Melissa in St Louis Posted July 30, 2008 Share Posted July 30, 2008 We are taking ds5 and dd2 to WDW for thier birthdays....Both on Sept 2, born 3 years apart.... 1) How long do we need to stay? We are scheduled for 5 nights but I am wondering if that is too long...maybe more days at the beach? So far it is only 1 beach day after we leave Disney. 2) We are very scared of lots of things (well, the kids are, not me and DH. ha!) Would we like the dino stuff at Animal Kingdom? Anything you can tell me, please do. I am FREAKING OUT! :D I had no idea it was this involved. I have never been the mom on the disney trip before, I just had to go and have fun. And MY mom never had to do dining reservations, etc, so she told me months ago not to worry about any of that. ha!:tongue_smilie: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
5kidsforME Posted July 30, 2008 Share Posted July 30, 2008 We are taking ds5 and dd2 to WDW for thier birthdays....Both on Sept 2, born 3 years apart.... 1) How long do we need to stay? We are scheduled for 5 nights but I am wondering if that is too long...maybe more days at the beach? So far it is only 1 beach day after we leave Disney. 2) We are very scared of lots of things (well, the kids are, not me and DH. ha!) Would we like the dino stuff at Animal Kingdom? Anything you can tell me, please do. I am FREAKING OUT! :D I had no idea it was this involved. I have never been the mom on the disney trip before, I just had to go and have fun. And MY mom never had to do dining reservations, etc, so she told me months ago not to worry about any of that. ha!:tongue_smilie: First off, all the planning can be overwhelming. In my opinion 5 days isn't enough!! hehehe But i am a Disney freak, so there you have it. Are you going to all 4 parks? Look at what all 4 parks offer and decide on what you really want to see and plan for that. Have a few back up things in case you have extra time. Make sure the park you are going to is where you made your Dining reservations. I can not stress enough how beneficial it will be for you to check out the disboards.com Every question you could possibly come up with you can find the answer there. Have fun! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jennifer in MI Posted July 30, 2008 Share Posted July 30, 2008 It doesn't have to be very complicated, I swear!!! If you don't already have it, go get the Unofficial Guide to Disney with Children. They have a ranking system that they use for all the attractions. I used that to decide whether to take my dd2 on the rides/attractions. The only ride she didn't like that they said wouldn't be scary at all was the Finding Nemo ride. It was dark. But it was short so it wasn't too bad. The Dino ride at Animal Kingdom is scary! My 10 yo is telling me now that it was LOUD and had a LOT of flashing lights. My 7 yo hated it!! So, maybe skip that one! Are you going when you'll have free dining? If so, make reservations very soon!!! If you're not on the meal plan and don't mind eating at their faster dining places, you don't need reservations for meals. I agree that 5 days isn't enough!!! LOL We went in Jan for 10 days and it was SO nice to relax at the parks because we knew we could come back if we wanted. We also took a couple days off away from the parks. The break was nice! Try to relax and enjoy the planning. You really don't have to do too much. I would enjoy wandering the parks and not riding any of the rides! The magic is just so wonderful! Your kids will love it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Haiku Posted July 30, 2008 Share Posted July 30, 2008 Five days is a long time for little ones to be gone from home, ESPECIALLY in an environment like Disney World. My honest advice would be to scrap the trip and wait until they are old enough to enjoy AND remember it (say, 10 and 7). If you decide to go, though, I'd say limit the visit to about 2 days, being willing to forgo the second day if the first does not go well. But really, that's a lot of money and effort for something your youngest will never remember and your oldest will only vaguely remember ... especially if the kids are timid (which you alluded to in your post); they might just be freaked out by the noise, people, costumes, and rides. Tara Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nukeswife Posted July 30, 2008 Share Posted July 30, 2008 Just a tip on the Dinosaur ride at Animal Kingdom. Unless your kids are really tall they won't be able to go on it anyway. They have to be 42 or 44 inches to ride that one. The other dinosaur stuff is pretty cartoonish and set up like a carnival. Not sure about the time, my kids are disney nuts. They love it there and can't get enough. We used to live in Jacksonville so were only 2 hrs away. We went 6 times in 18 months that we lived there. Just wanted to add after reading some of the other posts again that. I don't think the ages are too young. My kids were 8, 5 and 1 when we first moved to FL and went there. My little guy loved it and was always excited about it. He may not just remember things on his own but if he sees pictures from when we went he'll comment about it. I don't think it's always about remembering things, sometimes it's about living it up in the moment! