Thoughts on Enchanted Forest Strategy

[cosmicmommy]

this is good are you planing on getting a stroller as a wheel chair tag this can help give him a place to go if when he need too also a few things to keep him busy I pad, a new toy that he can play with in his stroller. dose he have a hard time with noise ear protectors help with this, light sunglasses hat or hoodie can help with this. smells a pice of cloth with his avert smell on it. people touching him stroller can help with this.

also if you are going to a ride you could say lets see how long PP is if it is too long or not open then we can see about small world. even with wait time when you get there the wait can change.

Yes, I think I may try to block out the attractions as in - let's go over here and look at Peter Pan, Small World and PhilHarMagic. If Peter Pan and Small World lines are too long, we will do PhilHarMagic and then try again.

I am debating the wheelchair sticker, but he won't be the only one using the stroller. My DS5 will be using it too because he'll still be fairly little and is likely to tire.

His big issues are touch and sound. Already planning on muffs for the sound, even on rides if necessary. Touch will be handled with the DAS to not wait in the crowded lines and with the stroller so if he feels overwhelmed, he can climb in and hide.

 

[Mikie]

For many of the experiences you will not need to scan your Magic Band for pictures or your Memory Maker card. I know at Enchanted Tales they give cards with the access code pre-printed on them. When you log into your Disney account there is a place to add that code and upload those pictures to your account. Slightly annoying to delete all the pictures of complete strangers, but at least you KNOW you have all of the pictures from your time with Belle. This is the same process for the Jedi Training Academy at DHS.

This is true, but a tip that a CM gave me that I now love to pass along is that deleting those photos of strangers from your account OR leaving them in and having to scroll past them all is very slow and cumbersome in MDE. INSTEAD, take the Photopass card they give you and go to one of the Photopass shops (neath trance of each park and at Disney Springs) and have them help you upload - the have the ability to show you a screen and quickly select only your family's photos for upload and leaving off all the rest!

OP, I think your planning will make for great background research and you'll be well equipped to know what us available and where you want to head next! You've got your steps more planned than I do it, but I like the half hour blocks - you'll sometimes finish a little faster, sometimes a little slower and you know when you have to skip one thing entirely to make a FP of something.

 

[gap2368]

be a ware that even with a DAS card you still have to wait in lines ( I have waited up to 2ish minutes and a few time gotten out of a line when it was too much for me) and people will bump into him.

Also if he uses the stroller as a place to get a way you may want to get a very light weigh blanket to cover the stroller even more to give him a quiet area ( from other people looking at him)

 

[cosmicmommy]

be a ware that even with a DAS card you still have to wait in lines ( I have waited up to 2ish minutes and a few time gotten out of a line when it was too much for me) and people will bump into him.

Also if he uses the stroller as a place to get a way you may want to get a very light weigh blanket to cover the stroller even more to give him a quiet area ( from other people looking at him)

He can usually handle around 10 minutes before it really sends into meltdown mode. Worst case scenario, I kick the little one out to let my Aspie in while we wait for the DAS return time line to dwindle and get on the ride.

 

[HatboxHaint]

Another thought - SDMT directly after breakfast? Is it jerky enough to make someone queasy or is it generally okay right after eating?

YES!!! That is the only reason why anyone would pay $25 for eggs and a croissant! Then head to Peter Pan. If you beat the crowd to SDMT you should be able to make a lap or two on PPF and then start you touringplan in earnest.

 

[disneydentist]

We have always taught the kids that once they get close to an age, they're basically that age, so he will just be considered 7 and his age stated as so and will ride with DS8 on any ride that requires a rider to be 7.

Common core math?

 

[cosmicmommy]

Common core math?

Meh, when in Rome...

 

[DisneyOma]

I have considered that. We have always taught the kids that once they get close to an age, they're basically that age, so he will just be considered 7 and his age stated as so and will ride with DS8 on any ride that requires a rider to be 7. He is very close to his brothers so he should feel okay with them if he's going to ride at all and he is actually the size of an average 7 year old now, so it won't be a safety issue. I plan to ride behind them with DS5 when we have to be split up or aren't in line (like Space Mountain). On rides where it doesn't matter, I figured I would rotate between the two older boys on who rides with me. I have been watching for those rides - I know Barnstormer is one. Which others require you to be 7?

I am fine with riding with DS5 on everything where we won't all be together. My middle and oldest can ride together. I am actually putting him on the reservation as 7 anyway since we will be celebrating his birthday while down there, even though it's not during the trip.

You taught your child with Asperger's to lie? Good luck with that karma! Hope it doesn't come back to bite you in the butt!

 

[cosmicmommy]

You taught your child with Asperger's to lie? Good luck with that karma! Hope it doesn't come back to bite you in the butt!

I haven't taught him to do anything.

