Tell me what ya think.. First time taking kids

[mbarnes]

My family will be going to Disney for the first time dec 8-16. I have read a lot of information, so give me your opinion on our plans and give me any tips you have. I will be traveling with 5 and 4 yr olds so maybe some naps if needbe

12-8: travel all day stay in Orlando hotel
12-9: sleep in and nap/MVMCP@ 4
Tony's @ 6
12-10: Check into PO
HS in am and E in pm
Teppan Edo @ 8pm
12-11:MK all day
Hopefully BOG for lunch
Ohana @ 8:05pm
12-12 HS all day
Chef mickey's at 9:20am
Osborn lights/Fantasmic
12-13 MK all day with rope drop
BBB at 8:30 am with CRT @ 10:10am
12-14 AK in am and MK in pm
CP @ 6:20pm
Maybe E after dinner??
12-15 OPEN
End day at E
Le cellier @ 8
Illuminations

 

[Princess Sleepy]

I would build a rest day in, somewhere around day 4. Especially with 2 little ones, they are going to hit a wall with that many park days in a row. Take a day off and enjoy your resort, maybe tour a couple of the others to see the Christmas decorations. Sleep in. I know that when we tried to do a week with no rests, everyone got tired and crabby. I would say either the 11th or 12th, cut out the park time.

Have so much fun!

 

[AuroraMeansDawn]

How fun and exciting! First trips are always so much fun and I hope it's full of magic for all of you! You have clearly spent some time planning and working on this!

Something you may want to think about, I noted you're going to spend the extra money for MVMCP and have a table reservation at Tony's at 6 that night. You might want to think about spending time during a hard ticket extra cost event sitting at a restaurant you can visit during regular park hours.

If you need to do dinner during the event you might better use your time grabbing something at a counter service and spend your time enjoying the special things that are only available during the party.

Also you have quite a few later dinner reservations. It's so tempting to try to get it all in that you push yourself. Hopefully they won't be too late for everyone to be hungry and able to enjoy the meal. Don't be afraid of a quiet night in so everyone can recharge. I know you can sleep at home and all but overtired kiddos and grown ups can really put a damper on things so a litte downtie can really save the day!

Have a wonderful time!!

 

[NHKristy76]

How exciting!!

My suggestion would be to move your dinners much earlier... Take your cues from the kiddos and be prepared to rest and turn in relatively early. When my DD was younger we avoided melt downs by getting her in bed every night by 8pm. Now that she's older, she is able to burn the midnight oil!

Have fun!!

 

[tcp0421]

How fun! I remember planning my first time. At first it seemed so overwhelming. I think I changed just about everything 4-5 times. Remember to give yourself plenty of time to get the Parks. Like someone else said make sure you give everyone enough downtime or all of you will be uphappy quick. If you plan not to eat until late make sure you eat enough during the day so your not ready to kill each other because you're hungry. That is how it is in my family when we are all hungry we tend to get very angry and it can ruin the day. You have made good choices as far as the dinning goes. All nice places to eat. We go often and my husband thinks EVERY TIME we have to run around like crazy trying to get everything done. Don't be like him. Lol take time to enjoy everything. Take breaks during the day. I like to just sit somewhere and take everything in. You will love it!

 

[Marthasor]

My family will be going to Disney for the first time dec 8-16. I have read a lot of information, so give me your opinion on our plans and give me any tips you have. I will be traveling with 5 and 4 yr olds so maybe some naps if needbe

12-8: travel all day stay in Orlando hotel
12-9: sleep in and nap/MVMCP@ 4
Tony's @ 6
12-10: Check into PO
HS in am and E in pm
Tepee Edo @ 8pm
12-11:MK all day
Hopefully BOG for lunch
Ohana @ 8:05pm
12-12 HS all day
Chef mickey's at 9:20am
Osborn lights/Fantasmic
12-13 MK all day with rope drop
BBB at 8:30 am with CRT @ 10:10am
12-14 AK in am and MK in pm
CP @ 6:20pm
Maybe E after dinner??
12-15 OPEN
End day at E
Le cellier @ 8
Illuminations

I started reading your touring plan before I noticed the age of your children. With older kids, I wouldn't hesitate to follow your plan, but with younger ones, I would hesitate - but this really depends on your own children and their schedule and sleeping habits! You know your children best. My DS has been to WDW multiple times since he was 1 and even now that he is 5, I could not plan a day like this. We usually need to take a break after lunch, refresh at the resort and then start up again at dinner time. OR we can go a whole day in the parks and call it quits at dinner time.

