1st TIME TO DISNEY!!!

Aprilcalvin99

New Member
Help!!!! I'm very confused on so many things! 1st of all I'm planning to go as soon as the free dining comes out and in the dates in September! I will be taking a 7 Year old boy, three-year-old boy, and a 5 month old boy! So I am wondering how exactly I should be planning my trip! I want to do the character dining I will be there for 7 nights going to the park for 5 of the days! I was planning on doing the chef Mickey at 1 One of the days that I do not go to the parks! And was going to use the pool at the resort for the dais we don't go to the park I am planning to stay at the music resort! So which rides would be great for us all to ride together and in which parks would be the best? I would have the baby in a baby Carrier! Any and all tips are welcomed
 

eliza61nyc

Well-Known Member


Agreed.

First thing is to get a lay of the land. get the guide book and go through it. see what attractions you think you kids would like and then that will give you an idea of where you want to go and when.

I want to also stress taking some down days. with those ages I'd probably only do the parks 4 or 5 days max. WDW is a sensory overload the first time and littles one can easily find it overwhelming.

Make a list of questions you may have while reading the guide book and then come back here and post them. wide variety of folks here who are happy to tell you what worked and what did not work for them.
 
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CaptainAmerica

Premium Member
I want to also stress taking some down days. with those ages I'd probably only do the parks 4 or 5 days max. WDW is a sensory overload the first time and littles one can easily find it overwhelming.
I actually disagree with this one. Rather than super busy days with days off in between, I find it more relaxing to take every day at a moderate pace so it's less of a roller coaster. If I tried to do full days mixed in with days off, the full days would have my daughters exhausted and the days off would have them bored. We're in the parks every day but approach them at a reasonable pace, usually 9a to 1p and 4p to 8p with a nap in between and a reasonable bed time.
 
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Aprilcalvin99

New Member
Original Poster
Well what are y'alls thoughts about bringing the 5 month old baby but staying in a regular room... I'm so afraid the baby won't have peaceful sleep and we won't enjoy the whole trip because the baby will be up and waking everyone else up?? Is there anywhere in the room that baby could sleep away from us?? I cannot afford a bigger room. I'm barely going to afford this but I put it off with my older kids for years and never ended up going.... and free dining.... what's tips for getting best Character dining with my boys???
 
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DarthVader

Sith Lord
Consider the Ohana character meal as well
As for how much or how little you want to do. Your kids will dictate that, and I suspect that they may tire sooner then later so consider breaks during the afternoons where they can hang by the pool. Consider some fans that spray the kids as well, so they don't get overheated in the park

I would have the baby in a baby Carrier! Any and all tips are welcomed
Use a baby carriage and not a carrier that you have to lug around, that will get old really really fast.
 
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Aprilcalvin99

New Member
Original Poster
Consider the Ohana character meal as well
As for how much or how little you want to do. Your kids will dictate that, and I suspect that they may tire sooner then later so consider breaks during the afternoons where they can hang by the pool. Consider some fans that spray the kids as well, so they don't get overheated in the park


Use a baby carriage and not a carrier that you have to lug around, that will get old really really fast.
I'm so afraid of lugging the stroller... through the buses etc etc... but also the pools u mean back to resort right? Can you easily cover the park in a day?? Like we can freely just get there and go around and ride as we see .... or what? Like planning meals on dining plan???
 
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DarthVader

Sith Lord
You'll fold up the stroller when you get on the bus, and if possible, I'd look for those small light strollers that are easy to fold up. Disney has many places to park a stroller. With a carrier your options may be more limited. Plus it may be a royal pain to wait in line hold a carrier being crushed with people.

Can you easily cover the park in a day??
Yes and no, you can skip many rides, especially those that won't be good for small ones. I prefer the easy does it approach and schedule multiple days for Magic Kingdom. You certainly can cover Hollywood studios in a day, and probably Epcot because many of the features of epcot will not appeal to little ones.

I'm going in April and I have three days scheduled for Magic Kingdom, just because I don't want to rush through everyhting. Day three will certainly have a lot of repeats but it will be the last day of our vacation, so why not.
 
