First time at WDW

[drjluther]

We are planning a family trip this Nov. How early do I need to make reservations? Is there a certain time that is better to go? Sun- Sat or Mon-mon? We are going with a 5, 3, and 12month old. Should we hit all the parks? We are getting a 4 day pass. My sister said maybe just MK and AK? In November is it hot enough to still use the outdoor pools at the hotel? Any tips?? I am a little overwhelmed looking at everything! LOL!!! So excited though.

 

[WizardLarz]

Start Now! You can book your room now and if any discounts come out you can call and make adjustments. Your ADRs will frist be avaible in May. Resorts at WDW do not have indoor pools. Also airtravel on weekdays is usually cheaper.

 

[dana1003]

first off congratulations!! you guys are gonna have a great time..ok so i agree with the other poster..start planning now..talk to your group and find out what everyone is interested in doing and what they would like to do for meals..you definently wanna hit up magic kingdom for the kiddies and for yourselves actually..look at a park map and decide what rides youd like to go on and where you think you wanna spend your time during the day. if we know we have reservations for a certain place for say lunch then well generally stay in the "area" so we dont have to walk the kids that far. sounds silly to plan your meals months in advance but you really have to. try at least one character meal for the kids..a great one in MK is crystal palace..its buffet and the foods pretty good. look up dining on the home page and you can see menus and prices for the meals a all restaurants. we usually dont hop from park to park on the same day..the kids are small still and thats too tiring for them..we stay in one park for the day and just take our time walking around, taking breaks, seeing shows..epcot is beautiful and a must see...much slower paced and relaxing..a great place for the kids there is garden grill..its character themed and rotates very slowly so you get a 360 view of the restaurant..hope this helps..anymore q's just ask

 

[photographymom517]

I suppose the days you go is just a personal preference...but I've heard that first of all, airlines are least busy on Tuesday, Wednesday & Saturday (not sure if I believe the Saturday part!). The hotel rates are usually higher on the weekends and includes Fridays usually. I typically plan our vacation from a weekday to a weekday...like Tuesday to Tuesday. This saves you money on airfare & hotel rates. Plus the parks & Downtown Disney are busier on the weekends.

You can go on Disney's website & create an account for yourself. You are able to create up to 5 vacations & can compare the costs that way. If you have more questions on how to do this, please feel free to contact me! I planned my first vacation last year myself so I completely understand how overwhelming it can be! You have taken a great step with reading the DISboards...I wish I knew about this site last year! It would have helped me tremendously!!!

You said you are getting 4 day tickets...I do not recommend park-hopper with young children. My parents insist they are the greatest thing since sliced bread...I do not. I enjoy going to one park a day & taking our time walking around, enjoying the rides/shows, eating/shopping, etc. Between all the rides/shows, the parade, eating, the fireworks...I don't see a need to go to more than 1 park a day. (I also think your children are probably too young to enjoy the waterparks, so I would skip the "water park" option as well) If you do not want Park Hopper or Water Park, you just need the 4-day Base Tickets. (its also very convenient because if you stay on Disney Property, they give you a "key" to unlock your resort room (looks like a credit card) and this card can also be used to purchase items at the parks (automatically charged to the credit card you gave the resort) AND this card is also your park ticket!)

For young kids I would say DEFINITELY go to the Magic Kingdom...it just isn't a complete Disney experience without the MK. We went last year with our 10 month old & didn't go to Hollywood Studios because I thought it would just be a waste of money. I came home & researched the park & cannot believe we didn't go! HS has Playhouse Disney, tons of characters that smaller children know from tv or movies, Toy Story Mania, Honey I Shrunk the Kids Movie Set Adventure (play area -- 11,000 sq ft!!!), Little Mermaid, & many others! I was there years ago when it was still MGM & just remembered it was geared more towards adults or teens...but I definitely recommend Hollywood Studios for your trip! I also suggest eating at the Sci-Fi Diner (your table is actually a 1950's car) and the Character Meal at Hollywood & Vine...while I haven't been to either myself, I have tons of friends/family who have & they recommend both!

In my personal opinion, if you are getting 4 day passes, go to 1 park each day...then you will be able to go to all of them. However, you can always change this once you get there. For example, if your kids love MK, you might want to spend 2 days there & skip another park (IMO I would skip Animal Kingdom if you are skipping one).

