Looking for tips to avoid melt downs

[castlefor2]

I'm looking for suggestions with my planning to minimize melt downs in our children. Our kids will be 3 & 5 years old and this will be everyone's first trip. We are going for 7 nights and will be staying at a Disney resort. I am thinking of getting park tickets for 4 days so that we will get a day off between each day.

My kids are suppose to take naps every day but we find that when we're away from the house it is really difficult to get them down. So I am assuming that they will probably not nap in the afternoon. The problem is w/o their naps, they can be pretty cranky.

We are planning on going to the parks early in the mornings.

Any other suggestions?

 

[JW2]

When we went with our boys at that age - we opted to have a main meal at lunch in the parks and then went back to the resort for the afternoon for down time. We, too, couldn't force naps but had them relax, watch t.v. or a movie, and with any luck being so tired, they would fall asleep, then a swim - we usually went to another park in the early night for a just a couple of hours. Our guys were (and still are) early risers so we get them to bed early. I figure we have many years/trips to get in the fireworks.

The one day we pushed going longer was at Epcot, a hot day, and stayed until 3 pm, thinking we would just do it all at once. That was the one day the 3 year old just lost it. Learned our lesson to stick to the plan. We used disney transport and that does take more time but it is also down time from all the stimulation. They are now 6 and 8 and the difference in stamina is amazing but you have to go with whatever age the kids are - otherwise everyone pays.

 

[Alderbrook]

We're planning on doing the same thing as the PP. My son is 3.5 years. He doesn't nap at home. I have all our ADR's booked for lunches in the parks & then we're heading back to the room for a rest period, if he naps, WHOOO HOOO, then a swim! Then we're going to attempt to head back out & see how we fair. If my son does nap at home (sometimes he falls asleep on the couch) he's up until 9:30 or 10 easily.

We had originally booked 4 day park hopper passes but it was $3.20 per person to add another day so we now have a 5 day. We figure for that price if we only go for a morning & don't go back for the rest of the day, it's worth the $3.20. We have scheduled Tuesday as a no park day & we're doing Chef Mickey's for breakfast & then have the day to relax. We're not doing parks on the day we get there & our flight home is early so no parks that day, so that works out to 1 day to do nothing & swim.

 

[yxe dad]

I would suggest taking breaks, and keep the kids full of water. Maybe some snacks for the lines that don't make a mess and can be put away when you get to the front of the line.

When my kids were that young we spent every day at the parks but spent 3-4 hours back at the resort swimming and relaxing in the afternoon. In the evening we would go back to the parks for a few of there fav rides and they always went to bed without any issues.

 

[treehugnmama]

we wet in feb with 2.5 and 4.5 yr old and are going in 17 days with a 3 and 5 year old. Last time I brought play dough, stamps, bubblesglow necklages etc. for my backpack.....when we ended up waiting at the table (or waiting for a table) i would bring something out for them to do. If the line got long I brought out the bubbles. At night waiting for fantasmic etc the glow necklages were great.

The little spouting water play area in Epcot on our last day was great. I carried bathing suits and towels for 8 days in the parks never used them....on our last day there i didn't bring them and poof there was the fountin in Epcot. Kids were getting hot a grumpy and that little bit of water play prevented a melt down.

I was worried about a lot of whining waiting in line which would then set dh off to beeing moody/grumpy and the trip beeing a big meltdown mess....but it wasn't at all the little toys from the dollar store helped...we had such a great time in feb we booked two more trips

 

[highland3]

Down time and breaks!

Even beyond the need for naps, kids this age get overstimulated (especially with a park commando Dad who had never been to WDW before).

I learned a big lesson after our first trip. My DS (4 at the time) was soooo miserable. We were trying to get him to smile for a picture... and I can still remember his words... "I don't know how to smile!!!!".

 

[cdnmickeylover]

We took my 4 year old nephew last Dec and we also took a stroller. He doesn't use a stroller at home but did at WDW. He wasn't in it all the time but when he got tired he would get in it and have a short nap and then he would be fine. We unfortunately didn't have the chance to "take it easy" since we were only there for 4 days and had a lot planned. I think the opportunity to "hide" himself in the stroller and sleep saved the day. We were also there with my niece who was 8 and another nephew who was 6. Their stamina was much more than the 4 year old.

Based on this experience I would suggest a stroller even if they don't use one at home.

 

[crazyfordisney2000]

When DD was 2 she had a melt down. Wow, what a meltdown it was. She was hungry. I knew she was hungry, we were DTD walking to WP to have dinner. We were steps away, and she lost it. She was hungry, and hungry now!! LOL! I let her have her fit, then we had supper. I ALWAYS make sure I have snacks with me or buy a snack even if we are 15 minutes away from a meal. I learned my lesson. DD has not changed. She is 5 now, and when she's hungry, she's hungry NOW! KIDS!!

