Wanna have some fun and help me in the process?!?! THANKS in advance :)

[AliVal]

Hello DIS’rs! I was hoping that maybe you wouldn’t mind answering these quickie questions for me. Your answers will help me plan the most magical vacay to WDW for my family. So, if you’d like to play along with my little survey, just cut and past the questions below in a post (and don’t forget to include your answers )
Hopefully it will be fun for you too!

1. On property or off?
2. 3 favorite hotels/resorts
3. Magical Express or other?
4. rent a stroller or byo?
5. meal plan or no meal plan?
6. List 5 favorite character meals
7. List 3 favorite restaurants for “grown-ups” or “date night”
8. List 5 favorite counter service meals
9. Ship or pack your own snacks/use garden grocer or other?
10. List 10 things that are a must to pack in your backpack for a day in the parks
11. 3 must see firework displays
12. 2 must see parades
13. What is the best tip you can offer for a newbie planning their first family vacay?

Thanks!!

[Perditamarie]

1. On property or off?
ON Property!! Enjoy the magic at your resort, take a vacay from driving, and enjoy perks like magical express and EMH

2. 3 favorite hotels/resorts

Beach Club, Beach Club and Boardwalk

3. Magical Express or other?

Magical Express....what is more convenient than a free ride that will pick up your luggage for you??

4. rent a stroller or byo?

Bring your own...you will need in airport and resort and when you see the rental prices, you will regret not bringing your own!

5. meal plan or no meal plan?

Depends....super convenient to have everything pre-paid, but a pain to coordinate every day to ADRs....don't do the meal plan if you can't commit to ADRs or consider the quick-service plan.

6. List 5 favorite character meals

Crystal Palace, Cinderella's Castle and Norway. Chef Mickey's is great for characters, not so much food.

7. List 3 favorite restaurants for “grown-ups” or “date night”

one day perhaps, we will have a date night! Would love to try California Grill.

8. List 5 favorite counter service meals

Pizzafari at AK, Village Haus at MK, fish n chips in UK at Epcot, Sunshine Seasons at Epcot, Starring Rolls Bakery at HS

9. Ship or pack your own snacks/use garden grocer or other?

Both!! Pack your non-perishable snacks, granola bars, cereal and order milk, yogurt, water, juice boxes, etc from gardengrocer.com

10. List 10 things that are a must to pack in your backpack for a day in the parks

camera, autograph book & pen, sunscreen, ponchos/umbrella, hand sanitizer, flavoring mix to add to bottled water, chapstick, money, emergency snack/treat for kids for lines/meltdowns

11. 3 must see firework displays

Wishes (if you are ambitious, try to catch it while flying around in Dumbo!)

12. 2 must see parades

Spectromagic, each and every time it is offered!

13. What is the best tip you can offer for a newbie planning their first family vacay?

Read travel guides to increase your depth of knowledge and to find out what will/won't interest you to best use your time.

Happy planning!

[Maggie'sMom]

1. On property or off?
On
2. 3 favorite hotels/resorts
WL, POFQ, POR. In that order. But I've only stayed at 4 so far. CBR was the other.
3. Magical Express or other?
Magical Express
4. rent a stroller or byo?
With a 3 yo, I'd bring your own. It's nice to use at the resort.
5. meal plan or no meal plan?
Meal plan. $10.99 per day for a child is a great deal, especially if you are planning to do character meals.
6. List 5 favorite character meals
Crystal Palace, CRT, 1900 Park Fare. I'd put LTT on the list if there were still characters there. Hopefully Disney will bring them back.
7. List 3 favorite restaurants for “grown-ups” or “date night”
LeCellier is the only one I've done that I'd classify as a "date night" restaurant.
8. List 5 favorite counter service meals
Tangerine Cafe (Epcot), Columbia Harbor House (MK), Wolfgang Puck Express (DTD), Flame Tree BBQ (AK)
9. Ship or pack your own snacks/use garden grocer or other?
It depends on how much you want and what you want. If you want a lot of stuff or if you want things that are perishible (like milk), it makes sense to use one of the grocery delivery services. I like Wegoshop. If there isn't a whole you want/need, either pack some in your suitcases or ship it ahead of time.
10. List 10 things that are a must to pack in your backpack for a day in the parks
sunscreen, hand sanitizer, wet wipes, camera, extra batteries for the camera, autograph book and pen (for DD), snacks, bandaids, Motrin or Tylenol, disposable ponchos
11. 3 must see firework displays
Wishes, Illuminations, Fantasmic (there are only 3 major ones, unless you count the ones during the Halloween and Christmas parties)
12. 2 must see parades
Spectromagic, I can do without the rest.
13. What is the best tip you can offer for a newbie planning their first family vacay?
Make a plan, but be flexible enough to go with the flow once you are there.

