New here. . FOUR days away!! and would love your advice!

[feliciao]

So, we (me and my 9 year old son and soon to be 6 year old daughter) will be heading to Disney in four short days from southwestern Ontario!! We could not be more excited. We are staying at Pop Century for 4 nights and have the Disney Dining (counter service) plan. My children have never been to Disney and I, dare I say, have not been back since when they first opened Epcot So, we have been trying to do our homework here and with the Unofficial Guide. I feel a bit overwhelmed. I would love any simple last-minute advice for the trip. . In particular, should we invest in photopass before we go?? And what would you NOT MISS if you were on a trip with 6 and 9 year old children?? Thanks so much for sharing your experiences on these boards. . They are invaluable!

 

[Metro West]

 

[DNightmare]

I would not miss the Peter Pan ride at the Magic Kingdom is one of the best rides for kids, there is always a line for it day or night.

 

[dehlers]

We have really appreciated the photo pass... It did make the memories easier to track in one location.
Have you looked into any character dining? It is late to do reservations. But walk up service is always an option.
Do not get discouraged if you have to wait....even if you have reservations you get the joy of waiting.
Have a great trip.....

 

[feliciao]

I am so excited!! We will definitely hit the Peter Pan ride if time permits (is it one with a fastpass??). . I am debating photopass but leaning towards buying it. . I still have a few days to think about it. Thanks for the welcome and for the helpful advice!

 

[feliciao]

We are having a late character breakfast with the princesses at Epcot right on my daughter's 6th birthday. . VERY excited. .

 

[DNightmare]

I am so excited!! We will definitely hit the Peter Pan ride if time permits (is it one with a fastpass??). . I am debating photopass but leaning towards buying it. . I still have a few days to think about it. Thanks for the welcome and for the helpful advice!

Yes, Peter Pan offers Fast Pass. I also forgot to mention another kids ride that always seem to have a long line is the Winnie the Pooh ride, it also offers Fast Pass.

 

[pepe of ohio]

I am so excited!! We will definitely hit the Peter Pan ride if time permits (is it one with a fastpass??). . I am debating photopass but leaning towards buying it. . I still have a few days to think about it. Thanks for the welcome and for the helpful advice!

It's such a short trip with alot to see especially with young children and that's where the lines tend to be long.

We never bother with photo pass...last couple of trips those photograpers seem to be few and far in between and seek them out and waiting your turn can eat alot of time...if you were on a longer trip maybe but we just rather snap our own, cheaper for us and compile our own album, don't need characters superimposed on our shots.

I don't hink you can really do all 4 parks in a short trip with out running ragged, you children will get a big kick out of the MK, so-so for EPCOT and HS has some neat attractions and we're plain old not AK fans, alot of meanless walking for a spread out park but a few great attractions. I don't think you're getting hopper passes so you'll have to concentrate on 1 park for each day, hope the crowds are small for you.

Enjoy your trip and don't push yourself to try to get everything done...just too much and leave some time for just enjoying the sights and resort....you can always come back in the future.

 

[Disneyfreak616]

That is a great age to take your kids, they're still young enough to be totally overwhelmed in the magic, but they're old enough to appreciate all of the amazing things there are to do and see, and remember it too! Also, I think PhotoPass will definitely help you guys document your trip in a really simple and great way, especially since it's your first trip, and you get really good shots with all of you in the pic!

In Magic Kingdom, don't miss:
- Peter Pan's Flight (this ride is a classic, and really fun!)
- It's A Small World (simply a must do )
- Dumbo the Flying Elephant (how can you miss it? haha)
- Mad Tea Party (a personal fave!)
- Splash Mountain (my absolute favorite and so fun for everyone!!! although I believe it will be closed for refurbing )
- Big Thunder Mountain Railroad (DD9's fave- it's a blast!)
- Space Mountain
- Buzz Lightyear's Space Ranger Spin
- Pirates of the Caribbean
- Jungle Cruise (so fun and the CMs are hilarious! )
- The Magic Carpets of Aladdin
- Wishes (fireworks)

In Epcot, don't miss:
- Soarin' (also a favorite, it is incredible! )
- The Seas with Nemo and Friends
- Test Track (your son will most likely LOVE this!)
- Imagination with Figment!
- Illuminations (the fireworks in World Showcase- they are awesome!)

In Hollywood Studios, don't miss:
- Toy Story Mania! (this is also a fave, it's just fun for everyone!)
- Rock n' Roller Coaster (depending on how well your kids like thrill rides- this could apply to Space, Splash and Big Thunder in Magic Kingdom as well.)
- Tower of Terror (again, it depends)
- Fantasmic!
- Muppet Vision 3-D (I LOVE this- it's just so cute and funny!)
- Backlot Tour
- The Voyage of the Little Mermaid
- Art of Disney Animation
- One Man's Dream (we love this! it's really interesting!)
- Beauty and the Beast

In Animal Kingdom, don't miss:
- Primeval Whirl
- Dinosaur
- Kali River Rapids (although I believe it will also be closed for refurbing, so nvm! )
- Expedition Everest (again, depending on how much they like thrillers)
- Kilamanjaro Safari
- The Festival of the Lion King
- Finding Nemo: the Musical
- Camp Minnie-Mickey
- It's Tough to be a Bug!

***In Magic Kingdom, don't miss Toontown either! Because it's officially closing in February ***

I hope this helps! Happy Planning!

 

[feliciao]

I never cease to be amazed when strangers put forth serious time and effort to help! Thanks so much again. . We are SOOOOO excited. Oh, and we did opt to get the photopass CD in advance after weighing the pros and cons. . It will be nice to have all of us in the pictures and didn't seem like a huge investment (especially after investing in the trip!!).

 

[SnowWhite10]

Hi.. I'm really new here.. but just wanted to say I hope you have a great trip. My hubby & my twin girls (age 4) went in October & had a blast. We stayed at the Pop Century- you're going to love it! I say go for the refillable mugs there- we definitely got our moneys worth out of them.
Your kiddos are a bit older, but my girls could not get enough of the carousel, Dumbo. Peter Pan was cool, as was the Haunted Mansion. My girls loved the People Mover- it's probably what they talk about the most since we got home lol. Also, the Tomorrowland raceway was a big hit.

Anyway, enjoy your trip!