My question is not about tickets and hotels and so no stones please I was more curious as to what you found worked well and what didn't. What was a waste of money vs. what was worth it. What would you love to do again? What would you never do again?How did you "do things" as far and time allotment within the parks, etc...

We are going in April with a baby and a preschooler. We have the ticket and accomodations situation mapped out already. I have been to mousesavers and disboards and was quite overwhelmed with info. (Quite frankly, I hadn't a clue as to most of the things they were discussing!)

I would love to hear your input!

With a baby and a pre-schooler I think I would limit my stay to one day followed by a day of something less stressful (hanging around at the pool, drive to the beach, etc) and space out the time. It is very stimulating and honestly, at that age, they will barely remember it. So you should put YOU at the top of the list. You will be limited to rides that your children are tall enough for. Stick to less adult-oriented things, go to restaurants early or late so you can relax, eat breakfast elsewhere, be prepared to go back to the hotel if they get tired, etc.

What worked well for us was staying on the property (we stayed at the Contemporary). You definitely want easy access between the parks and your hotel for naps, etc. We went when nieces were 3 and 5 and had a great time. Personally, I would think kids younger than that won't really get much out of it. We did the character breakfast and it was a huge hit, but take into consideration that the kids don't eat a thing cause they're too busy looking at the characters! And it's an expensive breakfast when they don't eat anything!

I second the advice to stay on the Disney property. Getting back to your lodging for breaks or changes of clothes is much less time-consuming if you stay on-site. The transportation system within the property is first rate with very short waits for buses and monorails. Try to enjoy just one area each day. Moving around from one park to another, then to another could be frustrating for a pre-schooler. With kids that age I would avoid MGM Studios. Although great for adults, there is probably little that would impress a pre-schooler except for the Muppets. Take at least one day to do one of the water parks at Disney.

Bring your own strollers - maybe invest in an inexpensive double umbrella stroller with the roof/sunblock.

Ignore people who say you won't enjoy it. We've gone with babies and toddlers and just took it easy. It was wonderful.

Disney is a "theme" park, rather than a "thrill" park - although they're adding more and more thrill attractions. But a lot of things will be accessible to you and your kids.

You can do a parent swap on anything that your kids cannot do. Go through the line and tell the attendant that this is what you need to do. They'll give instructions for where one parents waits w/ the kids while the other rides the ride, then you switch - eliminating the need to go through the line twice.

Buy or Check out an "Unofficial Guide to Walt Disneyworld" from your library. It'll be huge and you'll be tempted to be overwelmed but hang in there. They give ride descriptions with ratings for different age groups - it'll warn you if something is scary for little ones. Also, in the back there are park touring plans for guests with little ones. Cut them out or copy them and just cross off anything you don't want to do. These people have spent a lot of time developing strategies for avoiding long lines - this is very important. Little ones don't like lines. Having a touring plan doesn't have to be a nazi agenda but it is important. You'll see a lot more with a lot less frustration.

If you're not having fun, stop and figure out why. Are you hot? Thirsty? Tired? Do what needs to be done - which might mean going back to the hotel for a nap and a swim and coming back in the late afternoon. This should be an enjoyable experience - not an endurance run.

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.
Author: nls
Date: 01/23/2006, 11:13 pm
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.



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Author: offlady
Date: 01/24/2006, 04:00 am
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.



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Author: Intrepid1
Date: 01/24/2006, 04:30 am
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.



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Author: kflodin
Date: 01/24/2006, 06:09 am
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.




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Author: schmerl
Date: 01/24/2006, 07:19 am
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.



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Author: gail
Date: 01/24/2006, 07:40 am
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.



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Author: dsquared
Date: 01/24/2006, 08:29 am
"* 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.




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Author: mamafez
Date: 01/24/2006, 09:15 am
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.



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Author: ajcolorado
Date: 01/24/2006, 10:55 am
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]

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. Skip "Stitch's Great Escape" - it is too intense for little ones.

I am so sorry - I owe everone a huge apology - I was trying to transfer some information about getting the most out of fantasy land and ended up copying a whole thread - that's horrible. Please forgive me.

Thank you so much for all of the helpful info. I had heard about the book but I couldn't remember the name. We will be staying on Disney property so that will make this somewhat easier!

