First family Disney Trip!!

[DisneyFam15]

Hi all!!

This year is going to be epic!! my parents have decided to take us all to Walt Disney World in Florida!!! we have two little girls, ages 6 and 3, and they have no idea what so ever that we are going there in December! (before Christmas though, so that the crowds will be crazy, but not insane =-P).

So, I have looked a bit through the forum, but there is so much information that it is very overwhelming, so I figured I would just ask a question or 5!!! lol!!

1. We want to surprise the kids with this amazing experience but need a good idea on how to tell them (including my parents, since they are funding the trip). anyone have suggestions? we don't want to wait until the day of our trip or the night before, we want to tell them around 30 - 40 days prior, thoughts??

2. With a 6 and a 3 year old, does anyone have any words of wisdom about our trip to Disney? hints, tricks or life hacks??

3. What kingdoms are must see's for a family? is there a certain method to seeing them? ie, is the magic kingdom better to see on a Tuesday or a Wednesday, is there really a method to seeing them??

Any other information would be greatly appreciated!!

and mom, if you read this, you guys are awesome and we are so excited to share this awesome experience with you guys in December!! (and I am sure that S and C are going to be excited once they find out!!)

thanks everyone!!

 

[Fantabulously Cherry]

Welcome!! I'm taking for 2YO DD for the first time in September. You're going at a great time. the first 2 weeks of December are great crowd wise. As far as the annoucement, maybe a Mickey ballon in a box, open the box to let the balloon fly out with a note on the inside. I think all the kingdoms are a must see for families, but it depends on individual likes and interests. But you can find a WDW crown calendar to see the recommendations for the particular days you will be attending. That's how I always plan out my trips.

Hope you all have a blast!!

 

[HotMama]

Schedule 2 days at Magic Kingdom! It's so much fun & lots for your little ones to do!

 

[jesswindsor]

Welcome!!!

 

[RHMH]

Dis-Friend

 

[hicksnichols]

I surprised my niece once by ordering her mickey ears and a book for autographs (I like getting the Disney's Encyclopedia of Characters to have characters sign beside their picture in the book) and having her open the box to see where we were going.

Ok, I'm going to admit that I can be overprotective and worrisome before I say this but..... please teach your kids about sticking with the family. Kids gets separated from their families a lot at Disney. Teach them to go to a Cast Member (employee) if they get lost. Write your cell number and name on a tag or their shirt or on their magic band so that they can give the number to a Cast Member. If you are staying in a Disney Resort, it may help to add that info too. Have it somewhere others can't see but teach your girls to show a Cast Member if they get lost. In crowds, if you don't have them in strollers, hold on to their hands when walking. Sometimes it hard to do this so we hold onto each other's shirt when we are in crowds so we can walk single file. If you can carry them in crowds, do so. Also, something else I avoid is putting my kids name on the shirts or bags. I don't want a stranger to come up and say "Well, hello Mickey. Your mom wants me to take you over here." Kids don't understand that someone can read the name on their shirt and can easily fall for this kind of trick. If you want to make the cute matching Disney shirts to wear, may go with just the last name or just initials....

I hope you have fun! I hope I haven't scared you. I can tell you I have found lots of lost kids and they are usually within a few feet from their parents. No kid has ever been taken from a Disney park (according to my research). But like I said, I'm overprotective.

I'm sure your girls are going to have a blast! I am so excited for you. If they are Frozen fans, don't miss the Frozen sing along at Hollywood Studios. Even my DH loved it!

 

[gjaninek]

Hello

 

[DisneyHoosier]

On item #2 - this are the ages we first took our kids - and our most important lesson learned was get out of the parks for part of the day. There is such a feeling of 'I'm paying so much I want to spend every hour at the park' - but 8 rested hours is better than 12 hours with tired kids. Or on long summer days, theoretically you could be there for 17 hours if you want with extra magic hours. Too much, too tired, everyone is miserable! Get there at rope drop to enjoy 'prime time' when lines are short, get out in the afternoon heat when the lines are at their worst. Take a nap or play in the pool. Then return refreshed for the rest of the night. Most important thing I ever learned.

 

[Disney Mom 7272]

Hi all!!

This year is going to be epic!! my parents have decided to take us all to Walt Disney World in Florida!!! we have two little girls, ages 6 and 3, and they have no idea what so ever that we are going there in December! (before Christmas though, so that the crowds will be crazy, but not insane =-P).