[kwitcherkicken99]

1. On property or off? ON! I love taking advantage of the transportation, but most importantly, EMH!!!
2. 3 favorite hotels/resorts. Contemporary, Coronado Springs, Poly
3. Magical Express or other? We are close enough to drive, so I say car!
4. rent a stroller or byo? Bring your own! The rates for a double were $31/day in April
5. meal plan or no meal plan? we went without on our last trip... aside from being forced to plan out meals, I say go for it
6. List 5 favorite character meals Ohana, Chef Mickey's
7. List 3 favorite restaurants for “grown-ups” or “date night” I love the Biergarten!!! (though it's not terribly great for dates - it can get loud!), California Grill
8. List 5 favorite counter service meals Flame Tree BBQ, Pinocchio's Village Haus
9. Ship or pack your own snacks/use garden grocer or other? We packed our own. 100 calorie packs and pb & j!
10. List 10 things that are a must to pack in your backpack for a day in the parks snacks, umbrella, sunscreen, microfiber towel (for the wet stuff), lip balm, camera, extra batteries, bottle or two of water, change of socks (random, but dry feet are wonderful!!!), ziplock bag (1-2 gallon)
11. 3 must see firework displays Wishes.
12. 2 must see parades Spectro, Move It - Shake It
13. What is the best tip you can offer for a newbie planning their first family vacay? Buy a guide book. Make a list of everything you want to do (attraction wise). Plan what days you'll be in which park (pay close attention to EMH hours). Make dinner ressies. Readjust what days/what parks. Hang out on here until your trip!

[ClarabelleCowFan]

1. On property or off? On

2. 3 favorite hotels/resorts Old Key West, Coronado Springs, Polynesian

3. Magical Express or other? Rent your own van!

4. rent a stroller or byo? Bring your own

5. meal plan or no meal plan? DDP all the way!

6. List 5 favorite character meals. Chef Mickey's, Ohana breakfast, 1900 Park Faire, Cape May and Garden Grill

7. List 3 favorite restaurants for “grown-ups” or “date night”. California Grille, Jiko, Artist Point.

8. List 5 favorite counter service meals. Flametree BBQ, Pepper Market, Cosmic Ray's, Sunshine Seasons, Pecos Bills

9. Ship or pack your own snacks/use garden grocer or other? Make your own grocery run

10. List 10 things that are a must to pack in your backpack for a day in the parks. Sunscreen, Hand sanitizer, Wet Ones wipes, camera, cell phone, KTTW card, autograph book, pen, kleenex and sunglasses.

11. 3 must see firework displays. Fantasmic, Illuminations, Wishes

12. 2 must see parades. MK and AK

13. What is the best tip you can offer for a newbie planning their first family vacay? Make your ADRs in advance!

[Sandy321]

Originally Posted by AliVal

Hello DIS’rs! I was hoping that maybe you wouldn’t mind answering these quickie questions for me. Your answers will help me plan the most magical vacay to WDW for my family. So, if you’d like to play along with my little survey, just cut and past the questions below in a post (and don’t forget to include your answers )
Hopefully it will be fun for you too!

