Going to Diney Febuary 9th! Lots of Questions! First visit!

[candicenicole19]

Hello, I am new to the board! I am going to Disney with my daughters ages 6, 3 and 8 months. I know nothing about it and this is their first trip as well as mine! Any help? Oh, and what is the weather like in Florida in Febuary! I know nothing! But I am GOING and so excited!
and counting down the days!

 

[twinz]

My best advice is read a lot on these boards, and ask a lot of questions. These people on here are very knowledgeable, and no question is too dumb. Have a great time I know you will love it! Oh yeah...plan on going back after you return home cause once is NEVER enough!

 

[scrapbookworm]

I'd also get a Birnbaum's guide to Disney- it explains a lot about the rides, restaurants, resorts, and other things to do.

Have fun!

 

[d4est]

to the Dis!!

 

[Fast Pass]

The best advice I can give is get those advance dining reservations(ADRs). Even Mickey loses his charm when everyone is hungry and there are no restaurants to get into.

Don't make the worse mistake a first timer can make-try to do it all. Believe me you can't do it in one visit. Pick out those rides or shows you really must do then you can do the rest if you have time.

Welcome to Dis!

 

[candicenicole19]

Okay, we have the dinner plans made, I got the total package through Disney but now my next question is- Other then meals is there anything else I should plan for? Are the shows free? Totally full of lots of questions!
What is the weather like in Febuary?
What parks are good for a 6 year old AND a 3 year old?
Are there a lot of rides for them?
Is there anything we should avoid?
Is there any advise you wish you would have gotten for your first trip?
Let me know, PLEASE!
I am counting down the days! We leave on Febuary 7th and driving stright though so is there a cheap hotel outside of Disney?
Is there a place I NEED to take the kids?
Sorry for all of the questions! I am a pain! LOL!
Candice

 

[airtime]

Are the shows free?
Shows in the parks are all free.

What is the weather like in Febuary?
Expect highs in the 70s and lows in the 50s. Most days will be sunny, but rain can unexpectedly arise on any day in Florida.

What parks are good for a 6 year old AND a 3 year old?
Be careful with young children - they will rebel if you try to pack too much in to too short of a time. Train them well beforehand by explaining to them what you plan to do and how you expect things to work. That being said, small children will probably enjoy MK the most. Most attractions at the other parks tend to be geared toward older kids and adults.

Are there a lot of rides for them?
MK is the only place with a large number of rides that are good for small children. At Epcot, small children will largely find the offerings either boring or too intense. MGM has the same problem for little ones. AK has a few things for little ones to do, and they're likely to enjoy the Kilimanjaro Safaris.

Is there anything we should avoid?
Small children are clearly not good candidates for the roller coasters, since most 3-year olds will not make the height requirements. Your 6-year old may well love riding the MK mountains - I'd start off with Goofy's Barnstormer, and if that goes well, BTMRR, and if that goes well, then move up to Splash Mtn and Space Mtn. However, if there is no one to watch the smaller children for you, I would avoid this and try sticking to the calmer rides. If you have someone to watch the kids, ride with your 6-year old, and use the baby swap option to let the other adult ride as well (and your 6-year old gets two trips for one wait!)

Further advice for MK touring with small children is available on this site. I would link it for you, but I do not have enough posts yet to qualify for posting URL in my comments. (I guess I would be more trustable if went and posted a bunch of me toos instead of a few thoughtful comments.) Anyway, go to the main forum page, click on "CLICK HERE" under "Theme Parks Attractions and Strategies", then click "Planning with Kids" about halfway down the page, and look for help there.

In the other parks, watch out for Mission Space, Tower of Terror, Dinosaur, and Rock 'n Roller Coaster. These rides are intense and primarily intended for older children and adults. You may let your 6-year old try them, but you'll need to use very good judgment. If the 6-year old couldn't handle Space Mtn, then NO WAY on RnRC! Dinosaur is an intense ride in the dark, and may easily frighten your 3-year old, and your 6-year old as well. Also, many small children are frightened by the repeated sudden images of the witch in Snow White's Adventures.

Is there any advise you wish you would have gotten for your first trip?
1. Definitely get the latest version of The Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World. There is invaluable advice here on everything related to WDW. My one caveat is that they seem to be somewhat picky about restaurants and have a bias against buffets and AYCE affairs, so I wouldn't take their advice on dining at face value. They will have TONS of advice for touring WDW with small kids.

