Partyof4_2013

We are booking a vip tour at Disney World in Orlando. Our tour guide is asking what attractions, rides, shows are "must-see" for our family??? She gave us a bunch of recommendations and i totally agree with her, but would like to hear more suggestions. What would you recommend for a family with two kids ages 6 and 9 years old?
We will have a two day tour. First day Hollywood studios and the second - Magic kingdom.

Thank you!!!

doug_stallings

At Magic Kingdom, make sure you include at least one appropriate character meet and greet. Lines can be long here. And eat at Be Our Guest in the new Fantasyland, which is the must-see area you should concentrate on so you can do it all. Dumbo is one of my all-time favorites. I also consider Pirates of the Caribbean a must-see, and I think it's appropriate for a 6 year-old.

To be honest, I'm not sure I'd have chosen Hollywood Studios; I'd have chosen Animal Kingdom in the hope that you could go behind the scenes at the park. To me, it's more fun than going behind the scenes with the animators at Hollywood Studios, and most of the rides (with the exception of Dinosaur, which is scary) are more suitable for kids the age of yours. But perhaps your kinds are more into movies and cartoons than animals (I was the opposite at that age).

Also, the two best rides at Hollywood Studios, Rock n Rollercoaster and Twilight Zone Tower of Terror, aren't going to work for your youngest and perhaps not even for the 9 year-old.

Brian_in_Charlotte

Are the kids into Star Wars? If so, be sure to sign them up for Jedi training at HS where they finish by fighting Darth Vader. The 9 year old might be too old, but it was the highlight of the trip for our 5-year old. The Star Wars simulation ride next door is a lot of fun for kids and adults.

The Extreme Stunt Show was enjoyable.

Toy Story Mania is, I think, the most popular ride at HS, and was pretty fun.

doug_stallings

Oh ... one more thing. You can now get priority seating at parades, but I'm not sure which one is best. And make sure to see if you can get a behind the scenes tour of Cinderella's Castle. Maybe you can see the room where people can stay in the castle at night. (And, yes, I'd choose Be Our Guest over breakfast or lunch at Cinderella's Royal Table ... there now quite a few good meet-and-greet options that don't require meals.)

Brian_in_Charlotte

I spent a lot of time trying to convince my wife that HS was not a great match for a 5-year old, lost the argument, and she turned out to be 100% correct. He enjoyed HS much more than Magic Kingdom where a lot of the rides seemed geared toward 3-4 year olds.

I do agree that it'd be a bad idea to take the 6 year old on the Rock n Rollercoaster or Tower of Terror unless he/she is absolutely fearless. Even then it'd probably be a bad idea.

Partyof4_2013

oh..thank you, guys! Yes, i love the Tower of Terror. my last visit to Disney World was 7 years ago. daddy was watching our first son while mommy was flying up and down in the elevator. I think it is a bit too early for them.
Doug_Stallings, we are not booking the tour through Disney - too expensive - $340 per hour! I decided to book with a private company. My friend used to tour for them and i am confident they do a good job. someone warned me in a previous thread about illegal companies that use "disabled pass", but this one doesn't.
We will go to Animal Kingdom, but on our own. It is not as busy as Magic Kingdom and Hollywood Studios.

Jennamyers

Partyof4_2013, what company r u using? How much do they charge? Per person or per hour?

Partyof4_2013

Here you can find info about the company and rates - http://www.disneyviptour.com
They charge $100 p/hr.

The 9 year old is trying to convince me that Tower of Terror is "not that scary"!!! He is saying that Dumbo is for little babies and he is not going to ride it! hahah...

Partyof4_2013

It is going to be chilly in December: Hist. Avg.
70° Lo 50°

sharona

I'm pretty sure my nephew was 9 (10 at the most) when we went to Disney a few years ago. He LOVED Tower of Terror and it is still one of his all-time favorite rides. You know your son best but don't discount it simply because of his age. There might be a height requirement to exclude young children but I can't remember.

rizzo0904

Hollywood Studios has a free animation academy. They last 30 minutes and are free, but you need to sign up for them. Bring empty paper towel tubes to put your art in so it doesn't get damaged.

rizzo0904

What month are you going and where are you staying?

rizzo0904

Oh, sorry, just saw December. You may want to consider EPCOT and the Candlelight Processional. I *think* they are already taking reservations.

At MK, consider the Wishes dessert party. Reservations open about 2 months prior.

rizzo0904

And you don't need to waste money on a tour guide. Arrive at rope drop, hit the headliners first, learn how to use fast pass, and you'll be fine.