So, I have looked a bit through the forum, but there is so much information that it is very overwhelming, so I figured I would just ask a question or 5!!! lol!!

1. We want to surprise the kids with this amazing experience but need a good idea on how to tell them (including my parents, since they are funding the trip). anyone have suggestions? we don't want to wait until the day of our trip or the night before, we want to tell them around 30 - 40 days prior, thoughts??

2. With a 6 and a 3 year old, does anyone have any words of wisdom about our trip to Disney? hints, tricks or life hacks??

3. What kingdoms are must see's for a family? is there a certain method to seeing them? ie, is the magic kingdom better to see on a Tuesday or a Wednesday, is there really a method to seeing them??

Any other information would be greatly appreciated!!

and mom, if you read this, you guys are awesome and we are so excited to share this awesome experience with you guys in December!! (and I am sure that S and C are going to be excited once they find out!!)

thanks everyone!!

If it's in the budget, do the BBB. The look on my little girls faces during this experience for the first time was priceless. Definitely an experience that I won't ever forget!! Have a great trip!

 

[HANNAH_LOVERDISNEY]

 

[kdb]

Check out touringplans.com - I have used them for every trip and they give you crowd calendars, best parks for each day, and actual touring plans to maximize your visit. They dont pay me- I just think its that good.

I have a 5 and 2.5 yr girls. Here is our lineup for this August trip if it helps at all-

1. Akershus for dinner. You may not like Norwegian food but it doesnt matter. You will see and meet at least 5 -6 princesses while there and you will be greeted by one specifically for pictures. See my oldest here with Belle-

Amazing experience to have them engage with all of the princesses at once. Not many places you can do that.

2. San Angel Inn- one of the neatest restaurants to eat in and always makes an impression with kids. The backdrop is a Mayan volcano and it looks like you are eating outside. Good food and be sure to take the boatride before you walk out of the pavilion with the Three Caballeros- kids love that.

3. Chef Mickey's- best place for the main crew of characters.

4. Crystal Palace- good food and the whole Winnie the Pooh cast will come by your table before dinner is complete- they make a point of that.

5. Obviously Its a small world is a must, as is Dumbo.

6. Try to catch the acrobats in front of China- kids enjoy them.

7. Dont forget the train at MK- kids love trains and it is an easy way to get from Fantasyland to the front of the park.

8. Any boat transportation- it seems dull to the adults but kids are fascinated with the water.

9. Be careful on several rides- Spaceship Earth is LOUD and dark and the animatronics may scare them. It is a great slow A/C ride but kids sometimes freak. Also- same for Ariel and Nemo. The clamshells are good for the little kids but one year we were "stopped" in front of the scary Nemo graphic with the lightbulb fish- you know what I am talking about- had to hold hand over 2 yr olds eyes for 5 minutes until we started moving again. Great Movie Ride at DHS is ok except for the part with the movie Alien- be aware!

10. Soarin is great for your 6 yr old.

11. If you havent seen Fantasmic- do it- they will love the ending.

12. Absolutely do Wishes from beginning to end- get a seat at Caseys and feed them fries and wait for the show.

13. One thing that we started doing a few years ago is get a caricature done of the two of them together- (pop century food court or Contemporary outside Chef Mickeys). We do it every year and see their progression.

14. DONT dress them up in princess costumes for the day (as much as they want to). Those costumes arent even comfortable at home for ten minutes, let alone the florida heat and rides for 8 hours. To that point, BBB is cute, but have you SEEN these girls hair afterwards? a pound of glitter, hairspray and sweat does NOT equate to good time- sorry to everyone who loves it.

 

[cmacbelle22]

Be sure to hit the parks when they open in the morning, you will get a lot more done at that time of day. Then head back to the hotel in the mid-afternoon to rest, and go back to the parks at night. easywdw.com is another site that gives planning tips. Have fun!

 

[jreed]

Be sure to hit the parks when they open in the morning, you will get a lot more done at that time of day. Then head back to the hotel in the mid-afternoon to rest, and go back to the parks at night. easywdw.com is another site that gives planning tips. Have fun!

Thanks for that link, I'll bookmark that!

 

[elsafan]

Schedule 2 days at Magic Kingdom! It's so much fun & lots for your little ones to do!

Great tip!

 

[Lotziix]

We spent almost 2 weeks at Magic Kingdom and could
Of been there a lot longer ! My 3 year old went to bibbidi bobbidi boutique in cinderellas castle which she absolutely loved!