Not sure where to begin!!

[smfritz03]

We are going on our very First Disney trip in August!

We have 7, 6 & 6 year olds! One is a bit scared of rides-but I think will be willing to ride--so my question is:

1)What are the top 10 must see/ do's in each park? I would love to get an agenda ready and have an idea of the "fun things" to do in each park. Should we ride the rides that have FP first or just grab a pass and catch other rides?

2)Is there any way to obtain a Disney map ahead of time?

3)What type of "rest" attractions are there in Disney?

Im sure I will have a ton more questions, seems like they all run through my mind and soon as I start typing I forget! I know we wont be able to do everything-we are only going to do 2 parks (maybe 3) this trip--I think anymore would be too much on them and we will only be there for 4 days.

Are there any sit down shows to watch? If so, what are the costs of these and any other info that is available!

time is counting down (75 days) and I havent a clue other than where we are staying and the time we are flying!

 

[buzz2400]

It is hard to say what the top 10 attractions are at each park. It really is based on the family. Like with mine, no girls so we tend to avoid beauty and the beast but it is a must to go on each thrill ride. A good website is www.wdwig.com. It lists all the attractions and gives descriptions. Some attractions are in dimly lit rooms so it may be a good suggestion to buy a little pocket flashlight for the one who is not to keen on rides. The best way to ride the rides is get a fastpass, go on another ride and then go back and ride the fastpass ride. You will only be allowed to have one fastpass (per ticket) at one time. There are many shows at the parks that are sit down performances. You do not have to pay extra for these. Just some of the are, beauty and the beast, indiana jones, festival of the lion king. For the maps, if you are staying onsite, when you check in there will be maps of each park.

 

[mommystieg]

If you haven't already, I would suggest picking up one or two guidebooks. I really like the Unofficial Guide and the Passporter; there is also the Birnbaum's guide for kids. Let everyone in your family look at all the things there are to do in each park and pick their "must sees" -- between a couple of good guide books and this site you should be able to get an idea of what to see and do. Remember, planning is almost as much fun as going!! Have a great time

 

[VW_Guy]

If you are a AAA member, I think you can get Disney brochures and maps for free. Check out your local office and see whats available.

Another tip: I can remember when I was a kid, we would always hit a couple "long line" rides first thing, then my brothers and I would take turns looking through the brochures to pick what we wanted to do next. Your kids may be too young yet, but I always thought it was great how we were all involved in the vacation--that way the kids don't feel like they are just being dragged around all day.

 

[matt&jakesmom]

First of all the main idea to keep in mind is just to have FUN!! I would get a guidebook, check out the websites and ask questions on the board. Very imformative.

If you want to see a lot of the characters, I would make PS's for the character meals. You may think it is costly but it same a lot of time by not standing in a line in HOT weather and you have to eat anyway.

Just briefly on the parks. In AK do the safari, Tough to be a Bug, Festival of the Lion King. In MK Fantasyland is a must. Do the fastpass, it will be a bit easier. In MGM we like Voyage of the Little Mermaid and the Great Movie Ride. In Epcot we like Test Track. In 2003 my DS's did enjoy walking around the World to make a mask. Try and do the parades and the night shows. Your first trip can be very overwhelming to say the least. Look at it this way, whatever you don't do this trip, you can plan on doing for the next.

Drink a lot of WATER!! I even bring a washcloth from the resort so I can sponge water on us to try and keep cool.

Buy a HAT!!

Wear lots of SUNSCREEN!!!

Hope some of this helps you. Have a wonderful trip. We go next month and cannot wait.

 

[NCombs]

Pick up the Unofficial Guide or Passporter. They each provide detailed descriptions of the attractions and ratings. The UG rates them by age group so you can tell what your kids may think of a particular ride. They also rate what is a super headliner vs a headliner vs a minor attraction, etc.

 

[ShuisFan584]

If you haven't already, I would suggest picking up one or two guidebooks. I really like the Unofficial Guide and the Passporter; there is also the Birnbaum's guide for kids. Let everyone in your family look at all the things there are to do in each park and pick their "must sees" -- between a couple of good guide books and this site you should be able to get an idea of what to see and do. Remember, planning is almost as much fun as going!! Have a great time

I would definitely recommend getting the Birnbaum's guide for kids, it's the one written for kids by kids. My sister and I used to get that when we were younger and we loved it! It would always get us excited for our trips. They have a bunch of kids (I think around the ages of 6 and 13) that tell what rides they like and dislike. It will help them decide which attractions they want to see.