Any 1st trip Tips ?

[Bigkid50]

Hi
Our first trip is in November any and all help would be greatly appreciated? We are lodging off site .
As I said 2 big kids.

 

[vhoffman]

Ok, I realize this is going to sound trivial, but here goes. If there was one thing I wish I'd taken with me last time it would be --hair spray! I eliminated this item in an effort to cut down. I use it every day and quickly found out why. The weather is very humid in Orlando and my hair needed washing every day. This combination gave me the frizzies like you wouldn't believe! Also, I couldn't find hair spray at any of the shops at WDW. Just a small travel bottle would have been fine. It was so bad I refused to be in any pictures, which are your best souvenier.

 

[graciepooh]

Hi Bigkid50,
My tip for a first trip would be a lesson I learned the hardway. Don't try to do everything in one trip. Take your time in each park and don't rush. Enjoy the people you are with and try to do something that makes them feel special everyday. Have a great trip!! Graciepooh

 

[luvdamouse]

I could go on and on, but here are some of the most important.

First, read read read! Read these boards - they're an incredible source of information! You'll find threads of wonderful tips and lots of details and features of the parks and resorts you would miss if you weren't aware of them. This sounds really commando, but I recommend studying the maps to get familiar with what is in each park and how it's laid out. It's really overwhelming just to walk in and try to figure out where the heck you are!

I would also recommend buying at least one Disney guidebook. There are lots of opinions on this topic, but I love the Passporter and Bob Sehlinger’s Unofficial guide.

On packing, I've learned the following things are really helpful to be ready for almost anything. Take a small medicine cabinet – pain reliever, cold medicine, Benadryl, antacids, Neosporin, Immodium, and Band-aids. Don’t forget an extra camera battery and tons of film. Take extra sunglasses and a spare pair of contacts if you wear them. Take a notebook and pen to “journal” each evening. What would you have done differently, what did you love, what would you skip, what do you want to do next time. There will be a next time!

Make sure your shoes are well broken-in, and take blister relief (my family likes Compeed blister bandages), so you can address a “hotspot” immediately. You’ll walk more than you can imagine!

Most of all, relax and enjoy yourself! Look around and see how incredibly everything is themed and landscaped, and enjoy watching people. Magic abounds (as well as bad parenting and dressing skills)!

Take care,
Jo

 

[Desnik]

First off, you're going at a great time!! Weather should be pleasant and crowds low.

All the advice you have gotten already is great and I agree. One thing I would like to add is don't overplan!! It's great to educate yourself by reading everything on these boards you can. But I found out the hard way that having every minute of the day planned can get stressful! Know you are not going to see it all. Plans change and stuff just comes up!
Don't "tie" yourself down with too many PS's.
Enjoy the atmosphere and take your time with it!

 

[twistedmickey]

I would say to explore!!! The Magic Kingdom has so many things to see that people tend to rush and miss out. You will probably be doing lots of walking so make sure to go through different paths. Explore!!!!

 

[garyleesa]

My wife and I goto WDW at least once a year for the last 10 years. There are so many must do's to list. If you want to email a list a things you like, we would be glad to give our suggestions to anyone. Stay on property if you can, it does make a difference. But if you can't you will still have a great time but miss some of the non-main items.

 

[missypie]

This sounds very mundane, but don't forget to bring some kind of allergy medicine. The parks are beautifully landscaped and there are flowers everywhere, no matter the season, so it is likely that someone will be allergic to something.

 

[Bigkid50]

Hi all,

EVERYONE should always carry over the counter Benedryl or the like.. this will help stop your throat from closing until you can get to help.. also reduce itch and hives.

Allergic reactions can happen to any one at any time!!!

I have severe allergies. And I never leave home with all my

needed life saving stuff.. It is a very serious problem.

Allergies are so very serious They can cost youYour life..

Food, Plants any thing can cause them..

So glad you brought this up..

