Just got back- here are my tips/thoughts

[momof2inapril06]

Hi...just got back from a WONDERFUL week at Disney World! I couldnt have asked for a better time!

Wanted to share some things that were super helpful for us!

Get to the parks EARLY! It was so nice to have short lines, not too hot yet and we got to get Fastpasses before they were all gone.

Take a break in the middle of the day. My kids did so much better when we left in the late morning or early afternoon and returned. Perfect!

Get a stroller...even for big kids. My 2 boys used a double stroller and they are 3 & 6. I never worried about losing them and we got places so much quicker when somone wasnt lagging behind.

Dont over pack. I did...brought WAY more stuff than I needed. Had to lug it all home again!

Bring a change of clothes for your kids into the park. We changed clothes 2 different times! Im glad I had them with me!

Get a comfortable bag to carry. I got the baggalini and it hurt my shoulders so bad! Try it out before taking it with you!

Pack snacks for in the park. Helps pass time!

Pack little things for your kids to do on the bus and in lines...mine liked silly putty and the 20 questions game.

Use Fastpass. Its GREAT!! We never waited longer than 20-30 mins for a ride....and we rode almost EVERYTHING!


I have to say that for a 1st trip it was PERFECT! The weather couldnt have been better and the crouds were not bad AT ALL!

Enjoy everyone!

 

[RocketCityMama]

Welcome back! Sounds like you had a wonderful vacation! We go in 3 weeks and can't wait, hope it's a nice!

 

[tinkerbells mum]

glad you had a wonderful time xx

 

[SweetStitch]

Thanks for the great tips!

 

[bwmetts]

Thanks for the details, we are leaving in just over 2 weeks!

 

[KimDis]

Which baggalini did you buy?

 

[momof2inapril06]

Which baggalini did you buy?

I got the messanger one that goes over your shoulders. It was super cute and lots of room, but the strap is not padded at all and it just rubbed. I also wear tank tops all the time, so if I had a t-shirt on, it would have been better!

 

[katybugsmom]

Glad you had a great time and thanks for the tips! We loved going for the extra early hour last June and enjoyed riding all the rides we wanted to quickly! Can't wait to go back in June for another family fun vacation!

 

[WDWCNY]

Happy to hear that you had a great trip. We also like the early morning hours.

 

[Loritlc3]

I was wondering what type of stroller you used. I have a 5 and a 7 year old and the are both over 60 pounds. Any stroller recommendations? I am worrried about pushing it

 

[all4fun]

I was wondering what type of stroller you used. I have a 5 and a 7 year old and the are both over 60 pounds. Any stroller recommendations? I am worrried about pushing it

JMO but I think most strollers that will fit bigger kids are pretty expensive so unless you plan on using it for multiple trips it might not be worth it to buy one. I know I bought a single jogging stroller off ebay for $175 about 1-1/2yrs ago (figured we'd still get multiple days of use out of it on WDW trips so it was worth it even if we didn't use it at home). For us, we felt the purchase was saving us $$ over the long run but for someone who just needs one for one trip...it might be more cost effective to just rent. I imagine if you're like us, your kids don't even use a stroller around home anymore, anyway.

WDW is different though - you can walk 15miles in one day... You might consider budgeting in some money for a rental stroller. Also, what I've seen suggested on the family board that some people do, is to start taking your kids on walks so they can build up their stamina. I need to start doing this too. We went to DL in April and used the rental stroller there for my tall 5yr old (at the time). He is probably 40-45lbs now, 48" tall, and while his head reached the top of the stroller it was still super easy to push him in it. The WDW strollers are not the same exact style but they are equally sturdy so they should perform about the same. Also, I remember several years ago, before we had ds, we took our niece who was 7 at that time, and did not rent a stroller. We just took things slower and she did fine. You might even find that you can get a single stroller (less $) and just let your kids take turns in it (if they will cooperate with that idea! lol). Just some food for thought.

edit to add: you can see pictures of the rental strollers, and pricing here:
http://allears.net/pl/strol_faq.htm
hth!