Disney World with Kids
Jan 4th, 2007, 12:22 PM
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Disney World with Kids
Hello! We are planning a one time trip to Disney World with kids ages 10, 8, 6 next year. Jan-Mar maybe. I need help. I'm getting overloaded with information.
We are only planning to this trip once - so we want to make it really special for the kids.
Since we have a family of 5 - where should we stay?? We don't want a second room! Any ideas. All of your tips and helpful information would be very much appreciated.
We have 3 boys - they are all pretty brave. We would love to stay on-site, but have heard staying off site is nice too.
What a the must sees? Secrets? Tips, Tricks, etc.
We would love any good websites or books or package deals. Thanks!!!!
We are only planning to this trip once - so we want to make it really special for the kids.
Since we have a family of 5 - where should we stay?? We don't want a second room! Any ideas. All of your tips and helpful information would be very much appreciated.
We have 3 boys - they are all pretty brave. We would love to stay on-site, but have heard staying off site is nice too.
What a the must sees? Secrets? Tips, Tricks, etc.
We would love any good websites or books or package deals. Thanks!!!!
Jan 4th, 2007, 12:32 PM
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We were just at WDW last month and stayed at the Boardwalk Inn. Loved it! The rooms would work for your family...we had two queen beds with another small daybed in the room. The bathroom had the toilet and shower in one room, then a nice large double vanity separate from that, which makes getting ready much easier. There was a small balcony with some chair and a table as well. The hotel was a very short walk (not even 5 minutes) to the back gate of Epcot. The buses came to the front of the hotel for the other parks, and they were very well marked and came often.
Jan 4th, 2007, 12:38 PM
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There are lots of answers to your questions on Fodors. Do Disney World lodging or Disney World hotel in the search feature.
There's tons of disagreement with experiences or subjective likes being so different. We hardly go to Magic Kingdom and practically live in EPCOT, MGM when we have a group.
You need to hit AK for at least 1/2 a day to do the safari (animals are out the most early in the morning) early, IMHO. Also with boys you need to hit the Rock N Roll Rollercoaster among other rides at MGM.
There are lots of links on the other threads if you search.
I don't want to start another whole disagreement binge. I did Disney about 7 times over 30 decades. It is different and better now, but is always best when least crowded. In my book that is almost always in October. We have never had any late Sept. or October or early November trip with any lines to speak of. Sometimes they would start a show after we entered.
If I ever did it again, I would opt for the area behind EPCOT. It's prime for access to everything and getting the very most for your money. Extremely good food choices from higher to lower end as well are along that entire Boardwalk area/ lagoon. Yacht Club, or any of the other Boardwalk places have water sport and much else readily available. The Disney commute system is excellent but the times are almost nil for "in between" there. Swan, Dolphin are also good, as are Disney Institute etc. but they are geared more for adults. With boys, I think I would check the latest out in mid-$$ lodgings. Port Orleans, Carb. Beach and All-Sports etc. levels are ok, but just much more wasted time with bus commutes plus you can be stuck with their food courts. Not bad, but you could do, oh so better, having a pastry in France (EPCOT) for breakfast instead. Or brats in Germany.
AK Lodge is beautiful but has longer drive and longest waits for transport. It's last on all the commute lines and you are stuck there way too much. That is my opinion only. That was my worst stay by far and for the most money. Good restaurant on the higher $$$ end, but that's good lots of other places. I hear from a relative that the Wilderness trailer set ups are nice.
But I know for all the E ride and educational and thrill things we like to do, that behind EPCOT is the spot to be. Look at a map and follow the links.
I stood outside of Disney once. I never would again. There are many mousesavers that just don't make the in/out worth it. Do park hoppers only- not straight tickets.
There's tons of disagreement with experiences or subjective likes being so different. We hardly go to Magic Kingdom and practically live in EPCOT, MGM when we have a group.
