Mommy-daughter trip...need help please!

[jcemom]

We spent 10 days at Disney earlier this month...and I've been bitten by the bug! DH had a good time but isn't ready to go back any time soon, ditto the boys (9 and 10).

So...I'm planning a "mommy-daughter" trip for DD (1 1/2) and I for next fall (2005). I've never been to Disney at that time of year and am totally unsure of what to plan. We're looking at probably 8 days including travel time (we fly), so, say 6 full days. That's flexible. Is that long enough with just a little one and me? Too long?

I'll probably go with All Star Movies. We stayed at AKL this time, but I'm thinking DD would like the super-sized movie icons and the money saved could be better spent on character meals and shopping for princess dresses...lol

But...WHEN?

mid-September? I'm a bit worried about the love bugs...eeewww. I really hate those things. This would be value season, though, so cheaper resort rates! Low crowds?

late-September? Will the bugs still be bad? I can't remember how long they hang around (I used to live in Orlando, many years ago...lol) Still value season. Still low crowds?

early-October? Will it be getting crowded? The Food and Wine festival is starting early this year, if it's that way next year too, will crowds be heavier? We would be gone before Columbus Day Weekend. Love bugs should be gone, maybe? But it would also be regular season, so I'd have to spend a bit more on the resort.

Crowds are really my main concern. Well, that and the love bugs...lol I'm not interested in the Food and Wine Festival. The Halloween Party I'm unsure of. DD will be just shy of her third birthday when we go, so it may be too late at night for her anyway. As far as the heat, I don't remember too significant a difference between mid-Sept and mid-Oct for that to affect my decision. Right?

Sorry this got so long, but I need some advice! I definitely want to go to Hoop De Doo and would like to make my reservations ASAP so we can get great seats. Thanks for any advice you might be able to give!

 

[kilee]

As for the bugs. The mosquito's would be more my concern. And they were definetly VERY present up through the start of November. Remeber Hurricane season, as that can affect your travel and you'll have the possibility of A LOT of rain!

 

[jcemom]

Thanks, I forgot about the mosquitos, but I can't go as late as November anyway. Due to the rest of the family's schedules, my choices are pretty much limited to June-October. I know I don't want to go over the summer, too crowded, too hot for me. I've read that it gets more crowded over Columbus Day holidays and towards Halloween, so that kind of narrows it down to September through early October.

We've always done everything as a "family group" so I don't really know where to begin planning for just two of us. I would imagine daily nap breaks will be a must, but I'm not that far along in planning yet!

 

[anne60]

Hi -

My daughter and I went over Columbus Day weekend. The weather was good (a little on the hot side, and a few downpours). I think the closer you get to mid-late October, the drier the weather gets. I would look at the first full week AFTER Columbus day weekend. I really don't think Halloween has that big of an influence on crowds. The first time I went alone with my daughter, she was 8. We had a great time, and I let her call the shots most of the time as far as which park, and when to head back to the resort. It was nice not having to "negotiate" between differing opinions!

We had a great time and I found it to be a very relaxing vacation.

I would think about how you are going to attack eating....fast food may be a challenge if it is just your DD and you, if you're going to attempt a food court, I would try to go during "off" hours.

 

[NCRedding]

We've done WDW in late September, early October in 1998, 2001, 2002, and 2003. Out of all of our trips, we only had rain during 3 days, and those were only brief showers. Our first trip, Hurricane Georges (I think) brushed up the western side of Florida, and caused a brief shower that cooled us off. The second trip, we had a shower while in Honey, I shrunk, which left a beautiful rainbow over Spaceship Earth. In 2002, there was a hurricane brewing which didn't affect us at all. The weather had ranged from comfortably warm to down right hot. I've never seen any bugs or mosquitos that bothered us during that time. The crowds were great (a little heavier this last year because of Fairy Tale Package). Sounds like a great idea--if the weather cooperates next year, DD and I will be going on a mother-daughter in April of 2005 (provided snow doesn't take her workd days).

 

[jcemom]

Thanks for the replies! As far as eating, we will probably do mostly sit-down meals. I'm not sure about buffets, I'll have to see how it goes I guess. It's been a long time since I've had a child going on three years old and I can't remember what they can/can't do very well...LOL

I know we want to eat at Garden Grill again, and that's family style which should be perfect. I'd like to try Liberty Tree also. Cindy's breakfast would be nice if I can get it. 50's Prime Time is on my list, as is Le Cellier. There are so many good meals we had that I'd like to go back for, and so many places we didn't get to try this trip that I'd like to do also! If I keep it up, we'll be planning around meals, lol.

