Strategy help with almost 5 yo boy and almost 2 yo girl, first timers!

[Enasmama]

I am heading to disney for the first time with my kids who will turn 5(boy) and 2 (girl) at the end of our trip. We are staying on site at pop dec. 29- jan. 4(I know crazy busy). I am wondering if there is a certain book I should get with planning guides? Also, strategy with two this age? What to hit, what to skip? We are not park hopping, but do want to go to mk, hs, and ak for sure, still undecided on Epcot...
Help please! Also, any strategy on which dates to go where to avoid crowds is greatly appreciated!

 

[AndyFL]

I am heading to disney for the first time with my kids who will turn 5(boy) and 2 (girl) at the end of our trip. We are staying on site at pop dec. 29- jan. 4(I know crazy busy). I am wondering if there is a certain book I should get with planning guides? Also, strategy with two this age? What to hit, what to skip? We are not park hopping, but do want to go to mk, hs, and ak for sure, still undecided on Epcot...
Help please! Also, any strategy on which dates to go where to avoid crowds is greatly appreciated!

There's another thread which will have some good info entitled "First trip to WDW...."

As for books this one is a must http://www.amazon.com/Fodors-Walt-D...8&sr=1-1&keywords=walt+disney+world+with+kids

As for what to skip, I'm probably going to get seriously flamed here but I would nix AK, there is only one ride they'll be able to ride and it is basically Dumbo with Dinosaur replacements. Tough to be a Bug will most likely traumatize them at their ages. And since you aren't park hopping you will most likely find yourself looking around in about 2 hrs saying to yourself "now what?"

 

[CUnit]

My best advice would be to plan out what attractions you think your children would enjoy. Plan on getting to parks at rope drop and visit those attractions first and get fast passes early because the stop giving them out by noon sometimes. Also, keep in mind that you will not do everything. I've been there 3 times with my children and still have a list of things we have not tackled. Oh, and my last word of advice,,,,patience. lol, it can get a little overwhelming with the hustle & bustle, the crowds, the overexcitment of little ones.... but you'll create many long lasting memories!!! Hope you have a great time!

 

[DisLis]

You'll see this advice repeated throughout the forums - take it seriously - leave the parks for the afternoon and relax at the hotel pool, take a nap, etc. This made all the difference for us when the kids were young. Its hard to get me out of the parks, but I learned the hard way.

 

[pouncingpluto]

There's another thread which will have some good info entitled "First trip to WDW...."

As for books this one is a must http://www.amazon.com/Fodors-Walt-D...8&sr=1-1&keywords=walt+disney+world+with+kids

As for what to skip, I'm probably going to get seriously flamed here but I would nix AK, there is only one ride they'll be able to ride and it is basically Dumbo with Dinosaur replacements. Tough to be a Bug will most likely traumatize them at their ages. And since you aren't park hopping you will most likely find yourself looking around in about 2 hrs saying to yourself "now what?"

Our daughter loved AK at 13 months -- little ones can certainly ride Kilamanjaro Safaris, and there are lots of animal exhibits, the Nemo show, etc. For us, it's just a nice morning park, but we wouldn't miss it.

By the way, our daughter will be turning 2 on the last day of our early February trip. So our daughters must be close in age.

Tips:

Definitely make sure to keep her naptime in mind and plan accordingly.

DD loved meeting Pooh characters and Mickey characters at 13 months -- hopefully she still will. The Crystal Palace lunch was absolutely MAGICAL with her last time. And I think the characters really liked her babyish enthusiasm too, because they came back and gave her extra attention.

DD loved the play fountains at Epcot, though it was warmer when we went.

There are all kinds of little side attractions/objects of interest that you don't bother with before kids. Keep an eye out for those.

I think you'll find there are more things your DD can do than can't do at WDW.

 

[JessM]

I would definitely take them to the Animal Kingdom. They will enjoy the safari, the two trails full of animal exhibits, the Lion King show, Finding Nemo show, the boneyard play area etc. your 5 year old may like its tough to be a bug or the Dino ride depending on how adventurous he is, yes they can be scary but I have taken 5 year olds on both and some can handle it and some can't. Have fun!

 

[haPevraftr]

OP- I will be there at the same time as you. My kids are a few years older than yours (DS6, DD9), but the last time we were there for a whole week was when they were the ages of yours now. I am going to make a touring plan for each park and would be happy to send it to you as a starting point if you would like. I am going to put them together sometime after Dec. 6, once people start reporting back about the lines from New Fantasyland.

Get your post count up to 10 and them send me a PM with a bit more info like whether your kids are senisitive to loud noises, etc., how many adults are travelling, and how tall your kids are, and whether you have any dining reservations and I will be happy to help you. I have done this for numerous first timer friends in the past. You will want to have a plan b/c it will be busy, but you will have a blast!

 

[kohlby]

As for what to skip, I'm probably going to get seriously flamed here but I would nix AK

It really depends on your kids. We had four with-kids trips and AK was a flop every single time except for Dinosaur dig and the safari. So, we're skipping it this next trip. I kept thinking my kids would learn to like it - plus we have 3 kids so we figured the next 2/3 in the bunch would love it. Nope. They do really like the zoo though! We've given it four full chances with kids so now we're finally skipping it. I would recommend someone give it a try if they're not sure - some kids love it. But if you have to leave a park out, that's the one I'd lean towards as well.

