First Family Disney Trip...

[Cwilson]

I grew up going to Disney World in Orlando and LOVE it!! My husband never went as a child and went for the first time (after a lot of arm twisting) for our Honeymoon in June of 2008. It was the end of June, very hot, very crowded, and so needless to say he wasn't *dazzled*. We are planning to take our daughter (who has never been) in May of 2011. She will be 9 at the time of the trip. My question is: What are some must sees/do's when taking a child for the first time? And also, what can I do to give my husband a better experience and turn him to the Disney side???

 

[AirGoofy]

If you can go in September/ October (school has Fall Break) try a Mickey Not So Scary Halloween Party (MNSSHP) at MK. You can get into MK at 4:00 PM and it runs to Midnight or 1 AM. The crowds are smaller due that time of year and with the seperate ticket. Also, since the majority is in the evening/ night, the temp is lower. There are dance parties, trick-or-treating, rides, 2 parades, and fireworks. We had a great time and plan to go back this year. You have to get a seperate ticket for that event and cannot get into MK before then w/o a theme park ticket. We sleep in late and don't go the park that day. Another idea may be to go to Epcot and pay extra to take the Segway tour. I have not been on that yet, but it looks really fun.

 

[Rylee]

Hi,

Plan, plan, plan!

When I say plan, I don't mean every second of everyday of your vacation, but do your research to make sure things go smoothly.

• When the park hours become available, make a schedule of the park you'll visit each day. Avoid the park with the Extra Magic Hours, (EMH) as it will be more crowded, or purchase Hopper tickets so you can "Hop" over to the park with the extra hours.
  
• Make a must-see-and-do list (4 or 5 things at each park) for your family, and try to hit these attractions early in the day.
  
• Learn about Fast Passes, and use them!
  
• Make Advance Dining Reservations (ADR's) for any Table Service (TS) restaurants you want to try. We like to have one TS meal per day... it's a nice break from the parks, and gets you out of the heat for awhile. Pick a character meal or two for your daughter, (DD) and pick a couple of restaurants your husband (DH) will enjoy.
  
• Schedule breaks from the parks... if you stay on property it's easy to go back to the resorts for an afternoon break - a swim or nap.
  
• Does he like to golf? Fish? Perhaps you could book something he enjoys for an afternoon, while you and your DD do something together.
  
• If you think your DD would enjoy it, you could schedule an appointment at the Bibbity Bobbity Boutique.

Plan as much as you can before you go, BUT... once you are there... always be ready to toss the plans, and go with the flow <----- as this is often when it's most magical.

 

[alexensmom]

I SO agree with Rylee. My DH, DD11, and I went last May for their first trip. I had been many times up thru high school. DD loves roller coasters, so I planned on hitting the rides in each of the parks, leaving the shows as extras and definately realizing that you cant do it all. Going commando style just makes for cranky people . My DH was having back problems during our trip so it made us slow down in the afternoon and head to WL for some R&R at the pool. I was wasnt too keen with the slower schedule, but came to love the pace and it allowed for us to take in all that Disney had to offer, not just the parks. I think this is when DH fell in love with Disney, because he could have fun at an enjoyable pace.
Make sure you ask your DD what she wants to do at each park. I made the mistake of thinking mine was too old for the princess character breakfast, but that is the one thing she said she wanted to do if we got to go back.
Some of her favorites were: all the rides, Pin Trading, looking for hidden mickeys, riding the boat from WL to MK, dinner at O'Hana, and being on the meal plan. No arguing about ordering a more expensive meal than her dad. She has expensive tastes...still talks about the sushi at California Grill .
The DISboards are awesome, so you will find so many helpful tips for a great trip.

 

[Cwilson]

We are planning on surprising her once we actually book the trip. I am planning on telling her on Christmas Day. I want to theme all of her presents around Disney.. and her big present will be a giant Mickey or Minnie doll that is holding a sign that says, "You're going to Disney" with the date. Once we tell her, I plan on showing her all of the websites, planning DVD and making a list of the things she would most like to do. Also, I plan on including my husband more in the process. Now that he has been, he can offer some feedback as to what he wants to do or definitely has no interest in doing again. Plus, having the ability to look at the restaurants and their menus ahead of time will be a huge help to us (my hubby is a picky eater). Thanks for the suggestions.. keep 'em coming!

