considering US with 7 and 4 yr old-please help!

[jeast]

Hi! We're considering spending 2 days. The Wednesday before Thanksgiving and Thanksgiving day (we'll be getting off a 3 day DCL cruise). What are the crowds like those two days? I know WDW is pretty packed. I'm also thinking of staying on-site to get the preferred line thingy. Which hotel is better for little kids?

Is there a park that is better for little ones? I don't think we will be riding any major coasters. My DS 7 is not a big thrill seeker. He liked RNR coaster at MGM, but tower of terror made his 'scare meter' shoot off the mark.

We're also considering Seaworld, so let me know what you think for those two days. I'd appreciate any recommendations on park, hotel, restaurant, etc.

Thanks for any opinions!
Jennifer

 

[yaytezIOA]

http://disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1353733
Holidays are insane....no matter where you are and how you cut it. It will be less packed at Universal, but still packed. Both parks are good for both kids.
IOA has Spiderman, Suess Landing, Flying Unicorn, Pterradon Flyers, Camp Jurassic, and the Discovery Center that just about everyone can ride.
USF has Shrek, Jimmy Nuetron, Twister, Mummy, JAWS, ET, Barney, and a whole bunch of other stuff that everyone can do.
ToT, in all fairness, is much creepier than anything that UO offers...even the intense rides are less scary.
Sea World is great for shows, and they have a few kids rides now......
But you are insane to go to Orlando at all for the week of Thanksgiving.

 

[bubba's mom]

there is no hotel more "themed" toward kids (like value resorts at Disney), but, Royal Pacific is typically the cheapest, Hard Rock and Portofino are more expensive, Hard Rock being closest to the parks. HTH

 

[jeast]

Yes, going to Orlando at Thanksgiving is only one symptom of my insanity, trust me!

Hard rock, being closer, sounds like a better bet for the hotel. Can I cover both parks in two days (small kid things only?).

any interesting places to eat?

thanks!!

 

[yaytezIOA]

Yes you can cover the parks, especially with express. Not knowing what the weather will be in November (if I did, I'd make millions) I would say that the Portofino is better for kids as it has more things to interact with and it has the largest pool/slide out of all three hotels. The hotel resturants like Mama Dellas, and The Kitchen, are great....and you can travel from hotel to hotel to try new resturants. Other places to try for the sake of the kids are Circus McGurkus Cafe Stupendous as the Suess Sky Trolley goes right through it. Enchanted Oak is great, because you're eating inside a tree, and Thunder Falls Terrace allows you to watch Jurassic Park River Adventure splash down.
If its open, Green Eggs and Ham is great for the novelty. Outside the parks, Nascar Grille is fun...full of race cars, as well as Bubba Gumps, and Hard Rock has loads of cool things to look at.
And of course, back to IOA, there is Moose Juice/Goose Juice.....where they sell the best beverage known to men, primates, and fat guys....Moose Juice

 

[jeast]

Wow! Great information.

Thanks everyone!

 

[Fan2CSkr]

Yes you can cover the parks, especially with express. Not knowing what the weather will be in November (if I did, I'd make millions) I would say that the Portofino is better for kids as it has more things to interact with and it has the largest pool/slide out of all three hotels. The hotel resturants like Mama Dellas, and The Kitchen, are great....and you can travel from hotel to hotel to try new resturants. Other places to try for the sake of the kids are Circus McGurkus Cafe Stupendous as the Suess Sky Trolley goes right through it. Enchanted Oak is great, because you're eating inside a tree, and Thunder Falls Terrace allows you to watch Jurassic Park River Adventure splash down.
If its open, Green Eggs and Ham is great for the novelty. Outside the parks, Nascar Grille is fun...full of race cars, as well as Bubba Gumps, and Hard Rock has loads of cool things to look at.
And of course, back to IOA, there is Moose Juice/Goose Juice.....where they sell the best beverage known to men, primates, and fat guys....Moose Juice

I honestly cant believe I have never in all the years had a moose-juice or a goose-juice. So, would you please tell me the flavors of each? Is it a secret? Are they thick like a smoothie? Hmmm I'm gonna try one next time!I really wonder what else I'm missing out on.

 

[scammermom]

We took our 6 & 8 year old last fall. They loved it!! There's plenty at both parks to do. We stayed at the Royal Pacific which gave us FOTL (front of the line) passes!! Worked out great.

 

[yaytezIOA]

I honestly cant believe I have never in all the years had a moose-juice or a goose-juice. So, would you please tell me the flavors of each? Is it a secret? Are they thick like a smoothie? Hmmm I'm gonna try one next time!I really wonder what else I'm missing out on.

They are both really just slurpees......and not really too special other than the fact that the booth which sells them is seldom open, honestly. Moose Juice is orange and tastes like tangerines (you can get the same thing with Minute Maid Orangeaid) Goose Juice is green and tastes like sour apples (havent really found anything that tastes like it)
Have you had....Cinnabons, churro's, stuffed churros, fried pickles, fried oreos and dippin dots? The best fattening food ever.....and you cant fried pickles or fried oreos at Universal....but I can give you a recipe.