On our last trip, our two youngest were 2.5 and 5 years old. (Our oldest was 8). Once again, Epcot was the clear winner for my crew - following suit with ALL the other trips. So, my advice is though MK is important for those ages, don't discount Epcot. If you only had time for two parks, I'd pick MK and EP, easily. Then it depends on what your kids like after that. I'd say DHS over AK since your 5 year old is a boy. There was plenty for my 5 year old girl at DHS to last the day, but it was my two boys who absolutely loved it.

My advice is to plan your touring well. Get familar with the rides and what gets crowded when. Hit rope drop every single day.

 

[twinboysmom]

We have taken our 2 6 times since they were 18 months. We send very little time at AK and DHS. I absolutely would not skip Epcot. Our boys love the Nemo ride, the aquarium, they enjoy the mexican boat ride (the Norwegian one is a bit scary for them), love Imagination and the pavilion, ans for some reason, they love living with the land (think its the boat). They also enjoy spaceship earth. Your 5 year old will likely enjoy the activities in the innovations pavilions as well. Epcot also has the character pavillion that is very easy to see all the major character and only wait in one line. There are also characters throughout the world showcase and we have seen some major characters with little or no wait in the American area several times. your 5 year old would probably really enjoy soarin' and for sure, test track.

I would spend sometime on easywdw.com. It is free and I use his park calanders religiously. Never has he steered me wrong. It's a free site. Also get to the parks for rope drop. It makes a difference in how much you can get done. That first hour is crucial. I don't think you necessarily have to leave the park for a break. It depends on your family. My boys do not take a nap in the room no matter how hard we try. We do leave the parks for a swim but in January, you likely cannot do that. I would make certain our bring or rent a good stroller, preferably a double so your little one can nap. Don't discount the playgrounds in the parks. They are a great way for the kids to unwind.

 

[Enasmama]

My kids love animals so I really think they will love animal kingdom! I have 5 full days and one half day, so I don't have to skip anything really! Maybe I will make a plan for Epcot too and see how it goes... I am really open to suggestions! So I guess the question is, to Epcot or not to Epcot

 

[rockets971997]

Hi,

Have had this exact experience a few years back. We had such an amazing time that we have been back every year since! I would sum up the secrets to our success in three simple points:

1. Be there at rope drop

2. Have a touring plan for every park and try to stick to it ( the only day I have ever gotten upset at Disney was when we quit following our plan and our kids melted down in AK as we didn't leave before nap time)

3. Make sure everyone gets a nap. Parents need the break as much as their littlest ones!

 

[Meesh201]

We just went in October with a 6 and 3 year old, so here goes.

1. Definitely go back to the hotel for a nap at lunch time. We took sandwiches into the park and the kids ate them on the bus so that when we got back to the resort they were ready for naptime (well, at least the 3 year old was). Even if you get to 11:30 and think they are doing great, go back, otherwise you will miss out on the evening fun due to meltdowns.

2. Double stroller! If you have one you are taking, then great. We rented from Kingdom strollers and it was perfect. My kids don't usually need one and we didn't want to deal with it at the airport. The stroller was waiting at our resort when we got there and we used it so much. It was cheaper than renting at the parks and much more comfortable for the kids, plus they can stay in it when you leave the parks and it was much easier to navigate the crowds with the kids tucked safely into the stroller.

3. We only went to MK so I can't really discuss the other parks, but we spent most of our time in fantasyland. They also loved jungle cruise, buzz lightyear, country bear jamboree, monster's inc laugh floor, and the people mover (at night this is fun). The haunted mansion was a bust, although they loved the interactive queue. My 6 yo loved splash mountain and big thunder mountain railroad. Depending on the crowds you may not need a touring plan. We always started with one, but if it is not crowded then we just let the kids lead the way.

4. We scheduled one day to just stay at the resort and swim, watch the movies under the stars, and go to downtown disney. The kids LOVED this day and there were still things we didn't do, so next time I will probably schedule 2 days to just hang out at the resort.

5. I took a box of cereal, applesauce to go, and other snacks in a suitcase, then we ordered milk, lunch meat, etc from garden grocer. It was nice for the kids to have something to eat right away in the morning without having to go down to the restaurant. It also save $$. We did Chef Mickey's for dinner the first night and we always love it (probably my husband's favorite meal) and since the kids get to see the characters during dinner, we don't have to wait in line to see them at the parks.

6. HAVE FUN!!

 

[kohlby]

With 5.5 days, I'd plan one half day for swimming and the resort or DTD. (The Lego store has a racing lego cars activity on the outside. My kids spent two full hours there last year! And it's free to build and race!)

I'd do one day for each park. And then figure out the 5th day based on what the kids liked. For years, we never made it out of Future World in Epcot since we only had one day there. Though my kids love all of Epcot, I think they could have spent a full day at Innoventions alone if we let them! I'm glad we finally got the kids to World Showcase, but there was plenty in FW alone. (And less walking that way. Our last trip had kids ages 2.5, 5, and 8 and they did all enjoy World Showcase as well. I'm glad we finally had time for it - but you'll have a blast no matter how much you do!)

As for back to the hotel room, you know your kids best. I read the "take a nap or break" over and over. So I tried it. Fail. It didn't work with any of my kids, and we've been 4 times with a 2 or 3 year old in the mix. (Three different kids). They wouldn't nap in the stroller either. So it worked best for us to get there at rope drop and leave when someone acted like it was time to leave. I couldn't make them nap. But I could get them to bed on time at night. That week in Dec should have long enough hours that taking a nap still leaves you lots of park time. So, if it works, it's worth trying. Don't be afraid to abandon it if it doesn't work for your kids though.

*For planning, I love easywdw.