If you stay on Disney Property, you get free transporation to the parks & to other Disney resorts (via bus, monorail, or boat). I didn't know this last year, but you can eat at ANY of the resorts...just ask at the front desk & they can tell you how to get there (usually by bus). We never waited more than 10-15 minutes for a bus. This is VERY convenient. You don't have to worry about parking in the lot, paying for parking, remembering where your car is, walking long distance, etc. They basically drop you off right at the gate of the park (GREAT for travelling with kids!)

My best tip with children...well actually 2 tips...first of all, each park has a Baby Care Center...they are WONDERFUL. I appreciated those, as a mother, more than anything else. Don't let the name fool you...they aren't just for infants. They have changing rooms (loved the one at MK the best), a play room, private nursing rooms, rocking chairs, etc. They are also airconditioned. I needed Pedialite for my son on the trip & this is where I got it! My other tip is to take a break in the middle of the day for naps & refreshing! This is a MUST with children. The parks can be overwhelming for adults & definitely for younger kids. This is what we did...we would arrive at the parks early in the morning (usually by 9 or 9:30) stay until after the parade (usually between 2-3:30pm) and then take the bus back to the resort. It usually takes about 10-20 minutes to get back to your resort depending on where you are staying & what park you are at. We would either use the resort pool, get something to eat, or just relax in our room (while the baby napped) for a few hours. Then we'd go back to the parks around 6:30 or 7 and stay for the fireworks. (This of course depends on your schedule & what time your kids nap & what their bedtime is.)

About making reservations...as I said, we are going in late November & I actually booked the resort & park tickets last week. I'm waiting on airfare (most don't have flight data out yet) until probably mid-May or June. If you book now & get a discount code or a better deal comes along, you are able to call Disney & make changes. You can also change your dates if you need to. You can make dining reservations around May or June (90 days prior to your vacation). I highly suggest doing this. I like to just "go with the flow" on vacation...I don't like having to be certain places at certain times. However, if you don't plan your meals ahead of time, you won't get to eat at your chosen places. Last year we were at Epcot & luckily got into Coral Reef right as they opened. We only waited about 20 minutes. Right after we sat down, I got up to use the restroom (this was 11:30am) & overheard the CM at the front desk tell a lady she wouldn't be able to get in until at least 5:30 or 6pm because they were FULL all day long! This is why I am making ADR's (Advanced Dining Reservations) as soon as my 90 day mark hits!

I apologize...you said you were overwhelmed & I just gave you a ton of information. Since you are going in November (as I am) please feel free to contact me with any questions you have! I have learned a ton from being there, reading DIS-posts, using the Disney website, and from friends who work down at Disney!

 

[photographymom517]

Sorry I forgot one thing. If you have an extra day, I would go to Downtown Disney. We didn't go because our son was 10 months old at the time, but I wish we would have!

They have tons of places to eat & shop. They have a GIANT Lego store with a play area for the kids. Restaurants -- kids would like TRex or Rainforest Cafe. Also, they have Goofy's Candy Co (great for kids of all ages! lol)

I would suggest going during the week, not on a weekend because more locals go on Sat & Sun...just what I've heard! (can anyone confirm???)

 

[marypoppinswannabe]

Congratulations!! The trip will be worth it.

First and foremost, don't overplan...It will take the fun out of it.

What we have done that works for us is to have everyone pick their top three choices in each of the parks. Make sure you hit those rides/shows, and then with the time you have left, do what ever you want.

Also, because you have young children, plan to take some time to go back to the hotel and rest in the afternoons.

Epcot is not usually that exciting for young children. There are fun things, but it just doesn't have the allure that MK and Animal Kingdom have.

In MK, outside of all of the rides, I definitely would plan to see the Spectromagic parade. The fireworks are really incredible as well. I cry when I see them. I even have the CD of the music.

 

[stitch09]

go to a book store and buy the 2010 edition of "Birnbaum." it's the official guide to disney world! my family has been there 14 times and we still get the new edition every year... it is very, very helpful! message me if you would like some more help on certain details of your trip... my dad and i are VERY experienced disney planners- other families have even come to us asking us to plan their vacation for them!! i'd be happy to help!

 

[badblackpug]

I also like "The Unoffical Guide" We are going the last week in Oct and we are already booked. The pools will be hit or miss in Nov. We have been in Nov and there are times when it is warm enough to swim and times when it isn't. You said you are going for 4 days, that will be quite a rush with 3 small kids, definitely no time to go back to the room for afternoon naps. If you can swing a longer trip it would be easier. We never skip any parks. I have to say, though, if there were one we would skip it would be Epcot World Showcase, although my older kids are old enough now that they enjoy it. I usually book through a travel agent (dreams Unlimited) because they apply discounts for me as they come up and make my ADR's for me. Also check out www.allearsnet.com They offer lots of info and pics.

