First Timer with 9 year olds

[NCROLFE]

Hi there.
So I am 45 and this will be my first time to DW. Some of you will think I am crazy for not posting sooner, as we are leaving next Thursday, Feb 16, 2017. I am going with my 9 year old daughter, my good friend and her 9 year old son. We bought the 4 pass (and day at each park) and since we only have 3 real days we are skipping Epcot. Some may scoff at this, but it's done. We will be in the parks Friday: Hollywood Studios, Sat: Magic Kingdom, Sun: Animal Kingdom

I've booked our Fastpass for all three days and just wondering some basic things:

Is it feasible to pack your lunch? Are there lockers? I like REAL food and am worried about eating so many meals there, not to mention the cost.
Any recommendations of what not to miss?
I used the Touring Plan Tool to plan our days. Does anyone know if the plans they provide using the 'optimize' button are realistic? Are the wait times on the optimized Touring Plan legit?
Is February a very busy time? We will be there on weekend days..
Suggestions of what to bring/pack for the kids? I bought lanyards for pins, light up spinney toys, finger lights... Anything I can buy ahead of time to save $$?

Thanks for your help. I appreciate the enthusiasm of so many people on here.

 

[DiSnEyF@n]

Your trip sounds amazing!!! You will absolutely love all those parks (Epcot is my favorite, but I digress). Some rides that are usually overlooked in my opinion are:
People Mover in Tommorowland in MK
Mickey's Philarmagic in Fantasy Land in MK
Taking the train around the MK park
The Great Movie Ride in HS
If you are interested in buying stuff/food ahead of time, I recommend looking into Garden Grocer for snacks/drinks/bottled water etc. You can get free water at any QS restaurant too, FYI.
Don't miss Wishes Nighttime Spectacular at MK.

You can bring in any food and drink into the park in a soft cooler (I'm not sure of the maximum dimensions). I know the feeling about wanting real food. Most of the QS restaurants offer a healthy meal or two. Also note that you can purchase kids meals for not just the kids, but yourself, too. It will save you money, especially if you're not starving. I LOVE the salad option in the ABC Commissary in HS. It's yummy. It's like an Asian salad (get it with chicken on it and you won't regret it and you also won't be hungry after eating it).

We went last February and the crowds were manageable. You will be fine. Just get there early (at least 15-20) before opening time and you can probably bang out most of the rides in Fantasy Land.

Sorry, I don't know anything about the touring plans. My only advice with that is don't get mad/upset if you can't follow the plans completely. Sometimes things just don't go as planned. Be prepared for things to pop up and plan to just go with the flow. You will be surprised at how much you will be able to do in those 3-4 days!

I can't think of anything else, but it sounds like you've thought of almost everything though... True Disney planner! Ha
Enjoy your trip!!!

 

[DiSnEyF@n]

I just realized that you have a car rental.. Instead of looking into Garden Grocer, just stop at the local food store or Walmart and pick up your favorite must haves... Bottled water is a must and we usually buy 2 cases of it for a week long trip.

 

[Patcheslee]

I've been wondering about touringplans accuracy also because we haven't been either. I do know they have an predicted vs actually wait on their site. The times I've looked at it they have been fairly accurate.

 

[Figgy1]

I'd say for the most part for a first timer TPs are the way to go with the exception of signing up for Jedi training which has to be done at rope drop and you have to be at the gate at least 30 minutes prior to park opening! Have a magical first trip EDIT yes there are lockers you can put lunch in. but what you may not realize is there is plenty of real food even at quick serve locations. Pleas take a minute to check out the menus, you'd be surprised at the options.

 

[BackOTheLine]

I'd say for the most part for a first timer TPs are the way to go with the exception of signing up for Jedi training which has to be done at rope drop and you have to be at the gate at least 30 minutes prior to park opening! Have a magical first trip EDIT yes there are lockers you can put lunch in. but what you may not realize is there is plenty of real food even at quick serve locations. Pleas take a minute to check out the menus, you'd be surprised at the options.

As a family who loves to eat as much as ride in the parks I would second this. Honestly, we don't eat at many quick service locations anymore. We've found that for lunch in the parks - having a reservation and taking a few extra minutes to sit down for lunch is well worth the break and the food quality. Besides, there are some really unique dining experiences that you can have in the parks. That being said, @figmentfan423 is right about checking out some menus online before you go. Lots of WDW food is well beyond what you may have come to expect from other amusement parks. Especially in Animal Kingdom. You could still find yourself staring at a menu full of overpriced burgers and fries but if you have the chance to do a little menu research it can be avoided.