I second most of the suggestions, especially the character breakfasts, my little girls loved it!! Do the baby swap on the attractions you want to do, also bring your own stroller, snacks and waters.

My two cents - -
1. Schedule the last seating of the character breakfast at one of the parks and think of it as brunch. This worked well for us. We had a little snack before leaving the hotel, got to the park early and did the Magic Kingdom rides like Dumbo. We broke about 10:30 for a nice meal (Winnie the Pooh, Chrystal Palace) and then back to the park for more fun.
2. Observe the "2 yells" rule. If you have yelled at your child and/or had tears more than twice, then it's time to take a break back at the hotel. This is supposed to be fun - a forced march thru an amusement park isn't a memory that anyone would treasure.
3. Stop and smell the roses. Your children will want to play in fountains, climb rocks and do other things that seem like a waste of time if you want to ride, ride, ride. Let them take the time to do these things - it's not a once in a lifetime event. Going at their pace means less likelihood of reaching the 2 yell limit!

We just got back from a Disney trip with our 2-year old - we had a blast. Some hints that I'd pass on:

-Defintely take your own umbrella stroller(s). I never rented one, but I thought the Disney rental strollers looked really big and bulky. Our umbrella stroller reclined slightly, so we'd plop the 2-year old in there around nap time with snack and he'd pass out immediately. He's pretty laid back - so he actually took a real nap in the stroller every day (lucky us) while we had a leisurely lunch, rode some grown up rides, or checked out some shops.

-Bring your own lunch and snacks (lots of snacks!). We saved a lot of money just by filling our CamelBack with wather and bringing in PB&Js every day. Snacks were great when lines got long - twizzlers were a great hit for him because it was a new snack and for me because they weren't sticky (like lollipops) and he couldn't spill them (like goldfish, etc.)

-At Magic Kingdom - get there early and make a beeline for the area at the back (adventureland, I think) that has all the kids ride. Get a fast pass for one and then hop into the Dumbo line while it's short - maybe even do it a couple times. Unless your 4 year old is set on seeing characters other than the standard (Mickey, Donald, Goofy, Pluto), skip the lines at the Judge's Tent to see the characters.

-Our 2 year old didn't get much out of Epcot, but it might be better with a 4 year old. One great thing about Epcot is the character greetings. If you're there soon after opening, just go to the character greeting room close to the main entrance, across from Innoventions, and you'll get to meet Mickey, Minnie, Donald, Goofy, etc. with very little wait.

-Animal Kingdom was fabulous for our 2 year old. Again, we got there right after opening and actually "finished" before his nap - this park is a good one to start off with or finish with.

I guess my biggest suggestion would be to not plan to do everything while you're there. Do what you can at a reasonable pace and take time for snacks, swimming at the hotel, etc.

Have fun!

We've only been twice so are certainly no experts.

Last year we brought our umbrella stroller for our 3 year old (whose actually a little heavy for one but they are ideal for travelling). To be honest with you we NEVER used it...we always ended up renting at the parks, never found there was a shortage, easy to get, easy to return (March) and much sturdier than the old cheapie we had.

We did a character dinner .. princess storybook or something like that...she enjoyed it. I would definetely limit park time and try to just savor the family time at the hotel/pool. Quite frankly we always found our kids enjoyed those days just as much as the marathon sessions at the parks. The last time we went we also did an "every other day" thing, one day hotel/one day rental. On the days we vegged by the pool we ate better, more leisurely meals, walked around Downtown Disney (Lego's), etc. Then we were more rested for the days at the parks. With children the ages of yours, I'd say Magic Kingdom is your best bet. Personally I was disappointed in Epcot our last time there. To me it's turning into one huge food court with overpriced mediocre food. It lost some of it's fun for me. This time I enjoyed MGM much more....

I made the mistake of 1) taking a two year old on Mr. Toad's WIld Ride--it's scary, don't do that! She didn't want to go on any rides that went inside after that, and 2) focusing on rides vs. shows. The kids would have liked the shows better, I realized after they gasped their way through the parade. The younger was so excited it actually brought tears to my eyes to see her so happy.

When my daughter was 3, we were in a long, long, long line to meet Mickey Mouse and get his autograph inside his "house." She was getting really fussy and causing a scene, and I asked my husband to take her out while I waited in line with the older kids. Well, to this day, she complains that she didn't get to meet Mickey and get his autograph! If only I knew then...

