Orlando with 2 young children
Jul 24th, 2002, 09:03 AM
#2
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They will love Mickey's playpark and stage show for kids on the far right side of Magic Kingdom's Fantasy Land. Also the train that goes around the park, and It's a Small World, and possibly the Wedway People Mover (if it still exists). The four year old will of course be able to enjoy more, such as the Carousel, Dumbo, Aladin's new ride, Peter Pan's Flight, Buzz Lightyear, and Pirates of the Caribbean. A PBJ lunch would be great out at Tom Sawyer's Island, where they can "explore!"
Not much at MGM or Epcot for them to love, but do go to Epcot so you and your husband can explore the countries. Just be sure both kids are in strollers - as that's way the back of the park! Consider eating in front of the huge aquarium of the Living Seas. If you go to MGM, the 4-year old might enjoy the Honey, I Shrunk the Kids playground and Muppet Vision 3-5.
Animal Kingdom has some fun attractions for little ones in the Dinosaur excavation playpark, the Bug's Life 3-D show, and the Safari Adventure.
There is a RainForest Cafe there, but many little ones are scared by the dark, loud, atmosphere.
Get an early start each day and head back to the hotel for a pool break mid-afternoon. Don't try to do too much! Relax and have FUN!
Not much at MGM or Epcot for them to love, but do go to Epcot so you and your husband can explore the countries. Just be sure both kids are in strollers - as that's way the back of the park! Consider eating in front of the huge aquarium of the Living Seas. If you go to MGM, the 4-year old might enjoy the Honey, I Shrunk the Kids playground and Muppet Vision 3-5.
Animal Kingdom has some fun attractions for little ones in the Dinosaur excavation playpark, the Bug's Life 3-D show, and the Safari Adventure.
There is a RainForest Cafe there, but many little ones are scared by the dark, loud, atmosphere.
Get an early start each day and head back to the hotel for a pool break mid-afternoon. Don't try to do too much! Relax and have FUN!
Jul 24th, 2002, 09:44 AM
#4
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Go to www.disboards.com for all the info you'll ever need.
Jul 24th, 2002, 12:38 PM
#7
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We took my daughter and son, ages 3 and 4 months at the time, to Orlando in May. It was my daughter's 2nd time there, having been there at 19 months. She loved Mickey's Toontown Fair, just about everything in Fantasyland (not fond of Snow White), Pirates of the Caribbean, Aladdin's Magic Carpets. At MGM, there are some great shows, such as Bear in the Big Blue House. Honey, I Shrunk the Kids Playground is also good. At Epcot, my daughter got a kick out of the boat ride at Mexico and Spaceship Earth. She even liked Maelstrom at Norway. At Animal Kingdom, do not miss Festival of the Lion King. It is truly the best show at Disney. The Kilimanjaro Safaris are wonderful for kids, also. Take them to Rafiki's Planet Watch and let them pet the animals at the petting zoo. When you are at Epcot, buy the oldest a passport at World Showcase, then go from country to country getting it stamped. Cast members will write greetings in their native language in it. There are also Kid Stops at each country where the children can make a craft with a cast member. Characters can be scary for children, so if they show fear at all, don't force them to hug, smile, etc. Use FastPass whenever possible - it was truly a godsend. We found some of the parades to be at inconvenient times. For example, the parade at the Magic Kingdom was at 3:00pm, just when we were back at the hotel for naps and pool time. The most important thing is to let your children's needs dictate your schedule. Do not try to do the parks commando style. You will all be much happier.
Aug 6th, 2002, 09:56 PM
#8
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I've been to WDW many times, and this year I've gone twice with my 2 year old daughter. I did read the book mentioned above on WDW with Kids and its worth it for some great suggestions on things you probably didn't consider. The rides info there will be invaluable. I know I learned a lot from the book. Looking over maps and the transportation system yourself ahead of time wouldn't hurt either.