Although you said it's off the table at this point - don't forget you have the ability to eat all around the World Showcase in the back of Epcot. It's just a short boat ride away from Hollywood Studios... just saying

Laying in my bed at Animal Kindgom Lodge right now - and my stomach just growled.

Enjoy your trip and happy eating!

Ohh - also check out this sites food pics of the day if you're so inclined!

 

[tractor tipper]

Parks will be busy Sat and Sun, President's day weekend. Mid day break probably would be a good idea. Go early when things get crowded take break then come back (if fastpasses will permit). Check out Tom Sawyer's Island. You won't see it all but don't worry have fun.

 

[TiggerDad]

Download the MDE app to your phone so you can track wait times, add fastpasses after you have done the first three, and use the map to find your way around. Bring portable chargers for your phone so you don't have to plug in to a wall.

Hopefully you realize that there is no way to do it all, even at a park like HS that is half-closed for construction, and you have prioritized what are the most important things to do. That may be different for your DD and your friend's DS, so don't be afraid to split up for a while and meet later. Accept that you can't do it all, and take time to enjoy what you can do. The way your child reacts will be priceless.

Make sure to get First Timer buttons. They are free, and I think you can get them at Guest Services on your left when you enter HS. They may be at other stores too.

 

[carriebeth]

You can bring your own food if you want. Instead of getting a locker maybe it would be a good idea to get a comfortable backpack or two to wear all day to carry your food etc in. It is much less of a hassle to purchase food at the park. They do have a lot of food at the walk up counter service locations...it is not all hot dogs or burgers In fact, you can get rib dinners and roasted chicken dinners etc. The key is looking over all food locations and menus before you go so you know exactly what is available and where.

I would recommend staying until each park closes and making sure you do the night shows like Fantasmic at Hollywood.

I use Touring Plans every year and find the wait times to be very accurate. Usually if they are off at all we wait less than what they said, not more. Of course, occasionally things happen like a ride has to close for weather or a technical issue and that would interfere with your wait times, but that's one of those unpredictable things. We do always go on some of the least crowded weeks of the year at Disney so I can't say how accurate the plans are in busier times, but i imagine they are pretty accurate.

Not sure where you are traveling from , but just make sure you have clothes for the weather. I find Floridas night temperatures to feel much colder than the same temperature at other locations. Its a damp type cold that can really chill you. Cold children are not fun to haul around and you will not want to shell our a bundle of money on sweatshirts etc. Another reason to have those backpacks!

ANother must is comforable shoes. Everyone must wear shoes they can walk around in all day for days in a row.

 

[BigRedDad]

I would flip MK and AK days. But that is just me. It is President's weekend and it will be slam packed. MK is always busy on Saturday and will be even more so that Saturday. Have fun with the trip.

 

[DisAl]

As mentioned by others you can take food in but as far as I know there are no "picnic" areas. You could probably use seating around one of the quick service locations but we have never tried that.
As for what is available on site you can to go https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/dining/ and look at every menu for every dining location. That may help you choose which days you want to pack it in and which days to buy in the parks. There are some really great quick service choices with Flame Tree BBQ in the Animal Kingdom being our favorite.
You may want to check and make sure your motel room will have a mini fridge.
As for lockers I know they have them (for rent) at the Magic Kingdom but I am not sure about the other parks.
As for Touring Plans we used them our last trip but found them to be more useful as a guide and not a hard schedule. They are pretty good at predicting crowds but changes in weather or an unscheduled ride shutdown can wreck you schedule.
If you are going with two nine year olds start your vitamin and exercise routine NOW! Our average walking distance in the parks was seven miles per day, which is another consideration on how much you want to pack and lug around all day.
And most important, BE FLEXIBLE and have a great trip!

