First visit - am I missing anything?

[UsNew2Disney2008]

We are planning our first visit soon. Just double checking I'm not missing something here. We are staying on property. This will be our first trip to Disney (me and DS turning 4). Staying at All Stars. 3 nights. Have park hopper & water park tickets (upgraded to them for free in our package).

1. have ADR's for dinners (CM, CP, Whispering Canyon, Hollywood & Vine)
2. have packing lists that include ponchos, umbrella stroller
3. packing swim suit in carry on backpack & DS's to the park
4. bringing camera, but plan to pre-purchase photopass
5. buying autograph book at resort before heading to the park
6. first night in going to MK, dinner at CP (although DS says he'd rather see "wild animals" than Mickey. Sigh... on the fence about trading this one out, but since the next night is EMH at MK, thought it may be better to be at AK that night.
7. No to Pal Mickey (agree/disagree?)
8. Doing early EMHs, but avoiding parks with evening EMH
9. Skipping Downtown Disney, Epcot and Waterparks due to short visit
10. Napping mid day and then returning to the park
11. Bringing DVD for airplane (2 hr flight - needed?)
12. Using Magical Express
13. Used Guide Book to learn about parks.
14. Getting "first trip" & "Birthday" buttons

Am I missing anything you vets would feel important? I'm thinking I have it all covered and can put the trip planning on cruise now - good thing because our world will be hectic for the next month until the trip!

Any thoughts would be great!!!! I'm excited. It's taken 35 years to get here, but visiting Disney soon!!!

 

[Doug123]

My wife and I just took down our four and six year old to Disney for their first time.

1. Some with disagree, but I agree with the "no" to Mickey. There's so much going on to "process," especially for a four year old, there's no need to add to the din.

2. You obviously know your son, but my kids LOVED EPCOT. You'll never fit in everything, of course, but you might want to consider a quick trip to EPCOT to hit a couple of the attractions.

3. On napping: we considered for a while whether we wanted to go back to the room in the afternoon or not. We finally decided not to head back to the room, and instead just try to take breaks in the park. Going back to the room is not as quick as you think. You might end up blowing the afternoon doing it, when it all comes down to it.

4. We decided against bringing a DVD player for the plane. My wife made a little booklet of activities for the kids (coloring and such). That, along with the fact that is was their first plane ride, was more than enough to keep them occupied for the couple hours on the plane.

5. If you don't already, I suggest getting a good idea of which attractions you want to hit. Depending on how busy the parks are at this time of year, I also suggest being realistic about how many attractions you can do within a certain time period.

6. Above all, be flexible and enjoy.

 

[maxtomsmom]

I would make a list of "Must sees" and "Would like to see" before going on your trip. This way you can hit the attractions/rides you and your son would enjoy. You can better plan to fast pass them if necessary. The Dis has info on all the rides and attractions plus how long each ride is. It will give you a good sense of what you can and cannot do during the time you are there. For example, you have ADR at CP, but you have 20 minutes to kill. Since this is your first time, you may not know how long each ride or attraction is and they do vary. Knowing this info and most importantly bringing it to the park with you, can help you plan your time wisely. We bring a folder with us to the parks. We put extra maps in there and info about the park. Each day, I switch it out. We put extra maps that you get from the front because we are always losing them. Also, my kids like looking at them.

One more thing, the lines can get long and four year olds are not the most patient people. You might want to pack snacks, gum, small trinkets to occupy his time. We pack word searches, hidden pictures and small hand held toys that you can find at the dollar store. I make copies and place them in the folder. We have a backpack with all of our stuff. The word searches and hidden pictures have helped other people as well. A parent asked if I could give her two DD a copy. It helps make the time go faster.

 

[UsNew2Disney2008]

You both have good tips. I hadn't considered the ride duration info to the park, but i guess that is sort of important...

I'm thinking about taking the Passporter map with me to the park since it shows the times to walk it.

One more thing. We are going for sure Sun morning at opening. Would you still go to MK Sat afternoon when you get in? I've heard Sat crowds are lighter since most people travel that day, so I thought we could orient ourselves a bit - or is the afternoon so busy that we'd be better off at AK. DS LOVES animals and we do have a whole day planned at AK already.

I was hoping to get a nap if we get our room early, but I hear that may not happen so I'm wondering which park to go to if we need to be out of there by probably 6pm.

Option A - Go to MK, dinner at 6 at CP, go to resort
Option B - Go to AK, dinner at Whispering Canyon maybe?
Option C - Go to MK after checking in early at resort and getting a nap (DS currently doesn't nap at home) heading to MK and staying "late" leaving after Spectromagic.

This said, we will be in MK Sunday for opening.

Man, planning this stuff out is tough! ha ha. Better than wandering around trying to figure things out while there with a rather excited 4 yr old!

 

[Disney Fool]

I would only do Wispering Canyon if you are near the MK. AK is too far away to just go there for dinner. Whispering Canyon is in the Wilderness Lodge Resort. Option A or C is doable, depending on your arrival time and what time you actually left your home. If you left at the crack of dawn to catch a flight, your 4 year old may have other ideas as to what will happen!!! I agree with the above post that you should also include Epcot. 4 year olds love that place. Big mistake not to take children there. Depending on the time of year that you go, have swimming trunks available, or a change of clothes, and let your child go play in the dancing fountains. Great way to blow off steam.