I took my kids to Disney twice when they were school age. What I would do differently, is NOT GO. We had a good time, but now that they're grown up and my husband and I do much more traveling, I'm wishing I would have taken the kids to 'real life' destinations, not the Disney version.

On our travels now, I see families happily treking through the jungle, hiking old lava flows, and enjoying the company of the local population.

I'm not Disney bashing, like I said, we had a good time. I just wish I could have seen the 'bigger' picture 20 years ago.

We were there in February with a 2 yr old and a 5 yr old (along with older siblings) and had a wonderful experience. My recommendations for the little ones:

There are plenty of opportunities to see the characters without doing a meal (although we did have a great time at the Crystal Palace.) EPCOT and AK in particular have areas with the characters with little or no wait times (in contrast to Town Town in MK where the lines can get long in the tent)

In the Magic Kingdom, my little ones were enthralled with Belle’s story time. Consider having mom or dad take them on the Indy Speedway (do this early AM) – both my kids loved the opportunity to “drive” (and have the other parent hang out by the photo spot by Toon Town to get the photo). The Magic Carpet ride over by the Tiki room is similar to Dumbo – but the lines were much shorter. They both liked Small World, Jungle Cruise & Tiki room

At EPCOT, my kids enjoyed going around the nations and collecting the stamps for their passports at each of the countries in the “Kidcot” areas. They also got the mask offered and colored them and collected the charms

At AK, my kids enjoyed the safari ride. At AK, ,the Triceratops spin is very similar to Dumbo without the wait – the five year old went on it over and over again. They both loved the Lion King show. They did not like Bug’s Life – probably got scared more from people in the theatre screaming than anything else.

At MGM, they loved the Disney Playhouse, Little Mermaid, Muppetvision, & the Beauty & the Beast show

They loved identifying all the Disney characters in the daytime parades at MK, AK & MGM. Recommend finding a shady spot about an hour in advance on the parade route.

We also took them to Blizzard Beach. While the waves were too strong for them in the big tidal pool, they loved the slides and tubes over in the Tikes Peak area for the pre-school set.

If they are unfamiliar with the Disney characters, pick up or rent a Disney video or two and watch them with them before you go. Getting them familiar with Chip & Dale, Goofy, Pooh, Mickey, etc in advance makes seeing the characters up close & personal so much easier. Start out by walking up slowly to the most familiar characters with them on Day 1, before you know it they will be racing up on their own (with their autograph books).

You will have a great time – my two year old is already asking when we are going back!

JeanH, I have to respond to your post. We have taken our kids to Disneyland, Disneyworld and Disneyland Paris, as well as to a number of "real life" locations. We just returned from Costa Rica and it is so ironic that our last vacation before that was to Disneyworld. We all just kept saying, "This is just like what Disney tries to create...but it's real!" Our hotel was what the Polynesian Resort tries to recreate; the "jungle cruise" had real monkeys and crocodiles, etc. It was neat that our kids were able to contrast Disney and "real."

Missypie, That's exactly what I was trying to say. Nothing wrong with Disney, but the real thing is just so much better. Your kids are lucky, they've been able to do both.

I haven't done Disney yet with my kids, so this advice isn't coming from me. However, my coworker recently went with his two school-age kids. His strong recommendation was to stay on the Disney property, get to the park as soon as it opens and stay through lunch. Come back after lunch, rest, swim at the hotel pool and return to Disney for dinner and the parade in the evening. For him, it was enough "fun" for the kids, without wearing them out. Just a thought.

JeanH,

Giving advice to NOT GO, when jetprincess has indicated she already has the tickets and accommodations mapped out, is rather mean-spirited. Remember she is traveling with a baby and a pre-schooler so “roughing it” on a real world adventure is not practical. I’ve taken my older kids on trips to Hawaii, the USVI, Niagara Falls, Northern & Southern California, the Utah National Parks, big cities with historical significance like Washington & Philadelphia,.as well as to Disney and they have enjoyed them all. Going to remote locations becomes a lot more doable as the kids get older and you don’t need to worry about diapers, baby formula, nap time, etc. She has plenty of time as the kids grow up to expand their horizons and experience different things.- watching a four year old interact with Goofy or Tigger is just a precious a memory for me as having them experience the wonder of the Grand Canyon!