Joanne Thanks

 

[DisneyFeePee]

These are all great pieces of advice. I completely second the idea of not planning too much. You have to be ready for anything in Disney. There are so many that feel that the price of admission means that they have to be up at 5 a.m. and then close down the park. This is BAD!! You will drive yourself nuts! Slow down; quality is better than quantity.
Also, make sure that you visit the resorts. You can look around and begin planning your next trip. Finally, take lots of pictures. You will love looking back on your big, GOOFY smiles when you return home.

 

[missypie]

I totally agree, BigKid50. You never know ... just this year, my 10 year old DD has started getting a bumpy rash after swimming in highly chlorinated pools - never happend before this year. I have a mild nut allergy. The liquid childrens' Benedryl is always nearby.

 

[vhoffman]

Ok, this is swimming against the tide, but here's my advice--don't underpack! Everywhere your read for travel advice (to Disney and elsewhere) this seems to be standard advice, that is DON'T OVERPACK. Well, there is some merit to this, but I'd rather take a few things I don't need rather than wish I had them. After all, you will be living for maybe a week or more in a hotel room. To think you can buy what you forget is not very realistic. If you don't have a car you're at the mercy of whatever overpriced hotel shop you can find. Even with a car, you can burn half a day running around looking for something you could have easily packed. Not to mention the cost.

Everytime I've packed light I've regretted it. One summer we went to San Antonio and took just enough clothes for the days we'd be gone. Well, I failed to realize how hot it would be. We needed to change clothes at least 2x day, maybe more. We ended up washing out clothes in the bathtub with hotel shampoo (I didn't pack laundry soap either). What a mess! Plus, we smelled like the shampoo! Another time we went to Las Vegas with the absolute minimum. We decided to extend our stay, and I ended up buying 2 tee shirts at the gift shop for $35 each--$70 to walk around with hotel Mirage's logo on me--they should have paid me! Another time we went to San Francisco and I didn't realize how cold it can get there during the summer. There again, $40 for a sweatshirt with someone's logo on it. Do plan your wardrobe for contigencies such as changes in weather, extra days, soiled, etc. We were just lucky we could find what we needed at any price! And do be sure to take along laundry soap--trust me, you'll use it. And also a Shout stain stick.

Also, like someone else suggested, take along a "medicine chest". Just use a ziploc bag and take the pills in blister packs, not the liquid. My suggestions--Tylenol. Motrin, Pepto Bismol, Benedryl, sinus/decongestant, your favorite cold remedy, and last but not least, DON'T forget the Inmodium!! Your can imagine the prediciment you'd be in for lack of this. It takes no room to carry the pills. Even if you think you won't need it, well, just the stress of travel, change in routine, different food, even local water can all cause this. Once I was travelling alone in Toronto. I got such a bad case of diarrhea and stomach cramps I couldn't leave the room. I called the gift shop. They had some Inmodium and brought it to my room. Needless to say, this little act of kindness was to everyone's advantage. Also, I tipped well. But all that could have been avoided with a little pre-planning.

Every time I travel I always remark when we return that we didn't use half of what we brought. But, as my husband says, how did we know which we'd need until we got there? Of course, if you're going to be on the road, every night a different place, constantly on and off trains,planes, buses, etc. you need to eliminate as much weight as possible. However, if you'll just be staying in one place for the duration, such as Disney, if you think you might need it, take it!

 

[missypie]

Great advice, vhoffman! If you are willing to tip a few dollars here and there, you can go a whole trip hardly touching your suitcases! I, too, have skimped on things like not bringing hair spray, bringing only a tiny hair brush, etc ... how foolish! It's not like this is a weeklong backpacking trip where you're carrying everything all day every day.

 

[K9pal]

Great tips so far. You've found the DIS, so you're already ahead of most other people. Read these boards and make notes, but don't try to know EVERYTHING before you go - it's discovering the little "surprises" that make Disney so much fun!
Be prepared for the not-so-fun stuff - rain, allergies, thefts, accidents etc. Make copies of your credit cards and where to call if they are lost or stolen.
Hope you have a great time!

 

[vhoffman]

Good advice about the credit cards. We didn't do that last time but will from now on. Also, I read somewhere to make copies of your park hopper passes and keep the receipt. According to the post I read, someone who had lost a pass could have it replaced by having the serial numbers, etc. on the passes.

