Going to MK the first day

[Navychica]

This is our first trip with our 2.5 year old, and I’m trying to decide how rough it’ll be if we spend our first day at MK. Ideally, we’d hit up the other parks that are slightly less toddler-overload first, but that won’t work this time. We’re going over Thanksgiving week, and the only MVMCP is our first full day there. Because party days tend to be less crowded, I’m planning on hitting up MK that morning, 9-1230 or so, leave for nap/pool/break, ‘Ohana at 4:50 (trying to move this a little earlier but will check in early if not), and then MVMCP until exhaustion.

So really, two questions- does this plan sound feasible? And did your young child get bored or complain in the other parks about wanting to go back to MK?

 

[Nancyg56]

I think this is a recipe for disaster unless your little one is able to fall asleep in a stroller. Personally, I would not worry about how crowded the park gets on a non party day, plan to arrive for RD on that day and stay until the afternoon parade and then leave.

There is a lot of travel involved in your original plan, even if you are staying on the monoail line, so if you leave MK at 12:30 to return to your resort, you will need to turn around and head right back out if you want to try to arrive at 'Ohana early, (It will take an Act of Congress to get seated early there), so no real rest there.

If you do plan to go to MK that first day I would arrive before RD< and then head back out early, and I would not move 'Ohana. Go back to the resort for the little one to sleep, and then go to dinner and the party. Make sure you have allowed plenty of travel time.

The first hour of park time is the best time, so arriving at 9 is not going to tiring an advantage for your family.

 

[Neverbeast]

My 2.5 yo loved all the parks, wasn’t bored at all in the others, and was happy to be in any of them. She hung in there for a MNSSHP but did crash in the stroller at some point for a hard core hour long nap and woke up again for the parade right before we left the park.

Advantages are that since it’s your first day she won’t be wiped out yet, so go easy the day after! And in our experience our 2.5 yo liked things that aren’t optimal touring strategies... like riding small world over and over. And Magic Carpets over and over. And eating snacks in the stroller looking at an interesting wall... remember they will be on sensory overload so be ready to abandon plans and watch the tiny dolls sing!

 

[LongLiveRafiki]

My 2 year old loved all of the parks. There were of course more rides at MK, but all of the parks kept his interest, just for different reasons (for instance, he loved the animals/Safari/FOTLK in AK, all of the shows and slower pace in HS, and the kids rides/aquarium in Epcot).

Personally, your plan though seems a bit hectic for a first day with a little one. Assuming you're relying on Disney transportation and are not staying at the Poly (to make transportation to Ohana easier), that's a lot of time spent on transportation alone... Getting to MK, getting back to resort, getting to Ohana (which could mean multiple modes of transportation as there aren't buses that go between resorts), boat to MK, then getting back to the resort again. That alone could take up 5 or more hours out of your day, depending on how long you have to wait for the bus/boat/monorail.

My DS did great staying up through all of the MNSSHP party we went to (he fell asleep during the midnight show in front of the castle), but we slept in and had a pool day at the resort, and got to MK at 3:40 for a 4pm ADR at Crystal Palace before enjoying the party. I'm not sure how your little one is with long days, but it seems like most kids would probably crash early (even with a nap) if getting up at presumably 7 or 730 to make it to MK by 9am. Just something to think about because if your ADR for Ohana is at 4:50, you realistically won't be getting to MK for the party until at least 7pm. Would they be able to stay up long enough to make the party worthwhile? I would strongly consider changing something up and maybe not doing an early morning and late night in the same day (is it worth it to you to use up one of your days tickets for just a couple hours at a park you're going to end up at later anyway with the party ticket?) Or consider changing Ohana to a meal either at your resort or in MK so you can reduce some of your transportation time.

 

[sponica]

Honestly that wouldn't work with my kid. A better plan (for us) would just be open to close of day tickets.

If you think that plan will work, all power to you. But have a plan B for the next day if it's a disaster.

As far as the other parks not being liked by kiddos...I wouldn't know (nor would my kid), we spend the least amount of time in MK because I find it overwhelming.

 

[Navychica]

Thanks everyone. My daughter is actually a trooper, and often wakes up at 7, doesn’t take a nap, and crashes around 9 at night. When she’s had an exciting morning, she’ll go to sleep around 2 or 3, but for not more than an hour. She’ll also sleep in the stroller, so if she won’t go down for a nap at the resort, she’ll pass out eventually. DH and I also made a pact that if she’s tired, we absolutely won’t mention the amount of money spent and just go find a quiet space lol. The long day is the least of my worries (though I’ll be 6 months pregnant, so it maybe should be...)

We’re staying at CBR, so the plan is to bus over to MK and then monorail, though we could drive if that’s a better option. I think I’ll leave the ‘Ohana reservation as-is, hope that recent reviews of the food being rushed on you are accurate, and it doesn’t take that long. We’re not trying to do any crazy character meets; I’d like to see Donald/Scrooge as well as Daisy, the parade, fireworks, and just enjoy the atmosphere.

