First time with kids

[J. Bowen]

Been 30 years since I was at the park. Taking our kids and have the park hopper tickets, know about Fast Passes, and have a decent idea where to go and when. However, being my first post on these forums I figured I'd ask for some quick tips that are commonly known or posted everywhere (wear tennis shoes, bring plenty of water, etc.).

What are the insider tips that the seasoned pros share that are little known? Been browsing these boards for a few days now but looking for any golden nuggets that might surprise even the experts who go several times per year.

Thanks and wish us luck, we'll be there in just over a week!

 

[becks59]

If kids don't meet the height requirement for a ride, then you can do rider switch. Just ask the CM at the ride line for a rider swap pass. They will give you a paper that allows up to three people to go back and ride again without waiting in the standby line. Usually you get sent through the FP line or possibly through the exit path.

Bring snacks and water and make sure the kids stay hydrated.

We really liked getting to the parks just before they opened because that meant little to no lines, which is much easier to handle with young children. Then we would take a 3-5hr break around noon back at the hotel. This meant we avoided the hottest part of the day and the peak crowds.

 

[becks59]

Oh, and for the rider switch you could get a FP and still get that too. Example: pull FP for Splash at 10am and then when you return, just ask for rider swap pass. This way it is like getting to ride twice on a row with a FP. You don't have to use the rider swap right away either - just anytime that same day.

 

[theluckyrabbit]

Know the location of First Aid in each park (off of Main Street by the Little Red Wagon in DL, next to Chamber of Commerce in DCA) ahead of time and have a designated meeting spot for each park (or even each land) in case someone gets lost. Nurses in First Aid are super nice and helpful. You can even get cold, filtered water there to refill your water bottles. We also pack a small first aid kit (bandaids, neosporin, purell, moleskin, etc.) just in case. Who wants to troop all the way to First Aid from ToonTown with a bister?
If you have very little ones, knowing the location of the Baby Care Center in each park (across from the Little Red Wagon in DL, by Ghirardelli and Cars Land in DCA) can help. You can get free diapers there, there is a microwave for heating formula, and there are tiny toilets for toddlers.
Also, you can study the park maps online to get a general idea of where the restrooms are, and especially the family restrooms if that is an issue, so that you won't be at a loss when an urgent need strikes.
If you have picky eaters or special requests/needs, look over the menus on allears.net to see what/where you will find what you need.
An extra pair of dry socks for everyone can be very helpful.
And favorite snacks for waiting in lines can help make the time pass more quickly. I don't know what it is about string cheese and beef jerky that can keep our kids amused in lines!
We also take photos of all the "I want this!" souvenirs as the day goes by (and take a photo of the shop name, too, so you remember where the item is located), then each kiddo looks over the photos and gets to pick ONE. This really cuts down on the impulse begging, and the kids know they have the one thing they really want. They know they'll leave the parks with something special, so they can relax in each store.

 

[chickapin parterre]

what are the ages of your children???

Wednesday mornings are the best, just really amazing what you can accomplish.

NOS is the worst DRR train loading area, tomorrowland is the best loading station.

Check the stairwell at the end of Indy, choose the one that folks are not sheep following.

Crush is a great place to rest, cool off, very comfortable seats.

You can walk thru tower of terror and then exit before kids board the attraction elevator.

dumbo at night is a great ride.

thunder is fun ride during the fireworks

Early at the gate only gets you early at the rope drop.

Mid day heading to splash? best to go thru Fronteirland then clawing thru the congestion at indy, jc and pirates.

best advice: it is a vacation, leave the parks around 2 and return to lodging for rest, shower, snacks, hydrate, change of clothes and come back to the park about 6

 

[peterpanandwendy]

We did "We only buy a souvenir on the last day". This way we were able to avoid any tired/cranky/hot gift shop melt downs during the week. We just breezed past the gift shops with a gentle reminder "on the last day you can look at toys."

We gave our son all our change and told him it was 'his' money (he's was 3) and on day 3 he bought a popcorn all buy himself. He was thrilled.

Depending on the age of your kids strollers are amazing. I didn't think I was going to use a stroller with my my 3/4 year old, but we did end up renting one. What we did was use it for walking between lands, but then we would park it and explore the land on foot.

Make sure you take you LO's pee before getting in line

 

[J. Bowen]

Thank you all for the replies, some great suggestions there!

Kids are 10 and 6, both girls. Measured them last night and the youngest is right at 48" barefoot so hopefully she'll be good for any ride we go on. No real need to push it for the scary rides though.

