nls

Hello, we are planning on taking our 4 year old to disney world next year. Can anyone give us recommendations on where to stay, what is an absolute must that we do and anything else that may help us. It is our first time also so we would like to stay in the park if possible, but do not have much money. Also, we are not clear on these "free pass" that are offered, and legitimately, what and how much are we really going to be able to do with a 4 yr. old? So we do not overwhelm. I hope that makes sense. thanks for any advice.

offlady

Among the hotels within the park, the Contemporary was the most reasonably priced, is closest to Magic Kingdom, has the monorail station within the hotel, and has a chacter breakfast (Chef Mickey) inside the hotel. I've heard that it has since undergone renovations and I don't know if it has been completed, and if prices have gone up. With a 4 year old, you will want to do the character breakfast, and also having the monorail is a big plus. You will be able to ride back to your hotel for mid-afternoon nap then head back to the park later. The entire Disneyworld is huge and getting from one place to another will take a little bit of time so you will need to schedule your time wisely. I'd skip Epcot if you are short on time; half day each at MGM/Animal Kingdom, depending on how many days you have. Not sure about free passes.

Intrepid1

If possible, I would ask the four-year-old what seems most interesting...The Magic Kingdom, Animal Kingdom, etc. I suspect it will probably be the former.

We always stay on the property but quite honestly, I cannot imagine the Contemporary being more reasonably priced for a budget traveler than a hotel such as the Caribbean Beach or the Sports/Music place.

With a small child in tow I would definitely stay on the property somewhere and as close as possible to the attractions I wanted to see most and use the included transportation system to get back and forth.

kflodin

a few things:
* invest in the latest copy of the Unofficial Guide to Disney World. We found it invaluable. You can get a little kooky with it, but really it's a smart way to get the most out of your trip even if you only follow 10% of their suggestions.
* character breakfasts are terrific for this age (and there's dinners and lunches, too, btw), but be aware that only 5 specific characters show up at any given meal. For instance, if your child adores Goofy, he may not be scheduled to work the meal in your hotel. Check where he is and make your reservations appropriately. And the princess breakfast books up way in advance, so if you have a little princess at home, it's worth booking this way in advance. Again, I think the guide has the latest info, but you can also call Disney World, I'm sure. Believe, me the right character giving him/her a hug can make a cool event an unbelievable one.
* build in breaks every afternoon to simply swim at the hotel pool and have some down time. If your child still naps, don't skip it. I can't tell you how many 3- and 4-year-old I saw slumped in their strollers totally zonked out or throwing fits from sheer exhaustion.
* If you live anywhere near a decent zoo, and unless your kid is really into animals (which some are), I'd consider skipping the Animal Kingdom and focusing on The Magic Kingdom. Also agree on skipping Epcot. When we went, my kids were 7 and 10 and Epcot was JUST nearly interesting for a 1/2 day. A minute longer would have been too long (though hubby and I enjoyed it!).
* A good way to save money is to pack some cereal boxes and pick up some milk from the local snack shop (in and out of park) and have a simple, cheap breakfast in the hotel room each morning. WE also packed snacks to carry on hand. Disney is really expensive.
* packing some paper and pencils (or whatever works for your kid) for your child to doodle as you wait in lines, wait for shuttle buses or monorail, etc. is a good idea too.
* Not overwhelming is good. AGain, peruse the guidebook for the attractions that sound really wonderful and appealing to your kid and each morning you get to the park (and you'll want to be there early, btw, it's worth it), make sure you get to one of them first so you avoid lines.
HAve fun. We're not big amusement park people, yet we had a wonderful and memorable time for our 2002 trip to Disney with our 2 girl.

schmerl

For great info on Disney World go to
www.disboards.com and to help save money, go to www.mousesavers.com

The All Star Resorts are the least expensive "on site" hotels", but they are not as convenient as the hotels that are monorail stops.

gail

kflodin has some excellent suggestions - one in particular I would like to stress - don't try to do too much. this is not a "once in a lifetime trip" WDW will still be there. The idea is to have a good time. No rewards given for seeing the most stuff in the least time. Nothing good comes from "just one more ride and then we can go to the pool".

You seem to be on the right track since last sentence includes concern that you not overwhelm the kid. And some kids at this age are terrified of the Disney characters in costume - mine were. Remember, they are only several inches tall on TV and in person they are huge to kids - all actors are very sensitive to this, but I laugh now at having to drag my son out from under a table at a local pizza joint after a special trip to see Barney - giant purple thing nearly gave him a heart attack.

dsquared

"* build in breaks every afternoon to simply swim at the hotel pool and have some down time. If your child still naps, don't skip it. I can't tell you how many 3- and 4-year-old I saw slumped in their strollers totally zonked out or throwing fits from sheer exhaustion."

