dad with 3 kids ....

pchappo

Earning My Ears
Joined
May 9, 2008
Messages
1
hi all,

im new to site and looking for some advice, i have a trip booked to wdw in august (staying at marriot horizons) for 2 weeks for me and my 3 children (they are 8,9 and 10) - just wondering if you have any advice on trips / shows to do? - ive booked my wdw and orlando tickets - and one day we are going to discovery cove :)

any assistance schedulling the 2 weeks would be fantastic!

cheers


peter.
 
Welcome!:goodvibes I would check around the boards and see what might interest you and your children. There is so much info here. :cutie:
 
Welcome! I would advise you to get a disneyworld guide book. Personally I like the Passporter. I have purchased the Unofficial Guide as well. You didn't mention if you have ever been there before, but there is sooooo much to do that it can be very overwhelming.
 
Definitely plan some "down" days and just relax at the pool. It is very hot there in the summer and it will be exhausting. I am not a fan of taking a break in the middle of the day, but when we went in the summer one year, we didn't have a choice. It was just too hot and humid to stay at the parks all day. To help you choose which day to go to which park I would find out when the Extra Magic Hours (EMH) are for on site guests and avoid the park with EMH for that day. EMH parks are generally more crowded and by the time off site guests are allowed in the park, the lines are already long. I agree with the previous poster that you should buy a book and research what is at each park. I love the Unofficial Guide to Disney book.
Keep reading the boards and you will learn so much.
 

Hi! Welcome to the boards!! I would recommend going to Disney Quest at Downtown Disney. I think your children would love it!
 
Welcome! I would advise you to get a disneyworld guide book. Personally I like the Passporter. I have purchased the Unofficial Guide as well. You didn't mention if you have ever been there before, but there is sooooo much to do that it can be very overwhelming.

They also have a free planning DVD. (I think I sent a card a card back from a magazine, but you can also get it just by calling Disney.)
 
Hi Peter and :welcome:

I highly recommend the passporter disney book. While I like other guide books too, Passporter's just seems more organized to me. My kids can pick it up and read it much easier than the other guide books, and it has planning worksheets in it and really helps you plan more than the other books.

The first thing I'd do if I were you is take a calendar for the days you'll be there. Find out on disney's site extra magic hours and mark those parks and days on your calendar (like a previous poster said, this is to AVOID those parks). If you were staying on-site, you'd want to go to those parks, but not staying on-site, you can't go, and they'll be extra crowded, so avoid them. There are morning and evening extra magic hours, so mark down both. Avoid Magic Kingdom on Saturdays (so I always read). We always find Saturday is a good pool/resort day anyway.

I also find this website and a couple others are better than the official disney site for detailed information about rides, show, restaurants. Passporters book has a few sites listed (I don't know if I can post any here). You can even look at each restaurants menus before you go, so you can have an idea where to eat. You have to (or at least you really should) make "advanced dining reservations" (it's really priority seating rather than a reservation) if you want to do any table service meals. I'd do at least one character meal if I were you - even if your kids are kind of past that - they all turn into *little kids* once they're at WDW. There are many to choose from - and you can ask the kids which characters they'd prefer and decide with them.

Getting to the parks at opening is really key to getting on rides and not waiting on long lines. Use fast pass (very important!) Eat lunch at 11:30am when the restaurants open (especially if you're doing counter service ones), the difference in lines and getting a table is huge. There are fun themed restaurants that are non character also - Coral Reef in The Seas in Epcot has a whole wall that is a window into the aquarium. Disney Hollywood Studios (was call MGM) has Sci-Fi Dine In restaurant, which is like eating in a drive in theater (ask for a 'car'). Really fun!

There's really a ton of info, and I could go on forever. Check out each board here for more specific info, and ask any questions you need to.

Have fun planning!
 