The next morning is DHS, which isn’t a big draw for us. I’ll probably send DH off to rope drop if he wants for SW:GE, and then meander over later with DD to see a couple shows. Pretty sure the only ride I can go on there is TSMM, so as long as I pick up a FP for it, there’s no rush in the morning.

 

[mi*vida*loca]

The way you have that day planned is how we usually do Disney. RD, midday break at the pool and a PM park. Most times a dinner ADR too. But I don’t think I would do that for a party night.

I personally like to get to the party at 4 so we just sleep in, get room service or QS she eat in the room and maybe hit the pool then arrive at 4 pm. Those tickets aren’t cheap.

At 2.5 I think both of my kids would’ve been fine since DS was a good napped. 3-4 hour naps until kindergarten. DD slept great in her stroller. But you will probably be exhausted. I always found carrying diaper bags, strollers, pushing a stroller, running after a toddler to be exhausting while at WDW. And you’ll be pregnant.

I would rest that morning and go straight to MVMCP at 4 pm. Or try to move Ohana to an earlier time. It will be a long day.

 

[DisneyDoesMyHair]

This is our first trip with our 2.5 year old, and I’m trying to decide how rough it’ll be if we spend our first day at MK. Ideally, we’d hit up the other parks that are slightly less toddler-overload first, but that won’t work this time. We’re going over Thanksgiving week, and the only MVMCP is our first full day there. Because party days tend to be less crowded, I’m planning on hitting up MK that morning, 9-1230 or so, leave for nap/pool/break, ‘Ohana at 4:50 (trying to move this a little earlier but will check in early if not), and then MVMCP until exhaustion.

So really, two questions- does this plan sound feasible? And did your young child get bored or complain in the other parks about wanting to go back to MK?

We did MK on our first full day at Disney (following a full day of travel the day before) with our 4 and 11 year old. And we participated in EMM, so it was a very early start to the morning. It was an amazing start to our trip, and the magic of MK really set the tone for the remainder of the trip. My only worries for your plans are trying to do a portion of the day in the park, and also do the party until exhaustion with a 2.5 year old. This is very ambitious with a toddler, especially with all of the stimulation at Disney. I would say keep your expectations low as to how long your little one can stay awake and participate.

 

[MomOTwins]

Thanks everyone. My daughter is actually a trooper, and often wakes up at 7, doesn’t take a nap, and crashes around 9 at night. When she’s had an exciting morning, she’ll go to sleep around 2 or 3, but for not more than an hour. She’ll also sleep in the stroller, so if she won’t go down for a nap at the resort, she’ll pass out eventually. DH and I also made a pact that if she’s tired, we absolutely won’t mention the amount of money spent and just go find a quiet space lol. The long day is the least of my worries (though I’ll be 6 months pregnant, so it maybe should be...)

We’re staying at CBR, so the plan is to bus over to MK and then monorail, though we could drive if that’s a better option. I think I’ll leave the ‘Ohana reservation as-is, hope that recent reviews of the food being rushed on you are accurate, and it doesn’t take that long. We’re not trying to do any crazy character meets; I’d like to see Donald/Scrooge as well as Daisy, the parade, fireworks, and just enjoy the atmosphere.

The next morning is DHS, which isn’t a big draw for us. I’ll probably send DH off to rope drop if he wants for SW:GE, and then meander over later with DD to see a couple shows. Pretty sure the only ride I can go on there is TSMM, so as long as I pick up a FP for it, there’s no rush in the morning.

Oof, this just sounds exhausting. 6 months pregnant limits what you can do anyway so it seems like trying to do a morning trip, pool AND party is overkill. It also sounds like a terrible value: you are paying for a full party ticket plus a day ticket even though you will only be spending about 3 hours in the morning and 2-3 hours at night (I'm assuming based on your dinner time you'll get into MK around 7pm, and you mentioned your daughter crashes at 9, so that is being generous given kids tend to tucker out earlier than usual at Disney World).

Just skip the park in the morning, do a pool day at the resort, and then go to the party. Or go to park, leave for your dinner, and then go back to the resort.

I also will say that while the food at ohana may be rushed, the wait to be seated there is BONKERS. So I don't think you can count on it being a quick meal.

 

[yorkieteacher]

My 2.5 year old grandson loved all the parks-he was just excited to be where so much was going on. We did MK from 830-1130am, then MNSSHP our first day, leaving after lunch for a nap and going back for the party at 4. Sadly, he was worn out by 830pm, so his parents felt they had wasted money on party tickets. Then we did HS,(he loved the shows and TSL) another MK day, Epcot, and ended with AK. Even in Epcot, he loved Frozen, Imagination, Nemo and the Mexico ride. But Epcot was a half day park for sure with a little one-