 

[Smiley/OCD]

Hi there.
So I am 45 and this will be my first time to DW. Some of you will think I am crazy for not posting sooner, as we are leaving next Thursday, Feb 16, 2017. I am going with my 9 year old daughter, my good friend and her 9 year old son. We bought the 4 pass (and day at each park) and since we only have 3 real days we are skipping Epcot. Some may scoff at this, but it's done. We will be in the parks Friday: Hollywood Studios, Sat: Magic Kingdom, Sun: Animal Kingdom

I've booked our Fastpass for all three days and just wondering some basic things:

Is it feasible to pack your lunch? Are there lockers? I like REAL food and am worried about eating so many meals there, not to mention the cost.
Any recommendations of what not to miss?
I used the Touring Plan Tool to plan our days. Does anyone know if the plans they provide using the 'optimize' button are realistic? Are the wait times on the optimized Touring Plan legit?
Is February a very busy time? We will be there on weekend days..
Suggestions of what to bring/pack for the kids? I bought lanyards for pins, light up spinney toys, finger lights... Anything I can buy ahead of time to save $$?

Thanks for your help. I appreciate the enthusiasm of so many people on here.

I give this same piece of advice to all first timers with kids...regardless of their ages...once you get to MK, and before you walk into the park, one of the adults goes in and scopes out a good location on Main St. Have a camera or phone ready to snap the kids' faces when they see Cinderella castle for the first time...Trust me, you will cherish that photo for the rest of your life!!! Have a magical time, and don't be overwhelmed!

 

[tractor tipper]

I give this same piece of advice to all first timers with kids...regardless of their ages...once you get to MK, and before you walk into the park, one of the adults goes in and scopes out a good location on Main St. Have a camera or phone ready to snap the kids' faces when they see Cinderella castle for the first time...Trust me, you will cherish that photo for the rest of your life!!! Have a magical time, and don't be overwhelmed!

Only problem I see with this is who takes a picture of the "adult" when they see the castle. I guess they could keep their head down and not look until the others arrive.

 

[Smiley/OCD]

Only problem I see with this is who takes a picture of the "adult" when they see the castle. I guess they could keep their head down and not look until the others arrive.

as always...someone gets stuck with the "dirty work" lol

 

[dreamfinder]

All the parks do have lockers, however they are all pretty close to the park entrance. So while they exist, they are far from ideal for stashing food. If you are towards the back of the park it could easily be a 10-20 min walk to get back to the lockers to get lunch, which is far from ideal. Not to mention they are pretty pricey. You can see full info here -> http://www.wdwmagic.com/other/locker-rental.htm I would definitely suggest looking at using a backpack instead. Also check out the menus for all the restaurants, most of which can be found here -> http://www.wdwmagic.com/dining.htm There are plenty of options to choose from at most of the parks that should cover most tastes. But yes, bringing food is a good way to help keep costs down a bit.

 

[contrariwise]

I agree with what others have said. There is real food in the parks. It's not just burgers and fries, but it is expensive.

There is no non-busy time of year any more. February is usually slower, but any holiday means all bets are off. There are definitely less busy times of day - opening time and closing time. Try to take advantage of at least one of these. We like rope drop - opening time. Get there before the park opens to maximize your time. Side note: MK on Saturday is not ideal.

As far as Touring Plans, great website, tons of information, and I have used the Touring Plan tool. It's good to give you an idea of where to go first, and general wait times. It will be nearly impossible to follow it to the letter, so don't stress about that. It's better to be used for informational purposes.

One more thing, at that age, my daughter really liked the pressed penny souvenirs. You can find the machines at various places throughout the resort.

Have a great trip!

 

[NCROLFE]

Wow!!! Thank you, thank you for all of your thoughtful responses. So VERY kind of you. I've looked at the menu website and will make good use of it. Bringing a comfy backpack seems the way to go for a lunch or two. I've now made dinner reservations for all nights. Yes, I was really pulling for Epcot, but my friend who has been a few times was pretty insistent that the kiddos would appreciate AK more. I LOVE the idea of an adult getting to the MK castle in order to capture the kids' faces! Thank you all SO much.

 

[ninjaprincesst]

If you are going to bring your own food I would recommend finding a bench or something not sitting at quick service tables, during busy times seating can be quite limited and it really stinks if someone has purchased food and can't find a table because there are people with outside food using them. I personally would not fool with bringing outside food its just not worth it, Disney food is actually quite good, and most quick service places have several healthy options, the portions are quite large so it's very easy to share a meal to cut cost. If your wondering about menus allears.net has the menu for pretty much every quick service and table service listed with pricing.

 

[jpinkc]

At 9 my kids only had eyes for MK Epcot they could have cared less. They liked HS, but were kinda on the fence about Animal Kingdom. They loved Everest and Kali but were kinda meh about the rest of it. They made us hop back to MK in the afternoon