1 Piece of Advice.....

[snoopy5386]

I am trying to help out a relative taking her family on their first trip to Disney in less than a month so...

If you could give them one piece of advice, what would it be?

FYI:
Family = Mom, Dad, DD 9 and DD4
Staying On Site @ Pop Century
Dates = 9/25-10/5
Will Most Likely Be a Once in a Lifetime Trip

Thanks!!

 

[LindaD]

It's nothing earth shattering, but I always tell people not to forget to look up, you never know what you might see!

 

[mickeymule]

My advice, remember you are on vacation and enjoy. I cannot count the amount of times I see people complaining about stupid things and not enjoying their time there. Yes there will be lines, yes there will be rude people, yes you will have to wait, yes you won't get to do everything you planned when you planned to do it. Just remember that when you go and don't let it bother you and you will have a great time.

Good luck, have fun, and relax

 

[Kitster]

The one piece of advice everyone needs to remember.........have FUN !! Try to see Disney World thru their eyes; it will give you a whole new perspective.

 

[mickeymule]

Kitster, that's funny, we posted within seconds of each other

 

[ErikdaRed]

Get a stroller for the little one (although the 9yr old will end up in it at some point). Also, its called Snow White's SCARY adventure for a reason.

 

[DepCor0311]

Never, ever ride Mission Space with a hang over

 

[mickeymule]

Hey, ErikdaRed, if we are talking truth in advertising, maybe they should add the words "scary adventure" to Small World

 

[sters]

REad up and have a plan. My sister in law is one of those "go with the flow" types and was disappointed to learn later that there was an Illuminations show that she would have liked to have seen. She said she didn't know anything about. HOW, I'm not sure... but obviously she did no research into the plan.

 

[WDSearcher]

There's not a test at the end of vacation. It's okay if you don't see EVERY SINGLE THING in every park before you leave!

 

[bubba's mom]

i'd say to have early dinner.....3:30-4:30ish. we planned this each day and it worked out really well....seemed to rain while we ate!! took rain ponchos and never even opened them!!! (guess that was a good thing!)............also, you beat the dinner crowds!

 

[fultons96]

Take time to stop and enjoy the architecture and flora all around you, its there to help put you in that fantasy state of mind.

 

[Disnutty]

I have two hot tips, Besides having a plan and having fun. 1) make sure that they make a copy of their Disney Tickets if they buy them before they leave and that they bring the copy of the tickets and receipt with them. Have them put the copy and receipt in a different suitcase than the tickets themselves. 2) Since it is thier first time in Disney let them know what Fastpass is all about. I just don't understand why people would wait in hour long lines when Fastpass is available. I think first timers are afraid to ask what Fastpass is all about or that they think that there must be an additional fee to use the system. Fastpass will add additional magic to their trip. Also to remind them to make sure that they take the Fastpasses and their Entrance Ticket out of the Fastpass machine. I have seen people grab the Fastpass to see what their return time is but forget to take their entrance ticket, only to run back to the machine hoping their entrance ticket is still there. Has anyone lost their entrance ticket this way?

 

[d96j97]

Even though we went at a wonderful time of the year for crowds...we utilized the fast pass and left at the end our vacation honestly feeling like we got to do just about everything we had planned on.

If you get a chance...ride the water mice boats!! We almost ran out of time and decided to ride them after we checked out of WL and still had a 15hour drive ahead of us. We did it and it was worth every cent/minute spent.

Gosh...just like everyone else said....have FUN!!! By the way...I can't imagine going to Disney and NOT having fun. It is the greatest place on earth to our family!!!!

:thewave: :thewave: :thewave:

 

[crzy4mk]

Get up early and be there when the parks open. If you are in the parks within the first 90 minutes, you will accomplish as much during that time as you do the rest of the day! And use Fastpass . . . it's your friend!

 

[bobbiwoz]

For a once in a lifetime trip, I would "do" a Halloween Party. Stay and enjoy the resort for the day, you'll love the pool, and go out and enjoy the Magic Kingdom at that very special time.

Enjoy your trip!

Bobbi

 

[missypie]

As much as humanly possible, don't think of the "fortune" you're spending and that it is a "once in a lifetime" trip. That puts far too much pressure to HAVE FUN. Kids have limits and it's not fun for kids that age to go without rest times and to stay up late and get up early. The parents need to sacrifice a bit of park time to make sure they have well rested kids.

 

[Crazy Kanga]

I have to agree, don't go into it with the once in a lifetime mindset, because it will put too much stress on everyone. We are about to go on our fourth trip, and there is no way it will be our last. Tell them to just have fun and go into it with the attitude that they will come back some day(if they enjoy it as much as we know they will) and take time to soak up the magic all around them.
Also, don't go into it with unrealistic expectations of the CM's. My brother in law got a real attitude on our "Magical Gatherings"(NOT) trip last year. He said he had expected the CM's to be nicer than they were. Most were great , but some were let's say, less than dazzling. Just be happy, and you'll get back what you give!

 

[pumpkinfish]

Advice, advice, advice....

Get the DD involved. One thing my father did to me at a young age was have me read up on all the Disney facts. I read the UG at age 8 and understood all of it. Te the to a bookstore and let each girl pick out a book to read up on disney. The 4yr old probably won't be ready for the UG, but if mom/dad talk to her at bedtime about the different types of rides...all the characters...and what to expect. If the DD are affraid of characters, you might want to do a character breakfast at first, so the little one can warm up to all the characters.

But yes, enjoy yourself. Try things outside of Disney like renting boats, or also walk DTD and check out the sites. The DD will probably feel disney overload if you pound it all into them every single day. Break up the days so it isn't so overwhelming.

 

[cathy59]

Read up so you know what things you might want to do, BUT...
Don't try to schedule every minute of your time.

It's not about the schedule, it's about the experience. Some of the best things that happen aren't necessarily planned.

Relax, don't feel like you have to be in the parks every minute. There's a lot of great stuff to do that isn't over-the-top exhilarating.

And while you are there... Live in the moment!
Have a great trip!