 

[FoundMyPrince]

Sounds like you are well prepared!

We don't do Pal Mickey either - just our preference.

Don't forget sunscreen!!

We don't go back to the room for naps; our kiddos have taken naps in the stroller instead. They are usually so excited, then just konk out all of a sudden (in the stroller). So, why should we get them out of the stroller, get on the bus to the room, etc? So far it's worked well and they have a good nap. By the time we leave the parks, get on the bus, arrive at the room and do it all again, it's an hour. We'd rather stay in the parks during that time. But, you know your child better than anyone - do what your instincts tell you!

Take a copy of your ADR confirmation numbers. They came in handy for one of our trips.

It cannot hurt to take the DVD player and use it when necessary on the plane. I like to be over-prepared!

 

[Trina7020]

OK.. What is Pal Mickey?

 

[UsNew2Disney2008]

OK.. What is Pal Mickey?

The short answer is it is a stuffed Mickey ($70USD) that has a GPS which gives you tips while in the park. He also plays a few interactive games/jokes. Once you take him home, the park tips no longer work, but the games/joke do. He has to be outside of a backpack to work (translation, buy him for your kids, you have to wag him)

 

[Aliceacc]

Some small suggestions:
- fanny packs. I got mine at www.beltoutlet.com but you can probably get one at Walmart or someplace simliar. I think they'll be lighter than backpacks.
- snacks for the parks. Some of the snack-sized Goldfish or something similar might help you son through the boredom of waiting in line.

-likewise, bring along a bottle or two of bubbles. They'll help pass the time.

I'm in the process of typing up a list of rides/attractions for my family, I'm including height requirements, scare factors, things like that. If you want to PM me with your email, I'll send you what I have so far (Magic Kingdom and Epcot... I'll get to the other parks before we go in August.)

 

[dspads]

Just some thoughts...
3. Also bring water shoes/crocs if you want to allow him in water play. Socks and sneakers wet are no fun.

6. What time do you arrive? Are you really going to stay late for EMH? I would do AK if he wants to, though he will love whatever, I am sure.

7. Agree. He talks low and seems to tell the same jokes. It was a minor distraction for my kids for the first day. Not worth it to me.

9. Our 3 faves our MK, HS/MGM, AK. WOuld not waste time with DTD unless it is on a free day or travel day with no park pass

10. I would plan for nap if you think your kiddo will get up early, nap & stay up late. Otherwise it's a lot of travel time.

11. Probably don't need the DVD, but if you have it I would bring it - good for wait in airport for ME too.

Have fun! I saw a post earlier today about a kids guide to WDW that looked great, you may want to check it out. My boys LOVED HS, lots of 'boy'characters there (Buzz, Power Rangers, Lightning). Plus the car stunt show was a favorite. Don't miss SpectroMagic! (Can you tell I want to go back )

 

[UsNew2Disney2008]

-likewise, bring along a bottle or two of bubbles. They'll help pass the time. Got the bubble necklaces AND glow necklaces for night

I'm in the process of typing up a list of rides/attractions for my family, I'm including height requirements, scare factors, things like that. If you want to PM me with your email, I'll send you what I have so far (Magic Kingdom and Epcot... I'll get to the other parks before we go in August.) That would be so great if you have time!!!

Thank you very much!

 

[murcor]

3. On napping: we considered for a while whether we wanted to go back to the room in the afternoon or not. We finally decided not to head back to the room, and instead just try to take breaks in the park. Going back to the room is not as quick as you think. You might end up blowing the afternoon doing it, when it all comes down to it.

6. Above all, be flexible and enjoy.

I agree, to go back to the room for a nap is very time consuming. What worked for us is heading back to the resort for good in the late afternoon. They can unwind, swim, unwind etc

After a few table service meals the kids start to get bored with them, they actually dont want to go. We plan on three hours to get to the restaurant, eat, leave and get back to the hotel. Thats a long time each day.

BUT
I think the character meals for his age will be a hit!

 

[UsNew2Disney2008]

okay...

Nap or no nap? Our background is DS doesn't typically nap at home. Gave them up at 2 - lucky me. He gets up around 6 am and we put him to bed around 8. Sometimes he goes right to sleep, sometimes it is 10pm. However, I will say he seems to have problems settling down on days when there has been more excitement. SOME DAYS I have gotten naps out of him by telling him "IF YOU NAP, WE WILL DO X". Naps last aprrox. 1 hr. We are staying at ASmo, and I'm starting to realize a nap may be a 3 hour event when you factor in bus transportation.

Suggestions on how to plan our days in the parks? I have no idea how the attractions/touring wears down a 3/4 yr old. We've never done anything like this.

 

[murcor]

UsNew2Disney2008

Do your plans include night time activites?

Ive learned that early to bed at Disney works well with our family.

