Seeking Advice on Disneyworld

HI D.

I am so happy you are going on a trip. SEA WORLD!!!! Definitely go there. Also Gator World is really fun to. All of my family live in Florida. One thing to keep in mind when you are are Disney rent a double stroller. Not only does it hold the kids when they are tired but it holds all of the stuff you buy. Good luck and have a great time. Bonnie

Magic Kingdom is a must!! The kids will love it. Epcot is also great. I wasn't that impressed with Animal Kingdom or MGM studios park (I think they call that something different now). A Character Breakfast is also a must! The one at the Contemporary Resort is great. I hightly recommend it. Have a great time!

Check out the websites www.mousesavers.com, www.disboards.com, and allears.net. Those websites will have the most information for you. It is overwhelming the amount of information and the number of things you can do. I'd pick the areas your kids are most interested in and focus on that. If you can, book your character meals in advance. We did a meal plan with 1 sit down meal, 1 counter meal, and 1 snack a day. This was the most cost-effective for us. We used the sit-down meal for a character meal every day (they are usually an even trade, but some character meal must be traded for 2 sit-down meals). The meals were the highlight of most of our days because the characters were right there with us. There is one at Hollywood Studios with Disney Playhouse characters that might be good for your kids' ages. They had Jo Jo's Circus and Little Einsteins. They did interactive stuff the whole time, getting the kids up to dance and sing with them. If your kids like those shows, they would love that character lunch. It's Playhouse Disney's Play 'N Dine at Hollywood & Vine. If they like Lilo and Stitch, there is Ohana's breakfast at the Polynesian. Seriously, check out the links I posted above, and you'll get all the information you need. Book your meals in advance if you can, because some meals fill up early (we missed Ohana's and Cinderella's Royal Table because they were booked). I typed up an itinerary because we had to be in certain parks on certain days for our meals, and I planned around the shows and things I thought the kids would want to see in each park. It seems like over-planning, but it made the trip so much easier.

As far as saving money, I have a couple of ideas. If your kids want autographs, I'd recommend buying small notebooks, 4 x 6 scrap booking books, or something like that in advance to take along. Also bring along a big sharpie for them to sign with (they need big ones because of their costumes). Another tip for saving money, buy your boys some shirts / sweatshirts / souvenir-type stuff at the Disney store or disney.com before you go. There are some good after Christmas sales right now. Pack them where your kids won't see them, and give them the gifts throughout the trip. It's much more expensive to buy them down there.

That's all I can think of off the top of my head. Have a great trip!! Disney is so much fun! My kids have been saying constantly that they want to go back. :)

Can I go with you???!!!!

We love Disney. I will tell you what worked for me. We have been there 2 times.

1) My boys are the same ages as yours. There is alot of walking for their little legs. Definitly bring or rent a Stroller for 2.
2) Bring a cooler. We usually packed a lunch, and ate it in the park. (No glass bottles are allowed.) My husband is diabteic, so I always had to have some sort of snack on hand. However, this helps with kids too, b/c my boys (and myself) get miserable when they are hungry.
3) We would buy our park tickets at Wal-mart. My husband found that they offered the best deals, even over internet deals. They usally sell them cheaper b/c alot of locals buy their tickets there. (This was true for Mickey's Not So scary Halloween Party tickets.) My friend who lives in Florida told me that. However, you have to go to Wal-Mart in the Orlando area.
4) We loved Sea World, Aquatica and Bucsh Gardens. In fact my boys loved it more than Animal Kingdom and Epcot. They were a little bored at Epcot and AK, However they are both animal lovers and had a blast. Also Aquatica is SOOOOO much fun. If you are planning on going to Seaworld and Aquatica, I would defintley recomend buying a park combo pack. If you go to 2 parks in one day you only have to pay for one parking ticket.
5) Downtown Disney is fun, go to T-Rex. Your boys will love it, I Loved it!!! PLus Build-a-Bear has a Build-a-Dino workshop inside...very cute. Also if you are a chocolate and ice cream lover... go to Gharadelli. Hands down, best hot fudge ice cream sundaes. It is expensive, but hey, it's your vacation.... so splurge a little.
6) Also Amy K offered great advice on buying presents. T-shirts for the boys before going to Orlando.....great advice. We did that every trip before going and saved alot. If you have a Disney Store/Outlet near you, take advantage of their sales. The only thing you can't buy anywhere other than in the parks or on park property are mouse ears... however, I never looked on EBAY.
7) I always got great park advice from locals and from other mom's at the hotel pool. I would just ask them what worked for them, what their kids liked etc. Hotel staff are locals so they know all the do's and dont's.

