HELP, last minute trip with 5 y.o. DS, what do I need to know??

[rjthkids]

O.k., we have 4 special needs kiddoes who range in age from 2-6 (2,2, 4, and 6).

The 4 year will be turning 5 in April. We have planned a big WDW in January 2010, but with the military specials and free airfare, my husband offered to watch three of the kids and let me take D.S. who will turn 5 to Disney for a week! We just booked it all and we'll be staying from May 4th-12th (slightly past his birthday, but that is how we could work free airfare).

What do I need to know? I wasn't expecting on being there so quickly, and with only have one of the four and the one with the mildest special needs, it gives us a lot more flexibility than our trip will in January.

My son does have an endocrine disorder and a HGH deficiency, which means he will be five but is the size of an average 2 year old (34 inches tall, 24 pounds). I presume that will restrict a lot of rides he can do because of height, but other than, the world will be our oyster.

SO--- he is a very early riser--- 5 am he's up and at 'em. He's usually completely wiped and in bed by 7, though I can sometimes keep him up until 8ish (I took him to a play the other night and he was fading fast by 8 and asleep in the car by 8:10). We'll be crossing two time zones, from Mountain Standard Time but that has NEVER made a difference. This child does not jet lag. At all. He is a human testament to the internal GMT clock because no matter how many time zones we fly through, the very next day he is up at 5 am, local time. Will never cease to amaze me!

So--- can any experienced DISers give me some tips and advice? How will the crowds be for the week we're there? Anything I should know to make this truly wonderful for him?

There just so much to do and DIS is so large, I'm kind of overwhelmed on where to start.

This is the best treasure trove of information ever. Thanks so much for taking your time to help those of us who are less knowledgeable!

 

[all4fun]

Have you been to WDW before, or is this your first trip? Are you staying on Disney property or off? How into the character experience do you think your ds will be? Obviously, getting up early won't be a problem for you so I would plan on maybe doing a character breakfast meal at least once (you can schedule for before park opening). Since you can get to the parks early, you will be able to enjoy the parks before they get too crowded.

You can get a lot more info about character dining here on allearsnet. Allears also has all the menus for the restuarants if you have a picky eater you may want to check those out. There's also tons of info about Dining at Disney here on the Dis.

You can put his height into the height requirment calculator here, and it will tell you which rides he will not be able to ride. There is still plenty of stuff to do though. I hope that he isn't too disappointed that he won't be able to ride some of the bigger rides. It must be tough to miss out on stuff at this age because of height! (My 5yr old is very tall for his age, so there's almost nothing @ DW he can't ride, and I know he would be really upset if he couldn't). I just feel badly for your ds on that point.

Obviously the big rides shouldn't be your main focus and you will still find lots of things to enjoy. I wouldn't miss the parades and shows. My ds loves the Lights, Motors, Action stunt show, and the Indiana Stunt show at DHS. He also loves the fireworks (your challenge is going to be staying up late for them...can you go back to the resort midday for a nap, maybe?). May is probably a good time for a water park day (or at least part of a day). If he's into video games you should check out Disney Quest at DTD. Definitely get the "water parks and more" option on your passes if you're doing this. DQ isn't cheap ala carte.

Don't forget about the free admission on your birthday with the "What will you celebrate" promotion.

If you are a Passholder or already have a Multi-Day ticket you will use on your birthday, go ahead and register and bring the free admission on Your Birthday confirmation and proper ID to the designated Will Call windows so you can choose from one of our other exciting birthday gifts instead. (see FAQs for details).

hth

 

[Rylee]

Hi,

Since he is such an early riser, you should definitely take advantage of the Extra Magic MORNING Hour. You can see and do a lot first thing in the morning. Check the park hours and EMH for your dates.

*If you aren't going to attend the EMH, morning or evening, AVOID that park on that day, as it will be more crowded.

Do you have the Dining Plan? If so, you should make Advance Dining Reservations. If not, but you would still like to have a few Table Service meals, make reservations, or you might not get in.

If your son likes the characters, try booking at least 1 character meal.

You might want to have some breakfast snacks in the room... granola bars, pop-tarts, juice boxes, etc. You can pack these items or order them and have them delivered to your room.

Make a list of must-see-and-do attractions, and hit these attractions first thing in the morning. After you've crossed a few off the list, RELAX and enjoy the magic at your own pace.

Consider taking an afternoon break, returning to your resort for a swim or nap.

*Tip for Mom...
You mentioned you son crashes early, if he is a good "stroller sleeper" this is an excellent time to walk around the world showcase at Epcot, or browse the gift shops in the parks or at Downtown Disney.

Have a great trip!

 

[YesIStillLoveDisney]

If he is at all interested in animals, the safari ride at Animal Kingdom is amazing but I would recommend going first thing in the morning. The animals are usually more active around when the park opens and I have even had giraffes walk right up to the vehicle on a few occasions. It was pretty exciting to get to be that close to the animals without any fences or walls between us and the animals in a more natural setting. It is also open to any height.

 

[rjthkids]

Thanks for the tips. I'm still in quasi-shock this is happening, so I'm trying to wrap my brain around what we need to do, lol.

So, what I figure we need to do:

Figure out dining reservations if we want to make them
Figure out when early extra magical hours are going on
See what is open super-early in the morning
Figure out what resort type things we'll be able to do (staying at Pop Century)

Am I missing anything?