Just back from first visit

[chellewashere]

So our first time to Disney was excellent!! It was myself, the darling (tho sometimes irritating) husband and the Princess herself who is 3 1/2. We had such a magical and fantastic time I was planning our next trip in my head before we left.

Things I kinda learned or saw or did or whatever

1. We stayed at ASMovies which was a great hotel for the money. Not great but it was a value so I didnt expect much. The food in the court was great, mousekeeping was awesome they did something great to our room every night, i had a problem with a package and the gift store fixed it right away. My problem was I didnt like the location of our room I would have prefered to be in the courtyard of the dogs or woody and buzz but I know this now for next time.

2. Mornings are the best. Got on many rides and fast passes for all other rides. We did CRT early in the AM before rope drop and that was the best. My DD got this great balloon (that we had to carry the rest of the day not so great) from one of the CMs. We realized that you can get another fast pass about 15 mins. before the time your other one is due so we always had fast passes and never really had to wait in line. Except for ToyStory Mania my DD loved that and for that we waited. Oh yeah and Tinkerbell. I let my DH and DD do fantasyland by themselves why I stayed at the rope for an hour so I could be up front to get her picture with Tink.

3. People at the parades. Where do they come from??? I would never expect such rude behavior in Disney. You pay that much money to come here and ***** cause your darling child isnt up front. Get there early like I did. These people are actually cussing loudly with all these little kiddies around. Then they cant let it go and keep trying to get the fight going. I will NEVER understand this.

4. Reservations are a MUST. I was so pleased with the free dining plan. It was great. We had so many character meals that my DD expected to be eating with the princesses daily but she was in heaven. The amount of food was unbelieveable. The CS meals filled us up and the rood was great. I suggest this even when its not free. I did the math and it is totally worth it for our family. I saw so many people come up to eat and not have reservations they kept getting turned away.

5. Biggest complaint was waiting for the bus back to the hotel from Magic Kingdom at closing. What a long long long wait that was. Over an hour. We had 3 busses to ASMusics 8. Couldnt understand that at all. But that was the only time I really had a problem with the transportation.

6. Most important thing I found. Let your Princess be just that a PRINCESS! My DD was dressed in her costumes for the meals (then put in reg. clothes too hot out), she danced in front of the castle with her daddy and loved it. The Kodak thing in Epcot she danced with him there too. She danced with Prince Charming and smiled with so much joy and love that I cried taping it. I think I might be in trouble with her on that one. She got off the Star Tours ride and actually thought we were on a planet and that we had left Disney. She spun, sang, danced, played drums and just had the best time ever!!
Seeing the park thru your childs eyes is just amazing. I had more fun watching her then doing anything else. Her smile is what I will remember from this trip (well that and her dancing with Prince Charming). Oh and she kept saying that her daddy was her first Prince Charming and I think that actually brought a tear to her daddys eyes.

So that is my opion about my first trip. Loved almost every minute of it. It was crowded, hot and I almost passed out from sweating but I would do it all over again in a minute.

[Mr. Pig]

Glad to see your first trip was good and you didn't get overwhelmed by it all.

I have to agree with you on the parades. It seems like it is going to be OK then at the last minute you get the last rush of people that still think they can get a spot at the front. That is why I avoid them if I can which is too bad.
I have found the buses to be hit or miss. Sometimes you get lucky and sometimes not. I know they do traffic control but sometimes it seems that some stops get shortchanged but not always the same one.

[matt&jakesmom]

What a wonderful trip you had. Definately PRICELESS!!! I am sure those moments will live with you forever. I hope you took plenty of pictures or video of her and her daddy. It always amazes me when people say they don't want to take their kids to WDW until they are older. It's those moments you had that other people miss out on.

[ilovejsparrow]

Sounds like it was the perfect first visit! How incredible it must have been to watch your daughter enjoy the trip so much, those are memories you will have forever and ever! Your story reminded me of my first trip as a little girl.

[chellewashere]

Thanks everyone it really was a great trip. I cant really describe in words correctly how much this trip meant to us.

Originally Posted by matt&jakesmom

What a wonderful trip you had. Definately PRICELESS!!! I am sure those moments will live with you forever. I hope you took plenty of pictures or video of her and her daddy. It always amazes me when people say they don't want to take their kids to WDW until they are older. It's those moments you had that other people miss out on.

You are so right. I hated it when people kept saying to wait until she was 5 years old at least. To anyone thinking about it her age was so perfect. I am not worried about her forgetting any part of it I took so many pics I think my camera caught fire

[KSDisneyDad]

Glad you had a great time on your first visit!! Whether it was our first or fifteenth trip to WDW, we have enjoyed each and every visit.

I like your princess comment. I agree that watching kids enjoy the moments of WDW are incredible. Your comment and the PP who talked about not waiting until your kids are older reminds me of my kids first visit. I have a great picture of my 14 and 11 year old (then 5 and 3) at the All-Star Movies running up to the huge door of Andy's room. On our trip in 2007 when the two older boys were 12 and almost 10, I had each of them stand in the same place as that picture from 7 years before. They had no idea when I asked them to turn around and start running to the door and snapped another picture!! They will always remember me making them pose for that picture, but I will always remember the true excitement of their first visit to WDW!