2. If you have a car available and you're not looking for a "Disney immersion" experience (which is a lot of fun), there are numerous good restaurants available offsite, and many provide a much better price for equally good food.

3. Make sure to take frequent breaks, and I recommend leaving the parks for naptime each day (from like 12:30 to 3:30). It's no good trying to cram a vacation and winding up tired and cranky - a sure way to kill Disney magic and fun!

4. Arrive at least 45 minutes before opening time with tickets in hand when going to a park. This will guarantee your getting to enjoy the attractions you want without a 60-minute wait (which will likely happen by noon on Winnie the Pooh and Peter Pan's Flight!) This will also allow you a fun 3 to 4 hours in the morning, followed by a nice rest, and then the last few hours at the park.

------

Have a great trip, and keep the emphasis on having fun rather than getting stuff done! It's going to be a challenge if you're taking three little ones by yourself.


Tim

 

[msklcassidy]

It costs nothing and saves tons of time!

We began taking my son to Disney when he was 2 1/2 (now 8). MGM has some good shows for kids...Playhouse Disney, Ariel and Beauty and the Beast.

MK has some good rides....anything in Fantasyland and Toontown are good for kids. Also Adventureland has the Jungle Cruise (good for 2 to 202!), Magic Carpets of Aladdin and Frontierland has the Country Bears (corny but cute).

EPCOT has some good stuff too....Turtle Talk with Crush (Living Seas) and Innoventions has a toontown area that kids generally like. Don't forget Journey into the Imagination with Figment! Also, when entering the park, go to the innoventions that is to the right of the Spaceship Earth. There is a coffee place to the left of innoventions and a walkway between the two. Go down that walkway and look toward the left for the "Character Connection." We found some great characters there who (particularly first thing in the a.m.) have lots of time on their hands to spend with little ones!

AK has some good shows too. We really liked the Wonders of Flight. Pocahontas is good for little ones. The Festival of the Lion King is great! Another good place to meet characters is Camp Minnie and Mickey (where Lion King and Pocahotas both are). It's generally not that crowded. My son loved looking at the big tree when he was 3...and he really enjoyed meeting Stanley and Rafiki back at the back of the park...I can't remember the name of the train ride back there...but it's very tame.

I also agree...don't plan to do everything! Take it easy and remember this is a vacation not a marathon.



As far as books go...my favorite is the Passporter! Its a good planning guide and it has a special organizational tool in the back.

 

[PrncesKMW]

You are going to have so much fun!!!

I really recommend the Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World - I've used it on our last 3 trips to Disney World, and I don't know if I could live without it! We let two friends last year borrow it and both agreed that they were much more prepared after reading the Guide.

There are some websites that might help you out - wdwinfo (dot) com and allearsnet (dot) com are some great sites for first time visitors, and are wonderfully organized.

You are right to ask lots of questions and try to plan - many people don't do either and are a bit overwhelmed when they get there! You may also want to check out the other forums on disboards - there are great tips for travelling with kids.

Good Luck!

 

[ajleone]

I'd say that Birnbaumsis my favorite. The Unofficial Guide , and Passporter are great for advice,I however find that they are excesively critical at times. But don't be affraid to try something even if the guides disagree(especially food) That being said just go to have fun,if the kids get tired go and nap, take a day and relax if you need it, and above all this is also YOUR vacation so make sure you enjoy things too. I also have a question- when you said your meals are all set, did you mean that you did priority seating or that you have a meal plan? Hope you have a great time.

 

[MyDreamIsAWish]

How fun with the little ones!
1. Get there early each day! I think that's the best advice!
2. Watch the parades! And the fireworks shows! Ohhhh and Cinderellabration!
3. MGM has lots of shows for the little ones to enjoy. My kids are too old for Playhouse Disney, but seeing the little ones be so excited for it gave me the 'tears'.
4. Let them meet lots of characters, bring autograph books.
5. get the unofficial guide...I like it for the 'best parks on which days' guide line.
6. Take lots of breaks!
7. Take your time!
8. PLAN YOUR NEXT TRIP NOW!! he he he!!