But, since having him fib his age isn't an option, what do you suggest I do with him while riding with my 5 year old, since I can't leave either of them alone? Tell him, "Sorry baby, you're a few days away from 7, but you can't ride because your birthday hasn't passed yet and daddy took off 4 years ago and doesn't care enough to come on this trip and mommy is a single parent who had to save for several years to make this trip happen and I couldn't afford to bring along a babysitter for swapping out children on the ride." Somehow, I think he would be more adversely affected by that than by fibbing about his age...

 

[gap2368]

I haven't taught him to do anything.

But, since having him fib his age isn't an option, what do you suggest I do with him while riding with my 5 year old, since I can't leave either of them alone? Tell him, "Sorry baby, you're a few days away from 7, but you can't ride because your birthday hasn't passed yet and daddy took off 4 years ago and doesn't care enough to come on this trip and mommy is a single parent who had to save for several years to make this trip happen and I couldn't afford to bring along a babysitter for swapping out children on the ride." Somehow, I think he would be more adversely affected by that than by fibbing about his age...

Are you saying your youngest can not go on rides do to hight then he would not be able to even go in line. If you are saying they would have to sit together and this is why he is not telling the truth about his age no need to do this as long as you are in the set right before or after him. Think of space mountain the sets are single fill but they still let anyone talk enough to go on

 

[cosmicmommy]

Are you saying your youngest can not go on rides do to hight then he would not be able to even go in line. If you are saying they would have to sit together and this is why he is not telling the truth about his age no need to do this as long as you are in the set right before or after him. Think of space mountain the sets are single fill but they still let anyone talk enough to go on

Yes, he isn't going to go around yelling 'Hey, look at me, I'm 7!" But if someone asks, he'll say he's 7. He will be close enough to 7 to be considered 7 anyway. And yes, I will ALWAYS be riding nearby, whether behind or in front. My DS who will be 5 for the trip is already tall enough for everything except Space Mountain and Expedition Everest right now as he's 43" tall. He should be at least 44" tall by next year, so he will be tall enough to ride everything, just not old enough to ride alone, hence why I would be riding with him. If they let me switch it up, great. But if not, my 6 year old will ride with my 8 year old.

Sorry if I seemed to snap and got witchy on that response, but people telling me what to do and what not to do in raising my child is not something I appreciate unless I am specifically asking how to deal with an issue. In that case, I ask doctors or other parents who have a child like mine. That person's response just struck a nasty chord with me since I wasn't asking for that kind of advice. Thank you for giving me hope that maybe I might be able to ride with my other kids though. I do hope to always be in the same car if possible, if not in the same seat.

 

[tjmw2727]

It seems a bit ambitious but you also seem to have a good attitude about it so I am sure you will have a great trip! I am also a single parent so I understand the need for a combo of planning with backup plan and then going with the flow.

I would also allow for bathroom breaks and the random playground stop as well and remember to keep everyone hydrated.

When you ask for the DAS I highly recommend the stroller as a wheelchair tag - doesn't matter who is riding in it - the tag will allow you to take it through the line with you vs parking it in the stroller parking.

As for the issue of the ages of your kids - based on our experience in April be prepared to be asked at every attraction how old the younger two are. They will sometimes ask the child, sometimes ask you and sometimes ask both! So your whole family has to be on the same page (not judging just saying). This is a hard and fast rule that children under 7 must ride with someone 14 or over.

Here is the link with the details on the age requirement:
https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/park-rules/

letter f

 

[tjmw2727]

Are you saying your youngest can not go on rides do to hight then he would not be able to even go in line. If you are saying they would have to sit together and this is why he is not telling the truth about his age no need to do this as long as you are in the set right before or after him. Think of space mountain the sets are single fill but they still let anyone talk enough to go on

No: The OP's middle child and her youngest are Both under 7, children under 7 must board with a person 14 or older. That means she "should" be sitting with both the youngest children leaving her older child alone. Not an ideal situation.

 

[cosmicmommy]

It seems a bit ambitious but you also seem to have a good attitude about it so I am sure you will have a great trip! I am also a single parent so I understand the need for a combo of planning with backup plan and then going with the flow.

I would also allow for bathroom breaks and the random playground stop as well and remember to keep everyone hydrated.

When you ask for the DAS I highly recommend the stroller as a wheelchair tag - doesn't matter who is riding in it - the tag will allow you to take it through the line with you vs parking it in the stroller parking.

As for the issue of the ages of your kids - based on our experience in April be prepared to be asked at every attraction how old the younger two are. They will sometimes ask the child, sometimes ask you and sometimes ask both! So your whole family has to be on the same page (not judging just saying). This is a hard and fast rule that children under 7 must ride with someone 14 or over.

Here is the link with the details on the age requirement:
https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/park-rules/

letter f

I didn't feel judged by you. Not at all. I will go ahead and get the tag for the stroller then. I am leaning towards a double anyway. He's going to be very close to 7, so he will probably already be calling himself 7 anyway without any prompting. I will just have to remind him that he is 7. I wish I had other options, but rider switch won't work because my oldest will only be 8.5 and far too young to wait alone if I switch off and then, I can't leave the youngest two alone while I ride with oldest and he won't want to ride alone.

