Staying Off-site, First Time Visit with Child - tips?

[JenB1104]

We could not pass up deal to go to Disneyland in November with cheap airfare (203.00 for 3 flights using points and a credit and 39.00 a night at a hotel thanks to brother who works for hotel chain). So with this deal comes staying offsite with a rental car. Any tips for first timers doing this (parking, touring tips etc.)? We have daughter who will be 6 by then. Thanks!

 

[theluckyrabbit]

There are lots of threads here with tips. Start with this fairly recent one (http://www.disboards.com/threads/first-time-with-kids.3419731/), then do a search for others. And feel free to ask specific questions. Posters will be glad to help.

 

[nikkislaght]

Find out if your hotel is on an ART route, you may be able to avoid the rental fees, plus hotel parking fees,and disneylot fees.
Take plenty of snacks into the park with you. Nothing worse than being inline for 2 hrs with a hungry kid.
Let her lead the way some of the trip, rest, rest and rest will make everyone happy. If you have a magic morning and plan on using it, do so as early into the trip as possible, harder to get up and at gate the longer the trip.
We give my son gift cards, so he doesn't have to worry about keeping money safe.
We get the souvenirs out of the way early in the trip too. That way we can just have fun. We Never do a park on our travel day, so we go to DTD get our shopping done. Play with it all back at the hotel, early dinner and bed time, then get up early for park time. If you are close enough to go back to hotel, something to consider ,go back have lunch ,rest and then go back to park early evening, this way you last longer for the night shows. Take advantage of the fast passes, will save lots of time , parade times are good times to do long lined rides. We usually get to park on our first day, get on the train and go straight back to ToonTown. If you want to do Roger a rabbit, get a fast pass, then line up for Mickey, Minnie and then Goofy and Pluto, by that time your fast pas time should be ready. Then we would make our way back towards the front of the park hitting the lands and getting the rides out of the way as we went. I still go to the dollar store and Target dollar section for small Disney themed stuff, to give to my son over the course of our trip, this cuts down on a lot of buying in park, and we can then afford a sweater or bigger priced toy etc, If you won't leave the parks for lunch, then take it in with you. Saves a butt load of cash. At self serve places inside you can order off the kids menus as they don't know who is eating it, but at the sit down restaurants no go. But you can split a plate for a fee. Free ice water fill ups, but they won't fill your own personal cup,you will get a plastic cup and have to pour it in yourself, you can get buttons from city hall, but most cast members will also carry them, if you do the jungle cruise and your daughter asks for a map, they may have them but will get her to make an animal sound or something to revive it. Hope you have a great trip. Oh and photo pass+ is the way to go, cost $69. Up to two weeks befor your trip online, or $99. On the day in the park. It pays for itself with just the ride photos alone, but they photographers will do magic money's with your daughter m so they will pose her and then superimpose a character onto her hand, it's very cute. All character meet and greets, rides and locale shots will get put onto the card, then at home you can add boarders etc and then that's it, no money to pay, I get the instant download or you can get a CD , but on adversage for well over 500 , it cost as $69. Bonus is,I'm in the shots, normally I'm the one behind the camera!