WDW First Timer! Am I All Set!!!

[tandrjohn]

Myself, DW and 2 DD's (5yo and 8mo) are going to WDW for the first time ever on 10/02 until 10/09. I have been planning this trip for months and I think I have covered most of the bases.

Here is what I have done:

1) Airline reservations made. Seat assignments made.
2) Minivan rental reservation made and verified.
3) Staying off-site with relatives.
4) Park Hopper tickets bought.
5) Cell phones changed to Nation-Wide plan.
6) MNSSHP tickets bought for 10/03
7) All PS's made. Including Cindy's Royal Table on 10/03 and LTT at 5:50pm on 10/03.

The overall (subject to change) itinerary is 3 days at MK, one day at AK, one day at Universal IOA, and one day at Sea World. The trip is for everybody but I'm planning it around my 5yo daughter.

Any additional suggestions or advise would be appreciated!!!

 

[travelin' tigger]

Sounds like you've got all the bases covered!!!

My only suggestion is since you have parkhoppers, break up you 3 days at MK to include Epcot and MGM. Maybe MK in the morning one day, then a break and Epcot late aft/eve. to walk around and catch Illuminations (not to be missed!!!). Or hit MGM to see the Playhouse or the Little Mermaid (I don't have kids so excuse my lack of knowledge), then back to MK later for the parades and Wishes.

Enjoy your trip to WDW - it'll be magical!!!!

 

[KMH1]

It sounds like you have a great plan!

Make sure you pack back up memory cards and tape for the digital camera and camcorder.

There's some great advice on the family board regarding taking babies to WDW (the baby stations, etc.)

Remember October can be warm, so make sure your Halloween costumes for MNNSHP give you room to breathe!

It might be nice to make your daughter a homemade autograph book. Go to a craft store and buy a cardstock memory book and fill it up with stickers of the Disney characters. (There are characters at IOA too.) Also, don't forget to buy a "fat" pen, because it's easier for the characters to grasp.

Have fun!

 

[bubba's mom]

tandrjohn-- make sure you bring snacks and "line stuff"...our son is 5 1/2yo and we are bringing entertainment for standing in line! snacks are a must and ziploc bags.....always carry 'em. never know what you'll use 'em for. (put a handtowel in one and dry off after getting wet!)
have fun!!

 

[CrazedDisFan]

I can not stress this enough.... PURELL PURELL PURELL. It is really a necessity to help the kids from getting sick. All the germs on the ride waiting line handrails. The kids can't keep their hands of of them. A little drop every so often sure helps.

Also, do take advantage of the baby stations. There is one in AK that is FABULOUS. It is really cool (air temp wise) in there. There are sinks and a potty for your other daughter, as well as rocking chairs and changing tables for the baby. There is a shady spot in front which would afford you the opportunity for a great resting place to catch the FANTASTIC parade at AK.

DO NOT MISS Mickey's Philharmagic. It is so neat and the kids just LOVE it. A great place to take a break and have a nice time.

 

[ErinInCT]

I think 3 days at MK is a bit much. Crowds should be low that time of year so 2 days is plenty (imho). I definately think you need to do Fantasmic, maybe just for an afternoon/evening. Your dd wuold probalby love Little Mermaid, Beauty & The Beast, Playhouse Disney & Muppets. You can plan them for the afternoon and then watch Fantasmic at night. Maybe even split that day with AK as there is not that much to do for a full day at AK.
If she is in to arts & crafts she may actually like EPCOT Each country in WS has a kidscot station where she can decorate a mask. She may also like some things in FW like Living Seas, Imagination and TT. Just a thought!
I also recommend pin trading as she is the perfect age for it! Maybe get some pins before you go so you don't spend a small fortune at the park. You can get a cheap Lanyard (actually more of a name badge necklace thing) at any office supply store like Staples or Office Max.
Congrats on the ps at CRT - she'll love it!
Enjoy your trip!

 

[RyMickey]

Just a suggestion - take it with a grain of salt if you like.

To me, IOA is a thrill park. While it's true they have a wonderful Dr. Suess section, much of the rest of the park is high on thrills (meaning many of these rides have a height restriction).

You may want to consider holding off on IOA for a future trip. Sea World, however, will have your DD enthralled. Enjoy!

RyMickey

 

[kaylajr]

Just wanted to say HI
and your plan sounds good but i have to agree with the posters above 3 days at MK sounds like too much
my DD's were 4 & 6 the first time they went and THEY LOVED Epcot and doing kidcot
i would defineatly make time for that and honey i shrunk the kids in MGM was a big hit with the kids too.

also go to your local home depot and in the paint section get some lime green mickey head samples
display them somewhere visable
that is how we at DIS identify each other inthe parks and alot of us will be there the same dates you are then we can say HI

i actually have a CRT PS on 10/3 also
maybe we will see you there

 

[jann1033]

i agree about going to at least mgm also, lots of the shows, and most attractions are suitable for little ones.

epcot has kidcot now at ws ( or what ever it's called) and i saw lots of preschoolers having fun with the masks, and other things ( didn't really pay all that much attention to what they were actually doing and it is new since my kids were that age) and really is a wonderful place. some of the movies might be a little over the 5 yr old's attention but many attractions are not and some ( like the beautiful france movie) might be a good place for her to nap while you enjoy it ( comfy seats) provided the 8 month old would be ok. maybe go in the evening a few nights and see illuminations also! imo more little kid friendly than fantasmic. ( fireworks, special effects but no scary witches or dragons)