 

[carissanboys]

Some thoughts -

I definitely wouldn't do Pal Mickey on a first visit.

With regard to the DVD player, I think it depends on your son. Is he an easy going kid that will have no problem sitting through a two hour flight? Will he be happy to color or read a book with you, etc? If he's an active kid that is prone to getting bored easily or you're worried that he'll get upset while on the plane, then I'd bring the DVD player.

Napping - We did naps our first visit. Overall, we were just more tired that trip anyway and I was exhausted when we left. On our second trip, we didn't do naps, but we left the parks by 2 or 3 in the afternoon and rarely did anything else except hang out at the townhouse and pool.

My biggest piece of advice would be this: You're only going for a short trip and will probably want to really cram a lot into that visit. Try to refrain from doing too much. What has helped me each time is knowing that we will return and if we don't get to do something on this trip, we can always do it another time. There's just so much to do there that it's easy to get carried away. Try to enjoy the moment while you're there and be prepared to be flexible. You may intend to stay for the entire day (or leave and go back), but if you find your son is acting really tired, then being able to let go of your plans and just hang out at the resort pool will make for a much happier experience.

Our family goes to bed early and rises early. I've found you can get a lot done if you're at the parks at opening when it's still fairly quiet. Have a nice lunch somewhere (we tend to do more TS at lunchtime than dinner) and then hit a few more things before heading out for the day. I think going back and taking a nap (or just relaxing at the pool) and then heading back in for Wishes, etc. is a good compromise.

 

[UsNew2Disney2008]

UsNew2Disney2008

Do your plans include night time activites?

Ive learned that early to bed at Disney works well with our family.

As of now, nope. I have heard I really should catch spectromagic one night and stay for Wishes. I'll see how this goes. Outside that, I was planning on calling it a day after our dinner & heading back to the resort.

The first day is the wild card. If he naps (we get checked in early) we could stay and see things at MK that night.

 

[UsNew2Disney2008]

COLOR="Red"]Comments in red[/COLOR]

Some thoughts -

I definitely wouldn't do Pal Mickey on a first visit.

With regard to the DVD player, I think it depends on your son. Is he an easy going kid that will have no problem sitting through a two hour flight? Will he be happy to color or read a book with you, etc? If he's an active kid that is prone to getting bored easily or you're worried that he'll get upset while on the plane, then I'd bring the DVD player. good point, dvd player it is. Two hours is probably pushing it

Napping - We did naps our first visit. Overall, we were just more tired that trip anyway and I was exhausted when we left. On our second trip, we didn't do naps, but we left the parks by 2 or 3 in the afternoon and rarely did anything else except hang out at the townhouse and pool. I hadn't considered this, but you know, that just might be a good idea for us too!

My biggest piece of advice would be this: You're only going for a short trip and will probably want to really cram a lot into that visit. Try to refrain from doing too much. What has helped me each time is knowing that we will return and if we don't get to do something on this trip, we can always do it another time. There's just so much to do there that it's easy to get carried away. Try to enjoy the moment while you're there and be prepared to be flexible. You may intend to stay for the entire day (or leave and go back), but if you find your son is acting really tired, then being able to let go of your plans and just hang out at the resort pool will make for a much happier experience. Oh, I have one "MUST SEE" in each park. Everything else is gravy. AK = Safari, MK = Dumbo, DHS = Lightening & Buzz

Our family goes to bed early and rises early. I've found you can get a lot done if you're at the parks at opening when it's still fairly quiet. Have a nice lunch somewhere (we tend to do more TS at lunchtime than dinner) and then hit a few more things before heading out for the day. I think going back and taking a nap (or just relaxing at the pool) and then heading back in for Wishes, etc. is a good compromise.

Great ideas! Also it is nice to know you can feel like you can get a good amount in by being there early

Are the character breakfasts worth it? I'm considering one at CP at 8:10. The park opens at 9 that day, so we'd be there before that.

 

[carissanboys]

Are the character breakfasts worth it? I'm considering one at CP at 8:10. The park opens at 9 that day, so we'd be there before that.

We did lunch at CP, but I've heard breakfast is great. CP seems to be one of the most popular character meals. I think it's a good plan to go to that one at the time you listed. I can tell you that we did Chef Mickey's on our last trip and didn't enjoy it nearly as much as our meal at CP. I thought the food at CP was MUCH better and the character interaction lasted longer (at CM they practically zoomed past).

 

[UsNew2Disney2008]

Am I wrong, but I've been mostly seeing these Character Dining events as entertainment more than as a meal. Is this the wrong way to look at it? How many are a good number for a little one?

 

[carissanboys]

Am I wrong, but I've been mostly seeing these Character Dining events as entertainment more than as a meal. Is this the wrong way to look at it? How many are a good number for a little one?

I think most people go to a character meal for the characters. It's a way to see a bunch of characters and get pictures and autographs without standing in long lines.

Personally, I think one character meal per trip is plenty, but that's my own opinion. On our two trips we've done a character meal on our last day, right before we leave. Kind of a nice way to end a trip. They're just so expensive that I couldn't see doing more than one per trip.