Planning first Trip to WDW with 7 month old boys

[Walkerfam]

We are not leaving until March, but I thought I would start doing some planning for the upcoming trip and get your thoughts and opinions to make it the most magical trip of all.

The guests: Me - Ayden (25), DH -Andrew (26), DS - Nolan (7 mths), DS - Ryder (7 mths).

Here is what I have planned so far tell me what you think:

We are staying at the Boardwalk Inn / Villas (staying in a Studio)
We are flying in from Oklahoma
We are renting a car - midsize

Day 1 - March 4th, 2010

- Arrive @ MCO around 9:00 AM
- Pick-up Rental car
- Head to Wal-Mart for essentials
- Check-in at Hotel
- Have lunch on the Boardwalk - don't know where yet????????
- Head over to Epcot
- Pick-up Annual Passes
- Tour the United Kingdom Gardens
- Visit the Baby Care Center
- Head back to the Room around 3:30 PM
- Dinner Reservation: Chef Mickey (5 PM)
- Take the Monorail over the Magic Kingdom
- Go to Aloha Isle for a Dole Whip Pineapple Float

Day 2 - March 5th, 2010

- Head to the Animal Kingdom around 10:00 AM
- Get Fastpasses for Expedition Everest
- Have Lunch - Flame tree
- Ride Expedition Everest with Fastpasses / rider swap
- Tour Discovery Island
- Head over to the Wide World of Sports Complex to pick-up packet for the Disney Royal Family 5K - Stroller Division Race
- Spend the afternoon at the Hotel
- Head back to Animal Kingdom four around 4 PM
- Ride Kilmanjaro Safari
- Dinner at Tusker House (5 PM)
- Visit Downtown Disney
- Hope to be back at Hotel by 7:45 PM

Day 3 - March 6th, 2010

- Arrive at Epcot for Royal Race @ 7:00 AM
- Attend the Meet & Greet Breakfast
- Head back to the Hotel
- Head to the Magic Kingdom around 1:30 PM
- Watch the 3 PM Parade (if starting from city hall watch a fire station, if starting in Frontierland watch in Liberty Square).
- While waiting for the Parade to begin grab lunch from Columbia Harbour House.
- Head over to Fantasyland after the Parade to ride It's a Small World.
- Stop in for a snack at Cosmic Rays
- Relax in the Baby care center.
- Head over to the Contemporary for Dinner at the Wave.

Day 4 - March 7th, 2010

- Breakfast at Boardwalk Joe's
- Try to arrive at Epcot by 9:00 AM.
- Obtain Fastpasses for Soarin'
- Ride Soarin' using the stanby line & baby swap.
- Head over to the Seas!
- See The Seas w/ Nemo and Friends
- Tour the Aquariums
- See Turtle Talk with Crush
- Head over to the Imagination Pavilion
- See Figment
- Use the Kodak Labs to send Postcard
- Lunch at the Lotus Blossom cafe in the China Pavilion
- Go for a Swim at Luna Park Pool
- Dinner at Crystal Palace at 5 PM
- Head down to Main Street to find spot for Spectomagic

Day 5 - March 8th, 2010

- Walk to Epcot
- Go to Club Cool
- See the Characters at character Connection
- Take the Monorail to Magic Kingdom
- Head to Toontown
- See the Character Meet & Greet
- Visit Pete's Garage
- Have Lunch on Minnie's Porch - the Boys anyway
- Adult Lunch @ Peco's Bills
- See Philharmagic
- Ride the Many Adventures fo Winnie the Pooh
- Have a Dole Whip from aloha Isle
- Take the Monorail to Epcot
- Tour Innoventions
- take the friendship Boat back to the hotel
- Afternoon at Hotel
- Dinner at San angel Inn (Mexico Pavilion) @ 5 PM
- Ride the 3 caballeros Gran Fiesta Tour
- Walk the Boardwalk