You need to hit AK for at least 1/2 a day to do the safari (animals are out the most early in the morning) early, IMHO. Also with boys you need to hit the Rock N Roll Rollercoaster among other rides at MGM.
There are lots of links on the other threads if you search.
I don't want to start another whole disagreement binge. I did Disney about 7 times over 30 decades. It is different and better now, but is always best when least crowded. In my book that is almost always in October. We have never had any late Sept. or October or early November trip with any lines to speak of. Sometimes they would start a show after we entered.
If I ever did it again, I would opt for the area behind EPCOT. It's prime for access to everything and getting the very most for your money. Extremely good food choices from higher to lower end as well are along that entire Boardwalk area/ lagoon. Yacht Club, or any of the other Boardwalk places have water sport and much else readily available. The Disney commute system is excellent but the times are almost nil for "in between" there. Swan, Dolphin are also good, as are Disney Institute etc. but they are geared more for adults. With boys, I think I would check the latest out in mid-$$ lodgings. Port Orleans, Carb. Beach and All-Sports etc. levels are ok, but just much more wasted time with bus commutes plus you can be stuck with their food courts. Not bad, but you could do, oh so better, having a pastry in France (EPCOT) for breakfast instead. Or brats in Germany.
AK Lodge is beautiful but has longer drive and longest waits for transport. It's last on all the commute lines and you are stuck there way too much. That is my opinion only. That was my worst stay by far and for the most money. Good restaurant on the higher $$$ end, but that's good lots of other places. I hear from a relative that the Wilderness trailer set ups are nice.
But I know for all the E ride and educational and thrill things we like to do, that behind EPCOT is the spot to be. Look at a map and follow the links.
I stood outside of Disney once. I never would again. There are many mousesavers that just don't make the in/out worth it. Do park hoppers only- not straight tickets.
Jan 4th, 2007, 01:13 PM
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We stayed outside the park with our kids when they were this age. At the time it was the Holiday Inn Family suites right outside the gates, I think now it's the Nickelodeon Family suites. Our suite had a king bedroom, a room with bunk beds and playstation area and a pull out queen coach in the living/kitchenette area. It worked well for us. Our youngest tired at the parks and wanted to just go back and swim and play putt-putt at the hotel. It was nice to get away from all the disney overload although now that they've gone with a Nickelodean theme it may not be the same. The trip to the parks was easy but we had a car, you don't say if you are driving, flying, renting a car.
Jan 4th, 2007, 01:19 PM
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If you can afford to stay on WDW property, do it. It is much more convenient. WDW will let 5 stay in a room at the deluxe propertes- Contemporary, Polynesian, Grand Floridian and the Boardwalk. Those rooms have 2 double beds plus a sofa that sleeps one. Check out mousesavers.com for deals on WDW.
Jan 4th, 2007, 01:41 PM
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As to when to go, I would avoid March as it gets into spring breaks, so more people and more lines, etc.
If you click on my name, you can find my trip report from our time there. We used to live in Orlando, so knew what we wanted to do as far as the parks were concerned. On our trip last month, we were with another family who had boys age 6 and 9. So similar to your family. Anyway, we did Epcot for one afternoon/evening, then Magic Kingdom for a full day, then Animal Kingdom for about half a day. Our kids are teens, but with the younger kids in our group, we did not opt for park hoppers. One park per day was just right for our group, considering the ages.
Whichever parks you visit, be sure to think ahead of time which areas are of interest to your family, and hit those and get fastpasses early on. That way you can make the most of your time.
If you click on my name, you can find my trip report from our time there. We used to live in Orlando, so knew what we wanted to do as far as the parks were concerned. On our trip last month, we were with another family who had boys age 6 and 9. So similar to your family. Anyway, we did Epcot for one afternoon/evening, then Magic Kingdom for a full day, then Animal Kingdom for about half a day. Our kids are teens, but with the younger kids in our group, we did not opt for park hoppers. One park per day was just right for our group, considering the ages.