That's some of the best advice you'll get! Also remember, sunscreen, sunscreen, sunscreen, and comfortable shoes.

I took my nephew to WDW when he was 4 1/2. His favorite rides were: Dumbo, Jungle Cruise, Peter Pan's Flight, Winnie the Pooh, Small World (twice!), and Barnstormer. He LOVED meeting the characters which is easy to do since they are out at defined times and you can see them at Toontown Hall of Fame(or whatever they're calling it this year). Also recommend Buzz Lightyear. Skip the Stitch show/ride.

I have to say, he absolutely adored Sea World.

mamafez

We took our son at age 3, 4, 6, and are heading back now at age 7. I have tried a variety of packages, hotels, etc. On a budget I highly recommend one of the All Star hotels on Disney property or the Pop Century. Rooms range from $77-144/night. They have free shuttles to ALL of the parks including water and Downtown Disney. Though they have changes pricing, I would still recommend upgrading to Park Hopper pass so you can visit multiple parks in one day. At that age, you will spend most of your time at Magic Kingdom followed by Animal Kingdom or MGM followed by Epcot. In my opinion, there is really nothing for kids that age at Epcot -- so if time is limited I would skip that park this trip. Best character meal deal is the lunch buffet at Crystal Palace in Magic Kingdom -- get the most food for your money. It is with Pooh characters. 2nd best experience we had was breakfast at the Polynesian. Used to be with Chip & Dale, Mickey, etc., but I noticed that now it is with Lilo and Stitch and Friends. I would skip the "free Pass" fiasco and book safely online at Disney or through your local AAA -- prices are now the same either way as long as you buy ahead. We didn't do the water parks until my son was 6. He did love it, but for the additional $ I would skip unless you are going to be there more than 5 days or so. I am the Queen of bargains and vacation plans according to my friends, so I hope this helps.

ajcolorado

The All-Star Movies resort is one of Walt Disneyworld's value resorts has the best Disney theming of any of the hotels. You can see hotel photos at allearsnet.com. The hotel has a play ground and a wading pool...both real bonuses with little ones. The great thing is that they now offer "Disney's Magical Express" which is a bus service that takes you to and from the Orlando Airport. They also offer bus service to their theme parks so you don't need to rent a car while you are there. Be sure to ask about AAA or other discounts - the reservations people aren't allowed to offer them unless you ask. Some of WDW's packages are fantastic deals but go as basic as possible. Things like free mini-golf rarely get used.

Bring or rent a stroller - even if your 4 yr. old no longer uses one at home - the parks are huge and their legs are short.

The great thing about Disneyworld is that it is a "theme park" and not a "thrill park". Many of the attractions are designed to appeal to a wide range of guests. There will be things that your 4-yr old cannot do but every park has a lot that you can do. They also offer "parent swapping" options for things that your little one can't ride. This lets one parent ride and then allows the other parent to ride without having to go to the end of the line. This is handled differently at each ride - just ask.

A really neat thing that is free is to take your child over to the WDW Fort Wilderness Campground (you can use park buses - just go to the nearest park or Downtown Disney, and then catch the Ft. Wilderness camppground bus) and go to the Campfire Sing-Along with Chip & Dale. A person leads the songs and Chip & Dale are there to greet the kids. You can buy s'mores kits (2 sticks, marshmallows, graham crackers, & chocolate) for less than $5. After the sing-along, they show a Disney movie on an outdoor screen. My girls loved it. You can see the monthly movie schedule by checking the camping forum at disboards.com.

You are going to have a great time - just set your expectation levels accordingly. You know that 4 year olds love the familiar so don't be surprised when they want to get right back on the same thing as soon as they get off.

The Unofficial Guide to Walt Disneyworld (available at bookstores) offers cut out touring plans for families with children. There is an on-line touring service that costs about the same as a guidebook called tourguidemike.com that also has really good information. We've taken groups to WDW and really cannot stress enough the importance of having a touring plan. Don't get rigid about it but it helps immensely to avoid wasting time. Both the Unofficial guide and tourguidemike.com have spent A LOT of time in research to help you avoid wasting time in lines - that's a big deal with a 4-yr. old.

allearsnet.com and wdwinfo.com both will give height restriction information for rides. You should check the ride refurbishment schedule there too so you don't get your 4 yr. old all excited about a ride that is closed.

I really recommend buying the Disney Sing-Along Songs video "Disneyland Fun" for your little one to watch - you can find it used very cheap on amazon or eBay. Disneyland is like WDW's Magic Kingdom and it'll help your child know what to expect. My daughter sort-of melts down with too much new information so it was a big help for her. There is a camp-out at Walt Disneyworld and an Animal Kingdom / Bugs LIfe Sing-Along too but I didn't think they were quite as good.

