We're taking a kid with us - HELP!

[TonyS20]

My DH and I are do not have any children; however, he has invited his DB, the DB's GF and their DD6 with us during our trip. They have never been to the World before. We have been several times, but never with children.

What attractions do you consider to be "do not miss" in each of the theme parks? They will be there 5 days and will have 4 day hoppers. I plan on spending a full day in MK, full day in Epcot, full day at MGM, and most of the day at AK with a quick trip to MK to catch anything we missed. What things would she be the most interested in? Besides taking a break every afternoon, any advice?

 

[polkadotminnie]

My DD7 loves at MK: Splash Mtn, Buzz Lightyear, Aladdin's Carpet Ride. At AKL: Kilimanjaro Safari, Triceratops Spin. MGM:Voyage of the Little Mermaid. EPCOT: Fast Track. Have fun!

 

[Eljay]

http://wdwig.com/tours.htm
Check out this link for info on a tour called "Welcome to the Magic Kingdom". I swear that I am going to do this the next time I take first timers. It's a 90 minute orientation tour that seems like such a good idea to dispell the overwheming first impression of the MK. It's only $20 over your ticket price and for kids under 10 the tour is free. They orient you to the lands & answer questions.
You can get more info @ 407-WDW-TOURS.

Another thing the child might like is an autograph book for character signatures. They have kids activities in each country in Epcot. Mask making & "passport" stamping. A character meal might be fun. Little girls love the Princess Storybook Breakfast in Norway at Epcot. Usually 5 Disney heroines circulate among the tables for a chat, pics & autographs. The food is good also. PS are hard to get, if you decide to do a character meal, plan & call way in advance.
http://wdwig.com/cb.htm Here is a link for Character Meal info.

 

[gshoemate]

My first question would be how daring is the 6 year old? I know my 5 year old DD does not do the big rides. Here would be my list.

MK - Splash Mountain, Dumbo, Aladdin, Minnie and Mickey's house's, Mickey's Philharmagic, Winnie the Pooh ride, Country Bears, Belle's Storytime and of course meeting the character. I'm sure I missed a bunch of stuff here.

AK - The Festival of the Lion King is a must see, Tarzan, the small dinasour ride (in Dinoland), Pochahontis, Kali Rapids, safari. the Boneyard and the parade. If she doesn't mind loud noises, you could try Tough to Be a Bug, and of course meeting the characters. I have found that the lines here tend to be shorter for the characters then at MK.

MGM - Beauty and the Beast show, Indiana Jones, Little Mermaid, Playhouse Disney if she is still into these characters and the parade.

Epcot - not to sure about this one, we haven't spent a lot of time here. If she likes the rides, I would give Test Track a spin, Worldshowcase, the Living Seas, thats all I can think of for Epcot.

 

[swilphil]

Each park has a playground area. The Honey I Shrunk the Audience playground at MGM was my son's favorite. Also at MGM, he liked the shows--Muppets, Beauty and Beast, Little Mermaid, and Disney Playhouse (she may feel too old for that one). The Kidcot stations at Epcot's World Showcase are really fun and just walking around WS is a nice change of pace from the other parks.

You can do AK in 1/2 day with most young kids, and you might want more time at MK, especially Fantasyland. I would recommend going to the parks early, especially MK. You could do some character meals, too. There are some princess meals if she is into that. I also would be open to the idea of renting a stroller at some point. A 6 yo is normally too old for a stroller, but not at Disney World!

 

[TonyS20]

WOW! You guys have offered a lot of great advice!

gshoemate - She is typically a dare-devil, so I'm assuming that she will probably be that way at WDW. I want to educate her parent's on what to expect and plan on giving them my guide for them to read. I also have video from our last trip that I plan on showing all of them so she will be prepared.

Eljay - I will check into the tour. I don't know if that will fit into their budget since it will be pretty tight, but I'll look into it and let them know about it.

Thanks to all of you for your lists of rides/attractions! I have started a separate spreadsheet listing all of these things that I think my DN would be interested in.

Any other things that I need to make sure she sees?

 

[dawgsgirl]

Just back last week with my 7 year old cousin. She is a bit immature for her age. For MK--all of Fantasyland, Splash Mountain, all of Toontown, and Buzz. And lots and lots of character autographs and pictures. At AK--Planet Watch,Primeval Whirl, Boneyard, and Lion King. At MGM--Ariel, Playhouse Disney, Honey I Shrunk the Kids Playground, and Lots and lots of character autogtaphs and pictures. EPCOT--Passport and masks at Kidcot stations in World Showcase. And don't forget the shopping! By midweek we were renting a stroller and it worked out wonderfully. Plan on doing this! Also, I ordered glow bracelets from somewhere on the internet. A tube of 50 for like $13.00. I took a few of these with me each day and they really helped on the dark rides and in the shows. Have fun!!

 

[jaysue]

Make sure you check height restrictions ahead of time in case she is close to any limits - there are 44". 48" and 52" (I assume the 40" level is probably not an issue) restrictions on certain rides - RNR Coaster, Space Mtn, Primeval Whirl and Tomorrowland Speedway come to mind off the top

Thanks
jaysue

 

[CourtasanSatine]

don;t forget the shows in World Showcase,espeically Off Kilter,the comedy troupe in UK and the various dance groups.

There's also comedy in Wonders of Life

 

[Eljay]

I second the vote for Off Kilter, a Celtic Rock band in the Canadian Pavilion in Epcot. They will entertain the whole family with excellent unique music, comedy & great legs (they wear kilts!). Check the Epcot entertainment schedule for set times, usually 4 shows most afternoons for 20 - 30 minutes. A must do!
Another great show is British Invasion, Beatle look & sound-alikes in the Great Britian Pavilion. The Canadian & British pavilions are right next to each other & usually the minute Off Kilter finishes a set, British Invasion starts theirs just a few steps away. Also, if your little one likes the Pooh Gang or Mary Poppins, they are often found in the very back of the pavilion, in either the store or outside meeting & greeting.
BTW, both bands will also chat & sign autographs, take pics after their shows.

 

[Eljay]

I just read another thread with an amazing idea for your little one. Check this out!
http://disboards.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=445488