As far as going after Columbus Day, how soon do crowds thin out again? If I went then, it would have to be immediately after Columbus Day, like the next day. Would it still be crowded? I was thinking that people may take off before or after that holiday weekend to keep their kids from missing an extra day of school.

 

[Tigger&Belle]

Already planning another trip, huh? I know that you were there the week that I brought my 4yo. I'd planned on doing a trip with only Jake, but my sister ended up meeting us down there so I had her help, which made it easier.

I was there for 6 1/2 parks days (I was able to go to the parks for part of a day the day I flew home).

I would have done 1 thing different if I had it to do over again. I would have either put a rest day in the middle or stayed for less days. We had 4 1/2 days at WDW and two at Universal and I was really worn out by the time it was over.

My sister was gone for our last park day so I got a little taste of what it would have been like without her. The hardest thing that day was (like someone mentioned) eating at a food court. I got our food ok, after quite a wait, and got a table, but Jake had to go to the bathroom before we were done. Ugh. I found someone who worked there and asked him not to clear the food, and he didn't. Still, day after day of that would have been hard.

Here's some things that did work...

I brought my own coffee pot so I wouldn't have to go to the food court every morning for my coffee (and the coffee tasted better than the Nescafe WDW uses).

We ate breakfast every morning on the room and brought snacks (crackers, cheese sticks, fruit, peanuts etc) with us into the park. It saved a lot of money and the snacks meant that we could eat whenever we were hungry.

My sister picked us up at the airport, but she had to leave before we did, and we took a town car back to the airport. Less stressful than Mears shuttle and quicker, too.

I haven't been in September or October so I can't help you on that. My husband and I are thinking about going in September, though (witout kids). If that doesn't work out I might make a trip down there sometime this fall again with only Jake. In January our whole family hopes to go.

T&B

 

[jcemom]

Thank you Tigger&Belle! Yep, planning again already! I just LOVED our trip! So did DD!

I was unsure on what to do about the length of our next trip. Longer with more "down time?" Or shorter and stay more busy? For just the Disney parks, what do you think the perfect length would have been? What do you do with "down time" with a small child? LOL Do you think we would get bored?

I will definitely go with the town car as you suggested.

Where did you stay? Did you like it? Any suggestions on where may be the best place to stay with a toddler?

Did you do any sit down meals? I was thinking that would be easier. I have plenty of time to save up money, so cost isn't too much of an issue where food is concerned.

How did Jake do with the characters?

We also did breakfast in the room on most days this trip and that worked really well for us. I don't drink coffee or tea, so no worries there. But bringing a coffee maker sounds like a good idea for those that do!

 

[Tigger&Belle]

If money (and time) isn't an issue I would stay longer and build more rest time into the schedule. Maybe either plan 3 park days, with a day of rest and then 3 more days or plan to go to the parks every morning through mid afternoon and then go back to the resort to relax, eat dinner, and an early bedtime.

For me I would probably need to plan a shorter trip because my husband would be at home with our older children and wouldn't be too crazy about me being gone for long.

We stayed at the Pop Century and liked it a lot, for the most part. The rooms were small, but for us it was fine and Jake liked playing in the pop jets.

If you are going when it is warm and want to hang around the pools more then a moderate might be better than a value because of the nicer pools. They start out a little deep at Pop Century, but they do have the pop jets and a baby pool.

Relaxing with a young child is hard. Sleeping in one day mid-way through the trip sounds good. Hanging at the pool, doing laundry (hey, my week isn't complete if I don't do a load of laundry...), eating a nice meal, hmmmm, I don't know. I'm not very good at taking it easy and I don't think I've ever done it for more than a few hours at WDW.