Sorry about the buses at the MK. That is so ironic. On our final day last Monday, we ate breakfast at CM's and took the monorail to MK to catch the bus back to the AS Music. While standing there in the heat of the afternoon, we watched 3 AS Movies buses pull up before an AS Music bus pulled up! It's never the bus you need!

Fortunately, we didn't experience the rude behavior of other guests this trip. Perhaps we were mostly immune to it as we were just so happy to be there!

Again, glad you had an awesome first experience!

[Beauty & the Best]

I'm so glad that you had an amazing first trip. The moments with your daughter that you describe just sound magical.

Here's to many more wonderful Disney trips!

[danceintherain]

I'm glad you had a great trip! I can't wait until I can take a little Princess to Disney World!

Technically, the rule for FastPasses is you can get another one either at the beginning of your Return Time, or 2 hours after you get the first one.
For example, if you get a FastPass at 10am, and the return time is 11am, then you can get another at 11am.
If you get one at 10am, and the return time is 2pm, you can get another one at Noon.
The time you can get another one is written on the FastPasses in case you don't want to do the calculation.
I just thought I'd clarify for future trips.

[Pooh&OurHunny]

Thanks for sharing. I'm glad your daughter had a wonderful experience at Disney. Watching thru their eyes is just Priceless...now you got your young daughter hook and wait until she asked can we go back. We took our son for his first time at age 2 and people told us he would not remember but he does and asked if he can go back...it has been 4 times he has been to Disney and now he tells us its been awhile and Mickey will not know remember him so we need to go to Disney soon. We are trying to plan his 5 trip on December...hopefully we will go but we have to see. Did your daughter ask you yet when will she go back?

[Marquibiri]

I was pretty sure I wasn't going to take my children to Disney (don't have any yet, most likely work on my first next year ) when they will be so young, but after reading your post, I do think it is important, and I do want to see Disney through their eyes! I'll probably cry of happiness!

Marquibiri

[chellewashere]

Originally Posted by Pooh&OurHunny

Thanks for sharing. I'm glad your daughter had a wonderful experience at Disney. Watching thru their eyes is just Priceless...now you got your young daughter hook and wait until she asked can we go back. We took our son for his first time at age 2 and people told us he would not remember but he does and asked if he can go back...it has been 4 times he has been to Disney and now he tells us its been awhile and Mickey will not know remember him so we need to go to Disney soon. We are trying to plan his 5 trip on December...hopefully we will go but we have to see. Did your daughter ask you yet when will she go back?

Oh yeah she is asking. Woke up the first day and wanted to know when we were going to Disney and didnt like to hear we left..then she wanted to go to breakfast with her new princess friends WOW kids learn early how to get to you! That is so cute that Mickey will forget him...I love things kids say and do

Originally Posted by Marquibiri

I was pretty sure I wasn't going to take my children to Disney (don't have any yet, most likely work on my first next year ) when they will be so young, but after reading your post, I do think it is important, and I do want to see Disney through their eyes! I'll probably cry of happiness!

Marquibiri

Oh you will cry and cry and cry. First castle glance you cry, first look at the princesses and her whispering she is so happy you cry, dancing you cry and her saying Mommy I dont have to watch my movies anymore you cry!!

[MarkinNM]

AWESOME report!!!!


Glad to hear you had an AWESOME time in WDW.............

With all the complaints I have read over the past 4 months, I am glad to read yours and how a stain on a carpet, cranky CM’s, complaining about Mousekeeping, full garbage cans or bad food did not detour you away from your vacation!! Some tend to dwell on the negatives and forget the positives, and how you lived it through your DD, GREAT READING and THANKS!!!!

[loperella]

Originally Posted by chellewashere

So our first time to Disney was excellent!!

AWESOME, glad you had such a magical time!

4. Reservations are a MUST. I was so pleased with the free dining plan. I did the math and it is totally worth it for our family. I saw so many people come up to eat and not have reservations they kept getting turned away.

Glad to hear, because I was starting to question the whole "free" "worth-it" thing.

6. Most important thing I found. Let your Princess be just that a PRINCESS! she danced in front of the castle with her daddy and loved it. The Kodak thing in Epcot she danced with him there too. She danced with Prince Charming and smiled with so much joy and love that I cried taping it. I think I might be in trouble with her on that one. She got off the Star Tours ride and actually thought we were on a planet and that we had left Disney. She spun, sang, danced, played drums and just had the best time ever!! So Adorable!!!
Seeing the park thru your childs eyes is just amazing. Totally Priceless! I had more fun watching her then doing anything else. Her smile is what I will remember from this trip This is what it's about!(well that and her dancing with Prince Charming). Oh and she kept saying that her daddy was her first Prince Charming and I think that actually brought a tear to her daddys eyes. AWWW!!!

So that is my opion about my first trip. Loved almost every minute of it. It was crowded, hot and I almost passed out from sweating but I would do it all over again in a minute.

Thanks for your trip report---sounds like it was truly magical! I'm such a crybaby...it brought tears to my eyes....all just so precious! Thank-you!

[OB1]

Great report - great trip - great princess - great experience. Truly priceless. Glad you were prepared for the trip. Congrats to you for doing your homework and making sure your family had such a great experience.

[lustergirl]

Thanks for the great report!!