The Travel channel often has programs about Disneyworld. http://www.bartlett-sloan.net/tv/age...odeagenda=soon will give a list of any Disneyworld related programming for the upcoming week.

http://haysllc.com/DisneyLinks/index.../slide0001.htm is a page that simply offers lots of Disneyworld related links.

We've done WDW a lot. My husband is a fanatic and he loves taking people there for their first time. Please let me know if there is any other information that I can help you with. you can email at [email protected]

ajcolorado

The month that you are going to Disneyworld, go to ghirardelli.com and sign up to receive their g-mail. Check "yes" when they ask if you live w/in 50 miles of a Ghirardelli soda shop and they'll email a coupon for a buy-one-get-one-free Sundae that you can use at the Ghirardelli Soda shop at Downtown Disney.

Also, Epcot has the greatest thing for little kids - they're called "Kidcot Stations" and they're mostly around the World Showcase at each of the country pavillions. At the first (it doesn't matter where you start) your child will receive a mask on a stick (like a paint stick) to decorate. At each stop, he/she will receive another piece to add to the mask. They're just die-cut shapes to color but it sure kept my girls engaged. Epcot can be kind of a park for grown-ups but it was a favorite with my kids. Just be very aware of the entertainment schedule - otherwise it can seem like just a bunch of gift shops. A favorite was the acrobats at the China exhibit. They're kids, which really impressed my kids. The Candy maker at Japan also really impressed my kids.

fun4all4

You have gotten fantastic advice.The "Unofficial Guide" is very helpful. The All-Star resorts and Pop Century are the least expensive of the on-site Disney hotels. We really liked staying on property, especially with little ones, as it is easy to go back and forth for naps and swim breaks. Also, it feels like Disney fun even when you are not in the Parks.

If your time is short, I agree that EPCOT could be missed. However, I seem to be in the minority when I say that EPCOT has always been one of our favorites, even with younger kids. The jumping fountains, the evening lights and fireworks, the fun restaurants, and some of the attractions are just great for younger kids. It is also a nice park to walk around.

DO have a stroller with you or rent one. My kids rode at least part of the day till they were 6. And, it is a great place to pile and stash stuff like jackets or whatever.

What time of year are you planning to go? Have fun and Happy planning!

ajcolorado

This is HUGE - print it out, underline it in red and safety pin it to the shirts of everyone in your party....

If you want that classic photo of your beaming child on the Dumbo ride, you MUST be at the Magic Kingdom at least 20 minutes prior to opening. When the park opens, by-pass all the Characters along mainstreet and walk briskly directly to Fantasyland and go immediately to the Dumbo ride. Dumbo is the slowest loading ride of all the Disney attractions and it is hugely popular so the lines get incredibly long. This ride doesn't have a fast pass option. Also, Fantasyland has very little shade and is surrounded by concrete so it basically becomes a Boy Scout reflector oven in the afternoons. Do Dumbo, do fantasyland and then get out.

Mickey's Toontown Fair might be opening about the time you get done with Fantasyland - that's the place to get pictures with characters. Ride the Goofy's Barnstormer earlier rollercoaster if your child is up to it. If the line isn't long, hit Buzz Lightyear's Space Ranger Spin in Tomorrowland on your way through to Mickey's Toontown Fair. If it has a long long, pick up a fast pass and come back later. Try to divert your child's attention as you pass the Tomorrowland Speedway. The lines are horrible and it's not that fun.

A neat thing for littleones is the Tommorowland Transit Authority which lets them ride through Space Mountain without the fear factor of a rollercoaster. Be careful about "Stitch's Great Escape" - it could easily freak a 4 year old out.

If you are going during spring break or summer, you really need a touring plan.

ajcolorado

I'm going to take the roll of Devil's Advocate where Epcot is concerned. I think it is an absolutely awesome park for little kids because it is not so overwelming. Future World has a lot that kids love: Turtle Talk with Crush at the Living Seas (check out the Manatee, if Living Seas has one at the time of your visit). Ellen's Energy Adventure is a great one for dinosaur fans and offers 45 minutes of air conditioning and a bit of a break. Most 4 year olds can easily handle Test Track and Sourin' (do Sourin' first, immediately when the park opens). Honey I Shrunk the Audience is a 3D movie that freaks out some pre-schoolers but others love it. Imagination with Figment bores most adults but kids love it. And my daughter loved Spaceship Earth (the big golf ball, go in the afternoon when there is virtually no line. Lines get long in the morning because it is the first thing people come to). Club Cool is a Coca Cola gift shop that has free samples of sodas from around the world - watch out for the one from Italy (Yuck!).

