Gary J. Viola

I will be traveling to Disney for 4 days with a 3 and 7 year old. I would like to see as much as possible, especially magic kingdom. Any recomendations for when and what to see first, second etc. would be great.
Thanks,
Gary

ilisa

Well, there are some questions to be answered first. Are you staying on resort property? What time of day will you be arriving? If you answer these, I can help you better. I have been to Disney so many times that I often help people create itineraries. Some things to keep in mind. You can do Animal Kingdom in half a day. So, if you are leaving Florida later in the day, you may want to save that to the very last day. I also personally love Epcot, and feel that it needs a whole day, and MGM only needs a half day. However, I don't have kids, so you may want to reverse that. MGM is great for kids. At Epcot, you may want to buy the kids "passports." They take these passports to each country in World Showcase and a cast member will sign them with a message in their native language. Since the MK is simply the best, you may want to give that a full day, and not go there the day you arrive. If you are staying on resort property, you can take advantage of early entry to the parks. Each day, a different park opens early to resort guests. You will definitely want to do character breakfasts. The one at Crystal Palace in the MK is great; it features Pooh and friends. We also like Chef Mickeys at the Contemporary. The breakfast at Cinderella's Castle is the most popular. Don't forget to get autograph books for the kids so the characters can sign them. There is so much information I can give you. Email me if you want more. Have fun at my favorite place on earth!

rebecca

I WENT THIS PAST MAY WITH MY 3 YEAR OLD. IF YOU HAVE A GIRL YOU WILL DEFINTELY WANT TO SEE ARIEL (THE LITTLE MERMAID) IN FANTASY LAND. YOUR CHILD WILL MEET WITH HER AND BE PREPARED TO TAKE PICTURES. YOU WILL SPEND ALOT OF YOUR TIME IN FANTASY LAND. OF COURSE YOU HAVE TO DO SNOW WHITE, PETER PAN, ITS A SMALL WORLD, WHAT CLASSICS. NEXT WE WALKED TO TOON TOWN. MY DAUGTER ENJOYED IT. YOU CAN WALK THRU MICKEY AND MINNIE'S HOUSE. WE SPENT ONE DAY AT MAGIC KINGDOM AND WE DIDN'T SEE EVERYTHING. I WOULD TRY TO GO TWICE. ANIMAL KINGDOM WAS NICE, BUT ONLY SO MUCH TO DO. RIGHT OUTSIDE OF ANIMAL KINGDOM IS A WONDERFUL RAINFOREST CAFE, AN ATTRACTION IN ITSELF. BE PREPARED TO WAIT THOUGH.

ilisa

Actually, if you are a resort guest, you can make priority seating reservations through Disney at Rainforest Cafe. A day in advance, I believe.

jan

We just got back from a week in WDW yesterday. We had planned to go to Animal Kingdom, but so many tourists that we met at the hotel told us they didn't particularily like it, that we didn't go! They said it was immensely crowded and they liked the other parks and Universal Studios and Sea World better. Also, I tried to get priority seating at the Rainforest Cafe both there and at Disney Marketplace. They do take priority seating 7 days in advance, but they had no priority seating times available at ANY TIME within the next 7 days and we were there in mid-October! So I'm not sure what that means. We have older children and loved Disney Quest (virtual reality play place at Disney West Side. Have a great trip!

Wendy

Gary: I highly recommend the book "The Unofficial Guide to Disney World". On our three trips with kids we have found the information the book provides to be very accurate and so helpful. The author lists all rides and attractions describing each, suggesting the least crowded times of the day to ride, and giving a "scariness" rating that is so helpful with kids. The book also gives a number of suggested itineraries for each of the parks. We followed the itinerary at Magic Kingdom and never waited more than 15 minutes for a ride.The inside hints on best places to stand for parades, best places to eat,and a great child care center at the Polynesian (called Never Land Club)
were all helpful.

Jennifer

Gary, you received plenty of great advice. but if you have anymore questions let me know. I work for Disney Reservations Center and have the inside scoop on all the new attractions.

ilisa

Jennifer, do you know when Test Track will be open?

Jennifer

Test track is scheduled to open at the end of the year, but I've heard that it may be put off until next year again.

Jill

Gary - I just had to chime in to say, my family an I went to Orlando last year. We really enjoyed Magic Kingdom, but UNIVERSAL STUDIOS was the best! My kids at the time were 5 and 7. What a thrill!!

betsy

Try not to make this trip a marathon and you will have a great time. With a 3 year old the parks can be very tiring and my suggestion is arrive very early to the park. This way the lines are shorter and you'll see more in a short time. By noon or one o'clock go back to the hotel for a rest or swim and return refreshed. Take 2 whole days for the Magic Kingdom, the kids will enjoy that park the most. Make sure you take breaks for water and snacks and watch out for the sun! Sunburn is the most frequent first aide problem.
Next, I would take them to the Animal Kingdom. The Lion King Show is a must, along with The Pocahontas and Grandmother Willow Show.
I could go on and on but having been to Disney several times, it is best to pace yourself and not overdo it or you can become cranky and exhausted and remember this is vacation and you are spending quite a bit of money. There is so much to see and chances are you'll be back.We found it helpful to have lunch and dinner reservations because we have gone during the more crowded times. Hey, have a great time and don't push too hard. This type of touring can be hard on a 3 year old.