childless disney aunt here.... I need to pick a few brains if you dont mind.

[disneyfreakk]

My DH and I are going to take his parents and our nephew ( he will be 4 on this trip ) to WDW for 8 nights next year for christmas. I have all of the resort and parks planned but there are a few things I am not sure about. Would you guys mind helping ??

1) does a 4 year old need a stroller? Should we buy him on and fly it down with us or just rent one at the parks?

2) do we need to take a backpack to the parks with snacks, juce and fresh clothes? Will disney let us do this or can you buy little kids snacks and juice in the parks. What do you all do?

3) What rides will he be able to ride do you think?

This trip is all about him. TIA, feel free to throw in any other tips/advice you can think of! I need all the help I can get

 

[Sleeping~Beauty]

1) Definitely have a stroller for a four year old. It's a lot of walking.

2)I would also definitely have a bag for an extra change of clothes, and juice cups and snacks. It just makes the day that much easier if you have that nice extra clean clothes or to grab a quick drink for the little one instead of waiting on an extra line.

Don't forget sunscreen.

3)At MK the kids loved Buzz Lightyear, Pooh ride, Pooh spray/playground (this is a where an extra set of clothes comes in handy), Dumbo, Magic Carpets of Alladin, Spinning TeaCups, Peter Pan, and It's A Small World.

If your nephew doesn't mind darkened theatres, he might love Mickey's Philharmagic.

My DS 2.5 was afraid of the dark theatres so we didn't do much of MGM. But he absolutlely loved the Honey I Shrunk the Kids Playground there. It's a huge playground that makes the children look like they are bug sized. It's a great place for the kids to just run free for a while.

And if a line is longer than about 30 min, then do Fastpass.

Don't forget Character meals. There is a new one with Buzz and Woody, that starts soon. My children loved Crystal Palace with Pooh and the gang. There is many different places with different characters. Just don't forget to make your ressies as soon as you can.

Hope this helps.

 

[aidansmom]

My dh and I brought his niece and nephew (8 and 3 at the time) several years ago, before we had kids of our own. I agree with everything the previous poster said. I would also suggest you buy him an autograph book - this was a really big deal to our two little charges, especially the 3 yr old who turned out to be TERRIFIED of just about every ride. Which leads me to my second piece of advice - be prepared to be really flexible. Our nephew reacted to the whole experience much differently than we expected him to, and wound up enjoying walking around, taking it all in much more than the rides themselves. I think travelling with somebody other than your own parents can be a little overwhelming (though exciting) for little kids. Good luck and have fun!!

 

[disneyfreakk]

Sleeping Beauty~

Great tips! thank you very much. I am well aware of the Honey I shrunk the kids playground set! I went to check it out a couple of years ago just so I could see it! Its really neat! I am looking foward to taking him there so I can play.... I mean so he can play

aidansmom~
" I think travelling with somebody other than your own parents can be a little overwhelming (though exciting) for little kids."

Very long story short, he is actually our great nephew. Both of his great grandparents are basically raising him ( my inlaws take care of him on the weekends. ) so he wont have separation anxiety.

Keep 'em comming please

 

[3littleHalls]

I would take the stroller. Just a little umbrella stroller should do the trick! A backpack with wipes(for face and hands) a change of clothes, sunblock, and maybe some snacks would be great. The rides depends on height requrements too. My oldest 2 are thrill seekers and wanted to ride all the rides they could. I like the Passporter guidebook b/c it is organized when it comes to attractions, rides, and height limits. You could do some investigating before hand too. Lots of info about rides here like if it is scary, dark, long waits, etc. Your nephew will have a great time! Such a good thing you are doing!

 

[Pea-n-Me]

An umbrella stroller is nice because you don't have to leave it at the park when you are done. There's still a lot of walking around WDW so having your own stroller is nice, especially if he falls asleep. DH and I carried our almost 4 yo sleeping twins around after leaving the parks before we thought of bringing the umbrella strollers. It was so much easier that way.

Don't be surprised if the child feels somewhat overwhelmed and simply wishes to hang around the resort pool and relax a bit. I would definitely plan a fair amount of "down time" with him, even if some of you still want to go to the parks he could hang out with someone else and take a nice nap in there somewhere too.

