Tips for 3 year old niece

[Disneybabe]

My family and I have been to Disney many times and are going this month w/ free dining again. I am taking my 3 yr old niece with us, for her first trip to Disney. I am very excited! I'm a Disney vet but I have two teenage boys, so what kind of special "girl' things should I be sure not to miss? Already have a princess dinner scheduled and plan to see Cinderellabration. Any tips? Thanks.

 

[44disney]

When my daughter was 3, she loved several of the Fantasyland rides, particularly Snow White and Small World. Be prepared to reride these several times! Pooh was also a big hit. At Epcot she LOVED the boat ride in Mexico, and we did that several times, too (at least there's never a line for this one!). We also did a character meal at Chef Mickey's, and she loved meeting Minnie so much that she dressed as her (in the costume she wore at Chef Mickey's, thanks to my creative mother-in-law) for Halloween.

She was also able to handle most of the other rides that she was tall enough to go on, but the ones I mentioned are the ones that she kept talking about long after the trip.

 

[MermaidMommy]

You'll have a great time with her, because everything's still so magical at that age! What not to miss for a 3 year old girl -- in a word, princesses! Definitely book a character meal, either at Cinderella's castle or at Akershus in Epcot, and be sure to let her dress up for the meal too, because a lot of girls wear their princess dresses. We usually change into the dress there, depending on what time our seating is, but sometimes DD likes to walk around in the costume afterwards, and she loves all the attention she gets!

At the Magic Kingdom, have her sit towards the front of the storytime that Belle does and she might get picked to participate in reenacting the story.

If you're the first person to ask, you can "wake up Tink" at Tinkerbell's Treasures shop in Fantasyland. You get to use a wand to tap on Tink's box, and pixie dust lights up around the store as she "flies" off. Be warned, though, that you don't actually see Tink, and that this is hard to get to do -- you pretty much have to be the first person in the door in the morning. However, you can see Tink's light inside a keyhole in the dresser any time-- I'm sure they'll direct you to it if you ask.

Toontown has princesses that you can meet in the Judges' Tent, too.

Also, think about the Bibbity Bobbity Boutique in the World of Disney Store at Downtown Disney. They'll fix her hair and makeup to look like a princess.

Have fun!

 

[StephMK]

I second the Belle's storytime!! It was a nice break to sit & the kids looked so cute up on stage. My son was picked to be Gaston & got complete stage freeze. The girls got to meet her after the show & really enjoyed it. It's a little less hectic than some of the entertainment and more relaxing.

 

[Disneybabe]

These tips are great, thanks! Can anyone elaborate on the storytime with Belle? Where and when in MK does this take place? I think my niece would love this.

 

[MermaidMommy]

The Times Guide will have the times that Belle is doing the story, but it's offered a number of times throughout the day. It's in a small sunken garden called the Fairy Tale Garden, kind of like a small ampitheater with stone seating. It's behind the castle, towards the right, I think, before you get to Cosmic Ray's. I'm terrible at directions, so hopefully someone else can help you out!

Basically, Belle acts out an abbreviated story of Beauty and the Beast, and the kids have different parts. DD was Lumiere twice (on two different trips -- go figure!) and loved it. But the theater is small, so depending on when you go, you need to get there a little early. BTW, the first time we went to see it, my daughter wasn't picked, so after the performance, I went up to a Cast Member and just nicely asked her where the best place was to sit in hopes of getting picked. Well, surprise, she told me to come find her at the next show and she would make sure that DD got picked -- and she did. It was great!

 

[Disneybabe]

Sounds great! We will definately add this to our must do list. Thanks.