1. On property or off?On property
2. 3 favorite hotels/resorts Pop Century - price and bus service cant be beat! Poly or BCV if price was no object
3. Magical Express or other?Save money - ME - we've done town car and rented cars - we save money and do ME - no brainer!
4. rent a stroller or byo? bring your own - or buy one there! an umbrella stroller if it works
5. meal plan or no meal plan? Meal Plan - I know its mostly a "break even" because w/o the plan, no desserts and debate on each snack!! W/ DP you have already paid for it, so you coast!!
6. List 5 favorite character meals CRT (DD says Norway!) Ohana Breakfast with Stitch (last day tho!) 1900 Park Fare,(food is good and its the Grand Floridian!) Crystal Palace (MK!)
7. List 3 favorite restaurants for “grown-ups” or “date night”Cali Grill, LeCellier, Artist Point (its out of the way and a 2TS - so I could swap it with Yachtsman! (its also a 2TS but its at Epcot - for a 1 TS Coral Reef was nice, as well as Chef de France!)
8. List 5 favorite counter service mealsSeasons Living with the Land hands down! Columbia Harbor House in MK - go upstairs its quieter and it overlooks the Haunted Mansion! Your resort CS - come back for naps, and get lunch there - hardly crowded and peaceful!, Backlot Express at Studios, Yak and Yeti area for CS - if its cool outside, otherwise the Pizzafari has a back back that's quiet! AK (and has a/c - a/c is imporant!)
9. Ship or pack your own snacks/use garden grocer or other? also do both - I've sent it UPS - but now some Resorts charge, and its about $1 # UPS - so that works for the Wegoshop - very reasonable - andyoucan get your beer, as well as snacks delivered!
10. List 10 things that are a must to pack in your backpack for a day in the parksCamera, cell phone, wipes, ziplock bags, washcloth (use it to wipe seats if it rains, as well as dipping it in ice cold water to refresh faces that are hot! put in zip lock bag so it wont get anything else wet!) hand sanitizer, sunscreen, snack (dd has low sugar issues!) money, water bottle (empty so you fill it at stations that have pop and you get filtered ICE water - FREE! fill your tank!) autograph book, and epcots passport! (hope the washcloth trick makes sense - I pack one for our faces, and one for seats if its going to rain! and having extra ziplock bags is very handy!! )
11. 3 must see firework displays WISHES, Spectro, Illuminations (get a treat from France - chocolate mousse, creme brulet - and sit on the bridge eating while you wait sipping a champagne!!
12. 2 must see parades oops Spectro anything at MK - and AK parade is fun!
13. What is the best tip you can offer for a newbie planning their first family vacay?
You cant see it all, you cant do it all - plan all you can, but when you get there - take time to smell the roses, and know you are at Disney - Have Fun - if you have to throw out the plan, its ok - you are at Disney - if it rains - its ok - you are at Disney - if the kids wont wake up for "rope drop" (very important to avoid long lines!!) its ok - you are at Disney! Use Fast Pass!! Make ADR's for meals... and have FUN - YOU are at DISNEY!!
Thanks!!

No problem - have fun planning!!

[PolyndianPrincessJes]

You got it! I love a good survey!

