2 Most important things for your family to do

[PapaBear06]

A little background. We are a young family...30 & 28...kids are 5 1/2 & 4. Our trip in Dec will be our youngest 6th trip and the older one's 6th also. We really get a lot of our DVC and our time at the parks.

My question is this. What are the two most important, off the beaten path type of things, you feel that all families must do either on each trip or at least once. Feels like we have done it all already and trust me we still enjoy all that we do. I am looking for some things that other families love to do that the average person either does not know about or just does not do.

2 Things...

Thanks for your reply

 

[mmeb144]

I like to take my family to the wishing well at the beginning of the trip. I always wish for a magical trip. If it's been a really bad time so far, I throw a quarter in the well, to help the pixie dust along. The money goes to a charity.

Now, later in the trip, I'll come to the wishing well again, and throw in some more change. Everyone needs more pixie dust!

The wishing well is located to the right of the castle. A lot of folks breeze right by it. It's beautiful!

Marie

 

[disnut8]

These might not be off the beaten path but I can tell you what our granddaughter wants to do on her next trip. And we didn't even coax her to say this.

#1 - Off Kilter at the Canada pavilion in Epcot. She loves the music, loves the band, loves talking to them after the shows. Her mother and my son will go off and do other things but she'll stay with us to watch the shows.

#2 - The Flights of Wonder show at Animal Kingdom. Wonderful educational experience and after the show, kids of all ages are encouraged to come up to the stage and meet some of the birds face to face. She and my son (her stepfather) really enjoy this time together.

 

[I'mNoPrince]

Just like you we have really taken advantage of DVC and our PAPs . So the real only thing I make sure during every trip is we have another one planned . So if something does get missed we can just schrug it off and say well we will get it next time.

Other then that we just plan park days and go with the flow.

Jungle trek is a nice thing we hit everytime in AK.

Always try for 1 ride at the front of the mono-rail as well on each trip.

 

[SimbaNoodle]

I know my kids always liked Story Time with Belle. It was at different times right next to the castle.

 

[perdidochas]

A little background. We are a young family...30 & 28...kids are 5 1/2 & 4. Our trip in Dec will be our youngest 6th trip and the older one's 6th also. We really get a lot of our DVC and our time at the parks.

My question is this. What are the two most important, off the beaten path type of things, you feel that all families must do either on each trip or at least once. Feels like we have done it all already and trust me we still enjoy all that we do. I am looking for some things that other families love to do that the average person either does not know about or just does not do.

2 Things...

Thanks for your reply

Not off the beaten path, but for us opening at the Magic Kingdom is a necessity. Seeing Mickey and the Gang open the park is priceless. Also, early on, you can get on the rides quicker. One trip to MK, we hit all the main rides we wanted by noon, with one child that had just gotten 13 stitches in the leg 3 days before.

 

[JacobsMommy11002]

Not off the beaten path, but for us opening at the Magic Kingdom is a necessity. Seeing Mickey and the Gang open the park is priceless. Also, early on, you can get on the rides quicker. One trip to MK, we hit all the main rides we wanted by noon, with one child that had just gotten 13 stitches in the leg 3 days before.

Oh, I love seeing the parks opened!

 

[Adi12982]

1. The trails at AK
2. The wishing well at MK

And I wanted to add that the opening shows are excellent! Not to be missed AND then you are there early and can get a lot done first thing in the am before the crowds come in!

 

[a37027]

1) Outdoor movie at Fort Wilderness (love roasting marshmallows) and riding Ponies there (the best deal at Disney - $4 to go around the path in the corral).

2) Being Guest Conductor on the Train at MK. We just learned about this and did it on our last trip - my 4 year old loved saying "All Aboard!".

 

[Leota]

Not off the beaten path, but for us opening at the Magic Kingdom is a necessity. Seeing Mickey and the Gang open the park is priceless. Also, early on, you can get on the rides quicker. One trip to MK, we hit all the main rides we wanted by noon, with one child that had just gotten 13 stitches in the leg 3 days before.

1.) That's one of ours too - I always have to hit MK for Opening at least once.