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Aprilcalvin99

New Member
Original Poster
You seem very interested in the free dining. Just realize that in the past it has only been available if you pay full rack rate on the room and tickets. You may have to pay for park hoppers even if you don't want them, in order to get free dining. You may find it cheaper to take the room discount and pay for dining out of pocket, but if you do a lot of character meals that is expensive. In some years, only certain resorts had the free dining.

I don't understand your questions on where the 5 month old would sleep, and about flying. If you want the older kids to not be sleeping in the same room as the baby, you would need either a suite (very expensive) or two separate rooms (connecting).

Depending on where you live, you may have to fly, or you may decide that the length of the drive would be too much for kids. When we had little ones, we flew with them, and brought strollers, bags, car seats, and way too much stuff on the plane. If you live within driving distance, it is easier to transport all the stuff in your car.
Like If there's a closet or even if that bathroom is possibly big enough for a pack n play??
 
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GVentola

Well-Known Member
Little boys love Buzz Lightyear's Space Ranger Spin in Magic Kingdom's Tomorrowland. They may want to go on it multiple times.

Make sure to take sunscreen, especially for the baby. You will likely be walking around in the sun a lot, and sunscreen is recommended even on cloudy days. I live in Orlando and am used to the sun, so in the past I haven't used sunscreen, but now I bring a tube along just in case, even in cooler weather.

I would suggest at that age sticking to counter service restaurants, unless your children are especially well behaved. Cosmic Ray's Starlight Cafe in Tomorrowland would be good for lunch or supper, and you and your boys can watch Sunny Eclipse, an audio-animatronic alien, perform songs while you eat.

These are just some random tips, as I don't have children and don't have to travel far to get to Disney. But I wanted to help!
 
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ELG13

Well-Known Member
We just got back from a similar trip...I had a 5 yo and a 2 yo. The good part about a long trip is you will not feel rushed to get everything done at once. We took a full day off in the middle and just played at the pool, playgrounds on property, got some naps in and just slowed down. The other days we did a moderate pace. Again, you have time so nothing crazy. Some of the rides you won't be able to do but that's ok bc they have the longer lines (thunder mountain, mine train etc). Our main rides are always little mermaid (we have yet to wait in line ), buzz, Winnie the Pooh, dumbo, pirates of the Caribbean, small world, Peter pan...I may forgetting some. Fast pass Peter pan, pirates (if you don't think it will be too scary...it is dark and a little loud at times), and Pooh or buzz...although both of those we still were able to get on in 20 minutes.
Get the Disney experience app!!! This is a must because it gives you wait times for rides, a great map and all kinds of stuff.
With littles I think a big part is not expecting too much. Don't push them too hard bc there is nothing worse than your kids being miserable and melting down and the whole trip comes to a halt. Don't make a ton or early morning ADRs....unless it's one you abs have to do. I've found, for us, it's just too stressful especially when you are relying on the resorts transportation. We had one and that was enough. Well rested kids are the key. Have one or two main things a day you want to do...a ride, a character meet, whatever, and then the rest that gets accomplished is a bonus.
Also...get a double stroller. For the baby and 3 yo. Trust me. There are off site places that rent real strollers, not the crappy hard plastic kind, but real ones that will drop off and pick up from your hotel. We got one for the 5 and 2 yo and it was the best money I spent. It makes it easier to get places, and it is a ton of walking. I logged 30-40,000 steps a day...fourty thousand! Those little feet can't keep up with that. It was great for quick naps and it came with a rain cover so they stayed dry when the showers hit ( which is very likely here in September). Folding it up was easy...one handed...and the busses are made for people to have them. You will see them all over.
As far as the room...there is a curtain that separates the sink from the room where the closet also is. A pack n play would fit there but the noise with not be blocked. If that's super important there are lots of off property hotels that you can find that offer suites for around $80...but it may require you to drive to the park, pay to park, resort fees etc...so I would say that depended on how important the baby being separate would be.
I know how stressful the first trip can be...feel free to message me if you have any questions!!
 