If your children can get through the day without a nap and are used to eating late, you will probably be fine. You know your children best.

Are you bringing a stroller? I still use one with my DS5 ONLY at WDW - it makes getting around a lot easier and he can rest or nap if need be.

Also, you may want to get an earlier dinner reservation on one of your EP nights - I think it's going to be difficult to eat at 8 pm and make it to Illuminations.

Have a fantastic trip!

 

[kandb]

Why do you have such late dinner times with such young children (8pm)? My kids get cranky if they are not given dinner by 6ish. Your probably won't get out of dinner until 9:30 to 10:00 then you have to travel back to the hotel. By the time you get back to the hotel, wind down and into bed it's going to be too late for a 4 and 5 year old IMO. The late dinners will throw off your whole vacation. I would try to get earlier times if I were you. Have a great vacation.

 

[reelmom]

I agree with PP. We try to keep our eating times close to what we do at home. Makes for less cranky people, kids and adults alike.

 

[mbarnes]

Well those were the only times I could get. I could change Teppan Edo to Italian res at 600 on 12/10.?? I have looked for an earlier Ohana on 12/11 but I have had no luck. On 12/12 and 12/13 we have no afternoon meal set so i figured we could go in early if we need to. We do plan to take naps every afternoon, so maybe that will help.

 

[GillianP1301]

I agree with pp's on the late dinner ADRs. My son is 4 and anything past 6 and he's getting cranky. Even if your kids are used to late dinners and late bed times, you need to factor in that a full day at a park before that dinner is going to make them more tired than a normal day at home.

Overall, I think you have a very full and fun plan. You know your kids best and how much they can handle. I'd stick with your plan (other than maybe moving up some dinner times) and just be flexible. If they crash mid afternoon, then just pack it in and have a quiet night and recharge for the next day.


Have fun!

 

[hookedonears]

My family will be going to Disney for the first time dec 8-16. I have read a lot of information, so give me your opinion on our plans and give me any tips you have. I will be traveling with 5 and 4 yr olds so maybe some naps if needbe

12-8: travel all day stay in Orlando hotel
12-9: sleep in and nap/MVMCP@ 4
Tony's @ 6
12-10: Check into PO
HS in am and E in pm
Teppan Edo @ 8pm
12-11:MK all day
Hopefully BOG for lunch
Ohana @ 8:05pm
12-12 HS all day
Chef mickey's at 9:20am
Osborn lights/Fantasmic
12-13 MK all day with rope drop
BBB at 8:30 am with CRT @ 10:10am
12-14 AK in am and MK in pm
CP @ 6:20pm
Maybe E after dinner??
12-15 OPEN
End day at E
Le cellier @ 8
Illuminations

There's no sleeping in at Disney. You can rest in the afternoons. It's tough for many people, but you've got to buck-up and do it. Even with small children. We've done it with kids 2-1/2, 3-1/2. It works. A vacation is what you need when you get home, however. That's why I always recommend that people plan their WDW trips to return on a Friday, so they'll have the entire weekend to rest and recover.

 

[cruisinpan55]

How fun and exciting! First trips are always so much fun and I hope it's full of magic for all of you! You have clearly spent some time planning and working on this!

Something you may want to think about, I noted you're going to spend the extra money for MVMCP and have a table reservation at Tony's at 6 that night. You might want to think about spending time during a hard ticket extra cost event sitting at a restaurant you can visit during regular park hours.

If you need to do dinner during the event you might better use your time grabbing something at a counter service and spend your time enjoying the special things that are only available during the party.

Also you have quite a few later dinner reservations. It's so tempting to try to get it all in that you push yourself. Hopefully they won't be too late for everyone to be hungry and able to enjoy the meal. Don't be afraid of a quiet night in so everyone can recharge. I know you can sleep at home and all but overtired kiddos and grown ups can really put a damper on things so a litte downtie can really save the day!

Have a wonderful time!!