 

[badblackpug]

We are planning on surprising her once we actually book the trip. I am planning on telling her on Christmas Day. I want to theme all of her presents around Disney.. and her big present will be a giant Mickey or Minnie doll that is holding a sign that says, "You're going to Disney" with the date. Once we tell her, I plan on showing her all of the websites, planning DVD and making a list of the things she would most like to do. Also, I plan on including my husband more in the process. Now that he has been, he can offer some feedback as to what he wants to do or definitely has no interest in doing again. Plus, having the ability to look at the restaurants and their menus ahead of time will be a huge help to us (my hubby is a picky eater). Thanks for the suggestions.. keep 'em coming!

I have a 9 year old. He's a boy, but the differences would be minimal. He loves the Disney For Kids book. (can't remember who it is by) but that would make a nice present. For your daughter's 1st visit, and your husbands picky eating, I would suggest the character dinners. Many are buffets, and offer great character interaction and great opportunities to get photos and autographs. Don't forget the autograph book. That would make a nice Christmas gift, too. Also stop at your resort desk and get a 1st visit button. If your girl is girly, I might also suggest BBB. My best suggestion would be don't get wrapped up in touring plans or the mad dash to see everything. Go at your daughters' pace. Let her see and enjoy the things that interest her most, even if it means doing it more than once. (one year my kids rode ToT 13times in a row!)

 

[TLCdisneyfan]

I just want to say, some people will never love Disney. Just be okay with it. My dad isn't a huge fan, but he loves to go if it means getting the family together. When we took a really long trip in 2000, I spent 3 days in golf camp with him while my mom and sister did the parks. It was a great experience.

DH is the same way - he wasn't crazy about WDW when we went on our own (his first time), but he's really excited to bring DD3 there next week. For your DH, try to maximize his time with his daughter. Let him ride the two-seaters with her, and get ice cream together. You can take a break if you want. Also, if he just wants to stay at the hotel for a day and relax or play golf, let him.

I think mid-day breaks are essential. It's a big help to stay at a Disney resort for that reason. Makes the visit more like a break and less like an exhausting chore.

I don't know about first-timer must sees. This is my first time taking a kid. Just make sure to tell her it's okay if you don't see everything. You need to give that vibe, so she doesn't feel like she's missing out when you need to skip some stuff.

 

[v.t.]

I agree to pick 4 or 5 must do's for each park and use Fast Passes. Get her a book and let her help plan the days activities. Be at the park for rope drop and you will get so much done in the first hour.
To help with DH, if you are staying on property - do the dining plan, that way he will not look at prices! Also, we had our TS for late lunch everyday. It worked out great because even though everyone was tired, after a nice dinner in the air conditioning we were ready to go again. Look at all the menus on allears.net and ask him what he prefers. Have a great trip!

 

[alexensmom]

Dont be too disappointed if she doesnt get into the planning as much as you. My DD was 10 at the time and the most I could get out of her was that she wanted to ride the rides. I was surprised and a little bummed that she wasnt getting "into it" and really didnt take an interest in the kids planning book, etc . I think she was just afraid to spoil the surprise because by the time we pulled into WL, she was vibrating with excitement. We did ride after ride and whatever she wanted to do, it was a great week. Now that we have booked the next trip, she is almost as excited as I am and into planning. She said its all about the shows now

 

[Cwilson]

Thanks for all of the suggestions.. they are greatly appreciated! I will say that my husband is warming up to the idea of going to WDW as a family. This will be our first family vacation (other than visiting family out of state) and I couldn't think of a better place to go!! I think that as the date gets closer, he will get more into planning. I know he definitely wants to be there to experience it through our daughter's eyes.

 

[Luv4Dis]

I think getting your daughter a disney world book is a GREAT idea! She can look at the different attractions/events, read about them and get super excited when looking at the pictures. Doesn't WDW do something in terms of a letter from Mickey? I thought I remembered hearing something like this for surprises...but maybe I'm dreaming. If not, you could always draft up a letter from the big cheese! You must be soooooo excited!

 

[LuvToPlayDisney]

We have been going in Late November/early December and the crowds are light and weather not so hot. Kids really love the pools and slides. In the parks, depends on interests. Christmas is a great time to go, great decorations and lights at HS. Also, can't miss Fantasmic at HS. If you want to go on Toy Story, get your fast pass first thing in the morning. Fun ride but w/out a FP you will wait 2 hrs. Very popular ride. Downtown Disney has some fun shops to look in and the T-Rex cafe is a blast. They also have life size lego characters built. Trying October this year, hear that is a good time too. Crowds will always be around, I think if you take the humid/heat out of the picture, it's much more enjoyable for everyone. Take Disney transportation too, no stress.