Some tips for my WDW Bootcamp!

[MickeyMarcie]

Everyone who knows me thinks I am a WDW freak. Well, they are right, but who do they turn to when they have questions about WDW? You guessed it, Me! Who is the freak now I ask! All of a sudden I transform from the crazy lady who can fit WDW into every conversation to a fountain of WDW knowledge they can't live without.

So after having a few friends inquire about WDW, I have decided to hold a WDW bootcamp, or a Mouseinar if you want to call it, at my house. I am going to have to start at the beginning with resorts and tickets. I know everyone pretty well, so I already have recommendations for each, but I wanted to send them away (in their mickey folders of course) with a list of tips and tricks for WDW considering the beginning stuff could take hours!

Here is where you come in: I would love to hear the tip or trick you have found most valuable over the years for WDW. Is there anything you feel I just can't forget to pass on to my Disney newbies? If you could only show someone one thing at Disney, what would it be?

Just a little info. about my guests. They are moms with children ranging from one to eight. They are hoping to travel next year, most likely in the summer months.

Thanks to everyone who can help!

 

[kimis]

1. Start walking around your neighborhood about two months before the trip
2. Wear comforable shoes NO new shoes
3. Start shopping for little surprises/gifts months before you go. THey will be cheaper
than at the park and the tag should read Disney.
enjoy your meeting. I have done the same thing and it is a blast.

 

[Hootch]

time for naps and maybe a swim. Traveling with kids in the summer is a recipe for meltdowns. This usually when we go. The parks have such long hours that you have plenty of opportunity to tour.

Be a little more flexible with your kids. It's vacation.

Arrive early

 

[3mickeymom]

Nothing worse than a saturated stroller for your little one to sit in.

 

[CajunMomof3]

Get the DDP! Budgeting beforehand is so much easier!

Don't try to do it all in one day - no one will enjoy that.

Check out the other resorts. We have had alot of fun (and great food) doing that.

Oh, and one that I wish someone had told me- Disney is absolutely phenomenal at hiding the length of the wait. Just because you can't see people waiting doesn't mean you are going to walk onto the ride. (But the waits are cool in and of themselves!)

 

[mom2cookies]

1.use address labels or extra luggage tags to put on stroller, bags, camera, cell phones etc that you take into the park.

2.Go over with the kids before and the first day what to do and who to talk to if they get " lost". Even in a store.

3.Take a picture of your kids individually that morning so if they do get separated you have a recent photo to show the CM's who to look for.

4.Don't feel like a failure if you do " lose" your child. WDW is a wonderful place with so many things to check out. Getting separated is very easy. lol

 

[Shagley]

Maybe make a list of the best ways to get to the more popular resort restaurants. My friend was at DW last week, and she had no clue how to get to Chef Mickey's or Whispering Canyon Cafe for her ADR's. She sent me a text message asking directions because she didn't realize she couldn't take a bus drectly from her resort to another resort.

 

[Cheshire Figment]

Understand ticketing. See the link in my signature.

 

[MickeyMarcie]

Thank you so much!!! So many things that I hadn't even thought of to tell them. One of my friends couldn't believe that you should schedule ADRs 180 days out, let alone, how to get to said ADR if at a resort. I appreciate your help so much. It will make my bootcamp that much better!

 

[leebee]

Pack a full day's kid's outfit in a large ziplock bag, and leave it in the bag when you get to WDW. Saves tons of packing space and tons of time in the morning as there are fewer decisions to make, fewer things to find!

Be careful about choosing park snacks. Crackers get crushed and make a mess, chocolate melts. We usually go with gummy fruit snacks and chewy granola bars.

Make SURE your kids understand that you WILL get to that special ride or attraction, just not right now! It is SO hard for a kid to walk past Pooh, Dumbo, whatever it is that they have their hearts set on, but you know that if you wait until late afternoon the wait-time will be 20 mins, not 60. Drill this over and over- trust mommy when she says you will get to ride, just be patient about the time. My DD was great about this; other kids in our party not so much. We ended up with either an incredibly long, unnecessary wait in line or a whiney, crying kid who was focused on the ride he had to temporarily bypass. Neither was an ideal situation.