 

[Josaytre]

Hi,
I basically have the same concerns. I went in Apr 2008 with my then DS 4 and DD 5 for 4 days. No parks on the arrival and last days.

That was our first time then and what I have found worked wonders was to go with what they felt like doing - if it was to play in a park instead of going on a ride then be it.... As adults, we sometimes have a tendency to overplan. We don't want them to miss a thing and this place is so overwhelming with things to look at.... Oh, look here ! Did you see that ? and so on. Just MHO !!!

Yes, a stroller is a must even if they don't use it at home anymore.

Keep the good tips coming, we are going back this Sept with the whole family and I am ever so grateful to anybody that can give more tips - love this forum.

 

[fivebyfive]

Our kids will be 3 & 5 years old and this will be everyone's first trip. We are going for 7 nights and will be staying at a Disney resort. I am thinking of getting park tickets for 4 days so that we will get a day off between each day.

I just wanted to say - YAY!!!!

I saw you posted earlier asking about November vs. February travel. What did you decide on and where are you staying???

All of the previous posters have offered really great advice. My favourite tip was to book the 'main' meal for lunch.

 

[CdnCarrie]

Your 5 year old naps everyday?

We were just down to WDW in February with a 2 and 5 year old. We just made sure that we had lots of downtime, didn't rush anything, and mostly did 3/4 days. The 2 year old napped in the stroller several times.

We had 0 meltdowns while on Disney property. The youngest had 1 meltdown during the early morning flight down.

 

[maggieb9975]

Things I have learned (sometimes the hard way):

Do not overplan...EVER...give your schedule lots of downtime to stop and just play......breaks are sooo important...take them. take them....anyone that has been to WDW has seen the meltdowns and the upset parents...you can't think about how much you have paid and how you must see everything. I thought this first time

...WDW will still be there for next time. Try and do what your kids want to do and not what you want them to do......

and my number one tip: GO TO PARK EARLY AND LEAVE PARK EARLY

Hope you have a great trip!

 

[snickerboo]

Take your own drinks and snacks to the park, at a minimum. Pack yourself some juice boxes, granola bars, those individual packs of cookies/goldfish. Nothing makes a kid more cranky than being hungry or thirsty and having to wait or waiting in line with nothing to do. A little bag of goldfish crackers will make the lines go by so much faster and keep little tummies from getting empty.

Also, get yourself a double stroller because tired little legs wil make for cranky customers.

When my kids were little, I also bought little packs of Disney stickers and little Disney items from Dollarama and took them in my backpack to dole out when the kids started to get a little off their game. It helped! It also kept them from getting the gimmies. And speaking fo the gimmies and meltdowns, do NOT take them into the gift shops. Just don't do it. Have another adult in your party take them to something and then you go in the shops. When you surprise your little one with a special Disney thing you've bought, they'll be thrilled but if they actually see all there is to offer, they're going to want things that aren't reasonably priced, you're not ging to want to pay it and then, meltdown. LOL I did this with dd our first trip (she'd just turned 6) and it worked like a charm: I went into Tinkerbell's Treasures and picked her out a seet but practical sundress. She loved it and got alot of wear out of it after our trip. I have no doubt, if I'd taken her in, she'd have wanted the Deluxe Sleeping Beauty dress or the deluxe tiara at a minimum.

Oh, another thing we did (we had a rental car) was take lunches and snakcs ina cooler bag but buy the kids one treat/park/day. You can get a Mickey waffle pretty reasonably from counter service (Sleepy Hollow). The kids can split it and feel like they're getting a real treat. Some good spots for this were: Norwegian bakery at Epcot, Mrs. Potts' Cupboard for sundaes at MK, Main Street bakery at MK, Main Street Confectionary at MK.

Go first thing in the a.m. to avoid the crowds and take them back to your hotel for 'down time'. Every hotel has the Disney Channel. Even if your kids don't sleep, the down time will do a world of good.

 

[alamode]

There's always the new tequila bar in Epcot!!!

Seriously though, I went with my 9 year old son and twin 5 year old girls in May this year. We went early each day, and I tried to plan the rides in the mornings and the shows in the afternoons to take advantage of the air conditioning during peak heat times.

Also, buy one of those water spraying fans at Walmart and bring it along. I had to pay $17 for the Disney version, bu it was still worth it.

Sitting and resting for the afternoon parades is good too, just get drinks beforehand, and possibly a snack or two.

Another key tip was scheduled washroom breaks. Everyone goes whether they have to go or not. It saved us from running around frantically trying to avoid last minute accidents.

