I need opinions/suggestions please...

[Kimberly9701]

Correct, I make assumptions based on my observations!

I'm guilty. We stayed for 8 nights and I tried to cram my 32 years of Disney experiences into his first WDW trip.
I think I did too many ADRs as well..1-2 per day and it felt like dining was dictating our days...starting with 7:30am breakfasts, and staying out til after midnight.

Result? Day 3 my 5 year old son had a melt down when we were on our mid day break getting ready for dinner.
I also had a melt down. Went in the restroom and cried. Called my mother and said "This is the happiest place on earth and my son is miserable!" She talked some sense in to me..to slow it down and not fit everything in one trip. I did, and our trip got overwhelmingly better.

On our Epcot day, while we were at Garden Grill, he asked if we could just go back to the resort and swim. I at first didn't want him to miss illumination..but then agreed. We went back to poly, swam, went down the water slide over and over.. And watched the EWP and wishes from the pool...he was having a great time, that's more important than fitting in another show.

9 days was too much for us though. We ended up skipping our planned Legoland day on the second portion of our trip..neither one of us could handle one more hot park day. So we started on our way to a week in Key West, and just replaced Legoland with a night in Boca Raton. I don't forsee us doing another 16 night vacay this year. 2017 we have a 15 night Europe, cruise/land. But he will be 7 at that time so it should go a tad more smoothly.

 

[mom2rtk]

I'm guilty. We stayed for 8 nights and I tried to cram my 32 years of Disney experiences into his first WDW trip.
I think I did too many ADRs as well..1-2 per day and it felt like dining was dictating our days...starting with 7:30am breakfasts, and staying out til after midnight.

Result? Day 3 my 5 year old son had a melt down when we were on our mid day break getting ready for dinner.
I also had a melt down. Went in the restroom and cried. Called my mother and said "This is the happiest place on earth and my son is miserable!" She talked some sense in to me..to slow it down and not fit everything in one trip. I did, and our trip got overwhelmingly better.

On our Epcot day, while we were at Garden Grill, he asked if we could just go back to the resort and swim. I at first didn't want him to miss illumination..but then agreed. We went back to poly, swam, went down the water slide over and over.. And watched the EWP and wishes from the pool...he was having a great time, that's more important than fitting in another show.

9 days was too much for us though. We ended up skipping our planned Legoland day on the second portion of our trip..neither one of us could handle one more hot park day. So we started on our way to a week in Key West, and just replaced Legoland with a night in Boca Raton. I don't forsee us doing another 16 night vacay this year. 2017 we have a 15 night Europe, cruise/land. But he will be 7 at that time so it should go a tad more smoothly.

I'd probably melt down on that schedule too. And I'm a lot more than 5.

 

[Kimberly9701]

I'd probably melt down on that schedule too. And I'm a lot more than 5.

In my (semi) defense.. My parents started taking me to WDW on my first birthday..and then annually for the next 18 years. I have so many wonderful memories. And as an adult when I lived in SoFla, I went annually with friends.

I felt guilty for not taking my son until age 5 ( didn't think I could handle it alone before that age), so wanted him to see "everything" that I thought he had missed out on. Turns out, it's ok to just swim in the pool, and our resort day was our best day of the trip. They don't know what they're missing if you skip a parade or 2.

 

[mom2rtk]

In my (semi) defense.. My parents started taking me to WDW on my first birthday..and then annually for the next 18 years. I have so many wonderful memories. And as an adult when I lived in SoFla, I went annually with friends.

I felt guilty for not taking my son until age 5 ( didn't think I could handle it alone before that age), so wanted him to see "everything" that I thought he had missed out on. Turns out, it's ok to just swim in the pool, and our resort day was our best day of the trip. They don't know what they're missing if you skip a parade or 2.

You shouldn't have felt guilty. I didn't make it to Disney until I was almost 30 and I turned out fine.

 

[MariMama]

Actually, a lot of out of state families go to Disney more than I do. I rarely go to Disney. I see many board members go once a year. That is more than I go! LOL.

The last time I went to a Orlando theme park was last May and only because it was my company's family day at Universal. Before that it was when our niece visited a few years ago. It was before Magic Bands. I haven't been to WDW since Magic Bands. I have only heard of them on the boards. For my work family day you can't beat $25 per person tickets and free food, and discounted group hotel rates. Now it's approaching family day again at Universal but my son doesn't really want to go. I am not sure we will even bother going, even though the tickets are only $25 per person.

I stay in Orlando hotels a lot but not for Disney, we are there for other events.

Please come back and let us know how spontaneous your trip was after experiencing FP+ for the first time. I'd love to hear about how much you got done since your kids won't stand in any long lines.

 

[NinaBella]

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[NinaBella]

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[busymommy2pink]

I haven't read all the replies yet, but chef mickeys has gone so far down hill that I would drop that reservation, and take a bus from MK to DHS. While I don't love the atmosphere, the meals at Sci-fi drive in are great!!! We have t done fantasmic yet (we usually skip DHS ) as they were younger, but this coming trip they want to see it!