First timer has lots of questions!!

[joesmama]

Hi all! DH and I are taking our boys (ages 5 and 2 months) to Disneyworld the last week of April. I have a few questions that hopefully you can answer. We are staying offsite and driving. First question is this: we are bringing some breakfast items to eat at hotel and some snacks. How much should we budget per day for food? I was thinking around $100. Second: How long does it take to get from where you parked to the gate?? We are meeting someone and want to be on time. Third: what rides can we bring our infant in a front pack on? Where do we park the stroller if all of us ride? Lastly, my son's 5th birthday is actually on April 12th, but the whole point of the trip is as a birthday gift. Should we still try to go to guest services for a birthday pin or something?? What will they do for a birthday anyway? Thanks for reading! Any advice is appreciated!

 

[FloridaTeacher]

How you plan to eat -counter service (fast food) or sit down (restaurant style) will dictate how much $$ you need. We did (like you) breakfast in our RV and lunch and supper out, and $100 was fine for our family of four. Several days we were under that and a couple of days we were over that, but it averaged out to about $100. Also take some crackers or other small snacks in the diaper bag (everyone does it) so you aren't constantly buying food.

You'll drive in, pay for parking each day and park. After that how long it takes will depend on what park you're going to. It takes a little longer to get to the Magic Kingdom gate than to the other parks. This is because parking is farther away from the park. After parking, you catch a tram (which for some weird reason my kids love), which in all but Magic Kingdom, will take you right to the gate. At Magic Kingdom, however, you will then have to catch a Monorail or Ferryboat to the park. I would estimate it takes about 10 minutes in all parks but MK. MK can take anywhere from 20 to 45 minutes (45 minutes would be really rare though and only when it's really crowded).

There is stroller parking outside or near each ride and attraction, we did the stroller thing for years and never had a problem with anyone bothering anything and we took really nice strollers.

Don't know about the infant in the front pack - never did that.

Don't know what they'll do for a birthday (never get to go then), but I definitely find out!

48 days, 0 hours, and 40 minutes til we're back at Fort Wilderness and Star Wars Weekend.

 

[Desnik]

I am a big baby and when I have been there for my birthday, I told everyone it was my birthday!!! Our resort set up in our room balloons and a card signed by Mickey! At the character dining places I got a B-day card signed by the characters and they usually all came over for a group picture! I never did the B-day pin, but for your little guy I would definately get one! Some places will give a free dessert. With the pin on I'm sure he'll get lots of attention from CM's!

I have taken my kids when they were infants and used a Baby Bjorn carrier. I wore it in all the theater style attractions, It's a small world, Peter Pan, Haunted Mansion, mostly everything we did. We also would park our stroller outside the attraction. There are signs for stroller parking for most rides.

I have to agree with the above poster on the timing to the parks from the parking lot. Also, the $100 a day for food is usually what we spend for a family of 4. Somedays more, some less so for us it also averages out to $100 a day.

Have a great trip!! We will be there on 4/30!!!!

 

[stacy6552]

Yes, the baby can ride in a carrier on any ride without a height restriction. Our baby rode tons of stuff in the Baby Bjorn.

Yes get an "its my brithday!" pin for your son and have him wear it everyday, not just his birthday. At a minimum, he will get lots of "happy Birthdays" from cast members. Other things we have gotten or heard of others getting are free popcorn, cake after a meal, a free cupcake after a meal, and picked as a volunteer (our son wore his pin on his hat over Star Wars Weekend).

We tracked our food on one trip. Our family of 4 (2 adults and 2 kids meals) averated about $20 for counter service and $60 for table service meals, at which we could spend $100 on occcassion.

There is stroller parking. I put neon masking tape on the handle of our stroller to spot it easily in the sea of strollers, because CM's will move them around in the "parking lot."

 

[Evil Queen]

Do the pin... you can get one at Guest Relations in the parks. My son a few years ago, got one at each and every park and wore them. Since the trip was his birthday present and he likes to collect pins anyway.

He never received any free desserts or anything like that, but many "Happy Birthday's" not only from CM's but many Disney Guests as well (matter of fact our last trip Iwould say Happy Birthday to anyone I saw with one- the smiles back are priceless).

I told them at check in it was his birthday and on our 2nd day there he received balloons, and a signed birthday card with picture of Donald Duck. He also had animal towels everyday of our stay.

Back when Stitch was AE, they sang Happy Birthday to him and hasked everyone in the crowd to sing too. At Epcot, on Honey I shrunk the audience, they let him call Goofy for a Happy Birthday wish. They also, called him on stage before the show and had the crowd sing to him. At MGM, they had the crowd sing once we got in the simulator of Star Tours (he was getting high five's from all the teenagers when we got off too-quite the delight to him).

Last Sept. the trip was for oldest DS and his bestfriend, I asked them to get buttons, they finally did to humor me(they turned 22 and 23). They got sung to at the Stitch attraction.They too received towel animlas daily in their rooms.