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ELG13

Well-Known Member
Oh...and the DDP. In order to get it you will have to get a minimum 2 day park hopper. I know it seems appealing...and we have done it in the past bc it's nice having it all "paid for" when you go. However, pricing it out you probably won't get your monies worth. And staying at a value resort, you will only get the quick service plan so no table service restaurants are covered unless you pay to upgrade the plan.
Again if you need help feel free to message. I love helping people plan their trips especially with little ones. I had to learn by doing and scouring websites and reading blogs. It gets overwhelming very fast!!
 
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Aprilcalvin99

New Member
Original Poster
Oh...and the DDP. In order to get it you will have to get a minimum 2 day park hopper. I know it seems appealing...and we have done it in the past bc it's nice having it all "paid for" when you go. However, pricing it out you probably won't get your monies worth. And staying at a value resort, you will only get the quick service plan so no table service restaurants are covered unless you pay to upgrade the plan.
Again if you need help feel free to message. I love helping people plan their trips especially with little ones. I had to learn by doing and scouring websites and reading blogs. It gets overwhelming very fast!!
This is all so helpful thank you!!!
 
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ELG13

Well-Known Member
You'll fold up the stroller when you get on the bus, and if possible, I'd look for those small light strollers that are easy to fold up. Disney has many places to park a stroller. With a carrier your options may be more limited. Plus it may be a royal pain to wait in line hold a carrier being crushed with people.


Yes and no, you can skip many rides, especially those that won't be good for small ones. I prefer the easy does it approach and schedule multiple days for Magic Kingdom. You certainly can cover Hollywood studios in a day, and probably Epcot because many of the features of epcot will not appeal to little ones.

I'm going in April and I have three days scheduled for Magic Kingdom, just because I don't want to rush through everyhting. Day three will certainly have a lot of repeats but it will be the last day of our vacation, so why not.
We did 3 days at MK and one day at AK with a down day in the middle. We didn't do Epcot or HS at all at our week trip. I know...gasp. but we really liked 3 days at MK! Lots of repeats like you said it was fine. Plus we really wanted to end our trip there. The kids loved it...they noticed something new every time. We road buzz and little mermaid a ton!!! My mom was a little bored towards the end lol!!
I would bring the carrier for while you are in line maybe??? Unless you are comfortable holding the lo while in line? I'm not sure about that part...if it's an easy on off, in out carrier I would probably bring it. You can shove it under the stroller when you aren't using it. Stroller parking is all over and there are cast members that monitor them mostly. I would always keep the rain cover on if there is even a slight chance of rain. It's so annoying walking out of a ride to a down pour and a soaking wet stroller seat!!
 
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Aprilcalvin99

New Member
Original Poster
Was it
We did 3 days at MK and one day at AK with a down day in the middle. We didn't do Epcot or HS at all at our week trip. I know...gasp. but we really liked 3 days at MK! Lots of repeats like you said it was fine. Plus we really wanted to end our trip there. The kids loved it...they noticed something new every time. We road buzz and little mermaid a ton!!! My mom was a little bored towards the end lol!!
I would bring the carrier for while you are in line maybe??? Unless you are comfortable holding the lo while in line? I'm not sure about that part...if it's an easy on off, in out carrier I would probably bring it. You can shove it under the stroller when you aren't using it. Stroller parking is all over and there are cast members that monitor them mostly. I would always keep the rain cover on if there is even a slight chance of rain. It's so annoying walking out of a ride to a down pour and a soaking wet stroller seat!!
Was it your first trip to disney??? I've considered not doing epcot and hs.... and people are like well you should go there!!! My kids are 3 and 7... boys, so I figured with hopper I can go check it out and leave?? Thinking of doing the park hopper plus pass so when the parks done or we want a break we go to water park
 