 

[chyam]

I have to agree with the other posters and since you have the PH you don't really have to stick to your plan entirely. 3 days MK plus the Halloween party maybe a little much even with small children. Also that time of the year it is not overly crowded and you may do more than you think you can. I would do MK then try a different park, then the Halloween party and perhaps MGM for the cute shows they have for children. You may find that you can do AK in the morning and then hit EPCOT for the later half of the day. That would still leave you one day on your tickets to go back to a park of your choice. Sea World is a good choice, but I am not to sure about IOA unless you want to go with the adults. They do have a small section for small children like yours but most of it is thrill rides and you may disappoint your child because they are not tall enough to go on those rides, and if she is one of you would probably have to stay behind to watch the baby. To me it seems like alot of money to spend just for the Dr. Suess section.But my best advice is ....just enjoy the days and savor the moments, Oct. is a good month crowd wise and you will not have to attack it commando style. Get an early start to the day.

 

[frannn]

I would do so, either online or at the stores. T shirts are on sale now, and will be much more expensive there. I believe beach towels and bathing suits are still available online at a discount. I would pick up some things at home to keep the kids occupied on the plane and in the room at night, like coloring & sticker books. Brita water bottles are fantastic, because they mask the taste on the FL water, and buying beverages in the parks can cost 2-2.50 each. It is always good to have some snacks in case your children get hungry between mealtimes. This way you can save time (don't have to wait on line for a mickey bar), and money. Have you gotten the free planning video Disney? I would get that and try to determine which things your DDs might enjoy (we already know Fantasyland is #1 in MK!). If you already have or were planning to buy your DDs princess halloween costumes (or any other Disney costumes), they may wish to wear them to CRT and/or LTT. Lots of princesses get dressed up for this meal (not all of them do, so they won't feel out of place if they don't), and it makes for great pictures! I would agree with the other posters and encourage you to try to fit MGM into your plans. Playhouse Disney is great (if you have the Disney Channel at home, there are shows which are reflected at Playhouse Disney in MGM-Bear, Stanley, Rolie Polie Olie), and Fantasmic is the nighttime show, which is a must-see. Your DDs may be afraid of certain parts, but a lot of kids don't have a problem. Looks like your CRT ressie is on an EMH day-did you plan that on purpose? You will be able to get a lot of Fantasyland done either right before or right after breakfast, depending on what time it is. Great job planning!

 

[tandrjohn]

Thank you for the advise everybody - you are great!!!

From what most are saying, I think we will take one of the MK days and do MGM instead. I'll have to read up on it since we weren't planning on going! We will maybe do Epcot too after our 1/2 day in AK.

I will pick up some PURELL for the germs and I'll remember some snacks for the lines!

I already bought the Universal tickets but I will look again at IOA vs Universal to see what DD would like.

DD already has the Cinderalla dress (the whole works) ready for CRT. She will be changing into a power ranger outfit for the MNSSHP later in the day.

"Looks like your CRT ressie is on an EMH day-did you plan that on purpose? You will be able to get a lot of Fantasyland done either right before or right after breakfast, depending on what time it is."---I have to admit I have no idea what EMH is but I'll look into it. CRT resy is for 8:15am.

I secretly bought everybody a disney nametag and an autograph book and pen for DD (from gifts of a lifetime).

Thanks again everybody!!!

 

[jennymouse]

Originally posted by tandrjohn
---I have to admit I have no idea what EMH is but I'll look into it. CRT resy is for 8:15am.

EMH is Extra Magic Hour for guests staying on property. They get to get into the park 1 hour before guests who are staying off property. Magic Kingdom is usually very busy on on those days because most/lots of WDW resorts guests are there to take advantage of it, then all the regular guests come and can make for quite a busy park. Granted, the time of year you are going isn't a busy time, but Magic Kingdom will be hoppin' on EMH day. Usually, it's advised that if you're not staying on property that you avoid MK on EMH days. You might want to consider, or play it by ear, hopping over to MGM after your breakfast at the castle. Just keep that in mind.

 

[jennymouse]

I just remembered something else. If you have a Dollar Tree where you live, go get some rain ponchos to take with you. They're 2 for $1 at Dollar Tree and they're I think like $8-$12 in the parks. Another fun thing to do is get some glow sticks to take to the parks at night. I bought some off ebay before I went, but you can get them at party stores, etc. too.

 

[heart4dis]

...remember to re-verify all reservations a month before you leave. We verified our minivan reservations twice, including a week before the trip only to find when we arrived that they weren't there (?!). Luckily, it was off-season and was no problem getting one.

...Do MGM. A five-year old will LOVE the Muppet 3-D show, the Honey I Shrunk the Kids playground, Playhouse Disney and other attractions there.

...I agree that IOA is a thrill park. Seuss Land is great and the water rides are OK, but many rides were too much for my kids and they are older than 5. Universal was great for younger kids with a Jimmy Neutron ride, Shrek and the kiddie playground (and a Barney show if you can stand it).

...You will experience low crowds and won't need a strict touring plan for early in your trip. As you get closer to Christmas, the crowds will grow, so leave those days for strolling, doing shows/parades or going back to your favorite rides.

...I don't know what others mean by 3 days at MK being too much. I can't imagine it ever being too much. Especially since your 5-year old will need rest time, so you can't exactly go from open to close! I personally think I could live at MK and not grow weary of it.

Go with an open heart; be flexible; watch for unexpected magic and enjoy every moment!