1. On property or off? ON, ON, ON!!! I don't think we can ever stay off again...
2. 3 favorite hotels/resorts Poly, BC, BWI (haven't stayed there yet, but I love the atmosphere!!)
3. Magical Express or other? DME! I feel immersed in Disney the minute I step off the plane...well, not really 'cause MCO terminals are a hot mess, but once I pass the gift shop and check in for DME, it's all Disney!!
4. rent a stroller or byo? BYO!! I like having it in the airport and around the resorts/DTD.
5. meal plan or no meal plan? Nah, we save more money eating as we please, having snacks in the room and sharing CS meals.
6. List 5 favorite character meals CRT, CM, CP, 'Ohana, Cape May
7. List 3 favorite restaurants for “grown-ups” or “date night” Artist Point, Le Cellier, California Grill
8. List 5 favorite counter service meals Pecos Bill's, Captain Cook's, Fish & Chips in UK (can't remember the name!!), Restaurantosaurus, Casey's
9. Ship or pack your own snacks/use garden grocer or other? Pack 'em! We're lucky because my grandparents drive down and meet us with all of our luggage and after a stop at the commissary in Jacksonville. However, during our grown-up girls only, we had to pack them in our checked luggage, but it worked out fine.
10. List 10 things that are a must to pack in your backpack for a day in the parks First aid kit, snacks (snack crackers, fruit snacks, drinks), sunscreen, KTTW cards, camera, batteries, extra clothes for kiddos, autograph books and Sharpies, cell, trip info (ADRs, reservation info, etc.) and umbrella/hats (for sun shade)
11. 3 must see firework displays IllumiNations, Fantasmic, Wishes
12. 2 must see parades SpectroMagic...that's the only one we've seen!! We plan to take it slower this time and catch the parades, especially the Boo! To You Parade.
13. What is the best tip you can offer for a newbie planning their first family vacay? Pre-opening ADRs. I made one for the kids' first morning of their first trip. Nothing more magical than a view of the castle without thousands of heads in front of it.

[AuroraBeauty]

1. On property or off? Definitely on-property
2. 3 favorite hotels/resorts
Grand Floridian, Beach Club, Poly
3. Magical Express or other?
Disney's Magical Express all the way!
4. rent a stroller or byo?
With a 3 year old, definitely bring your own. If you stay for fireworks and/or late parades if you rent then DH will be carrying your little one even though he'll be tired.
5. meal plan or no meal plan?
Disney Dining Plan, for sure. Just pay it up front and don't mess with the money later. Yes, people say you can save by sharing, and have lots of tips. Just get the plan and know it's paid for. If your kids want to share one meal and then use the other as a snack do that. There are so many great Counter Service options for the kids to have plenty of food whenever they are hungry and you can share. Table Services can't be shared, but they can be packed to go!
6. List 5 favorite character meals
Crystal Palace, Cape May, Akershus in Norway, 1900 Park Faire both dinner and breakfast, not necessarily in this order
7. List 3 favorite restaurants for “grown-ups” or “date night”
Citricos, Jiko and Artist Point (all 2TS), but for 1TS there are tons of great options too. And, well, of course there is the pinnacle which is Victoria & Albert's
8. List 5 favorite counter service meals
Columbia Harbor House (at MK), Sunshine Seasons (The Land at Epcot), Flame Tree BBQ (at DAK), Tangerine Cafe (Morocco at Epcot), Pinocchio Village Haus (Fantasyland at MK)
9. Ship or pack your own snacks/use garden grocer or other?
Ship some and use GG for others. Ship the dry stuff and use GG for the liquids/perishables (things you can't take on the plane and don't want to find covering all of your clothing b/c you packed them).
10. List 10 things that are a must to pack in your backpack for a day in the parks
A camping towel - small, portable, very absorbent; sunscreen, wipes, change of clothes for 3 yr old, dry socks, rain poncho/umbrella, snacks, drink mix tubes/packets, camera with charged up batteries/extra battery, autograph book/pen, small fan (if going when it could be hot, didn't see when you were going). I know there is more stuff but I can't think of it.
11. 3 must see firework displays
Wishes and Illuminations. There might be another one regularly. And if you're there for a holiday definitely catch the holiday one.
12. 2 must see parades
Spectromagic at MK is terrific. The one at DAK I thought was fine but just not as easy to see and it's at a weird time IMHO.
13. What is the best tip you can offer for a newbie planning their first family vacay?
Definitely be knowledgeable. When we took our first WDW trip we decided in July and went at the end of August. We did it like any other vacation. We had a great time and it was magical and wonderful and all that. Second time we did a lot more planning and we were able to do so much more and not be over exerting ourselves. With a 3 year old, you can't get up for rope drop and stay for a 10pm fireworks show and expect to do the same thing the next day and the next and the next. It just won't be fun unless you have planned for some downtime and figured out how to ride the rides you want in the most efficient way. Also, don't feel like the 4 of you have to stay together. If the older one wants to ride something, split up and make sure everyone is enjoying their time.