8) Have fun !!! and check out http://disneyworldforum.disney.go.com/
for great advice from other mom's.

Also character breakfasts/dinners are alot of fun!!!! Check them out too!!! They have them in the parks and at several resorts.

Hi D.,

The best advise I can give you is to buy the "unofficial" guide to Walt Disney World. It looks huge and overwhelming, but just focus on the intro which tells you which chapters to read in your situation (young children). Especially read about how to make the most of your time there before they wear out. It IS overwhelming, but manageable if you are realistica about how much the boys can handle in one day. Be careful of some of the rides which you would think are fine, but end up scaring the kids because they are dark or there are too many surprises. I'm thinking specifically of Snow White and Pirates of the Caribbean in Magic Kingdom and several others. ANother great book in the Birnbaum's (sp?) guide for kids. Look this over with your kids and take seriously the "loud", "scary", "dark" warnings. It has been many a family that ignores them, and then the kids are scared to try even the tamest rides the rest of the day. Take lots of water and snacks (yes you can bring in food in a backpack with little kids--just not a picnic or coolers), wear sunscreen, and plan to bring or better yet rent a stroller. All the parks are big--Epcot is the biggest, and little feet get tired easily. Also, bring a DS if you have one, or small games, or toys to play with while waiting in line. And read about and use the Fast Pass option as much as possible.

Have a great time. We have been there many times, and by following the recommendations above, have many good memories there.

Hi D., I am also going in 3 weeks with a 3 and 5 yr old boys! I went 2 yrs ago. Definetly do the character meals. You can use them with the meal plan (a must) but you need to make reservations for them as soon as possible as they book up. I have 2 brkfst and 1 lunch planned. I am bringing my own small stroller for my youngest as it is more comfortable and renting another so if my oldest get tired plus it helps with carrying stuff. Try to plan as much as you can, it makes it easier with kids. Not sure where you are staying but at one of their resorts is easiest. Any other questions let me know. Have fun!
Also go to AllEars.net. A great site about Disney World, all the info you need.

D.,

I loved Disney I have been there several times with my children.. Magic Kingdom was all of our favorite place.. One Suggestion I would like to make if you dont already have reservations is to go on the off season. You can check with Disney to see when this is the crowds are not as bad then and you get to ride more and enjoy more. I have been there in March and April and October had a wonderful time crowded but not bad and wasnt as hot as the summer months.. just right... Went in June and the crowds where awful...I would never take my kids in the summer months again.. The hotels at the park are great.. we have also rented pool houses that we could go back, watch tv, swim and relax.. it was nice being able to cook our own meals. what ever you choose to do...Have fun!!

We JUST got back and congratulations on not being as stupid as I am and going during Christmas. Both Magic Kingdom and Epcot are the places to be. Hollywood Studios has always been a disappointment (we've been 4 times now). At Magic Kingdom- The classic rides like the tea cups, Dumbo, and a small world are a must. My kids loved the race cars. And for 2 boys you have to do the Buzz Lightyear Space Ranger thing, and the Monsters Inc Laugh Floor. All the rides there are fun and only a few are not appropriate for them. Epcot is such a pleasure. Every themed building has some sort of ride through informative yet fun thing. My kids particularly like the Sea and of course Spaceship Earth (the big ball). I am not sure about Animal Kingdom- we went the 1st year it was open and there wasn't a lot to do, but I think its pretty nice now. I recall the Tree of Life being a nice thing to do. Have fun!

Hi D.,
You are going at the prime ages for your boys. We just came back in Dec. from a 16 day Florida trip--10 of those spent in Disney World--ourselves. Unless you're doing a dining plan or have a decent budget to put toward food, do take snacks and/or sandwiches/drinks. The food is very pricy in the park. The boys will LOVE Animal Kingdom. Nemo and The Lion King shows are a must if you can get them. Almost all of Magic Kingdom rides are family-friendly. My girls loved the Spaceship Earth ride in Epcot (the huge golf ball)... we had to ride that a total of 7 times before we came home. Oh, there's soooo much to do down there! There's also the T-Rex cafe in Downtown Disney your boys would love. If you want to PM me, I'll be able to further answer any questions you may have.