 

[DearDaisyinDurham]

All PP's have given great advice.
1. Go to the parks before opening, know your priorities (Dumbo, PP, Tink, etc.)
KNOW before you GO what your plan of attack is so you're not dithering

2. Book a late breakfast or an early lunch - eating around 11am means you have done your top rides & can leisurely stroll after that til you leave the park

3. Going back to the resort room - close curtains, crank A/C & REST
Feels like heaven to be in a dark cool room after the Florida sun & heat

4. Take the stroller (even if kids aren't in it it's great storage)

Have FUN!!!

 

[Northstar]

When our DD was 6, she loved the "playgrounds" in each park. I think it was the ability to flop around on the ground, manipulate objects instead of being told not to touch, and running around without a stressed parent grabbing her and telling her not to move. Anyway, paradoxically, she always emerged revived after running around in the playground.

So schedule in time for...
Magic Kingdom... Tom Sawyer's Island
Animal Kingdom... The Boneyard
Studios... Honey, I Shrunk the Kids playground
Epcot... (wet play!) the interactive fountain

Another tip for avoiding meltdowns... with 2 kids of different ages, they're not going to enjoy exactly the same attractions. Be prepared to split the group up and re-assemble so each child gets to choose a heart's desire for part of the time... cell phones are essential for finding each other again!

 

[canadian_mouse]

I went last year with my 2-year-old and 3-year-old girls. I brought two cheap strollers that we pretty much parked as soon as we got into the parks and then went back and got in the mid-afternoon when they were getting tired. We didn't do the mid-afternoon breaks. We went back to the resorts at about dinner time for a quick swim and then the kids passed out in bed by 7. We had two late nights at the park but that's about all they could handle. We couldn't have done it every night.

By best advice - locate all the playgrounds in the parks, and take one or two 1/2 hour "breaks" where the kids can run and play in the playground.

 

[cvs2kids]

1) Try to plan a reasonable travel day going to. We caught a 6:00 AM flight one year wih my 5 yr old (so up at 3:30). Got to the resort, room not ready. As we headed to the parks, she bawled the whole way on the bus. Thank God that there were characters at MK gates to calm her down. Forget the magical expereince of Main Street USA, straight to key attractions.

2) Every day, we split our family up for an hour or 2 to do what each kid wanted. My wife saw small world 500 times in a week (and why won't they update that SONG!!) while the ride attendtants knew me by name at Splash Mountain. With that special 1 on 1, it really made the kids feel in control for awhile.

We did the opposite of some of the posters. We hung around the resort early, went to park near noon and stayed til closing. It was a mid-September trip, sp crowds were less of an issue (first year of free dining though).

And remember, every parent has had a child meltdown, so no one really cares.

 

[Reese]

Tips for in the park. Early mornings are wonderful, as the day goes on the busier everything gets. I always carry some little snacks with me that can be handled easy (goldfish, fruit snacks, ect.) Also I park the stoller for an area and let the little one's walk from attraction to attraction instead of popping them back in the stroller after everything.
We plan on our big meal as an early supper usually. This way we go to the park until noon and than go back to the resort. Usually a quick swim and they're good for a nap or atleast a rest. After that we head back out for supper. They are usually refreshed enough to stay for a late show.
On days that we don't plan on going to a park there are still a lot of stuff to do. The resorts have playgrounds and lots of neat things to look at (including little lizards scurrying), DTD is a day in itself (my little one's love spitting stich).
I think the biggest tip to avoiding meltdowns is just listen to your kids. You know when they need a little time. My 4 and 2 year old spent an entire day in the room playing puzzles (new one's from the dollar store before we left), colouring and reading books one day with a couple of walks in between. Don't overplan so you won't feel like you have to do this, this and that today so we can't stay here. Relax and enjoy and remember your at WDW the most magical place on earth. It's okay for kids to meltdown- people only look funny when it's the adults having a meltdown.

 

[Goofy's apprentice]

Great suggestions! Our kids are now teenagers but just went with our young nieces and the same things worked.

Just to emphasize a couple of things...

Sometimes kids just want to stay at the pool. In our busy lives, they may not have many times where they have mom and dad to themselves...add sun and water and they may be perfectly happy with a non-park day..or afternoon.

Don't worry about seeing everything. Within reason, let them choose. If you have 4 park days, give them a chance to pick where they will repeat. Or ask each one for their favourite ride and do some twice.

You don't have to be in the parks to catch the fireworks. You can watch from the beach at the Poly, for instance. It's a much quieter, less stressful place to view if you kids get over stimulated by all the parents jockeying for the best viewing positions. Grab a dole whip at Captain Hook's and head to the peaceful beach.