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chelle in MO Posted July 30, 2008 Share Posted July 30, 2008 We are taking ds5 and dd2 to WDW for thier birthdays....Both on Sept 2, born 3 years apart.... 1) How long do we need to stay? We are scheduled for 5 nights but I am wondering if that is too long...maybe more days at the beach? So far it is only 1 beach day after we leave Disney. 2) We are very scared of lots of things (well, the kids are, not me and DH. ha!) Would we like the dino stuff at Animal Kingdom? Anything you can tell me, please do. I am FREAKING OUT! :D I had no idea it was this involved. I have never been the mom on the disney trip before, I just had to go and have fun. And MY mom never had to do dining reservations, etc, so she told me months ago not to worry about any of that. ha!:tongue_smilie: Please tell me you're flying! Just kidding, sort of. We've driven from St. Louis to Orlando twice w/four kids and a grandparent! While I would have liked for the trip there and back to have been shorter, I love the independence of having our own vehicle and doing a bit of exploring sometimes. I think 5 nights sounds fine for those ages. We like to plan a couple of days of theme park/away from the condo stuff, then have a pool/read/rest/walk around the condo complex/play shuffleboard/watch a vdeo day. It does wonders for the stress level! We sleep later that day, go to bed earlier, try to eat a little healthier. Have a great trip! Chelle Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kokotg Posted July 30, 2008 Share Posted July 30, 2008 We've done a week (7 nights) twice now (kids ranging from 9 months up through 6), and it was a good length of time. I wouldn't have minded an extra day or two, though longer than that would have been too much. I would feel rushed with 5 nights, but, then, I'm also of the Disney freak persuasion ;). The crowds shouldn't be bad while you're there, so that makes planning (or not planning) a lot easier. I think the only thing in Dinoland for non-thrill seekers is Tricerotop Spin (basically Dumbo only with Dinosaurs). Oh--and a really cool playground called The Boneyard. But there's lots of other great stuff in AK...it's nice because you can hit the major attractions pretty quickly while still having time to linger and check everything out. I don't think there is a bad age for Disney, as long as you prepare and have realistic expectations. My kids all had a great time both times we've gone; we're heading back again in about 7 weeks, in fact! For books, I think the Unofficial Guide is best. for websites, check out the Disboards and Allears.net. Don't get overwhelmed! make sure you have reservations for any sit down meals you want to have and have at least a general outline of what you want to do each day, and you'll be fine. Take your time and let the kids spend all afternoon at Tom Sawyer Island and ride Winnie the Pooh 10 times in a row if they want to. And take lots of pictures! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Niffercoo Posted July 30, 2008 Share Posted July 30, 2008 We are taking ds5 and dd2 to WDW for thier birthdays....Both on Sept 2, born 3 years apart.... 1) How long do we need to stay? We are scheduled for 5 nights but I am wondering if that is too long...maybe more days at the beach? So far it is only 1 beach day after we leave Disney. 2) We are very scared of lots of things (well, the kids are, not me and DH. ha!) Would we like the dino stuff at Animal Kingdom? Anything you can tell me, please do. I am FREAKING OUT! :D I had no idea it was this involved. I have never been the mom on the disney trip before, I just had to go and have fun. And MY mom never had to do dining reservations, etc, so she told me months ago not to worry about any of that. ha!:tongue_smilie: I would really recommend working with a travel agent, so that she could handle all the reservations and such for you! I happen to know a great travel agent who specializes in Disney, and just so happens to be a member of these boards. PM me and I will get you in contact with her (it's not me LOL). I love all of the planning and such, but my mom and I worked with a travel agent for the first time on our last trip and it was SO much better! We won't do Disney ever again without an agent! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