Most of all, remember it is a vacation. It's not a job and even if you don't think you'll be back for a few years, make the most of your time together and make the memories. Unless something weird happens, Disney's not going anywhere!

[StefaniLyn]

1. On property or off?
Definitely ON, especially if you can get in on a free dining deal
2. 3 favorite hotels/resorts
Polynesian, Caribbean Beach, Grand Floridian
3. Magical Express or other?
if you're not renting a car, get a limo service if you can afford it (ours was $75ish on way)
4. rent a stroller or byo?
definitely bring your own or try to find a free swap
5. meal plan or no meal plan?
ABSOLUTELY meal plan! Upgrade to deluxe if possible IMHO
6. List 5 favorite character meals
1. Cindy's Royal Table (B or L, not dinner), Akershus, Crystal Palace, O'Hana, Chef Mickey's
7. List 3 favorite restaurants for “grown-ups” or “date night”
Fulton's is the only one I have been to that was really for grown ups. I know there are others, but we're almost always with kids in tow.
8. List 5 favorite counter service meals
Sorry, I can't ever remember the names of CS. Except Wolfgang Puck Express at DTD - YUM!
9. Ship or pack your own snacks/use garden grocer or other?
run to WallyWorld if you can, or pack your own
10. List 10 things that are a must to pack in your backpack for a day in the parks
sunscreen, hat, money, keys to the kingdom, baby wipes, spray fan, autograph book, sharpie marker, change of clothes for little one, ponchos
11. 3 must see firework displays
Wishes, Fantasmic, Illuminations
12. 2 must see parades
Spectro and the one during the day at MK
13. What is the best tip you can offer for a newbie planning their first family vacay?hang out on the DIS boards A LOT before your trip. Read trip reports and pre-trip reports if you get a chance. People here are so incredibly knowledgeable. You will save a lot of time, money, and frustration using the tips and tricks shared here. Also, know your parks (get maps ahead of time and study, study, study) and develop a basic plan of which parks you will go to on what day. Check crowd calendars and park hours.

[susykt4]

1. ON!
2. We've only stayed at Pop, POR and ASMu. The kids love Pop Century and we keep going back. Great food court, fun theming, easy bus service. We'll stay at a deluxe when the kids are grown.
3. Magical Express is great. We've used it twice. Easy and little hassle. We had our car last time and didn't use it at all.
4. BYO stroller! Especially if staying at a huge resort! We needed strollers almost as much at POR as we did at the parks. We bought cheap umbrella strollers at WalMart and ditched them at the end of our trip. Three times.
5. Don't meal plan! Why on earth would anyone want to arrange their entire trip around eating? Eat when you're hungry and don't arrange every park day around food. Spend time playing, not sitting in restaurants. Hey, that's my family. DO reserve your character meals, special dinner, however.
6. We've only done the princess lunch at Epcot (we loved the food and the princess interaction) and Donald's Breakfast at AK (just fine with fun characters.)
7. Um, hmmmm. We've never done this...
8. Fish and Chips counter in UK at Epcot, foodcourt in The Land at Epcot, Cosmic Ray's at MK, Earl of Sandwich in DTD and Pizzafari at AK. And the bakery in Norway for dessert!
9. Take your own snacks.
10. Camera, pen, autograph book, tubes of Crystal Lite to add to tap water, wet wipes, small hand sanitizer, band-aids, sunblock, aspirin and m&ms tube with quarters/pennies for the penny press machines. Since completing my diaper bag days I carry a (gasp) fanny pack because it's not as hot as a backpack and I can leave it on on all the rides.
11. Wishes, Epcot ones
12. Spectro, the AK parade. We don't normally worry about scheduling time for parades.
13. TourGuideMike helped me a lot with my first family trip during a busy time. My kids were 4 and 2 our first time and we WAY overdid our first day at MK. Our 2nd day at HS was a bust because they were so wiped out. If your kids are still napping, do take a midday break. If you go during cool weather (and your kids no longer need naps) hit the parks at opening and stay all day. Take it slow and easy and be prepared to change plans and be surprised at what your kids like and don't like. I thought my kids would love HS and hate Epcot. It was and still is opposite. They were 8 and 6 on our last trip and chose to go to Epcot over MK on our first park day.

