Please advise on our first family WDW trip

[parkbr]

Hi,

I hope this is the right for me.
Sorry, it is a long thread, because I tend to over-think.

We (2 adults & almost 3 year old girl) are going to WDW in December, 13 nights 14 days, staying at CBR, have a free Disney Dining. We have originally purchased 4 day tickets, but changed it to 8. Contemplating whether to change it to 7. Have purchased WPFAM because we had to with free dining. We didn't think PH was a good option for us, because we quite dislike wasting time on the bus/monorail, etc.
DH and I have been to Disney 4 yrs ago as a couple and this time, we're taking our daughter for the first time. Thought, "yeah, I've done it. Can do it again.", but I didn't know this is a WHOLE NEW planning! So please, I need your help...

FYI, my daughter does not watch TV, so she doesn't know too much about characters and what they do, but we read to her a lot, so she knows at least Mickey, Minnie, Pooh & Friends (I am a big fan), Frozen and most of the princesses. We currently read to her Pinocchio and Peter Pan, so she gets more familiar with the story.
For her nap, she falls asleep well in the car, train, strollers, but not in the bed. When she naps, she falls asleep around 1:30 - 2:30 and if she has been transferred to her bed or in the car, she can nap for 2-3 hours. In the stroller, it is around 1.5 - 2 hrs. She sometimes skips naps and be okay with it.

So far, we have planned (the reason why we have more no-park days towards to the end is because of Christmas holiday seasons. We stay until the 24th)

Day1: flight arriving at 6PM. Do QS for dinner
Day2: Not yet decided! Visit DHS (9 - 7 & Fantasmic) or WP or Mini-golf or DS
Day3: Visit MK (9 - 7): Have dinner at The Wave and come back to the resort
Day4: Visit Epcot (9 - 9:30): come back for a nap or stroll around the World
Day5: Sleep in. No Theme Park - maybe WP or Mini-golf or DQ and visit AKL and Boma for dinner
Day6: Visit AK (9-7):
Day7: Visit MK (9-10): CRT for dinner and want to stay until Wishes. We are considering coming back to the resort or stroll around for a nap and we do Rider Swap.
Day8: Sleep in. No Theme Park - maybe WP or Mini-golf or DQ and visit Monorail Resort area and Ohana for dinner
Day9: Not yet decided! If we don't do DHS on Day 2, we are doing DHS here. If we already did DHS on day 2, then DHS? AK? MK? Sleep in, mini-golf or WP and visit BC area? Dinner reserved at Cape May
Day10: Visit MK (9-10) We are considering coming back to the resort or stroll around for a nap and we do Rider Swap.
Day11: Sleep in. No Theme Park - maybe WP or Mini-golf or DQ and see the animals at AKL and Sanaa for dinner
Day12: Visit Epcot (9 - 9:30): come back for a nap or stroll around the World
Day13: No theme park - maybe WP or Mini-golf or DQ or visit other resorts (like Wilderness Lodge)
Day14: Brunch at Chef Mickey's. Flight back at 5pm (leaving the resort around 2:30 I was told)

Questions:
1. Is this too tight? Too much? Shall we change it to 7 days?
2. I tend to have 1 day of rest after the long park days. Is that enough? Or shall we have more 'no-park' days?
3. Should I leave Day 2 as no-park day and visit DS or waterpark as it might be warmer in mid Dec than late Dec and do HS on Day 9? If I do that, I have 2 park-days in a row and 1 day rest, instead of 3 park-days in a row and 1 day rest. It may be a better plan?

Any other advise are greatly appreciated! Thank you.

 

[Twilight Sparkle]

1 and 2) My daughter is much older, so it has been awhile since I've had a little one, but it looks like you've done a good job building in down time for your family. It also appears you guys are willing to be flexible and just see how the day unfolds and follow whatever you feel will work best for your child for naps/breaks. Seems like you're on the right track to me! On the AK days, you might be able to plan a little extra downtime. You could either sleep in and not be there at park opening or get there early and not stay until close. That park doesn't take nearly as long to go through as the others, especially if you do plan to visit it more than one day.

3) Since you arrive the night before, I would be tempted to leave Day 2 as a no park day or at least sleep in and then hit the WP if the weather is nice.

 

[Criickette]

My husband and I just took our daughters on their first trip. Ages 4y, 2y, and 6m. We did eight straight park days but at a slower pace than before kids of course. There were some playgrounds and water playgrounds around the parks that we spent some time at. Also found non-busy quiet areas for them to have extra snacks and run around. Napping in the stroller was no problem.

My girls don't watch much tv, but we read Disney books, have movie nights and go to the movies so they know most Disney characters/princesses well. Meeting characters took a lot of time but they LOVED it! Even my 6m old knew who the Fab Five were and went crazy for them. It was amazing and made great pictures and memories.

I wouldn't worry about planning too much. Just pick a park that you think you will be going to and make your fastpasses for each day. Fastpasses were our lifesaver, especially for those rides that we did rider switch. For example, my husband would have a fastpass for Space Mountain, get a rider switch and I would go on next if girls were content and entertained still, or later on if need be.