I like the idea of making sure folks know how to get to the popular ADR locations from all the parks. Sharing all the travel options on-site is a great idea. I just learned that Boardwalk resorts don't have bus transportation to Epcot. Important to know if you've had lunch at Beaches and Cream and are planning on hitting Spaceship Earth. (I just figured we'd take the bus instead of walk all the way through Epcot... huh...). I also just learned that there is boat transportation from the Poly and GF to MK. Not crucial, but a fun option after dinner at Kona or 1900 PF if you are going to MK for the evening.

"Downtime" doesn't mean having to go back to your hotel room for a nap. We've done downtime while at MK by taking the Epcot monorail for a ride to Epcot and back. The kids liked seeing glimpses of WL, looking down at the street traffic, and then doing the "loop" over Epcot, past TT. It's usually easy to get a seat on the monorail in the middle of the afternoon. We have also done our downtime by taking the bus from POP to Epcot, then the monorail from Epcot to TTC, then the paddleboat to MK, then the sail/motor launch over to WL and back to MK. No, they aren't sleeping, but they are off their feet, sitting in one place mostly, and not terribly over-stimulated. This is especially helpful with older kids who won't nap, can't swim (yes, it's too cold or too hot sometimes), etc. Sometimes "downtime" is as simple as going to HOP or Ellen's Energy Adventure!! Long sit-down, a/c, not terribly stimulating...

 

[fraservalleymom]

What a great idea! A Mouseinar! It's amazing how overwhelming this trip is for a newbie. I can't believe how much time I've spent reading tips and ideas for our trip. This could be a new business venture.

Thanks for all the tips I've read already. I wish I could contribute but still learning myself. I will be subscribing to keep my eye on this thread!!

 

[HannaBelle]

Sometimes "downtime" is as simple as going to HOP or Ellen's Energy Adventure!! Long sit-down, a/c, not terribly stimulating...

We are a huge fan of TS meals in the heat of the afternoon too for a nice break, but I have older kiddos.

Best advice is that if your kids are having a melt down or on the verge of having a melt down, leave the parks! (This goes for adults too.)

Our worst "happening" at WDW was at Nemo the Musical with a couple of kids sitting behind us kicking us in the head...repeatedly...with their parents’ knowledge. We finally had to move when the mom said she could not make them stop. It was surreal.

 

[NateNLogansDad]

If the oldest child of all the parents is only 8, tell them all to take a stroller. Nothing like a cranky kid that doesn't want to walk anymore.

also, when you stop trying to have fun, you will have fun!

 

[reservations4five]

just wanted to say HI from Little Hocking Ohio

 

[cglaura]

If you are not big eaters, don't get the DDP (unless free of course and that is better than any room discount).

We have more than enough splitting an adult meal or getting a smaller portion child meal. Maybe you can show them some of the food threads here so they can get an idea of what the meals look like.

Budget tip: free ice water at the counter service.

Take smaller memory cards, not just one big one. If one gets lost or missing data, at least you will still have memories on the other cards.

Take a picture of your cell phone number and lock it on your camera's internal memory and each card. That way, someone can better connect you to your missing camera if lost.

Don't be afraid of the rain. When everyone runs out of the parks, stroll around, don a poncho and/or get soaked, have fun on short line rides!

If the crowd or a large tour zigs, you should zag

 

[goofyx3]

On my childrens first trip, DS 5, DS 3 1/2, DD 1 1/2, they thought as soon as we landed in Florida we were in Disney World. My 5 yr old was crying in the rental car on the way to the hotel when I explained that we wouldn't actually be in the parks until the next day. So my first tip would be to explain to the kids exactly what "going to Disney World" means.

Make sure the moms get in the pictures. If it wasn't for the few photopass photographers we stopped for in the front of each park you wouldn't have known I was on that first trip. And I scrapbook so I should have known better but I was so focused on capturing the kids first time I forgot about getting pictures of us as a family.

A Disney vacation is a marathon. Let the kids set the pace, its impossible to see everything in one day. Pick everyones favorites before you go and do your best when you get there. Try to get a planner, I love the passporter.

Most of all have fun, it really is magical. Enjoy!