At 4 our DS was afraid of the characters but he loved all of the rides, whereas DD loved the characters and the most of the rides. You just never know. So take his lead and see what he enjoys doing. We did the autograph books when the kids got a bit older and could maneuver them themeselves, but if your nephew is a little shy and the autograph book gives him a reason for wanting to go up close then that might work for him.

I always took a change of clothes (in a large ziplock bag) not only for spills but if they got wet and a windbreaker for if it got chilly (depends on time of year). We usually bring some bottled water and some small snacks but generally plan on eating where we go and getting some popcorn, ice cream, etc. We do like to get groceries (cereal, fruit, yogurt) on the way to the resort so at least we have a healthy breakfast in the room.

Have a wonderful trip, it sounds great!

 

[mjh8955]

What a nice aunt you are! We had our 4-year-old nephew with us this last trip. All the suggestions so far are good. Let me add my comments.

We did MGM first, because he loves Disney Playhouse. But his parents didn't think he would be interested in much else there so he played at the playground and then we went to Epcot and split up. His parents were like deer caught in the headlights, had not read through the materials or studied the park maps so their little boy was frustrated with just standing there while they tried to decide where to go and what to do. He said he was hungry, and they couldn't figure out any place to eat so they left. It didn't occur to them to ask one of the zillion CM's there for advice. They were probably there for only half an hour. Sad. The next day we all went to MK for an early character breakfast at Crystal Palace (awesome, I highly recommend it) then proceeded to Fantasyland and did everything there, working our way to Space Mountain and Buzz Lightyear. Then the families split. He went on Big Thunder and Splash Mountain with his parents and loved everything. The next day they went to AK on their own and again had not reviewed any information so all they did was the Safari and then left because the 4-year-old pitched a fit and just wanted to go back and do the same rides at MK. So, be aware that MK sometimes spoils it for little ones. A good way to avoid that is to have him watch the planning video so he can see the wonderful stuff at the other parks, and tell him all about the attractions there so he has an expectation of having fun. The other parks have so much to offer! I would talk to him each evening about what he will get to see the next day, that way he can focus on something and look forward to it, and not dwell on the favorite things at MK.

If you are flying, you might consider doing what I did. I prepared a letter from Mickey, using graphics from clipart, telling my nephew that he heard he was coming to WDW and hoped he had a fun time on the airplane (first time), and that he was looking forward to seeing him, etc. When we all got to the gate everyone was busy looking at the planes so I went up to the desk and pointed out my nephew and asked if any of them could please hand him his special letter from Mickey. They did better than that. They called his name over the loudspeaker and asked him to report to the desk. His daddy read him the letter and my nephew's eyes were big as saucers. He kep saying "Mickey knows I am coming!". It was priceless. The desk crew tipped off the flight crew that it was his first flight and they treated him like a prince on the plane. Then each morning of our trip the Disney Fairy left a letter and some small little thing that would help ocupy his time while waiting in line or riding in the car.

The only problem we had traveling with a 4-year-old was his picky eating and whining

Have fun!!

 

[hopesmommy]

You are great for taking your family on vacation! (I don't know if I could handle it.

YES on the stroller. Not just for the parks, but also (if you fly) the airport. You can strap him in and not worry about him wondering off while you are carrying the bags. DTD is another great place for the stroller. We went with my DD (she was 3 1/2) in the evening and by the time we were headed back for the bus she was very tired.

As for the rides, my DD is on the short side, but she probably rode 90% of them. We went to all 4 of the parks and she enjoyed every one of them. But do keep in mind in what order to do them. We keep MK for day 4. The characters were great with her, even the ones she was afraid of. I would suggest having him watch the Mickey's House of Villians movie, so he can get familar with the more scary ones. Also I went to the library and got the Walt Disney World Guide for Kids. My DD LOVED this book. We did not mention if they were dark, scary, etc. (This book has icons for the atmosphere of the rides.) We just let her look through it and we would read to her about the rides she wanted to do. For example, Snow White's Scary Adventure...I knew she would love this because it is just the story of the ride, so we never used the word "scary". Let your nepher pick what he wants to do, not what you think he would like or should do.

