Won our trip - advice for our first trip with 4 under 4!!

[newtravelgirl]

I have read a lot of your tips and tricks, but still have a few questions for the Disney vets!! And I am sure more to come as the date approaches...

We have won an AMAZING trip for 6 for a week-long all expenses paid trip to DLR. It includes a week stay at PPH, 5 day park-hopper, a couple of character meals and spending money. Couldn't be more excited!!! This is where you are all going to go hmmmm....you are crazy lady. Our kids are only 3 1/2, 2, and twin 7 month olds. Yikes eh? The good news is that a set of grandparents have been included in the trip (since the twins are free for everything)!! Seems a little more doable now.

We have a small amusement park here that our kids love (even the babies!), and my oldest DD is obsessed with all things Princess. So, although it may be chaos at times, we are going to enjoy our lucky win!!

I think we will be there in lower season (arriving Sept 11th), but we still made our reservations for Character Dining. I also think my kids would love the Rainforest Cafe - would you recommend reservations? I realize we are a group of 8, but it's hard to pick a dinner time that none of my kids will be napping to make too many reservations. We want to just "wing it" according to their schedule.

After reading many posts about Fantasmic and World of Color, I would love for my whole family to see one of them. However, my children will not wait for one or two hours... is there any way my kids could see this with us? Tips, places to stand (without being in the way of others), where do we end up if we show up last minute (even with FPs?). My DH and I are planning a date night on the Friday or Saturday so we can see one of them and Fireworks - if all my crazy kidlets cooperate!

We will also be there for the opening weekend of Halloween time at DL. I know it will be busier that Friday and Saturday, but do you have any tips for things to see that small ones will enjoy (the older two do not typically scare easily)? Is CA decorated as well or mostly just DL?

Any other suggestions from parents who travelled with little ones would also be appreciated! I loved reading all your trip reports and tips so far!

Thanks for all your help! Can you tell I am excited - I used far too many exclamation points!
Carmen

 

[smiles33]

Congrats on the awesome prize package! I haven't been in DLR for years and we're going for the first time with our girls about the same time as you so I am not going to be the most helpful poster. Nonetheless, I thought I'd just chime in on a couple things based on my research here on the DISBoards.

1) Your 2 year old is also free. Disney only charges for 3 and up for tickets AND the sit-down meals. I know I told them when I made the lunch reservations for Ariel's Grotto (my DD5 loves princesses) that I also have a 2 year old so it's a res for 4. But they supposedly only charge for 3 year olds and up and bring a free meal for 2 year olds.

2) Are you going back to the hotel for the afternoon nap? Even if your kids can nap in strollers, I would recommend it. That's our plan (at least if the DDs will nap). We plan to go early, take a long break, and then head out again in the evening when locals go home. Since you're staying on-site, it makes it easier to go back and forth from hotel to DLR. Maybe 1 parent/grandparent can stay with those that take a regular afternoon nap and then the other adults can have fun on the big rides?

3) We plan to eat dinner off-site (since we're staying at HoJo) and get ethnic food and then head back to the park. If you don't have to eat at DLR, it may be much easier to get food at random times (depending on when your kids are awake/hungry) outside of DLR rather than hope for walk-in seating or stick to counter dining.

4) At this point, I'm not planning on WOC or Fantasmic just because my girls are usually in bed by 8:30. Still, you never know how vacation mode works!

Have fun and maybe we'll see you there. I'll have my 2 girls in a red Baby Jogger City Mini double stroller and DH will be in an ECV!

 

[StarTink]

Do you have just a standard room or do you get to choose any room you want? If you get to choose, see if they can put you in theme park view room. My understanding is you can tune into the music on the TV and watch WOC.

Now, it probably won't be as good as being there, but your kiddos may be able to see better from there than they would in the park.

I will be at PPH the same time as you. Maybe we will pass in the hall

 

[I❤MICKEY]

1) Your 2 year old is also free. Disney only charges for 3 and up for tickets AND the sit-down meals. I know I told them when I made the lunch reservations for Ariel's Grotto (my DD5 loves princesses) that I also have a 2 year old so it's a res for 4. But they supposedly only charge for 3 year olds and up and bring a free meal for 2 year olds.