 

[mjkacmom]

go to a book store and buy the 2010 edition of "Birnbaum." it's the official guide to disney world! my family has been there 14 times and we still get the new edition every year... it is very, very helpful! message me if you would like some more help on certain details of your trip... my dad and i are VERY experienced disney planners- other families have even come to us asking us to plan their vacation for them!! i'd be happy to help!

I have a copy of this, but I found it the least helpful (and I've been going to WDW since it opened). I loved UG and Passporter. I'm an over-planner (not just with WDW), and I found this really made our last vacation amazing. I planned which parks for which days, and what we would ride from rope drop (you do want to be there at rope drop), until about 1 or 2. Then we would wander, and then head back to the resort. Evenings were just about wandering.

 

[Cruz91]

I'll try to keep it short - but brevity isn't my strong suit!

1. Don't limit yourself to 4 day passes. If you look at the cost difference, going from a 4 day to a 5 or 6 day is nothing! You can start with a 4-day and upgrade when you get there (even on your last day you can add more days).
2. I think with kids your age you should plan on a mid-day break. Even if they won't nap, the rest at the hotel will really recharge you and help prevent meltdowns.
3. I ALWAYS base my trips to WDW on airfare - and I frequently find that Tues - Tues or Weds - Weds are cheaper. If you're flying, I would look into that very strongly. If you're driving, doesn't really matter...
4. The one thing you ABSOLUTELY MUST keep in mind is don't plan on seeing it all in your 1 trip. We leave for our 9th trip in a couple of weeks and we STILL haven't seen all the attractions. Just relax, take your time, and get 100% enjoyment out of all that you DO see and don't worry about what you DON'T see!

 

[AirGoofy]

Congrats on your 1st trip. There is absolutely so much to do. My simple advice - don't try to do it all. I did rope drop with the family and dragged them each day until everyone dropped. If you going to do a 4 day ticket, you may try one park each day. There will be plenty of fun for the family to do. Look at the planning guides and decide where you want to spend your time. Also, with young children, plan to do nap times or activities to do in the park where they can sleep.

Keep in mind:
(1) Character greets
There are character meals at the parks and other resorts you can travel to. The characters come to your table where you can take pictures and get autographs with them. The meals cost $ or with the Dining Plan, and do take time (1 hour or more). But, they provide an area where you can sit and rest. Or, you can stand at line in the parks - time, standing, but no money. And, characters are great for older children but sometimes scary for younger ones.

(2) Shows
Each theme park has different shows. Most of the shows are inside (or have cover) and provide comfortable seating. The volume may be loud in these shows, dark, and some need 3D glasses. They provide a great way to sit and relax, so time them throughout the day. When our children were younger, we sat nearest the exit side, so we could push through the exit door if children were to scared.

There are fast passes and some attractions have single rider lines, so that you and your sister could still hit the big rides if you wanted while the other watched the children. Good planning and good luck!

 

[kwitcherkicken99]

First thing I suggest is getting a guide book. Look through the book and make a list of any and all attractions that you are interested in. See how long your list for each park is, then you can decide how many park days to do or whether or not to skip a park altogether.

We originally were planning to skip DHS b/c it doesn't offer my family much in the way of entertainment, but at the last minute, we've decided to add hoppers and stop at DHS, but it will still be for less than a 1/2 in the park.

Good luck!

 

[photographymom517]

First and foremost, don't overplan...It will take the fun out of it.

What we have done that works for us is to have everyone pick their top three choices in each of the parks. Make sure you hit those rides/shows, and then with the time you have left, do what ever you want.

I LOVED your advice!!! We love to just do whatever we want on vacations without a lot of planning...so less stressful (IMO). I do end up planning a lot, but not the specifics (like on Monday at 2:30pm we will ride xxx at this park). I couldn't do a vacation like that! We do exactly what you said...we pick a few things we "have" to do in each park (something for each person) and then we hit the shows/rides we really want to see/ride. The rest of the day at the park we just relax, walk around, and enjoy ourselves! We have a lot more fun this way...last year we actually ended up finding a lot of rides without wait times "by accident", got into restaurants with no reservations, and saw a lot of characters just while walking around!