Whichever parks you visit, be sure to think ahead of time which areas are of interest to your family, and hit those and get fastpasses early on. That way you can make the most of your time.
Jan 4th, 2007, 02:19 PM
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I would call Disney reservations and ask them what the options are for a family your size. You might even consider staying in one of the villa accommodations at The Boardwalk since those include full kitchen facilities and two separate bedrooms. Then agian that might be too much but ask about every possibility.
i agree that it is definitely worth it to be ON the property even if you have to get two adjoining rooms. You'll save a lot of time and also money since you will not need a rental car to get to and from.
Also ask about the Disney express service from the airport to the accommodation.
You can also look at www.mouseplanet.com for further inforamtion.
i agree that it is definitely worth it to be ON the property even if you have to get two adjoining rooms. You'll save a lot of time and also money since you will not need a rental car to get to and from.
Also ask about the Disney express service from the airport to the accommodation.
You can also look at www.mouseplanet.com for further inforamtion.
Jan 4th, 2007, 02:56 PM
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There are a number of onsite options. How much are you looking to spend? Port Orleans Riverside will fit you all, but there is also the Fort Wilderness Cabins that are really nice too. More rustic, but plenty to do there! (like the campfire movie).
You can find information at www.allearsnet.com - that is a great site! Also Mousesavers.com, as far as saving money.
You can find information at www.allearsnet.com - that is a great site! Also Mousesavers.com, as far as saving money.
Jan 4th, 2007, 04:24 PM
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I just read they converted one of the economy resorts, I think it was All-Stars, to a family friendly resort by making the rooms two bedrooms with two baths. I'm not sure if it was completed or not, but would be a good option. The rooms at all the resorts are about the same size. They had floor plans in the book referenced below.
I would recommend the "Unofficial Guide to Disney World" as a book to read, they also have one for families. This has pros and cons from visitors which I though were very accurate. The first time I went to WDW I used this and the Fodor's book, both offered good advice. In fact I planned which days we visited which parks based on information I obtained from the book.
Check the mousesavers.com and disboard.com for good advice. I used both when picking out a place to stay at Disneyland a couple years back.
Even though they offer transportation, with the Kids you might want to rent a car, in the Unofficial Guide, it has a timetable with the comparison of car to bus. We drove to all the resorts, even though we had to pay for parking because we were staying off site, it was just more efficient for time. I would just confirm that if you stay at the resorts the parking fees to the resorts are included. I remember them being included when we stayed on site in 2001.
They have really changed up the ticket options, so figure out what will work best. in Jan-Mar, the waterparks may not be as appealing. We went this past Oct and I wasn't even interested and they look like great waterparks.
Hope this helps, you boys are old enough to really enjoy the trip. And don't worry about overload of information, it's good to get different opinions and everyone has one.
I would recommend the "Unofficial Guide to Disney World" as a book to read, they also have one for families. This has pros and cons from visitors which I though were very accurate. The first time I went to WDW I used this and the Fodor's book, both offered good advice. In fact I planned which days we visited which parks based on information I obtained from the book.
Check the mousesavers.com and disboard.com for good advice. I used both when picking out a place to stay at Disneyland a couple years back.
Even though they offer transportation, with the Kids you might want to rent a car, in the Unofficial Guide, it has a timetable with the comparison of car to bus. We drove to all the resorts, even though we had to pay for parking because we were staying off site, it was just more efficient for time. I would just confirm that if you stay at the resorts the parking fees to the resorts are included. I remember them being included when we stayed on site in 2001.
They have really changed up the ticket options, so figure out what will work best. in Jan-Mar, the waterparks may not be as appealing. We went this past Oct and I wasn't even interested and they look like great waterparks.
Hope this helps, you boys are old enough to really enjoy the trip. And don't worry about overload of information, it's good to get different opinions and everyone has one.
Jan 4th, 2007, 04:34 PM
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One tip would be that mid to late February is vacation time for northeastern states and the room rates and airfares go up quite a bit. Late Jan and early Feb is "low season" and you can get better deals.