 

[cosmicmommy]

No: The OP's middle child and her youngest are Both under 7, children under 7 must board with a person 14 or older. That means she "should" be sitting with both the youngest children leaving her older child alone. Not an ideal situation.

The rule is stated that they must board with someone over 14, so if I board with all 3 of them, it would seem that we should be okay since I WILL be there, just in another car. Would this seem to be accurate? I am not going to let them ride without me - even if it means I have to endure Dumbo or Small World 5 times...

 

[tjmw2727]

The rule is stated that they must board with someone over 14, so if I board with all 3 of them, it would seem that we should be okay since I WILL be there, just in another car. Would this seem to be accurate? I am not going to let them ride without me - even if it means I have to endure Dumbo or Small World 5 times...

Honestly regardless of that wording it will depend on the CM, the ride- and the situation and unfortunately it could change day to day even on the same ride. With Peter Pan for example - you won't be in the same boat so this could be an issue if the CM realizes your middle child isn't 7. You won't even be in eye shot of your younger two so that could be an issue for you as well? I think if I were you I would have to consider if you can you trust that they can ride together without issue - this means follow instructions on boarding and un boarding, will they will behave and not panic in a ride stop / breakdown? Only you can answer this and be comfortable with your choices. Alternately what will they do if left alone while you ride with one or two of the other children? There are some rides that will fit 3 but that would leave your oldest riding alone (as opposed to waiting with a sibling/alone?)

Again not an ideal situation but one I thought you should be aware of in advance.

 

[cosmicmommy]

Honestly regardless of that wording it will depend on the CM, the ride- and the situation and unfortunately it could change day to day even on the same ride. With Peter Pan for example - you won't be in the same boat so this could be an issue if the CM realizes your middle child isn't 7. You won't even be in eye shot of your younger two so that could be an issue for you as well? I think if I were you I would have to consider if you can you trust that they can ride together without issue - this means follow instructions on boarding and un boarding, will they will behave and not panic in a ride stop / breakdown? Only you can answer this and be comfortable with your choices. Alternately what will they do if left alone while you ride with one or two of the other children? There are some rides that will fit 3 but that would leave your oldest riding alone (as opposed to waiting with a sibling/alone?)

Again not an ideal situation but one I thought you should be aware of in advance.

Honestly, my oldest wouldn't want to ride alone every time, but he would likely be okay once in a while. I probably wouldn't put my youngest and oldest together on any type of dark ride. That would have to be the older two together. But on something like Splash Mountain I would let the youngest ride with the oldest in front of me or (obviously due to seating arrangement) Space Mountain - we have to sit alone on that one. How do the queues work? Do you line up in corrals for each row or do you walk up and tell them your party size? I.e - there are four of us, I want to be behind those two with this one beside me. I don't mind stepping aside and waiting on the next car/log/etc to accommodate that request.

 

[tjmw2727]

CM will ask how many in the party at the loading zone prior to any corals- as you stated above you will say 4 and this is when the CM will evaluate the best seating for your party and ask the ages of the kids. You will always be in the same vehicle (except for Space when its 3 to a ship but you will be in the same connected ship of 6. You won't have a problem at space mountain but you could run into issues on two seat rides like BTMR, Splash or 7DMT and even Buzz or as well as some of the dark rides like Peter Pan or Haunted Mansion due to the actual ages of the kids.

 

[VillainFavs]

And nothing to do with ages and who's old enough or not. But you are going to have to think about rides where it's two people in a car and not connected to another car. Like Peter Pan, Haunted Mansion, Buzz, even Toy Story. I'm thinking Mermaid and Nemo are like this too. I'm sure there are others. In other words, not big cars with separate rows, but actual separate cars for each party. In some cases, you may be close enough to see or hear each other, but not be able to reach out to one another. Each one's a little different.

If you send your two oldest along on one of those rides, will they be okay if the ride stops unexpectedly? Because they do. They stop sometimes for loading/unloading of the handicapped cars. They stop for technical difficulties. Whatever. It can be for just a few seconds. It can be for much longer. Just be prepared and think ahead. This is a very real scenario and something you want to be ready for.

 

[tjmw2727]

Honestly, my oldest wouldn't want to ride alone every time, but he would likely be okay once in a while. I probably wouldn't put my youngest and oldest together on any type of dark ride. That would have to be the older two together. But on something like Splash Mountain I would let the youngest ride with the oldest in front of me or (obviously due to seating arrangement) Space Mountain - we have to sit alone on that one. How do the queues work? Do you line up in corrals for each row or do you walk up and tell them your party size? I.e - there are four of us, I want to be behind those two with this one beside me. I don't mind stepping aside and waiting on the next car/log/etc to accommodate that request.

Again - not to nit pick - but so your prepared - you won't be allowed to put your oldest and your youngest together in any scenario including splash mountain (or the other 2 seater mountains) as the oldest isn't 14 and the youngest isn't 7. So yes it would have to be the older two (if they allow it) in every situation where you can't ride/sit 4 in a row.