Day 6 - March 9th, 2010

-Arrive at MGM-Studios before park opening (approx. 20 min.)
- Obtain Fastpasses for Toy Story Mania
- Ride Toy Story Mania with the boys in the standby line.
- Tour Journey into Narnia
- Ride Toy Story Mania with Fastpasses
- Head to Woody's Photo Shootin' Gallery
- Visit with Woody and Buzz
- Tour Streets of America
- Have lunch at the Backlot Express
- Ride Rock n' Roller Coaster using baby swap
- Head back to the Hotel
- Dinner at the Big River Grille & Brewing Works @ 5 PM
- Do the Passporter's Treasure Hunt for Morocco & Japan
- Spend the evening in Hotel

Day 7 - March 10th, 2010

- Head to the International Gateway
- Have breakfast at the Fountainview Cafe
- Head over to the Magic Kingdom
- stop in the Emporium to shop
- Head over to fantasyland
- Pick-up Fastpasses for Peter Pan Flight
- Ride Dumbo
- Have lunch at Pinocchio's Village Haus
- Ride Peter Pan's flight using FastPasses
- Head over to adventureland
- Ride the Magic Carpets of Aladdin
- Try a few Treasure hunt questions
- Have another Dole Whip from Aloha Isle
- Take the Monorail to Epcot
- Try the Crepes from the france Pavilion
- Head back to Hotel
- Take pictures of the boys on the white balcony
- Head over to Mama Melrose for Fantasmic Dining Package (don't know if we will be able to stay for Fantasmic with the Boys)
- Head over to Downtown disney by car
- Go to Goofy's and create your own treats
- Do a Little Shopping
- Hotel

Day 8 - March 11th, 2010

- Head over to Epcot
- Ride Spaceship Earth
- Tour Innoventions
- Ride Living the Lands
- Lunch at Sunshine Seasons
- Grab some Snacks at Pop century Hotel
- Hopefully go see a Spring Training Baseball Game at Wide World of Sports
- Head to MCO to catch our flight
- Arrive home

Tell me what you think, I would love your opinion!!!!

[wahoostampingirl]

Are your boys 7 months old now? Or they'll be 7 months at the time of the trip (which would mean they're newborns now?)?

As a mom of twins myself, your schedule seems a bit ambitious to me. WDW is highly stimulating to some babies and can make them cranky. Looks like you haven't planned much downtime into the schedule.

We didn't start taking our twins to Disney until they were 5 and even then, we had to break it off early most days and forget about any evening touring. Everyone's kids are different, but I think to keep your trip magical, you'll need to just go with the flow a little more and let the babies be your guide. They might hate characters and love parades or vice versa. You just won't know until you get there.

Hope you have a great trip!

[MarieS]

To me your schedule looks very hectic--especially with little ones. You may want to consider cutting down on all the hopping. It can take quite a while to travel from place to place. Will you be using the rental car to go to the parks? You will need to factor in parking time and getting to the park entrance. Also, you may not get seated for a meal right on time. On Day 2, you have AK at 4, safari, Tusker at 5pm, DTD, hotel 7:45. I'm thinking this will really be rushing. The safari takes a good 20 minutes without factoring in any wait time. We usually allow 1 hour for a sitdown meal with waiting to be seated and getting the buffet. Then you have to walk back to your car, drive to DTD, and park, etc.

I know on the map things can look close by, but all the walking and travelling back and forth eat up a lot of time. Will your boys nap in their strollers? We always plan lots of downtime midday to allow for rests and/or naps. I know the heat, stimulation, and being on the go can really take a toll on some babies, but you know your boys best.

Whatever you decide, have a magical trip!

[pakdayton]

here's my two cents ... it does seem like a pretty aggressive plan.

i personally would wait a few years.

but if your heart is set ... i would recommend scheduling more "down time."

It might depend on the personalties of your boys you dont seem to allow a lot of time to "put them down."

they'll be in high chairs, strollers, car seats or in your laps or sleeping for huge portions of a week.

you might want to bring a small blanket or large beach towel, just to set them free for a few minutes every few hours, whether in your room or find a quiet grassy spot at your hotel, or even a small padded playground (like the one under spalsh mtn or across from winnie the pooh).

i personally would cut out some of the restaurant dinners in favor of eating in the studio. When my dd was little, dh would bring "take-out" from epcot back to our room at BCV. it gave dd a chance to mellow out and at 7months, she'd be asleep by 7pm. we didnt see a lot of sights, but it was a peaceful trip.

