Help! Need tips for doing the parks with young kids!

[GoofysPrincess]

We're taking our niece (6) and nephew (4) to WDW with us this fall and can use all your best tips for managing the parks with young ones. (Our kids were 10ish the first time we went, so this will be all new to us.) We're thinking we want to get by without strollers (doable?) and will be more than willing to take that afternoon break...

We're staying in the WLV, will have park hoppers, and will be there for a week in mid-November.

Any tips and suggestions are greatly appreciated! Thanks!!

 

[GlennandAnn]

We had our 4 y/o DS in the parks this summer, and a stroller for him was more than necessary. It is a lot of walking, and it would have made for some really looong days if we would have had to listen to him saying, "I'm tired", "My feet hurt" or "I can't walk anymore"!!! We took a break every afternoon and went back to the resort to swim or to lounge around the room to refresh ourselves for the night (we knew better than to say the word nap to him). We let him tell us where he wanted to go and what he wanted to do (within reason) and things worked out really well.

Ann

 

[jwsqrdplus2]

I would not try to go without strollers. My DDs are 4.5 years and 22 months, and a double stroller was a must have in our budget! The afternoon break/nap was also a life saver.

I tried to keep my kids on their regular schedule as much as possible, and it was the only way we survived. Even doing that, we had a few meltdowns. But that is to be expected with the stimulation of WDW.

 

[gshoemate]

I would recommend a stroller also. And lots of snacks for while waiting in lines.

 

[MrsMud]

My Dds were 3 1/2 and 5 1/2 on our first trip, and the absolute best advise I can give you is... Rent (or bring) a stroller. We rented one every day in the parks, and it was WELL worth every penny!
Other advise: Bring snacks, drinks and small toys to keep them occupied while in line.
Research the rides and have at least a general touring plan to minimize "down time". The long day at the park will be much easier for the kids if they are kept busy rather than standing around deciding what to do next and how to get there. You can take a midday break if the kids need it, ours did not. Also be aware of which rides may be too intense for your kids, and don't take the chance of traumatizing them and ruining the rest of your day.
Have fun!

 

[NotTooGoofy]

I agree with the others - a stroller is the probably the best way to go unless you have a strong back to carry them all day. A stroller that has a shade to block the sun is best, although November should be too unbearably hot.

 

[Twigs]

I also recommend using strollers, I did until my kids were 8, and I cannot imagine not using them.

Also be aware that some things Disney that seem mild to adults can be frightening to small children. When my twins were 4 we took them on the HM (which they had a video of at home and couldn't wait to ride), they got so scared in the stretching room, they cried through the whole ride and would not go on anything dark for the rest of the trip. Two years later when we went back they were fine with everything. I know not all young children react this way, but I recommend trying to get a sense of how they feel about the dark etc.

 

[Mickeyluver37]

My kids are also girl-6 and boy-4. We definitely needed strollers this last week. Sometimes we'd leave them at a ride, and do all the rides in that land or section before retrieving the strollers. We were able to go most of the week without midday breaks, but by day 5 or 6, all of us really welcomed a break. My kids have not used strollers for several years, but having them made the trip so much easier.

 

[crusoe2]

Ditto on the previous advice to research the attractions and find out what may be too intense for them. Our DS had just turned 6 when we went for the first time and our trip was ruined because we did not know that HISTA would be so intense for him. I recommend finding out what pushes their buttons too. For some kids it is the dark, for others it is anything that moves too fast or has loud noises. You could also get a copy of Birnbaum's guide for kids - it has reviews done by other kids and they always give an idea of how scary a ride or attraction will be and what kind of scary it is (i.e. loud, dark, fast, etc.). Hope this helps.

 

[GoofysPrincess]

Thanks Everyone!!

I'm thinking I'm going to try to rent the strollers at the park rather than lug one (much less two) around. I'm hoping they'll be able to make it back out to the car at the end of the day on their own.

Hadn't thought about bringing toys for them -- but that's a great idea. (Thanks!)

One more question... are the KidCot stations in World Showcase designed for kids this age? Will they be entertained by the various projects?

 

[MAGICinMYHEART]

I think they will enjoy the KidCot it should be like a mini break for them. I also believe you should get the stroller it always helped me to keep-up with my nephews. Just remember how many steps the four year old would have too take to your one.


HAVE A GREAT TRIP.