Not to sound completely old and whiney, but…back when I was a kid growing up in the Midwest, we spent the entire month of October looking forward to putting together just the right costume for a fun-filled night of Halloween trick-or-treating in the neighborhood on October 31st. Oftentimes that meant my mom spent many hours sewing us elaborate costumes in the basement of our grandma’s home. Like clockwork, by the end of October, winter had already paid an unexpected visit, forcing us to cover up our adorably handcrafted costumes or come up with a last minute fix to layer the costume over the puffy winter coat on top of the freezing child. My son has no idea how lucky he is that he’s a Californian.
Holiday celebrations look a little different this year because of ongoing restrictions set in place to keep public health and safety top of mind, due to coronavirus. My favorite time of year to visit Disneyland is definitely the holidays and I used to enjoy taking JT there during the months of October and December to see the Halloween and Christmas magic as only Disney can create it.
Since Disneyland remains closed this year, with no reopening date yet specified, I perked right up when I received an email from Legoland that they were hosting a Halloween in Miniland event during weekends in October. At only $15.99 per ticket, it was a good deal for a chance to get out of the house and visit one of our favorite theme parks during a holiday season that has been anything but exciting.
Legoland did an amazing job of maintaining health standards by providing updated signage to remind guests to maintain distance while standing in line and to wash hands properly in the restrooms. Tickets had to be purchased online prior to the event and temperatures were taken at the entrance of the theme park. There were several photo ops with LEGO characters in costume, children’s activity stations, and a handful of food vendors so we were able to get some of the famously delicious Granny’s Apple Fries. So if you’re looking for something to do in California with kids this Halloween season, grab your tickets!
As much as I loved dressing up for Halloween as a kid (and in my twenties…and thirties…), I have a child of my own who does not share the love of costume wearing. JT has always been pretty sensitive, with intensity I’ve only experienced mildly myself, so now it comes as no surprise that he’d rather be at home handing out candy and checking out all the other kids’ costumes instead of wearing one himself. It took a little while but I’ve come to accept that it’s just who he is and there’s nothing wrong with that. What’s obvious is our shared love of the holidays and our desire to celebrate, even when the festivities look a little different than they used to.