I can confirm this is true - at least for Character Breakfasts. We didn't attempt any other sit down dining. When you make your reservations they will ask you the number of people. For fire code reasons they need to include all people. The denoted my children were under 2. When we checked in at the restaurant I told the hostess that we were 2 adults and 2 under 2.

As for traveling with little ones I would strongly recommend 2 double strollers. That way all 4 kids will be able to sit, rest their legs and even take naps. I invested in one for our visit. My youngest was only 6 months when we were there. He napped in the stroller. In the evenings we were able to watch WOC and Fantasmic while he slept. My older son stayed awake for WOC (and loved it) but fell asleep for Fantasmic in the stroller.

Have a great trip!

 

[MommyMissy]

I don't have any advice but we will also be there the same time as you! I have 3 4 and under, maybe we will run in to you!

 

[the donut]

Congratulations! What a great prize - you're going to have a blast! I don't think it's crazy at all to go with kids at those ages. They all will enjoy it immensely, even the 7 month old twins (at least mine enjoyed DL at 7 months). And at 2, both of my kids really learned a lot of new words and seemed super stimulated by going to DL. You are very smart to bring some extra adults to help with the kids.

Absolutely make a reservation for the Rainforest Cafe. In fact, even with a reservation, there may be a wait. At least you aren't going at the peak of the season. In general, I find restaurants at DL very understanding about reservation times, especially when you show up with a handful of kids like that. I've shown up 10-15 minutes early/late for reservation times, and they don't even bat an eyelash. It's so hard to predict how long a line is or how long it will take to get across the park. Just make the reservations and call to modify as needed.

My 2 year old loves: small world, buzz light year, the mark twain steamboat, the rail road, the astroorbiter rockets, autopia (which I find very smelly), and pretty much all of fantasyland (except for Mr. Toad) for the DL rides and the little mermaid, toy story mania, the carousel, and monsters in DCA.

Both parks will be decorated for Halloween.

Each park has a baby care station with kid sized potties and a diaper changing station. And I would consider Napa Rose for your date night, which also needs a reservation.

Fantasmic can be tough, but you could try the light tower trick. WOC is also tough as you pretty much need to be front row with the little ones for them to get a good view. If you don't mind not getting the full experience, some will just watch the show from around the back in from of the Toy Story ride. You miss all the projections, but there's still the music, light, and water to experience, and you can't definitely be right up against the railing even after it starts.

The kids also love the parade. The current version has no show stops, so we watched from the Main Street railroad station and got a great view from above. We walked up 10 minutes before the parade started and got a spot right against the railing, so that was perfect!

 

[cathicool]

congrats on wiining a great prize!




we are going to DL for the 1st time, too, so I don't have any advice for you. Sorry!

 

[Sherry E]

Only Disneyland is decorated in any real way for Halloween Time. California Adventure used to be decorated for the Halloween season, but all traces of Halloween were removed as of last year. No more Candy Corn Acres. No more candy corn CALIFORNIA letters in front of the park. No more monster/Halloween-themed music playing when you enter DCA.

With the exception of some Fall-colored flower beds here and there at DCA, HalloweenTime is pretty much only in Disneyland now. The 3 hotels have no traces of it anywhere, and there are no decorations in Downtown Disney, either, other than promotional signs that may say "Halloween Time at Disneyland Resort" or something like that.

There is a really cute Halloween character display along the tram path between the Mickey and Friends parking lot and Downtown Disney. But if you don't take the tram for any reason, you will totally miss it. It's a cute enough display to actually earn a place in one of the parks, but, alas, it sits outside of the parks, and is easily overlooked.

Even in Disneyland, the Halloween decor is not everywhere. There are only certain areas of the park that are Halloween-themed. You can walk for long stretches of time in Disneyland and not see anything Halloween-ish at all. Fantasyland will have the Villains photo spot. You will see many Halloween touches all along Main Street, with the giant Mickey pumpkin at one end and the Partners statue surrounded by pumpkins at the other end. In New Orleans Square, there is Haunted Mansion Holiday. In Frontierland, don't miss the Halloween Round-Up or the Dia de los Muertos display, as well as the Ray Bradbury Halloween tree. Tomorrowland will have Space Mountain Ghost Galaxy.