The character dining was great. I know he is a boy, but don't forget about the princess meals. Some boys love Cinderella and the princesses enjoy meeting their "prince".

Oh one more thing...Have you heard about the paint brush on Tom Saywer's Island. This ride opens one hour after the park. So be there when it opens and search for the paint brush. My DD had a great time doing this along with me and my DH. There is a surprise if you are one of the lucky ones to find one. The CM said they hide 5 to 7 of them each day.

Sorry this is so long, but I hope it helps.

 

[Pea-n-Me]

Great posts, guys! mjh, the middle of your post is sad. My kids always loved MGM, so much to do there. On our first trip I remember seeing the Beauty and the Beast show figuring my DD3 would love it and DS3 could take a rest or something - well he sat mesmerized at the storyline, colors and songs (we had the movie at home so he was familiar with it) and at the end of the show proclaimed it was his "favorite", LOL. Also wanted to know what airline did this for your little guy? That was a very cute story.

 

[budbeerlady]

My DH and I are going to take his parents and our nephew ( he will be 4 on this trip ) to WDW for 8 nights next year for christmas. I have all of the resort and parks planned but there are a few things I am not sure about. Would you guys mind helping ??

1) does a 4 year old need a stroller? Should we buy him on and fly it down with us or just rent one at the parks?

Yes, get a stroller and maybe take an afternoon break. No one wants the vacation melt down.


2) do we need to take a backpack to the parks with snacks, juce and fresh clothes? Will disney let us do this or can you buy little kids snacks and juice in the parks. What do you all do?

We took an extra shirt/ sweat shirt. DD used dining credit snacks for Choc milk so we didnt mess with drinks. We got some M&M minis and fruitsnacks for line waits. Chewing mouths are quiet mouths.

3) What rides will he be able to ride do you think?

Buzz, dumbo, goofy barnstormer, (DD 5) loved soarin, Peter pan, small world, snow white. Pretty much any ride but the few big coasters.

This trip is all about him. TIA, feel free to throw in any other tips/advice you can think of! I need all the help I can get

 

[mjh8955]

We flew AirTran from Indy - they were great with our 4-year-old nephew, and also with my poor thirty-something sister-in-law who had never flown before and was majorly nervous. She actually stopped the pilot (or co-pilot) on his way to the gate and said it was her first flight and she was a little nervous. He didn't miss a beat, just winked at her and said "Yeah, mine too!" The attendants gave my nephew (and my sister-in-law) first flight certificates and pins, and were especially attentive when he had ear problems during take-off and landing. He doesn't do anything with gum except swallow it. A sippy cup or sucker didn't help. I have heard about something called Ear Planes that I should have checked out beforehand. They stopped to visit with him several times during our flight. The only problem on the plane was in the restroom. The space was too small and bouncy for him and he just couldn't go. We should have prepared him for that.

 

[disneyfreakk]

Absolutly *wonderful* advice and storys everyone!! I knew I could count on you all. Thank you so very much. Hopefully we wont have a problem with getting him on the plane... he loves "Apains" when he sees them in the sky. We are hoping that we can make this a surprise for him and not tell him where we are going until we get to WDW. I will def check out Ear Planes, better safe than sorry is my motto. I am going to plan out the parks with about a 3 hour break back to our 2 bedroom villa @ SSR for lunch everyday which will include a nap if he will take one. if not, I am sure that my inlaws (64 and 65) will prolly need a nap anyway and then a nice sit down dinner everyday. I will have a plan of attack for each of the parks and if he doesnt want to do something just move on to the next thing on the list. However, my DH and I might have him stand in line with us and do the child swap just in case ( I figure this will give him 2 oppertunities to change his mind about ridding ). We arent going to make him ride anything he doesnt want to, but maybe if he sees that his aunt kellie made it back alive and unharmed he will be reassured that he will come back too.