[cbg1027]

Did you schedule in time to breathe?

I think you have waaaaay too much scheduled. I think you're counting on transport time being a lot less than it actually will be.

For example, the first day:
You're counting on your plane arriving at 9. That's if it is on time and not late. Even if you arrive at 9, its going to take a while to make your way through the airport, wait for you bags, and pick up the rental car.
As far as going to Epcot just to see the UK Gardens - remember it's a bit of a trek to the WS from the front where you would pick up your AP's.
For your first day, I'd skip the Epcot part.
Arrive, go to Wal-Mart, grab some lunch, settle in, and then go to Chef Mickey's and MK.

Another transport time problem example on Day 2 -
You're having dinner at Tusker House at 5 and then want to go to DTD and be back to the hotel by 7:45. I would drop DTD, because you would be getting back til a lot later than 7:45! If you have an ADR for 5, there's no guarantee you'll be seated right at 5. And you have to figure in time to park, walk in back to Tusker House, eat, pay the bill, trek back to your car....with 2 young children in tow.

I'm all for having a touring plan, but remember, its ok to deviate from the plan. You may not always be hungry for that snack when you're planning on it. I'd take a few things out of each day so you can relax a bit and enjoy your time in Disney! Chances are, you'll be back - so don't feel like you need to rush around to get to everything!

Bon voyage!

[Walkerfam]

THANK YOU FOR ALL RESPONSES, IT HAS BEEN REALLY APPRECIATIVE )

My sons are 3 mths right now and will be 7 mths on the trip. Our last trip to WDW was in December last year, I was pregnant at the time. We try to go twice a year, but unfortunately with the birth of the boys and our work schedules will not make it in 2009.

We have been quite blessed to have two very easy-going boys. They actually to their first big road trip up to Canada at 2 weeks old. It was okay by the doctor. DH travels a lot for work purposes, and we try our best to stay together.

I will admit I am a Type A planner, I over plan everything before we leave in March I will probably have three plan scenarios and changed them like 40 times. I love doing this and I love to hear what other people think. I believe the best laid out plan is one where you have the thoughts and ideas of many people, so I thank you again for helping me in the process. (Trust me: I don't know how to breathe when I plan, I don't want to miss a thing.)

I would love to hear more about the padded playgrounds at the parks. Where are they located????

So I worked on the schedule a little more, not a lot has changed yet, but I did break it down into Morning, Afternoon, & Evening. Keep the comments coming I love it!!!!!!!

Day 1 - March 4th, 2010

Morning
- Arrive @ MCO around 9:00 AM
- Pick-up Rental car
- Head to Wal-Mart for essentials

Afternoon (12:00 PM)
- Have Lunch – Don’t Know Where yet ??????
- Check into Hotel (Boardwalk Inn / Villas)

Evening (6:00 PM)
- Dinner Reservation: Chef Mickey
- Take the Monorail over the Magic Kingdom
- Go to Aloha Isle for a Dole Whip Pineapple Float

Day 2 - March 5th, 2010

Morning (10:00 AM)
- Drive to Animal Kingdom
- Head to the Animal Kingdom
- Get Fastpasses for Expedition Everest
- Have Lunch - Flame tree
- Ride Expedition Everest with Fastpasses / rider swap
- Tour Discovery Island
- Head over to the Wide World of Sports Complex to pick-up packet for the Disney Royal Family 5K - Stroller Division Race

Afternoon ( 12:30 PM)
- Spend the afternoon at the Hotel (Nap Time)

Evening ( 4:00 PM)
- Drive to Animal Kingdom
- Ride Kilmanjaro Safari
- Dinner at Tusker House @ 6 PM
- Back to the Hotel.

Day 3 - March 6th, 2010

Morning (7:00 AM)
- Walk to the Boardwalk
- Arrive at Epcot for Royal Race @ 7:00 AM
- Attend the Meet & Greet Breakfast

Afternoon (10:00 AM)
- Head back to the Hotel (Nap Time)
- Head to the Magic Kingdom around 1:30 PM
- Watch the 3 PM Parade (if starting from city hall watch a fire station, if starting in Frontierland watch in Liberty Square).
- While waiting for the Parade to begin grab lunch from Columbia Harbour House.
- Head over to Fantasyland after the Parade to ride it’s a Small World.
- Stop in for a snack at Cosmic Rays
- Relax in the Baby care center.
- Walk over to the Contemporary Resort.