Speaking of, what rides would be too much for them? I know it depends on the kids but we don't let them watch scary movies (not even Jurassic Park) so anything too violent or real would likely be too much. We have watched all the Star Wars movies but I made them leave the room or close their eyes or ears for the scarier or more graphic parts (cutting off limbs, killing the Padiwan kids, etc.).

 

[chickapin parterre]

on the " too much for them" you will get answers from a wide range of experiences. All dark rides are intense. So to encourage the safety of the intensity I would choose Buzz, Small world as first dark rides, ask the girls what they thought, do they feel safe. my 6 year old did not like any Fantasy dark rides or any other dark ride in the park. And this was a kid who was never afraid. But he sure loved autopia, over and over and over a and dumbo round and round and round and your girls will probably do the same. And they will enjoy the visit without any fear.Plenty of open air rides in DCA also

 

[crystal1313]

Wow, you have gotten some wonderful tips already!! My boys are 7 and 5. Here are some tips that have really helped us!

Take breaks! Talk to your girls and let them know to speak up and let you know if they are tired or need a rest. We usually take a break every 2-3 hours and have the boys eat a snack, and have them hydrate and use the restroom. We only drink water at the parks, with the exception of milk for meals. With both boys no longer using strollers, we will also take quick breaks if they get tired from walking. We average 7-10 miles a day at the parks. That's a lot for little legs. We also take long walks at home to get them more used to standing and walking a lot. It helps! Breaks also help how overwhelming the parks can be. It is loud, crowded, and there is SO much to take in. Having a break helps my kids from getting overwhelmed.

I will repeat what a PP said about waiting until the last day for a souvenir. A lot of the attractions will exit you out into a store (looking at you Buzz, Star Tours, and Toy Story!). The boys would ask for everything! We made a rule that they could look, but could not buy until the last day. That way they get what they really want. It totally helps! (we also limit one "treat" a day of their choosing)

You can get FREE water at the counter service restaurants. Free! And you don't have to carry around water bottles or pay $3 for bottled water =)

Don't skip Tom Sawyer Island! It's a great place for the kids to run around and get out some energy =)

Take lots of photos! They are only little once =)

I would try to get an idea of the places your family would like to eat in each park, that way when you all get hungry, you will know what is near and already know if your kids will eat the food! Disneyland.com has the menus up for most places now. So helpful!

I think Gadget go coaster is a great starter ride to kind of feel out how they will react to other attractions (like roller coasters). I keep things really positive in line. Telling them how big they are to ride, saying how much fun it will be, etc. I never ever say "scary." We have used bribes before to get my youngest to try an attraction (like he will get a sucker for trying). We tell him he only has to try it. For Big Thunder, he loved and went back multiple times. For Space mountain, not so much! But, he tried and was proud. Frank, the big combine tractor in Radiator Springs scares my youngest. He has been on RSR lots of times, but always asks me to cover his eyes on that part and he's fine. Also, even though he has been on Star Tours more times than I can count, he won't go on it anymore. He truly, truly believes we go into space. He will say, "I don't feel like going into outer space today." So we don't push. My oldest is the opposite and has been on every ride in the park, including TOT and Screamin. He loves everything. I think you will be able to tell and will know your girls best when the time comes. =)

I also bring a change of clothes and socks for the boys just in case. Put them in a locker. We also bring in a ton of snacks from home. I try to get new items or items they haven't had in awhile. Even though we have them eat on a regular basis, it is hard because they just want to go, go, go. So having a new snack or something they don't get very often, really helps!

Lastly, enjoy! Take in the moments! Laugh, have fun and play with your kids! Don't sweat the small stuff. You will have a wonderful time!!!!

 

[J. Bowen]

Wow, you guys are just wonderful! Some very helpful tips. Crystal you hit really close to home with the age of your boys and our girls and I really appreciate all the feedback everyone has given already. THANK YOU!!!

We'll likely bring a backpack to carry a bottle of water and snacks. I'll do my best to get a locker, hear they sell out quick but hoping since we'll be there Wed, Thurs, and Friday it won't be too bad. Staying at one of the hotels just outside the park so I can run back if we need something. I'm a bigger guy used to hiking a lot as are the wife and kids so we should be good for some decent amount of walking/standing but will definitely take breaks including passing on the midday heat with a trip to the room if it's too much (though we live where it's 90-100 decrees the last few weeks so heat should be similar though humidity might be higher at DL).