However, DO NOT do this:

You see this service everywhere--a credit card reporting service where you list all your credit cards. In the event of loss, you call and they cancel the lost card. Well, my father took out such a service. My mother lost her wallet, so Dad called to put a hold on just the cards she had in her wallet. Well, they did us one better--they cancelled every card on the list--all of Mom's, Dad's, and my credit cards! I was travelling at the time and none of my cards would work. Imagine the mess when every card came up "stolen, please confisicate". Also, I was in Canada at the time. I thought I'd get arrested and wind up in a Canadian jail (I can think of worse fates!). Well, it got straightened out and I didn't go to jail, but what a mess! Also, this wonderful service put a hold on our driver's licenses! I happened to have a passport to prove identity. We had to start all over again to establish our identities. I guess the reverse of identity theft. Well, DON'T use such a service. Just make copies of the cards--xerox front and back, don't just write down the numbers, because there's info on the cards you'll need--and keep a copy with you and leave one at home with someone you can call. That should cover your bases. Also, you'll save the $50 /year fee for credit card reporting services.

 

[packy]

Here are some tips from a five-timer:

1. You can get someone to carry your bags from the car to the plane to the rental car to the hotel. On the other hand don't pack too heavy because you will also carry your bags sometimes.
Pack some extras but don't go crazy with things such as shoes. Most hotels will provide soap and shampoo so unless you have favorites - don't bring them either and this also applies to hair dryers.

2. If we go for a week, we do wash at the halfway point. If the halfway point is 4 days, bring 5 days worth of clothing. If you go in the hot months, bring a little extra as you will have days (maybe every day) where you will want to shower and change at some point during the day.

3. Bring an extra bag with you, maybe a nylon that you can fold up and put in your suitcase, for the extra things you will pick up while on vacation (souvenirs, clothes, etc.). This is particularly important if you are flying. If not, you will be carrying shopping bags (not checkable) through security and on the plane, not something you want to do given the limited overhead storage on many planes.

4. Take a break in the afternoon. Look at everyday as having two parts, a morning and an afternoon/evening with a period of relaxation in the middle. We park hop, i.e. go to one park in the morning and another in the evening, but always take a break in the middle to eat lunch, cool off and re-charge. If you have little ones, have them take a nap. They will enjoy the Disney experience much more.

 

[WDWfanatic288]

-definately bring anything you might want!! any medicine or snacks b/c all that stuff in gift shops ARE NOT cheap! bring WAY more film than you will need(can't tell you how many times my friends buy one disposable camera when we go on band trips and then have to limit their picture taking b/c they didn't think they would wanna take that many pictures!) extra batteries, etc
-bring a small backpacks to carry around the park
-buy a stroller if you have little ones
-bring a couple of suitcases for souviners
-i usually pack 2-3 more outfits than the number of days our trip is, but since we join DVC laundry is free we wash whenever
-bring your own laundry soap!! the machines can jam or whatever...and it might even be cheaper to bring it from home


and don't burn yourself out!! take afternoon naps! and try to relax! don't try to do everything
-also, no matter how much you read(my parents researched for a full year before we went in 1996) there was still SOOO much we didn't know...don't freak out if things don't go as planned

 

[vhoffman]

One little tip about laundry soap--do take your own. They might be out in laundrymats or you might want to wash clothes in your room. Go to a local laundrymat before your trip and buy several little boxes of laundry soap from their machines. They're easier to pack, rather than taking a bottle or box from home that can leak all over everything!

 

[eelderm1]

You are going at a great time. Our best trip to Disney was in early November. We wore shorts the whole time. My suggestion is if you do not have your rooms paid for yet then I would use priceline.com. We have used this everytime to stay offsite and we get great hotels at unheard of rates. We have never had a problem. You are going to have the best time ever! Disney is really a magical place that provides ample oppurtunities to reconnect with your family, even if you haven't relized that you need to reconnect. Also, check on the disboards about any restaurant that you may be consideing.

 

[DreAnna Clayton]

I know this will soud crazy. however,here goes bring a spray can of deodriant, if you plan to wear socks and shoes (spelled wrong I know. tired