Jan 5th, 2007, 07:02 AM
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Staying on Disney property is really nice. Are you flying into Orlando International Airport? If so, there is a free shuttle from the airport to the Disney resorts called "Disney's Magical Express". It is very convenient and very nice. For more info see: www.buildabettermousetrip.com/dme.html
We use the Disney transportation to the parks so we don't rent a car.
Port Orleans Riverside is probably the best choice on Disney property for a family of 5. The new family suites at All-Star Movies are pricey - you can actually get two connecting rooms for less $$. And the Port Orleans resort is very nice - the boys can cane fish right there. http://www.buildabettermousetrip.com...y-fishing.html You can also take a boat down to Downtown Disney.
My kids really enjoyed the Campfire Sing-Along with Chip & Dale & outdoor movie which is free: http://www.buildabettermousetrip.com...-campfire.html
As for when to go - anytime after New Years Week but not past the first week of March is great except that 3 day weekends like Presidents Day or MLK day will be busy.
Great books & sites: The Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World is think but full of information. www.tourguidemike.com is a subscription service (about $24, I think) that has a ton of great info and you can put together a touring plan - the sheer volume of articles is overwelming at first; just go through the express planner tutorial once without clicking any other links and you'll get a good overview. The Tour Guide Mike forums are very helpful and friendly. www.buildabettermousetrip.com is full service - you deal with people and they do it all for you but it costs more. The Birnbaum Official Guide to WDW is a good book for general information but the touring plans are not specific enough.
We use the Disney transportation to the parks so we don't rent a car.
Port Orleans Riverside is probably the best choice on Disney property for a family of 5. The new family suites at All-Star Movies are pricey - you can actually get two connecting rooms for less $$. And the Port Orleans resort is very nice - the boys can cane fish right there. http://www.buildabettermousetrip.com...y-fishing.html You can also take a boat down to Downtown Disney.
My kids really enjoyed the Campfire Sing-Along with Chip & Dale & outdoor movie which is free: http://www.buildabettermousetrip.com...-campfire.html
As for when to go - anytime after New Years Week but not past the first week of March is great except that 3 day weekends like Presidents Day or MLK day will be busy.
Great books & sites: The Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World is think but full of information. www.tourguidemike.com is a subscription service (about $24, I think) that has a ton of great info and you can put together a touring plan - the sheer volume of articles is overwelming at first; just go through the express planner tutorial once without clicking any other links and you'll get a good overview. The Tour Guide Mike forums are very helpful and friendly. www.buildabettermousetrip.com is full service - you deal with people and they do it all for you but it costs more. The Birnbaum Official Guide to WDW is a good book for general information but the touring plans are not specific enough.
Jan 5th, 2007, 07:08 AM
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The reason I would only go for park hopper is that you said you would probably only do this once. I agree, and I only did it once with my own kids- once with 2 of them and in another decade with the last one separately. My kids are eons apart in ages.
And with groups too, this is what happens: "Oh, we want to go on that for sure. Can't now, it doesn't start again for 70 minutes. Let's eat first- I want to go into the pool at ....." And you never get back to it.
So staying in one park all day and night gets tiring as well, and you need breaks. With park-hopper you can return to the one or two things you HAVE to do. Or skip to the end show at any one, near closing. Also read the books in depth and decide which rides/shows you HAVE to do ahead of time. We walked right by our very favorites two times each before we found them (my daughter and I both in different decades LOL!).
And if your kids are "scary" ones- or love the thrill rides, then you must read a bit for sure. There are some that are TOPS, but not for the fainter of heart. "Alien Encounter" was like that, although I think it is gone now. My boys LOVED it.
Don't miss, "It's Tough to Be a Bug" in AK- inside the Tree of Life. Do the educational in EPCOT. They are NOT boring, just require the boys to think. See the hanging hydro gardens in the LAND, especially. Your kids are smart, they know more than cartoons and make believe already.