Once the World Showcase opens, the Mexico ride is quite tame - Norway's ride is scarier. But Norway has a great Viking ship playground and princess meals at the castle. Most kids will stay interested through at least one Circle-Vision movie - I prefer China's to Canadas. China has those great child acrobats. The Outpost has African story-tellers Mon - Fri. Japan has the drummers and the Candy maker. Morocco is just cool to explore. Germany has a great miniature train set up that interests some kids. "Off Kilter" does a great show at Canada (rock & roll w/ bagpipes and kilts...what's not to love). There are a lot of Character meet & greet opportunities through out the park and there are the Kidcot stations. Buy a $5 fan at China and ask them to personalize it with your daughter's name in Chinese - pretty cool, cheap souviner. Although they'll write your child's name in Japanese or Chinese on their masks at the Kidcot stations, if you ask. Buy candy from different countries or take a photo tour of the world by taking a picture wearing a hat from each of the countries (in the gift shops). Ride the Friendship boats across the World Showcase lagoon and finish the evening with Illuminations (fireworks). Epcot is awesome.

It is true that you have to be aware of the entertainment & character schedule. Pick up a schedule at the park or check it out online at http://pages.prodigy.net/stevesoares/

Kristos (cirque du soliel type performance) and the Jammitors (Stomp-like garbage can percussion performance) are also popular with kids.

There's no place like it!

AuntAnnie

We left the park every afternoon and had a nice meal and/or nap...the crowds are at their peak and it was nice to get a break. Then we went back to the park for the evening. One thing to think about; the VOLUME in alot of the attractions is really high...it hurts my ears and can frighten little ones. Have fun!

miller20621

We took our 3 and 1/2 year old last year, and the above postings are excellent.

Unofficial Guide was our bible, the umbrella stroller was indispensable. We loved Animal Kingdom and Magic Kingdom, Epcot was a mixed bag, but they compensated with kid's "creation stations" and passport stamps that she collected eagerly.

We went in the off-season and found the best opportunity for meeting the characters at Mickey's "house" in ToonTown Fair. If your child is a little girl, the best opportunity to meet the princesses is at a character meal or at Belle's storytime- forget ToonTown, the princess' line is triple the others!

Dumbo was NOT worth it- neither is Alladin's carpet: same type of ride (slow loading and popular) that you can catch at a local fair.

We loved ths wilderness campground sing-along

Forget park-hoppers. The one day/one park pass will be more than enough

lingraham101

1) a great, and less crowded, character breakfast is at the Cape May Cafe at the Beach Club. It's an extensive buffet so there's somethinf for everyone, and while you're there you can go outside and look at the Beach Club's sand-bottomed lagoon pool.

2) Animal Kingdom is less "exciting" than the other parks, the attractions are often ones you have to go explore on your own so this might not be great for a four year old, unless your child loves exploring nature, in which case it would be wonderful

3) the above warnings about being overwhelmed are warranted - there is certianly a lot to do, and running through the park as soon as it opens will probably not be your best plan of action

4) the contemporary resort is very boring considering how expensive it is. it's probably the least themed of all the resorts. for a cheaper hotel, try the all-star sports, music, movies, or pop century resorts. they're disney's cheapest and they're very colorful and lively. the themes there are great and exciting for a little kid as everything is larger than life. for a moderate-deluxe resort, try the carribean or the beach club, which also has a great ice cream shop for sundaes and shakes.

5) if you enjoy water sports or swimming, going to Blizzard Beach is a great way to relax for a day without missing out on Disney magic. it's a water park themed after a ski resort, so it's a little bit of summer with holiday songs in the background. they have a whole separate kids park area with fun games and very tame water rides for small children. their wave pool also has much tamer waves than the one at typhoon lagoon.

6) downtown disney/the disney marketplace might also be fun to go for a little break from the hectic theme parks. they have a giant Lego store, and lots of little carts to buy mickey ears/souveniers

7)at mgm studios, the 50s cafe is very fun - the waitress is named "mom" and you'll feel like you're sitting in a 50s kitchen, complete with an old tv playing i love lucy in the background. also at mgm, the honey i shrunk the kids playground is great for four year olds too

8) the "fast passes" as they call them are wonderful. they allow you to go to the more crowded rides (splash mountain, space mountain, etc) and get a ticket. the ticket will have a time on it, and at that time (usually a couple hours after you get it) you go back to the ride and get in a special line, which will usually be no longer than 20-30 minutes long. however, fast-passes are probably offered for the bigger scarier rides for which your 4 year old may not be tall enough.

have fun, and bring good walking shoes!