Thanks agian,
Disneyfreakk

 

[Sleeping~Beauty]

I just remembered something else, do you know how he feels about fireworks? This might help you plan some of the night time activities. My kids were really afraid, so I had to avoid those type shows.

 

[KEYONNAH]

I'm another childless aunt taking my family to disney this summer. I'm bringing my 7yr old niece and nephew (twins!) with me. It's my second trip and their first. I sympathize with having questions about what to bring. I've been feeling the same way. The kids spend more time with me than their mom. I'm worried about separating them from grandma. She doesn't want them to go the closer time gets to leave. She says that she'll be calling my cell everyday. Any suggestions?

Going July 10-15 2006 Pop Century

 

[lovesdumbo]

I took just my DS last Aug when he was 4. He had also been at 3 and 3 1/3 with the entire family and we all went again in Oct but the Aug trip was all about him.

He LOVED the Stunt Show at MGM, loved Sci Fi, loved breakfast at CP with Pooh (wanted to go everyday!), Test Track, Soarin, Buzz, and Mickey's Philharmagic. He HATED Star Tours.

 

[Pea-n-Me]

KEYONNAH, Welcome to the Dis!

In addition to the fine advice here, you may be able to find some information on traveling with your twin niece and nephew on this thread devoted to traveling with multiples (I have 8yo B/G twins too). http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=985649&referrerid=70088

 

[lovesdumbo]

Oh--I forgot to add that my SIL gave my DS a disposable digital camera with a preview feature. He loved that and the preview feature was great because he often had trouble composing the photo. It was really interesting to see what he wanted to capture on film and I wasn't really willing to let him try my nice camera.

OH and my DS really, really LOVED the pressed pennies.

 

[bopper]

4 year olds may be picky eaters...but the good thing is that just about every restaurant will have chicken fingers or something for kids.

Definitely use the stroller. You can rent them there or bring a cheap umbrella stroller.

Bring some activities for use in line or while waiting for food...like an erasable magnet board or pencil and paper.

When giving choices, only give two. Do you want to do this or that. Anymore and they get overwhelmed.

Another option is to investigate on www.allearsnet.com what rides in a park would be appropriate. Figure out an order to go in. Paste pictures on a paper as an "itinerary" for the nephew. That way he will kind of know what is going to happen next. Don't worry about "having" to do every ride/attraction...if he doesn't know about it he won't miss it. Like if you can't fit in fireworks, don't tell him and he will never know.

Make sure you do not do long park days everyday.

Make time for the pool.

If he gets whiny, he is probably tired. Time for a rest. Don't feel that you have to spend every minute with him. Let the grandparents watch him one night while you go out, and vice versa.

Decide ahead of time what you want to do about souveniers. Is there a dollar limit?
Four year olds don't really have a concept of money. Maybe focus him so that he collects a pin from each park. Or a stuffed animal. or something. But don't make it too open or spoil him too much. Pressed pennies are a fun but low-cost souvenier. You can get a nice booklet at Disney to put them in.


Don't forget the Kidcot stations in Epcot.

In AK, there is some kind of junior safari program where you get a little booklet and collect stamps from different stations.

 

[brandip22]

Hello! We took my DS in September and he was 4 at the time. He was so excited at all parks- we did go to MK first. It did not spoil it for him. His favorite was AK as he loves animals. We just rented a stroller at the parks. We stayed on property and he was so excited that he wanted to walk most of the time. We did carry him some, but only at night while leaving the parks. That was no big deal for us, though. For drinks and snacks, we just carried water bottles around and he was fine. We bought a few snacks, but took enough breaks and all that we didn't need any extras. My biggest thing was looking for all the extra things to bring, but we didn't even euse half of it! We never used the water bootles with filters except for the first day- they were too bulky to carry around. We did take a backpack in every day with extra wipes and all which was very helpful. Extra sunscreen, too. We took our ponchos daily as every day called for rain, but we never needed them and they were very bulky and heavy all together. The one night we decided to leave them, it rained though, of course!! We did do a few of the KidCot stations in EPCOT, but only when our DNeice was riding bigger rides with one of us. He did like those. Make time for breaks and he'll be fine. Just go with how he is doing. Good luck and have a ball!