and  Easter holidays so it's probably best to avoid those few weeks. As we would most likely travel without the kids, we have the luxury of visiting whenever we wish (most likely during the mid-season between May and November).

What to Do?

As I mentioned above, there is plenty to keep you busy on a trip to Costa Rica. We are definitely not 'sit around the pool' types when we travel, so I know we'd love to get out and explore as much as possible. A lot of these activities depend on where you decide to stay though, as the country covers such a large area. I've picked a few I know Jack and I would definitely love to experience below:

Explore the National Parks 

Costa Rica draws most of it's visitors to it's expansive National Parks. One of the most popular is the Arenal Volcano, which is located in northern Costa Rica. You can explore the rainforest, waterfalls, a volcano (which until recently was the country’s most active volcano with an average of 41 eruptions per day), the country's largest lake, or go on one of the many tours of the area. I know this is definitely somewhere we would love to explore.

Go Ziplining or on a Canopy Walk

Probably not one for me, but definitely for Jack, is zip lining across the canopies. Costa Rica is perfect for canopy exploration thanks to it's thick branches, and it's a perfect way to see the vast plant and animal species. There are a number of different types of adventures you can take, from slow canopy walks in San Luis, to whizzing through the Jaco Canopy.

Visit the Hot Springs

If you want to take a few days off from exploring, there are plenty of more relaxed gentle activities to enjoy in Costa Rica. Their hot springs are a perfect way to relax and rejuvenate after a busy few days, and I know they'd be somewhere I'd really love to visit. One of the most popular springs is located at the Arenal Volcano National Park. The Springs Resort offers multiple hot springs and beautiful landscaping across an expansive area. Meaning you can really find the perfect spring for you!

Discover the Wildlife

Thanks to it's millions of years of history, Costa Rica is the perfect place to discover wildlife, with it's rainforests and jungles containing more than 230 species of mammals alone! Everyone loves monkeys, and a number of species can be found up and down both coasts. One of the most well-known destinations for sightings though is Manuel Antonio National Park. The monkeys there are nearly tame (although still can be aggressive).

As you can see, Costa Rica really does have so much to offer as a country. Whether you want a relaxed and slow paced holiday, enjoying the beaches or the hot springs. Or whether you want to really get stuck into high adrenalin activities, whizzing through the trees on a zipline or getting close to a volcano. You can find out more about the activities I mentioned above, and a whole lot more on the Costa Rica Experts website.

Just from doing some quick research I already cannot wait to visit - although the more I think about it, maybe I would consider taking the Littles with us. There's plenty to do for families too!

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