1st trip as an adult/parent many questions!

[MEP2013]

My husband and I are taking our 3 kids on their first trip the first week of February!! My kids ages will be 5.5, 3 and 16 months.

1.) stupid question first. Are the fireworks as loud as regular fireworks? I don't know if disney has some magical way of making them quieter: ). Seriously I'm just trying to decide if we need ear muffs. My older girls are extremely sensitive to loud noise.

2.) I'm hoping I get a FP for wishes and if I do are strollers allowed in the rose garden? I would hate to wake up the baby if our late nap plan doesn't work and he's asleep before 9.(and yes he would sleep through the fireworks)

3.). About magic bands and the dining plan. How does this work if my husband is grabbing all the food while I sit with the kids? Can he just use his magic band for all of us or does he need to have all our bands? I read that a person can't use another person's band, so I'm not sure how this would work.

Thanks in advance!!

 

[sharonabe]

If you are anywhere near the castle, the fireworks will be loud. My boys were also sound sensitive at that age, so we always took muffs. It's better to have them and not need them than to not have them.

Your DH can use his band and get all meals. The credits are not allocated per band, but all credits are on both your bands.

 

[StitchesGr8Fan]

If your kids are sensitive to noise DO NOT watch wishes from the Rose Garden. Get as close to the train station as you can.

 

[BrianL]

Just a thought, but the FP+ area is actually closer to the castle (and probably louder), and not a prime viewing spot really. The first week of February should not be very crowded so you might just get a spot toward the back of the hub.

 

[DVCkidsMOM]

Our family's MBs are all on one MDE account so DH can get food for whole family without a problem. Only problem is child MB can't buy a beer, so don't get them mixed up as we did.

Fireworks are loud - we also took ear protection when kids were little. Like the idea to be further down main street so that they enjoy the sight with less noise.
I can't answer stroller question because old FP was in effect and no special FW viewing areas when we last had a stroller and we've not done the Wishes FP+ - sorry. Strollers are no problem for the MSEP FP+ area, but it is very very close to the castle - would need ear protection there too.

 

[BuzzinDownToDisney]

Fireworks inside the hub are loud, not too bad at the back of Main Street. For some reason Illuminations always seem insanely loud to me. Our 3yo was fine at Wishes and Frozen fireworks, at Illuminations we had to give him ear plugs.

 

[elgerber]

My kids, especially my dd, used ear plugs for all the evening shows for several years, probably until she was at least 8. So yes, if they are sensitive to loud noises, bring them some protection. It will make it easier on all of you

 

[ammag]

My daughter was 5 and sensitive to noise on our first trip, I had those airplane earplugs (which really helped ear pain) so I gave those to her for the fireworks. However we were tired and left half way through. They did help the noise though. Our next trip was really short and we decided to skip the fireworks, we went on rides....in storybook circus and behind the castle. VERY loud back there!

Ps. First trip we were on main st right outside Casey's corner

 

[IBLarsen]

Watch fireworks further from the castle, it does seem to help. Also, there is music playing during the fireworks, which seems to help drown out the sound (to an extent), or maybe it's just that you can focus more on the music so the booms don't seem as loud.
We made the mistake of being right at the fantasyland/castle rope (on the backside) and the noise was aweful! We usually are halfway down main st. and doesn't seem to bother us so much. (my dd is sensitive to loud noise as well).

 

[lborne]

If your kids are sensitive to noise DO NOT watch wishes from the Rose Garden. Get as close to the train station as you can.

And it is much easier to exit the park after, rather than pushing a stroller down the crowded main street.

 

[Albinomonkey]

DW Fireworks are just as loud as any other ones. Only difference is that Disney makes use of compressed air on some fireworks to eliminate the spark tail normally emitted while shooting into the air. That way the explosion seems to pop out of thin air.

 

[MEP2013]

Thanks everyone for your replies. Looks like I will skip the wishes FP and bring some ear muffs. I really appreciate your time!