I agree on the late night reservations. We have two kids also and have had them down there at those ages. We found that eating earlier and snacks later was better for everyone. Enjoy your trip!

 

[THEJOEL]

My family will be going to Disney for the first time dec 8-16. I have read a lot of information, so give me your opinion on our plans and give me any tips you have. I will be traveling with 5 and 4 yr olds so maybe some naps if needbe

12-8: travel all day stay in Orlando hotel
12-9: sleep in and nap/MVMCP@ 4
Tony's @ 6
12-10: Check into PO
HS in am and E in pm
Teppan Edo @ 8pm
12-11:MK all day
Hopefully BOG for lunch
Ohana @ 8:05pm
12-12 HS all day
Chef mickey's at 9:20am
Osborn lights/Fantasmic
12-13 MK all day with rope drop
BBB at 8:30 am with CRT @ 10:10am
12-14 AK in am and MK in pm
CP @ 6:20pm
Maybe E after dinner??
12-15 OPEN
End day at E
Le cellier @ 8
Illuminations

Looks good...Try to keep in mind the kiddos may get tired touring all day so you may want to build in some rest time after lunch.
We will be there 12-11/12-16.
Hope to see you there!!

 

[Snoozan]

Could you maybe do lunchtimes at the restaurants you really want to try? I know even as an adult, I'd be ready to crash by 7:30 or 8:00. Of course, we were getting up at 6AM to do early entry most days. I also agree with not wasting your precious MVMCP time with a sit-down meal. You can't get into the park until 4PM with your MVMCP ticket so you might want to consider something like Peco Bill's that evening.

 

[osu2k1]

We are going at the same time! My boys are 4 and 7, and they are dead tired at 7 pm, but I am hoping with the time change (west coasters), that it will aide us in being able to keep them up for our real night there (CP/Illuminations at EP). We are doing MVMCP on Tuesday night.

Regarding your ADRs, I've been trying to switch some and I am stuck with what I have. There is nothing that's open for the places we want to eat at. So I guess we will take what we get. I am doing BOG for lunch since it's CS!

Have a great time! 2 weeks out!!!

 

[Maleficent53]

My family will be going to Disney for the first time dec 8-16. I have read a lot of information, so give me your opinion on our plans and give me any tips you have. I will be traveling with 5 and 4 yr olds so maybe some naps if needbe

12-8: travel all day stay in Orlando hotel
12-9: sleep in and nap/MVMCP@ 4
Tony's @ 6
12-10: Check into PO
HS in am and E in pm
Teppan Edo @ 8pm
12-11:MK all day
Hopefully BOG for lunch
Ohana @ 8:05pm
12-12 HS all day
Chef mickey's at 9:20am
Osborn lights/Fantasmic
12-13 MK all day with rope drop
BBB at 8:30 am with CRT @ 10:10am
12-14 AK in am and MK in pm
CP @ 6:20pm
Maybe E after dinner??
12-15 OPEN
End day at E
Le cellier @ 8
Illuminations

We have never done BBB (no little girls in the family) but those of you who have done this - does OP have enough time scheduled to make res at CRT 1010am? Does BBB run on schedule?

 

[Tltorrez]

We have never done BBB (no little girls in the family) but those of you who have done this - does OP have enough time scheduled to make res at CRT 1010am? Does BBB run on schedule?

That early in the morning BBB should be on schedule. Later in the day it will run behind.

 

[ses1230]

I agree with the other posters about Tony's the night of MVMCP - I would cancel that. You can get into the park at 4 with just the party ticket, that is enough time to eat at CS and do some rides before the party starts.

12/12 you will not be getting to HS until noon. The lines will be long for headliners and FP will be hours out for TSM, if there are any left at all.

I'm not sure I read your 12/14 plan right - AK,MK, and possibly Epcot? You should really rethink that.

A lot of people are fans of hopping, but I think it is too much travel time when the kids are really little. Travel time plus your TS schedule might really get them tired out. Just my opinion , you know your kids best. Have a great trip, we are there the same time as you!

 

[Robbi]

Hope you have a fantastic trip! Your plan looks good. Two things, if the little ones get tired, take a break and I don't know if you'll need a whole day at HS after having already spent time at that park. You can judge better after your first day.