justme Posted July 30, 2008 Share Posted July 30, 2008 I would definitely say no to the dinosaur ride at AK. My 10 and 8yo dd's wouldn't even go on it. My 5yo ds(at the time) went and survived, but did not go again when we went the next year. It was very dark, bumpy and LOUD, with a life-size dinosaur roaring about a foot from your face. I know people have gone with dc of all ages, including babies. We went for the first time when dc were 10,8 and 5 and I thought that was perfect. I was afraid we had waited too long (especially for the oldest), but I now realize that any younger with her (there were some neurological/behavior/sensory issues at the time) would have been a total disaster and I would have been very angry and disappointed at all the money, time and planning wasted. So if you are feeling pressure that now is the time to go when your kids are very young, rest assured that waiting another 3 years or so might be even more fun. Of course, if it is something you really are excited about and want to do now and feel every one will enjoy, by all means go. I just feel many people feel they 'need' to go when their dc are 5 and under, but I feel 5-10 is much more rewarding and fun for all involved. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karenciavo Posted July 30, 2008 Share Posted July 30, 2008 I have been to Walt Disney World for a total of 44 days and I still haven't seen or done everything. You have to go with the mindset that you'll do what you can and enjoy it. I have been that first week of September 4 x and during the week it is dead so you should get a lot done if you go 9/1-9/5. Niffercoo is right, use a travel agent. You have missed some pretty substantial discounts, free dining and Allstar Music at $69 a night, but maybe there are some AAA discounts still available. My youngest has gone since he was a baby, got his first haircut at the barber shop in the Magic Kingdom, and I think there is plenty for 4 and 6 year olds to see and do and enjoy. But, I also know that our trips aren't "this is the one time in our lives we are going to WDW" trips and that makes a difference. Every park has many things for 4 and 6 year olds, they don't have to go on Dinosaur. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wendy In KS Posted July 30, 2008 Share Posted July 30, 2008 And I think for your first time, with those age kids, five nights is perfect. We've taken our kids at young ages from 11mos up. I grew up in south Florida, so going to Disney was always in my memories, but my dh grew up in KS and went his first time at 17 (with me:D) We both agree that there is something special about taking the little guys. They may not remember it, but we sure do, and we have the pictures and stories to share with them. In fact, we haven't been now in almost two years (my dd10 has been 5 times), and my dh said the other day that he feels guilty we haven't taken the baby yet. But, no money in the budget this year :( As far as the Dinosaur ride goes- that is very extreme. Most likely, they won't be tall enough, but even still, that's one I'd skip. I remember getting scared on it. :eek: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jennifer in MI Posted July 30, 2008 Share Posted July 30, 2008 There are things to do for all ages at Disney. That's why I LOVE it for a big family with children of varying ages. When we went in Jan, we thought we were basically going for the older children. But, it was my dd2 who found it the most magical. Yup - she was a bit scared of the characters and didn't like some of the rides because they were dark. So, we spent much of our time on things like Pooh's playground. She STILL talks about it! She loved the princesses and the shows at MGM (called something else now!). She'd never seen a Disney movie in her life and still had a great time! She sat through the two dinner shows we saw (Hoop De Do, and the Aloha show). My oldest was a bit beyond the "magic" but he loved watching his sister enjoy it! The other two boys loved everything. Really, it was the perfect vacation! Enjoy your trip and report back!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NevadaRabbit Posted July 30, 2008 Share Posted July 30, 2008 We took dd (then 4) and ds (then almost-2) to WDW for a week. I planned and scoured message boards and planners and had our trip laid out to the 30-minute increment and knew which rides to hit at which time of day and scheduled character lunches and character dinners and took thousands of pictures and scrapbooked them all. DD remembers riding the monorail. DS has no recollection of the trip whatsoever. Plan this trip around yourself - as in, how much can you handle on any given day - and maybe plan one day to be a hunker down and nap day. WDW is fabulous, and also fabulously exhausting. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sugarfoot Posted July 30, 2008 Share Posted July 30, 2008 I agree with everyone else--5 nights won't be too much. You'll have a great time! My oldest (now 12) has been several times a year since he was 20 months, and my little guy (10 months) has already been three times, plus once on the Cruise. Yeah, we're fanatics:D The Dino ride, like everyone has said, is pretty intense. There are other things in that area that are fine, although I can't stand that ride that spins and goes on a track at the same time. It has a 48 in. height requirement, though. Just a few minutes ago, I went to pull something off the printer, and my DH had our Nov. plans there. He has a "table/grid" with all of our dining, reservation, and other pertinent numbers, park hours, etc. It makes me excited to get there! Have a wonderful time! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Melissa in St Louis Posted July 31, 2008 Author Share Posted July 31, 2008 OOPS! I didn't mean the Dino RIDE, I meant the whole dino area where you can dig up the bones and what not....also saw pics of a place with a dino skeleton standing up/put together - THAT is what I meant! :tongue_smilie: The big ride dealie would have them needing a change of pants, I'm sure!;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BusyMum Posted July 31, 2008 Share Posted July 31, 2008 We went to Disneyland for three days last August with Mr6 and master 14 months and found Ridemax to be absolutely invaluable for planning our visit with the minimum of hassles and waits. We went at absolute peak time and never waited more than 10 minutes at any ride and did everything we wanted! It also saved quarrels as we had a plan and we stuck to it so no "Mum can we....!" Also they give all kinds of tips, like the best position for the parade and such like. IMHO it was worth every cent of the very reasonable download fee! www.ridemax.com Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ma23peas Posted July 31, 2008 Share Posted July 31, 2008 You will have a wonderful time!!! I don't know if anyone has mentioned this board but http://www.disboards.com is the place to go to get more than enough answers...most are extremely helpful there. Check out the family page and even codes page under Disney resorts page and you'll learn more than you need. We have gone with kids your ages....I would say stick to Magic Kingdom, Animal Kingdom and your five year old would like doing the paint the fan thing around Epcot or stamping her passport..Epcot is really for the adults, but they have enough things for kids to make it fun, but the other two hold the magic for my kids...now that they're older they do like the Tower of Terror and other rides at MGM. I would actually say 4 days at Disney and 2 days at the beach to just chill out....ask any more specific questions and I'll try to help! Have a great time, it's the best time of the year to go! :) Tara Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hmschoolmom22 Posted July 31, 2008 Share Posted July 31, 2008 We took dd (then 4) and ds (then almost-2) to WDW for a week. I planned and scoured message boards and planners and had our trip laid out to the 30-minute increment and knew which rides to hit at which time of day and scheduled character lunches and character dinners and took thousands of pictures and scrapbooked them all. DD remembers riding the monorail. DS has no recollection of the trip whatsoever. Plan this trip around yourself - as in, how much can you handle on any given day - and maybe plan one day to be a hunker down and nap day. WDW is fabulous, and also fabulously exhausting. :) :iagree: we took our dd when she was 4.5 yrs old - she remembers nothing! went again in 2005 - oldest dd 10 and youngest dd 6 - much better ages to go and enjoy the parks for all they are worth. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ellie Posted July 31, 2008 Share Posted July 31, 2008 You need two days at the Magic Kingdom, minimum. After that, everything is gravy :-) I'm thinking 2 days at the Magic Kingdom, maybe 3; 1 day at the Animal Kingdom, 1 day at Epcot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Melissa in St Louis Posted July 31, 2008 Author Share Posted July 31, 2008 Anyone seen Lightning McQueen at MGM? We weren't going to go there, but heard that is the only place to see him/Little Einsteins. My son is NUTS about the CARS movie!!! Thanks so much everyone for your help. I could not do this trip w/o all the advice!!!! :001_smile: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kailuamom Posted July 31, 2008 Share Posted July 31, 2008 We have been taking our kids for years -- at ages ranging from 6 months (tagging along with older ones) to 10 yo. My opinion is that even if they won't remember it, you will and seeing it through the eyes of a child is great. :) That said, I think if you go for 5 days I would NOT try to see every park. At a young age, it can be really overwhelming and you have to remember you don't have to do it all just so they can say they did it all, kwim? Pick one or two parks and do it slowly (imo, the Magic Kingdom and Animal Kingdom at that age). Take long breaks -- heck, when they are little, a parade and a balloon can be all they need! We have not done the dino ride because we heard it was scary. Have fun! (We are going in Dec. and can't wait!