I agree that getting a good Orlando guide book would be helpful. I like the Unofficial Guide. Also, as soon as possible, try to figure out what sit down dining you want to do in the Disney parks, and make ADR's for them. You can go to the Dining forum here at the Dis and read lots of reviews and check out the food por....ahem... pictures. :rotfl: My kids have a blast looking at the food reviews and making dining choices based on them. Seeing the pictures ahead of time helps them to try foods that they would have never tried from just the menu description.

As far as rides and attractions at the parks....don't overlook the "A" ticket attractions. Those can be fun and informative and a great chance to get out of the heat and crowds.
At Epcot, don't rush through or skip the world showcase because there aren't as many rides. Its a great place to explore and learn a little about the world. After our last trip both my kids (5 and 13 at the time) listed the World Showcase as a highlight of the trip.
Have fun planning!
 
Hi and welcome to the DIS!!!! I just have a few tips:

* Become one w/your guidebook of choice! You and the kids can pick your "must dos" in each park so everyone knows what to expect.

* Bring your own water into the parks...get some water straps to make carrying the bottles easier. Consider adding drink mix (lemonade, gatorade, koolaid,etc) if your kids don't like water.

* Schedule time to relax. If you have a late night, make the next day a sleep in day so everyone can catch up on their rest. It is very enjoyable to relax at the pool and Downtown Disney is a great place to look around - we love the Lego store!

* If you want to eat at a restaurant make the ADRS. The Disney dining plan is crazy popular and as a result the restaurants are booked solid. It is easier to cancel than hope to luck into availability.

Have a great trip! I bet your children are beyond excited!
 
hi all,

im new to site and looking for some advice, i have a trip booked to wdw in august (staying at marriot horizons) for 2 weeks for me and my 3 children (they are 8,9 and 10) - just wondering if you have any advice on trips / shows to do? - ive booked my wdw and orlando tickets - and one day we are going to discovery cove :)

any assistance schedulling the 2 weeks would be fantastic!

cheers


peter.
I agree with the other replies but would add.......
Make sure you know where the "family" restrooms are located. Know which rides your youngest is too short to ride before hand as well.
 
My best advice is to get your kiddos involved in the planning. I'm a single mom and I think one of the rare advantages of being a single parent is that it is easier to let go and let the trip be all about the kids.

You can get the planning video from Disney and watch it with your kids. A warning, don't let them into the resort section unless you want to hear whining about the resort pools, etc.

You can also get kid-friendly guidebooks tlet them look through. Search the Travel Channel for upcoming rebroadcasts of Disney shows. Search youtube for ride videos for anything you think they might need to be prepared for...anything from Haunted Mansion to Tower of Terror is on there.

Once you've spent a month or so looking, go to the Disney site and personalize a set of maps. Those will let your kids become familiar with park layouts prior to your visit.

My boys favorites are the Buzz ride, Soarin', and Fantasmic. They are looking forward to riding Toy Story, Big Thunder Railroad, and Mission Space.

My advice if your kids aren't daredevils: take them to a local carnival before you go. Encourage them to work their way up the rides. They won't need to do the extreme ones unless they want to do the big coasters or tower, but using a carnival as a warm-up may prepare them better than just thinking about rides.

One thought: be prepared for them to balk at something and have a plan. They are old enough that you might want to either get them cheapie cell phones or walkie talkies so if one wants to wait outside a ride he/she can. Just park the kiddo somewhere in site of a CM and you'll be fine.

Also, be prepared to have to stop for street entertainment, etc. Older kids might be willing to blow by this, but I've found that my kids get as much joy out of watching this sort of thing as they do from the big rides.

Finally, my advice would be to think souvenirs out well in advance. Talk about your plan. My boys know they get to squish pennies in the parks. I will let them choose 1 shirt per park (I plan this as part of their regular summer wardrobe) and will let them get a pair of ears. They've already decided that they want their pictures taken at Star Traders, would like to build light sabres at DTD, and want to get buckets of Lego stuff there, too. Since they know we aren't about "stuff", that is probably about all we'll come home with!

Enjoy your trip!
 


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