First trip with 4 year old - should we have a plan?

[allymc]

We're planning on spending 4 days at the parks in a couple of weeks time with our 4 year old. I've had a look through various guidebooks but am wondering if we really should just go with the flow once we get there rather than have a plan of action? I'm guessing on the first day we'll just find our feet (I've not been for 15 years!) then take it from there. Can anyone help out with their experiences?

Many thanks

 

[HappyPanda]

I took my 4 year old for the first time in March and I think it's good to have a rough plan of "Must do's" and maybe plan roughtly where you want to eat and when, just don't be too hard on yourself if you don't stick to it!

We did about 80% of the things we had planned to do, but then we just let DD take the parks at her own pace and let her choose the things she really wanted to do!

Have a great time!

 

[Hipster Meg]

We've been a couple of times with toddlers - our son was 4 the last time we went - and know from experience how tiring the days can be on little legs. So I'd maybe think about going back to the hotel room for a couple of hours each day to recharge, especially seeing as the park's probably going to be open late.

One thing I would decide in advance is what day do you want to watch Dreams on - there's no way that DS would stay up until 10 to watch it unless we went back to the hotel for a little while. Personally I'd think about getting a late start on that day, maybe going back to the hotel for a couple of hours in the afternoon, having an early tea there and then heading back into the park for the parade, rides and staking out our spot for Dreams.

If there's more than one adult going then you could try one of you heading back to the hotel early with your little one while the other takes advantage of the late night opening and stays in the park and then swapping the next night. It's not as much fun wandering around on your own but you'd get more time for the adult rides! There's also the baby swap service.

 

[wmoon]

Take a buggy!! Our DS is 4 and never uses his buggy at home but does at dlp. 4 days you should be fine doing everything, we never have much of plan other than a couple of meals booked and a day set aside for the studios. This time we will try and see dreams on the first night.

Being out late and up early doesnt seem to be a problem for DS at Disney anyway, but he has been known to fall asleep in his buggy mid afternoon on the odd occasion (again something he would never dream of doing at home)

Hope you have a great time

 

[jothp]

Where are you staying? If you have access to EMH I would definately make use of them to do the rides which are open because most of them appeal to younger children. If you want to do character meals I would also get those booked either before you go or as soon as you arrive as they can get very busy. I would take a look at the restaurant menus before you go too so you can at least take a list with you of places you would be happy to eat as there is nothing worse than wandering around with a hungry child trying to find somewhere suitable.

For this trip I will be planning where we will eat all our meals, which nights we will see dreams, which mornings we will do EMH, when we will see the parade and then one or two other things we 'must do' on each day. Other than that we generally go around riding one or two favourites a lot of times.

 

[scribbleuk]

Are you staying on-site? If you are try and make use of the extra magic hours. It's a great way to get on some of the more popular rides for little ones. Dumbo, peter pan, Small world and buzz are usually included with virtually no queues.

When we make the effort to do this we usually skip breakfast and head straight in. (We usually have a cereal bar handy to keep DD going) and then pop into salon mickey for a pastry or 2 on the way out.

 

[allymc]

Many thanks for all the replies, looks like we should just go with the flow on the whole then. Alas, we are not actually staying on site but 30km or so away with family. We have annual passes which means we can take advantage of the EMH but am thinking we will definitely be taking a pushchair along!

 

[scoobysnax]

Did you know that you can rent push chairs for 9E a day? They're made of steel, not flimsy aluminium (I saw a Dad sat in one! ) The office is immediately to the right of teh ticket barriers under the white awning next to a shop.

 

[Hipster Meg]

If you have Dream passes then I believe one of the perks is free push chair hire.