We only had two sit-down meals. Boma with just my sister (Jake went to the kids club at AKL, which he didn't like, but what I didn't know that night is that he probably wasn't feeling well--he woke early the next morning throwing up) and 50's Prime Time Cafe, where we had a great time. Have you been there with your kids? I got into trouble for arguing with my "cousin" (another customer) and we had to sing "I'm a Little Teapot". This other family was funny because they didn't know what kind of a restaurant 50's was and when they walked into our dining room we introduced ourselves and told where we were from and asked them where they were from. The lady quickly caught on to the place and had a great time, but she later told us that she really wondered about us when she first walked in. LOL

Sit down meals would be easier in a way unless your daughter is too hungry and tired. Then it might be hard to have the patience to wait for a meal.

Jake loved the characters! He's never had a problem with that sort of thing. He didn't know about autographs so we would only stop and do pictures when the lines were short, which worked out great.

One thing that Jake liked and was good for the room was the build your own Potato Head that we bought at Downtown Disney. I'll explain more if you haven't heard about them, but he enjoyed coming back to the room and playing with it in the evening.

Now you're really getting me thinking about another trip down there. I don't know if that will happen, but I'm thinking about extending Jake's and my trip this January when we all go down as a family. That would give us a few days extra to hang out together and since we'd already have the plane ticket it would only cost for the hotel and the meals (we have APs).

T&B

 

[MaryKatesMom]

I take my DD's to the park solo. The youngest was 21/2 the first time and I think sit down lunches were a god send. There was no way to navigate a food court and two toddlers without some stress. It was also a nice little sit down break.

You know your child best.

The only other comment I have, is to consider the daylight hours. I don't like taking my girls out at after nightfall and as you get closer into winter you lose daylight.

Have a great trip!

 

[jcemom]

Thank you for the suggestions! Maybe we will plan on breakfast in the room and a sit-down lunch every day. I would like to do Crystal Palace, but would a buffet be too difficult?

I don't want to say money isn't an issue. It's just that with expecting to pay for another family trip, then only having to pay for me (essentially DD will be free except for airfare), I just have more money to play with, I guess. I don't know that I could afford a deluxe though, especially not for a long trip. As far as time, I'm pretty flexible there. We could stay as long as we like, but I don't want to over-do it. I could stay forever, but I'm sure DD may hit a point where it is just too much.

MaryKatesMom, With the exception of Wishes and Fantasmic, I doubt we'll be doing many late nights. Maybe Spectro if it's showing. Any advice on how to fit in the afternoon parades? Do you think DD would make it that long if we slept in that morning and went to the park later instead of at opening? I know this trip I was planning to stay in the parks to catch a couple of them and we never made it. Everyone but me was ready for a break by around 1:00 or shortly after.

Tigger&Belle, I haven't ever eaten at 50's Prime Time but would like to. I think DD and I will enjoy it, and a home-cooked-style meal would be great! (DH didn't want to go there because he wouldn't like that kind of interaction.) And I'm sorry to hear that Jake got sick! I hope it didn't last long!

I did actually buy a potato head because I wanted one...lol DD does play with it a little, but she's still a bit young for it. Potato Head usually ends up with a Mickey Bar for an arm and one coming out of the top of his head! (That and the balloon seem to be her favorite pieces.)

 

[Tigger&Belle]

I think breakfast in the room and lunch at a sit-down restaurant would be good. As to the buffet, it might not be a bad idea if you are seated close enough to the buffet so that your daughter doesn't need to go with you every trip. I don't remember how close the tables are to the buffet line. Will she be 3yo yet? If not she would be free at the buffets so that's another thing to consider (free is my favorite 4 letter word).

Funny about your husband at 50's Prime Time Cafe. The wait staff seems pretty good at reading who would want the teasing vs who wouldn't, so your husband would probably be ok. My sister and I were really into that place--it's right up our alley and we are more than willing to ham it up when given half a chance.

My sister and I had a great time stuffing all the parts in Mr Potato Head and into the box. We got a lot of stuff for $16. When we go to Universal soon I'm planning a trip to Downtown Disney so we can get more parts. I will write down what we need more of before leaving home. I will also plan to get one as a birthday present for one of Jake's friends.

I don't think that I could stay in a deluxe if it were just me and my child. I'm too cheap. We've done it before Jake was 3yo (and when we went before he was born), because we were putting 5 people in a room (plus Jake when he was a baby), but I wouldn't feel like I'm getting my monies worth with only Jake and I in one of those rooms. We now can't afford deluxe when it's our whole family since there are 6 of us. Two rooms are too expensive, even though we are staying onsite at Universal and paying through the nose.

T&B