Evening ( 6:00 PM)
- Head over to the Contemporary for Dinner at the Wave.
- Hotel

Day 4 - March 7th, 2010

Morning (8:30 AM)
- Walking to Epcot
- Breakfast at Boardwalk Joe's
- Try to arrive at Epcot
- Obtain Fastpasses for Soarin'
- Ride Soarin' using the stanby line & baby swap.
- Head over to the Seas!
- See The Seas w/ Nemo and Friends
- Tour the Aquariums
- See Turtle Talk with Crush
- Head over to the Imagination Pavilion
- See Figment
- Use the Kodak Labs to send Postcard
- Lunch at the Lotus Blossom cafe in the China Pavilion

Afternoon (12:00 PM)
- Go for a Swim at Luna Park Pool
- Relax at Hotel (Nap Time)

Evening (6:00 PM)
- Drive to the Magic Kingdom
- Dinner at Crystal Palace
- Head down to Main Street to find spot for Spectomagic
- Hotel for the night.

Day 5 - March 8th, 2010

Morning (9:00 AM)- Walk to Epcot
- Go to Club Cool
- See the Characters at character Connection
- Take the Monorail to Magic Kingdom
- Head to Toontown
- See the Character Meet & Greet
- Visit Pete's Garage
- Have Lunch on Minnie's Porch - the Boys anyway
- Adult Lunch @ Peco's Bills
- See Philharmagic
- Ride the Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh
- Play at the Padded Playground across from Winnie the Pooh
- Have a Dole Whip from aloha Isle
- Take the Monorail to Epcot
- Tour Innoventions
- take the Friendship Boat back to the hotel

Afternoon (1:00 PM)
- Hotel (Naptime)

Evening (6:00 PM)
- Dinner at San angel Inn (Mexico Pavilion)
- Ride the 3 caballeros Gran Fiesta Tour
- Walk the Boardwalk

Day 6 - March 9th, 2010

Morning (9:00 AM)
- Drive to the MGM-Studios
-Arrive at MGM-Studios before park opening
- Obtain Fastpasses for Toy Story Mania
- Ride Toy Story Mania with the boys in the standby line.
- Tour Journey into Narnia
- Ride Toy Story Mania with Fastpasses no kids.
- Head to Woody's Photo Shootin' Gallery
- Visit with Woody and Buzz
- Tour Streets of America
- Have lunch at the Backlot Express
- Ride Rock n' Roller Coaster using baby swap

Afternoon (12:00 PM)
- Head back to the Hotel (Naptime)

Evening (6:00 PM)
- Dinner at the Big River Grille & Brewing Works
- Do the Passporter's Treasure Hunt for Morocco & Japan
- Spend the evening in Hotel

Day 7 - March 10th, 2010

Morning (9:00 AM)
- Walk to the International Gateway
- Have breakfast at the Fountainview Cafe
- Head over to the Magic Kingdom via Monorail
- stop in the Emporium to shop
- Head over to fantasyland
- Pick-up Fastpasses for Peter Pan Flight
- Ride Dumbo
- Have lunch at Pinocchio's Village Haus
- Ride Peter Pan's flight using FastPasses
- Head over to adventureland
- Ride the Magic Carpets of Aladdin
- Try a few Treasure hunt questions
- Have another Dole Whip from Aloha Isle
- Take the Monorail to Epcot
- Try the Crepes from the France Pavilion

Afternoon (12:00 PM)
- Head back to Hotel
- Take pictures of the boys on the white balcony

Evening (6:00 PM)
- Head over to Mama Melrose for Fantasmic Dining Package (don't know if we will be able to stay for Fantasmic with the Boys)
- Head over to Downtown Disney by car
- Go to Goofy's and create your own treats
- Do a Little Shopping
- Hotel

Day 8 - March 11th, 2010

Morning (9:00 AM)
- Check out of Hotel
- Drive to Epcot
- Head over to Epcot
- Ride Spaceship Earth
- Tour Innoventions
- Ride Living the Lands
- Lunch at Sunshine Seasons
- Grab some Snacks at Pop century Hotel

Afternoon (12:00 PM)
- Hopefully go see a Spring Training Baseball Game at Wide World of Sports

Evening (6:00 PM)
- Return rental car
- Head to MCO to catch our flight
- Arrive home

[danceintherain]

You don't have the Animal Kingdom Baby Care Center on your list, which in my opinion is the nicest one!

