Disney vacation help

[dabsjad]

I have to plan a at-the-last-moment vacation to Disney Florida. We will be going wih our 2 sons(1 yr & 3 yr). We will be staying there for 4 nights..This being our first trip there..So I have no clue as to what parks would be appropriate for my sons..So any advice/suggestions would be greatly appreciated!
AShwini

 

[LMC]

My children (ages 9,5,3 last trip) enjoy Magic Kingdom most (of course) and then I would say Animal Kingdom, then MGM. They did not enjoy Epcot but I do know of alot of kids that do.

You will need at least 2 days at magic kingdom to be able to see and do it all.

Disney now has the new Magic Your Way passes and I don't know when those go into affect and the park hoppers are phased out. If you know you will stick to one park per day (and not hop from park to park) then try pricing out the new magic your way tickets. We love the convenience of being able to visit more than one park on a day but only use one day's worth of ticket.

Your one year old will be FREE! Free entrance to the parks, free buffet meals! So you will save money there.

I would also recommend staying at a disney resort property. AllStar resorts are the value resorts and the next category is moderates.

 

[dzneelvr]

With only 4 nights, I wouldn't try to overdue on the trip--you'll end up feeling exhausted, rushed, and out of sorts.
MK and AK would be my picks for you to concentrate on. At MK, get a PS (priority seating) for Cinderella's Castle at lunch or dinner if you can. That is a fabulous place to eat. True Disney magic. For lunching you can do counter service at Pecos Bills--huge burgers and a fixins bar that includes sauteed mushrooms and grilled onions.
One night make a PS at Ohanas in the Polynesian and ride over on the monorail. It is a meat eaters feast and gives you a chance to walk all over the Poly to see what a deluxe is like. You can also take the monorail over to EPCOT and back if you just want a longer ride on it for the kids.
At AK, there's the McDonalds that is a hit always for food. And I suggest making a PS at the Rainforest for a meal. Our family has that as a must each trip.
We've stayed at the ASmo (All Star Movies) since it was open. The food court is expansive and the kids can choose anything they want to eat. Plus you don't have to have a sit down menu type meal each time.
Take your time to explore and enjoy. 4 days will fly by and you can always come back for the other parks, etc. on another trip. Don't be afraid to ask questions. And have a wonderful time!!

 

[POOH&PIGLET]

dabsjad - Welcome to the DIS!
If you have time, buy a WDW guide book.
If not check out this site as well as www.allearsnet.com

 

[DisneyMomx7]

With kids your age I think you'll spend most of your time at MK. I would do two days at MK, 1 day at AK and 1 day at MGM. My youngest ones loved Playhouse Disney, Beauty and the Beast, The Little Mermaid Show and the Muppet Show. If you can I would try to stay at one of the monorail hotels (Poly, Contemporary or Grand FLoridian) it makes life soooo much easier for those of us who have small children. Also I would bring your own umbrella strollers. Don't forget to try to go to the parks early and take and afternoon nap/swim break. It does wonders for the whole family's temperment. Have a wonderful time.

 

[swilphil]

Welcome to the Dis board! If you can't do all 4 parks, I would recommend doing Epcot instead of Animal Kingdom. My sons, 4 and 2, love World Showcase. There is a miniature train village in Germany and a Thomas the Train table in the UK Toy Shoppe. Outside that there is a hedge maze where they love to run around. They also like just wondering around the other countries and going to the Kidcot stations where they can color. There's lots of entertainment that they enjoy too

 

[Laura66]

I have taken my three children to Disney since they were 2 years old! My youngest had her first trip when she was 18 months.
We have taken them to all the parks and they have loved them all for certain reasons.
A lot of people don't like Epcot but mine have - we've gotten the Pass Port books and they having a blast getting them stamped in each country. They also have Kid Stations at each country with crafts for your children to do.
As much as they love the MK - sometimes it's soo crowded and the lines are so long that they really haven't enjoyed it as much as the other parks.
If you have hopper options on your tickets - try them all. If one park isn't working - get out of dodge and try another. I know I avoid certain parks in the the morning and mid-day because there isn't much shade and it can be too hot for the little ones.
The best advise is get some guide books - Unnoficial Guide and the Passporter come to mind and see what park will work best for your family.
AND, when someone starts to fall apart - get out of Dodge for a nap, swim or change of pace.

laura