Also, as far ahead of time as possible, make reservations for at least one dinner show. They are WORTH it. Also they get booked fast. My favorite was the luau, which is no more. But any of the dinner shows are good. And also possibly one breakfast with the characters. Or hit Mickey's where he roams instead.
Have a great time, and don't listen to the spoilers who want to ruin the rides by telling you too much ahead of time. Your boys will not pale, as long as they are tall enough to pass.
And with groups too, this is what happens: "Oh, we want to go on that for sure. Can't now, it doesn't start again for 70 minutes. Let's eat first- I want to go into the pool at ....." And you never get back to it.
So staying in one park all day and night gets tiring as well, and you need breaks. With park-hopper you can return to the one or two things you HAVE to do. Or skip to the end show at any one, near closing. Also read the books in depth and decide which rides/shows you HAVE to do ahead of time. We walked right by our very favorites two times each before we found them (my daughter and I both in different decades LOL!).
And if your kids are "scary" ones- or love the thrill rides, then you must read a bit for sure. There are some that are TOPS, but not for the fainter of heart. "Alien Encounter" was like that, although I think it is gone now. My boys LOVED it.
Don't miss, "It's Tough to Be a Bug" in AK- inside the Tree of Life. Do the educational in EPCOT. They are NOT boring, just require the boys to think. See the hanging hydro gardens in the LAND, especially. Your kids are smart, they know more than cartoons and make believe already.
Also, as far ahead of time as possible, make reservations for at least one dinner show. They are WORTH it. Also they get booked fast. My favorite was the luau, which is no more. But any of the dinner shows are good. And also possibly one breakfast with the characters. Or hit Mickey's where he roams instead.
Have a great time, and don't listen to the spoilers who want to ruin the rides by telling you too much ahead of time. Your boys will not pale, as long as they are tall enough to pass.
Jan 5th, 2007, 07:09 AM
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Some will say that Epcot is more of an adult park but I think Epcot is WONDERFUL for kids your kid's ages. Depending on the boys' temperaments, it might be a good idea to make Epcot your first park though - some kids will be skeptical of Epcot after they've been to Magic Kingdom.
Mission Space, Soarin’ and Test Track should be fine. Honey I Shrunk the Audience 3-D and Maelstrom might be a little scary for some but, again, I expect your boys will do just fine. Spaceship Earth, The Universe of Energy (Dinosaurs & 45 blessed minutes of air conditioning), and Journey into Your Imagination with Figment are all visually interesting for kids. One of the Innovention pavilions has a lot of things geared for kids. “The Seas with Nemo and Friends” is great for kids – marine life & “Turtle Talk with Crush” are fantastic. “The Land” has a character meal and there are Princess meals at the Norway Pavillion. There are Character Meet & Greets all through Epcot. There is some great entertainment too – the Jammitors are a “Stomp” like percussion group.
There are “Kidcot” stations throughout the World Showcase. Your kids can make a cardboard mask (free) at which ever station they stop at first. Then they can add a decoration at each additional station. The boat ride at the Mexico pavilion is similar to “It’s A Small World”. The kids may or may not enjoy the American Adventure or the Circle Vision movies in China & Canada. If I was going to choose one, I’d go with the China movie. There is a little hedge maze in the UK pavilion that is too short for adults to find challenging but I saw a bunch of kids gleefully running through. I also saw kids intrigued by the model train at the Germany pavilion. My kids loved wandering through the Morocco pavilion. There are Koi fish in the pond in Japan. Norway has a Viking boat play area. There is some fantastic entertainment that kids will enjoy: The “Serveur Amusant” (France) is a comedic balancing act. Japan has three great things for kids – “Matsuriza” is a traditional drum act; “Miyuki” is a very neat candy artist, and there is a Japanese Storyteller “Honobono Minwa” on Wed, Thurs, & Fri. Sergio (Italy) is a juggler. “OrisiRisi”, he drum circle and African Storytellers (Mon- Fri) in the Outpost get good reviews. Kids always love the Dragon Legend Acrobats (China) because they are children too. Some kids will enjoy “Off Kilter” (Canada) – bagpipe rock and “MoRockin” (Morocco) – Middle Eastern pop sounding band. IllumiNations is the evening fireworks show and it is excellent.
