We just got back from our very first trip to WDW last night and we had a blast! It was just DD and I; she turned 5 during the trip.
It was very, very hot and humid which did make it difficult to really enjoy ourselves without getting cranky or ill. We tried to stay hydrated and spent a lot of time in lines or indoor shows that had a/c. I'd planned our itinerary using tips from the UG but once we got in the parks all bets were off for the most part. Whatever was closest or looked interesting was what we did next.
What DID help:
Getting there at rope drop all mornings but the 2nd MK day when we had a breakfast ADR at a resort. The lines got long FAST so getting there early allowed us to do TSM twice, Soarin twice, and a couple other more enjoyable short wait times. Later, the wait for many rides was 50 to 100 minutes.
Bringing a stroller. I wouldn't have thought of that before seeing it on the DIS since my DD was almost 5 and hasn't used a stroller for quite some time. It was a lifesaver - seriously. I really think we wouldn't have had nearly as enjoyable of a vacation if she was trying to keep up with me on her own legs the whole time or I was always worried about losing her in the crowd. Plus, it really did help a ton to have a place for the souvenirs, ponchos, water bottle and other random stuff.
Getting familiar here first about how the DDP worked. If I would have gone into it blind I probably would have had a lot more trouble figuring things out since many places didn't have menus marked for what came with a meal, how you could put tips on the KTTW card, etc.
Other good things that come to mind are that I was really impressed with the kindness of strangers. Many people opened doors for us or offered to help with the stroller or our trays when they could see I was trying to manager for the two of us. We struck up conversations with others while waiting in line for rides or shows and it made the time go by more quickly and enjoyably. Some would see me trying to take a photo with both DD and I in it together and they'd stop and offer to take it for us.
Cast members were friendly, too. A cast member at Crystal Palace saw DD start crying a little when another customer bumped into her and some fruit fell off the plate. He quickly went and got her another plate with fresh fruit. Another time, I bought DD a mini lightsaber she begged for and somehow it must have fallen out of the bag and got lost shortly after. We rode Star Tours again and just 'cuz I figured it wouldn't hurt to try, I spoke with a cast member and said we just purchased a lightsaber, I still had the receipt, but unfortunately it was lost already. Of course I understand it was our responsibility and it's not likely there's much they can do, but was there any chance of a replacement? I totally would have understood - and expected it even - if she said no. Instead, she said just a moment and came back with another one for DD! I was shocked because they didn't have to do that but did anyway and it totally made our day. That right there said a lot about how WDW is different than other places.
Food was just kind of so-so I'd say. Not bad at all, but nothing really to write home about. We had ADRs at 50's Prime Time for dinner, Akershus for breakfast, Tutto Italia for dinner, Crystal Palace for lunch, Chef Mickey's for breakfast and Liberty Tree for dinner. I'm glad we had free dining so I didn't spend all the money out of pocket. Without free dining I don't know if the places would be worth the cost and would instead stick with maybe one special character meal and CS for the others.
Overall, the week was filled with a lot of fun and smiles from both of us. DD was great and often showed love, patience and appreciation, which made it even more worthwhile. She was such a good kid. One of the few quiet moments we had was sitting on a bench taking a break from all the activity to share a Dole Whip float. (Thanks to the DISers for that recommendation!)
It was very, very hot and humid which did make it difficult to really enjoy ourselves without getting cranky or ill. We tried to stay hydrated and spent a lot of time in lines or indoor shows that had a/c. I'd planned our itinerary using tips from the UG but once we got in the parks all bets were off for the most part. Whatever was closest or looked interesting was what we did next.
What DID help:
Getting there at rope drop all mornings but the 2nd MK day when we had a breakfast ADR at a resort. The lines got long FAST so getting there early allowed us to do TSM twice, Soarin twice, and a couple other more enjoyable short wait times. Later, the wait for many rides was 50 to 100 minutes.
Bringing a stroller. I wouldn't have thought of that before seeing it on the DIS since my DD was almost 5 and hasn't used a stroller for quite some time. It was a lifesaver - seriously. I really think we wouldn't have had nearly as enjoyable of a vacation if she was trying to keep up with me on her own legs the whole time or I was always worried about losing her in the crowd. Plus, it really did help a ton to have a place for the souvenirs, ponchos, water bottle and other random stuff.
Getting familiar here first about how the DDP worked. If I would have gone into it blind I probably would have had a lot more trouble figuring things out since many places didn't have menus marked for what came with a meal, how you could put tips on the KTTW card, etc.
Other good things that come to mind are that I was really impressed with the kindness of strangers. Many people opened doors for us or offered to help with the stroller or our trays when they could see I was trying to manager for the two of us. We struck up conversations with others while waiting in line for rides or shows and it made the time go by more quickly and enjoyably. Some would see me trying to take a photo with both DD and I in it together and they'd stop and offer to take it for us.
Cast members were friendly, too. A cast member at Crystal Palace saw DD start crying a little when another customer bumped into her and some fruit fell off the plate. He quickly went and got her another plate with fresh fruit. Another time, I bought DD a mini lightsaber she begged for and somehow it must have fallen out of the bag and got lost shortly after. We rode Star Tours again and just 'cuz I figured it wouldn't hurt to try, I spoke with a cast member and said we just purchased a lightsaber, I still had the receipt, but unfortunately it was lost already. Of course I understand it was our responsibility and it's not likely there's much they can do, but was there any chance of a replacement? I totally would have understood - and expected it even - if she said no. Instead, she said just a moment and came back with another one for DD! I was shocked because they didn't have to do that but did anyway and it totally made our day. That right there said a lot about how WDW is different than other places.
Food was just kind of so-so I'd say. Not bad at all, but nothing really to write home about. We had ADRs at 50's Prime Time for dinner, Akershus for breakfast, Tutto Italia for dinner, Crystal Palace for lunch, Chef Mickey's for breakfast and Liberty Tree for dinner. I'm glad we had free dining so I didn't spend all the money out of pocket. Without free dining I don't know if the places would be worth the cost and would instead stick with maybe one special character meal and CS for the others.
Overall, the week was filled with a lot of fun and smiles from both of us. DD was great and often showed love, patience and appreciation, which made it even more worthwhile. She was such a good kid. One of the few quiet moments we had was sitting on a bench taking a break from all the activity to share a Dole Whip float. (Thanks to the DISers for that recommendation!)
