First timer - traveling with 17 month old and 5 year old girls

[MamaOfTwoPrincesses]

We plan to visit WDW for the very first time with our two girls in January to celebrate our older dd's 5th birthday. I have a few questions that I hope can be answered here.

1) What sort of cribs do the resorts provide? (I assume it's a Pack n Play.) Are they decent, or should we haul our own along for our then 17 month old?

2) What's the best way to deal with my older dd's peanut allergy? I'll mention it when I make reservations, but I'm worried about letting her have bday cake or even a cupcake. We only eat cake here if I make them myself or we know that they were prepared in a "safe" environment.

3) Is Tinkerbell there?! And where can we find her? (Very important!! )

4) If I want to book character meals (OK, let's be real here, PRINCESS meals!) 180 days in advance, I have to start trying in a few weeks. Should I do this even if we don't have accomodations or plane tickets?! (We want to fly Jet Blue, which doesn't have those dates available yet. And the Disney resorts have also not released dates yet.)

Thank you for any advice you can provide.

~Colleen

 

[amyedreger]

I do believe the cribs vary. When we took our DD#2 last year when she was 14 months, she slept in a portable crib, not a pack and play. It seemed sturdy enough and fine for her. I do think some of the resorts have pack and plays, though.

Sadly, I don't think you can actually "meet" Tinkerbell, unless I am mistaken. We have never seen her anywhere when we have visited WDW. She does fly to the castle and "start" the Wishes Fireworks show with her wand, but other than that, she isn't around. I am kind of surprised because she is such a popular character these days.

If you know the dates you are going to be there, I would make some reservations now for meals that you really want to do, especially character meals since they book up fast.

 

[LuvTinkBell]

Yes, yes, yes, book the character meals ASAP! You can always cancel ahead of time. I called, and got breakfast in the castle, exactly 180 prior, and I got up and was on the phone before 6 a.m. my time.

Have never taken a child too little for a bed, so I can't answer that one for you. I do know when my younger DD was 16 mos. we went to the Keys, and she slept w/ her then 4 yr. old sis, and we pushed the chair up against her side of the bed, and I also rolled up the bedspread and laid that along the whole edge--she did fine with that.

Oh, when you call for ressies for meals, they do have a special number (and when I called it I got voicemail, but they did return my call to confirm) to accomodate any special requests, such as the allergy issue. I was told to call this number 7 days before.

And no, unless things have changed, you can't meet Tink. She is in Peter Pan's lantern in the parade (you can't see her, but she is supposed to be in there!). If you are first to the Tink's Treasures gift shop you can "wake up" Tinkerbell, done with lights all around the store it appears she is flying. I have never experienced this, I know someone else will have a better description for you!

And we like to buy little gifts at the Disney or Dollar Store, and Tink leavesour girls a little gift. I've done this every night while there or for our last trip I gave both girls a package that morning, as it also held their invitation to the tea party with Aurora!