We have a whole Halloween at DLR Superthread here on the DIS (see Page 1, Posts #1 & #2 for a good overview) with lots of photos and information, and links to even more information, and you can learn much more about the seasonal offerings - from rides to decorations to treats and merchandise - in that thread.


Congratulations on winning the awesome trip! You will love the PPH!

 

[newtravelgirl]

Thanks everyone for the advice.

We have actually rented 2 double strollers that will be delivered to the hotel. We are just using a couple of umbrella ones in the airports (do no want to take our bulky ones and fear them getting wrecked in transit).

And we are also planning on naps/swimming in the afternoon to take a break from the parks. We will not be used to the heat - since it is already cooling off here for the fall.

I had a feeling that Fantasmic and WOC would be out, but wanted to hear from some other families who may know a spot to catch a bit of it (without waiting for too long with toddlers and infants).

And for everyone who is there at the same time, we will be the crazy Canadians pushing two double strollers (city minis as well)!!

 

[DisneyMomma81]

Yay for you! How fantastic! Will the grands have their own room *I sure hope so* even if it's not at the PP *off site can be closer as much cheaper.

 

[Eeee-va]

Congratulations! That's so exciting!

WOC is also tough as you pretty much need to be front row with the little ones for them to get a good view. If you don't mind not getting the full experience, some will just watch the show from around the back in from of the Toy Story ride. You miss all the projections, but there's still the music, light, and water to experience, and you can't definitely be right up against the railing even after it starts.

Assuming you don't get a park view room, then if the kids can stay up for it, I would try this. The fountains are really spectacular...you'll be missing a lot of the effects, but it should still be a pretty neat experience, with no wait. Of course, the kids might get bored, in which case you can go back to the room anyway! If you DO get a park view room I'd watch it from there, given the age of your kids.

I don't have kids --are fireworks something you'd be interested in seeing as a family, or would they be too much for the babies' ears? The best view is in front of the castle but that involves huge crowds and long waits. You can get a good "alternate" view at It's a Small World--it's no castle view, but it's still neat and you could get a place fairly close to showtime. That area is pretty close to the main launch area, though, so I'm not sure if that's OK for infants? Or you can see them from the esplanade between the parks...there wouldn't be music but they wouldn't be loud.

I think I've heard you can also watch Fantasmic! from the very edges, like near the Hungry Bear Restaurant in Critter Country? I think attempting to kind of see one nighttime show is probably enough for the kids though.

For your "date night", if you have the funds, I'd consider the Dessert Seating option for Fantasmic! (pricey but it seems really special; if you get the 9 PM option you can watch the fireworks from the seating area; not the best view, but hey, it's a seat!). Or you could get a fancy dinner in DCA with World of Color Preferred Dining tickets (not seating, but a special viewing area). I think the Fantasmic! seating is probably more special. But just by the numbers, the WoC Preferred Dining may be the better value--it costs less than the Fantasmic! option, you get a full meal with dessert, and frankly if you don't mind sitting on the ground you can have "seating" at the 10:30 Fantasmic! if you just wait an hour or less.

Have a wonderful trip!

 

[jacs1234]

My kids were 9, 7, 5 and 3 when we visited, we got out a blanket and waited for fantasmic but they ALL fell asleep before it started. If I were you I'd just walk around and have fun and then 10 minutes before it starts I'd go to the area in front of haunted mansion to watch. When we have been in December you can usually get a good spot. If the kids fall asleep, they fall asleep but either way, you get to watch.

Congrats on winning the prize. I'm glad you've organized a date night for the both of you. It will be nice to enjoy the park as adults.

 

[Dobie]

There is a great view of the fireworks from the pool deck of the PPH. You can grab chairs from around the pool areas, take them all the way to the north end of the deck (past the pool bar) and see all of the aerial fireworks. They pipe the music in, too!!!!