Hey there, Mark!
Ah! You are in for such a treat next week when you visit the Disneyland Resort. With the
70th Anniversary in full swing, the Happiest Place on Earth is somehow even happier! You'll love joining the celebration, and, trust me, you will be happily singing Celebrate Happy for many weeks to come.
Rider Switch is a great way to experience some of the more thrilling attractions, even when you have small Mouseketeers or Guests who are unable to ride in your party. As you approach the attraction, be sure your full party is present and let the Cast Member know you'd like to utilize
Rider Switch. It sounds like you are familiar with the process, as you will be divided into Group A, which includes the first rider, and Group B, which includes the second rider. Note that Group B can have a maximum of two riders, including one member from Group A if they'd like to re-ride! My daughter has taken advantage of the double dip when my son wasn't quite ready for the thrills! Group B will have their admission tickets scanned and will be notified where to return when it's their time to ride. Once Group A has ridden, Group B will return to that location to have their tickets scanned again and board the attraction. In your scenario, your older son would not need to wait by himself in the queue. He would go with you to meet your husband, at which point your husband and son would then go to the return point and check in again with the Cast Member to ride.
As you may know, there are plenty of experiences your infant may enjoy as well. A cruise through "it's a small world" or the Storybook Land Canal Boats, and even Peter Pan's flight, were always a favorite in our family! Essentially, any attraction that does not have a height requirement is family-friendly for all ages. If you pull up the Disneyland app, tap the magnifying glass, and search for a specific attraction, you will see a section that says "Guests can be," where it indicates if there is a height requirement. I remember this being helpful when I was planning out our visit with my little Mouseketeers, and also a good resource once we were in the parks!
I'd also highly recommend picking up one of the new Family Adventure Maps that were just released in honor of the 70th Anniversary! You can find these where park maps are located, as well as at City Hall at Disneyland and the Chamber of Commerce in California Adventure. Not only are there fun activities for kids to do during downtime or while waiting in queues, but they also have lots of useful information for parents and caregivers. There is even a quick-reference guide to each attraction, indicating all kinds of information, including if it's scary or if there are drops, so you can decide if your little one is ready ahead of time. Another key feature of the maps, which I know I will be using the next time we are in the parks, is the kid-friendly food guide. This is especially helpful for picky eaters as it breaks down all the dining locations and where you can find food favored by our littlest Guests (we are talking chicken tenders, fries, macaroni and cheese, etc).
Mark, I hope this was helpful, and we've set you up for a successful day in the magic! Don't forget there are
Baby Care Centers located in both parks in case you need a quiet space to feed, change, or rest with your infant. They provide a sweet oasis from the park's hustle and bustle! If you have any more questions, we are always here to help here at
planDisney.
Magic awaits!
Tara