[Aliceacc]

1. On property or off?
On, if at all possible. DME and the EMH make it extra special, and the theming keeps you at Disney even after you've left the park.

2. 3 favorite hotels/resorts
We're a family of 5, so I'll say just one: the Polynesian. With your small kids, that monorail access to the Magic Kingdom is priceless!!

3. Magical Express or other?
DME!!!! What's your hurry??

4. rent a stroller or byo?
BYO. You can use it at the airport, on the monorail,and around your resort (thnk late night, after the fireworks, when your 3 year old is wiped out!!)

5. meal plan or no meal plan?
DDP!!! How else can you feed each of your kids for $10 a day, including character meals??? Besides, that one table service meal a day gives you family time, away from the hectic go-go-go of the parks.

6. List 5 favorite character meals
1. Dinner w/ Cinderella & the stepfamily at 1900 Park Fare. The stepmom is hysterical!!!
2. Chef Mickey's-- the original!
3. Princess breakfast at Aukerhaus. We haven't actually done this one yet, but we're really looking forward to it.
I must add a note: one of my kids is terrified of masked characters. So, aside from the Princess meals, we tend to avoid character meals.

7. List 3 favorite restaurants for “grown-ups” or “date night”
Le Cellier
Coral Reef
San Angel (Mexico at Epcot)

8. List 5 favorite counter service meals
still working on perfecting this. I'm thinking Columbia Harbor House, el Pirato (near Pirates of Carribean) and ????

9. Ship or pack your own snacks/use garden grocer or other?
Garden Grocer!!!!!

10. List 10 things that are a must to pack in your backpack for a day in the parks

1. KTTW (park tickets)
2. ID
3. Money
4. Cell phone
5. Misty Mate Mister in a ziplock bag (we go in August)
6. bottled water
7. snacks for starving children
8. bandaids/ moleskin/ Tylenol
9. ponchos from the dollar store
10. chamois for wet rides

11. 3 must see firework displays
I think there ARE only 3. My kids were frightened by Fantasmic, so much so that my husband took them out. My son and I loved it though. You definitely need to see the other two.

12. 2 must see parades

13. What is the best tip you can offer for a newbie planning their first family vacay?
There is no one ride, attraction, parade, or meal that's worth a cranky family. Last year, our arrival day was the last day Spectro was showing before it went on hiatus. But by the time it started, we had 3 very tired cranky kids, who had been up late the night before (excited) and up well before dawn to catch our flight. Seeing Spectro would have pushed them well beyond their limit. So we missed it and I KNOW it was the right choice.

[eeyoremum]

1. On property or off? On property, they transport you everywhere
2. 3 favorite hotels/resorts We have stayed at POP (x3) and POR (1) I loved POR my family prefers POP
3. Magical Express or other? It has always worked well for us
4. rent a stroller or byo? I don't have small kids but renting seems expensive
5. meal plan or no meal plan? Yes it is wonderful
6. List 5 favorite character meals In order Crystal Palace, Chef Mickey, Ohana
7. List 3 favorite restaurants for “grown-ups” or “date night”
8. List 5 favorite counter service meals ABC, Backlot, American Pavillion, Japan, POP
9. Ship or pack your own snacks/use garden grocer or other? If you do the dinning plan you should not need snacks. It is tons of food
10. List 10 things that are a must to pack in your backpack for a day in the parks Sun Screen, Money, camera, water bottle
11. 3 must see firework displays Illuminations, Illuminations, Illuminations oh and maybe Wishes12. 2 must see parades
13. What is the best tip you can offer for a newbie planning their first family vacay I would say be prepared. Our first trip we had no idea how big the parks were or how much there was to see and do. After the first day we were already planning our second trip. We are now planning our 5th trip for next April and still have not seen or done everything we want to,

[jog58]

I love answering questions. I am such a nerd

1. On property or off?
we are definitely on property folks. We love it.

2. 3 favorite hotels/resorts
1. Port Orleans FQ
2. Caribbean Beach
I don't have a third yet since I no longer consider POP a favorite.