[aka-mad4themouse]

That's a very ambitious schedule. You're going to spend a lot of time going between parks. You might want to consider picking one park for the morning, go back to the resort for an afternoon break and then go to another park in the evening.

You're also not allowing yourself enough time to get from one place to another. (e.g. DAY 2: In 2-1/2 hours you plan to have lunch, ride EE twice with FPs, tour Discovery Island, drive to WWoS, grab your marathon packet and go back to your hotel.) I really just don't see that happening and you're going to end up with less down time at the resort as a result.

Do a google search for WDW transportation guides to see how long it can take to drive or take Disney transportation from one place to another. You might also want to check the walking distances between attractions. I know that older versions of the Passporter have these right on their park maps. I'm not sure if new versions do. You might be surprise how long it can take to get from one place to another.

[Walkerfam]

I Am Loving This ) Thank you so much, again, again, & again!!!!

This is going to be the best trip ever, I am so nervous, excited... so many motions mixed into one!! DH thinks I am a little crazy but I love pouring over the books, and stuff on the internet. It ia ao exciting. Thank you again.

Here is take 3 on the schedule, again not much has changed. I did my best to make sure we attend one park in the morning & one parke in the afternoon.

Day 1 - March 4th, 2010

Morning
- Arrive @ MCO around 9:00 AM
- Pick-up Rental car
- Head to Wal-Mart for essentials

Afternoon (12:00 PM)
- Have Lunch – Don’t Know Where yet ??????
- Check into Hotel (Boardwalk Inn / Villas)

Evening (6:00 PM) – Magic Kingdom
- Dinner Reservation: Chef Mickey
- Take the Monorail over the Magic Kingdom
- Go to Aloha Isle for a Dole Whip Pineapple Float

Day 2 - March 5th, 2010

Morning (10:00 AM) – Animal Kingdom
- Drive to Animal Kingdom
- Get Fastpasses for Expedition Everest
- Have Lunch - Flame tree
- Ride Expedition Everest with Fastpasses / rider swap
- Baby Care Centre
- Tour Discovery Island
- Head over to the Wide World of Sports Complex to pick-up packet for the Disney Royal Family 5K - Stroller Division Race

Afternoon ( 12:30 PM)
- Spend the afternoon at the Hotel (Nap Time)

Evening ( 4:00 PM) – Animal Kingdom
- Drive to Animal Kingdom
- Ride Kilmanjaro Safari
- Dinner at Tusker House @ 6 PM
- Drive to Downtown Disney
- Visit Downtown Disney
- Back to the Hotel.

Day 3 - March 6th, 2010

Morning (7:00 AM) – Royal Race
- Walk to the Boardwalk
- Arrive at Epcot for Royal Race @ 7:00 AM
- Attend the Meet & Greet Breakfast

Afternoon (10:00 AM) – Magic Kingdom
- Head back to the Hotel (Nap Time)
- Head to the Magic Kingdom around 1:30 PM
- Watch the 3 PM Parade (if starting from city hall watch a fire station, if starting in Frontierland watch in Liberty Square).
- While waiting for the Parade to begin grab lunch from Columbia Harbour House.
- Head over to Fantasyland after the Parade to ride it’s a Small World.
- Stop in for a snack at Cosmic Rays
- Relax in the Baby care center.
- Walk over to the Contemporary Resort.

