Has anyone done the Unofficial Guide plan for young kids?

[bookworm2]

Hello,
We'll be traveling to WDW in June with our 3 y.o. daughter, and I was reading the Unofficial Guide plan for families with children. It sounds good in theory, but I'm wondering what it's like in practice. I would love to hear your stories! Thanks.
bookworm2

 

[LisaFB]

We're taking the kids in Oct so I'd like to read what others say as well.

 

[2Monkeys]

Our 1st trip was for DD's 4th bday. I read, read, read, and planned to use the UG's touring plan. Once we got to Disney, it lasted for about 5 minutes! I think with young kids it is VERY hard to stick to a hard & fast plan. We went again 1 1/2 years later without a plan (but during off season) and everything was fine. We are going in May (1 1/2 years since last time) and this time I am trying to make a loose plan (such as 'these attractions are good before 10am, these before 11am, these anytime', etc.) If you'd like to see the list I've made just PM me and I'll send it to you. It is in MS Excel.

 

[mexican-mouseketeers]

We always go during the low season, so we do our thing, but if we were travelling during the high season would probably try the UG or Tourguide MIke.

What we have done is follow the UG advise for Dumbo.

 

[BarbWB]

I have done it at MK each of the 3 times we've gone to Disney. (Over those trips, my 4 kids ranged in age from 6mo to 8 yrs)
We have been twice in super high season (around Easter) and once in low season (late Jan).

The advice works GREAT. It is best if you can get a stroller outside the park, so you don't have to stop on the way. Walk quickly down Main Street (enjoy it, but don't dilly-dally) and hit Dumbo FIRST thing. Then follow the plan. My in-laws thought I was a crazed over-planning maniac on the first trip, but they came to appreciate the "Plan" when they saw 70 minute waits for Peter Pan just an hour after we rode it!!! The UG really does work.

We never really made it through the whole plan b/c we got distracted about 1/2 to 2/3 of the way through, but we did get the "biggies" done early and w/o gigantic waits.

You have to be semi-commando, so if that doesn't work for you, don't do it. But, it works for us to go-go-go early and then relax later.

Have fun!!

 

[hebbynan]

I read the Unofficial Guide when we took our oldest who was 10 months at the time. Not too much applied to him then so we didn't really use it. DH and I have been there once since just the two of us. We are going again in October with DS7 (my how the time flew by!) and DS3. I read the updated guide and I made my own itinerary. I just took things from the guide that I liked and tried to apply them to our family based on everyone's own little quirks and likes, etc. There's no way that you can "stick" to the guide totally. The bottom line is, you know you're own family. The guide's good for a reference, but stop at that. If you really try to stick to it, I don't know how enjoyable your trip will be. Just my opinion.

 

[connorsmom911]

We did follow it for the most part on both trips with Connor (20 mo and 3 yr). What I did was study, study, study before the trip, brought all my info with me, but purposely left it in the room so that I wouldn't go commando (I know myself and I definitely would). We went to the parks for opening, saved the character meals for early dinner (although I really prefer Crystal Palace for breakfast) and followed the plan, plus made great use of fastpasses. We definitely scheduled down time in the afternoon for nap and swim every day because we did a park at night too for Wishes/Illuminations etc.

If you don't get it all done (and we definitely didn't our first trip cause we all got sick), it just meant we had all the more reason to come back!!! And be prepared to do rides more than once...we couldn't get Connor off Triceratop Spin and luckily there was very little to no line, because he ended up going on it 4 times!!! It is also hard to bypass things when your heading elsewhere, especially if they look enticing, but warn them ahead of time that you're following a plan. Skip the characters in the parks if you can...huge drain on time. Better interaction at a character meal anyway.

Have fun!! We're heading back in a few weeks and already have new baby's first trip planned for January 2008 when he'll be 6 months old.

 

[ksumn1]

I followed the Tour Guide Mike Plan. It's similar to the Unofficial Guide (can't tell too much) and it really worked for us. You DO have to be prepared for a pretty intense schedule in the morning. We went fpr 7 days, so we did 1/2 on the plan and then did what we wanted after lunch. Often, we park hopped and Fast passed one of our "must do's" and just explore until our return time. You know your family and what they will and won't agree to do, and then tailor the plan to suit your family!!! Have a good trip!!