Our kiddos did fabulous and we are already planning our next trip. So don't fret and have fun!

 

[parkbr]

1 and 2) My daughter is much older, so it has been awhile since I've had a little one, but it looks like you've done a good job building in down time for your family. It also appears you guys are willing to be flexible and just see how the day unfolds and follow whatever you feel will work best for your child for naps/breaks. Seems like you're on the right track to me! On the AK days, you might be able to plan a little extra downtime. You could either sleep in and not be there at park opening or get there early and not stay until close. That park doesn't take nearly as long to go through as the others, especially if you do plan to visit it more than one day.

3) Since you arrive the night before, I would be tempted to leave Day 2 as a no park day or at least sleep in and then hit the WP if the weather is nice.

Thank you. Your advice is very helpful.

 

[parkbr]

My husband and I just took our daughters on their first trip. Ages 4y, 2y, and 6m. We did eight straight park days but at a slower pace than before kids of course. There were some playgrounds and water playgrounds around the parks that we spent some time at. Also found non-busy quiet areas for them to have extra snacks and run around. Napping in the stroller was no problem.

My girls don't watch much tv, but we read Disney books, have movie nights and go to the movies so they know most Disney characters/princesses well. Meeting characters took a lot of time but they LOVED it! Even my 6m old knew who the Fab Five were and went crazy for them. It was amazing and made great pictures and memories.

I wouldn't worry about planning too much. Just pick a park that you think you will be going to and make your fastpasses for each day. Fastpasses were our lifesaver, especially for those rides that we did rider switch. For example, my husband would have a fastpass for Space Mountain, get a rider switch and I would go on next if girls were content and entertained still, or later on if need be.

Our kiddos did fabulous and we are already planning our next trip. So don't fret and have fun!

Thank you!
How many days did you go? It sounds like you went there and did park every single day.
Did you come back to the resort/hotel earlier or stay till the fireworks?

We are doing most of the characters at dinner, so hopefully that will lift off some wait time there.

I have a question regarding the rider switch. So just your husband got a FP+ for Space Mountain? or both of you?

 

[Criickette]

We were there for 10 days. First three days, we had early morning breakfast reservations so we were at the parks from 8am till close 9/10pm. Fourth day and on, we did from about 9:30am till close. We originally planned to do mid day breaks but did great without.

Character meals are a great alternative to meet some of the characters but my worry was when I read that it can take A long time to see all of the characters at the meal. I wasn't sure if my 2 year old would cooperate. So I did fastpasses for character m&g's when possible. Our longest wait was 15 minutes for Joy and Sadness.

Rider switch examples...my dh had FP for Space Mt, he used his FP and got the rider switch ticket which allowed me to go in the FP line when he got off or whenever (no fp for me needed). Then my 4y dd and I had FP for Mine Train, we used our FP's, got a rider switch ticket for my dh. When we got off, my 4y dd and dh went on Mine Train through fp line with the rider switch ticket (no FP needed). Make sense? Only need one FP and then other parent can use the rider switch ticket.

 

[parkbr]

We were there for 10 days. First three days, we had early morning breakfast reservations so we were at the parks from 8am till close 9/10pm. Fourth day and on, we did from about 9:30am till close. We originally planned to do mid day breaks but did great without.

Character meals are a great alternative to meet some of the characters but my worry was when I read that it can take A long time to see all of the characters at the meal. I wasn't sure if my 2 year old would cooperate. So I did fastpasses for character m&g's when possible. Our longest wait was 15 minutes for Joy and Sadness.

Rider switch examples...my dh had FP for Space Mt, he used his FP and got the rider switch ticket which allowed me to go in the FP line when he got off or whenever (no fp for me needed). Then my 4y dd and I had FP for Mine Train, we used our FP's, got a rider switch ticket for my dh. When we got off, my 4y dd and dh went on Mine Train through fp line with the rider switch ticket (no FP needed). Make sense? Only need one FP and then other parent can use the rider switch ticket.

Wow. That's full day, every day!!!! (almost!)

My DD only loves Pooh & friends (I am deeply in love with them, by default, she was exposed to them a lot) and princesses. Maybe Mickey and Minnie, but no one else. And she is a slow but BIG eater. So hopefully the character dinners work out.

Thank you so much for the explanation!
Now I have very clear picture how the rider switch works. I wonder though, if my DD is tall enough to ride say, 7DMT, we cannot get rider switch and have her go twice, because we have no other kids, right?

 

[Criickette]

Correct. You can only get rider switch if you have a child who can not ride. Our two year old was tall enough for 7DMT and loved it!

If your little one likes to take her time and enjoy her food, then character meals are PERFECT! Definitely update me and let me which one/s you do and what you thought.

 

[parkbr]

Correct. You can only get rider switch if you have a child who can not ride. Our two year old was tall enough for 7DMT and loved it!

If your little one likes to take her time and enjoy her food, then character meals are PERFECT! Definitely update me and let me which one/s you do and what you thought.

Oh wow! mine is still 35 inches, so she won't be able to ride 7DMT. But we do!!!

I will definitely give you an update. We're going to most of the Character dining if it is not breakfast, I think.