Every kid is different, and my advice is start slow and easy and then build to see what they tolerate. A 4 year old and a 1 year old will like different things so I hope you are traveling with a companion so you can split up if need be. Here's some things that worked for us:
1. Watch Disney videos (Like Pooh, etc.) before you go and your kids will probably be quicker to respond to the characters. If you find they are, definately do a character meal like lunch at the Crystal Palace in the MK. We went there in peak season without a reservation and only waited 15 min because we ate a late lunch. Also, Mickey's Toontown fair gets deserted at about 8:30pm. We walked right in to visit with the characters with little to NO WAIT both times even in peak season. I suggest going to the parks in the morning, break for a long nap, then go back to the parks in the evening.
2. Waiting in lines for anything with a toddler can be tough. Working against the crowds really helped. Visiting rides during the parades was great, and the FastPass system was a lifesaver. You can use it to for some big people fun too. Space Mountain exits into a video arcade and my husband and I switched off watching my daughter in the arcade while we went on the rides separately.
3. The Magic Kingdom will probably be the place the kids like best, and staying in a monorail hotel was the best to be able to come and go quickly from the parks. The boat launch was also the quickest way home at park closing as even the monorail gets mobbed. At MK, I suggest starting with Small World, the Carousel, and Winnie the Pooh. Tomorrowland has the TTA train, and also the steam train around the park was also fun. The Country Bear Jamboree was a huge hit. Jungle Cruise was great, but Pirates of the Carribean was too scary. The 4 year old will like almost anything else in FantasyLand and Mickey's Toontown in addition. From there, see how it goes.
4. Bring a videocamera on your 1st and last day for a great memento. My daughter watches our trip video every day (I'm not kidding!). I'm so glad we have it.
5. I don't recommend trying to go to the parks more than two days in a row without a break. Plan a day to stay around your hotel. There are plenty of things to do, especially the swimming pools. It would be a shame to miss some less expensive fun that will refresh you for your time inside the parks. Break up the trip with swimming, shopping at DT Disney and the Boardwalk area, touring other hotels and just exploring. It made the whole trip more relaxing. Have a great time!
Every kid is different, and my advice is start slow and easy and then build to see what they tolerate. A 4 year old and a 1 year old will like different things so I hope you are traveling with a companion so you can split up if need be. Here's some things that worked for us:
1. Watch Disney videos (Like Pooh, etc.) before you go and your kids will probably be quicker to respond to the characters. If you find they are, definately do a character meal like lunch at the Crystal Palace in the MK. We went there in peak season without a reservation and only waited 15 min because we ate a late lunch. Also, Mickey's Toontown fair gets deserted at about 8:30pm. We walked right in to visit with the characters with little to NO WAIT both times even in peak season. I suggest going to the parks in the morning, break for a long nap, then go back to the parks in the evening.
2. Waiting in lines for anything with a toddler can be tough. Working against the crowds really helped. Visiting rides during the parades was great, and the FastPass system was a lifesaver. You can use it to for some big people fun too. Space Mountain exits into a video arcade and my husband and I switched off watching my daughter in the arcade while we went on the rides separately.
3. The Magic Kingdom will probably be the place the kids like best, and staying in a monorail hotel was the best to be able to come and go quickly from the parks. The boat launch was also the quickest way home at park closing as even the monorail gets mobbed. At MK, I suggest starting with Small World, the Carousel, and Winnie the Pooh. Tomorrowland has the TTA train, and also the steam train around the park was also fun. The Country Bear Jamboree was a huge hit. Jungle Cruise was great, but Pirates of the Carribean was too scary. The 4 year old will like almost anything else in FantasyLand and Mickey's Toontown in addition. From there, see how it goes.
4. Bring a videocamera on your 1st and last day for a great memento. My daughter watches our trip video every day (I'm not kidding!). I'm so glad we have it.
5. I don't recommend trying to go to the parks more than two days in a row without a break. Plan a day to stay around your hotel. There are plenty of things to do, especially the swimming pools. It would be a shame to miss some less expensive fun that will refresh you for your time inside the parks. Break up the trip with swimming, shopping at DT Disney and the Boardwalk area, touring other hotels and just exploring. It made the whole trip more relaxing. Have a great time!
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nikkir31
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