Evening ( 6:00 PM)
- Head over to the Contemporary for Dinner at the Wave.
- Hotel

Day 4 - March 7th, 2010

Morning (8:30 AM) - Epcot
- Walking to Epcot
- Breakfast at Boardwalk Joe's
- Try to arrive at Epcot
- Obtain Fastpasses for Soarin'
- Ride Soarin' using the stanby line & baby swap.
- Head over to the Seas!
- See The Seas w/ Nemo and Friends
- Tour the Aquariums
- See Turtle Talk with Crush
- Head over to the Imagination Pavilion
- See Figment
- Use the Kodak Labs to send Postcard
- Lunch at the Lotus Blossom cafe in the China Pavilion

Afternoon (12:00 PM)
- Go for a Swim at Luna Park Pool
- Relax at Hotel (Nap Time)

Evening (6:00 PM) – Magic Kingdom
- Drive to the Magic Kingdom
- Dinner at Crystal Palace
- Head down to Main Street to find spot for Spectomagic
- Hotel for the night.

Day 5 - March 8th, 2010

Morning (9:00 AM) - Magic Kingdom
- Walk to Epcot
- Take the Monorail to Magic Kingdom
- Head to Toontown
- See the Character Meet & Greet
- Visit Pete's Garage
- Have Lunch on Minnie's Porch - the Boys anyway
- Adult Lunch @ Peco's Bills
- See Philharmagic
- Ride the Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh
- Play at the Padded Playground across from Winnie the Pooh
- Have a Dole Whip from aloha Isle
- Take the Monorail to Epcot
- Take the Friendship Boat back to the hotel

Afternoon (1:00 PM)
- Hotel (Naptime)

Evening (6:00 PM) - Epcot
- Dinner at San angel Inn (Mexico Pavilion)
- Ride the 3 caballeros Gran Fiesta Tour
- Walk the Boardwalk

Day 6 - March 9th, 2010

Morning (9:00 AM) – MGM Studios

- Drive to the MGM-Studios
-Arrive at MGM-Studios before park opening
- Obtain Fastpasses for Toy Story Mania
- Ride Toy Story Mania with the boys in the standby line.
- Tour Journey into Narnia
- Ride Toy Story Mania with Fastpasses no kids.
- Head to Woody's Photo Shootin' Gallery
- Visit with Woody and Buzz
- Tour Streets of America
- Have lunch at the Backlot Express
- Ride Rock n' Roller Coaster using baby swap

Afternoon (12:00 PM)
- Head back to the Hotel (Naptime)

Evening (6:00 PM) - Epcot
- Dinner at the Big River Grille & Brewing Works
- Walk to Epcot
- Do the Passporter's Treasure Hunt for Morocco & Japan
- Spend the evening in Hotel

Day 7 - March 10th, 2010

Morning (9:00 AM) – Magic Kingdom
- Walk to the International Gateway
- Have breakfast at the Fountainview Cafe
- Head over to the Magic Kingdom via Monorail
- Stop in the Emporium to shop
- Head over to Fantasyland
- Pick-up Fastpasses for Peter Pan Flight
- Ride Dumbo
- Have lunch at Pinocchio's Village Haus
- Ride Peter Pan's flight using FastPasses
- Head over to adventureland
- Ride the Magic Carpets of Aladdin
- Try a few Treasure hunt questions
- Have another Dole Whip from Aloha Isle
- Take the Monorail to Epcot
- Try the Crepes from the France Pavilion

Afternoon (12:00 PM)
- Head back to Hotel
- Take pictures of the boys on the white balcony

Evening (6:00 PM) – MGM Studios
- Head over to Mama Melrose for Fantasmic Dining Package (don't know if we will be able to stay for Fantasmic with the Boys)
- Head over to Downtown Disney by car
- Go to Goofy's and create your own treats
- Do a Little Shopping
- Hotel

Day 8 - March 11th, 2010

Morning (9:00 AM) - Epcot
- Check out of Hotel
- Drive to Epcot
- Head over to Epcot
- Ride Spaceship Earth
- Tour Innoventions
- Ride Living the Lands
- Lunch at Sunshine Seasons
- Grab some Snacks at Pop century Hotel

Afternoon (12:00 PM)
- Hopefully go see a Spring Training Baseball Game at Wide World of Sports

Evening (6:00 PM)
- Return rental car
- Head to MCO to catch our flight
- Arrive home