Epcot takes a little advance planning so that you see the entertainment that you want to see - some starts earlier in the day, others a little later in the afternoon. You'll received a "Times Guide" when you get to the park but you can get an idea of the schedule by clicking on the "Epcot" tab at http://pages.prodigy.net/stevesoares/
www.disneyworldlinks.com has lots of links to good WDW sites.
Mission Space, Soarin’ and Test Track should be fine. Honey I Shrunk the Audience 3-D and Maelstrom might be a little scary for some but, again, I expect your boys will do just fine. Spaceship Earth, The Universe of Energy (Dinosaurs & 45 blessed minutes of air conditioning), and Journey into Your Imagination with Figment are all visually interesting for kids. One of the Innovention pavilions has a lot of things geared for kids. “The Seas with Nemo and Friends” is great for kids – marine life & “Turtle Talk with Crush” are fantastic. “The Land” has a character meal and there are Princess meals at the Norway Pavillion. There are Character Meet & Greets all through Epcot. There is some great entertainment too – the Jammitors are a “Stomp” like percussion group.
There are “Kidcot” stations throughout the World Showcase. Your kids can make a cardboard mask (free) at which ever station they stop at first. Then they can add a decoration at each additional station. The boat ride at the Mexico pavilion is similar to “It’s A Small World”. The kids may or may not enjoy the American Adventure or the Circle Vision movies in China & Canada. If I was going to choose one, I’d go with the China movie. There is a little hedge maze in the UK pavilion that is too short for adults to find challenging but I saw a bunch of kids gleefully running through. I also saw kids intrigued by the model train at the Germany pavilion. My kids loved wandering through the Morocco pavilion. There are Koi fish in the pond in Japan. Norway has a Viking boat play area. There is some fantastic entertainment that kids will enjoy: The “Serveur Amusant” (France) is a comedic balancing act. Japan has three great things for kids – “Matsuriza” is a traditional drum act; “Miyuki” is a very neat candy artist, and there is a Japanese Storyteller “Honobono Minwa” on Wed, Thurs, & Fri. Sergio (Italy) is a juggler. “OrisiRisi”, he drum circle and African Storytellers (Mon- Fri) in the Outpost get good reviews. Kids always love the Dragon Legend Acrobats (China) because they are children too. Some kids will enjoy “Off Kilter” (Canada) – bagpipe rock and “MoRockin” (Morocco) – Middle Eastern pop sounding band. IllumiNations is the evening fireworks show and it is excellent.
Epcot takes a little advance planning so that you see the entertainment that you want to see - some starts earlier in the day, others a little later in the afternoon. You'll received a "Times Guide" when you get to the park but you can get an idea of the schedule by clicking on the "Epcot" tab at http://pages.prodigy.net/stevesoares/
www.disneyworldlinks.com has lots of links to good WDW sites.
Jan 5th, 2007, 07:38 AM
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Good job, ajcolorado! It's been years and my mind is fuzzy- but you've detailed some of EPCOT to a T. And yet, what is truly priceless is the times- maybe on an evening stroll there where you will come upon a mime act or some Italian serenade troup that will REALLY turn your kids' minds around the block.
My 10 year old boy actually almost leaned on what was a "living" statue in Italy. Then he spent a priceless 10 minutes getting her to smile. When she handed him her white caked rose, the entire audience who had gathered clapped. EPCOT is people and connection.
My 10 year old boy actually almost leaned on what was a "living" statue in Italy. Then he spent a priceless 10 minutes getting her to smile. When she handed him her white caked rose, the entire audience who had gathered clapped. EPCOT is people and connection.