We have park hopper passes for 3 days and plan to do MK the first day, CA the second, then float or go back to the rides we want to do again on the last day. We are driving to friends house in south LA on Friday so we'll leave late from the park as they are an hour away and I'm sure Friday traffic will be rough in the afternoon.

Plan to do Arial's Grotto for lunch one day, hopefully the girls enjoy that. The youngest is a real princess so we'll have to do lots of princess things. The 10 year old likes to dress up too but she's also a bit of a Tom-boy so she's good to go for most rides I think. Plus we'll be with friends the first 2 days with a 13 year old girl and 12 year old boy so I suspect they'll want to do all the bigger rides as they let their kids watch any movie they want (like the new Jurassic Park or other graphic movies and video games) so they have no fear.

Can't wait! Should be a blast! Oh and we got the PhotoPassPlus also so that combined with cell phone pictures we'll get a good number of photos. I'm a big photo guy but trying to balance photos with living the experience so will try to find a good middle ground.

 

[crystal1313]

Sounds like you have a wonderful plan!! We did Photopass plus last July last year and it was AWESOME!!!! Loved getting all the ride photos too! I thought it was well worth the cost and it was awesome for me to actually be in some of the photos since I am usually behind the camera I think you will find that middle ground.

Since we have boys, we have not tried Ariel's, but I'm sure it will be great! How awesome to eat and have your daughters favorite princesses walking around! Princess Fantasy Faire looks pretty neat as well!

Have a wonderful trip! =)

 

[chickapin parterre]

.....It is not that you are in great condition or the heat but the stopping, starting, stopping, starting, the crush of folks, the noise and the pressure to accomplish. But the greatest reward for resting at lodging during the afternoon is the evening payoff, you will be rested, comfortable and that is the big payoff, because night is also an attraction in it self

 

[dotfurio]

We've been taking the girls since they were born and even I'm getting some great tips! I love the idea of taking photos of things they want so they can choose later.

Assuming it's the kid's first visit - you can pick up "First Visit" buttons at guest services at either park.

Are you interested in doing the Bibbidi Bobbodi Boutique (DL) or Anna and Elsa boutique (downtown disney)? We splurged our last visit and did the BBB castle package. It was our first BBB experience and more expensive than I'd ever pay for again, but she loved it, we got cute pics out of it, and we got to cut the line at the Princess Fantasy Faire.

Tom Sawyer Island and Redwood Creek Challenge Trail are both great places to let the kids run around. I think our girls sometimes love those places more than rides.

 

[J. Bowen]

No idea on the BBB or Anna or Elsa. Sounds pretty crowded and still learning the acronyms so pardon me if I ask just in case.

What is expensive exactly compared to spending 3 days in DTD and hotel? I'm willing to pay maybe $50 for an experience like BBB if you guys and gals recommend but after that it might be too much for one experience inside the big experience. We are also taking time to do a lot of other stuff in LA like Universal Studios, the pier, and other attractions so we aren't spending the whole budget at Disney. We can afford some stuff but not the 100% treatment of every event offered.

I'll add the Tom Sawyer and Redwood to the list of things to look for. Being our first time really it's going to be overwhelming I fear but we'll muddle through thanks to all the great advice y'all are providing.

 

[4Siamese]

My suggestion for seeing how your kiddos will react to some of the more "intense" rides is to show them a "ride through" video on YOUTUBE. Not for every ride ( I don't think it would spoil the experience to much ) but for a few select rides like Snow white, Haunted Mansion might give you a better feel on how them might react to them.

 

[4Siamese]

Tom Sawyer Island and Redwood Creek Challenge Trail are both great places to let the kids run around. I think our girls sometimes love those places more than rides.

MY 2 teens still love going over to Tom Sawyers Island.

 

[luulu1999]

No idea on the BBB or Anna or Elsa. Sounds pretty crowded and still learning the acronyms so pardon me if I ask just in case.

What is expensive exactly compared to spending 3 days in DTD and hotel? I'm willing to pay maybe $50 for an experience like BBB if you guys and gals recommend but after that it might be too much for one experience inside the big experience. We are also taking time to do a lot of other stuff in LA like Universal Studios, the pier, and other attractions so we aren't spending the whole budget at Disney. We can afford some stuff but not the 100% treatment of every event offered.

I'll add the Tom Sawyer and Redwood to the list of things to look for. Being our first time really it's going to be overwhelming I fear but we'll muddle through thanks to all the great advice y'all are providing.