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kailuamom Posted July 31, 2008 Share Posted July 31, 2008 Oh, and allearsnet.com has a LOT of info -- menus and everything. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mom31257 Posted July 31, 2008 Share Posted July 31, 2008 We have been to WDW a few times now. Some longer, some shorter. We actually did 4 days when our ds was 2.5. We did 1 park each day and went all day. He did fine. It really depends on your kids. Our first trip was when our dd (only 1 then) was 5.5. She went all day, walked everywhere, and didn't complain at all. ENJOY! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Starr Posted July 31, 2008 Share Posted July 31, 2008 We spent a wonderful day in January or early February at DL when our dc were turning 2 and 4. It was a miracle, no lines. The little disney princess finally crashed in her new Cinderella gown, pacifier in mouth, in her stoller. She was in heaven. She even has a couple of memories. I'm really not sure how it would be if the lines were long. Having a stroller for each of them was very helpful. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eva Posted July 31, 2008 Share Posted July 31, 2008 I hope I am not repeating something already said, but I need to get to bed. We have been several times, once my boys were only a baby and almost 4 when we went. Here are some quick recommendations from having done this a few times........... 1. sign up for free newsletter called Mouse savers (mousesavers.com I believe) - main newsletter comes out monthly on 15th, but often one more per month if special deal comes around. 2. she tells you where to buy your tickets at a discount online. it is undercover tourist. com but I think you want her link to get the best price. email me if you can't find it. 3. we always stay in a house! We request to be close to disney, but once before we knew to ask for that, we were a little further, but still got there in about 25 minutes, all the way into the parking area at the Magic Kingdom. Other times, we have always been within 15 minutes to the parking area. There are several reasons we always do the house. It is so much nicer than a hotel and much larger. Think about how the children would have their own room (two twin beds), you have your own room, and then you have a complete kitchen, dining room, a whole living area for them to relax and play in, lots of floor space. You have a washer and dryer right there so you can pack a few outfits per person and keep things washed up and even go home with a suitcase of clean clothes and no laundry to do at home. If you have a spill or accident, there is your private washer/dryer. All cookware and dishes are provided and a dishwasher of course. You can eat inexpensive breakfasts at the house each day and easily take snacks with you for the day. You could eat a second meal there to save money as well. What we have found we prefer is breakfast at the house, then we head to the parks as early as we can, around opening time. Most days, we will have lunch in the park. We just budget this and make reservations where we want to go as that is part of the experience. We will go back to the house midday, eat dinner there or at restaurant outside the park, then head back to the park (same one, which I will get to next) for the night. Everyone lies down and rests while at the house. They can sleep or rest and read. We stay late at the park then, usually till closing. We are refreshed, got to freshen up, change clothes if necessary or whatever. We always go in early December, so sometimes need more layers at night. We stay late, enjoy the night life, all the lights, lighted parades, atmosphere and fireworks. 4. I found personally that it was not worth it to pay extra for tickets that do not expire or for tickets that let you park hop. We used to do the hoppers before the new types of tickets came out. We found it wasn't really necessary or worth our time to hop. It is no big deal to stay in one park for the entire day. It actually takes a while to travel over to another park and who just don't see the point in paying to do that. 5. You will notice in the price of the tickets, once you get up to about 4 or 5 days, you only add a couple of dollars per day to the price of the tickets. It may have gone up to $3 per day, not sure. It looks like it is a difference of $15 on an adult MYW ticket to jump from 6 days up to 10 days. It is hard to tell the price of 4 and 5 at the moment because they are throwing in free days on both, making them 6 day tickets. Anyhow, for 5 of us, it is $1105 for 6 days and $1180 for 10 days. It is a fantastic deal to get up to 10 days for only $75 more. Last