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ELG13

Well-Known Member
Was it

Was it your first trip to disney??? I've considered not doing epcot and hs.... and people are like well you should go there!!! My kids are 3 and 7... boys, so I figured with hopper I can go check it out and leave?? Thinking of doing the park hopper plus pass so when the parks done or we want a break we go to water park
It was not our first trip however...we are yet to bring our kids to either. We are doing Hollywood studios when we go in September just because of toy story land. I've also never used park hoppers simply because with little ones and strollers and naps it was just too much work to go from one park to another though I do know people who have.
Just my personal thought, but i would be cautious at adding park hoppers for the water parks and planning on hopping from one park to another. Especially with your first trip with 3 little ones and you being on your own (unless you mentioned another adult going with you that I missed) you don't want to load your plate up too much. The more you add to you plate the more feel like you need to do to get your monies worth and that, in the end, can make you stress about getting everything done and force things that you would really rather not do ( like going to a water park when you would rather sit by the pool but you paid extra for the water park so you have to use it). We say we want to go to a water park every time we go but have never found the time. The pool at the resort has been plenty for our kids. Unless you pick a day to do the waterpark specifically I wouldn't upgrade the pass and I would seriously consider not getting a park hopper (I'm sure there will be plenty of people who think I'm crazy, but that's just me and thinking of how hard it would be to get the kids to leave one and go to another). Our AK day we were looking for stuff to do by 230. The only reason we stayed is bc we had an ADR at 445 at yak and yeti and didn't have time to get anywhere. We walked around and looked at the animals again, saw an awesome African dance show and then had dinner. If we had a park hopper we could have left and gone to another park I guess but it would have been for maybe 30 minutes bc by the time we got out of one park, loaded up, got to another park it would be almost time to leave again.
I really think the reason our last trip that we took for a week went so smooth was bc we didn't have much planned. We had a dinner every night but I tried to get them later (7-745...their bedtime is normally 730) so we could do the parks and just did snacks to hold the kids over. We didn't have any crazy plans to be at the park for rope drops etc. With the kids up later I wanted them to sleep in the mornings and wake up rested. My biggest focus was the kids. I wanted them to have fun, I wanted to make good memories, I wanted to avoid melt downs so for us...well rested kids was inportant. Every day we had a main goal...one day it was our daughter had pirates league mermaid make over at 200 so we just needed to be there on time and we scheduled our fast passes around that. Another day we decided we wanted to do jungle cruise (another fun ride for the lo's) and since we couldn't get FP for it we knew we would have to wait in line.
We did Mk, Mk, ak, day off, MK. We felt loke we got to do everything we wanted without feeling the least bit rushed. We didn't feel like we missed anything. If this is your big trip and you think it may be your only trip to WDW, I would look at every park and see what you absolutely have to do. That's what we did and that's why we didn't go to HS or EPCOT. And that's why we had 3 days at MK...it's the place that has the most rides for the littles and really the one we enjoy the most. Some people thought we were crazy but I'm so glad we did. Watching the kids go through the rides and really enjoy them and see them understand the story was worth it. It took our 2 yo a little time to adjust to the rides since he's never been so getting to do little mermaid 20 times allowed him to not be scared and really have fun. Same with buzz and pirates. Take your time planning, figure what's important and set your priorities and plan your day around your "must do". All the extra stuff adds money you have to pay...would you rather have the park hopper plus or would you rather have that extra money in your pocket for souvenirs, snacks, the arcade at the hotel etc. When we go down we like to have plenty of extra money just in case and so if the kids fall in love with a plush that's $45 we can say yes without thinking twice. Don't get me wrong we say no plenty but it's nice to be able to say yes without worrying about the budget. The pirates league is always a must do for our daughter...but they also do pirate makeover for boys and maybe even a zombie pirate. You might want to look in to it...it's a blast for the kids!!! So again...that's a priority that we would rather spend money on.
Character dining is a great way to meet characters but can also be pricey. Are there any ones the kids just have to meet? That could be a good starting point...trying to get ADRs for that meal.
Have you booked your room or made any reservations yet? I would be happy to help you. Again...I love helping people plan their trips. It's like I get to go lol!!
 
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