Then the ana and elsa one in downtown disney would be good I think it is around $35 and pretty much the same price as BBB...Our first trip we didn't really have a plan we went at Christmas time we walked around rode rides with short lines and got FP for RSR (they were harder to get back then) but using the FP will help get a TON done and also doing a lot early in the mornings and taking an afternoon break then returning to the parks helps alot..also with the Photo pass plus at the Character meals like Ariels grotto you get actual pictures to take with you there are several in the package and come in a neat little folder so make sure any character meals you do let them know you have the pp+ so you get your hard copies of the pics

 

[J. Bowen]

Sorry, but what is RSR? And I presume DD, DH, DS, etc. =Dear Husband/Dad/Son or DisneylandDad/Husband/Son?

I'll check into the Anna and Elsa then, thanks!

Also, since we'll be there on a Thursday, but not staying at a DL hotel, can we still get a MM for that day? If so, how would we go about getting it?

 

[VandVsmama]

I have 2 girls - ages 7 and 9. Given your descriptions of your children & the sort of movies & TV shows that they do not watch at home, I second the suggestion of showing them ride-through videos on YouTube ahead of time. It will help minimize terrorized kids. For example, we eliminated Matterhorn from our list because of that...the yeti was too scary for them. Other suggestions in no particular order:

• early bird gets the worm. So if your family are early risers, then get there at park opening. The first 2 hours that it's open is so much less crowded that you can do a ton of rides with little to no wait time.
• install Mousewait app on your smart phone if you haven't done so already. It has wait times & closures for the rides & attractions in the parks.
• Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique and Anna & Elsa Boutique - we did this for our girls 2 yr ago. 1 kid loved it. The other hated it. It's a lot of money to spend on make up & a fancy hairdo. But if your daughters are totally into that AND you can easily do it in your budget, then go for it. Otherwise, skip it and don't think twice about it.
• learn about Fast Passes and use them to save time on popular rides. There's a great sticky thread here about it. FP return times ARE enforced now. You used to be able to collect them all day and use them at whatever time you wanted, but that is no longer the case. the FPs are only good for the one hour window on the tickets.
• take an afternoon break at your hotel/motel AWAY from the parks - EVEN IF you are only there at DL for 3 days! It will save your sanity. Look at it this way - you're on vacation. And in other countries like Spain and Portugal, taking an afternoon siesta is standard practice. This also helps you mentally unplug from being in theme park mode. Allows you to recharge your batteries.
• Follow Hydroguy's rule of having each person pick THE #1 ride that they MUST DO while at DL and make sure that you go on those rides on the 1st day.
• If you want to see Paint the Night & fireworks - try getting a spot in Fantasyland near It's A Small World around 7pm. You & significant other/spouse take turns taking your kids on Fantasyland rides while the other person claims the parade-watching spot. Bring a lightweight blanket or sarong or something to mark your turf. You can't leave it unattended or the Cast Members will pick it up and take it to Lost & Found. A bathroom is nearby along with food cart vendors.
• if you want to see fireworks - follow Hydroguy's fireworks rule of making it a point to see fireworks on your first night. The reason for this is that fireworks are often cancelled due to high winds or weather. So if you wait to even TRY to see fireworks on your last night there, and the fireworks are cancelled, it would be a real bummer if the fireworks had occurred the prior 2 nights and you missed it.
• You can get a free cup of water at any Counter Service location. Don't have to pay $3 for every bottle of water. It saves a lot of money.
• if you want to see the Soundsational Parade - there are benches in Fantasyland just to the left of the Alice in Wonderland bathrooms. These are the bathrooms that have playing cards on the stall doors. The other side of the "street" is NOT a parade viewing location. So this means that all of the people in the parade play up to YOUR side of the street a lot more.

 

[ktlm]

If you are remotely blister prone, or concerned about the kids getting blisters due to all the walking, Body Glide is a fantastic product. I am extremely blister prone and used to get blisters every Disney trip. Since I learned about Body Glide on these boards, I have not had even one blister at WDW or DL. I also used to get blisters every time I got a new pair of shoes, and now I use it with new shoes too and it works great to avoid blisters! Most jogger specialty shops and some bike shops carry it. Occasionally you can find it at Dicks sporting goods, but they don't always carry it. I rub it all over my feet each morning before we hit the parks, and I am good for the whole day. We often go open to close in the parks. I have used it on DD since she was 2 (she is now 9), and she has never had a blister at WDW or DLR.