2.) We used to be sure to stay for the Kiss Goodnight at MK once every trip also.

My family is older now (DH 60, me 41, DS 18) so our musts have changed alot:

1.) Adventurer's Club night

2.) Take-Out Sushi & a movie in our Heavenly Beds at the Sw/olphin

 

[PapaBear06]

Thank you very much for all the suggestions. Most of them have been done or done on a regular basis. Again thank you for your grest posts.

Keep them coming.

 

[Gooofy-Blade]

Waking up Tinker Bell in the morning!!!!!!!!!!! Behind the castle in the small shop!

 

[wic0721]

For my family, a Disney trip isn't complete until we've been at MK for at least one morning opening of the park, and staying for the Kiss Goodnight! Once this has been accomplished, we're all set to go home, no complaints at all!

 

[Mickey Mania]

We leave in two days and I am intrigued by the Kiss Goodnight. What exactly is that? Is it worth staying up for and where do we go?

Also, MK is scheudled to open at 9am when we're there. When will they do the opening? And where? Is it at the ticket area or inside at the hub?

Sorry I'm not in the know about these things.

 

[mklover64]

Getting a haircut at the Main Street Barbershop - DS loved the pixie dust & Mickey painted on his head!!

 

[kidangel]

For us, it's stopping to have bread and cheese in France. A couple of years ago, dragging around the World Showcase, trying to get our pickypickypicky family to agree on some place to eat, we suggested sharing a couple of cheese plates and bread at La Patisserie or whatever it's called, to keep us going. The kids - even the pickiest one - were amazed that simple bread and cheese could be so filling and taste so good. And the atmosphere - sitting outside, watching the fountains and the people wandering by - is very calming and restful.

Last year, because of the Food and Whine crowds, as well as the fact that Free Dining meant we were NEVER hungry, we skipped bread and cheese in France. They haven't let us forget it, and for our trip next week they've insisted that we officially "put it on the plan".


Shelley

Read my Disney blog!
http://movershakerbirthdaycakebaker.blogs.com/remember_the_magic

 

[PapaBear06]

Great stuff from everyone!!! Keep em coming....It is neat to see what others enjoy

 

[motherof4]

Great idea's! Keep them coming!

 

[genetic jackhammer]

We have been to WDW 6 times in the past five years and haven't done half the stuff there is to do...so we are going again next year. I hope you don't mind if I post more than two but these are the things we have done over the years that have brought the most positive responses from the kids (not counting rides of course) that may be a bit out of the ordinary:

1. Horse drawn carriage ride at Ft Wilderness (not expensive at all)

2. Wishes fireworks cruise. Expensive but well worth it.

3. Rubbing Humphreys' nose for good luck at the Wilderness Lodge

4. Riding in front of the monorail (found out about this from these boards..thanks Dis'ers!!)

5. Talking with the face characters at MGM. This is great since most of the characters at Disney cannot talk and I think these performers don't interact with guests that often 9outside of their street performances). We have spent easily over 10 minutes at a time interacting with some of them as they stay in character. It's like a private show. Especially try and seek out the director Otto Bahn. He is fantastic.

6. Have your children get the autograph books and in addition to the characters, get autographs from CM's, waiters/waitresses at restaurants etc. One of our best times was getting the autograph of the person who calls out the names of the families attending the Princess breakfast at Norway..he was flattered to say the least and talked to our kids for a long time.

7. Attend at least once MNSSHP.

8. If possible try and get FastPasses for a popular attraction close to the time when you leave the park. Then have your kids give these to people standing in line. We have done this the past few times for Tower of Terror, Test Track and the best was Soaring. Fast passes were out for Soaring and we had already been on it so we saw a family turning away from the line since it was so long...so we gave them our extra fast passes. They were so delighted..was our way of spreading some Pixie Dust.


Hope you don't mind that I posted more than two items. I know I'll think of many more as the day goes on.

 

[ohpoohmetoo]

For our family it's

1. Spectro

2. Time at the Fountain in Epcot the one in the front that moves with the music.

Best Wishes