Enjoy your time!
E. :)

Dear D.:

My two daughters were about the ages of your boys when we took them to DisneyWorld.

Some of the meals with the Disney Characters we booked before the trip. That was a highlight!! We dressed our girls up and took a lot of pictures, and the pictures stay mounted in various rooms of our home.
There is a restaurant called the Coral Reef, I believe, where you are eating in a restaurant and the aquarium fish are staring at you.

You can be sure to get an early start in the morning before the crowds would come. Pace yourselves to go back to the room around lunch and rest by the pool, or in the room. Then you are ready for the afternoon (2 pm approx.) to start afresh into early evening.
Another restaurant/show that was a delight was The jamboree, the 3 yr. old may not last. (We booked this restaurant in advance, also.)

Don't try to see and do everything, but pick out the highlights of what your family will enjoy and just enjoy the gift of each other in a wonderful place to be.
Don't push the 3 year old into anything he's not ready for. The 3 year old stage, you will remember, is the time of nightmares, and you don't want any of those destroying you rest. The other thing that I might recommend is the you bring handi-wipes for cleanliness of those little hands.

If your guys have flown before, you will know if they are sensitive to the air pressure in the cabins....if not, check with you pediatrician and ask what he/she recommends. The 5 year-old might be able to chew gum, but the 3 yr old is really the one in question.

D., enjoy your family and have a wonderful trip,
E.

if u r going to dinner u have to have reversations or u won't get in. we went to triple A and all 5 of us went for $3,599 and taht included every thing except the tings u want o buy to bring home. Get the meal plan it will save u moneya dn we jsut got up in the morning andstarted and then around noon come back tot he hotle and took a nap then started all over and they kdsi loved it. every 2 years we go and boy it is workth it. u have to have a plan liek where u r eating that night for dinner go to that park in the afternoon then u r already there. i would go to tripple A and have then plan the meal plan and every thing then u cna figure where u will be that day because if u don't ahve a reservation u wont get to eat there.
good luck and HAVE A GREAT TIME....we love disney.

We went to Disneyworld for the first time this past year. We took our 4 year old daughter and 8 year old son when their dad returned after 18 months in Iraq. I would make one major suggestion right off, get (or bring) a stroller. The double stroller is great for getting the kids around and there are a lot of pockets to put all your stuff in too. There were even a couple of times when we were hurrying to get to a fast pass ride and we stuck our 8 yr old in and ran. Which leads me to the next suggestion try to schedule out your fast passes. The new toy story ride had a 101 minute wait and we didn't get to go on it because of that (by the time we got over there they were out of fast passes for the day). Our daughter cried for over an hour when we told her we couldn't wait that long. Your map will show which rides have a fast pass option and you can schedule your rides based on what time you are given. I would suggest staying at one of the value resorts (we stayed at pop century) as they make arriving and leaving really easy if you are flying in. They will also help you make a plan for your day. We had most of our days planned based on what we wanted to see and each night before bed we would look at the map of the park we were going to the next day and plan out our route. We didn't get to see and do everything we wanted to do in the 7 days we were there but I don't think you could in one trip no matter how well you plan. You can get maps from wdwinfo.com of each park and the resorts as well if you want to plan before you go. (you can also find discounts on this site) My kids really loved the Kali River Rapids and the Kilimanjaro Safari in the Animal Kingdom, Soarin' at Epcot, the Magic Kingdom park has a lot of rides for smaller kids (which were great for my 4 year old who doesn't like roller coaster type rides) there are a ton of great shows also. We did the Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween (trick or treating after dark) as we were there in October and there are usually special things like that going on (though not all of them are included in your ticket price) which might be a nice memory. If you like roller coasters go on Expedition Everest it is the best roller coaster I've ever been on and my hubby also gave it a 10 out of 10 rating. (He's an Airborne Ranger so he usually doesn't think roller coasters are that big a deal) Just remember that you won't be able to do it all in one trip and you will have a great time.

We are HUGE Disney fans!!! We are Vacation Club Members so our son who is just 20 months has been three times already with our next trip planned for July. ;-p

It may seem really expensive but it is worth every penny to stay "on property" at Disney. If you can swing a moderate resort go for it as the value ones are small quarters with way too many people and very noisy. Benefits of staying on property include "Magical Express" transportation from/to the airport along with luggage delivery; transportation throughout the world; extra magic hours at the parks; availability of the meal plan. These are the BIG benefits but there are other little ones too. Plus than your entire experience is DISNEY!!!