3. Magical Express or other?
We have done both our a rental car and ME. We like ME just for not having to drive but the speediness of a rental car can't be beat. Plus we like having the car for visiting off site destinations

4. rent a stroller or byo?
n/a no little ones yet

5. meal plan or no meal plan?
We have used the meal plan for the last three trips and I personally have really enjoyed it. There is plenty of variety and options. It is also nice to have your food prepaid. This trip we found that we were just eating all the time and sometimes eating just because we had an ADR so I think next trip we are going to go without the dining plan.

6. List 5 favorite character meals
We have only done one character meal and that was Chef Mickey's for dinner. The character interaction was really great although they move very slowly through the dining room. The food was terrible. I hear breakfast is pretty delicious though

7. List 3 favorite restaurants for “grown-ups” or “date night”
1. The Wave. This was the one restaurant DH and I agreed that everything was delicious. Highly recommend it.
2. Le Cellier. I know this has its detractors but this continues to be my favorite place.
I've never tried any of the signature restaurants, our pallets are not very sophisticated, but I have heard great things about Jiko, California Grill, and Citricos

8. List 5 favorite counter service meals
1. Out of all the CS places we ate I really enjoyed Peco's Bill. The taco salad and fixings bar made my day.
I have never tried it but I hear good things about Sunshine Seasons at EPCOT

9. Ship or pack your own snacks/use garden grocer or other?
It was just DH and I and we were on the dining plan so we do none of the above.

10. List 10 things that are a must to pack in your backpack for a day in the parks. We're lazy and hate carrying things.

13. What is the best tip you can offer for a newbie planning their first family vacay? I have never traveled with children but just from observing others I would say take your time, don't sweat the small stuff and just enjoy yourself. Good luck!

[mama2mulan]

Thanks for asking all these questions! I am planning our first trip as a family and these are helping a ton.

Julie (me) dh dd (7) dd (5)
Staying at Pop for our girls first visit to Disney. It's a secret!

[missfigment]

1. On property or off?
Totally worth it to stay ON property!
2. 3 favorite hotels/resorts
Beach Club....Polynesian....sorry only 2
3. Magical Express or other?
Rent a car....if you go off property into orlando, you'll be happy you have rented...plus you dont have to wait around for a bus...you'll do enough waiting around in the park
4. rent a stroller or byo?
Bring your own! Why pay for something you already have...plus your stroller will prob be a lot more comfy than the hard plastic stroller offered at disney
5. meal plan or no meal plan?
I dont have an opinion on this seeing how we've never done a meal plan
6. List 5 favorite character meals
Cape may Cafe...Chef Mickey...Cinderella's Castle...Crystal Palace....1900 Park
7. List 3 favorite restaurants for “grown-ups” or “date night”
Coral Reef ...San Angel....
8. List 5 favorite counter service meals
Electric Umbrella in Epcot...The Land in Epcot...
9. Ship or pack your own snacks/use garden grocer or other?
We've always packed and it is cheaper
10. List 10 things that are a must to pack in your backpack for a day in the parks
Water bottles, sunglasses, antibacterial stuff, autograph book and large pen, snacks, a few dollar tree ponchos for wet rides
11. 3 must see firework displays
Cant help you...i could care less about the fireworks....but I must say Fantasmic at HS is amazing
12. 2 must see parades
Im not a parade girl....hit the rides then! Faster lines!
13. What is the best tip you can offer for a newbie planning their first family vacay?
Everything will NOT go according to plan and that is totally okay. If you have little ones it is worth it to go back to the hotel for a nap and then head back into the park later.

HAVE FUN!