Questions about DL trip

[februaryprincess]

We've got our first family DL trip booked for Feb 28-March 4 and are so excited! But being the neurotic planner that I am, I'm trying to figure out all the details and nail down an itinerary. Some questions for all you DL experts:

1) It's off-season, so how long are the line ups? How long will the kids need to stand in line for most attractions?

2) What do they do at Fantasy Faire? How long would we probably spend there?

3) How long are the parades and things like Aladdin's storytime?

4) Is Toontown madness just for people who stay at the properties? We're at the Tropicana but have a 5 day pass so we will get one EE I think.

5)How late do the stores at Downtown Disney stay open?

6) How strict are they about the height requirements? DD2 is 3.5 and when I measured her, she was about a quarter of an inch below 40 inches, but wasn't being cooperative so possibly she could stand straighter and if she was wearing shoes, she might just be 40.

Phew...sorry for the huge list! Thanks in advance!

 

[Padstack]

That is a long list. Most of the questions can be answered by browsing the forum and doing specific searches. I am sure you will get some help from other posters as well.

The one that I can answer without a long explanation is that they are very strict about the height requirement. Take a measurement of your DD with the same shoes on that she will wear at the parks. This will let you know whether or not she will get on those rides. FYI, poofy hair will not help

 

[dizzyami]

1) It's off-season, so how long are the line ups? How long will the kids need to stand in line for most attractions?

This depends on planning - use your EE to get all of Fantasyland done. Then if you use fast passes you should not have to wait too long for a ride. I have never been around that time, so I do not know anything specific to that time frame.
2) What do they do at Fantasy Faire? How long would we probably spend there?

Up to you - as much or as little as you want. There is a little show you kiddos can go participate in. There is a free coloring station. There are line ups to see the princesses (depending on how many you want to see you are talking hours and lots of planning), and there is also a place to pay for hair/makeup/dresses.


4) Is Toontown madness just for people who stay at the properties? We're at the Tropicana but have a 5 day pass so we will get one EE I think.

Toontown madness is only for those that booked a WDTC package


6) How strict are they about the height requirements? DD2 is 3.5 and when I measured her, she was about a quarter of an inch below 40 inches, but wasn't being cooperative so possibly she could stand straighter and if she was wearing shoes, she might just be 40.

EXTREMELY STRICT!!! BTW - if she is right at 40, she is too short. I had DS measured at a hair above 40 inches at home, and he was too short. Once we doubled his socks he BARELY made it. Be aware though that it is up to the CM. They will ask at every ride - even if you just got off. You can ride the ride 2 times in a row and be denied the 3rd time. A very frustrating process. Bring the thickest socks you can and double up - and teach your DD to stretch her back and hit her head on the measuring stick.

Phew...sorry for the huge list! Thanks in advance!

 

[staley7580]

I have to agree about the height requirements. My 2yo dd was just under 40inches in October, and we put her in thick shoes with Kleenex stuffed in them.. It barely worked! Then in December she was tall enough in her crocs, but they still measured her on every ride. yeah... she is really tall!

 

[MommyWithDreams]

Kleenex stuffed in the shoes?? Ouch, that must not have been too comfy.

 

[staley7580]

Kleenex stuffed in the shoes?? Ouch, that must not have been too comfy.

Bah... She rode in the stroller most of the time anyways. Did I mention they were her brothers shoes?

 

[SnowWhite12]

I have to agree about the height requirements. My 2yo dd was just under 40inches in October, and we put her in thick shoes with Kleenex stuffed in them.. It barely worked! Then in December she was tall enough in her crocs, but they still measured her on every ride. yeah... she is really tall!

Wow, my DD really is tiny! She is 32 months old, and just 34 1/2 inches. We are worried she won't be able to ride much in April.

 

[staley7580]

Wow, my DD really is tiny! She is 32 months old, and just 34 1/2 inches. We are worried she won't be able to ride much in April.

my baby is HUGE!! She weighs as much as her 5yo brother, and in just a few inches shorter then he is. Dont worry, there is still a ton of things for her to do! My baby wont go on hardly any of the rides, she might be a moose, but she is a big ole scardy cat!

 

[bumbershoot]

"We've got our first family DL trip booked for Feb 28-March 4 and are so excited! But being the neurotic planner that I am, I'm trying to figure out all the details and nail down an itinerary. Some questions for all you DL experts:

1) It's off-season, so how long are the line ups? How long will the kids need to stand in line for most attractions?
?

2) What do they do at Fantasy Faire? How long would we probably spend there? There's an enormous line that lets you meet princesses...there's no way to know what princesses you'll meet, so you have to know that you can't count on meeting any specific princess. There's also a cute storytime where a princess tells her story. And there's a coronation thing of some sort. Those second two things don't involve a line, and have specific times.

3) How long are the parades and things like Aladdin's storytime?
If you're sitting right where the parade starts, you'll be done with it in, hmm, 20 minutes? But if you're watching it elsewhere, you have to wait for it to get to you, and then to see all the parts of it to go by, so it is longer for you, even if the actual parade you see is the same amount of time.

4) Is Toontown madness just for people who stay at the properties? We're at the Tropicana but have a 5 day pass so we will get one EE I think.
Two separate things. See recent posts about it. MTTMM is a voucher you get with a package deal that gets you into TT at the same time the park opens, for a tiny parade and a headstart in meeting Mickey and friends. EE is different, and gets you into DL an hour before it normally opens for Fantasyland and some parts of Tomorrowland. Get EE (also known as Magic(al) Mornings aka MM) with your 3+ day parkhoppers or by staying onsite.

5)How late do the stores at Downtown Disney stay open?
don't know.

6) How strict are they about the height requirements? DD2 is 3.5 and when I measured her, she was about a quarter of an inch below 40 inches, but wasn't being cooperative so possibly she could stand straighter and if she was wearing shoes, she might just be 40.

Strict, and they go by their measuring sticks, not what you measure her as, or what the doctor measures her as, or what a group of scientists using the most highly developed measuring sticks or lasers available measures her as. If the CM says you don't hit the mark, you don't hit the mark. Practice having her stand straight and tall. Do not use big heeled cowboy boots or princess sandals to get around it, b/c that will just peeve the parents of boys who can't use such things (speaking from experience as DS was denied b/c the CM decided that a slip of paper could go between his head and the measuring stick, while a tiny thing wearing high heels waltzed past the CM) and you will be talked about for at least 4 months (that happened in September, still talking about it).

Also, Jumping Jellyfish in DCA is notoriously bad with their measuring stick, it tends to measure kids as much shorter than they actually are, so even if they've been on all the 40" rides around, they might be denied that one.

Phew...sorry for the huge list! Thanks in advance!"

 

[februaryprincess]

Thanks everyone! Sounds like the 40 inches could be iffy for us unless she hits a growth spurt next month!