time, we bought the 10 day tickets and then we just saw how it went as we were there. We wound up taking a day off mid-vacation to do some other things (and rest lol). We had up to the 10 days available if we wanted them. 6. When we stay in a house, we are usually convenient to many restaurants and one of the Walmarts for picking up anything we might need. The Walmarts there in Kissimmee have great deals on Disney clothes, especially t-shirts. There is a Samsclub as well if you want to shop. Homes range from $80-95 per night for a 3-4 bedroom. If you stay 5-7 nights or more, there is no cleaning fee. Some require a deposit, one we used did not. There are many companies who handle home rentals online. We have 5 people and when my mother goes, there are 6 people, so we cannot fit comfortably in a regular hotel room. "Suites" at the hotels cost more than the house and aren't near the size or convenience. 7. Our experience with potentially scary rides and young children has been to just avoid those rides. There is still SO much to do without taking a chance on spoiling the experience. The whole thing is supposed to be "magical", so keep it that way! ha 8. Check the dates of off-peak times. We always go the first couple of weeks in December and love that time! I know you are going in September and that is probably some sort of off-peak time. For those who might be interested in December, the parks are all decorated for Christmas and Christmas is everywhere! The weather is cool and comfortable, you never break a sweat. We have found what works best for that time is the light-weight pant sets from the sporting goods store, the sports pants with the zip-up jacket. We have t-shirts to match. I usually put my daughter in all pinks and purples and the boys in all shades of blues, just so everything we take matches everything else. We all wear the pants with a t-shirt and start the day with the light jacket on and tie it around our waist or slip it through our waist sack mid-day. At night we put the jacket back on. There have been a few nights that got cold enough that we added 99 cent gloves from WM and the little headband style ear covers, also 99 cents. We haven't needed those except the last time we went. We had hot chocolate those nights and had a great time. 9. keep the number for reservations on you at all times. I have called them on the spur of the moment several times and got in at a restaurant inside the park with very short notice. We make some of our reservations ahead of time, but if we run into a situation where everyone got hungry earlier than expected or something, we have done that with great success. By the way, kids meals are very good in all the restaurants. 10. If you decide to save the money and NOT park hop, all you do is pick which parks you plan to go to each day. I always planned a simple list before I go. i.e. Monday - MK (Magic Kingdom), Tuesday - Epcot, etc. We usually plan two days in each park, but will go to each one once before repeating as we can't wait. ha 11. If you go in an off-peak time, you don't have to make a plan for what order you will go to things inside the park. We have very little wait time and can go through rides twice. It is WONDERFUL to go at off-peak times. We did the fast-pass maybe twice the entire time we were there last as it just wasn't necessary. 12. I would only plan our my days (a little, don't make a big deal out of it), ONLY if I were only going for 4-5 days or less. In that case, you will probably go to most parks for only one day and you will want to make sure you see all the rides that are most important to you. You can't see everything in a park in one day unless you wear yourselves out trying and it isn't worth it. A few things not to miss with little ones......... 1. all the sweet little rides with familiar childhood characters like Peter Pan and Winnie the Pooh. I'll admit, 18 months ago, when we went last, we still rode most of these just to reminise. ha 2. the parades. My daugher was about 5 time before last and in the Magic Kingdom, the parade was full of princesses and "magical" sites and they had all the little ones join in at one point and she was in dream land. ha The night parades are beautiful, but make sure the kids are rested or all the dark and the bright lights *might* scare someone little. 