Someone recommended Sea World and Kennedy Space Center but for a first trip I would say hold off - - - there is more than enough to keep you busy at Disney alone and once you go and have a great time you will be planning another trip to Orlando in the future and you can enjoy those attractions when the kids are bigger. PACE YOURSELF!!!

Our strategy is to get to the parks early before they are too crowded and before it gets too hot (if you are going in the Summer) and really enjoy the attractions that get crazy crowded. We usually stop for lunch at some point and than head back to the resort for naps or pool time during the hot/crowded part of the day! With the age of your boys I would try to get back to the parks in time for a parade each day and if you do the meal plan have dinner in the park shortly after the parade. Then stick sround in the evening for whatever you missed earlier or if your up for it - the FIREWORKS!!! Some kids are scared by the fireworks so you'll have to make the call on those!

Magic Kingdom will offer the most attractions for your boys but all of the parks have some things that appeal to all ages. EPCOT offers the best meals so if you do the meal plan you will want to plan on heading there a couple of times. Most rides at Animal Kingdom are not for little ones but the shows are fantastic - Nemo is the best! Hollywood Studios is great for tweens mostly but offers a few shows that little ones enjoy and I hear the parade is great though we have yet to make it there ourselves...maybe next trip!

The websites recommended by others are a must and if you are looking for a great guidebook I recommend the Passporter: http://www.passporter.com/ We discovered this for our second trip and have bought a new one for each trip since. It is user-friendly and quite comprehensive. The ones that I have seen geared towards planning with kids do not cut it for me but you may find them useful.

Feel free to e-mail me privately with more detail about when and for how long you are planning to go and what your rough budget is like and I would be happy to lend specific guidance! I'm not a travel agent or anything I just really enjoy helping people make the most of their Disney experience. If you are looking for a travel agent, I recommend Ric Flack at "The Magic for Less" - I can give you his e-mail also.

Happy Planning!
- J. :)

I had researched this before we went. We went with a 2, 4, 8 and 9 year old. One of the best advice was to plan their naps around the boring attractions. (For example the hall of presidents.) My husband and i loved it and the younger kids took that time to nap on our laps.

We went a few years ago...so i don't know about the airline rules now. Back then i checked a big suitcase of just water bottles and snacks. I also put the mini cereal boxes and plastic bowls and spoons. This way we did not have to pay for breakfast. (we got the oj and milk at our hotel) I would rinse and reuse the bowls. They have a dining plan that covered our lunch, dinner and snacks...VERY well worth it!!

There was a magical plan (can't remember what it was called) that took care of our luggage. We got the yellow tags in the mail for our suitcases. We checked them at our airport and they were delivered to our hotel room for us! It also included a magic bus that would take us from the airport to hotel.

I did all of this including flight for about 4600 (6 people). I am under the impression that was a pretty great deal. It included park hoper tickets and all. Hope i helped. It was the best vacation of our lives!! We can't wait to go back. Have a wonderful time!!!

ps... if you can take a pool day for some down time :)

We went in December and thought Animal Kingdom was Fantastic!
The parade was well worth it and the Lion King Show was Amazing. Make sure you get a Fast Pass for the Kilimanjaro Safari, You and the boys will LOVE IT! There are lots of learning opportunities in Animal Kingdom too.
Also I would hit Epcot if you can, lots for kids to see and do!
I agree to try and make a few reservations at restaurants ahead of time but whatever you do and wherever You end up going you will have an Amazing trip. Have fun. We cannot wait to go back.

I would say the best place for you to go and spend most of your time is the Magic Kingdom. There's going to be more things there for them to do than the rest of the parks. Have fun!!

Hi D., Here's my advice from my own experience and from others: Stay at Disney...don't be afraid to break up your day by returning to your hotel and resting/relaxing durring the afternoon so you don't wear yourselves and your kids out. Get their dinning plan in advance so you don't have to carry so much cash...a friend of mine discovered you can use it for snacks etc as well and recommends it highly. They have great strollers at the parks to rent for a minamal fee which eliminates the need to take and worry about your own...they are great for older and bigger kids as well. When we went (many years ago) our girls were 2 & 4 and they were great!! Most of all don't over plan your day and stress over the silly things. While your down there try to check out the Kennedy Space center and Sea World as well, both are worth the visit and not hard to find from Disney! Have a great time wish I was going with you LOL!