3. if they like face painting, get it done first thing, so they can wear it around much of the day 4. keep them fed, comfortable, plenty of water. I know this is common sense, but the time will get away from you before you know it and a child will be tired, hungry and/or grumpy before you know it. If you keep ahead of this, everyone will have a more pleasant time. 5. Think about strollers. The parks rent strollers that are very convenient. Strollers are always parked outside the rides and I prefer to leaver their stroller there instead of mine, if you KWIM. Strollers can get "misplaced" or stolen. I have not had it happen, but have had trouble finding mine at times. The employees move them all over and around when you are on the ride, to save space and tidy up. Most people recommend you have something obvious on your stroller so you can find it in a hurry. Take a brightly colored scarf that you don't mind losing. My daughter was 9 1/2 the last time we went and I would still get a stroller at night to save her from getting tired of walking. If you are only getting one for a brief time like this at the end of the day, you can find them all over the park, deserted by people who didn't want to return them to the front. I read this trick in a Disney planning book once. You save the expense since you are only using it for maybe an hour or so and you bring it up front for them so their employees don't have to. The double strollers are great. Now, they are not padded, so for little ones we always brought our own blanket folded double that would go under them. If you want to have a stroller from the parking lot in to the park and back out again, plan to bring your own. We used an umbrella stroller one year and that was pretty quick and easy to fold up as needed. I must get off here, hope this is helpful to someone. Sorry to jump around so. Eva Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Governess Posted July 31, 2008 Share Posted July 31, 2008 Ok, we just got back from WDW about 6 weeks ago. I have a 4 year old dd and a 2 year old dd. We stayed for 5 nights and had 4 full days at the parks. We definitely didn't get to see everything. We did one day and one night at Magic Kingdom (we live near disneyland so we've already been on all the rides, but you could easily spend two days there), two days at Epcot, and one day at Animal Kingdom. With kids, the going is pretty slow. Anyway, here are some tips/observations: 1) We stayed at the Contemporary hotel which is nice because it's right on the monorail. So we would just hop on to get to Epcot or Magic Kingdom (you can even walk to Magic Kingdom from there). That was really convenient except for the times the monorail didn't work. 2) We got a double stroller each day. If you rent in advance for your whole stay you get a discounted rate...if you need to rent a stroller. 3) We are from CA so we stayed on Pacific time basically while we were there. Slept in each morning until 10, had a small breakfast, lunch around 1:30 and then back to the hotel around 2:30 for nap/rest time. Then we went out again to make our 6:00 dinner reservations each night and stayed out until 11:00 or so. It was nice because our longest stretch was in the evening when it was much, much cooler. 4) At their ages, my girls are scared of a LOT of the rides. We have waited in line countless times only to have to back out last minute. Your 2 year old might be scared of any indoor rides that are loud and dark. My girl's favorites are Dumbo, Small World, and the Carousel (figures, right? - a ride you can find anywhere). 5) When it's hot, take advantage of the shows. At Epcot (?) my girls LOVED the Nemo ride and aquarium. They also loved the Lion King show and the Nemo show at Animal Kingdom. These are all great if it's hot out and you need some cool-down time. 6) At Epcot they have "passports" you can buy for the kids. You can take them around to each country inside world showcase and there is a station where they can get a special country stamp in their passport and a little greeting in the local language written into it. My girls had a ton of fun getting their stamps. Other than that and the Nemo stuff, Epcot doesn't have a ton of stuff for the young ones to do. 7) Make sure you tell someone at your hotel (or if you aren't staying at a Disney resort, go to an information booth at one of the parks) that it's your sons' birthdays. They will give them a pin to wear that says Happy Birthday and their name. They will get TONS of attention from the cast members by wearing the pin. It was my daughter's birthday, and one cast member even let her pick out a stuffed animal for FREE in a store. She was sooooo excited. 8) Bring bathing suits for the kids to wear at the parks, there are tons of water fountains and places to splash if they get hot. Anyway, I think that they will get more out of a trip when they are older, but you can still have a lot of fun with them there at this age. I think in September they even have a specific week where they have special activities for kids 5 and under, not sure if it coincides with your trip but it sounded like a lot of fun to me when I read about it. Please PM me if you have any specific questions! It really is a lot of work to plan the trip, but once you get there it's really nice to have everything planned so you can focus on just having fun. Good luck!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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